~~~
NARU
Naru's brows drew together, lashes fluttering while the tips of his lips lowering. Sitting on his bed, Naru got back from the hospital and taking a day's rest before meeting the others back the next day. The doctor advised nothing but a good cold compress couldn't fix, so here he was.
In his room. On a bed. Reminiscing the case.
He remembered her song. He remembered Akemi's song.
And the idea of her being the same person as the child in his dreams froze him on the spot. 'Could it actually be?'
It was highly improbable. The statistics of all the population he could meet, he managed to meet the very person he only known in his dreams. Rather impossible yet not out of thought. 'It is a small world after all...'
Naru shuts his eyes, Akemi's drawing clutched in his hands-- making sure he doesn't wrinkle it too much.
He spoke of his dreams when he was young; A girl showed up on his dream, crying and a bit wounded a day after awakening his psychic ability. Says she has been on an accident but couldn't let on regarding it, so Naru had nothing to say to the authorities. None believed him except for his brother and so kept his mouth shut,
He didn't remember much of the details of her appearance but he made sure to capture it before it could fade. The golden tangling threads she calls hair, even the wide grin that proposed adventures and her eyes that invited magic in his dreams. Sparkling purple,
Having a rare eye color already degrades the others from his list but there were still others with such a rare condition, yet the moment she sang her song. Naru connected the dots— it doesn't take an intelligent person to match— Maruyama Akemi was the girl on Naru's dreams.
'Or should he put it as memories instead?'
Flipping the paper over, Naru observed the well-drawn face of a little girl. Looked to be in her young six or eight but Naru remembered telling she was older than she looked, ten years-old. If anything, he thought of her younger than that from her clothing and height; the way she presented herself.
'Thinking about it now... her appearance changed— still a child in the head though.' Her golden locks no longer golden but wavy and untangled from it's neighbor, perfectly kept. Her hair covered in a silvery gray hair dye that Naru knew wouldn't last for a few more weeks. Her outfits changed from bright sparkly pink and now more elegant and chic— complimenting her figure perfectly yet not her personality— she's too... quirky that it takes you aback from the contrasting delicacy of her clothing.
She grew taller too. The same height as his yet he for sure would outgrow her, he was still 17 after all. He has to.
Naru sighs, folding a decade's worth of paper back to his sketch and stood from his bed to get a few materials. 'It's been a while since he last held a brush.'
~~~
~~~
MAI
June 15, 2009
"A- Akemi-sempai?!" Mai gapes the moment she closed the Office doors, in time for her usual come ins every weekends. However, it was a first for her— seeing Akemi not far by the windows sitting on the floor with a peaceful look on her face, body covered with a blanket.
'Is— Is she seriously sleeping like that?!' Appalled, Mai continues to gape at the heiress not far from her.
Akemi's sleeping habits are totally a preference; she likes her bed warm and would not be able to sleep if the area is cold. On a warm condition, Akemi sleeps deeply and takes a while to wake her up so Mai steps in— knelt in front of Akemi's sleeping figure, shaking her shoulders lightly.
"Akemi-sempai...Akemi-sempai wake up..." Mai tries nudging her shoulders and it got what she wanted when Akemi lets out a weak groan.
Her sleepy eyes blinking lightly, a soft smile on her lips when Akemi realized Mai woke her up— the heiress was embarrassed for being caught.
"The rising sun makes this spot warm and comfy," Akemi imparts with a gentle smile on her lips, her eyes still sleepy closed. Petting the space beside her, "Care to join me~?" the heiress asks, her voice softly-spoken and silvery. Tempting and sweet.
"...No thanks," Mai declines, a bit hesitant but knew Akemi could take the hit. "So what were you doing there?"
"I was doing my usual rounds of simple cleaning and happen to come upon this window space, hehe..." Akemi blushed a laugh. "-but I guess I was too tired from my business projects that I fell asleep..." Akemi wryly scratches the back of her head, sheepish and embarrassed.
"It seems that way," Mai laughs, "You even have a blanket!"
"Eh, a blanket?" Akemi then just realized the soft warmth on top of her body and lifts a smile towards Mai. "I didn't know I placed one on me~ I guess I was really sleepy to notice."
The two girls laughed, finding the situation quite cute.
~~~
Time passes by, Akemi already awake beside Mai. Up till now in the month of June only few people called in the SPR. Akemi remembered receiving a call about a beach house and so far no news from Naru. He either was considering such a case or that he didn't bother calling back.
"Geez, I had a dream about an exam last night." Mai breathes out, turns out the other crew were free and decided to keep the girls company by surrounding the receiving area. And as if fate would have it, Naru passes by to ask Akemi for some tea. "-I got an F in math! Do you ever have dreams like that— about exams, Akemi-sempai? Naru?"
"....Ara?" Akemi took her steps away with delicate discomfort, a bead of sweat drops on her forehead, mortified. "Um...not really..."
With a rather baleful glare, distant and harsh. Naru answers as though Mai offended him. "Never."
And left with Akemi ahead, as their paths matches their destination. One to the office the other to the kitchen just beside.
'Grr! he gets on my nerves!' Mai clenches her teeth, the sound of it shattering from her strength really threatening.
With a sigh, the Miko nods in understanding. "I have dreams like that even to this day,"
"Yeah, me too." Bou-san crosses his arms from his seat. "But I have dreams that are even worse."
"Really? What kind?" Mai asks, pouting when she realized Oliver wasn't around and was still in Naru's office.
"When I'm tired I often have dreams like reading the Buddhist script— over and over reading Buddhist script— over and over reading Buddhist script, reading Buddhist script over and over. I just keep reading it, repeatedly." Bou-san shudders, patting his arms to rid his goosebumps. "Oh! Just thinking about it...brrr!"
"Of course," Mai brightens before her face turned flat. "-I don't' get it."
"I know what you mean." John chimes in, "I have dreams where I'm endlessly reading and reading and reading the bible and it just never ends."
Bou-san clicks his fingers, "Right?"
Mai felt sweat drip down her head, concerned for herself and her life. 'At times like this...I realize that these people are in very unique occupations...' The high schooler shakes her head, at the same moment Akemi popped out of the kitchen with treats. Gelato and cake.
"Hey, since it's summertime let's go to the beach!" Mai cheers, moving away from her desk and sitting along with the others by the receiving area. Helping Akemi give the others their part.
"The beach? Are we going to wash potatoes there or something?!" Bou-san barks, taking a bite out of the cake.
"No way. I don't want to get sunburned." Ayako scoffs, scooping a good amount of gelato while the young priest beside her was open to any invite.
"Ah, good idea!"
"We can't just go to any beach though..." Akemi chimes in, suggesting a few beaches she knew.
"I'll pass. I'd rather not deal with the spirits of those who drowned in the ocean." Akemi and the others sweat dropped at the mention.
"That... there is that," Akemi had to agree. She would be having a hard time focusing on having fun,
Mai continues, wanting to be with everyone on such a great day. "Well, then how about the mountains?"
"Too much pressure on my back for an old man like me..." Bou-san takes another bite off the cake.
"What? You want us to climb a mountain? No way." Ayoko huffs, another spoonful of gelato reaching her lips.
"Ahh! that sounds like fun too." John smiles, Akemi next to them suggesting a few areas where they could climb.
"I'll pass." Masako says once more. "-I'd hate to encounter the spirits of those who got lost up there."
"...there is that," Akemi agrees once again with a weary smile.
"Then where would you guys like to go?" Mai frowns, pouting at the picky people around her.
"Why don't you take Naru with you instead of us?" Ayako says without thought, fully focusing on the gelato in hand.
"There's no way Naru wants to go—"
"Akemi. Mai." Mai jumps at the sudden call. Akemi calmly turning her head to see Naru and Oliver. "I'll take you to the ocean."
"Eh, what?!" Mai lets out a shrill yelp, Masako frowning under her sleeve while Akemi pouts.
"John wants to go to the beach as well, though!" At the mention of the priest, John lets out an understanding smile, speaking up to know it was okay.
Naru frowns at her words, a brow arched. "For work."
~~~
"Gyaaah! I see a ghost!" Mai screams, seeing a figure while beside the high school student stood Naru with his folder, not caring much about her claims. Not far from them was Akemi with a phone in hand, flustered and almost teary. Her back turned against them, controlling her cries.
"I told you not to bring the yacht! No! Please remove them at once!"