Author's Note: Hi, I'm back! :3 Sadly, this isn't the sequel to Return to Sender. I'm sorry! OTL I cross-posted this fic from Tumblr so that those following me for the sequel won't get so bored waiting. For now, I hope you could give The Arbitrary Line a try. :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt or any of its characters.

I: Obscurity – Everyone can see the elephant in the room.

Mai says their relationship is at its best. Naru is her dear friend, (harsh) adviser, boss, benefactor, protector. To her, he is many, many things. But he is not a love interest. Not anymore and, she has told herself, never again. She believes that romantically loving someone makes a person blind, and she has long since learned that that is not the right way to love a man like Naru. He needs companionship without the intimacy of a lover. She is happy to give that. His happiness, for her, is enough.

And yet.

And yet, Ayako Matsuzaki thinks to herself, watching Mai look at Naru like he plastered the sun onto the sky, like he held her future in his hands, like he could put meaning in "u", "n", "i" in "ghost hunting". Screw what that girl says. She is in love with the boy, and not in that naïve innocent crush she had at sixteen.

It is only a matter of time before it sinks in.

John Brown knows that four years of friendship can bring intimacy to any two friends who have gone through so much together. He even acknowledges that such is only to be expected. That is why he thinks nothing of the way Oliver-san holds Mai-san's face in both hands, forehead to forehead, as she recovers from what seems like a vision.

"Was it the same vision, Mai?"

"I-I think so."

"—Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

That is why John smiles sweetly from the half-opened door to their base, his heart warming further when Oliver-san visibly relaxes and sighs in relief. And that is why he turns to leave the two alone and undisturbed, absently noting the extremely rare instance of physical contact initiated by his boss and friend.

Because Oliver Davis is a powerful psychometrist comes to John with the full force of a flush much later, much after the fact.

Mai thinks that their years-long rivalry for Naru's affection (if it even existed) is still in play. Masako Hara realizes this when her frenemy raises the white flag and practically offers Naru to her. Needless to say, it dumbfounds her. For a short moment she wonders if she should despise her rival for giving up after all these years, or for not realizing that Mai herself has already won Naru over.

But Masako ends up deciding on neither, choosing her friendship with Mai over the unintentional insult of the latter's surrender. After all, she reasons, no one is perfect just as some idiots remain idiots forever. She must accept that as imperfect as Mai is, Mai perfectly falls under the "some idiots" category.

Masako congratulates herself for being such a non-judgmental friend as she gracefully takes her friend's folly in stride.

Osamu Yasuhara may not sense spirits or foretell imminent danger, but he sees things most people do not. He sees shared glances, lingering touches, unspoken understanding. He senses absolute trust, open friendship, unresolved sexual tension. He cannot say for sure if it will rain tomorrow, but when it comes to Mai and Big Boss's blurred relationship, he is a professional forecaster.

For example, if he comments on Mai's immaculate getup as Ayako-san and Houshou-san's maid of honor, he is sure to get a cold glare from Naru.

"Look at Mai, Naru. Just look at her. When did our dear little Mai grow up to be such a beauty?"

No response. But of course; Osamu is only warming up.

"Maybe it's time I asked her out." Osamu steals a glance at Naru, trying to gauge his reaction. The younger man's eyes are closed, his posture the epitome of nonchalance. Soon. "What do you think, Naru?"

Finally, Naru opens his eyes to level a heated glare at the bespectacled man, saying "No." with resounding certainty.

A heated glare? That is not within the predicted range of reactions.

Slightly taken aback but not one to back off, Osamu persists to press his former boss further.

"'No'?"

"Need I repeat myself, Yasuhara?"

"But why?" Naru looks away, stubbornly refusing to respond again, and Osamu chuckles. "What," he drawls jokingly, "Don't tell me you're in love with Mai and you want her for yourself."

When his former boss freezes, his grin widens. But when all around their table cutlery start tinkling and plates begin shuddering, all his mirth vanishes. Never has Osamu erred in his forecasts, and never has he seen Naru lose composure. Until now.

Staring nervously at his friend and slightly shaking with the tableware, Osamu witnesses the moment Oliver Davis discovers that he has fallen in love with Mai Taniyama.