Dangerous Souls

To Receive and to Deceive

Chapter 1- Flowers

December 4:50 P.M. Thursday.

It wasn't a very good week for our favorite brunette. No, it was not. Not only was she late for work, as she sped down the crowded streets of Shibuya, but the power in her apartment complex went out during the night. She missed out on running with Tsubame and was late for her classes.

Her brush broke on her the day before so she's been forced to comb it with her fingers and throw it up in a sloppy bun for two days until she could get her paycheck on Friday and buy a new one after she paid her rent. One of her sets of uniforms shrunk in the wash and her school had the sizes on back order so she'll have to deal with two sets of her uniform until mid-January.

On top of it all, this week all of her teachers decided to have major exams. Test after brutal test, Mai didn't even get a chance to see her friends over the weekend, because she needed to study.

She skipped out on her appointment with Hozumi and her nightmares, though they never went away, were attacking her full force again. Had to be the stress of it all. To make matters worse, as the temperature was slowly getting colder, so was the rain. Soon it would be snow and that would hinder her commute to work even more.

Finally she made to the office, her face numb from the pelting of the near freezing rain that had just ended. Of course it just ended. Why would it continue now that she made to her destination?

So, no, this was not a good week for our favorite psychic. Not at all.

The ding of the bell announced her arrival, after having heard nothing from her employer or coworker for a moment she let out a breath of relief and began taking off her bag and coat. "Mai! You're late!"

She winced at the tone of his voice. Someone else wasn't having a good day either. "Sorry! I'll make your tea!" she shouted back, placing her coat on the hanger and bag by her desk. She headed for the kitchenette and filled the kettle. She could use a little tea as well; her body had been jittery and shaky all week. She reached into the cabinet to grab three cups when the kettle whistled and-

CRASH! SHATTER! BANG!

The ruckus was so loud, both the narcissist and his quiet assistant came out of their respective offices. There they found her kneeling on the floor picking up pieces of ceramic clay. Her boss knelt down in front of her and began helping, the tall Chinese assistant doing the same and even taking the pieces she had already collected. "Guys, really I can do it-" Mai argued, but as Naru threw away the broken cups, he knelt back down and grabbed her hands.

"You are a danger magnet," he commented, revealing some small cuts on her palms. He helped her to her feet and brought her over to the sink as Lin finished making the tea. "Lin, grab the first aid kit."

Wordlessly, the tall assistant walked over to the brunette's desk, where they conveniently keep the medical kit and came back. Naru hand just finished rinsing out the cuts on his assistant's hands. "This will sting," he warned as he used some hydrogen peroxide to help clean out the wounds.

"Nuh-" Mai whimpered, he was right, it did sting. Man she hated that stuff!

He quickly dried off her hands and wrapped them up in bandages. "They aren't deep, but you need to be more careful," Naru explained, crossing his arms once he was finished.

"I know," Mai sighed as her hands shakily accepted the cup of tea Lin handed her. She took a sip and shook her head. "This just hasn't been a good week."

"That doesn't excuse why you were late," he coldly replied.

"The power at my apartment went out last night, I ended up being late for school and they made me stay for afternoon cleanup and I had to speak with the guidance counselor. They just don't have good timing."