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Naru x Mai .01
Series: Ghost Hunt
Note: Was posted on shibuya_pr but taken down immediately.
This is finished, but I’m filing it under snips.
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The
train pulled over at the station at exactly half past two, opened its doors,
then let out an unnatural shrill sound and closed its doors shut. The signal
lights flickered madly before dying. The train sat frozen on the tracks for a
few minutes before station personnel rushed to the scene to force the doors
open. Passenger safety first! An apprentice was sent back to the office to make
a quick call for a stretcher and some first aid help. But it was a dead hour on
a Sunday afternoon, and the train had stopped at a fairly obscure local
station, so when the doors finally slid open with a hiss, all they found inside
the train was a young couple -- a girl of seventeen or eighteen, and a boy
about the same age, maybe older. Neither of them seemed particularly distressed
nor in dire need of oxygen. But it wouldn't hurt to make sure, so the station
personnel crowded at the door and waved at them.
"Are
you two all right?"
The
girl waved back. "We're all right."
"Are
you sure?" The girl seemed fine, but the boy, who was dressed fully in
black (black in summer! potential heatstroke victim!), only continued to regard
the train ceiling with mute disinterest.
"Yes
yes," said the girl, hastily. "By the way, is the train going to be
okay? Do we have to get off?"
"We're
checking it at the moment; it'll be running again in a minute or so."
"That's
great."
"We're
very sorry for the delay."
"We're
not in a hurry. We can wait."
"Maybe
you two would like to step out for some fresh air?"
The
girl smiled, sheepishly. "It's okay! Really, we'll be fine. We...um, like
stuffy places."
The
station personnel exchanged glances, then collectively shrugged and shuffled
off the train. The young assistant was spotted hobbling up the stairs with a
big first aid kit. At a barked order, he darkly turned on his heel and stomped
back down the stairs.
***
Mai
waited a few moments before grimacing and pulling the collar of her shirt away
from her neck. "Aagh, it's really hot in here. I'm getting out."
Naru
shrugged his shoulders elegantly.
"I'm
stepping out for a moment," Mai repeated with emphasis, "Boss."
"Be
my guest."
It
always, always came down to this. It didn't matter who started it, it didn't
matter how long it had to go on, but at some point somebody had to crack, and
that somebody was always Mai. Mai hated losing, but she hated Naru's
stubbornness even more, and they were sitting inside a stalled train on a
summer afternoon and the breeze was hot and there was just the smallest bead of
sweat on Naru's forehead and what was the point, again? Mai clenched her fists
and said it as loudly as she could.
"YOU
ARE SUCH AN IDIOT."
Naru
only glanced at her. Like the rest of him, his eyes were beautiful. But no matter how beautiful Naru was, no
matter how smart Naru was, he was still an idiot, a big big idiot, and
Mai, wanting to make sure she got the message across, said it again, louder
this time.
Naru
looked unperturbed. "I always had the impression it was the other way
around."
"Oh you would!" The heat was making it
hard to stop. "But you're the idiot, because you're actually mad about my
plans on Sunday, and you don't even have the guts to say it!"
"...I'm
not mad."
"You
are!"
"Have
I expressed explicit disapproval of your personal plans for the weekend,
Taniyama-san?"
"No,
but--"
"Then
maybe you ought to step out for a moment," Naru said with mock gentleness,
"and get some air back into that monkey brain of yours."
"Shut
up!" Mai's cheeks were red. "Answer me. Didn't you tell me I was
entitled to free weekends this month?"
"...I
did."
"And
didn't you say I could do whatever I wanted on those free weekends?"
"Yes,
I did."
"Then
if I'm going to Monk-san's band's performance at Harajuku on Sunday, why should
you be so mad about it?"
"...Why
do you think I'm mad about it."
"You're
making that face, that's why."
"What
face." Naru was now staring down at her, and for a long moment, Mai could
only stare back. What kind of face indeed. No matter how many times she looked
at him, it was always startling to see him up close -- the graceful line of his
jaw, the perfect pale skin, the dark hair softly falling over his eyes. Those
eyes. Naru probably didn't know it, but he could affect a perfect pokerface and
his eyes would always betray him. It seemed like they changed color with his
emotions; now they were turning an odd shade of dark gray, as if storms were
slowly brewing in them. Like stirred up clouds in miso, Mai thought about saying,
but decided not to venture further into bad metaphors.
"It
is none of my business," Naru quietly said, "if Mai decides to go on
a date during her spare time."
There
was a beat. "Huh?"
"Enjoy
your weekend."
"No,
wait." She caught his arm before he turned away. "Wait. What did you
just say? Hey! Naru!"
So
that was it.
Naru
was jealous.
It
was a strange feeling. Mai felt like her ears were ringing. If Naru were in his
element, he probably would've commented on "the rare sound of virtual
cogwheels turning in her head", but now he seemed just as surprised as she
was, too surprised to even try changing the subject. She watched as his
expression softly settled into complete disgruntlement.
"Naru."
"What."
"It's
Monk-san," Mai said, emphatically.
"....."
"And it's only until eight. And Monk-san said
he'll walk me back, so I'll be safe. Honest. You don't have to worry."
"....."
"And
I'll be carrying my cellphone with me, so if you need anything--"
"Come
at nine."
Unbelievable.
Mai stared dumbly at him, but Naru only stared back. "What kind of office
operates on Sunday night, Shibuya-san?"
"Ours
is not an ordinary office, Taniyama-san."
"You
want me to report for work after the concert?"
Naru
shrugged and said nothing, but Mai knew that was a yes, and she knew he was
expecting her to say yes as well, because that was the way things went between
them. If she knew less of him, she probably would've put up a fight. Alas.
Mai
sighed. "Sunday night is still officially my break, though."
"Weekend
service merits double pay."
"It's
a weekend and my official rest day. I say triple my usual rate."
"We'll
see." Naru wasn't smiling, but the color in his eyes had settled down into
something less troubled, something more reassuring, an odd color Mai thought
was pretty but couldn't find the right name for. Her cheeks felt warm again.
Damn, it's hot in here. Have they fixed the train yet?
Just
as Naru shifted his gaze from her to the ceiling, the lights flickered and came
back on, along with the reassuring hum of the airconditioner and the beeping of
the doors as they slid shut. Through the glass doors, Mai saw the station
personnel bowing at them, mouths opening and closing in silent apology. She gave
a little wave at them, as if to say, no no, it's all right.
"It's
just as well," Naru remarked quietly. It seemed an odd thing to say, but
then the train gave a little lurch and slowly eased out of the station, and the
thought slipped Mai's mind completely.
* Monk-san is Takigawa,
of course. I'm sorry I had to use him like this though. Sorry, bou-san!
[ end ]
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