The Story Continued (Ghost Hunt)

Chapter 13

"Aha, ok. But why is it here?" Mai asked putting her bag away and sitting next to her boss to play with the new friend. Its fur was deep black and eyes blue like the sky. "We found it on the way to the office and Gene decided to take it back." Naru explained.

"You came with Gene? Does he live with you?"

"No. Next door."

"And where is he now?"

"He went to buy some cat food."

Mai was still sitting next to her boss stroking... a cat...in the office. "Wait a second." She suddenly yelled. "If I brought a cat you would kick me out." With an emphasis on 'I'. "No, I would not." Naru protested but Mai would not let it go. "Of course you would. You're unfair." She pouted. "Then, do you want to try and bring a cat to the office? And since you are already here, can you take that thing away from me?" The boy asked slightly pushing the kitty off of his legs. "You know I can't. How the hell am I supposed to care for a cat when we are away on cases like two or three times a month." She took the cat and just put it on the floor. "Let it run free."

Naru glared at her for a good minute. Having the cat all over the place was obviously not what he wanted. He even sacrificed himself and sat with this thing in his lap for 20 minutes. Mai glared back. She however was still mad at the unfair treatment. But there was nothing she could do, Gene was his brother after all. She, only an assistant.

Mai sighed and got up from her spot. "I'll make tea." She said and headed to the kitchen. Naru, instead of going directly to his office, sat still in his spot. Mai spotted him and the thought that maybe, just maybe, she made him feel bad crossed her mind. "Are you ok, Naru?" She asked loud enough for him to hear her. Naru turned around. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was thinking about the new case."

Yeah, as if he would feel bad.

"You already took it?" Mai asked surprised as she took two cups full of tea and headed back to her spot. "No, I wanted to ask you to call the client and get the details." Naru answered taking one of the cups. "Sure, I'll call later. So how do you plan to take care of the cat when on a case?"

Then the door opened and Gene walked in. "I'm back." He said. "What were you talking about?"

"I just asked Naru how you two were going to take care of the cat when we are on a case." Mai repeated as she watched Gene take a seat in a chair next to them. "Leave it at home, obviously?" He answered looking at them confused at the question. "And how will you feed it?" She continued asking. At that point, Gene was even more confused. "Why would you feed a ghost cat?"

"And why wouldn't y-...wait...a ghost?" Her jaw dropped. She was glad that she was not drinking at the moment because she would surely choke on the tea. "That was a ghost? You're kidding, right? Naru said you went out to buy cat food."

Gene whistled and the cat came out of Naru's office. Through a wall. "See? And no I said I'll go buy some food. Normal food. How did you come up with the idea that I would buy food for a ghost cat?" He looked at Naru in confusion.

He took a sip of his tea. "I wasn't listening, I guess. I was thinking about something else." Mai and Gene stared at him for a second. "So, what did you buy?" Mai asked hoping to get something out of it. Gene smiled. "Doughnuts!"

The two of them started eating and Naru decided it was time to go back to his office. He took his cup and stood up. He suddenly felt something grabbing his hand. He looked down to see Mai holding him with both her hands. "No. You are for once not hiding in your office so you are gonna stay here and chat with us." She said pulling his hand so he would sit down. Naru sighed. "You have Gene and the cat to keep you company. I am not needed." He said. Mai pulled harder and almost made him fall onto the sofa. "Too bad. I also enjoy your company." She smiled.

"Come on. You don't even have to talk. Just stay here with us." Gene decided to try and help Mai. "You can go hide once others arrive." The girl added. Naru sighed and sat down. "Of course, they've been visiting almost every day since we returned from England."

"It might be because you said you were going to close the SPR before you left." Mai started. "It gave us all a scare so we try our best to spend as much time here as possible. You know, in case you were to leave again." The girl was staring at her almost empty cup thinking about all that she felt back then. Now Naru actually felt bad. "We are not going anywhere. Right, Gene?" His brother nodded. "That was my first case so please stop cursing this office." He laughed awkwardly.

The door to the office opened again. This time it was Yasu. "I need to talk with the big boss." He said before releasing the person in question was right in front of him. "I'm here." Naru stated. "It's unusual to see you out here. But it's not important. Tell me. Would you hire me after my graduation? Like full part."

Naru was about to speak but Gene cut in. "Sure." Yasu smiled. "Good. I had plans to go to college but now that I have a job I don't need to anymore." He took a seat. "So where is the rest?"

"Not here yet. But Lin is probably in his office." Mai answered as she got up. She grabbed hers and Naru's cup and headed to the kitchen. "Lin is not here." Naru corrected her. "He and Madoka are off until the next case. They didn't have the time to get anything in their apartment ready." He then turned to Gene. "And since when do you decide who will be hired?" Gene smiled. "Now?"

...

"Oh, come on. You were going to hire him anyway but probably would make this whole thing way too long. Like asking many unnecessary questions."

Naru sighed. "I think I'll head to my office after all. From now on it will only get louder and louder." A yell was heard from the kitchen the second he ended the sentence. "If you move from that spot you are not gonna get your tea." Naru then murmured something under his breath. "He said he doesn't need it." Gene yelled back.

"Then tell him he is welcome to go." Mai said passing through the doorframe and reproaching the group. She smiled. "I'm happy to see that you are still here." Mai handed everyone their cups and sat down. She then remembered the black friend who was still somewhere in the office. "Ah, I forgot to tell you, Yasu. There's a dead cat somewhere in the office so watch out."

Yasu looked at her confused. "A dead cat?"