Ghost of a Chance

Evil Spirits All Over (Part 9)

"Oh, are you still looking over that stuff, Shibuya-san?" Hitomi asked as she and Mai approached the van, surprised. Naru was sitting in the back with the clipboard, checking something. She thought they had covered everything already, but it seemed that wasn't necessarily the case.

"Hello..." Mai greeted him, peeking over Hitomi's shoulder, almost as though she were using the older girl as a human shield. "What are you doing?"

"Reviewing the data we collected yesterday," Naru replied calmly. He was almost finished. Even with Hitomi's help it had taken forever to go through all twenty-four hours' worth of footage and sound for all the different cameras and mikes.

"Did you find anything?" Mai asked curiously.

"Nope. Just several hours of boredom," Hitomi answered, sighing regretfully. It had been like Chinese water torture having to watch and listen to so much nothing all at once.

"There was nothing unusual. Either there are no ghosts, or they are hiding for now... So there doesn't appear to be any danger at present," Naru elaborated, for Mai's sake.

"Well, that's some fancy equipment you've got there!" a woman commented loudly from behind, causing the three teens to turn and look to see who was approaching them now. "Those toys seem too high-class for a child to be playing with," the woman added, smirking. She had long, dark-red hair, a sophisticated demeanor, and she was dressed too well to be your average teacher or office lady. And she wasn't alone. Following just on her heels was a tall, handsome, and casually dressed man with pierced ears. He had his bleached hair pulled back in a ponytail.

"And you are?" Naru inquired, unfazed.

"I'm Matsuzaki Ayako. Nice to meet you," she introduced herself smoothly, flashing them a confident and attractive smile.

"I'm not interested in your name," Naru stated bluntly, getting straight to the point. Ayako's face flushed slightly in embarrassment, while the man behind her, Mai, and Hitomi tried not to laugh.

"You're pretty sassy, aren't you, little boy? But handsome," Ayako admitted grudgingly, clearly chagrined.

"Thanks," Naru stated dryly, unfazed by her left-handed compliment.

"But you can't exorcise spirits with your face, you know," she added snarkily .

"Does that mean you're in the same business?" Hitomi asked, raising an eyebrow, while Naru narrowed his eyes slightly, getting a bit more serious. They exchanged a glance. The principal hadn't mentioned anything about this to either one of them.

"You could say that," Ayako replied smugly, smirking at the varying looks of surprise on the three teens' faces. "I'm a miko."

"..." Hitomi deadpanned, allowing her disbelief to show plainly on her face. Seriously? This woman looked old enough to be her mother. And since when did miko go around wearing such heavy makeup and perfume?

"I thought you had to be a pure and innocent young lady in order to become a miko," Naru stated dryly, also deadpanning.

"Pfft!" Mai snickered, covering her mouth with her hand. Hitomi was leaning against the van, holding her sides as she shook. She had skipped right from normal laughter to the stage where one laughs so hard, no sound comes out, and you will look like a retarded clapping seal if you aren't careful. She totally hadn't been expecting that one, even though she probably should have, with Naru being Naru and all...

"Oh...? Is that not how I look to you?" Ayako asked angrily, blushing, as multiple veins throbbed on her forehead.

'No! Don't do it—Don't tempt him!' Hitomi cried internally as tears began to form in her eyes from laughing so much.