ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ MAI OTHERS ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
"I see so that's what happened," John smiled, sitting by the Office's sofa with Ayako sitting next to the priest drinking tea. "Congratulations on closing the case." Bou-san and Mai just finished explaining the details of the Park case to Ayako and John, who weren't available due to their schedule.
"Well we couldn't have solved it without Mai's help," Bou-san, nudged the teenager with Akemi nodding in agreement. "Mai definitely carried the case on this one."
Despite their encouraging words, Mai still felt slumped. Feeling how down Mai felt, Akemi took out her phone to send a message. "Uh... but I still don't get it."
"Why not?" Ayako asked, her brow perking, also taking note of Mai's expression.
"Because... her ex-boyfriend still has no idea of what she's been doing," Mai pouted. "After what he did, I think he should be punished too... It's not fair."
Ayako hummed, considering her words before glancing at Akemi who was waving her phone behind Mai. "Yeah, that's true..."
Getting the jist of it, Ayako took out her phone.
Oblivious to what was happening, Bou-san placed a hand on Mai's head in a chop motion. "You probably will never know but what goes around comes around. He'll be punished one way or another soon enough."
"hm..."
"I think the lady understood Mai's kind intentions, you shouldn't worry too much about it." John smiled, while Ayako finished reading Akemi's text, sending Bou-san a teasing glint with a plan in mind.
"You sound like a monk~" Ayako teased, receiving a whipping turn of a head from Bou-san barking back that he is a Monk.
"Be happy that the woman spirit disappeared and will now rest in peace and it is all because of your kindness," Akemi added, placing a hand on Mai's back genuinely feeling proud of the high schooler before moving back to press numbers. "If it weren't for your words, the woman would still be in misery..."
"You really think so?" Mai stared at Ayako and Akemi, when they smiled and nodded— Mai returned the genuine feeling of calmness and acceptance. "Yeah..."
The group continued talking while Akemi went out the room as her phone started ringing.
"You're lucky you're not complicated like the rest of us."
~~~
ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ MAI ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
CHIRINGGG—!
"Hello— oh I didn't realize that you were all here, is Naru here?" was what Masako immediately asked the moment she stepped inside the room, her gaze and attitude back to what it usually is as the spirit no longer resides in her.
"Are you here to talk more about work?" Mai asked as she stood to get everything needed every time there was a client.
"No, I wanted to take him out for tea."
Mai stopped. Her brain slow to process Masako's words,
"Eh? No way he would ever accept that!" Ayako smiled, barking behind Mai as the Miko took another laugh at the Psychic. John remained quiet, stunned and Bou-san sputtered on his drink.
"Yeah... especially if it's not work related." Mai ticked, feeling another vein on her head throb.
"He won't turn me down," Masako smiled, fully confident in her words. "We've already gone out together several times to movies and concerts."
'What in the world—!'
"Give me a break," Naru popped out from his office, hearing the noises from the room. "How many times have I told you? This is not a country club—"
"Hello Naru." Masako smiled.
Naru paused.
"...Akemi—" Naru started but seeing Akemi wasn't present in the room his gazed went off to Mai. "-Mai, I'm going out for a while."
Masako perked at the mention of going out, lifting a sleeve to her mouth to cover her delight. "Oh, then I'll come with you."
"No, thanks." Naru bluntly declined, "- Enjoy your stay here."
Masako grasps the cuffs of his sleeve before Naru could move anywhere else, Mai screeches at the sight of Masako's boldness. "Please let me come with you." Masak pleaded.
'Ma-masako!' Mai felt weak, her head going in circles at the sight of the two. 'Rgggh! Tell her, Naru! Reject her! Be blunt as usual!'
Mai waited for Naru's usual cold reactions but she was stunned that he remained silent, almost as if he was contemplating. "...See you later," Naru finally said after a sigh, pertaining to the others.
The impassive man went near his coat rack and took his black over coat, patting and buttoning quite slower than usual, the Monk and Miko definitely took note of his actions.
And Mai thought that was it. Naru was going out with Masako, until the sound of the door ringing a bell woke her up from the stupor.
Akemi tilted her head, her purple gaze moving towards Naru's direction as he stood close to the door. "...oh?" With narrowed gazes Akemi brightened at learning who the person was in front of her. "Naru? where are you going?"
Seeing her hope, Mai stood and waved at her sempai with vigor, successfully gaining Akemi's attention. "Sempai! Naru and Masako are going on a date!"
'Oi, that was too blunt!'
Akemi's smile faltered just slight, while Naru remained standing staring at her. but Akemi was always known to proficiently standing back to her feet and so asked innocently, "Oh? Where to?"
The crew remained silent, as they too didn't know where Naru and Masako would go.
Naru hesitated, "...somewhere...."
Seeing their interaction, it was like something in them knew— the crew knew it best to stay quiet. But the atmosphere was too thick they could feel it caress their skin.
Even the temperature of the room lowered.
Well that was until Akemi brightened, "Oh! have fun you two~!" she smiled, stepping to the side for Naru and Masako to pass, while Mai blanched at the sudden turn of events.
Without another word, Naru and Masako left.
~~~
ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ AKEMI ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
"Looks like they won't be able to join us..." Akemi hummed, in time for Kikyo to join the premises in the Office.
"Eh?" the crew perked, their gaze focused on Akemi's in question.
Akemi leapt, diminishing the distance between her and the crew. Her sudden spring unto action caused her to stumble on the way that sent the others in panic, bringing out their arms as if to catch her but Akemi always found her steps before she could fall.
"Mattaku! Akemi!" Ayako scolded the girl,
Akemi clasped her hands in who she knew to be Mai but the girl glanced at Ayako who sat on the sofa next to where Mai stood just after the Miko made sure Akemi didn't fall, her purple orbs bright with stars. "I heard there was a Cake shop close to the newly opened mall down a few roads! Can we go?" like a child, Akemi begged the others.
"It could be our own date!" Akemi glanced at the girls, her head tilted and eyes pleading. Ayako let out a small smile, gazing a knowing look as to what Akemi is trying to do while John and Mai perked at the sound of sweets.
"Yeah! We should all go on a date!" Mai brightened, her words receiving a sweat drop from the Monk and Miko while Akemi remained smiling, already pulling Mai away with cheer.
"Lin-san, do you want to join us?" Mai and Akemi turned to ask but their question was soon answered when the door to his office was locked.
"Looks like he is not much of a sweet-tooth..." Mai muttered but Akemi placed a hand on her giggling lips.
"I don't think so— let's buy him a few bags after we're done~" Akemi turned to where she knew her guard stood. "How about you Kikyo?"
"...Seeing as my presence isn't needed being in the Office seems to be a good decision." Kikyo bowed, moving towards the kitchen to leave them be.
"We'll bring some pastries~!" Akemi waved before joining the others who went ahead outside, hearing a delight bark just as she step foot on the pavement.
"Oliver!" Akemi petted the golden retriever, the very reason why Kikyo wasn't in the office earlier as the dog was currently being groomed in a center near the building. "How was your day?" Akemi asked the dog and the response she got was dozen licks on the face.
~~~
"Hey, does Masako take advantage of his weakness or something?" Bou-san asked as the crew walked side by side the pavement with Akemi holding Oliver's leash.
"his?" Mai frowned in thought, confused as to who the Monk was pertaining to.
"He meant Naru, Mai." Akemi lightly nudged the high schooler, making Mai gape.
"-Naru has a weakness?!"
"Uh... well just now and the case from the other day..." Bou-san, lifted a finger to count, pertaining to the out of place Park case and now the date.
"That wasn't very Shibuya like, right?" John joined in also noting how suspicious it was.
"I wasn't going to say anything but is Naru really the president of SPR?" Ayako added. The crew feeling free to express their own thoughts and opinions about the confusing Boss. The others couldn't fully ask for Akemi and Mai's opinion as they would meet on either the office or in a case which in both situations have Lin and Naru in the area. Now that they weren't in the office where Lin or Naru could hear, they thought now was the best time to talk.
"I mean do you know who actually owns this business?" Ayako added, receiving a thoughtful hum from the Monk.
"No," Mai shook her head and Akemi remained silent. "Why?"
Bou-san noticed this and asked, "How much do you think he pays for this place?"
"¥1,674,500." Akemi replied in a quick response.
"See," Ayako pointed, placing a hand on Akemi's shoulder. "Shibuya isn't cheap to rent space in. The building is new ands the office is big, and all the equipment used in the investigation is expensive. How much is one of those heat sensitive cameras?"
"One thousand million yen." Mai froze.
"Maybe he has a patron or something?" John suggested, and as soon as he spoke his suggestion the Monk and teenager let out sly grins. "-Psychic research isn't as commonly practiced in Japan but they are rather common in Australia therefore most of the research centers are supported by patrons. Some research centers are even back by foundations..."
The rest of the crew blushed, Akemi feeling slight sympathetic from the suggestive gazes, 'They practically exude their expression...' Akemi wryly smiled at Mai and Bou-san before lifting a hand to touch john's arm lightly.
"John, I get what you are trying to say... but in Japan, the meaning of patron is slightly different."
"Huh?" 'Oh, the innocence of foreigners...'
Bou-san leaned in and whispered to John what Akemi meant and the pastor blushed, shyly hiding his face.
"But that wasn't a bad guess," Bou-san went back, "The idea that Naru has investors helping him and Masako's father was one of them, then he wouldn't be able to turn down her invitations... but could Naru also be from a wealthy family?"
"I don't think Naru is one to let the daughter of an investor control his life in anyway," Akemi spoke up, disagreeing with Bou-san's thoughts. "He is not afraid to let go on things that hinders his work."
The crew remained silent, thinking things through. They reminisced the moments Naru actually said No on situations that involve social life along with his narcissistic tendencies despite any higher-up he is facing. At the mention of other clients claiming there was hauntings on their places, Naru wouldn't simply go at the mention of money.
"Now that I think about it," Bou-san and Ayako sweat dropped. "Naru isn't the type to let any person control him..."
Mai and Akemi winced at the thought of the one client even threatening the indifferent boss when Naru wouldn't give to investigating his place.
"Is this the shop?" the crew stopped as they got to the part of the Cafe entrance. Mai, Ayako, John and Bou-san stared at the sign of the shop which was decorated fully on pink and sprinkles, displaying the letters 𝓒𝓸𝓼𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓻 𝓒𝓪𝓯𝓮. It was quite cute to be honest,
Akemi brightened and went inside.
~~~
ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ MAI ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
Mai was about to follow along however,
"Eh? is that Naru and Masako?" hearing his name from John's mouth, Mai turned and stared at the wide glass that separated their customers from the passerby.
Indeed it was them.
Naru sat on a chair, cross-legged reading on a piece of paper he must have gotten before he and Masako went inside the shop while Masako sat sipping tea across from him.
"They look..." Ayako started,
SILENCE—
"Out of place?" Bou-san tried but their gaze remained on the two people that shown they were minding their own business, Masako's mouth moving slight to talk and Naru would usually respond with shortness.
"Ha! If that's how they 'date' then consider me not envious~!" Mai gloated, letting a humped victory before walking inside to see her sempai already munching on a sweet, since it was their first day of opening, they gave out free tasters.
"Mai! I didn't know that these were delicious!" the rest of the crew joined inside just before Akemi finished her words. "-Take how many you guys want, my treat! After this let's go watch the movie or maybe the arcade~!"
Seeing the wide smile on Akemi's face, how genuinely bright the graceful lady is— Mai couldn't help but smile along.
"Having a date with Akemi-sempai is way better!" Mai cheered as she went to look for any sweet pastries that caught her eye.