[A/N]

For those who are reading TFTC, there's a major spoiler below.

"That foreigner has outstanding healing abilities."

"Indeed. He healed my son who has a chronic hereditary disease."

"I'm so thankful he decided to migrate in this place."

"Where is from?"

"I heard he's from England, a country from the west."

"Oh..."

The people in the village were gossiping around when Evan, the man from a foreign land, healing the old people and kids. Their village is poor, and it's in a secluded area, it took a two-hour drive to the nearest hospital, it's like a blessing from the heavens when Evan suddenly arrived in their place and decided to stay permanently, seeing the villagers' state, Evan won't charge them with payment. He's doing it for free.

A group of onmyouji in their village filled with jealousy seeing the foreigner gained the trust of the villagers so easily. They no longer have a source of money. Evan refused to join their group and prefer to work alone.

"That gaijin!" One of them spat. "How dare him!"

"How about making some trouble for him?" One of them suggested, smirking evilly.

"How about spreading plague and blame it on him?"

"Perfect! I know a forbidden spell to cause such thing, and only our powers as an onmyuoji can cleanse it."

The group of onmyuoji were smirking, thinking about their evil plan.

Fire.

House was surrounded by fire. They burned his house with him inside it, and there's no way to escape. He yelled for help but the villagers who once laud him mobbing outside, yelling that he must die.

A few months ago, there was a sudden epidemic strike in the village that even his healing magic couldn't cure. He investigated the cause and learned that it was black magic created by the group of onmyouji who hates him.

He was trying to tell them that it was their onmyouji who caused the plague, but being a foreigner, the villagers believed what the onmyouji said and turned their backs on him instead.

The group of onmyouji used their abilities to heal the people who got infected.

"He's a witch! A witch from the west!" One of them screamed.

"He filled you up with lies by pretending to be the village's doctor! He sacrificed the lives of your loved ones so he will gain more power!" The other seconded.

One of the villagers throws a rock in the burning house. "My child died because of the plague that you bring!"

Everyone was screaming, yelling, crying for him to die.

Evan, with nowhere to escape glowered at the mobsters outside. "I will be back! I will haunt you down! You, to your descendants, I will let them fell what I felt!" He cursed.

"He's cursing us!" They exclaimed in horror, fearing his curse, they fled the scene.

Evan glowered at the group of onmyouji, who was watching his death with such amusement until life left him, and the fire cremating his body until only his bones were left.

One of the onmyouji held a wooden box on his hand. "Now, to seal his soul. We mustn't let him get revenge on us, can we?"

"Of course."

One of them collected his bones, and one of them put several strands of hair in the small pouch and put it on the box. The group went to the forest, burying the sealing spell-infused box in the ground with his remains.

Mai squirmed, twitching on the couch, sweating heavily. She gasped, snapping her eyes open.

"Naru!" She exclaimed, jumping from the couch. She looked around the base only to find Lin and the band sleeping on the other couch. They were scared to sleep alone in their room.

"He's making tea." Lin informed her.

"Lin! You are likely to be his target!" She gasped remembering her dream. Lin looked at her in concern.

"How can you say so?" The onmyouji asked.

"Let's wait for Naru to come, I don't want to repeat everything."

Lin hummed in agreement. Not long after, Naru entered the base with a cup of tea on hand.

"Mai." He carefully handed her the tea, and Mai inhaled the calming scent. "What did you dreamt about?"

Mai reencountered her dreams, about the foreigner named Evan and what the villagers and the five onmyouji did to him.

"If he knew that Lin is an onmyouji, he might target him next." She said in worry. "He used black magic."

"I can counter it, don't worry. My training with Miss Phoebe will become handy this time." The Chinese onmyouji stated.

Naru and Mai remembered that the two often trained together before, the clash of East and West when it comes to magic, spells, and sorceries.

"But you still need to be cautious." Naru said, going back in the monitors. "Gene and Reino haven't returned yet?" He asked when he didn't see his brother and the silver-haired band leader.

"No. The hospital is quite far." Lin answered.

Mai was idly lying on the couch, she couldn't sleep again. The members were softly snoring, cuddling up on one couch. The door opened, entering Gene and Reino.

"We bought dinner!" Gene announced.

Reino kicked his sleeping bandmates off the couch. They grumbled incoherent complaints, rubbing their eyes, their stomach softly growled when they smelt the delicious aroma.

"Dinner!" Kiyora and Dasuku both exclaimed.

"Yes, yes, wait in there kids." Mai smirked and the two are like dogs who were waiting patiently for their food to be served. Mai gave each one of them a box of bento and bottled water.

They all cramped in the base having dinner.

"Naru, why don't we listened to the recorder while we ate? I swear there's nothing gross on it." Gene assured.

"Alright."

Gene handed Lin the recorder and connect it his laptop, they were eating as the director's voice was heard.

"I asked people in the blog if they can recommend me a nice spooky place for the MV shooting, and this place was recommended to me by a blogger. He told me that this is an abandoned village."

"'He'?" Gene asked curiously.

"Yes, his username sounds like a guy, so I assumed it's a he." He mumbled.

"Right, continue."

"I asked him for a picture then he sent it to me, the house was perfect for Vie Ghoul's new MV so we decided to come here." The director took a deep breath. "It was alright at first, camping outside the house, but yesterday, during our break time in our second day of shooting, I saw Kiyora-san went to the woods."

"Why?" The medium interjected.

The director shook his head. "I don't know when I followed him, asking where he was going, he faced me with such dull eyes, and it was as if he's on a trance. I got scared but I continue following him, I saw him digging the ground with his bare hands. I scolded him to stop, but he won't listen, and I helped him until we saw a box. We were curious, upon opening it, a gust of wind passed us, and Kiyora-san seems to be back on his senses since he asked me what I've been doing in the forest. After that, when we get back to the house, Reino was in a panic telling us that the spirits were on edge. And I was thrown in the wall, so, the injuries. My staff and crew left hurriedly in fear."

It took a moment before Gene spoke. "Thank you, director."

The recorder stopped. The dinner was long finished. Naru was in deep thought, then he faced the keyboardist.

"Why did you go to the forest?"

Kiyora vigorously shook his head. "I don't know, I swear!"

"There's a possibility that he was possessed, but why?" Gene mumbled, having the same I-am-thinking-seriously expression of Naru's.

"Maybe" They all snapped their heads at Mai. "Kiyora-san is a descendant of the former villagers here before?"

"That's possible." Naru agreed.

They gasped when the base shook hard and the monitors beeped, a red ERROR message flashed in all of them before it was completely shut down. The door in the base flew open, and a gale was drifting the files, and other things away.

Naru instinctively pulled Mai closer to him and Gene stepped in front, on a stance, readying himself. But they were all so wrong, it's not in front them, Gene gasped, they turned around when they heard Lin grunted in pain.

"An onmyouji!" He growled. Choking him. "Your familiars are useless against me."

Vie Ghoul squeaked when they saw the creature for the first time, they ran and hide behind their leader, who calmly watched everything.

"Lin!" Mai and Gene exclaimed.

The Chinese onmyouji's PK infused-hand glowed and purge it on his chest. The ghost, or rather, it looks a semi-demon now, cried in pain.

"How dare you –"

"Lín! Bing! Dòu! Zhe! Jie! Shù! Zu! Qián! Xíng!" Lin chanted the original Taoist verse of Japan's kuji-in and followed by whistling, calling forth his shikis, encircling the ghost.

"You onmyoujis are arrogant just because you can employ demons!"

Mai helped Lin in restricting the ghost before he will burn the place down, knowing that he used dark magic spells. Mai flinched when it glared at her.

"Evan, I know what you've been thru when you are still alive. They burned you to death, the villagers betrayed you. But not all -" She buying time while Gene was preparing for an exorcism. It's an ordinary exorcism since the ghost was strong to be handled alone.

"Silence!" He growled louder. "They deserved to die! They all deserve to die!"

"Those onmyoujis were jealous because of your talent and your good heart." Mai stated. "It was your kindness that the villagers adored about you."

"But they betrayed me!"

"That's true, I can't deny that. But you never really cursed their descent, do you? You just said those words for them leave this place." Mai glanced at Gene, who nodded at her. "But you shouldn't hurt the living just because they are the same as the people who killed you. Lin-Lin is not a bad guy! He only looked intimidating and scary, and Japanophobic but he's a good a guy!"

The room was silent after Mai's exclamation, they all giving a look. Naru heaved a tired sigh beside her, glaring at his brother he told him to go with the exorcism while the ghost was distracted at Mai.

Evan's ghosts were screaming, shaking the room, almost collapsing. Combination of Lin's shikis and his Taoist style exorcism, and Gene's PK infused exorcism, Evan's ghost vanished, but before he completely reduced into nothingness, he glared at Mai, the girl flinched at his sight.

"You..." He managed to gasp out before he was totally gone.

Gene slumped on the wooden floor, panting. "That one is a tough one."

"Are you okay?" He nodded at Mai's worried concern. "Lin-Lin?" She asked the onmyouji.

He was softly rubbing his neck. "I'm fine Mai-san."

"What about you?" She asked the band. She almost forgot about them.

"Were fine." Reino answered.

"That's good." She helped Naru arranging the files back to the table. "Ne, Naru... I want to make a proper burial for him, is that... alright?"

Naru looked at her and smiled very, very faintly. "Of course."

Mai beamed at him.

"Thank you, Naru!"

They went back to the forest where Kiyora and the Director dug the sealed box, they dug deeper and saw several bones buried on it, with a skull. Lin, as anmyouji, made a mini-funeral service for Evan's remains, before properly burying beside a huge tree.

They offered prayers, although his soul is now gone. Kiyora, specifically, offered a prayer, and apologizing on his ancestors' behalf from what they did to him, he should've done it while his vengeful spirit was still attacking them but he was too scared to talk.

Reino called the director, saying that the problem is already solved, they can now go back in shooting the music video.

"Dr. Davis." Reino approached the young scientist after they finished packing the equipment in the van.

"I prefer if you won't call me by that name while I'm Japan. It's Shibuya Kazuya." Naru retorted sharply.

"Shibuya, I want to ask for your help, looking for a suspect. A friend of mine was hit by a car last week, and the police still haven't got a lead. I was planning on going to England after shooting the music video to find you." He explained. "Can you help us by using your psychometry?"

Naru stared at him before speaking. "Alright. But only this time, you need to have the proper training to control your psychometry."

"T-Thank you so much Shibuya-san!" Kiyora and Dasuku exclaimed behind their leader.

Naru reached his hand. "Hand me something that she owned."

Vie Ghoul was looking at each other, shaking their heads, then Dasuku sheepishly grinned at him.

"We have none."

Mai and Gene laughed out loud seeing Naru's irritated expression.

Three days passed by smoothly, Mai watched the teaser of Vie Ghoul's new music video. They were good and she starts listening to their songs. She stood up when the front door opened.

"Wel – oh, Reino!" She exclaimed, seeing the silvered-haired man. Three days ago, he starts stopping by in the office and asked Naru if he could train him, but the narcissist passed him to Lin.

"Let's go." He said.

"Wait, I'll call Naru first." She knocked on his office door before peeking inside. "Naru, Reino is here." Naru looked up from the book that he's been reading. Standing up, and getting his coat in the track.

They are going to the hospital to visit Reino's friend who was admitted after being hit by a car. It was Naru who was behind the wheels since Gene was gone on a trip.

"This friend of yours, a girl or boy?" Mai asked the visual kei singer who was sitting on the backseat, seriously watching the scenery they passed by.

"A girl, she's an actress."

"Oh... Is she still in a coma?"

"Yes, and she needed to wake up and heal soon."

"Why? What's the rush?"

"She just got a role in Broadway, and she needed to go to London in two months' time."

Mai gasped. "That's... That's unfortunate..."

"I need to remind you that psychometry doesn't have a healing ability." Naru interrupted.

"I know."

The drive to the hospital was short as he took a shortcut. Naru parked the car in the parking lot, turning off the engine before climbing out.

"Let's use the back door, there are paparazzi in the front." He said to the two.

Mai and Naru silently followed him. The nurse and other patients gasped, blushing, and muffled a squeal, seeing two good-looking men both clad in black, walking in the hallway.

Reino knocked the door before opening it.

"I brought him." He announced.

Mai heard the beeping sound of the machine, the room was quite large and it was in the secluded part of the hallway, they are few people inside including Reino's band members, and in the middle of the room lies an unconscious woman, with several IVs on her hand, her head was wrapped by a bandage, and an oxygen on her mouth.

"Who?" A middle-aged man dressed like pharaoh asked, looking curiously at Reino.

"He's Shibuya Kazuya. The person I sought out for help."

Everyone in the room stared at them, except Vie Ghoul members.

"Is he from the police?" a bespectacled man asked.

"I'm Taniyama Mai, Shibuya Kazuya-san's assistant." Mai politely bowed, introducing herself.

"Enough with the useless talk, and get over with it." Naru interrupted. "We are not here to socialize."

"Yes, yes, I know." Mai grumbled, mumbling an apology on his behalf.

The two went to the bed and Mai gasped, clutching Naru's arm. "Naru... I knew her. I dreamt about her."

"What?!" Naru asked sharply. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought she's just a random spirit who wants me to see how she died." Mai clutched the bed's railings. "To think that... still alive, asking for help."

"When did the accident happen?" Naru asked Reino.

He titled his head slightly. "Two weeks ago."

Mai widened her eyes. "Seriously?! I've been dreaming about her every few days last month!" She looked at Naru. "She was asking for help... If only I immediately look for her, this can be avoided. Naru please, help her..."

"I will." Naru held the hand of the unconscious lady in bed and immediately syncing with her.

"I don't understand." A raven-haired lady mumbled, watching the two people standing beside her best friend's friend. Reino explained to the other party about them being spiritually gifted, they rose their eyebrows, scoffing, and snorted in disbelief.

"Naru!" They snapped their heads when they heard Mai exclaimed, hugging the staggering Naru. Reino asked his members to help him on the couch. Naru plopped his body to the couch.

"Two people." Naru said after a moment. "There are two people in the car, and the one behind the wheel is a woman."

Everyone in the room gasped. They already have suspicions about who the culprit is but they all thought it was her spoiled and bratty childhood friend named Fuwa Sho.

"And the man who was with her is the same man who attended us while in Kyoto." Naru glanced at Mai. "Remember that blond personal waiter?" Mai nodded immediately. "It's him."

"Wait a minute!" Kiyora took his phone, fumbling on the screen before shoving it to his face. "This guy?!" He showed him Sho's photo from his latest album.

"Yes, that one."

Everyone curses under their breath.

"I'm going to kill him." Ren growled, with a murderous gleamed on his eyes. The others tried to calm him down.

"There's more, isn't Naru?" Mai asked, seeing him in deep thought.

Naru frowned at the other group of people in the room. "What happened to the baby?"

The cosplayer middle-aged man narrowed his eyes at him. "What are you talking about?" He asked, playing dumb.

"Among the things she bought in the store is a pregnancy test kit, she suspected herself to be pregnant." Naru explained, he heard Mai gasped beside him. She strode to her bed, placing a hand on her flat tummy.

"But... I didn't feel any growing life inside her, Naru." She stated.

Naru took a notebook from Mai's purse, scribbling something on it, and handed the ripped paper to Reino. "That's the plate number of the care who hit her."

"Seriously?!" Everyone exclaimed.

Naru grabbed Mai's arm, he knew what she was thinking, and he won't let her do it. "Let's go Mai, we're done here."

She shook her head, jerking her arm off him. "No Naru, I will help her."

"I won't let you do it." He starts dragging her.

"No! Let me go! I want to help her!" She's trying to yank her arm but Naru was strong. "Reino!" She called desperately. "Reino, you told us that she needed to go to London in two months, but with the injuries that she attained, it will take more than two months to heal!" She explained hastily. "I can heal her!" She reached her other arm to him, but instead of him, it was Ren who grabbed it.

Naru halted and glared at him. "Let go of her." He ordered.

"Can you really help her?" Ren asked Mai, whom she answered with a nod. "Then please help her."

"No." Naru sharply interjected, tugging her towards him. "Let's go home."

"Naru, do you think I can peacefully go home with a situation like this?" Mai cried. "I failed to help her when she was asking for help before, now that I'm here, I don't want to ignore her again."

"We are not gods. We can't help every person or spirits who came to us for help."

"I know..." Mai sobbed. "But please, only this one... please," Mai begged, she felt Naru's gripped tighten, intently staring at her, then he glared at the other man who was holding her other arm.

"You really owe us big this time that even your life can't compensate on it." He snarled at Ren, before letting go of Mai's arm and going back to the couch. Ren did the same.

Mai slowly approached the obviously angry Naru. She wrapped her arms on her neck, hugging. "Thank you, Naru."

"I am still against it, but only this once."

"I know. Thank you." She whispered gratefully. Naru sighed, softly patting her back, he really can't win against her. He glared at the small crowd watching them.

"And I appreciate it if you will keep your mouth shut from whatever you will witness later." He threatened.

"Yes sir."

They answered by reflex.

[A/N]

More details about this case, and Skip Beat character's POV will be posted in my TFTC story. Anyway, happy holidays! Please support the story The Dead Among The Living by Profilers of the Unknown, thank you! ^^

This is quite a messed chapter but I still posted it!

xOxO

- BSOL