~Jealousy in the office~

The small jingle of the bell alerted Mai of a new client. She turned around with a smile on her face ready to meet them.

"Hello, my name is Mai Taniyama. How can I help you today?" Mai asked, bowing low to show respect. The client, who was an older gentleman, smiled in return and glanced around the office warily.

"Um...yes, I'd like to speak with your boss. I-I need help..."

"Of course. Please take a seat and he will be here shortly. Would you like some tea?" Mai asked, showing him to his seat.

The man nodded. "Yes, thank you. Oh, and would you mind making another? My son should be here any second now..."

"Of course Mr..." Started Mai.

"Oh, I apologize! My name is Hikaru Nakamura." He bowed slightly.

"Right, well Mr. Nakamura, I will go get my boss for you and then prepare the tea. I will only be a minute." Mai answered, leaving the room. She went to Naru's office and knocked on his door.

"Come in." Naru called out, his eyes glancing up briefly at the door.

Mai peeked her head in. "Naru, we have a client."

Placing his book down, Naru nodded. "Oh, and Mai..."

"Yeah?"

Naru smirked. "Tea."

"You stupid, narcissistic, tea-loving jerk!" Mai muttered, walking toward the kitchenette. "I was already getting tea anyways!"

Naru resisted the urge to chuckle as he entered the lounge. He'd never get tired of teasing her! Mai entered the room again carrying a tray with tea. Taking a seat next to Naru, she shot him one last glare before smiling at Hikaru. As Naru was about to speak, the jingle of the bell sounded off again. Mai looked towards the door to find a boy around her age standing there. She took this moment to inspect what he looked like. He had emerald green eyes and blonde hair. When he caught her looking at him, he smirked. Mai blinked and started to blush. As Naru watched them interact, he began to get irritated. He narrowed his eyes before clearing his throat to gain their attention.

"O-oh, um, welcome to SPR. Are you the son?" Mai stuttered uncertainly. The boy smiled attractively and made his way over to them.

"Yes, I suppose I am."

Mai's blush darkened. "I'm Mai Taniyama. Nice to meet you..."

"Takumi... My name is Takumi." He told her.

"Well then Takumi, I would appreciate it if you took a seat or left." Naru cut in, glaring at him.

Forgetting that he was still there, Mai turned her head to look at Naru and glared at him. "Naru don't be rude!"

Takumi chuckled. "It's quite alright." He said as he moved towards Mai. "After all, a beautiful lady such as yourself shouldn't have to stick up for me."

Mai's eyes widened and her blush deepened. "T-thank you..."

"Mai!" Shouted Naru. Mai snapped back to look at Naru, startled.

"W-what?"

"If you're going to flirt, go somewhere else." He said coldly. Mai began moving her mouth, but no words would come out due to the shock of Naru's.

"Ah, I'm sorry Mr. Shibuya!" Hikaru addressed Naru then his son. "Takumi, sit down!" Takumi scowled but obeyed his fathers wishes and took a seat. Snapping out of her thoughts, Mai quickly poured some tea and took a seat also. Naru glared at Takumi for a moment.

"Now Mr. Nakamura, what's your case?" He asked Hikaru.

"Of course. Well you see at first we thought it was nothing, just things that go bump in the night, but then it started to get worse. We now find writing in blood on the walls and people are waking up to hear screams! Please, you must help us!" Hikaru exclaimed, bowing his head.

"What does the writings say?" Naru asked calmly. His eye twitched in irritation when he noticed Takumi glancing at Mai. Mai blushed pink when she caught Takumi looking at her.

"The writings say things like 'he will be mine' or 'leave this place'." Hikaru explained, shaking slightly.

"Is there anything else besides the writings and the screams?" Naru questioned. Mai's blush did not go unnoticed by him. Why is she blushing? He's the only one who can make her blush that much! Wait, what? I did not just think that!

"U-uh, yes. The other day, my son Takumi. He was pushed down the stairs." Hikaru added. Mai let out a small gasp while Naru had to hold back an eye roll.

"I got a couple nasty bruises from it too."

"I see..." Naru contemplated. I should, shouldn't I? It sounds like a good case, but what's this feeling? Why do I feel an anger every time that kid looks at Mai? He glanced at Mai to see her looking down, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. "Well then. My assistant will contact you if we accept your case." Naru stated, his eyebrow twitching. Mai jerked her head up when she heard 'assistant.'

"O-oh, right!" Mai hurriedly jotted down the address and phone number while avoiding Takumi's gaze. "I'll contact you as soon as we make a decision, Mr. Nakamura." She said as Hikaru stood up.

"Alright then, until we speak again." Mr. Nakamura nodded and left. Mai turned to walk over to her desk. She paused though when she realized neither Takumi or Naru were standing up.

"Uhhh, did you need something else Takumi?" Mai asked. Takumi averted his gaze from Naru to Mai and smiled sweetly.

"Well, I was thinking we could go out. Just the two of us." He said, too sweetly for any good taste.

"O-oh...uh...well I-"

"She's working." Naru said coldly. "So leave."

"Naru!" Shouted Mai. "I was just asked out on a date! You don't make that decision!"

Takumi shot Naru a smug look. In return, Naru sent him a death glare. "So anyway, is that a yes?" Takumi asked, ignoring Naru. Mai glanced between the two guys pondering over what she should do and say.

"U-um.." Mai stuttered turning to face Takumi. "I-I don't think I can."

"Why not?" Takumi asked frowning.

"I hardly ever get time off work and when I do I'm usually busy. I hardly even get to spend time with my best friends any more." Mai explained looking at the ground. The boy's eyes widened in shock.

"You're telling me you still work here even though you're treated with little to no respect?! That's plain idiocy!"

Mai puffed out her cheeks, ready to say something before Naru interrupted.

"If she wants to continue living, she needs money. For money she needs to work, which is what I pay her for. Now you have one minute to be out of my office or I will contact the authorities." Stated Naru with a cold glare.

"That doesn't mean she has to be worked to death!" Takumi retorted completely ignoring Naru's threat.

"Mai, call the police. Tell them we have someone refusing to leave property."

"N-Naru!" Mai cried. "Is that really necessary?" She did not want to start all this trouble.

"I warned him. Now, get me some tea." Naru spoke, turning and walking towards his office.

"Just because she works for you doesn't mean you can talk to her like that!"

"Stop it both of you! Takumi, I am sorry, but I need this job! These people are my family! I barely know you, you've been here for like five minutes! Don't judge my work so easily! As for you Naru, stop being such a jerk!" Mai shouted, storming out of the room with tears in her eyes. Naru, who had paused at the beginning of Mai's rant, turned towards Takumi and glared at him.

"Now look what you did." Naru said icily.

"Me?! What the hell did I do?!" Takumi snarled.

"You didn't have any right to say what you did. You know nothing about Mai—or anyone else here. Mai enjoys working here along with the people she considers her family and we have a lot of respect for her. Now, get out."

"Respect. Ha, that's funny because what I saw was nothing short of how you would treat a slave." He snarled, opening and slamming the door on the way out. Naru let out an annoyed sigh but was glad that guy finally left. Now where did Mai go? Now that he wasn't biting Takumi's head off, he noticed he could hear crying. He closed his eyes and winced slightly at the sound. Sighing, he slowly made his way in the direction he thought he heard the crying coming from. As he got closer, he found out that it was coming from the bathroom. Of course.

"Mai." He said. If you didn't know him it would sound cold but to someone who hangs around him enough, it had a certain softness to it. He heard the crying stop momentarily.

"What do you want?!" Mai yelled, her voice cracking as she did. He tried opening the door but found it locked. Naru leaned his forehead on the door.

"Mai, open the door."

"No!" She shouted sniffling. "Leave me alone!"

"No." Naru replied simply. "I don't want to."

"Why not?" She asked, her voice trembling. "I want to be alone."

"Why do you want to be alone?"

"B-because...just because!" Mai cried.

"Mai." Naru sighed. "Please open the door... Although I could just unlocked the door my self..." Naru alluded knowing Mai hated it when used his powers.

"F-fine." She muttered. There was a 'click' sound a few seconds later. When Naru opened the door, he found Mai sitting on the floor with her knees to her chest. He sighed and sat down next to her.

"Mai, look at me." Obediently, Mai peeked at Naru, but she kept her head down. "Mai... Please, look at me properly." Mai bit her lip and reluctantly did as Naru told her. As she lifted her head Naru saw tears rolling down her cheeks. Naru inwardly flinched, knowing he was the cause of the tears. Well, part of the cause. He thought darkly.

"W-what do you want?" She sobbed, more tears rolling down her face. Naru reached over and wiped her tears away which shocked Mai.

"Mai." He muttered softly. "I...I'm sorry."

"Wha...w-what?" She asked, too stunned to say anything else. Naru scowled. He already said it once and he was convinced that it wasn't entirely his fault. Mai's eyes widened. "Ah, n-no, I didn't mean that! I just- ah, thank you..." She said quickly looking away again. "S-so, uh... What happened to Takumi?" She stuttered. Naru glared at the wall across from him.

"He left."

Mai wasn't sure what to do so she carefully placed her hand on his. "A-are you alright?" She asked. Naru's expression softened a bit.

"I'm fine... Now that he's gone." He said, mumbling the last part. Mai sighed.

"I hate it when you fight." She stated, her voice still cracking slightly. Naru gave her a questioning look. "I-I, uh, just... When you glare and stuff at the clients..." Mai trailed off hiding her face out of embarrassment.

"He deserved it."

"Naru!" She scolded, her tears slowly drying.

"What? He wouldn't leave you alone." Naru replied nonchalantly. Mai blushed bright red.

"Why do you care so much about someone flirting with me?"

Naru reverted his gaze back to the wall. "Because...they're not allowed to flirt with you."

"But why?"

Naru stood up and walked to the bathroom door. "Because I'm the only one who can flirt with you." He said as he paused at the doorway and flashed Mai a smirk before walking out.

"Wha- you WHAT?!" She was beyond confused as she blushed bright red. Him and that stupid smirk of his! She thought. 'Admit it, you love that smirk.' A voice inside her head said. At this her face went even redder.

"Oh. And Mai?" Naru inquired as he popped his head back in the door way.

"U-um, yeah?" She asked uncertainly. Naru's lips began to turn upwards.

"Tea."

"YOU STUPID NARCISSISTIC JERK!"

Naruisawesome: We hope yall enjoyed our little one-shot!

MzShellSan: Yeah, thanks for reading it too!

Naruisawesome: So please review also!

MzShellSan: We'd love it if you do!