A/N: Hello! I hope your doing well! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please take care of yourself and stay safe.
DISCLAIMER: I don't Own Ghost Hunt.
[Not Edited]
-oOo-
"Please. Has anyone seen Suzuki-san? Well? Have you?!"
They the desperate voice of Igarashi-sensei the moment Mai, Masako and Ayako entered the dining hall to have breakfast. They saw her crying while Yasu and John tried their best to calm her down.
"Bou-san, what's wrong?" Mai asked.
"Oh. Suzuki-san vanished."
"Vanished?!" Mai and her fellow newcomers gasped in shock. Naru was also there and was listening to Igarashi-sensei's explanation and tears.
"No. She couldn't have left. Her luggages are still here and she couldn't have roam around without her contact lenses. She have a very bad eyesight."
"Please calm down, Igarashi-sensei. Take a breath first before recalling what happened." Yasuhara said as he gently took the desperate teacher to a chair. Igarashi-sensei obeyed him and took a deep breath.
"When I woke up this morning, she was gone but I'm sure she's still sleeping when I woke up around dawn." The old teacher continued after calming herself but her face still shows panic.
"By dawn, do you know what time is it?" Naru asked her.
"I don't know."
"What about when you woke up?"
"It was around seven o'clock."
Igarashi-sensei cries echoed around the room while Yasu and John tried their best to comfort her. They didn't know what happen to the missing girl and it's really a bit worrying.
"It's ten now. Then she hasn't been seen for at least three hours." Bou-san said while looking at his wrist watch. Ohashi-san came in a few moments later.
"I have asked the employees but they had never seen Suzuki-sama. The entrances are only locked from the inside and when we checked, the doors was still locked. And it's impossible to lock it from the outside without key." Ohashi-san said with a worried expression on his face.
"She may have been lost somewhere in the mansion. Let's search the premises first. What do you think, Narumi-san?" Yasu, who is acting as president, asked as Naru nodded at his idea.
"I agree. Lin and I will check last night's recordings to see if they got any clue where Suzuki-san is. Stay with your group and don't wander alone while searching." Naru said as they nodded simultaneously.
The staffs and also the SPR went into searching but they didn't find any signs after hours of searching. The Minami Psychic Research Center expressed some concern but when Igarashi-sensei asked for help from the said 'Davis-hakase', they nervously declined saying that the doctor isn't feeling well due to the mansion's haunting. That fraud and impostor even said that Suzuki-san might've been scared and left secretly. This made Igarashi-sensei even more desperate that she couldn't do anything but to cry.
Mai joined Masako's group after taking a break. Masako asked for Mai so she left Bou-san's group and joined Ayako's. Mai felt that she's a little bit sticky but looking at the medium's innocent and unknowing face, she couldn't really bring up herself to tell that. Lin and Naru continued to review the recordings as they search.
"Guys, do you really think Suzuki-san escaped the mansion like those impostors say?" Mai asked Ayako and Masako while checking the room.
"Maybe? I mean, she's the one who was used to relay the spirit's words right? She must've been scared at the experience and ran away." Ayako answered while looking at the small room inside Room 65.
"Or maybe the spirits took her away." Masako also proposed a theory.
"But the spirits asked for help, right? Why would they took her if they wanted us to help?" Ayako countered as they leave the room.
"Yeah but maybe she's kidnapped by the spirit who wrote the words in red?" Mai also agreed with Masako. She doesn't feel good every time she remember those words.
"If so, then wouldn't all of us, who witnessed that seance in danger now?" Mai added, feeling so nervous.
"Or maybe, she and that teacher was just performing an act and Suzuki-san just deliberately wrote those words to fool us." Ayako said making the two teenagers glare at her.
"I definitely felt spirits gathering in that room during the seance. And we also checked the footage and that words written in red appeared after the paper fell on the ground. Adding the poltergeist activity, how could they possibly faked that one?" Masako exasperatedly questioned Ayako while Mai, who's walking beside her nodded in agreement. Ayako was about to answer when the walkie-talkie in Mai's hand suddenly spoke.
"Mai, return to the base with your group. Bou-san found something." Naru's voice was heard from the speaker as the three of them look at each other in confusion.
"Okay. We'll be there in 5 minutes." Mai answered as they turned around to return to the base.
"A secret room? You found one?" Mai asked as she leaned on Bou-san. The blueprint is laid on the table as Bou-san pointed the location of the secret room.
"Right there."
"The room that is off by 3 meters in width." Mai exclaimed remembering the room they measured the previous day.
"We searched the secret room and we found this coat. Look at this, Naru." Bou-san said as he pointed the embroidered words in the inside of the collar.
The coat is dusty and incredibly dirty. You wouldn't even know what it's original colour. The SPR surrounded Naru as they look at the embroidered characters. Naru, who doesn't know how to read Kanji, stared at it for a second before looking at Bou-san. Bou-san and the other SPR members was confused at Naru's stare but after remembering something, Bou-san bowed his head lightly in apology.
"I'm sorry, I forgot that you cannot read Kanji!" The older man cried while Lin, chuckled lightly on his seat in front of the monitors. Of course, the SPR except Naru didn't heard it.
"It's says, 'Property of Miyama Charity Hospital'. Isn't that the hospital owned the family ancestors? This coat might be hospital-issued supplies." Ayako read the characters out loud for Naru and voiced out her opinions.
"It seems so." Naru also agreed.
"But why do you suppose it was in that room?" Bou-san asked. Naru's fingertips moved and searched the coat despite its disgusting state.
"There is something inside the pocket." Naru said as he carefully took out the thing inside the coat's pocket. It's an old folded paper. It's almost black.
"It's ancient money!" Mai happily chirped as she grabbed the hand that is holding the money. Yasu just sighed at the sight of her sparkling eyes. Mai tugged Naru's clothes and keep on urging him to unfold the paper.
Naru looked at her, a bit surprised at their suddenly close contact. He's been avoiding her and he even acted harsh when it comes to her. Ironically, he still wants her near but she, too, is avoiding him like plague unless it is work. But here she was, voluntarily coming to him in glee as soon as he held the ancient paper currency in his hands. Naru began to compare himself to the ancient money.
'Is this money good-looking than I am?'
Naru frowned with his usual cold face and unfolded the ancient money, forcing himself not to tore the money into pieces because of jealously. Mai still didn't noticed what she is doing as she stared at the money. Like his father, she likes antiques and they have so many collections in England and New York. Seeing that ancient item makes her blood boil in excitement. The SPR gazed at Mai for a second before turning to Yasu. The latter smiled at them after sending those stares.
"Yeah. As you can see, Mai is very interested in anything ancient like that money."
Mai opened her mouth in awe as she examine the paper money on Naru's hand. She excitedly tugged Naru's clothes again and showed her open palms. Naru look at her coldly but he is not angry with Mai. He's just jealous of the money in his hands especially after seeing her sparkling eyes. Nevertheless, he handed the money on her palms. While Mai is admiring the old paper, Bou-san also looked at the money curiously.
"Wait. I see something." Bou-san said and took the paper from Mai's palms. Mai whimpered in annoyance as her eyes follow the money. Her eyes held reluctance and annoyance. She doesn't even felt her lips pouting. The others giggled as Naru stared. Bou-san held the money against the sunlight and saw writings on top of the paper.
"Yo...ge...ku...ki...ta...sa...ni...ura...ru...kyo...shi...minna...ha..rai...sho..." Bou-san read out loud.
"What? Is that even Japanese?" Ayako complained as Mai snatched the money from Bou-san but her excitement dies down as she saw the scribbles on the money. Her face is full of disappointment.
'Such a waste. This is an antique, y'all! Why would you write on it?!'
"Although, we cannot see the other faded characters, we can still decode some words like 'Out', 'To Listen', 'Death', 'Everyone', and 'Came'. Why do you think they wrote it on a money?" Mai asked while trying to sneakily put the money in her pocket but Naru beat her to it and snatched it from her. Mai whined for a seconds but Naru ignored her and clipped the money on his black notebook.
"Maybe the person don't have a paper to write on?" John asked as he watched their interactions.
"Well, continue search first and-"
Naru was interrupted when Igarashi-sensei came in with her depressed state. Yasu quickly greeted her and lead her to a chair. The teacher informed them that Suzuki-san wasn't in her home in Tokyo after calling their residence. Yasuhara and John tried their best to calm the lady again. The old lady is getting more and more desperate so Yasu suggested filing a missing person report to the police. Ayako called in Ohashi-san to ask permission to report. Ohashi-san agreed and escorted the teacher to the police in the nearby village. They felt bad as they watched the old lady's back. It's truly heart wrenching to watch an old lady in that kind of state.
They went into searching again before having dinner in the dining hall. They discussed about the secret room they found and also Suzuki-san. They formed theories but they, pertaining to Ayako and Bou-san, ended up in an intense debate. Mai sighed after finishing her meal. Remembering her dream, she stood up and reluctantly went to find Naru in the base.
She's still awkward in facing him but this is important to the case so she had to throw that awkwardness out of the window and talk to him. And she felt so embarrassed in regards to her attitude a while ago. She cursed her fondness for antiques and slapped her face. She looked around and noticed the empty hallway.
Naru specifically told all of them not to wander alone but the base is just a few steps away from the dining hall. Mai also isn't in the mood to listen to that 'old couple's lover's quarrel'. They always bicker like an old couple ever since they first met but Mai noticed that they had been so close with each other after they found out her and Naru's true identity. They're close before, they even went out drinking together, but they're much more closer now. Mai smirked and excitedly thought of their future together.
"A monk and a self-acclaimed priestess, huh? That's a bit interesting to watch. Should I prepare a wedding gift for them in advance?" Mai playfully giggled while walking.
But her happy mood soon faded as her nose caught a disgusting but familiar smell and felt the decrease of temperature. Mai's guard shot up and look around her. She can felt it. The malice that was directed to her. Mai saw a figure on the dark hallway behind her. Mai's danger senses keeps on ringing inside her head as she held up her hand to chant. She put up a barrier around her and ran towards the base. Now she understood why Naru was anxious about this case.
She can still see the figure as she ran but after a few seconds, the figure vanished. Mai couldn't see it clearly but that figure definitely belong to a man. And it's very familiar to the figure she saw in her dream! She opened the door and entered the base before realising a sigh of relief. She couldn't smell blood anymore. She look around the base but she didn't see any signs of Naru. Instead, only Lin was there.
"Lin, can we review the footage of the hallway near the dining room? I want to see something." Mai said as she stride towards Lin. Lin just silently look at her before clicking on his keyboard.
"It's a few seconds before I entered the base." Mai said as Lin rewind the footage.
"Stop! Play it." Mai said as she saw herself exiting the dining hall alone on the screen. Lin finally realized something and was about to scold Mai for going out alone when he saw something appear on the screen.
It's a figure of a man. With this up close shot, Mai was able to clearly see the figure. That man is not wearing any clothes. He is so thin, like he had never eaten before. His hair is white and short. Mai can hear herself chanting on the footage as the figure disappeared. Lin quickly click his keyboard and the video inverted to negative.
"The temperature is 5 degrees below zero." Lin stated as they look at the blue and purple spots on the screen.
"Taniyama-san?" Lin asked as he turned around. He's worried that the girl's psyche might not be okay.
"Oh.. I'm okay, Lin-san. Where's Naru?" Mai asked making the older guy stunned for a while.
The two of them had been avoiding each other like they're some kind of virus but Mai initiated to find him now. Lin was a bit worried at first since Taniyama doesn't seem to like his boss as much as the other do but it seems like there's still hope for that guy.
Nevertheless, he still wanted to know if this girl have a bit of special affection for that guy. Naru's PK hadn't been stable after the two's date and Lin's worried of what will happen next if Mai rejected him. He may look like a robot but Naru's still his student and had a bit parent affection for his charge. If Mai doesn't have feelings for Naru then, Lin would've need to cut the bud before it blooms.
It would be dangerous for Naru if he couldn't control his emotions. Naru isn't the type to go crazy after being rejected but it will definitely leave a scar. Of course he doesn't mean Mai's a bad person if she even rejected him but Lin still worry about Naru so he needs to know.
"Taniyama-san, about Naru...."Lin started as he saw Mai flinched at the name of the boss.
"He had confessed his feelings for you in you 'date', right? That is why you couldn't face him properly like before." Lin added while Mai bowed her head. A few seconds later, her asked in whisper.
"H-how did you k-know? D-did Naru....?"
"No. Naru's not the type to say anything about her personal life. I just guessed what happened." Lin answered.
"Then you knew h-how he feels a-about...."
"Yes. I knew. I have been observing him since you joined the company. I was confused as to why he wanted to hire you despite the risk of being discovered. I realized after a few months of having you in the office."
Mai suddenly looked up and Lin saw how red her face is. But the surprise is clearly written on her face.
"H-he... Since t-that time?!" Mai asked loudly after hearing his sentence. Lin stared and realized that she couldn't have known Naru had been interested in her since that case. Lin watched as Mai's face grew even more redder. Lin really thought that Mai definitely took a little liking to Naru but he suddenly remembered Mai's background.
The Xia Family. A known a thousand years old aristocratic family in China. They're one of the very powerful household in terms of business. They're part of the top 5 most wealthy family in Mainland. Lin naturally heard of their name. They almost rivaled the Main Lin Family Household in Hong Kong especially when the Late Patriarch's 'escaped daughter' returned. And that is Mai's mother, Xia Anne.
Lin met her years ago at a party in France and it could be said that she's really beautiful and elegant. She acted like a queen who can do anything and she can. In just one night, she won the bid singlehandedly and even signed a 10 billion contracts from 3 different big companies for the Xia Corporation. That is how cunning and powerful she is as a businesswoman.
Many bachelors courted her despite having a child but she all declined them. There also a rumour where she was very in love with her late husband that she couldn't remarry in her lifetime. There are also many rumours about Xia Anne's late husband but non of them was proven right or wrong. They didn't even know what late husband looks like.
As for Xia Anne's daughter, the business society said that she had hidden her in China for recuperation. Someone from the inside said that her daughter witnessed how her father died so she was mentally unhealthy. That is all what Lin knew about Mai and her family. Lin isn't the type to gossip but it's inevitable for him not to know about this when it was the popular talk on business parties.
Of course, since Lin is also part of that society, he knew Mai's situation with her relatives after a little bit of thinking. He knew that the agreement she talked about is a protection and she would've to enter that cruel society earlier at a young age.
"Taniyama-san, about you and Naru. Do you like him?" Lin asked, waking up Mai from her daydreaming. She blushed and looked away. After a while, she stabled and look at Lin's eyes.
"Lin-san. I thought you hated me because I have a blood of a Japanese?" Mai asked suddenly that it caught Lin off guard.
".....I do hate Japanese." Lin answered honestly after a few seconds, completely confused at the change of topic. But he noticed Mai's gloomy look.
"I noticed that from the very first time we met. I can easily spot that look after being immune to it since childhood."
"So you got hated because you're a half-Japanese in China?"
"Hmm. Some are even crueler than you. They would bully me in school and even in my mentor's sect."
"You mean the Master Fang Yuan Zheng's?"
"Yeah. I'm not really that accepted in the first the I arrived in China." Mai answered followed by a pregnant silence. Lin watched how Mai smiled sadly and sighed.
"After interacting with Lin-san for a months, I came to like you and treat you as a friend. So can you please not hate me because I'm a half-Japanese or because I'm an orphan? It really hurts, you know? If you wanted to hate me, hate me not because of my lineage and status." Mai said and pouted pitifully at her. Those lines suddenly reminded Lin of Gene and he couldn't help but to chuckle at the same words.
"Gene also said the same thing as you. " Lin said while chuckling. He laughed even more after seeing Mai's clueless and annoyed face. Her face is literally thinking 'Hey-I'm-having-an-emotional-drama-here-and-all-you-do-is-laugh?!'.
"Mr. Guardian?"
"Yes. And I don't hate you, Taniyama-san or any other Japanese SPR members. As you've said, we all have been together for months and I also think they're not that bad but I'm still uncomfortable in interacting with other Japanese."
"Oh right. You call him that. Why do you call him 'Mr. Guardian'?" Lin asked her, changing the topic. He doesn't want to depress the girl with the conflicts of the pass. And besides, it's his own issue not hers.
"He guides me whenever I dream or astral project. He's the reason why I can project freely without losing my way in the plane. He's also there to protect my body from being possessed while astral projecting." Mai answered making Lin nod in understanding.
"I have a lot of psychic abilities that it become a hindrance so I was sent to Master Fang's sect to control it. My mother said that it wasn't troublesome when I was going but when my father died, it became worse and I got possessed a LOT. I trained physically and mentally at the sect before being stable. As for astral projection, I only discovered that I can do that until recently."
"When you met Gene?"
"Both Naru and Gene, yes. I think it's related to Gene since he said that what I see in my astral plane is the same as what he see in his."
"The negative image of a place and foxfires as spirits?" Lin asked.
"Yes." Lin nodded at Mai's answer but he noticed that they got off their original topic so he straightened up and asked Mai about Naru.
"You have not answered me a while ago." He said making Mai stilled. She glared at him for a few seconds before blushing. She had avoided the topic but Lin brought it up again! She grumbled but she realized something. Lin must've been worried about Naru and plan to be straighted with her as a 'parent'. Well, that's what Lin's role is while staying with Naru in Japan.
"A-about him... I don't know. I... I see him as a friend and a superior after working with him for months...."
"So you don't like him romantically?"
"I...I... ARG! I don't know, okay?! I was so confused when he suddenly confessed to me that night! A-and.. and I don't know what to do! He may act like nothing happened but I can't can't! I just can't see him as a friend and superior anymore!" Mai grumbled as she messed up her hair. She didn't even noticed herself speaking in English. This was a habit of hers whenever she's frustrated.
"You like him as a potential lover?" Lin asked in his perfect English. He was a bit amused by the emotions flashing through the brunette's face. Anyone wouldn't get tired watching her entertaining face full of emotions.
'Maybe that's why Naru like her?'
"I....I...." Mai answered with a red and confused face. Her lips moved but she couldn't utter the right word to describe how she feels. She still continued speaking English.
"I-I'm so confused right now. Mostly, I could handle situations like this but Naru... He's my friend and my boss plus he always act indifferent, cold and narcissistic. It's like...like a...fa-fanstasy that he uttered those words to me! I'm shocked, okay? And...and...my brain explodes just by thinking of it." Mai mumbled quickly that Lin almost couldn't understand what she is saying.
But he could understand how the girl feels. Even he would bet a hundred banknotes that Naru wouldn't initiate a romantic confession to a girl before. In fact, he was still shocked after getting a confirmation from Mai. He couldn't believe that the unfeeling scientist would understand the concept of love and rose-coloured life.
"And...he gave me that phoenix hairpin, though I dropped it and he picked it up again.." Mai whispered as her head bowed. Lin heard it and was about to ask about what hairpin when they heard a group of footsteps coming towards the base.
"Mai! I was wondering where you went! Isn't it a rule not to wander alone?!" Ayako scolded as she pulled the ear of the brunette.
"Ow, ow, ow!"
Naru, who heard it, glared at Mai and Ayako. With the temperature dropping, they stopped fooling around and quiet down while hanging their head down in front of Naru.
"Mai... Are my words dead to you?" Naru calmly but angrily asked. His tone is full of ice and blades.
"I'm sorry." Mai hurriedly answered, not daring to look at Naru.
"Why did you go alone?"
"W-well, the base is just steps away so I thought I could go alone because it's near." Mai explained but she felt even colder.
"And what are you doing, not watching her?!" Naru snapped at Ayako, making Mai rushed in front of the redhead.
"No! It's my fault! I was being reckless. Don't blame her anymore, okay? And besides, I have something to tell you so I rushed here." Mai softened her voice to pacify the young boss. She nervously pulled Naru towards Lin. She gestured towards the older man as the latter chuckled before clicking something in his computer.
The footage was projected on the screens but instead of pacifying the young boss with the new information, she received glares from not just Naru but all of her friends. It scared her so much that she even hid behind Lin.
"Not dangerous, eh? You encountered a malicious spirit! You're so much of a trouble magnet that we shouldn't have take our eyes off you!" Bou-san and Ayako simultaneously scolded the brunette as they harshly poke Mai's cheeks. Even Yasu, John and Masako are nodding in agreement.
"Stop! I'm safe so please stop it now. I beg you!" Mai cried as she hid behind Lin's chair while rubbing her swollen cheeks.
'Why do they have to poke my cheeks? They always do this while scolding me!'
Ai was still lamenting when Naru's voice reached her ears. Mai couldn't feel anymore anger from him but his voice is still cold as usual.
"Do you have more to tell me?"
"Uh. Yeah. I have a dream nights ago. I forgot to tell all of you because of the seance and Suzuki-san's disappearance." Mai answered but she still didn't come out behind the chair. She's gently massaging her aching cheeks.
"What did you dreamed of?"
"I heard drippings sounds from our bathroom and went to check it. The faucet's close but I can smell blood coming from the shower. When I slide off the shower curtain, I saw a figure in a bathtub full of blood. That it. And the man we caught on camera is the same as the figure in my dream. I'm sure of it." Mai answered.
"Any more details?" Naru asked.
"None at the moment."
"So that's why you're sleeping with your eyes open!" Ayako informed them in a high-pitched voice. The redhead thought that Mai had some kind of sleep disorder but it seems like it was an effect when she's using her abilities. Mai was about to speak again when they heard a knock on the window. They looked over to see a silhouette outside.
"Aaah!" Ayako and Masako screamed at the sight. Even Mai, who was still hiding, screamed as she was surprised by the sudden series of knocks.
"Madoka!" Lin said as he stood up and opened the window for their colleague. Naru also went to help the woman in.
"Hello! How y'all doing?" The pink haired lady greeted them with a smile.
"That is dangerous. What if something happened?" Naru scolded but the lady just grinned at him.
"You would've save me then!" Madoka rebutted, shutting Naru up. The SPR giggled at Naru's displeased face.
The pink haired lady just winked playfully while looking around her. Noticing her shaking hands, Lin gave her his jacket and pushed her to a seat. Mai, the tea-maker, quickly made tea while listening to the newcomer.
"I'll start reporting what I have found. I'll start with Suzuki-san." Madoka said after bringing out a folder beneath her jacket. She flipped over the papers and began talking.
"I checked all the bus and taxi companies in this area and none of the drivers had seen anyone that fits Suzuki-san's profile so I think Suzuki-san probably never left the building."
"Anything on the people who previously vanished beside Suzuki-san?" Naru asked.
"Impatient much? Well, the first to disappear was Eiki Matsunuma-shi. 18 years old, unemployed. The incident happened on the 13th of February. He and seven friends, eight in total, to party at night. The witnesses said that Eiki Matsunuma-shi left the room, apparently to look for a toilet but he never come back. They filed a missing person report the next week and the deployed officers and local volunteers to search for the boy. One member of the rescue team began missing at that time." Madoka said as she flipped the paper.
"Yoshikawa Masaya-shi, the second missing person. 21 years old, a farmer and a local who joined the search. When they noticed that he's missing, they frantically searched again but instead of a living person, they saw spirits appearing in the house. That created a ruckus and they decided to give up and leave." Madoka said as she brought out another folder and a flash drive and handed it to Naru.
"These are the report and the clips taken from the witnesses. I reviewed it but nothing was found. And next is the previous owners of the house. The complete details are on the folder."
Mai came with the fresh cup of tea and served them. While listening to Madoka, she couldn't help but to feel very uneasy.
"The one who built this house is Miyama Kaneyuki-shi. For generations, the Miyama Family was the richest in Suwa Region. Kaneyuki-shi was the eldest son and he became the head at the age of 16. This place is the family's mountain villa."
"Wasn't he the one who owned the hospital named 'Miyama Charity Hospital' for his patronage?" Naru asked
"Oh! How did you know that?"
"Can you find out more about the hospital? I also need more information about the previous owners." Naru said.
"Okay. I'll leave now. I forgot to close the door of the car I rented." Madoka said as she chuckled. She finishes the tea and went to the window.
"Madoka, there is a door."
"Nah. It's faster this way." Madoka said as she jumped to the window. Lin made sure she's safe and sighed after she safely got out. Mai thought about it for a while before looking at her boss.
"Naru, have you contacted Mr. Guard- I mean, Gene, yet?" Mai asked turning to her young boss. She is in full work mode and her previous bashfulness was gone. Sure enough, Mai's a professional.
"....I didn't try yet. Why?" Naru answered after a few seconds.
"He wouldn't appear every time I called for him. I need his help on something."
"What is it? Can't you just ask me?" Naru said.
"If we still didn't find Suzuki-san until next morning, I will have to astral project and search the house."
Naru's tone is obviously leaking some sour vinegar smell that even the others noticed it. But with Mai in her full work mode, she didn't have any clue. Seeing how Mai seriously and innocently answered his question full of jealousy, the SPR couldn't help but to pity the young boss.
'You have a very looooooong way to go, Naru.'