Seasons Change
By Yoshiko Hatake
File 3: Christmas, Part 1
GAH! I have a serious problem. Like, I seem to always make errors. At the end of the last chapter, Nobuo dropped off Mai, they kissed. When Lin dropped of Akemi they didn't. I must reread more often!!! Any who…
Sorry, but to everyone else who has reviewed, thank you so much. You have my gratitude!
-Gives cookies to all-
On with the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt. Akemi, and Nobuo, I do own.
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-December Day 15-
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-Mai's POV-
Again, Akemi hasn't been back for almost over a month. I guess it began after the festival, I hope nothing went bad. I've seen her around, but still she won't come to visit. I'm not sure why, but I guess I've grown to like having her company, well not a lot, just a little. Oh! But me and Nobuo-kun have been doing well. We've continued dating.
-End Mai's POV-
It still hadn't snowed yet, Mai was running through the streets. She was dodging throngs of people who were crowding around places, or looking into shop windows. She was on a busy street shopping for Christmas Presents, she was happy, Christmas was coming soon and she couldn't wait. She held her bag to her chest as she ran. She wore a coat, the didn't show what she was wearing as a top, only that she was wearing a skirt with leggings and boots. She finally came to a stop at a mall. Standing out there was Nobuo. He stood there wearing a jacket, some jeans, and had a pair of large headphones around his neck.
"Sorry!" She came to a stop in front of him and hunched over slightly trying to catch her breath.
"It's okay." He smiled. "I wasn't waiting long. Actually, I went inside to look for a certain store, and then came back out."
Mai looked up at him and smiled, "Alright. Let's go!" they walked into the store together. Nobuo's hand took Mai's, and she blushed. He was looking around for something.
"So, who did you want to get a present for first?" He asked.
"Um, I have a friend. You'll meet her at the Christmas Party this Christmas Eve!" Mai said.
"Oh, that's right. Well my mom wants to spend some time with me in the morning and afternoon before I drop her off at the train station. What's your friend's name?"
Me and Nobuo decided to go shopping for Christmas presents for everyone one Saturday. We're on vacation now from school. So we met up today to go shopping. His mom is going to visit her sisters in Osaka.
"Ayako Matsuzaki." She said.
"Great, you can probably help me pick out a present for my mom then, too." He said.
Mai chuckled, "Oh, but you still need to pick something for her, yourself. It should come from the heart." she said.
"She's impossible to figure out sometimes." He said, scratching the back of his head.
The two walked into a store. It looked normal enough, it was simple and had most of the products and clothes women shopped for. The two's hands separated but they still stuck close to each other while they shopped.
"You think she might like this?" He asked, he had picked up a basket with some yarn and needles in it.
"Maybe, does she knit?"
"I don't know." He was pondering about the subject of knitting for awhile before, "She does need a hobby."
Mai laughed, "Well, oh, how about some perfume?" she asked and pointed to the saleswoman at the counter. He nodded and put the basket down before heading over to the lady.
Mai on the other hand noticed something that caught her eye. She walked over to a section of jewelry. Ayako might not be able to wear jewelry, but that wouldn't stop her. So the girl picked out a long silver necklace. It was simple with a small gem hooked onto it. It was red.
This might just suit her. She continued to look around in the jewelry department. That was when she found some other present that would be perfect for Masako. It was a kimono. Then she realized she wasn't sure if Masako had it or not, so she went back to the jewelry section and picked out another necklace. This time instead of red it was blue.
She went over to check up on Nobuo. He looked very confused, trying to figure out which would be good for his mother.
Mai chuckled and was able to help him pick a simple fresh and clean scent for her. In the end, Mai left the store with presents for Masako and Ayako, and her other two friends got small perfume and lotion set.
"So, anyone else?" Nobuo asked.
"Monk-san, John-san, Naru, and Lin. Oh! I forgot Akemi!"
"Akemi? Oh, that girl." Nobuo said. Mai nodded.
"Maybe you should get her a stuffed animal."
"Eh? She's almost 25. I should get her something that's more mature for her." She paused, "Then again…"
For the rest of the day, they shopped, talked, and hung out. During that time Mai got gifts for all the people she needed to get to.
After they were done shopping, the two held hands as they walked to the nearest fast food restaurant to get something to eat.
"Naru?" Lin asked, "Why are you stopping?" he asked.
"It's nothing." He said, prying his eyes from the happy couple, they were across the street from them and were walking to a store.
"I can't believe you went through with this idea." Lin said, "It's completely absurd to throw a Christmas Party."
Naru nodded, but didn't speak just yet, "It was their idea." he said.
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-December Day 16, 4 days until Christmas Party-
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Mai was sitting in her seat, staring at Naru and a teenaged boy who sat across from him.
"I swear to you, man! I saw it with my own eyes!" He spoke with a strange accent. Naru just stared, not speaking.
"There is something going on with that freakeh place!"
"As in?" Naru spoke, calmly.
"Okay, check it out. I was with my girl-"
"Is there a way for you to speak normally?"
"Sorry, man. Any ways, I was with a girl, so after the date," He was speaking normally, instead of with the strange gangster accent, "So, we were making out and the next thing I knew we were under attack. Rocks kept pelting at us."
Oh no, this better not be one of those girls, who committed suicide, and stayed behind as a ghost because he cheated on her or something. Was what crossed the young girl's mind.
"Did you cheat on any girls before?" Naru asked, still calm.
He shook his head, "Well, if I was interested in another girl, I always broke up with the one I was with first."
Scum. Mai thought.
"Then, when I checked around, there was no one around!" He said in awe.
"No." Naru said.
"Why not?! Come on! Please!" The boy pleaded.
"Naru, come on, give him a break." Mai said, Maybe if we're lucky, he'll learn something, or another.
He sighed, giving up, "Alright, we'll deal with it, okay?"
He nodded, "Thank you so much!" he said.
When Mai was showing him out, he tried something that would have made her punch him, "So, cutie, wanna go out some time?"
She nearly gagged at the thought, "I have a boyfriend."
"Oh, must be that 'Naru' guy, right? Lucky dude." He said, then left.
Naru who was silently watching, looked away the moment Mai's head started to turn.
Hmm, could have sworn… She thought.
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-December Day 17, 3 days until Christmas Party-
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"Okay, what are we supposed to look for again?"
"Any suspicious activities. With any objects being thrown at people."
"This…is…so stupid." Ayako said, she was looking around, a hand over her eyes, to block out the sun so she could see easier.
Houshou was doing the same, they were standing back to back, in the middle of a large nearly empty park. There was a few park benches around on the cement paths, but other then that, not a single person around.
"How are we supposed to be on guard in such a small place like this? Besides, there's no one around." Ayako said.
"Beats me. But we drew straws and got stuck with this." He said, "You weren't my first choice in working together with." he muttered.
"I heard that." She snapped, and he jumped slightly.
Masako and John weren't fighting but more along the lines of the fact there wasn't a single word being said one another. They'd walk around their area just looking for anything what so ever.
Mai and Naru however were sitting in the play ground. It was starting to get late, and the two were sitting in a strange large tube like thing. It was that or try to not break the rickety swing set, or even try to fit in the slide.
I can't believe I got stuck with Naru. I mean, of all people. I drew the straw that got me stuck with him, how does that happen?
Mai sighed, and eyed him, then looked away, before her head snapped over at him again.
"N-Naru!"
"What?" He asked his head turning to her.
"S-Sp-Spider!" She said. Boy was it a big one. Huge. It was a dark brown murky color, had 8 eyes, 8 legs, and was hairy all over.
Mai started screaming, since it was starting to crawl to his other shoulder now, coming closer to her. He didn't move whatsoever. She did instead.
She leaned over, even though there wasn't much distance, she swatted the spider away, she was still dangerously close to him when she felt something hard hit arm.
"Ow." She looked up to see more rocks coming down on them.
The two jumped out of the tube. The next thing she knew one hit her right between the eyes, and she fell to her knees, holding her head.
Naru's eyes darted around. But the battle didn't last very long.
"Got it!" It was Ayako's voice. She stepped out from behind some bushes. She was pulling a boy along from the back of his shirt she was pulling along.
"Here's our culprit." Houshou said.
Masako and John showed up. "He's a human." John said.
"Of course. It's just some silly prank this kid's been pulling." Houshou said.
"This is no prank! I've been doing it to get all you stupid adults and teenagers off of our playground! We can't play here anymore! It's all because of you!" He said.
Everyone was silent.
"Okay, so it's just that stupid boy with all those different girls."
"Oh…" Everyone said, staring at the boy.
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-Mai's POV-
So in the end, that guy was told to stop going to the park and to find a better place to take his dates. The little boy was told to stop throwing rocks. He apologized to me and Naru. Now it's just 3 more days until the party. I hope everything goes as planned. And I hope everyone likes the gifts I got them.
-End Mai's POV-
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I'm not sure, maybe Mai has a fear of spiders or not. But after all she's gone through, I don't think she should. But meh, my fanfic, I give her the fear of spiders. Or just getting freaked out by that one. Okay, just to say this. The fanfic is for the anime, not the manga. The manga version of Mai looks weird……I kind of like the art style but then I don't. Also, I like the anime style of Mai because she looks cuter, and it's fun putting her in cute outfits. That's why I described her. Haha. Oh, I think this chapter was somewhat half-assed. But then it partially wasn't. At one point it wasn't, then at another point it was. I'm not really sure. Sigh, I'm sorry if this was really bad, just wait the next chapter will be a lot better! (I'm still wondering if I was trying to go for funny in this…) Muahahaha, I have many plans for the love triangle, Nobuo, Mai, Naru.
-Yoshiko