Connected To You | Ghost Hunt

Forbidden Pastime

'Wait so does Masako actually see spirits or not?' Mai pouted. 'I'm confused...'

"Well, since these spirits were summoned by Kokkuri-san, they may not hold any particular grudges. You're letting us down again, Masako." Bou-san sighs on where he stood. At his words, Masako turns a glacier glare directed at the monk.

The sudden change made Mai jump. 'She's scary...'

Naru remained quiet, thinking deeply on what to do.

~~~

AKEMI

Somewhere on a nearby hotel, Akemi rests on a soft bed in the middle of the room and woke up with a sudden cute baby sneeze. A vision plaguing her thoughts.

~~~MAI~~~

"Okay I understand..." The high school student drowsily mutters as she slowly woke up from her dream— once again meeting Dream Naru.

"What do you 'understand', Mai-chan~?" Mai jolts awake at the sudden voice, jumping out of her seat only to let out a deep breath when she was greeted with bright curious eyes. Eyes that belonged to a smiling Akemi; The heiress curiously blinking purple eyes to her junior, her upper body leaned forward close to Mai's face with her nude nail-polished fingers clasped behind her back.

With a wide teasing grin, Akemi said: "I'll let Naru know that you are slacking on the job~" in a sing-song tone, standing up straight to place her gear next to the vacant table making Mai blush at the heiress' teasing, the high schooler noticing Akemi's change in outfits.

Akemi mostly wore sophisticated elegance as her outfit but the heiress opted to being comfortable this time, noticing her large sized black hoodie over Akemi's hidden white dress with a skirt that flowed smoothly down towards the mid of her calf with black doll shoes. Her hair tied to an up-do,

Before Mai could ask about Akemi's sudden show up, the door to the room opens and Yasuhara joins in,

"Ah! Maruyama-san, it seems you're back." Yasuhara glances towards Mai before returning his beaming grin towards the newest comer. "Was she sleeping?" Yasuhara asks, pertaining to Mai.

"Yup!" The two smiled at each other. "And please, Akemi is fine."

"Sure thing, Akemi-san." Yasuhara nods, and Mai couldn't help but wince at the sudden brightness around the room with the two present. However, Mai pouts realizing the two were subtly making fun of her as Yasuhara takes a seat across Mai. "Mouh!"

"Why are you back here so early, sempai? And what's on the bag?" Mai asks Akemi, pulling out the chair beside her to let the heiress take a seat. Which Akemi gladly obliges,

"Oh, Naru told me that we would be trying to exorcise the spirits today— so I brought my gear with me..."

"Gear? What gear would you need?" The two high school students present were curious of course, as this was a first for both.

"My instrument and itoka uniform— well my late Aunt's actually, she'd always wear it on every exorcism or cleansing..." Akemi weakly smiles, "She said it is tradition that a Maruyama Shaman should uphold."

"Can I see?" Mai was eager to see but Akemi shook her head.

"Forgive me, Mai but no one but the shaman herself is allowed to touch the clothing or even see it without the intent of wearing and performing on it— it's to keep it clean and pure." Hoping to not offend the poor girl, Akemi adds- "Even the shaman or should I say me, need to cleanse our hands and whole body before touching the clothes."