~~~AKEMI NARU~~~
"I knew you would still be here..." (Naru) lifted his gaze off of his laptop and turned his head to see a smiling Akemi— standing just a few steps away from the van where he is currently residing.
But she wasn't alone.
(Naru)'s gaze intensified at the unknown man next to Akemi. "Maruyama-san, what are you doing here?" (Naru) asked, ignoring the man next to her.
Akemi placed a hand on her smiling lips, her eyes closing for her usual closed-smile. "Ara~ I came here to either help you or pick you up!"
"Pick me up?"
"It really is not an unknown situation for me to hear the word 'a few more minutes' when it comes to work." Akemi smiled as (Naru) seemed to let out a sigh, understanding her hint and placed his attention back on his laptop giving the air of not stopping. The world would end before (Naru) decides to stop in the middle of his work.
'hihi~ how cute!' Akemi gushed seeing (Naru)'s action resembling a child that won't stop playing on his gadget. Akemi let out a sigh, already used to these kinds of situations. "Since I can't force you to rest I might as well help you finish early instead..." Akemi smiled at (Naru)'s unheeding, not one bit bothered by it.
She smoothly stepped near (Naru), taking a few papers and handing it to her cousin with the plan to let him read it aloud but a clearing of throat behind her made her realize how rude she was.
Finally realizing her actions— Akemi lightly apologized and gracefully lifted a hand, pointing to the man next to her. "How rude of me! Kazuya— this is my cousin from my mother's side."
The man next to her smiled, highly similar to Akemi's radiance. "Nishiyama Yukio, I hope my cousin wasn't too much work!" Yukio bowed, his well groomed brown hair fell along his action and his matching eyes gleamed in sincerity.
(Naru) finally turned his head to face the two, his expression void of any emotion— nobody noticing how his shoulders were not as tensed as before. "Shibuya Kazuya. Maruyama-san was not that difficult to handle." 'if anything she was helpful silencing Taniyama-san.'
Akemi pouted at his words, 'He could have at least sounded grateful~! his words made it seem like he was the one ordered to watch over the other.'
"I'm glad to hear that!" Yukio smiled reaching over to take the papers Akemi was handing him, but then the kind air around him turned eerie— his smile darkened— seemed to be holding a different meaning, almost solemn. "–but if you ever hurt my angel of a cousin in any way..."
Naru kept his eyes on the air around Yukio, his brotherly greeting turned into something dangerous and Naru could already tell what he meant despite not finishing it.
Game Over.
'An overprotective family it seems...' Naru stayed unresponsive, daring his eyes to glance at the quiet Akemi beside a burning Yukio— noticing how fast she lifted her hand.
Huwaack— !
"Yame nasai~" Akemi neatly smiled, to reveal her violet eyes— calmly staring at her cousin who is now kneeling on the ground cradling his head. Oblivious at Naru's gaze at Akemi, his sight focused on the haze in her eyes.
"Don't worry." Akemi jerked her head to Naru's direction as he spoke up, her eyes held confusion. At first, Akemi thought Naru was talking to her but she saw that Naru's gaze wasn't unto her but to her cousin— who is now standing up. "I can't promise that she wouldn't get hurt but I'll try my best to prolong that event." Naru passively said before turning back to work on his laptop.
'I can't believe I'm saying this but...what he did just now was cool!' Yukio deflated in defeat, placing a hand on Akemi's shoulder.
"Kazuya, shouldn't you be resting?" Akemi asked, as her cousin fully stood up. Naru didn't budge at her hint to rest. "I think you should stop and rest even for a few hours at least. What you are doing is not exactly healthy, you know?" Akemi urged, finally getting Naru to look at her.
"You said you'll help me." Naru reminded Akemi, his brows furrowed at her with a frown threatening his lips.
Akemi froze at that, her eyes slightly widening but all of it was replaced by a pleased expression the next second. The sight of him reminded Akemi of a child. It made her lift a hand on her lips to stifle her giggles— giving Naru a nod and helped him work.
(Naru) kept silent as they finished the work much earlier than he expected, his gaze focused on Akemi's proud stance, the air around her challenging Naru to just try and find a way to refuse sleeping— and by the reaction of Akemi's cousin behind her told Naru everything he needed to know to not do just that.
The sight of Akemi calmly and elegantly standing in front of him with a smile on her lips made her resemble somebody familiar to him. Especially the way her eyes showed light in them in some way.
Naru let out a sigh and placed a hand on his laptop and pushing the screen down to shut it off.
'I must be more tired than I thought...' Naru thought to himself as his laptop fully shut down.
Akemi cheered at this accomplishment.
~~~MAI NARU~~~
"Hello-! What are you doing?" Mai stopped a few steps beside a working Naru, his gaze focused on his laptop as his fingers fly through the keys with precision and speed.
"Reviewing the data we collected yesterday." Naru simply said. Mai nodded silently and stood up straight as she felt like something was missing. Or someone.
"Did you find anything?" Naru shook his head at her. "Nothing unusual. Either there are no ghosts," Naru said, his thoughts going back to Akemi's belief about the building. "-or they're hiding for now... there doesn't appear to be any danger or presence at this moment of time."
"Where's Akemi-sempai?" Mai shook her head at the information given and turned her head to look at the abandoned building or even catch a glimpse of Akemi's silvery gray hair but there was nothing but an empty presence.
"She's on leave for now." Mai sweat dropped at his words. 'It sounds like she officially works for this narcissist now... Wait! does that mean I have to stay with this Narcissist the whole day!?-'
"Woah! what an impressive equipment." Naru and Mai turned their heads to the direction where they heard an unknown voice, just to see a tall woman with red-ish brown hair with a confident air around her that almost seemed haughty and pompous. "For kids' toys they seem pretty fancy, don't they?" the woman teased, placing a hand on her hip as the man behind her held an amused expression of curiosity.
'Wow... she's pretty...but not the angelic pretty like Akemi-sempai— she is lacking in charm— heh...She is one scary onee-chan...' Mai gawked, feeling a bit cautious at the womanly features the red-head has. 'And kids' toys? severe consequence would happen if you damage his pride like that!'
"And you are?" Naru asked in disinterest.
"I'm Ayako Matsuzaki, yoroshoku-"
"I have no interest in your name." Naru coldly cut her off, sending Mai and the man behind Ayako to stifle their laughs.
"Pfft!"
"You're pretty sassy, aren't you little boy?" Ayako's brow twitched as she noticed Naru's appearance. "And handsome too-"
"Thanks." Mai and the man chortled.
"But you know... looks aren't everything- you can't exorcise spirits with your face." Naru tilted his head a bit at that,
"You are in the same business?"
Ayako nodded letting a smug grin grace her face and crossed her arms as she can finally flaunt her job. "You could say that. I'm a Miko!"
Mai froze in shock, 'This chick is a what?!' Mai checked Ayako at her pointed heels to the fitted outfit that flaunted her curves and the face full of womanly make-up.
It seems she wasn't the only one who thought of it as Naru spoke, placing a fake smile in his lips that could almost rival Akemi-sempai's genuine ones.
"I thought you had to be a pure and innocent young lady to become a miko." STRIKE. Ayako held an irked mark on her forehead as she glowered at Naru's 'innocent grin'.
'She deserved it, Well said Naru-chan!' Mai cheered,
"Oh? is that not how I look right now?" Ayako gritted as Mai and the man behind her laughed. 'Why this boy! is there no way to retaliate?!' Ayako gritted to herself.
"Well, for starters you look too old to be called, innocent." the unknown man behind Ayako practically bellowed. "And you wear too much make-up to be called pure." Ayako blushed in anger as the sounds of the unknown man's laughter grew louder. Just as Ayako was about to retort back Naru already changed his target to glance at the laughing man.
"And you are? You don't act like you are Matsuzaki-san's assisstant." Naru pointed out.
"Yeah, no kidding." the man answered, straightening up his brown jacket and towered Ayako by a head. "I'm Takigawa Houshou, A monk from the Koya Mountain." Mai tilted her head at the so called 'monk' in front of her, noting his ponytailed hair. 'A monk for the Koya Mountain? Cool!'
"Mt. Koya allows long hair on their monks?"
"He's an outlaw." Ayako inserted nonchalantly, the monk sweat dropped at this.
"I'm just taking a break! I really did stay at the Koya Mountain even if I'm not there right now..." Monk said, almost pitifully and Mai couldn't help but laugh at his appearance, making Monk lift his eyes to stare at her.
"And who's the giggling girl with the big mouth?" his words made made Mai shut up. 'I...don't have...a big mouth...'
"Taniyama Mai, I'm just a kind-hearted student called on to help carry things... there's also one more but she was too busy to join..." The monk nodded,
"Anyway, kids' playtime is over! We'll be taking over from here." Ayako placed a hand on her hip. "The principal told me he no longer has confidence in you. Who could blame him? you're only seventeen."
'Her voice is too confident, I'm afraid her face will go stiff.' Mai said to her thoughts. 'So the Principal said that Naru-chan is unreliable? did he hire more ghost hunters then?'
Without averting his gaze on the television set Naru stayed quiet, the air around him practically speaks of 'no interest'.
"but the principal is also overreacting, hiring so many people for just one building-"
"Yeah, that's right. I would have been enough." Bou-san cut off, sending a look towards Ayako while the woman simply flipped her hair at the silent challenge.
"Well, we'll see about that."
"by the way, little boy, what's your name?"
"You guys should go ask the Principal to find out, seems like you at least know my age." Naru replied, Bou-san sweat dropped at his sass.
"Man did we ask already, He said you're from a paranormal investigator office on the prestigious Shibuya street but he never thought that the head of the investigation is a little kid." Bou-san laughed coldly.
"I have nothing to add to that."
"Boy, does he feel duped." Bou-san added, watching Naru's passive expression.
"Is that so..." Naru said detachedly, his voice cold.
~~~AKEMI~~~
Akemi lifts up a hand to stifle her giggles as she remembered the events last night— the whole night was filled with corny puns and jokes, it mostly came from Yukio and Akemi. The expression (Naru) held by the end of the day made her laugh almost feeling bad for making him go through all of that. Almost.
'He looked like a man has stolen 7 decades off his life.' Akemi giggled, getting the attention of the man sitting not far from her.
"What's so funny now?" Akemi lifted up her gaze and her giggles stopped and was replaced with a civil smile.
In front of her sat one of the men that 'tricked' Akemi into having dinner with them— the man in front of her invited her with the guise of a meeting and yet it was only them at the 5-star restaurant.
"Oh, it is nothing... I just remembered something funny." Akemi smiled calmly, the man in front of her let out an arrogant smile.
Akemi wore a simple silver off shoulder dress, showing off her collarbone and frail skin; the dress tightened around her waist, exploring her figure before it flowed freely towards her knees. Her silvery gray hair pinned on the side of her right shoulder with a white flower tie, revealing her think neck.
"If it's that funny, why don't you share it?" The tycoon lifts his glass of wine while Akemi was quick to decline his words.
"Oh, it is an inside joke. I'm afraid it won't be that funny..." Akemi took a fork and continued poking at the salad that the man in front of her ordered without asking her.
Seeing that Akemi placed her gaze back at the plate, the man continued gloating about his business, inherited from his grandfather and the jewelry he could buy, sending Akemi a look. Which is not that amusing for Akemi to hear,
'Here they go again...' Akemi blankly poked on her salad, as the man continued to talk about his money and would send suggestive stares towards Akemi.
But the heiress was not having it and calmly sipped a glass of water.
~~~MAI NARU~~~
Psssh—!
"I was checking out all the classroom when suddenly the door closed behind me and won't open!"
"You're sure you didn't close it by yourself?" Bou-san asked, lifting the can of drink to his lips, his brow lifted at Ayako.
"I'm sure!" Ayako pushed, irked at how the monk (Bou-san) didn't believe her. "There is definitely something here-!"
"I don't sense it at all..." Hara Masako, a known psychic medium that the Principal hired spoke up, " There are no spirits here." Masako claimed.
'Akemi-sempai thought so too...' Mai thought to herself, sweat dropping as she missed her sempai's presence. Mai glanced at Naru, officially calling him that. Mai noted how quiet he seemed as the other hired psychics started bickering.
"Who do you think you are?!"
"Aren't you a little embarrassed of being scared of a door that wouldn't open?" Ayako felt an irk appear on her forehead.
"Shut up you little jerk! I'm a professional unlike a fake psychic medium who only got famous for her looks!"
"Thank you for the compliment on my good-looks." Ayako glared at Masako before turning her head, letting out a 'hmph!' as she was left with no retort. 'What is it with youngsters these days?! No respect whatsoever!'
"I think what I just experienced was caused by a Chirei."Mai tilted her head in confusion, removing her gaze at Naru and faced Ayako.
"Chirei? You mean a Jibakurei?" Ayako shook her head at Mai's lack of knowledge, making the high school girl sweat dropped.
"Jibakurei is different from a Chirei— Jibakurei are human spirits trapped in a particular location because of something that happened there while Chirei are spirits of the land also known as 'Seirei'." Ayako explained, Mai and Bou-san nodding.
"Well I think it's an act of Jibakurei. I wonder if something happened it this building in the past?" Bou-san muttered to himself as he took a sip of the can drink he opened. "My guess is that there's a ghost afraid to lose its home and is trying to prevent demolition."
"And you, John? what do you think?" Naru finally spoke after a while and turned to glance at a quiet John— who seemed shock that Naru wanted to know his perspective.
"I don't really know, isn't the phenomenon of a haunted building are usually caused by a spirit or ghost—?" Naru placed a hand on his chin, his mind thinking about the words given to him.
"Spirit...Soul..." Naru muttered under his breath until he remembered how Mai simply didn't understand the words Psychic Research and glanced at her. "A ghost is a Yurei, are you listening Mai?" by the special mention, Mai felt a nail pounded itself on her head. 'Thanks for caring you Narcissict!'
"-So if a psychic phenomenon is caused by spirits it would mean that Chirei has a close connection to the location or it could mean that the spirits have summoned a devil... but if the psychic phenomenon is caused by ghosts it would mean that it was an act of a Jibakurei— " As John was trying to explain the two possible causes Ayako and Bou-san pushed themselves closer to him their eyes filled with determination.
"So you do think it was caused by a Chirei?!"
"It's a Jibakurei, right?!"
The sudden invasion of personal space made John a bit uncomfortable but answered them nonetheless. "wa— I can't tell for sure..." John sweat dropped, slowly feeling the pressure. John's answered made Ayako let out an annoyed hum— turning her back on the people in the room and made her way towards the door with a confident stride.
'Man she sure is a piece of work!' Mai stared at Ayako, envious at the woman's... maturity. 'but her attitude stinks!'
"I just need to exorcise it, right? I'll take care of it tomorrow!" Ayako said as she left.
Masako sighed as she watched Ayako disappear, lifting her hand to cover her mouth. "What a waste of energy, as I said there are no spirits here." hearing Masako spoke made Mai turn her head towards the young girl.
' Oh right... I forgot she was here...' Mai sweat dropped, feeling a bit guilty for forgetting a person was with them.
"But there was a lot of incidents and stories about this building," Mai pointed out. "-how would you explain what happened to Miko-san?"
Masako shook her head as if she pitied Ayako. "That was her overactive imagination." Masako said simply, the way she held herself reminded Mai of a certain Narcissist. It seemed that Masako held the same idea and turned to face Naru.
"You... have we met before?" Masako asked. Her bold question made Mai, the monk and Priest stunned.
'This is not the time to pick up guys...' Mai gritted, the three of them sweat dropping.
"No, I believe this is the first time we have met." Naru passively declared to Masako— turning to glance at the setting sun by the window. "The sun is about to set. We need to put our equipment on the second floor classroom in the far west corner of the building." Naru said, his words made the ache on Mai's back increase as she watched him started getting to work.
'What?! My back can't handle more work!'
"Young one, you are not staying tonight?" Bou-san asked, with his hands on the back of his head.
"Not tonight" Naru turned to face the complaining high schooler. "Mai, tomorrow after school be prepared to stay."
"WHAT?!" Mai gaped at Naru in disbelief. "But tomorrow is a Saturday! A SATURDAY!" 'I have things to do on a saturday!'
Naru crossed his arms, his stare intense. "Would you rather pay me back for the camera?"
'Darn it.' with animated tears and fists clenched, Mai gritted out a "Fine...I'll be ready.."
'Akemi-sempai! when are you coming back? I'm being bullied by a narcissist!' Mai cried as she lifted another pack of equipment, hearing the complaints of her back as she placed the heavy baggage inside.
~~~AKEMI~~~
Achoo—!
Akemi let out a cute little sneeze, when she finally ditched the restaurant. Akemi sat comfortably om the back of her car, wiping it off with her handkerchief— oblivious to the person seeking for help.
'I sure hope I do not get a cold...'