It was a day like any other day. The morning streets were busy as usual, causing Mai to be late at work in a consecutive row now this month. The scent of ink, paper and tea still hung in the small of their office. However, there's something wrong today. Something was off.

The office was quiet today. For some kind of miracle, it was quiet today. It was probably because the other members of the SPR weren't present. John, Monk, Ayako and Masako couldn't make it to the office today due to their prior engagements. Yasuhara only comes during his free time; however, he got so busy with university work lately that he hardly visits. Lin and Naru were, of course, locked up in their office doing paperwork.

So here was Mai, dying of boredom, the tedious condition of the office screwing her wits out. For the first time in her life, she actually wanted Naru to order her to make his tea. But then again, she could just be a diligent and generous employee who cares about his boss's welfare, right?

Picking herself up, Mai bounced her way to their kitchenette. A few minutes later, she was out with a tray on her hands. She first entered Lin's office and gave him his tea, mumbling a small 'thank you'. Mai mentally smiled at the thought. Sometimes, Lin was so much better than Naru.

She then entered the room next-door. After placing the cup of tea on his desk, Mai stood there, waiting for something like a 'Thanks for the tea, Mai'. But of course, there was nothing. As expected.

"What do you need, Mai?" Naru sighed as he placed the report of their previous case.

'A little thank you for the tea I made, maybe?'

Mai shook the thought away. She wasn't in the mood to pick a verbal duel with Naru. What she needs now is something that'll occupy her time. "Um, I was just wondering if you have anything you want me to work on. You know? Filing and stuff", Mai answered with a sheepish grin.

Naru smirked at the girl in front of her. "So you finally wanted to make yourself useful for the first time? That's quite some change, Mai."

Mai puffed her cheeks at Naru's comment. This guy really knows how to get on her bad side. "I was here, being generous enough to help you relieve some of your work, but there you go, being an ass again. And for your information, you damned narcissist, I am useful!"

Naru chuckled sarcastically at Mai's retort. "I don't think that word useful and your name could be used in one sentence, Mai."

"What?! That's it. Do whatever you want, jerk!" And with that, Mai stomped off Naru's office and closed his door with a slam. Naru's eyes flickered with amusement as he stared at the door she just exited. She was really something.

Naru left his office, his temper reaching its limit after calling Mai's name several times and getting no answer in return. As soon as he stepped out, he saw Mai's head bobbing at the edge of the couch. He approached the couch with quick strides, planning to reprimand her, but all his thoughts flew out of the window when he saw Mai's sleeping face.

She looked so peaceful in her sleep. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and her soft pink lips were slightly parted, her breathing coming in a steady pace.

Naru looked at Mai—his face had its usual serious façade but his eyes were longing. Something that he only felt when Mai was there. Every strange emotion that he felt was always about Mai. It was always about her.

Naru sat down gracefully at the couch beside Mai's sleeping body. He placed his hand on top of her head and caressed it gently—wary that Mai might wake up. But she didn't even budge which didn't surprise Naru. She sleeps like a log, Naru noted.

Mai was a klutz—she was dumb, an airhead. Someone incapable of doing ninety percent of what he could. She wasn't very pretty like the models and elite women he met when he was in England. Her figure wasn't something great either. She wasn't chubby or thin. She was just…average. Sometimes, it made Naru wonder what she did that made him like her.

Yep. Naru had admitted that he has feelings for Mai. It was something he realized when he returned to England a few months ago. At first he was in denial, even though everybody around him constantly said that it was him who Mai likes and not Gene. Of course, being the man he was, casually put the comments aside and telling them they were all mistaken.

Even Gene, who still lingered even after his burial, pestered him about what he actually feels for the girl. He also kept on repeating that his brother was an idiot whenever Naru tells him that Mai likes Gene who was always smiling at her.

However, he slowly realized how he really feels whenever he's alone in his room. Thoughts of Japan and Mai kept flooding his memories. It was repeating over and over again like a broken record. Sometimes he just wanted to sleep through it, but he can't. His mind won't let him.

After that, he decided he wanted to come back. Not just because of the cases but for Mai herself. He needed her…and her tea. He wanted to come back and return whatever they had before. And if possible, more.

Naru felt Mai stir and quickly retracted his hand away. Mai groggily sat up while rubbing her eyes, her hair flying in every direction.

"Naru? What are you doing here?" she asked sleepily. She didn't get an answer since Naru was only looking at her.

Naru was contemplating what would he do. Should he stand up and pretend nothing happened? Maybe he could also reprimand her about sleeping during office hours.

Naru mentally shook his head. He wasn't going to run away. Not anymore.

He lifted his hand and reached out to tuck the stray hair strands behind her ear. Surprised with what Naru did, Mai blushed furiously.

Mai thought of a way to calm to herself down. She was sure that she was blushing so hard right now and the last thing that she wants is Naru teasing her about being a ripe tomato or something.

'Calm down, Mai. There's no way Naru's going to do this. This must be a dream. Right. Just one big dream'

Naru cupped Mai's face with both of his hands, forcing her to look at him straight in the eye. The clash of deep blue eyes and hazel brown ones had too much intensity that Mai melted.

"I know what you're thinking. You're not dreaming, Mai. You're not", Naru told him, his voice nowhere ice cold or monotonous. It was sincere. So sincere that it made Mai's heart beat more rapidly in her chest.

Tears started flowing out of Mai's eyes and Naru gently wiped it using both of his thumbs. "What are you crying for now, dummy?"

Mai shook her head vigorously. "Now I'm so positive that this is a dream. Because, there's no way that Naru would do this. He rejected me before—"

Naru didn't let her finish what she was saying. He placed his forehead on hers while drawing circles on her cheek. "It's as you said, Mai. Before. It's all in the past now. I changed. You made me change."

Naru wrapped his arm around the small frame of her body.

"The reason I asked you that when you confessed wasn't to reject you. It wasn't you who got rejected. It was me. At that time, I thought you confessed to me because you mistook me for Gene. That I was only his substitute because we looked the same. After all, I grew up being compared to him. Gene was always the good twin that everybody loves and I was the cold and indifferent one. So I thought, what would make you different?"

There was a short pause.

"When I returned to England, there was a heavy feeling in my chest. I didn't know what it was. I didn't know because I was too afraid to know. Later on, I came to the realization that I had a lot of regrets. I regret leaving Japan. I regret leaving you. I regret the fact that I blew up my chance of us being together. I maybe late already but this time around", Naru broke the hug and faced her—his beautiful face gave way to what he actually feels for the first time.

"Please, Mai. Let me love you." Naru locked gazes with Mai. His eyes burning with passion Mai had never seen before.

"I'll let you. But you have to let me love you too in return." Naru's eyes widened slightly due to surprise.

Mai smiled at Naru and his lips too, quirked up to a very small smile. He leaned in and Mai didn't bother moving away. A few seconds later, their lips touched in a sweet, blissful kiss. It was clumsy, considering they were both inexperienced but it still sent sparks running through their veins.

When the two separated, Mai cheeks were flushed—the reddest shade she ever had. With a small voice, she asked, "So, are we together now?"

Naru smirked at her. "After all the things we did, I thought it was pretty evident, Mai. Did you get dumber when I was away?"

Mai slapped Naru's chest and huffed at him, "Ask me first, jerk."

Naru hugged Mai again and kissed the top of her head. "You would've said yes anyway. Why bother?"

"You'll be forever be my narcissist, won't you?"

Naru let out a low sound as a sign of his approval.

Lin grabbed the camera he set up in the tiny gap between his office's door and its frame and played the video he secretly took. Smirking to himself, he mumbled, "Madoka and Luella would like this."