You lied...

He knows…? He knows what?!

I wanted to ask, but I could already guess at the answer… An irritated glare and a swift request for tea.

But I couldn't help myself, "What is it?"

I looked from Naru to Lin.

The others were also tired of not being in the know.

Ayako glared tiredly at Naru and Lin before saying in a demanding tone, "Mai was just attacked, so I really don't think being a secretive dick is the right course of action!"

Naru appeared frustrated, but I got the feeling it had nothing to do with the name calling.

"Naru," I asked, carefully.

I'd never seen him look so tormented before.

It was almost as though he was…

But that couldn't be right… He was never afraid of anyone or anything.

It had to be something else.

"Naru," I said again, this time reaching out to gently touch his shoulder.

This seemed to snap him from his thoughts as he looked at me and said, "I'm sorry, Mai, but-"

"But what?" I snapped, "Won't help?!"

I narrowed my eyes at him, "There's a scared spirit, who's clearly snapped, who wants to redeem herself! And you won't help?!"

I don't know why I lost it like that.

Perhaps I was overly tired from having so many restless nights. And perhaps I didn't want to be haunted for the rest of my life.

Naru gaped at me along with all the others. Lin just rolled his eyes and went back to typing.

I sighed and sat back down, trying not to fume.

The room took on a feel of discomfort and then Naru spoke.

"You remember me talking about my brother Gene?"

By this point he had everyone's attention and I felt the anger melting away to be replaced with overwhelming sympathy.

Of course I remembered him.

When I had first thought I had been dreaming about Naru, it had actually been Gene.

Since he was dead, he could visit me in my dreams.

Gene was basically Naru's Identical Twin.

Naru never really talked about his brother. So none of us knew much about him…like how he died.

Naru looked at all of us, and gave a heavy sigh before saying, "Based on recent events, I think it's time you all know how he died…and where."

I blinked, "You don't mean…?!"

"Yes, it was there that he died."

I thought as much.

So Gene died at Himuro Mansion.

This was either bad news or really bad news.

I glanced at Naru and saw that he was staring at me with a look in his eyes I'd never seen before.

Well that's not exactly true… I had seen it once…the day that I told him about my dreams about him and found out it hadn't been him at all, but Gene.

Naru sighed and looked away, "Gene had gone to investigate disappearances that were occurring near the manor. At the time, though, none of us had known about the massacre that occurred there."

The "massacre"…

Having seen bits of it take place in my precog dream, I felt I deserved to know more about it.

"When did this massacre take place," asked John.

A number started flashing in my mind and before I could stop myself I was answering, "1836…I think."

Naru's eyes flicked to me and narrowed.

In fact they all looked at me as though I had spoken out of turn in a classroom.

Ayako was the first to speak after that, "Did a spirit tell you that in your dream?"

I shook my head, "No."

Naru and Lin exchanged glances.

Suddenly Naru was more adamant than before to decline my request to save the Souls trapped at Himuro Mansion.

I opened my mouth to protest but he cut me off.

"Mai…this is just…" he sighed. "We just can't help this time."

"And why not?! What aren't you telling me?!" I snapped.

He looked me in the eye and held my gaze.

"Lin and I will find a way to sever whatever link they have with you."

I narrowed my eyes at him growing more and more frustrated by the second.

"No Naru! They came to me – to us – for help!"

Everyone looked to Naru, waiting for the truth to reveal itself.

"I understand that, Mai," was all he said.

I sighed in exasperation.

Masako glanced at him.

"You say your brother died at this Himuro Mansion."

She paused as he turned to her.

"How did he die?"

The question we'd all been too afraid to ask…was finally laid out before him.

He stared at her; his eyes narrowed.

Naru gave a heavy sigh and turned back to me.

"The spirit who appeared to you tonight…"

He hesitated, looking away.

"She lured him there…"

I blinked…

Naru had lied to me.