Ghost Hunters, Lies, & Money (Ghost Hunt Fanfiction)

In Which: Mai Confesses

Day Eight

7:30pm

The Miyuki Theater

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five...

It took Mai five steps to realize her situation. To shake the fog of her dream state from her mind.

Can I ask what is going on here?

We were just trying to contact Mr. Miyuki. Nothing special.

The exchange between Naru and Madame Miyuki was stuck on some terrible loop, ringing in her ears. It was enough to put Mai on the verge of panic. The necessity of an escape plan became paramount, but she found she had already allowed herself to be mindlessly lead away.

Naru moved with determination. Mai spared a fleeting thought for where he was taking her, but it was answered almost immediately as he opened the very next door after the VIP room.

Mai stared, momentarily distracted from the tension coiling around herself and her boss.

A kitchen...?

Pots and pans clanged. There was the aroma of sizzling food.

The same waitstaff that had served guests in the theater lobby were dashing about, shouting brisk orders. More entered from the back of the room where a door to the outside was open, a large white van idling in the dark.

Mai glanced back at Naru, wondering at his intentions. True, there were plenty of witnesses here, but the space also offered anonymity. The servers too busy to even notice their presence.

Perfect for an interrogation.

Mai drew a breath. She took in his signature black ensemble, his waist coat impossibly tailored, his eyes just as dark under the shadow of the hair that fell across his forehead, and then, with a sudden decisiveness— she yanked her hand free of his grasp.

Not this time.

Mai's triumph was fleeting.

Overzealous (Naru hadn't been holding on that tightly) as she pulled away, she was cast off balance. Instinctively, Naru reached out, steadying her— and Mai gasped, narrowly missing a waiter with a full tray of empty champagne glasses.

"Hey, watch it," the young man protested, raising the tray he held importantly, "Some of us have a job to do, this isn't some secluded patio. Take your tipsy girlfriend and find some where else to make eyes at each other."

Girlfriend!

Tipsy!

Mai's face burned red, she jerked her head around to let the waiter have it, but he was already gone. Slowly, her attention returned to her boss. That's when she felt it. This little distraction had done nothing to change the situation. The air between them was almost kinetic, humming with heat and energy.

She wasn't supposed to be caught by him like this.

Red-handed, in Madame Miyuki's company.

With Mr. Miyuki's name on her lips.

She wasn't supposed to be there at all.

A sudden thought occurred to her.

Was he surprised to see her?

Mai met his eyes to try and read them, but almost immediately winced and glanced down at where his hand held hers.