Dangerous Souls

Healing

The dark haired boy in front of her gave her a curious look, but smiled nonetheless. "I don't mind if you call me Naru," he said with almost a sad look in his eyes.

"But that's not your name," Mai protested with a pout. "You're allowed to have a preference to what name people call you by."

"Like how you nicknamed your boss 'Naru the Narcissist?'"

"He never told me to stop calling him that. If he did, I would have gone back to calling him Kazuya," Mai said with a huff. Her guide wasn't sure if he should laugh or roll his eyes.

"Would you have?" he teased, nudging her lightly. "Tell the truth."

With that, Mai started laughing. "Probably not," she admitted with a shrug. "But seriously, what is your name?"

The look in the man's eyes was a cross between sadness, pain, and hope. Mai had no idea why this spirit was feeling this way, but she knew he was. Still, he smiled. "What do you think is my name?"

"Jin." The word was out of her mouth before she had processed his question. She blinked hard and shook her head. "Where did that come from?"

"I'm not sure," Gene lied. It was only a matter of time now before his brother found out. "Feel free to call me whatever feels most comfortable to you."

"Idiot."

"If you must."

Mai couldn't help but laugh. She was honestly not sure how she could have ever confused her guide for her boss for so long. They might look alike, but their personalities were completely different. Her laughter died down as she realized something. "You never answered my question, what happened to me? I was just outside with Naru when I-"

"That would be my fault," Gene admitted. "I need to show you something, I would have shown you last night, but I was too selfish to."

"Selfish?" Mai repeated with a raised brow.

"We hadn't spoken in almost six months and I didn't want it ruined with what I'm about to show you." His face had hardened with what might have been guilt. Mai nodded and together they stood up. Just in time for the scene to change before them.

***

"That long ago?" Monk asked Kikuchi as she was closing up her shop. "And you don't know where they went?"

"I can tell you that your manager badgered me on info about that body they pulled from the lake. Of course now he decides that I might be onto something," Kikuchi complained with a roll of her eyes as she locked the door.

"Please excuse his behavior, he tends to forget his manners," Madoka said with an apologetic smile. "But, we do need to find him. You didn't see where he and Mai went when they left, did you?"

"Back to the hotel, I suppose." The woman shrugged, dropping her key into her pocket. "He asked me about the Motos and when he ran out of questions he dragged his wife away. Try their room, they're probably having at it as we speak." She walked away while grumbling under her breath, "Going at it like rabbits, them newlyweds."

"Well that got us nowhere," Madoka said with a huff and crossed her arms. "I would say that maybe we should check their room again, but I know they won't be there."

Monk held his chin in his hand as he was trying to process the information they had. "What did Naru want to talk with her about? About the little girl's body?" he asked, furrowing his brow.

"I guess so, but Ms. Kikuchi also mentioned the Moto couple. So it is possible he had some questions about them-"

"That's it!" Monk snapped his fingers, startling the woman.