AN: Long time no see, my peeps! How are you all?

So, I don't think I will have to explain how I underestimated the workload that comes with the residency, and how little time I have for writing among other things. It's...really...tiring...

Thank you for not giving up on me even with my long absences!

Well, belated indeed, but here is the next chapter. So go on...while I take a shut-eye...

Betrayal

May 31, Day 6

It was almost evening when Maki decided that Ghost Hunting truly took hard work and patience.

He wiped his sweaty brow with the back of his hand, sighing before looking around at his companions. John-san was still scouring the bushes, and Bou-san, like Maki, was standing wearily at one side.

After reading the spirit lady's diary, and drinking delicious tea, Naru-boss decided they had laundered away enough time, and that there were a few things that needed to be done before the day was over. Needless to say, it was met with a little bit of resistance, but a cold stare and a disapproving scowl was all it took to encourage the team to get moving.

It seems that there was a camera missing, and searching for the said piece of equipment was top priority for the day. From what the team had told him, the camera had been placed in the corridor that lead to the only set of elevators this place had; and where that poor fellow had died. What exactly was the need to make the camera disappear was one of the yet unanswered questions, and Maki had to admit that in the light of things (that he finally knew this was a genuine haunting), that particular fact stumped him as well.

The boss thought it was better not to jump to conclusions, but Maki believed (and he knew that most of the team thought the same) that someone human was most probably involved. That in itself was worrisome, but all the same a bit relieving; it meant that there were things that this spirit lady couldn't do and needed a human hand to do her bidding.

But again a question arose, was the person unaware of what he was doing and was under the spirit's control, or were his actions voluntary?

The latter would be a far more terrifying prospect.

"Hagino-san, should we call it a day and head back?" Bou-san asked, looking at him in concern. Maki had been so lost in thought, that he hadn't noticed both his companions had moved a little further away from him. They probably thought he was tired.

Maki shook his head at the monk, moving forward to catch up before grinning, "No need, Takigawa-san. I was just thinking. I can still go on with the task at hand."

Bou-san nodded, "Alright then. And you can call me Hosho. Takigawa-san sounds like a mouthful anyway."

Maki smiled, "As long as you call me Maki."

"Over here!" John-san called to the two men, who hastily walked to the priest. There, on the ground behind some thorn bushes, was what looked like the remains of a camera and it's tripod stand. Obviously, it was beyond salvage, and Maki suspected the tape was already removed and dealt with separately.

"Well, your hunch paid off Maki. That was good work." Hosho said, patting his back, and Maki grinned. It had been his idea to look in the vegetation surrounding the site for the missing camera. They had first thought of looking through the various pits that were being used as a temporary garbage disposal, hoping the culprit had just thrown it there somewhere. However, Maki was quick to point out that the perpetrator wouldn't do that, knowing that it would be the first place they would look, and that if he had not cared about the camera being found, he would have just destroyed it where it stood, without making it disappear altogether. That would have been far less suspicious, since the team would have thought that the equipment was damaged during the crash or its aftermath.

So why make it disappear? One of the reasons, no doubt, was to make sure that this team knew that the elevator crash was no accident. He wanted them to suspect foul play, perhaps doubt the spirit's involvement in the same. But he should have known that the spirit lady didn't mind being seen on tape, and she had been very...open about her presence here, so she had no cause to destroy it at all.

Another reason, one that the Boss had shared with them (and confirmed Maki's own thoughts of the same), might be that the camera had recorded some suspicious activity of the culprit himself, and not the spirit. Perhaps he had sabotaged the elevator, making sure it would fall and take Yamamoto-san to his death. Taking just the tape would have been even more suspicious, and so he took the whole equipment, perhaps hoping that would make the doubt fall on the spirit, and that no one would suspect a living man being involved.

Or so the perpetrator had hoped.

In any case, Naru-boss didn't want them to conclude things without definite proof, and so told them to keep their eyes and ears open. It might have happened that one of the unsuspecting worker might have seen something suspicious which he might have just dismissed as unimportant. However, if they started questioning everyone, it might alert the culprit.

So for now, they would search for the missing camera, hoping to recover some data or clue from it, and move on to other things. Well, Maki and his two companions had already found the camera, which John-san was currently carefully lifting from the ground, dusting it off as best as he could.

"I don't think we will be able to find anything from this, " Hosho commented as he picked up the pieces of the stand, "Is the tape in there, John?"

John-san shook his head as he glanced at the already half-open compartment, "No, but we already expected that."

Hosho nodded, "Alright then. Lets head back now. We can call up the other search parties and ask them to return too."

Maki and John-san nodded as they followed the monk back to the building, who was busy calling Matsuzaki-san, and telling her to go back to base. He then did the same with Naru-boss. Only Lin-san was left behind to guard the base (Maki had been a bit worried about leaving the man alone, but seeing that no one else shared his concern, he concluded that Lin-san was capable of taking care of himself).

It was as they were about to enter the building, that they came across one of the workers, who was on his way out. Maki remembered meeting him on the day he had arrived here, before he...well, his encounter with the supernatural. The man smiled as the trio approached the entrance, and gave a small bow.

"Hello Takigawa-san, Brown-san, and..." He trailed off, looking over at Maki expectantly. Maki smiled and held a hand out for the other man to shake.

"Maki Hagino, recent addition to the ghost hunting team."

"Shinri Masai. I remember seeing you when you first arrived here, but I didn't get to introduce myself then. I mean, you walked away before I could..."

Maki chuckled nervously, "Yeah, don't mind it much. It was something...beyond my control."

Masai-san raised a brow in question, and Hosho just shook his head as he addressed the man, "Masai-san, Maki had just run into some trouble with our ghost."

Masai-san frowned lightly, "I see. I hope you're fine. This spirit has been more trouble that we can handle. Please, you all must be careful."

John-san smiled gratefully at the older man, "We will. Thank you, Masai-san."

It was then that Masai-san noticed the broken camera in John-san's arms, "Ah..."

Hosho looked over the camera and grinned, "Occupational hazard, I suppose."

Masai-san nodded, "Is that the camera that went missing? I remember Kaji-san asking about it after the elevator crash."

Maki frowned as he looked over at Masai-san, unsure on what exactly had raised the alarm bells in his head. Something was amiss, something undoubtedly miniscule for him to not have realized immediately, but still. Something felt...odd.

His two companions hadn't noticed anything though.

"Yup. This is the camera. God knows we have been searching for it for so long now." Hosho commented.

Masai-san nodded, "I hope you can recover something useful from it, broken as it is."

"Same here. We even thought it would take us a few days at the most, just to find it. But then, Maki here gave us an idea on where to look, and voila! We found it!"

Masai-san turned towards Maki, the ever present smile broadening just a bit, "I see. Good work, Hagino-san."

Maki somehow didn't really feel the appreciation.

"Well, I won't keep you from your work any longer. Please feel free to tell me if you need anything."

Hosho grinned, "Thanks, Masai-san. See you around."

With a nod and a quick grin, Masai-san continued on his way out. Maki watched his slow trudge through the parking lot, a small frown adorning his features.

"What's wrong Hagino-san?"

Maki started and turned to look at his two companions watching him, concern etched in their features. He shook his head and smiled as he answered the priest, "Nothing, John-san. Just...something I can't put my finger on. Yet."

Hosho raised a brow, "Is it about Masai-san?"

Maki considered it for a moment, deliberating whether he should tell them about the odd feeling he had regarding the aforementioned man, or wait to secure his suspicions before sullying the man's obvious friendly and accommodating image with his colleagues.

"Well," he began, starting the trek back to base, John-san and Hosho following him easily, "I'm not sure who or what it's about. It's just an odd feeling I got from our conversation with him."

"In what sense?"

Maki frowned as he thought it over. It wasn't much clear to him either. Though he knew what started it was the curt, unaffected way this man referred to the incident that took the life of one of his colleagues, as well as the fact that his face didn't change expressions from the professional smile he had on his face since they started the conversation. Until now, any sort of reference to the incident had caused some sort of grimace or grief or a reluctance in talking about it from the workers here. Masai-san's indifference was...surprising.

Especially with his open and obvious concern for the team, as well as his constant readiness to give them a helping hand. Was it all just a farce to throw them off his scent? To make sure he stayed in their good graces so that they wouldn't suspect him?

He relayed the same to his two companions, who pondered it while they walked to their destination. As such, it was a very, very minor thing to get all suspicious over, Maki knew, but he just couldn't shake the odd feeling away. And Maki had learned to take his instincts into consideration, even for the smallest of things. That alone had saved his behind, and life, on more occasions than one.

Hosho sighed as they neared the base, "I don't know, Maki. I mean, Masai-san has been a great help since the beginning. And really, maybe it's just his professionalism, the way he handled the conversation about the touchy topic. And it's not like he may be the only one who's indifferent to an extent. We haven't really talked to the other workers that much. Some of them might behave the same way."

John-san nodded, "Takigawa-san is right. But still, maybe we should be more observant next time. Maybe we'll notice it too, like Maki-san did, if there's something wrong."

Hosho agreed, and Maki smiled, "It's just a feeling though. It might not pan out to be anything."

The other two shared a glance before shaking their heads, "No. We know better than to not put any stock in that feeling. We can't tell you how more often than not, it's that miniscule feeling that's saved us from a whole lot of trouble." Maki nodded, knowing it was the same for him.

"And that's why I think we should tell Naru about it." John-san added, "He did tell us to inform him about any and all suspicions we had. And Maki-san, I don't think you're wrong."

Maki smiled gratefully, "Thank you. And please, just call me Maki."

John-san nodded and smiled, "Then you must call me John."

Hosho snickered suddenly as they neared the base door, causing his two companions to turn towards him with questioning looks, "Oh nothing. I'm just imagining Lin's reaction when he sees his precious equipment in this condition." He said as he held out the broken tripod stand, and glanced at the beyond repair camera in John's arms, "I mean, you know how he loves his cameras."

John chuckled lightly, "I thought that was Naru, but I guess it was just that one time so he could tease Mai-san."

Hosho laughed at that, John smiling, as they together recalled a memory that was obviously amusing, but Maki could only stare at them in question. It was when they finally reached the base door that Hosho promised to tell Maki about it later, and Maki wondered if he even wanted to know (Yes, he did!).

Yasuhara Osamu sighed, for what seemed like the hundredth time (it was probably the thousandth), as he checked the monitors yet again for any sort of activity.

Only to find everything quiet, and boring.

Not to mention, all that traipsing around the site looking for that blasted camera had him beat. Especially since he had to try extra hard with Boss-man's eyes on him. Yasu was unlucky indeed to have ended up searching for the equipment with Naru and Mai; he actually had to do the work diligently! No wonder he was tired!

It was a good thing Bou-san and his team had found the camera sooner than later, before Yasu gave in the urge to scream in frustration and run away to the relative comfort of the base, which more than likely would have resulted in some sort of outdoorsy (was that even a word?) punishment for him.

Well, Lin-san's reaction to the battered equipment had more than made his day. The onmyoji had scowled when he looked at the camera, bristled as he gently took it from John-san, and glared at nothing in particular for the next hour that he worked on it to find some sort of clue.

And growled in annoyance when he came up empty-handed.

Even Naru had the foresight to not instigate the man further, and instead reassured him that they had expected the result anyway. Lin-san had glared his way, which had caused Naru to glare back. As usual, the older man gave in first and looked away with a frown, and Naru, as victor of their childish game, had only smirked. Mai had rolled her eyes and served Lin-san some tea, and not any to Naru; this had caused the onmyoji to finally overcome his irritation and smirk at the Boss-man, who had just frowned and looked away.

Then Hagino-san(the older man had insisted Yasu address him by his first name, but Yasu had insisted that Hagino-san should be shown the respect he deserved given his age. The older man had only smirked at that, to Yasu's chargin), with a reminder from Bou-san, told them about his suspicions about Masai-san. Even Yasu had a hard time believing anything was wrong, but Hagino-san's concern was genuine. So, as Boss-man instructed, he too would stay on the lookout for anything out-of-place with the man, and anyone else for that matter.

Yasu loved spying anyways, so he was gonna enjoy it.

He sat back in his chair, suppressing the urge to yawn, or sprawl out on the couch, and glanced at his two shift buddies.

Lin-san, as usual, was glued to the laptop, his face brightened by the light coming off from the screen, giving it an eerily, hauntingly beautiful look. His eyes were roving on the page he was reading, a slight scowl fixated on his features, which only served to add to his rugged, but at the same time tame, handsome features.

No, Yasu wasn't gay. He just appreciated beautiful things, and people. God knows his team didn't lack in that department.

Including the new addition to the team.

Yasu turned to look at Hagino-san, who was sitting in a chair by the couch, a cup in hand, sipping on tea as he reviewed one of the files he had brought over from his company.

Yasu had to admit, even in his old age (just kidding?), Hagino-san had good looks, enough to swoon some of the older lady population (aka Ayako age-group), as he had observed when he had accompanied Hagino-san and Lin-san to get their dinner from the town (okay, he had even noticed some young ladies with questionable tastes glance his way, and Lin-san's...and Yasu's). So it was obvious that Hagino-san was attractive, in a way that Yasu maybe didn't get, but all the same.

Again, Yasu wasn't gay.

He sighed at the mundane direction his bleary thoughts had taken, and decided a walk around the base was necessary to wake his brain up, before it conjured up any more images of Lin-san and Hagino-san half-naked (did he say 'any more'? He meant 'any', just 'any'!).

With a grunt, Yasu got up and stretched, causing his two shift buddies to look his way, and away again. He was grateful for the lack of conversation with the whimsy his brain had taken causing him to question his own sexuality, but it also caused Yasu to be bored, and hence sleepy.

He decided to just shut down his thoughts and take the walk, maybe even listen to a song or two on his I-Pod (pure, hard-core metal, nothing romantic), and then just sit back down and do his duty for the next, he glanced towards his watch and frowned, hour and a half?!

What the hell, had it been only half an hour since their shift started?

Yasu groaned as regret filled his entire being, regret at refusing Mai's offer to leave some tea for him. He had refused her offer, reasoning that it was just two hours, he could stay awake that long; and that if he drank tea so late, it might be difficult for him to fall asleep later on. Oh, how wrong he had been!

"Yasuhara, what's the matter?"

Yasu looked at Hagino-san, and the cup of precious tea in his hand, with indignation (he was on the verge of sympathising with Boss-man and his tea addiction, and that just couldn't happen!), "Nothing, just realized the suffering that comes with slow flow of time, and aberrant refusals to acts of kindness."

Hagino-san blinked, sharing a glance with Lin-san, who looked just as confused, and wary. Normal Yasuhara was a force to be reckoned with; sleep-deprived Yasuhara was a new and, no doubt, dangerous territory. Something that they had to tread with caution.

"Why don't you have some tea that Mai left behind?" Lin-san asked, nodding towards the kettle left on the stove, "Just reheat it a little."

Yasu looked at the appliance with mildly veiled apprehension, and shook his head, "No. That would be unfair!"

Lin raised a brow, but stopped himself at the last moment from asking him to elaborate. Unfortunately, Hagino-san was yet to discover just how harrowing an individual Yasuhara could be, and so nothing stopped him from asking, "How?"

He regretted it instantly though.

Yasuhara gave a cry, before slumping back down in his chair, "How?! How! Because it isn't meant for me, Hagino-san! Don't you get it?! I refused Mai's offer, a hand of kindness, and so now this is my punishment! And I have to suffer through it!"

Lin rolled his eyes, deciding to go back to what he was doing (it was the safer, bearable alternative), and ignored Hagino-san's look of shock and helplessness. He got into this mess, he might as well find a way out himself.

"Umm...Yasuhara, I don't think Mai-san will mind if you drink some."

Yasu snorted, and levelled a glare at the older man, "Perhaps she wouldn't. But I would. How could I betray my honour in such an underhanded way? It would be disloyal!"

None of that made sense, though.

Yasu shook his head and sniffled, glancing at the kettle before looking at Hagino-san, "However, there is way. If...if I could win the right to the precious drink, I could have some of it. Say, Hagino-san, will you duel me for the kettle? Upon my honour, I shall only touch it should I defeat you, at a game of my choosing!"

Hagino-san seemed like he was drowning in shallow waters, and Lin suppressed a smile. It was about time someone else was the target of Yasuhara's shenanigans, Lin had suffered long enough.

Yasu stood up and crossed his arms, "Well?"

"Ah...Sure. I suppose. Though I don't mind if-"

"Excellent!" Yasu clapped his hands and moved to sit on the couch, "Well, let's start then!"

Both the men sat there silently for a heartbeat before Yasu jumped up again, startling Hagino-san, who almost dropped the cup, "Ah! We can't do that! No, we must make it a fair fight, and have all the knight's present here participate!"

Lin-san paused and dared a glance his way, before resuming his reading.

Yasu smirked and sauntered towards the onmyoji, not without noticing the subtle shift in his expression. Lin-san was frowning before; now he had schooled any and all emotions in the hope that Yasu would cease his torment.

As if!

"Lin-san..." Yasu approached, his voice in forced melody, "You must play."

Hagino-san seemed to notice the onmyoji's discomfort, and sought to save the man, "Um..Yasuhara. I don't think we need to disturb him. I mean, he's working. And besides, what game do you want to play anyway?"

"Truth or Dare."

"No."

Yasu smiled down at Lin-san, who now had an indignant scowl on his face, "Why not?"

"I'm busy."

"You can take a break. All work and no play makes Lin-san a-"

"No."

Yasu sighed, clicking his tongue at the still scowling onmyoji, "Tsk. Tsk. How boring. Lin-san, come-on! Just for five minutes!"

"No!"

"Umm, Yasuhara, I don't think the boss would like it if he found out we were playing games and not-"

"I won't tell him if you won't!"

"No."

"Okay fine! Not Truth or Dare. Then how about Strip Poker?"

Hagino-san spluttered while Lin-san glared at the errant boy, earning a gleeful smile from his tormenter, "Well?"

"Yasuhara, go back to your place and sit down, and do your job. You want tea, have it. If not, don't. Don't make me call Madoka and have her talk some sense into you."

Yasu bristled visibly at the mention of his former partner-in-crime. As much as they both loved teasing the team, Yasu knew that if Lin-san asked, Madoka would turn on the poor bespectacled boy and chew him out. Such was the curse of the lovelorn, turning friend against friend!

Lin-san smirked as Yasu deflated in defeat, huffing and sitting down in his chair in front of the monitors, "Cheh. That was a low blow, Lin-san."

"All's fair..."

"Yeah yeah."

Hagino-san looked confusedly between the two, but decided against voicing out his questions (he was a quick earner, at least).

It was another half-hour before the silence was broken again.

"I have found it."

Yasu and Hagino-san turned towards the onmyoji, "Found what?"

"Translation of the writing in the drawing we found in the basement. As well as what it entails."

The duo frowned at his grim tone, walking to his desk and looking over in concern.

"What does it say, Lin-san? Is it...bad?" Yasu asked slowly, exchanging a glance with Hagino-san.

Lin-san nodded, "It's not different from what I had suspected; but all the same, I had hoped I would be wrong."

"That would be the day."

Lin glanced at Yasuhara, only to find trepidation than humour and sighed, "We should wake the others."

June 1, Day 7

"Are you sure you don't want to come, Sumi? It will be fun."

Sumire smiled at Akihito and shook her head, "No, Akihito-kun. I have to go to my part time job."

Akihito sighed, raising a hand to caress her cheek, "You can take a day off. I want you there with me!"

Sumire leaned into his touch, "I can't, Aki-kun. And besides, I think it's better if you go without me. I don't think your friends like me much."

Akihito frowned before pulling her into a hug, "Sumi, don't say that!"

Mai glanced at Gene beside her, her brows scrunched in confusion. Gene had a similar expression, in addition of a frown, and Mai decided he was as stumped as she was.

Akihito looked like he genuinely loved Sumire, and Sumire was...happy here, with him, in their shared home. It didn't seem like he mistreated or misbehaved with her, as they had suspected. He seemed...so at home with her.

Where had their conclusions gone wrong?

Sumire giggled, "It's fine, Aki-kun. You know I don't like parties anyway."

Akihito sighed and smiled, placing a peck on her cheek, "As you wish, then. But I'll make sure to come home early, so you should do the same. We can spend the evening together."

"Okay. I will cook your favourite dish."

"You know how to spoil me, Sumi!"

The couple smiled at each other, and Mai bit her lip from doing the same. They seemed so much in love, so truly happy, that Mai wished things had worked out for them. And not ended up so...

She shook her head to drive the melancholy thoughts away, and sighed as the memory ended. Gene patted her head and smiled, "So much for our theories, huh?"

Mai snorted, "Nothing new with this case."

Gene nodded sagely, "True. Ready for the next one?"

Mai nodded, and closed her eyes as she focused again. There was a subtle shift in the air, before the scene changed and they were standing in the hallway of what looked like a dorm. The loud music and voices coming from downstairs cleared their doubts; this was what Akihito had been talking about, a college party.

Mai frowned, "I thought Sumire wasn't attending."

Gene blinked, "What?"

"Sumire said she wasn't coming here. So why are we here? I mean, this is her memory, right?"

"Stay away from me, Susume-san!"

Mai and Gene both started and turned around, only to find Akihito and Mariko stomping down the hallway. Well, Akihito seemed to be angrily stomping away, while Mariko ran behind him to keep up.

"Please Akihito-kun, wait!"

Mai turned to look at Gene in confusion, "What...What is this? This isn't Sumire's memory!"

Gene frowned, "I'm not sure either...I don't know how we got here."

"I said stay away, Susume-san. Now leave, before I have you thrown out!"

"You think this is Sumire's doing? False memories...?"

Gene shook his head, "No. This feels real. And I can't spot any trickery in the memory either."

"Please, just listen! It's about Sumire!"

That gave Akihito pause, and he slowly turned around to glare at the woman, "What about her? After all that you have done to her?"

Mariko scowled, "I was only looking out for her, Akihito-kun! She was my best friend, and I thought you were...Anyways, I realized my mistake, and came to apologize. I miss her!"

Mai sighed in slight frustration, "This is obviously Akihito's or Mariko's memory. We know Akihito isn't dead. So unless Mariko is..." She looked to Gene for confirmation.

The latter nodded, "It's possible we are looking at Mariko's memories, which means she's dead, and that she died here. Were you unconsciously thinking about Mariko?"

Mai frowned, "I don't think so, I mean I was focussing on Sumire actually." She then sighed, "Well, atleast one of our questions is answered. Mariko did die here."

"You miss her? Really? Do you know how much she was hurt when you abandoned her because of your own tainted beliefs? How many nights she spent crying because she thought she had hurt you? And now you miss her?"

Mariko took a step back, terrified at Akihito's outburst, and looked away, "I...I know what I did wasn't right. But...But you did use her powers to-"

"I had no choice! If I didn't, Akari would have-"

Akihito suddenly cut himself off, taking a deep breath to calm himself, before turning around to walk away again, "I don't need to explain myself to you, Susume-san. Just know this, I will not let you go near Sumire, ever again."

Gene whistled lowly at the turn of events, and Mai frowned yet again. It seemed that was all she had been doing since the dreams started this night, "Well, what...?"

Gene hushed her, pointing towards Akihito who was halfway down the stairs, no doubt on his way to join in the merriment, with a dejected looking Mariko following him slowly. Mai understood and fell in step with him as they trailed the two.

Akihito joined his friends in getting wasted; it seemed the fight with Mariko had shaken him. And Mariko was busy sneaking around, making sure to watch Akihito, at the same time making sure he didn't catch her. Mai found this weird, and a bit annoying.

But all her and Gene could do for what seemed like a couple of hours (did time in the dream world pass at the same rate as in the waking world? She would have to ask Gene later) was wait in the sidelines and watch the two. Mariko almost got caught twice, but still didn't give up on her stalking, and Akihito downed one vodka shot after the other, apparently having forgotten his promise to Sumire about returning home early.

"Man, I think Akihito is completely out of it!" One of his friends laughed, his speech slurring, "Let's just leave him here."

"Bwahaa!" Another 'friend' laughed, "That would be funny! His girlfriend will be so angry!"

"Excuse me. Is it alright if I take him to crash in one of the empty rooms here?"

It seemed Mariko had finally decided to make her presence known, and she wasn't that worried about Akihito tearing her a new one either, since Akihito couldn't even stand straight, let alone keep his eyes open.

"Who are you?"

Mariko smiled, "I'm a friend of his girlfriend. We all went to the same school. Sumire asked me to take care of him, since she has work tonight."

"Huh. Didn't think that country bumpkin of a girlfriend would have a friend."

Mariko chuckled, "Somebody had to take the role, right?"

Mai frowned (yet again), her hand fisting by her side. Oh she so wanted to punch Mariko right now. Wasn't it her who had, not a few hours back, begged Akihito to let her meet Sumire and make up with her? What game was she playing here?

Stupid friend number 1 laughed loudly, causing few of the party guests to look over, while stupid friend 2 just grinned at Mariko, "Whoa! You're kinda bitchy!"

"So, can I?"

It didn't seem she needed their permission anyway; drunk as they were, they forgot her and Akihito were even there as soon as some of their drunk friends came over, talking loudly about how they were going to get laid. Mai grimaced in disgust and followed Gene as they trailed the inebriated Akihito, and a smirking Mariko back up the stairs.

Mai felt sorry for Sumire, she had someone like Mariko as a best friend once, and even shed lots of tears over the ungrateful and scheming woman.

"Sumire," Akihito started suddenly, his speech slightly slurred, "I want to go home with you..."

It seemed drunk Akihito had mistaken Mariko for Sumire.

"Akihito-kun, we can stay the night here tonight. It's so late!"

We?

"Sumire, I love you..."

Mariko smirked as they reached the door to one of the bedrooms, and steadied Akihito as she looked at him, "Me too, Akihito-kun. And tonight I will show you just how much."

She kissed him then, opening the door and pulling Akihito in; before shutting the door firmly, the tell-tale echo of the lock clicking sounding ominous to the two ghost hunters.

It took them some time to overcome the shock of what they had just witnessed, even after the memory went away went the door closed in their faces.

Mai was a bit out of it still, but all the same she turned panicked eyes to Gene, "What...What...What..."

Gene sighed and shook his head, a grim look mixed with obvious disgust at Mariko's manipulation, "Mai, I don't think Mariko is a victim of anything here."

Mai growled, "That...That..Ugh! Not only did she cause Sumire suffering, she betrayed her best friend too! She took advantage of Akihito when he was drunk, and slept with him. Just what does she want to do? Break them apart?"

Gene nodded, "Maybe. Since Sumire is more likely to believe any sob story that Mariko feeds her about Akihito betraying her, than actually believing that it was Akihito who was..." He sighed, rubbing his temples in obvious frustration, "But then, Akihito might turn out to be the good one here, right? Even that is hard to believe with all that has happened with them till now...Then again, he did mention his sister..."

Mai shook slightly in suppressed rage, "It's a good thing she's dead. Or else..."

"That clears up what Sumire told you, about her heart being broken, two people betraying her...It was probably about this night."

"Yeah, probably...God! I feel so sorry for Sumire! I mean, I know she's on a murder spree, but...but such friends..."

"Still not a good enough excuse to kill people, Mai."

"I know Gene. I just meant..." She sighed and shook her head, "I don't know what to think anymore."

"Amen, sister."

They stayed silent for a while as they pondered the memory, the possible ramifications of this night on not only Sumire's life, but her afterlife as well. This gave Mai pause; Sumire, by nature, was trusting and forgiving. Even after hearing Mariko feed her lies, if Akihito had told her the truth, she would atleast doubt her best friend's account, seeing as she was in love with him. So she would then believe that either one of them had betrayed her, not both. Sumire may be naive, but Mai would atleast like to believe that she wasn't foolish.

She relayed the same to Gene, who agreed. It was possible that Mariko's plan and end game was something entirely different, something they couldn't even fathom (she had proved to be highly unpredictable afterall). And what was her motive exactly? Akihito or Sumire's powers?

"This is turning out to be quite the soap-opera," Gene commented, "I mean, with such drama and all..."

Mai chuckled lightly, "Well, even soap-operas have some component of reality in them. So maybe these things do happen in real life too; we were just fortunate enough that we didn't experience anything remotely similar."

"Is your college-"

"No. Oh, God no.." She thought for a while before conceding, "Atleast, not around the people I interact with."

Gene nodded, "I get it. Choose your friends wisely."

Mai hummed in agreement, and both of them lapsed in an uncomfortable silence, each thinking the same thing.

'What about Yasuhara...?' Though they were sure as hell not going to ask him about his shenanigans in college; there was only so much of reality that Mai could take.

"I think that's enough for tonight." Gene said after a while, "And it seems my idiot brother is trying to wake you up."

Mai felt the pull as he said it, "Yup. Time to go. See you soon?"

Gene nodded, "And this time, hopefully with a less mind-blowing memory."

Mai grinned, "All the same, atleast it throws some light on the case."

Gene smiled, and Mai slowly closed her eyes as she felt her conscious waking up.

Well, that's that for now. The next chapter is kinda going to be an important one. Excited?

And now, with the hope of being able to see you soon, and I mean soon like in this year itself, hopefully, I bid you a good day.

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Ciao!