Ghost of a Chance

The Cursed House (Part 1)

It was a hot summer day, but the AC was on full blast in the SPR office.

"Naru's still not back from his trip?" Ayako asked as Mai and Hitomi brought out drinks and snacks for her and Bou-san.

"Not yet. All he said was that he's coming back today," Hitomi answered.

"I'm surprised he's coming back," Mai said. "It seems Naru's always going off somewhere." Lin-san was basically their office baby-sitter.

"I can't believe him. He's probably out sightseeing, don't you think?" Ayako remarked.

"I bet he's at some hot springs on a secret fountain 'expedition'," Bou-san joked as he accepted his iced coffee.

"Maybe he's at a spa..." Mai said. Hitomi could tell their imaginations were going wild on the inside.

"... N-No way! That's just your overactive imaginations," Mai told the miko and monk nervously, sweating.

'Just what on earth did she imagine?' Hitomi wondered, sweat-dropping.

"He's free to do anything thanks to his social status," Ayako said.

'What is that supposed to mean?' Hitomi wondered. Was she referring to how much money Naru seemed to have to spend on the office and equipment?

BRIIIING—BRIIING—BRIIING—

Hitomi finished setting the snacks down and walked past Mai to pick up the ringing phone.

"Hello, Shibuya Psychic research center. How may we help you?" Hitomi greeted the caller with a professional smile in her voice. "He's not in right now. Could I take a message? Yes. I'll have him call back as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience." With that conversation concluded, she hung up.

"Listen to that. You sound like a real professional," Bou-san told her.

"Even so, why didn't you answer it, Mai?" Ayako asked. "You were closer. Hitomi didn't have to go out of her way."

"I'm not allowed to answer the phone," Mai said, plopping down on the ottoman. "That's Hitomi-sempai's job."

"Huh?" Ayako and Bou-san said.

"What happens if Hitomi isn't here?" Bou-san asked.

"Then I let the machine get it."

"But, you can't just ignore clients on the phone!" Ayako said in disbelief.

"Why aren't you allowed to answer?" Bou-san asked Mai.

"Who knows?" Mai shrugged. "But Hitomi-sempai is the 'senior' part-timer, so maybe that's why?"

"Hitomi?" Bou-san asked again.

"Like Mai said, who knows?" Hitomi answered mildly. She took a seat in one of the chairs. 'Actually, it's in case someone calls looking for Naru under his real identity, so Mai won't find out. I already know who he is and why he's here, so it doesn't matter so much if I answer.' She had already guessed their SPR was actually connected to the British SPR sometime after finding out his real identity. That was when they started letting her answer the phone. She did feel a little bad about not being able to tell the others, but a promise was a promise.

"I'm not allowed to handle the mail either," Mai added. "Lin-san always checks and sorts it first."

"But Hitomi can?" Ayako asked dubiously.

"I just bring it to Lin-san," Hitomi replied. Naru seemed to prefer it that way. It seemed there were some things she still didn't know about him.