The Returns and the New Arrivals ( Ghost Hunt )

Chapter 9

I wrote this chapter in December, so that's why it's set a little before Christmas. I will try to upload all my chapters  until I'm up to date. Enjoy!

Mai’s POV

 Two and a half months have passed and nothing interesting had happened. Halloween day: I had to work (we had a simple case). Labor Thanksgiving Day: I had to work. ‘Work, work, work! Ugh!’  I hope that for Christmas I don’t have to work. 

In these past two months, nothing has changed. Well, maybe some things have. Ichiro and I are now close friends, maybe too close. I think I might like him more than as a friend, but then I remember that I still love Naru, and it wouldn’t feel right loving two guys. ‘Then again, why should I still wait for Naru? If he loved me, why hasn’t he showed it? Yet again, this is Naru I’m talking about. Maybe I should wait for Naru until a little longer. If he doesn’t seem to like me, then I’ll forget him.’

Naru has been acting weird lately. Whenever I’m at the office only with the SPR members, Naru would treat me indifferently. If I’m giving him his tea, alone in his office, his eyes will seem softer. What annoys me the most is that whenever Ichiro comes along with me to the office, just to leave me in a secure place, Naru would instantly start making false accusations about us being on a date or he would be glaring holes into Ichiro. And when he leaves, Naru would be staring long at me. ‘What’s wrong with him?’ 

Rosy’s POV 

I have the perfect plan to bring Mai and Naru together. It’s been almost four months since I began working here, and seeing those two lovebirds so oblivious to each other’s feelings is driving me – no- us crazy. So, I formulated a simple plan to make them finally get together. 

“Um, Mai.”

“Yes, Rosy?”

“I have tickets to the Foreigner’s Christmas Event at the university’s ballroom. Do you want to go? It’ll be fun!” 

“That sounds like fun! Can Ichiro come?” ‘Darn it, didn’t think about that one.’

“Oh, um… N- no, sorry. It’s by limited quantity and I already reserved for certain people.”

“Oh, I’m not sure if I should go… I mean, I don’t want to be alone.”

“Yasu will be there. Oh pretty please! I already bought the tickets! It would be a waste after all the hard work I made trying to buy all the tickets I wanted.”  I put on my best puppy face. I saw her struggling on whether to come or not. I widened my eyes a bit more, then blinked several times.

“Oh, alright!” Mai said, defeated. 

“Yay! Ok, it’s a formal event. Also, wearsomethingbeautifulincaseNarugoes” I spoke too fast.

“What?” 

“I said, wear something beautiful incaseNarugoes.” I whispered the last part.

“Wait, N-Naru is going?” She said nervously.

I sighed. “I will invite him along with Lin. It’s a Christmas event mainly for the foreign students whose main or secondary language is English. I guessed he would like it.” 

“Oh, Naru doesn’t like anything that has to do with celebrations or events.”

‘But he does like being with you.’

“Oh, it’s ok. At least I will try.” I exited our office and knocked on Naru’s hideout- ahem- office.

“Come in.”

“Good afternoon, I was passing by to leave you this.” I gave him the envelope with the invitation for the event inside.

“What’s this?”  He asked in a bored tone.

“An invitation.”  I saw as he read the invitation I gave him.

“I’m not interested.”

“Oh, come on! There will be live classic English music and plays. I thought you would be interested. Oh, and most importantly, Mai will be there… without Ichiro.” 

I began to walk away from his desk, then I suddenly heard him ask “And why would that interest me?” To which only I smirked “Oh, you know. ‘Just ‘cause’’” I turned myself completely from him and walked away from his office. I entered Lin’s and gave him his invitation. 

Naru’s POV 

Rosy just walked out of my office with a knowing smirk. I will have to watch her closely. 

This seems like my opportunity to spend some time with Mai, to see if she really likes that guy. 

I’m still not sure whether to go or not. 

The phone suddenly began to ring. I answered it only to almost jump away from the phone, because the person on the other end of the line almost shouted. ‘Mother’ I rolled my eyes.

“Mother, as much as I am glad to hear you too, why did you call?”

“Oh, right. Darling, I have a friend’s brother who owns a large cave open for the public. His workers have been quitting due to supposed ghosts. I can give you his number so you can talk to him and see if you would be interested on the case.” 

“If you would, mother.”

Mother gave me the man’s phone number, and after I ended my conversation with her, I called the owner of the cave. As he explained more about the happenings, I began to be more interested. 

I got out of my office and saw all SPR regulars and irregulars on the main area, including Lin. 

“We have a new case.” 

Third person POV

After Naru finished explaining the case to everyone, they set off to their homes to pack everything they needed for the case, and for Yasu to call the university to excuse himself, Mai, Rosy and Erick from their classes for two days. Thankfully weekend comes after those two days, so they don’t have to excuse themselves for a long time from university. 

In Mai’s Apartment

Mai was packing up everything she needed for the case, when suddenly a dizziness came over her. She made it to her bed, and fell unconscious.

She opened her eyes to –again- find an infinite black space with white orbs around her. 

“Gene?”

“Hello, Mai.” She turned around and found Gene smiling kindly at her. 

“Gene! I’ve missed you so much! Why haven’t you appeared in these last two months?” She asked almost tearing up. 

He frowned. “Sorry, Mai. I am sorry that I’ve only appeared on that case you had on Halloween. I thought you only wanted me to appear on cases.” 

“Nonsense! I’ve missed you a lot.” 

Gene smiled at her words. “Well, then I was wrong. Anyways, we don’t have much time. I wanted to tell you to be really careful on this case. It is a big cave that you’re going to. Stay close to Noll, please.” 

“Can’t I be close to John, Takigawa or Ayako?” She laughed, to which Gene only returned a glare.

“I am serious. Or if not everything will be ruined.”

“What will be-”

“Mai, you need to wake up, or you will be late.” 

“Wait-” Before she could say anything else, she woke up. 

‘Darn it.’

Little did the SPR regulars knew what would await them.