I won't lie. This is gonna be a bit different than most of my little stories.

It is slightly AU in the fact that Mai is not in the SPR company in this, though I haven't decided if she just isn't in it or if this is before she joins. Either one should work.

This one is titled 'Stop'. For obvious and not so obvious reasons. Or maybe all of the reasons are obvious… what do you guys think?

Anyway, it should be noted that I have never ridden a passenger train. I also know nothing about Japanese trains or their stations and am not nearly dedicated enough to this story to actually look it up. Just pretend that I do.

I do not own Ghost Hunt

STOP

One thing that always freaked me out was taking the train. I didn't often do it, seeing as I usually walked to both school and to get anything I needed most days. This, however, was not most days.

The truth of the matter was, I was visiting a park. I suppose you could say it's kind of a memorial thing for me. My mother used to take me their every now and then when we lived close by. Now that she's gone, I try to go at least once a year, if not more often.

It wasn't a sad event. A little melancholy, but overall it really was just a day to enjoy one of my favorite parks.

However, in order to get there from where I lived, the easiest way really was to take the train. It wasn't something I tried to do all too often. Maybe it was how cramped it was, or all the people, or maybe all the dangers that lurked in crowds, but nevertheless, I never really liked them much.

Today, however, had to take the cake.

I was just minding my own business, waiting to get on the train to get home. I had a nice time at the park, even met a schoolboy in glasses and his little sister as well as a really beautiful woman with… interesting… hair, but now it was time to go home and be by myself until school.

"Hello," I heard a voice say. I shook myself out of my mindless thoughts to see a twenty-something year old guy standing next to me.

… When did he get there? Wasn't it some pretty girl in traditional clothes? Did she get off?

I looked at him and, trying to be polite to this complete stranger, rushed out a quick hello before trying to turn my attention to the pole I had been studying earlier.

"So where are you going?" the man said. "Tokyo Main Station, right?" The man laughed for a moment. "Well, I suppose you'd have to, unless you're going to Okinawa Station, but you'd have more luggage like I do if you were."

I gave him a weird look. "I think you have the wrong person, sir," I said. "I don't know you."

"Ah," the man smiled. "Then why don't we get a coffee and learn more about each other?"

Did this guy just seriously ask me out on a date? "I'd rather not, sir. Could you please leave me be, now?"

"Aw, but we just met," the man whined. "I'm Hiroshi. And you are?"

Running out of patience, quite frankly. "Look, Hiroshi. Thanks, but no thanks. Leave me be."

Thankfully, that's when the train stopped. I moved to get off but the man grabbed my arm, forcing me to face him. "Don't I at least get a hug goodbye?" Hiroshi said.

Damn. We were right in front of the doors. I didn't want to give this man a hug, but everyone was staring. I wasn't sure what to do.

So, I involuntarily started crying.

A man with sandy hair in a pony tail came up to us with a blond man and a red haired woman.

"Hey, man, is everything okay?" the sandy-haired man said to Hiroshi in a stern voice, grabbing Hiroshi's shoulder as he did so. Hiroshi looked utterly unsure of what to do and started stuttering.

Meanwhile, the blond man and the woman came up to me. "Hey, is everything alright?" the blond said.

"Yeah," the woman said. "You just started crying."

I took a few breaths and wiped some tears away. "It's that guy. He won't leave me alone," I gestured to Hiroshi who seemed to be trying to talk himself out of the hole he dug himself into.

The man and woman glanced at Hiroshi for a second before turning back to me. "Do you know him?" the woman firmly asked.

"No, he just started talking to me," I said.

The sandy haired man apparently decided he was done with Hiroshi and let the two dark-haired men that had shown up take care of the jerk before walking to us. "Come on, we'll talk more once we're off the train and away from that guy," he said, and he ushered us off.

The woman led me to a bench and I sat down heavily. My tears had just about disappeared. "Thanks," I said to the three of them.

"No problem," the blond said softly. "Do you want to tell us what happened?"

"There's not much to tell," I said. "I was just minding my own business and then suddenly he's talking to me and trying to ask me out to coffee."

"Seriously?" the woman said. "No way."

"Yeah," I said. "Then when I tried to leave he grabbed my wrist and asked for a hug. People were staring and I just… lost it, I guess."

The sandy haired man evaluated me. "He must have really freaked you out," he concluded.

I nodded. "He did. He was like twenty and I'm fifteen. I didn't want to talk to him at all," I said. "He even tried to ask for my name after he asked if we could go get coffee together."

"Geez, what a creep," the woman said. "You didn't say yes or give him your name or anything, did you?"

"No, no I didn't," I sighed. "But I just want to go home now."

I stood up and faced the group. They likewise followed. "Are you sure you're okay?" the sandy haired man said.

"We wouldn't want you to get hurt," the blond said.

"Especially after dealing with that jerk on the train," the woman said.

I smiled. Geez, I knew these guys even less than I knew Hiroshi—I knew his name, after all—and already I knew that they were great people. "I'll be fine, thank you. I'm just thankful for your help."

"Well," the woman said. "If that's the case I guess we'll have to let you go. But if you ever need help," she reached into her bag and pulled out a business card, "don't hesitate to call. You seem like a nice kid."

I took the card. Huh. So she's a doctor. "You're just giving this to me?" I asked.

The sandy haired man smiled. "Yep. It's not exactly our personal numbers or anything, but it's something. Who knows when that weirdo may show up again? And if you suddenly go missing, we'll know your face."

"That's right," the blond said.

I smiled. "Thanks," I said before waving and leaving the station.

I had the feeling that I met a set of good friends today. Something tells me we might just meet again.

But it's not like I'm psychic, right?

STOP

If you look, you'll find all of the SPR characters, plus a canon character we've never actually met and then Hiroshi the Jerkface.

Real talk, girls, if you're ever in this situation and you can't just bluntly say no or whatever, just cry. Freaking sob hysterically.

Guys, if it seems unfair to you, think of how it feels to the girl. Also, if YOU ever get in this situation, I don't care how 'unmanly' it is, go ahead and cry. Or just take a deep breath and scream. Whatever works.

Seriously. It's ridiculous. I know people should make new friends and your soulmate could totally be next to you on the bus. However, you do not get to be creepy about it. If you really want to strike up a conversation, talk about their shoes or something. If they seemed freaked out or are giving you obvious signals that they are not interested, or flat out tell you to leave them be, then you better freaking stop.

Why can't people seem to handle that 'no' is a legit answer?

… This ended up more serious than I intended. Oh well. Had to say it.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, FRIENDS!