Now You See Me (self-insert #7)

Chapter 1

There was something nice about seeing Naru walking on his own two feet under the sun, I decided as we strode towards the cars. Hospital Naru was pretty fun to tease, but it was pretty pathetic since he was bedridden and hooked up to machines and stuck with IVs. Now I could harass him and not feel guilty about bothering a patient.

He gave me a sideways look. "Admiring me?"

I beamed. "As if. I'm considering the best way to annoy you."

"Continue existing, then."

I rolled my eyes, but I knew not to take it to heart. If Naru was saying something like this, it was a sure sign that he'd gotten over his bad mood and his poor health. Besides, I knew he didn't hate me. He'd said it himself.

I like you the way I liked Gene.

I beamed. Somehow seeming to sense the general gist of what I was thinking, Naru gave me the cold shoulder all the way to the company van. Lin glanced at me in the rear view mirror as he started the engine. "Did you two fight?"

"He's portraying the depth of his affection." I explained, buckling up.

Lin seemed to think otherwise but chose to keep his opinions to himself.

I wasn't really paying much attention to the conversation outside, but it ended with Masako accompanying us in the van and Mai and Ayako looking thunderous. Mai met eyes through the glass and her expression soured even more. Probably thought I'd conspire with Masako.

It was an unfair assumption to make, especially once you learned over tea that Masako was really a lonely only child with limited abilities. Besides, she'd been ridiculously kind to me while Mai would've been just as friendly if she weren't so wary by my proximity to Naru.

Boys could be so inconvenient sometimes.

"Are you feeling well, Narumi-san?"

I blinked. Masako watched me with concern. "Sorry. I'm great. I was just thinking." I said apologetically. "Naru can be such a hassle, right?"

Masako hesitated, and in a flash I realized I'd driven her into a corner by asking her that. "You don't have to answer." I added hastily. "I'm not gonna bother asking Lin. We all know what the answer is."

Usually Naru would've taken that as a challenge, but this time he continued reading.

We lapsed into silence, occasionally pointing out cars and scenery and people singing as they drove, but even what little conversation we made tapered off eventually. I found myself staring out the window, so lost in throught that I barely noticed Lin's silently growing frustration.

"They're going the wrong way." Masako said suddenly.

I peeked over the driver's seat. Sure enough, Bou-san's car sped right past the the freeway enterance and straight towards a wooded path. "What are they doing?"

In reply, Lin honked the horn aggressively. The car showed no sign of pulling over.

"Must be arguing." I mused. "Listen closely."

Masako's brow wrinkled, but her look of concentration was soon replaced with one of impressed mortification. Sure enough, Ayako's and Bou-san's voices just barely drifted in through the open window. "Why am I not surprised?" She muttered.

Because it was Ayako and Bou-san. They couldn't sit in an enclosed space for long enough without arguing. "Maybe try calling out to them." I suggested. "If we can hear them, maybe they can hear us."

"Over that racket?"

She had a point.

It didn't take long for them to realize they were going the wrong way. They pulled over, and with palpable relief Lin followed suit. "Hara-san, do you mind checking on the situation?" He asked.