Previously on Ghost Hunt:

"Mei, Mai, John, confirm that the paper you signed yesterday hasn't been torn," Kazuya ordered them. The last thing he needed was another fight breaking out.

"Let's see..." Mai said, moving closer with John to examine if there were any signs of sabotage or a break-in. "It looks fine, the same as yesterday."

"Yes," John confirmed.

"No problems here," Mei-Lin said.

"All right..." Kazuya said. Mei-Lin handed him a crowbar and Kazuya slightly nodded his head, telling her to stand back. With no hesitation, Kazuya started to pry off the boards surrounding the entrance in a fluid motion. Mai and John stared at him in shock. He was a lot stronger than he looked. Once the last board was gone, everyone started to approach the room but Mai and John stopped at what they saw in the room... How was it possible...

"Shibuya-san..."

✛幽霊∞✛∞シリーズ✛

"The chair... The chair has moved!" John exclaimed. Sure enough, the chair that they had set up just last night in the middle of the room that was placed in a drawn circle was pushed back and on its back.

"Yes, it has," Kazuya said calmly, as though he expected this outcome. Mei-Lin went into her bag and took out Kazuya's computer and handed it to him as he placed it on the desk inside the room to view the footage from last night.

"H-Hang on, what does this mean?" Ayako asked. What exactly happened here last night?

"Hey, Naru-chan!" Housho called out, seeking an answer to what was going on and what the chair moving meant. Kazuya didn't say anything for a bit as he stared at his laptop screen before looking back at everyone with a satisfied look on his face.

"Thank you for your cooperation. I will be leaving sometime today." Kazuya stated.

"You're not saying that you've solved the case, are you?" Ayako asked.

"That's what I'm saying."

"The ground sinking?" Mai asked. After everything that happened was that still his conclusion?

"Yes, I believe that that explains everything about the case that the principal hired me for."

"Ha! So how do you explain the disturbance the day before yesterday?" Housho asked.

"That was poltergeisting," Kazuya answered.

"If you know that, then how-" Housho was about to question how it was land subsidence when there were clear signs of a poltergeist before Ayako interrupted him.

"What else could he do?" Ayako said cutting him off. "He and his assistant are incapable of driving the spirits out, right?"

"What does that say about the people who are capable then?" Mei-Lin added. This girl! Does she have to keep bringing that up?! "Also if you would stop asking questions and listen, you would figure out that the subsidence and poltergeist are two different cases."

"Huh?" Housho and Ayako looked at the girl confused.

"I do not believe it will be necessary," Kazuya told them, gaining their attention back. "Would you like to see?" Mei-Lin went to the laptop and rewound it enough to where the chair was back in place and played the video for everyone to see. At first, the chair showed no signs of movement but then it began shaking and letting out a small 'clatter' sound, making them gasp. The chair was pushed back against the wall and flipped so it would be on the back, in the very same position they found it in this very moment. Mai was so spooked from seeing actual supernatural activity that her first thought was to cling to the closest person to her which was Housho.

"W-Was that?" Mai asked nervously without finishing her sentence but everyone knew what her question was. Was that a poltergeist?

"That is full-fledged poltergeisting, isn't it?" Housho exclaimed. How were these two separate cases?!

"Humans are to blame for half of poltergeist phenomena," Kazuya stated.

"You mean, pranks?" Mai asked. "But no one could get in here."

"Yes. We sealed off all of the entrances. I even had Mei, Mai, and John sign everything, so we would know if someone had forced their way in."

"Even if they tried to replace any broken boards, they wouldn't have been able to perfectly duplicate our signatures," John added.

"That more than proves that it was the work of spirits," Kuroda said. It was like she was saying all along so why was it still declared as land subsidence.

"I placed a suggestion yesterday with everyone who is here, that in the evening, this chair would move." Kazuya reminded them.

"In the principal's office..." Mai recalled the pink light and how Kazuya mentioned a chair in the middle of her trance.

"I'm pretty sure, at least as of yet, this method has never failed me," Kazuya told them confidently.

"But no one was able to get into this room."

"Poltergeisting is a variety of supernatural abilities," Kazuya explained. "It's done by people who have an unconscious craving to be noticed, and for people to pay attention to them when for whatever cause, enough stress builds up within them. In such cases, when a suggestion is planted, it then comes about. Depending on the psychic and their clairvoyance they can also determine who this person is."

Wants to be paid attention to? Wants to be noticed?

"You grandstander. You just want to make yourself conspicuous."

"She's always been weird. Ever since middle school, she's been famous for being trouble."

"The whole time I've been here I've felt nothing but negative emotions from you and want for attention."

There was only one person who fitted that more than anyone as everyone turned to look at Kuroda. "Y-You're saying, I'm the one who did it?" Kuroda asked she saw everyone's eyes on her.

"From the start, I felt like you were drawing my attention," Kazuya stated as he walked up to her. "For example, you said that you saw spirits here from the war. But there were no stories about this area being bombed during the war, or of this school being used as a hospital, nor was it true that there was ever a hospital built here. Mei-Lin had even confirmed that she felt none of these phenomenons while being here and when she said she's been getting the feeling of wanting attention from you, it just confirmed my suspicions more. That would mean that you were either mistaken or intentionally lying."

"I wasn't lying!" Kuroda protested.

"I thought you were just pretending to be spiritually sensitive at first," Kazuya continued, "so when phenomena occurred that could only be considered poltergeisting, I was honestly at a loss. This, after my instruments, measured no data, Mei being unable to sense any feelings or energy in the building, and in Hara-san's judgment, I concluded that there were no spirits here. So the cause had to be human. Poltergeisting is generally caused by children in their early teens. There are also cases in spiritually sensitive girls. They do it unconsciously when extreme stress builds up. The underlying currents are..."

"Please, look at me... turn towards me..." Mei-Lin said. "That was the feeling I got being near you. Each time it was denied or said that there were no spirits, you insisted on it which built up more stress. I also heard that after the incident with the shoe cubbies you told your classmates about what happened. When we called all of you into the principal's office, I didn't sense any of that from you. That was the only time I didn't get that feeling because your classmates were giving attention to what you had to say."

"Subsequently... the person who's causing the activity is likely to become the victim of the poltergeist... To get people's attention. An unconscious desire to be the center of attention. If this were happening in a household, the suspect would usually be one of the inhabitants. But in this particular case, no one lives here." Mei-Lin added. "So who most likely would end up the center of attention? That would be Kuroda-san or Mai."

"Me?!" Mai was shocked that she was even on this list! Did she seem like that type to them?!

"If you compare the two, with or without Mei's ability, obviously it would be Kuroda-san who had more to gain," Kazuya said, ignoring Mai's outburst.

"What a creep..! You were doubting me." Mai complained in the background to the monk.

"Hahaha. That's just what one would expect from your boss..." Housho chuckled. He may have not known Kazuya for long but he could tell that Kazuya was a bit much, especially during this whole investigation.

"You were famous for being spiritually sensitive, ever since middle school," Kazuya added. "Once it was proven to you that the evil spirits in the old schoolhouse could all be blamed on the land sinking underneath it, naturally, you'd lose whatever faith you had in yourself up until then in having spiritual abilities. You felt great pressure from your intense apprehension, and unconsciously, you thought to yourself, "no, that can't be. There have to be spirits here. They can't not be here. There has to be poltergeisting going on here. It has to happen." And then..."

"She had told people that there were spirits here and if it was revealed that there were never any spirits she would not only have people doubting her powers but also she would lose the trust of those around her, making her fade in the background or worse be branded as a liar," Mei-Lin added. Kuroda began to tremble and look as though she was about to cry as she covered her eyes and looked ashamed of herself.

"She unconsciously carried it out, huh?" Housho said. Who would have thought that such a young girl could cause so much trouble because she wanted to be right? It wasn't even intentional either.

"Before exams, I always wish the entire school will collapse but it never happens," Mai said. If Kuroda could imagine and create poltergeist activities then why couldn't she make exams disappear?

"That's just a difference in talents. I believe she is a latent psychic," Kazuya answered.

"Saikikku?" Mai asked.

"One who has supernatural abilities. She may not be aware of it, but she probably has some level of PK," Kuroda perked up when she heard that. Does she have some PK? "I'll just say this for Mai's sake, but PK stands for psychokinesis."

"Well, thank you for being so kind," Mai said with gritted teeth. Why did he always have to single her out and treat her like an idiot?! Sure she didn't know what the word meant but come on!

"For Kuroda-san, it was necessary that there will be evil spirits present, in order for her to keep garnering attention around her. In order for her to be who she was." Kazuya concluded.

"I can kind of understand how that would feel," Mai said. Kuroda looked over at Mai, surprised at what she said. She understood...? "The truth is... deep inside, we all want to be special... I think. That there's something special about them, that everyone else recognizes. It doesn't matter what it is, they just want some special talent that sets them apart from others. Kuroda-san, for you, I'm sure it must have been your spiritual abilities, huh?" Mai thoughtfully said as she looked at Kuroda with a small smile. She felt bad for judging her earlier during their few meetings... all she wanted was to be noticed.

"Does that satisfy everyone?" Kazuya asked the others.

"Not yet," Ayako said, stepping forward. "By that explanation, her elevated stress came about after you gave your theory about the ground sinking, right? Then, what about me being shut up inside that classroom, and the video being erased?" At this, both Kazuya and Mei-Lin both looked at Kuroda who was looking down.

"Should I explain?" Kazuya asked. Kuroda didn't answer and instead nodded her head timidly, avoiding the gazes of the others. "Miko-san, in your case, it's because this was stuck into the door's groove." Kazuya held his hand out and Mei-Lin put a nail wrapped in a handkerchief into his palm.

"A nail?" Ayako asked, surprised. A nail was what kept her from leaving the room?

"I noticed it right away, but I didn't think it was worth mentioning."

"You mean, someone did it on purpose?!" It didn't take long for Ayako to put the dots together though as she looked at Kuroda. "It was you, huh?!"

"You just meant it as a little prank, right?" Kazuya asked Kuroda, dismissing Ayako's anger towards the girl. "Just before, Miko-san appeared to have words with you, and all. Most likely, you would have gone for Mei too but she was already suspicious of you and was always by my side so there wasn't really anything you could do to her." Kuroda simply looked down which was all that was needed to confirm Kazuya's thoughts. That would explain why most of the time he had Mei-Lin by his side instead of helping Mai, it was to prevent Kuroda from trying anything similar on her.

"Then what about the video?"

"That was intentionally erased."

"Did she do that, too?"

"Miko-san, when you got shut-in, we all left the base. There was plenty of time to manipulate it when no one would see. By the time Mei and Mai arrived at the lab that day, Kuroda-san was already there. So, most likely, yes."

"Unbelievable. Do you believe this girl?" It was hard to believe that one girl could cause them so much trouble.

"Sorry..." Kuroda apologized in a timid manner. Seeing that the girl was on the verge of tears, Mai gently patted her shoulder and looked at her with a friendly smile to let her know it was alright and her apology was accepted.

"Is everything clear now?" Kazuya asked, looking to see if anyone had any more questions.

"For the time being, yeah," Ayako said. She was satisfied with the answers she got for the "strange" activities that were happening.

"So, what do we do?" Housho asked this time. There was still one issue that needed to be dealt with. "The principal hired us to make this place ready for construction."

"I plan to report this to the principal: The old schoolhouse was haunted by those who died in the war. They have been exorcised, so you may go ahead with construction." Kazuya answered before looking at Kuroda. "Is that okay with you, Kuroda-san?" Kuroda stared at Kazuya surprised. He could have easily just told the principal it was land subsidence and there was no case of spirits but instead with this story he was protecting her in a way... Kuroda stayed silent and simply nodded her head, accepting the story.

"How very kind of you," Masako said. "I'm still not convinced. Why don't we just tell the principal the truth?" Masako didn't understand why they had to go so far for someone who had caused nothing but trouble. Hearing this Kuroda flinched and looked at the group with a worried gaze.

"Kuroda's already feeling bad enough. I don't think we need to make things worse for her." Kazuya answered. Mei-Lin glanced at Kazuya with a rare soft gaze. Most of the time he could be a jerk to those who meet him first but Mei-Lin knew in his own way, he does care.

"Naru...." Mei felt like she was starting to see Kazuya in a new light... but that look quickly became irked as they saw Ayako approach him and was sticking to him pretty closely!

"Hmm... Naru, you're quite the feminist, aren't you?" Ayako said in a teasing tone, but there was no mistaking the inviting undertone of it. "Do you have a girlfriend?" When she asked that question almost everyone stood to attention and looked between the two and Mei-Lin who was supporting Lin, making sure he didn't aggravate his injury. Were Kazuya and his assistant dating?!

"This is completely off subject. I'm not sure I understand the point of your question." Kazuya said in a dry tone, not falling for the woman's charms or even looking amused at the question.

"I wouldn't mind putting up with you, younger though you are.."

"Thanks for the offer, but... unfortunately, there's only enough room for me in the mirror," Kazuya said so confidently with a matching smirk. The shocked and embarrassed face on Ayako's face paired with how Kazuya just said it so casually caused almost everyone in the room to break down laughing except for Mei-Lin, who shook her head and sighed, and Lin, who kept a straight face.

"So, who exactly are we going to say performed the exorcism?!" Ayako shouted, changing the topic from the embarrassing rejection.

"We all accomplished it as a team. No one has a problem with that right?" Kazuya asked. Everyone looked at each other before nodding in agreement. "And Mai, you can't tell anybody about this, agreed?"

"No problem, sir." Mai placed her hands on her hips and puffed her chest out with confidence. She could keep this a secret though it was going to be hard when her friends ask her questions later...

"Lin, Mei, let's start clearing out," Kazuya ordered the two.

"I know," Mei-Lin said before she started helping Lin pack up the remaining equipment. Though as they started a lot of them started to notice something else.... did Kazuya just dodge the question of if he has a girlfriend or are they not dating? This was so confusing!

✛幽霊∞✛∞シリーズ✛

Mai helped as well since Lin was on crutches and though most of the equipment was light there were some heavy things left behind. It wasn't long before everything was cleaned up and they were all back at the van.

"Ah, right. It was no big deal, was it." Ayako yawned as she stretched and left with Housho

"But you seem kind of upset." Housho teased resulting in him getting jabbed.

"No way!" Ayako retorted.

Everyone's leaving... Mai stared off in the direction that Ayako and Housho were leaving. Masako and John were already gone, Kuroda was heading back to school and it wouldn't be long before Kazuya, Lin, and Mei-Lin left too. Of course, the case has been solved, so they no longer have to be here. Now we don't have to live in fear, and everything's cool. It's over. It's over. Seeing that it was all over so quickly and everyone leaving made Mai feel.... solemn

"Don't you have to go to class?" Kazuya asked, taking the stand out of Mai's hand before placing it into the van.

"Huh? No, I'm not going today. I was going to see you off." Mai said. "After all, it may have not been for very long, but you were my boss."

"No need. Why don't you hurry back to class?" Kazuya said. "If you get any dumber, it will be beyond anyone's control."

"Maybe you should try a little harder to get smarter." Of course, Mei-Lin had to get a jab in as well as she counted the equipment, making sure they had everything and nothing got left behind or damaged.

"Oh, is that right?! Very well!" Mai yelled. "Okay! I will try harder to become a good student! Good-bye then!" Mai ran off angrily, she can't believe those two!

I don't get it... What is wrong with them?! Is that all they have to say?! I know I didn't do much, but I helped too! At least he could say he's going to miss me or... Mai stopped those thoughts, there was no way that Naru the narcissist would ever say something like that... still...

"It's so stupid, me being the only one who will miss the other one!" She muttered. She felt like such a fool for expecting anything out of it. "Fine, then! This is it! I'm going to forget all about you!"

"So loud, does she know we can still hear her?" Mei-Lin commented as she looked at Kazuya before they both saw Mai run and scream out her frustrations towards the school.

"Just let her let it out, it's better than having to deal with it later. Mei, when we get back we're going to do a background check on everyone."

"Eh?" Mei-Lin looked at Kazuya but he simply closed the door to the van and got into the passenger seat as Lin sat in the driver's seat with her in the back with the equipment... the case was solved and they could go but Mei-Lin felt like it wasn't going to be the last she saw of the others, especially since they were nowhere near where they were looking for. All she could do now was simply sigh and prepare for the work she would have when they got back to the office. "What did I get myself into..."

If only they all knew on that exact same day, the old school building would collapse...

✛幽霊∞✛∞シリーズ✛

A few days later....

✛幽霊∞✛∞シリーズ✛

"Kuroda-san, that's amazing! So there really were ghosts in the old schoolhouse!"

"Plus, it all collapsed the other day." Mai could hear her classmates praising Kuroda in the background as they all stared at the old school building. A few days had already passed but still the students spoke about what happened to the old school building. Mai on the other hand couldn't forget the people she met during the case. I wonder if he's left already... I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to the others either... it ended up being fun after all.

"Ahh... I wonder what Shibuya-san has been up to lately." Keiko sighed. It wasn't just Mai who couldn't forget about the meeting with the handsome boy. "Mai, why didn't you get his number before he left so you could call him? He's not listed in the phone book."

I checked all over, too. I even called information. Mai tried everything she could to try and find Kazuya again but it was like he disappeared into thin air. It made her realize how little she actually knew about him. She didn't even know where he lived or worked so she couldn't even get a number. "The principal must know how to reach him. Let's go ask him." Michiru suggested.

"You guys go on ahead." Mai said, waving her friends off.

"Huh?! Mai, you should ask him. You were his assistant!" Michiru shouted.

"No way! Just drop it! I don't want to think about him!" Mai argued back but she was already thinking of him constantly. If I think about him I start regretting many things. I didn't ask him anything before he left. Although I know I was the one who got upset at him. That's why I'm even more upset with myself!

"Mai Taniyama-san in class 1-F. Please report to the main office immediately." The P.A went off and called for Mai. Mai wondered why she was suddenly being called but she figured it was better to go and see what happened.

"Hello, this is Taniyama." She told the front desk.

"You have a phone call." The lady told her.

"Ah, thank you." Mai nodded before she picked up the phone. I wonder who it is. "Hello?

"Is that you, Mai?" Hearing the voice Mai froze in shock. This.... this voice.... "Mai?

"Yes... Yes! That's me!" Mai quickly answered so Kazuya wouldn't hang up thinking she wasn't there.

"You don't have to scream." Kazuya said in an annoyed tone. No doubt about it, that was Kazuya. It's him...! That condescending way of speaking. It's Naru...

"Ah, what can I do for you...."

"Your payment."

"....Huh?"

"I'm talking about your assistant fee. If you don't want it I won't force you to take it." That's it?! You called me about my payment!! That... that moron...! There was no thank you? No how is school? Not even a how are you doing?! Still she wasn't expecting to actually be paid but she wasn't going to turn that offer down. "Do you have your bank account number?"

"No, not with me! I'm at school!" Mai answered as Kazuya got out a pen and paper to write down the information needed, Lin typing in the background and Mei-Lin watching him.

"Then I'll send a check. What's your address?"

Still a jerk.... He got me excited that maybe he wanted to come see me to give me the check... Could you at least say something like that?! Jeez, I feel stupid. "Okay, you ready?" Mai told him her address and expected this to be her last.

"Okay, I'll send it to you within one week and... does your school allow you to work part-time?"

"Sure, not a problem." Mai answered in a monotone voice. She wanted this to be done with....

"I see. Do you want to work part-time at my office?"

"Ah, okay, okay....?!" Wait what?!

"It's an administrative job... but I'm short on staff. Somebody quit the other day."

"Yes. Yes! I want it! I want it!"

"Then please come by my office sometime. The address is..."

"P...Pen... A pen! Let me have a pen, please!" Mai was panicking as she asked the front desk for a pen and paper so she could write down the address.

"You can come whenever you're free."

"Ah, well then, how about the day after tomorrow, Saturday!" Mai suggested as she wrote down the address, despite her earlier annoyance now she wanted to see him as soon as possible. Honestly right now would be okay with me!

"Got it. Saturday's great, I'll be here all day. Oh, by the way... It was great working with you. See you on Saturday."

"Yes. See you on Saturday!" The two hanged up on the call with Mai giddy now that she could see Kazuya anytime she wanted to now and Kazuya.... now had a worker. He looked up and Lin was still typing on his computer but Mei-Lin just stared him down.

"You are such a liar," Mei-Lin said. By lying about the camera Mai had to pay to someone quitting to their whole purpose of being here... Sometimes it amazes her how he can lie so casually and yet she did it as well and still stayed with him.

"And yet you're still with me," Kazuya said as he sat back down at his desk, looking to see what other case they could take. Mei-Lin only shook her head with a heavy sigh before going to make him tea. She knew what she was getting into when they came over here so she shouldn't be that surprised. After all...

I said I would wait for you