~~~AKEMI AND OTHERS~~~
{First Day}
"Whoa, this is breathtaking..." Mai said as she got off the van and stared at the mansion. "Are there more mansions like this in Japan?"
"You should see the other Maruyama Family houses." Ayako sighed as though she was expecting more of the mansion in front of them. Hoping its design won't disappoint her; hearing her words Mai turned to the older woman, "What? Akemi-sempai has an even bigger mansion compared to the one we usually visit?!"
Ayako shrugs towards Mai's gushing while Bou-san stepped beside Ayako. His hands on the pockets of his jacket, waving it on his sides as he spoke. "It may be breathtaking but it's still a haunted mansion. Obviously we wouldn't be here otherwise."
Ayako click her tongue, scoffing before her words turned to rage at the insinuating tone of the monk. "HEY! WHAT'S WITH THE SUDDEN ATTITUDE, YOU JERK?!"
Yasuhara watched the two as he got out of the van next, "I see you two haven't changed, you guys remind me of a cat and mouse cartoon."
"You mean Tom and Jerry?" Akemi chimed beside him, popping out of nowhere as the heiress was already at the place ahead of them with Oliver next to her. Actually the Former Prime Minister himself called her, having a close relation due to her grandmother being his cousin but the Family made sure all those kind of relations were hidden for safety purposes. Knowing of her gift, the Former Prime Minister asked for an audience with her, as well as hang out as the two got busy over time.
"You're here early." Naru took note as he stepped out from the passenger seat and Akemi hopped over to him with a cute wide smile while Oliver wagged his tail towards the stoic boss, wanting to gain his attention as well and receive a pet on his head for doing a good job at waiting for him and the others.
"I've been waiting for you~" Mai and the others froze at the sight of Akemi's get up of comfortable clothing. A rare occurrence of seeing the heiress not on her elegant lady-like clothing.
Akemi tilted her head towards Naru, a bunny smile on her lips as she ignored how the others gaped at her. Her golden threads were tied loosen and braided, letting it rest over her shoulder though by the length of it made the tips of her tie almost reach her hips as a few strands of her hair were freed to frame her delicate face. Round rimmed spiral glasses standing out as it zoomed in over her purple orbs making it look bigger if one is near they could see her eye color but if a person was at a distance away, she would look nothing but a girl with spiral glasses.
"Well how is this outfit? I wore them to avoid the media from recognizing me!" Akemi lifted her arms, turning around to show off her long pink knitted cardigan sweater with patches of little strawberries around it that reached just above her thighs, under the sweater cardigan was a white vintage Bon Jovi shirt tucked under a chic wide high-waisted leg pants, that was a light shaded of blue with white sneakers as her shoes.
"Akemi-sempai, did you actually have to buy those clothes just to avoid the media...?" Akemi turned to her kouhai, tilting her head in confusion as a question mark popped out of her head.
"What ever do you mean? I've always had these clothes." Mai and the others froze, except for Ayako and the stoic males. The woman already knowing Bon Jovi to be one of Akemi's favorites and soon started pulling and pushing the others to get inside the mansion as they froze in place, the thought just stupifying their brains.
'She- she actually listens to Bon Jovi?!!'
Akemi giggles at their expression before clicking her tongue towards Oliver, the golden retriever doing well in guiding her towards the mansion but just as she was about to take a step inside, Akemi felt a cold shiver trail up her spine and made her lifted feet back beside her other feet. Suddenly pausing right in front of the entrance just as the others got inside; Oliver naturally pausing beside her without question whilst the heiress observed around the mansion with wavering eyes, her bunny smile long forgotten as her lips tugged to a frown. 'What...?'
"Akemi-sempai? Is something wrong?" Mai turned, being one to walking step by step with the heiress when she suddenly paused. Hearing Mai's call, the others too turned to glance at them while Masako kept to herself as she turned pale.
Akemi stood right where stayed, just as she was about to take a step inside, her heart started to hammer over her chest as though she ran a mile before coming here— Cold sweat were touching her skin but when she took a stepped back, it all disappeared. The experience left Akemi not wanting to step inside, it was such a reaction she never felt before and she didn't wish to have it again. It left her close to being indefensible at most. Like she was a prey the moment she steps inside the house.
"I..." Akemi gave breath before slowly shaking her head. "I don't want to go in there..." Mai and the others heard of what Akemi spoke of cautiously, Naru and Bou-san frowning at the unusual response while the heiress continued to look around the house.
"Welcome and thank you for coming!" A man appeared inside the mansion, making the crew turn to face their attention to him. "My name is Ohashi. I will grant you full authority on this case, please consider me just another client."
'Why am I so nervous?, even my eye is twitching...' Mai turns to Akemi, giving the heiress an encouraging smile. "Come on, Akemi-sempai. It's just a house, Ayako said your family home is much bigger!"
Akemi didn't know how to take such words into heart, not knowing if it was Mai's way of encouraging her to step inside. 'Now I'm more reluctant to step inside if she thought those were my reasons of hesitance!' Akemi let out a wry smile, a bead of sweat dropping down her head from Mai's words.
Mai wrapped an arm around Akemi's vacant one, pulling the heiress and Oliver in tow, just in time for the Prime Minister to ask who their boss was; the high school student unaware of how Akemi in her arms turned rigid. 'Help...' 'Help...' 'Help...' 'Run...' "Incidentally, your president is...?"
"Oh that would be me," Yasuhara smiles, 'Help...' "I am the President, Kazuya Shibuya."
"I heard that you were extremely young. As for the rest of you?" 'Help...'
"They are all mediums who are also close acquaintances of mine," Yasuhara points to Bou-san, Ayako and John who bowed a bit flustered at the sight of the former prime minister.
"Uh, my name is Houshou Takigawa." 'Help...'
"I'm Ayako Matsuzaki." 'Help...'
"And I'm John Brown." 'Run...'
"These four are my assistants." Yasuhara then gestured towards Mai, Akemi, Naru and Lin. The high school student bowed while the other three remained firm on their stance.
'Help...'
"I'm Taniyama Mai..." Mai glances beside her as the other three stood, not noticing how Akemi's skin was pale and beads of sweat were closing in on her. 'I wonder what Naru's going to say?'
"My name is Kazuo Narumi..." 'Help...' Akemi tightly blinked, her hand unconsciously swatting empty space beside her ear making Naru glance at her at the corner of his eye while Mai stared at Naru with a blank look, 'Who's that?' 'Help...'
"And you Miss?" The former Prime Minister asked yet Akemi couldn't hear him at all, Akemi once again swatted empty space beside her ear before turning to the Former Prime Minister.
"I- I beg your pardon?" The heiress vacantly blinked while the Former Prime Minister repeated his question politely thoguh one could read his stunned expression as well as concern. "My name is Clarisse Monet but Claire would be fine~" Akemi said, her fluent Japanese butchered when she applied a french accent towards her enunciation. Her vague and slow quip were left dismissed by the others, more interested as to where Akemi got her name, 'Run...'
It was Lin's turn and Akemi was back in her reverie, her eyes often darting around once casually glancing behind her. 'Help...' The more she looked the paler she became but none noticed too much from how her outfit hid her skin. "My name is Koujo Lin." and the crew besides Naru and Akemi turned frozen.
'Help...'
"Are you from China?" The Former Prime Minister asks, and Lin politely answers.
"Originally, Hong Kong." 'Help...'
"What?!!! REALLY?!" Ayako, Mai ad Bou-san gaped but with a stern glare from Naru shut them up. Not wanting to place suspicion of having them as acquaintances yet oblivious to their origin. 'Help...'
The three instead huddled together at the same moment Akemi lifted her hand to ask where the nearest lavatory would be and the Former Prime Minister willingly showed her the way. "Unbelievable. He's a foreigner?"
"I know they don''t all look like John-san or Akemi-san but..."
"Well, that solves one mystery."
"Huh?"
Mai turns to bou-san who shrugs, "Nothing, I've just always wondered where 'Lin' or 'Rin' came from. Is that his family name or his given name? I mean, wouldn't it be sad to be born with that name?"
Mai turns to stare at Lin who spoke to Naru and lifted his gaze towards Mai; catching her stare. Making the girl imagine different ideas. 'Rin Tin... Tin-chan..Pfft!'
"Idiot, stop it! They'd better not hear us!" Ayako stifles her laugh as the three of them snickered to themselves.
"Please come this way," The Former Prime Minister appearing back to host them, returning without Akemi; snapping the three out of their huddle as Ohashi gestured to the direction they were going to take,
DRPPP—!
Mai paused, feeling a cold shiver pass her, turning back to look she saw nothing but an empty space. "Hey, what's wrong?" Bou-san asked noticing Mai's lack of presence.
"Uh... nothing really..." Mai dismissed her feelings, turning back to follow Bou-san who waited for her. 'For a moment I got goosebumps... and I smelled something strange...'
~~~MAI AND OTHERS~~~
"To begin, I would like to introduce everyone whom I asked to come," Ohashi spoke as they all went to their seats right at the long dining table however, the dining table no longer had any chairs available, so Mai and the others sat on a mini table, having the ones actually invited be the one to occupy the long table.
Gesturing to an bald old man with a long graying chin hair, his clothes that of a Monk and a strict face on his head. "House Temple's Chief Priest, Kenshou Imura-sama,"
"Chie Igarashi-sensei, a National Defense Academy Professor and her Assistant Naoko Suzuki-sama," Ohashi gestured to a short curled haired, aged woman. Her eyes held calm and poise while the woman next to her also had a similar length instead hers were more straight and dark brown, a woman on her mid-twenties at most.
"Masako Hara-sama, a medium," Ohashi pointed to Masako whose sleeves were covering half her paled face.
"Reimei Minami-sama, President of the Minami Psychic research Center and his employees, Hideo Atsugi-sama, Yukie Shiraishi-sama and Miwa Fukuda-sama" Ohashi pointed to a burly man with gel hair. His chin perfectly chiseled yet his height a bit lacking. Next to him was Hideo Atsugi who was a plain looking male, his skin a bit tan and nose a bit big. Yukie Shiraishi was a short chubby woman wearing light colored clothes, her expression held nothing but strictly emotionless with her hair neatly tied on a low bun, with no hair strands standing out while the last assistant, Miwa Fukuda was the opposite, her hair was free and straight with straight bangs covering her forehead and clothes a lot more dark colored with a smirk on her face.
"And their observer Dr. Oliver David of the British Society for Psychic Research."
Ayako, Mai, John and Bou-san whow sat at the mini table let their brows raise at the mention. "No way, really?" they gasped as Ohashi gestured to an aged man, in his thirties, short blonde hair combed well with green eyes. He gave the others a warm smile as a greet. The air around him being calm,
Learning about him from Bou-san and the others, Mai gave out a playful excitement. "Hey, hey, hey you think he'll demonstrate PK or anything else to us?" Mai whispered towards Bou-san but the Monk was dazed as he kept his eyes over Dr. Davis,
Noticing she wasn't heard, Mai looked at the monk. "Bou-san? Hey!"
"Huh? What is it?"
"Man, why are you acting like such an idiot?" The monk gave the high school student a hard noogie on the head as she just called him an idiot, covering Mai's mouth as they don't want to disturb Ohashi from talking however, the glare that Naru sent the two made them stop.
"During the course of your investigations on our behalf, you may stay here." Ohashi continued to speak, unaware of what was happening behind. "You may retire or return to your quarters at any time but we cannot permit you to leave the premises. We ask that you please respect these conditions." Mai froze at hearing the conditions, wondering what Akemi would do once she learned of this condition.
Mai jumped in her seat when Minami suddenly stood up, making his chair push out with a noise that echoed around the large dining room. 'Sheesh this guy packs a lot of meat!'
"You can count on us! After all we have Dr. Davis and if the situation should get even worse, I can always call on Alex Taunus, Uri Geller or someone else!" Minami of the Psychic Research Center let out a bellow laugh. His condescending smile, clear to those who looked.
"That Minami-san is amazing, he knows so many famous people..." Mai said as she and John worked on the cables while Akemi finally got back from the lavatory, walking Oliver to the very corner.
"Here you go, Oliver. This is your spot okay? okay! Good boy~" 'Help...'
"He sure does," John nods. Akemi chuckling as Oliver started licking her fingers that were caressing the crown of his head. "But I don't know Dr. Davis personally." 'Help...'
"Where is he from? America?" 'Help...' Lowering herself, Akemi placed a gentle kiss on top of Oliver's nose, poking it before standing up straight to help make them some tea since they left the Office quite early.
"He's English. I thought he'd be younger till I heard him speak, but..." 'Run...'
"Hmm? Oh, you can speak English, John?" 'Help...' Akemi felt a drop of sweat leave her head as she heard Mai's question despite the loudness that surrounded her, passing them by Akemi leaned close to the two, chiding Mai in a whisper.
"John is from America, Mai. His country invented the English language." 'Help...us...'
Mai felt her cheeks burn, feeling embarrassed by her stupid question. "Oh, that's right..." 'Help...'
John lets out a sweet laugh, "It's nothing. I can do a little interpreting for you."
"You've brought some remarkable equipment, I see." 'Help...' Ohashi spoke up as he just checked in on the guests. "Are you sure this room will be sufficient?"
Yasuhara walks closer, as he realized Ohashi was present. Keeping up his persona, Yasuhara gave a smile. "Yes, it will, thank you. Oh, would you mind answering a few questions, Ohashi-san?" 'Help...us...'
Mai frowned as to what was Yasuhara doing, "Absolutely. Feel free to ask me anything."
"Thank you very much, let's begin." Yasuhara then looked around before noticing Naru talking with a smiling Akemi, the corner of her lips twitching every so often and was holding a tray of freshly brewed tea and biscuits. The heiress froze when Naru told her of the conditions the Former Prime Minister set up, before they were interrupted by Yasuhara calling for him. 'Run...' "Narumi-kun, would you mind?"
Hearing his alias, Naru turned his gaze. Seeing the Former Prime Minister, Naru went to work, letting Akemi process what he had just said. "Yes, Sir."
Naru gestured to the table and vacant chairs on the side of the room, "Please, could you confirm the details of the case?" 'Help...'
"Okay."
Naru took hold of the papers Akemi handed him, the history of the mansion all written as well as some other information. "We know it was your wife's grandfather who originally erected this building but apparently not your wife, your wife's father or anyone else from their family lived here or so we're told." 'Help...' "-Rumor has it that a spirit appeared, as time passed it was forgotten but then two months ago, a boy vanished from here. Some local juveniles broke in, since the building looked vacant and by then, this mansion's structure had become convoluted and unsafe." 'Help...' "Some areas had even deteriorated to the point of collapse. The police and local authorities searched the premises, but the boy was never found and there's more, during the search, a young firefighter also vanished. Then several people claim to have seen human apparitions in the mansion. But before this, it's reported that during the renovations, workers had also disappeared. You're wife's father supposedly wrote in his will— 'They gave their all to this mansion, and here they remain until they rot.' However, when two more people disappeared, terrible rumors began to spread."
'Help...'
Ohashi then kept nodding to each of Naru's statements proving them all to be true. "To prevent further incidents, I called upon you mediums to resolve this."
"I understand," Naru took a hold of his pen, placing a check mark over the information Ohashi has nodded on. "We can see that this is a very old building, but do you know the exact year it was built?" 'Run...'
Ohashi gave out a thoughtful hum before saying: "We heard that construction started around the year Meiji 10."
"Meiji 10," Naru muttered, writing it down as Akemi beside him muttered the year, "It is the year 1877, I see..." Naru continued to ask more questions concerning the gaps of information they have, and each of them Ohashi tried to answer to the best of his ability however, some were just too out of his reach.
"Uhh, doesn't this feel like the proverbial 'haunted mansion'?" Ayako asked as soon as Ohashi left the room after the interview. 'Help...'
Finding out that the building has been constantly renovated yearly that hardly anything remains of the original structure even though none lives in the mansion except for the Prime Minister's late grandfather-in-law, Kaneyuki Miyama. He owned large plots of lands in the Suwa Region. Kaneyuki Miyama built a silk-spinning factory and then eventually devoted himself to philanthropy; building orphanages and charity hospitals until a financial panic back in Meiji 40 which is 1907 made him lost business and had to shut down hospitals and other interests, passing away three years later.
Bou-san nods, glancing at Naru who remained at his seat. "Agreed. An old western-style mansion with lost of history... hey, Naru-chan what's wrong?" 'Help...'
Ohashi-san stated he has stayed at the mansion for three weeks to make preparations but saw and felt nothing despite the stories of others. Naru asked if he had heard from the people who were with the missing people yet those information was strictly off record as well as the blueprints for the mansion was missing. More information as to why the mansion could be haunted were also left unanswered from Ohashi's lack of knowledge about the case as well.
This left Naru in a bind, "Something's not right. A haunted mansion, abandoned for years... A convoluted building with no blueprints... we need to stay here overnight." Naru for the sixth time in just the past hour noticed Akemi flinch. 'Run...'
'Even though you looked solemn, I bet you find this case somewhat interesting at most.' Akemi wryly smiled from where she stood, shaking off her stiff limbs as she finally accepted the idea of staying the night. 'Naru only spoke of staying, who ever said it meant sleeping as well?' Finding the loophole, Akemi nods to herself determined— 'Help...' Akemi's hand lifted to cover her left ear but changed it to scratching instead.
"Akemi, Mai," Hearing their names, the former reacting a bit late from the call; both females perked, ready for orders. "For now set up thermal sensors in various locations." 'Run...'
"Okay," Mai nods in understanding but before she turned to leave with Akemi, the high school student noticed the Psychic medium's complexion. "Masako? Is something wrong? you look pale..."
"Something's... I've felt an anxiety ever since we entered this house." The medium says though her words came out breathy. "There's— the scent of blood in here."
"Ah!" Mai gasped, gaining Naru's attention.
"What is it?" 'Help..'
"Well for a moment, at the entrance I thought I smelled blood..." 'Help...'
"What?!" Ayako and Bou-san stared at her incredulously, 'Help...'
"Hey, you should have said something sooner!" 'Run...'
"I thought I was imagining it!" 'Help...'
Bou-san sighed at the stubborn little girl before scratching the back of his head as he asked: "How about you Akemi-bou? Did you sensed anything while we were— huh? Where is she?"
The SPR crew looked around the base in search of the heiress only to notice she was not around, Naru remained quiet throughout all this and kept staring at the door where Akemi left with Oliver and a few thermal sensors at hand. It seemed like the heiress was in deep thought,
'An old mansion with rumors of spirits, and two missing people... What is lurking in here?'
~~~NARU~~~
Naru wanted to check the mansion while the sun was still on its way to set, having the thermal sensors first as their data information for the day. Mai got paired with Bou-san and Yasuhara into checking half of the mansion's temperature, Yasuhara was not even supposed to join gathering data but he seemed quite cheerful and excited to experience the job nonetheless and so Naru willingly agreed to add an additional hand to the case while the others besides Naru and Lin, who opted to stay at the base, joined Akemi.
The temperature gathering didn't finish quickly despite having groups to cover the whole mansion, it still occupied almost a few hours with the moon already risen. Mai's group finished first, already telling Naru of the weird techniques that Minami and his group were doing. "— 'They are suspicious' That's what I think. We've done everything by the book." Mai pouts, couldn't help but feel wary of the said Psychic Research Center group.
"Is that so?" Naru disinterestedly let out, flipping the papers that Mai and Akemi had gathered with critical eyes.
Seeing that Mai cannot get his attention, the high school student turned to Bou-san, "Aw, Monk-san that's too bad, the Doctor's not here."
"Huh? Whats that supposed to mean?— Don't look at me like I'm a freak!" Bou-san clasped his hands over Mai's grinning eyes, covering the girl's goofy face.
"Aren't you such a fanboy of his? Why him? Why Dr. Davis when you're surrounded by so many other amazing people?" Mai asked just as she pushed off Bou-san's sweaty hands away from her face.
Naru placed down the temperature charts on the empty desk, and silently walked his way slowly out of the room. "That's not it! it's just so rare to meet such a meticulous researcher!" was the last he heard before turning to a corner.
Naru picked up few of the equipment that they left on standby at the empty entrance way, irked for having a lot of hands yet none were used. Seeing Akemi not far from the pile of a few cameras made Naru hasten his steps until he stood beside Akemi, who didn't seem to notice his presence; without a thought he pinched her mask, pulling it down as well as removing her glasses. The sudden physical touch made Akemi jump but she soon calmed down when she realize it was just Naru,
"Mouh~ Naru! You scared me— "
"You're pale." Naru interjected as he observed her skin, it wasn't her usual fragile pale of a soft boiled egg that he was accustomed to but a sickly kind of pale that made his stomach churn for some unknown reason.
With cold fingers, Akemi softly held Naru's hand that held down her mask still. "I'm fine..."
"Is it because you need to stay here overnight?"
"That's half the reason... I..." Akemi brokenly said, not knowing how to say such words when Naru was being close. Too close,
"You sensed something." It wasn't a question either, so when Akemi let out a sigh Naru took a breath; letting go of her things and taking a step back to give her some space. Letting Akemi fiddle with her mask and glasses, what she usually does when she's agitated or anxious.
"It's... it's not much, I also smelled the blood that Masako and Mai spoke about but the smell keeps lingering around, I can't get it off; it's nauseating..." Akemi hissed as she emphasized her disturbance to the smell. "I also keep hearing these voices, they are not loud but are excessively pressing, like a whole crowd is whispering right over my ear..." Naru frowned at her words, not really understanding her worries but enough to catch the idea Akemi was portraying.
"And what do those voices say?" Akemi went quiet for a while, reluctant but knowing this could help the case, assured her it was fine to give.
"Help." was all she said,
Naru was transfixed, Akemi spoke of the word nothing short of a whisper as though saying it loud would get her caught. Caught for what? Naru didn't know but it must be something to be cautious about as the woman he usually see either determined or cheerfully calm now stood in front of him with anxiousness and worry.
"Let's finish these up," Naru gestured towards the dormant equipment; bending down to lift a monitor while Akemi waited for him by taking a few cameras on her arms. The two walking back and forth with an unspoken comfort, as the they didn't left the other. Both patiently waiting when either getting or placing the equipment and they will walk together to do it all again.
It wasn't until they were close to finish did Naru took note of how the others enjoyed their gossip, "You all seem to be enjoying yourselves." Naru frowned at the sight while Akemi beside him giggled.
"Yo, Naru-chan, Akemi-chan, where did you two go?" Bou-san smiled as the two got inside the room, wondering why they weren't joining in on the discussion, usually at moments like this Akemi would share some of her own and the conversation would turn lively again.
Naru lightly rolling his shoulder while beside him, Akemi kept her fingers intertwined in front of her; following when Naru went to get another camera. "We came here to work. Akemi and I went up to set the cameras up, of course."
The crew froze at what he just said and turned to see the almost vacant space. 'Speaking of which, there aren't many cameras left!'
"Ah sorry! I'll set them up right now!" Mai weakly laughed, already taking a few steps close to Naru only to go rigid at the sight of his cold sneer as though a warning for Mai to just try and finish the job he and Akemi started.
"It's alright, Taniyama-san... The work's too heavy for a girl like you." Mai and Bou-san shivered even though the latter wasn't glared at directly, 'Whoa, did it get cold in here all of a sudden?!'
Akemi and Naru picked up another set of cameras and the heiress found herself bumping her waist unto Naru's, a coy smile on her lips as she pouted. "What am I, an ogre then?"
Everyone who heard her paused at every action they did, holding their breath as they watched Naru frown at her words. Unaware that in some way the two were glad Akemi acted like this, in some way that she wasn't controlled by fear. "If you instill strong feelings of dislike then yes," Naru countered, a slight mischief passing his midnight eyes. One that went unnoticed by everyone yet Akemi could tell as she stopped her smile and continued to pout. "Those were your words, not mine." and the two left to set up the cameras.
The others just left standing there not knowing what had just occurred.
"Mai, you should get in touch with your family to let them know you'll be here for a while." Bou-san hesitantly stood when the others started to get back to work.
"No worries, I'll be fine." Mai assured but Bou-san wasn't having it,
"But your parents will be worried. Go ahead, we're gonna remain here." Bou-san lets out a sigh as he stretched his back, carrying his pack at the same moment Akemi and Naru got back, both now empty-handed. Naru went to the long table in the room while Akemi made their tea as they heard the last conversation as they returned. It helps calm the nerves
"But I'm an orphan." Mai casually says to the others, Akemi with her back turned let out a soft smile as the aura around the room changed just by Mai's simple words and it seems Mai noticed this silence making the high school student turn to her friends. "hm? What's wrong?"
"You're an... orphan?" Mai nods nonchalantly. "Well, what about grandmothers or grandfathers or..."
Mai shook her head, not one bit bothered as she was used to it and likes her life now. "Nobody, I don't have a single relative. My father died when I was really small and my mom died when I was in Junior High so some of my teachers helped me out by letting me stay at their houses! Well I agreed and everything," Mai sheepishly scratched the back of her head while Akemi placed an arm around the girl's shoulder, while balancing the tray with the other.
"I keep telling you to move out and come live with me~" Akemi smiles, patting Mai on the head as she left to place the tea on the table. "I'm alone enough in my apartment, we can have as many sleepovers as we want!" The heiress enticed as when she turned 19 just last March a few days after Yasuhara's case, her business partners gifted her a Condominium building— having such a gift, Akemi thought of giving one to Mai but the girl insisted to instead have each other as roommates.
Ayako softly stared at Mai, "And then what?" her words made Mai tilt her head in confusion.
"And then what?"
"Who supports you now?"
Mai's lips curled in a proud stance, her chest puffed as she stood tall with pride. "I do! It's great! Thanks to my school's generosity to the needy, my school fees were waived and my living expenses are covered by scholarships and this part-time job— especially since the pay's so good!"
Bou-san squeezed his arms around Mai, hugging her tight. "I'll take care of you! Come cry on my shoulder! You always tell me life's so exhausting, you can be my wife— "
"No fair Monk, I already called dibs on having Mai~!" Akemi chimes in, watching Mai and the others bond together witha soft smile. Akemi glances knowingly towards where Naru quietly stood, aware that he had been giving Mai such a high pay all due to her status.
"No way! Let go of me! This is sexual harassment you perv!" Bou-san pushes Mai away,
"Did you just say you would rather work? Oh well, you're not that cute anyway." Bou-san lightly pushes Mai's head away from him but ended up patting the girl in the head. The light atmosphere, making Mai laugh as she felt warm.
'I don't like their needling sometimes but I like moments like these when we can be friendly and relaxed... It's the same feeling you get when you say, "I'm home!"'
"Anyway, set up the night-vision cameras and the thermographs at five locations, then set up condenser mikes in the same places." Naru started ordering around as the place became to friendly and no work. "When that's done, Bou-san, John and Yasuhara-san, would you three measure the dimensions of all rooms and corridors? We need to draft our own blueprint but since the sun has already settled, we'll do that tomorrow."
~~~AKEMI NARU~~~
After doing as ordered and cleaning up the place after, they all decided to take up rest to their quarters. The girls having their own beds together at a room beside the base with the same condition to the boys having their own room just in front of theirs. Both Akemi and Ayako took upon the opposite ends of the beds laid down, having Mai and Masako be at the middle of them. Hearing their light breaths Akemi kept the heiress awake, not sure if it was theirs or somebody elses and so she kept shuffling and turning until she couldn't handle being on such a soft bed seducing her to sleep. She can't sleep, she in any circumstance shouldn't sleep.
'Help...'
Akemi sat up soundlessly and left the room, letting her bare feet feel the coldness of the night. But joined as the day she was finally kept safe, Oliver seemed to have known Akemi couldn't sleep and so stayed awake with her to keep the woman company. Akemi felt her heart burn as well as beat at the loyalty her dog continued to give and so made sure to give him a treat after. She didn't know where she was going only letting Oliver lead her to where he thought she needed to be, so when they reached the dining room Akemi's heart soared and let out a light laugh. Oliver thought of her hungry or maybe he thought it was time for his snack as she always gave him treats every time she wakes and leaves her bed, Akemi sighed as she stood in the middle of the empty dining room. She might as well brew herself some tea to keep her awake and maybe bake a few treats while she was at it.
Naru saw it from the cameras; the same cameras he and Akemi set up to watch over the places where the group would sleep to keep them protected. So when he walked out of the base, letting Lin stay to keep it active, he was still raddled when he saw Akemi sitting alone at the dining room drinking freshly brewed tea and treats, giving Oliver one every so often as the golden retriever sat next to his owner, guarding Akemi from whatever lurked in the night.
Naru stared, frozen in his path and unproven whether Akemi sat on a seat that the moon specifically touched as she stayed in her thoughts. Naru blinked, Akemi's hair was gone from its messy loose braid and flowed smoothly down her back coping like a shield to keep her safe; it was nicely unkempt yet fashionably long. Its blonde wavy locks glowing similarly to starlight and looked delicate as glass yet rich as gold. Just like its owner, Her skin, instead of reminding him a boiled egg turned silken at his sight while her lashes fluttered in an unknown wind Naru focused more on her eyes which was finally uncovered and welcome to his view. Sleepy and improbable yet remained its majestic deep-sets— like her thoughts, her eyes seem bottomless and filled with a storm.
Naru took a step at the same moment Akemi lifted her cup up towards her lips which she licked before drinking. The moon made good use of its time as it continued to shine bright, a simple illumination changed a simple action into something more monumental as Akemi started to hum.
"I thought you would keep staring," Akemi gracefully smiles as she lightly nudged the empty cup she placed at the side and poured Naru a cup,
"The scent of tea lured me in," Naru weakly retaliates as he took a seat right across from her and lifted the cup towards his lips, taking a sip. Akemi took a sip of hers too as she noticed her fingers still shook ever so slightly,
The effect was quick, the heiress closed her eyes as she concentrated on the taste. The warmth was instantaneous towards her throat and stomach, filling her buds the taste of sweet finish that goes along with Lily, there held a smoky earthy taste yet a natural elegance of cloudy sweetness from its dewy petals complimenting its flaming scent. The tea was soft orange itself with a bloomed Lily submerged beautifully right in the middle; if Akemi wished to know what Sunset would taste like, she would compare it close to Lily tea.
"Ara~ It seems I have found a possible weakness." Akemi laughs as she gave Oliver another treat, petting him softly. Though her smile never reached her eyes. "Hope you like the tea, its brewed with lily flowers. It is said to be good for the heart and strengthens the brain and digestive system..." Akemi's voice slowly lowered as she finished, but Naru added more than she would like to say.
"It is also said to lift sad moods and decrease depression; heals scars, burns and wounds." Naru made it of as more a factual statement as he sipped the beneficial tea while Akemi let out a weak smile, caressing the rim of her cup.
"If only it were that easy," Akemi whispers, her mind once again wonders. "With just a simple sip all of it would heal and made better."
"..."
"..."
"Couldn't sleep?" Naru leans back on his chair, as he changed topic, crossing his legs in the process. Akemi gave him a look for his question, making him raise his brow in question. Not that she could tell,
"I can't sleep."
"Can't or won't?"
"Both." Naru hummed, once again lifting his cup.
"I know you are not the type of person to ask why so I'll say it," Akemi gave a forced smile, trying to be coy and Naru let her. "I keep hearing it Naru... their call for help, its still whispers but all because they don't know yet that I could hear them. I don't want to hear them at the moment."
"Why?" Akemi let out a huff smile as Naru asked. It wasn't done with a condescending action but more an ironic humor kind of laugh.
"Because there is a lot of them Naru, all of them either calling for help or telling us to run... I don't want to acknowledge not because there are a lot but there is something— something that is in here and once I acknowledge them, he'll know I'm here too."
"He?" Akemi bit her lip as her eyes stared in a daze, her words muttering 'I'm getting a name.' "What name?" Naru asked, this was a first for him to see Akemi use her intuition this way, and based on Akemi's reaction she was weirding herself out as well.
Her eyes cleared and Akemi stared directly at his eyes, "Blad— Blood? I don't know, I'm too shaken to learn more... that's all I got."
Both were quiet, giving her words some thought, Naru occasionally asking her if she has done what she had did before and the heiress went mute, not really remembering such events. She would get words, feelings and triggers but none as hazy and scary as this. Even Akemi was scared of herself, getting goosebumps all over her arms.
Naru sighs, staring as Akemi gave him a squeamish smile. "Well having another pair of eyes at the base is always appreciated," Naru says as he stood, grabbing his cup and Akemi followed his lead, letting Naru take the tea kettle while Akemi held her cup and treats, clicking her tongue so Oliver could lead the way.
"I'm sure Lin would appreciate a short nap or maybe fresh tea~" Akemi smiles as they walked back to the temporary base, together.