Title: It's Statistics, Apparently (Prev. title: Breathing Underwater)
Summary: "You see...statistics say that I am falling in love with you. And statistics don't lie. What do you have to say for yourself, Akahana-san?"
-BTW, that moment with that line won't happen 'till a little later in the story. :)
HOLY COW. First Death Note ficlet! And it's a multi-chapter one! Damn, I'm ambitious. xD Ah, well, I can only hope it won't crash and burn…
Light: This fic better be good, or I'll write down your name in my notebook.
L: *points accusingly* Aha! So you ARE Kira!
: D Enyways…Thanks for clicking on this, minna!
So I was trolling on YouTube watching Death Note and downloading Marie Digby's 'Breathing Underwater' and then this plot came to mind. Hope ya like it!
BTW my OC's full name is: Matsuda Akahana. I know this chapter doesn't tell much about her, but don't worry, I'll make her clearer every chapter.
L: Miyu-chan does not own Death Note in any way, shape, form, size, color—
Me: OKAY, OKAY, WE GET IT!
P.S: BTW, the time line of this fic is a few months after the four members of the NPA started working directly with L, and L started suspecting Light Yagami. So yeah, Matsuda and the others already work with L. Just a reminder ^_^
"Watari?"
L, the world's greatest detective, had his eyes glued onto the window as he observed a passing bakery. Sweet Sanctuary, the sign in front said. Well, I have been working hard for the past few days…maybe it's time I took a break. Just a couple of hours, what harm could it do?
"Yes, L?"
"I plan to go out this afternoon."
Watari raised his eyebrows and then caught a glimpse of the bakery L had been eyeing as they drove past. The old man smiled underneath his moustache.
They were on their way back to the hotel they were currently staying at. L had just decided to take the entrance exam for To-Oh University in order to keep a better eye on Light Yagami, and Watari had driven him there in order to sign him up.
"I'll notify the others."
-L!-
Finally, I'm here.
I heard the familiar tinkling of the bell as I pushed open the door and crossed the threshold. There was a light chattering around, and a few people were seated here and there on little tables. The tension in my muscles relaxed as I breathed in the sweet, seductive scent of cookies and cakes.
My eyes immediately locked in on the display of delicious treat after treat on the counter.
My wallet will be considerably lighter after this. What the hell.
"Hey Hana," Mitsu, the guy at the register of my absolute favorite bakery in Japan, greeted me with a grin. "How's it going? And you're dragging snow into the place, by the way."
It was true. I was damp and cold all over. Snow and slush were dripping from my boots and my clothes onto the previously pristine tile floors. Meh, not my fault the weather is so terrible right now.
Grinning, I shook my hair, spraying bits of snow and water onto Mitsu. And the counter. And a few of the people who were unfortunate enough to be sitting on tables not a few meters from me. I avoided the cakes, though, as they are not be messed with.
Needless to say, I got a few glares from the assorted crowd and more than a few cusses, but nobody really said anything else. There was a kind of lethargy present in the bakery that made everyone not really want to do anything but sit down and eat and look out the window.
By the end of my little act, I was considerably less cold and damp than I had been a few seconds ago. I had also made quite a mess of snow on the ground.
"Tell Annabelle I said hi." I grinned brightly. It was a well known fact that Annabelle (the owner of the bakery) hated mess of any kind, shape, size, or form. She throws a fit over the tiniest smudge on any surface of her bakery. I swear that woman can see microscopic dirt.
Mitsu rolled his eyes. "Will do. You drive her insane. But she can't ban you because you're one of our regulars, and the staff would throw a fit if she stopped you coming here. You know they love you."
I strike a ridiculous pose, point my finger somewhere to the ceiling, and bat my eyelashes so fast that I looked like I was having some sort of twitching attack. "Of course they love me. Who doesn't?"
Mitsu pretended to think. "…Every sane person in the world?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear that blight to my awesomeness. My ears don't hear lies."
Mitsu laughed, shaking his head. "What'll it be for today Hana?"
"Eh…." I muttered, peering into the display counter which was encased in glass. There were so many treats to choose from. Rows and rows of different kinds of fragrant cupcakes, and little columns of cakes that made your mouth water just at the sight of them, and all other sorts of different pastries and treats that probably made you gain fifty pounds just by looking at them…
If that damn glass plate wasn't in the way, I could easily scoop everything up and make some sort of escapade. Heh heh heh…
Okay. Bad idea. Especially since my brother is a cop and I'm supposed to be role model citizen or whatever.
"I think I'll have three of those cinnamon rolls and… two vanilla cupcakes...and a cup of hot chocolate." I decided, letting my stomach do the picking for me. I was hungry, calories be damned. Truth be told, my family wasn't that rich, so it was actually a rare treat for me to be able to go to the bakery, but I always managed to go at least thrice a week.
"Do you want us to bring it to your usual seat?" Mitsu asked, in the act of going over to the kitchen's direction.
"Nah," I decided. "Waiting here's much more fun."
"Coming right away then," Mitsu said cheerily, ducking behind a door and yelling the order at the chef. I leaned an arm against the counter and cast my glance towards the window.
School had been extra tiring today. I don't know if it had been National Pick-On-Your-Students-Today Day, but we had taken a total of five major exams and three pop quizzes the morning alone. I was pretty sure half of my brain cells had died.
Also, the mounting pressure of the To-Oh University entrance exams had really taken a toll on me these past few days.
Entrance exams are only two days away…I mused, turning back to the counter and finding Mitsu just coming back with my order.
I paid, thanked Mitsu, and, holding my tray carefully, headed to my usual seat. The chatter was up to a lively hum, and I inhaled the aroma of my hot chocolate.
My usual seat was a little ways into the side of the bakery so it was kind of isolated. But a big bonus was it was directly in front of a large window so that you could watch the people going up and down the busy streets of Japan. Or spy on them. Whichever.
The only downside to my seat was...well, there was already someone else on it. Damn.
I could make out unruly, spiky black hair and a rumpled white shirt and a pair of faded jeans. I narrowed my eyes in the approximation of a glare.
Any other normal person would have just shrugged and looked for another seat, but I wanted to find out who it was who dared to sit down on my seat, so I took a step closer.
Whoever the trespasser was though, he had his face bowed down making it hard to make anything out except he was unnaturally pale….and he was hunched down pretty weird…and he was sitting, no, perching on the chair, and he was…
Staring at me with black eyes the size of watermelons. I took an involuntary step back. Eeep!
Eyes that were black and seemingly bottomless, with dark hollows under them. A pale, pale complexion. He inexplicably reminded me of a panda.
Neither of us spoke, or moved away. His eyes continued to bore into mine, like he recognized me from somewhere. I felt my palms sweating, panicked at why he was staring at me with such intensity when I was sure I had never seen this guy in my entire life.
After one and a half minutes of an agonizing stare-down, with me wondering what the hell was going on in here, he cleared his throat.
"Was there something you wanted?"
…The nerve of this guy. My eye twitched and I resisted the urge to throw my cupcake at him. "Nope. Nothing. Sorry."
I was just about to turn around and hunt for another seat like I should have done in the first place when the weird man's voice stopped me in my tracks. "This is your usual seat, am I correct?"
"Er…?" I looked at him incredulously. He waited for an answer, holding a fork delicately with his thumb and index finger. What the…
"Well, yeah. That is my usual seat." I agreed grudgingly. He nodded, satisfied, and took a big bite of his strawberry shortcake. I persisted. "But how did you know that?"
The pale young man regarded me for a moment, and I realized when I looked down that he wasn't wearing any shoes.
"Simple. After you received your order you headed directly to this seat without hesitation or thought. Also, you kept glaring at the side of my head when you saw that I had already occupied this seat."
"I wasn't glaring." I said defensively. I felt my eyebrows knit together and tried to wipe them smooth.
"And…" He added, as he shoveled more cakes down his mouth.
"Yes?" I raised my eyebrows. What else could you possibly add to that?
"I conveniently overheard the gentleman at the cash register say it." He admitted, biting into a vanilla cupcake. I smiled, briefly wondering what kind of guy referred to Mitsu as a "gentleman". Most would call him a dork, since that was what he looked like on the outside. Hell, even I called him a dork, and I was a close friend of his.
"You know I was seriously considering being impressed by your deduction, but I take it all back." I said sarcastically.
"That is indeed regretful. Maybe I had done better not to mention it," The guy said, and I found myself smiling at his cheek. The nerve of this guy.
There was a short, awkward silence wherein I had just enough time to note that I looked the perfect part of an idiot, standing there holding a freakin' tray. "Well, my food is getting cold. I better go," I said lamely, and tried for a smile. "Sorry for glaring at you."
"That is quite alright. No real harm done, after all." He responded, then turned back to his table. Only now did I notice the piles of sweets, cakes and pastries that were piled on top of it. They were practically overflowing onto the floor. What'd he do, buy ten pieces of every treat they make here?
That would have cost me my entire bank account. Man, this guy must be stuffing his face in cash…
"Would you like to join me?" Once again the guy's inquiring voice reached my ears, and I found out that he had seen me glancing incredulously at his bounty of sweets. I mentally face-palmed.
Great Hana, now he thinks you want to freeload off his food.
"Thanks for asking, but no. I couldn't." I cast my eyes about to look for some other unoccupied seat, and managed instead, to look at the young man. He was observing me with those large dark eyes, and I found myself thinking that he looked kind of…cute. Wait! No. What the fuck?
"I insist," The not-cute guy persisted, but I only shook my head.
No, no. Eating with weird strangers was not part of my agenda when I visited this place.
"No, really," He said encouragingly, waving me over with a thin, long-fingered hand. "I feel bad for taking your usual seat and the least I could do is let you sit with me. Since it is in fact me who is trespassing."
It ain't my bakery, you know.
"Okay, then." I decided that it wouldn't do any harm, and besides my food was going to get cold if I didn't eat it soon. The cupcakes were speaking to me.
"Ah…er, thanks for letting me sit," I said embarrassingly, and sat down on the chair across from him, laying down my tray on what little space was left on the table.
"No problem." He replied, already happily munching on a shortbread cookie as if he wasn't choked by the weirdness of it all. I, on the other hand, was treated with a front row seat to a demonstration of how weird my snack date was.
The guy's feet were drawn up to his chest, something I had already noticed. He held things differently too…and he shoveled food down his throat like there was no tomorrow. But when you looked at his physique, he was actually extremely thin…thin, but fit. Huh. So he had the appetite of a wild bear, but had the body of someone who had a diet consisting mainly of celery stalks. Talk about unfair.
I chewed on a piece of my cinnamon roll. There wasn't any sound for a whole seven minutes but the two of us chewing and alternately sipping our beverages (he had coffee. I thought it was regular coffee before I saw him dump practically a bucket of sugar cubes into it).
I was on my second cinnamon roll when he spoke.
"Forgive me if I'm being too forward, but may I know your name? I find it odd that we are eating together and I haven't even asked for your name. I promise I won't use it to blackmail you or anything." He added, the slightest trace of amusement tainting his grave tone.
I tried not to look so tense after that.
"Matsuda Akahana," I responded, between a mouthful of cinnamon. I thought I saw his eyebrows rise just a bit at the mention of my name, but I shrugged it off. "But most people call me Hana. And you are?"
"Rue. Rue Ryuuzaki." He responded.
"Odd name," I said, before realizing I had said it out loud. Mentally, I cursed myself. I had always been the type of person who spoke the first thing that came to mind, and this time that trait had come back to bite me in the ass. What kind of retard says to a person they have just met that their name is odd? Me, apparently.
To my surprise, Ryuuzaki merely nodded, thumb on his lips. "Yes, I suppose it is. You go to…Daikoku Private Academy, don't you?"
I briefly wondered how he knew that, then I realized I was still wearing my school uniform. Duh. I hadn't had time to change or even go home after school because I would have missed the bus to get here. Still, it was pretty impressive he knew the name of the school just by the uniform.
"Yep." I nodded. "4th year student. How about you, Ryuuzaki-san?"
"I am also a fourth year student. I attend Yokohama International School."
I nodded. I had heard of that school. It was supposed to be pretty dang expensive there. "That's far from here, isn't it?"
Ryuuzaki nodded, but didn't elaborate. I came to the conclusion that this guy was stinking filthy rich. How else would he have come all the way here from somewhere near Yokohama International, and how else would he have afforded all of these cakes and pastries?
But then again, why did he dress like he had just rolled out of bed? In a rumpled long-sleeved shirt and pants that looked like they had never met an iron in their life.
Although, I guess, it is kind of refreshing. He obviously doesn't put much store to appearances. Maybe he isn't so bad after all.
"Let's play a little game, Matsuda-san," Ryuuzaki piped up suddenly. Interrupted out of my train of thought, I only nodded.
"A simple get to know each other game. One of us will ask a question about a topic, but you have to base that topic on the first letter of the pastry of your choice. Understood?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"Excellent. I'll go first." Ryuuzaki looked over the table, combing it with his dark eyes before stopping in front of a sponge cake and taking a bite.
"So," he said while chewing, drawing his thumb to his lips like a child. "Sponge cake. S. Hmm….secrets. Tell me something about you that no one, or very few people know."
I immediately protested. "That's not fair," I pouted. "You get to ask personal questions right from the start."
"Well, I never said you couldn't ask personal questions, Matsuda-san," Ryuuzaki blinked innocently at me.
I groaned. "Alright. Alright. Well…when I was seven years old, I accidentally set fire to my brother's hamster, Mr. Chummy. To this day, he still thinks that it was some sort of freak accident." To be fair, it wasn't a very good secret. Not even slightly scandalous (except for maybe the fact that I burned a hamster alive)… but it was the only secret I had.
Oh yes, I live a very kick-ass life.
Ryuuzaki pondered this, upper lip twitching. "What kind of idiotic name is Mr. Chummy?" was the only thing he said.
"The kind of idiotic name only my brother would have thought of." I rolled my eyes and sighed dramatically. "It was too bad, really. He was awfully attached to Mr. Chummy."
"Ahh…" Ryuuzaki said, a smirk of amusement on his face. "Well, now I know that Matsuda-san has committed arson at the age of seven. See! We're getting to know each other."
"That's just stupid, I did not commit arson. I was simply playing with matches and the wood stuff in his cage was too close and caught fire." I protested, grinning.
"I am more inclined to believe that you have a dark hatred against hamsters," Ryuuzaki shook his head.
"Ah, well who cares what you believe." I said, waving it away. "And anyways, it's my turn."
I stopped in front of the plate of chocolate chip cookies, grabbed one, and swallowed it whole.
"Chocolate chip cookies…C…C for crushes." I had no idea why I said that, it was just the first thing that popped into mind. I thought I saw a dot of pink on Ryuuzaki's cheeks, but when I looked closer it was the same pale color.
"So, my question is…aha! What do you look for in a girl, Ryuuzaki-san?" I asked cheerfully, grinning when I his face flushed a really deep red. Aw, geez, I love embarrassing people.
"What do I look for in a girl?" Ryuuzaki repeated. "I guess…I never really thought about it…well, I guess she would have to be kind. And interesting. And genuine. And she would have to be someone I could trust. And she would have to know how to make me laugh."
"You've never really thought about it?" I choked on my laughter, and his face turned three shades of red. It went with his hair.
"I have just decided: Matsuda-san is evil." Ryuuzaki deadpanned. I laughed maniacally for a few seconds before stopping because people had started shooting me look-it's-the-devil looks.
"That's what they all say," I made a swatting motion with my hand.
The game went on.
"B. Books. What are your favorite books?"
"I think you're going to be disappointed, Ryuuzaki-san. I'm quite shallow when it comes to books. Well…The Hunger Games…everything by Shakespeare, Sherlock Holmes, everything by Jane Austen, Crime and Punishment…there are more but we'd be here all day."
"F. Food. Favorite food?"
"I am fond of sweets. Actually, sweets are about the only thing I eat. I'm especially attached to anything with strawberries."
"I can see that." I said, grinning in amusement.
By the end of our little game (where I had actually had a lot of fun), I had found out that Ryuuzaki had read lots of books, he didn't see the point in wearing shoes and disliked wearing socks, and he had never eaten carrots. Ever.
"I don't see how you manage to stay so thin." I teased him, mock-scowling. "It's hardly fair to the rest of us. When we eat pounds and pounds of calories, you see, Ryuuzaki, it usually shows."
"Well, it's because the brain burns off almost all of the body's calories." Ryuuzaki muttered. "And I like to think that I use my brain a lot."
"…There was an insult in there somewhere." I said suspiciously. "Where do you live, anyway? I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever seen you in this bakery."
"I live in Shibuya. You are correct, this is the first time I have gone to this particular bakery…though I've visited numerous, I can honestly say there is something unique about this one."
"Mmhm…" I tried my best to agree with my mouth full of cinnamon.
Ryuuzaki nodded gravely. "There's a certain lethargic quality in the atmosphere that makes you never want to leave…Wouldn't you say, Matsuda-san?"
I swallowed the cinnamon with difficulty. "That's exactly what I always think when of I come here! This place has a kind of mood that makes you want to eat, look out the window and just be." I babbled.
"That's why this is my favorite bakery in all of Kanto," I said excitedly. "Not that I've ever been to many, but…."
Ryuuzaki looked at me in amusement.
I backtracked, feeling my own face heat up. "Well…yeah. In fact, I used to go here with my brother all of the time."
The past tense didn't faze him. "Used to? Is this the brother whose hamster you so cruelly burned?"
"I told you, it was an accident. Yeah, he's my only brother. And we haven't been going here for a while,"
"Is he alright?" Ryuuzaki asked cautiously. I realized that my use of the words 'used to go here' might have implied that my brother was dead.
"Oh, no, he's not dead or anything," I considered that thought. "Which is a miracle in itself. But he's a member of the NPA and he's been really busy during these past few months, so we haven't had time to ourselves. Some big case he's working on, apparently."
Ryuuzaki, who had been in the middle of chewing on a strawberry pastry, suddenly choked on it.
"Are you alright?" I asked. Apparently he had had the misfortune to choke on an abnormally big strawberry pastry, judging by the fact that he had turned three different colors and was clutching at his throat like he was trying to strangle himself. I didn't know whether to laugh or to slowly edge away.
Don't sit there having mind monologues. Do something! I considered hitting him on the back with my tray, but Ryuuzaki suddenly took a deep breath, and nodded, indicating he was fine. I handed him a glass of water.
"Thank you," He said after taking a sip out of it. You're awfully composed for a man who almost choked on a pastry. Wanna try it again?
"Something got stuck in my throat. I'm sorry," Ryuuzaki said, the faintest of pink apparent on his cheeks. He dunked more sugar cubes into his coffee and then took a sip, trying to mask his embarrassment.
"It's fine. Don't apologize to me; I wasn't the one who nearly got killed by a pastry." I snickered, grinning.
"Matsuda-san….must you rub it in, so?" Ryuuzaki looked at me reproachfully, frowning a little. "My pride has already taken a hit, it is not required for you to stab at it viciously."
I laughed. He sounded like a five year old with a really good vocabulary.
"I know. I'm sorry," I said, trying not to laugh and mostly failing. I had no idea what was so funny. Maybe it was the fact that he had looked so childish just a moment ago. Or maybe it was because I was actually having fun with a stranger I had met less than an hour ago. Or maybe simply because it was a beautiful, snowy day. One of those.
Ryuuzaki looked at me like I was insane. But maybe by the combined effort of my snorting and the fact that I had accidentally bent down the table a little too much and ended up with a cheesecake on my forehead, a small chuckle escaped Ryuuzaki's lips. Unfortunate, really, because I needed only that small sign of mirth to laugh even harder.
After a few minutes, I finally managed to stop giggling by stuffing my last vanilla cupcake into my mouth.
"You've killed the cheesecake," Ryuuzaki said, mock-horrified, as he swept a pale hand across the table and unstuck the offending object from my forehead.
"I'm sorry cheesecake," I said with a snort, grabbing a few napkins and wiping at my forehead.
"Here, let me," Ryuuzaki said quietly, reaching over with a tissue.
Suddenly, a phone rang. I watched curiously as Ryuuzaki retreated, fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a phone.
He really does hold things weird, I thought as he pulled the phone up with his thumb and index finger. Somehow I found it kind of endearing.
"Hm? Yes? I'm at a bakery right now." Ryuuzaki shifted in his seat, and I busied myself with eating a strawberry meringue cake.
There was a small pause. "I see. Alright. I'll see you outside in a few minutes."
He actually sounded kind of disappointed. I wondered what the call was all about. My black-haired companion sighed and turned to face me.
Embarrassingly, I was in the middle of shoving cake in my mouth and I probably didn't look all that dignified. Ah, hell.
"Ish eshrthig awleeght?" I tried to ask, with my mouth full of strawberries.
Ryuuzaki looked mildly amused and mildly disturbed. "Yes. That was my uncle. Something just came up—family business."
In response to my inquisitive look, he clarified, words flowing smooth and without hesitation. "My uncle's biological daughter has just gotten engaged and they are calling in the entire family to interrogate her future husband. I actually feel a little pity for him."
"Oh." I chuckled lamely and tried to keep the disappointment coloring my tone.
"I'm really sorry, Matsuda-san," Ryuuzaki said. "But I must go."
"No, no, that's fine. Go easy on the poor man and, if isn't too forward, give your sister my congratulations," I grinned. Ryuuzaki immediately nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. He really should smile more often, I thought absently. Wait…what? No. In no way am I implying that he looks cuter when he smiles…right, he's plenty cute already.
What. Is. Happening. To. Me?
"She will be happy." He said simply. "Thank you for gracing me with your presence today, Matsuda-san—it's been a real pleasure."
I had no idea why I suddenly didn't want to say goodbye to this weird young man who spoke so darn formally.
"I had an awesome time too," I said lamely, standing up as he did. For a minute there, we lapsed into an awkward pre-goodbye silence before Ryuuzaki offered me his hand. I realized I was supposed to shake it.
Were you thinking of bringing it home as a souvenir?
"I guess I'll see you around, Matsuda-san." Ryuuzaki said, looking at me with those black eyes as we dropped our hands. Yeah, not likely. You'll probably be on your own merry way, and I'll go mine, and we'll forget about each other after a few months.
And that was actually the sad part. Damn it, why? Why was I so unwilling to let go of this guy?
"Call me Hana." I said impulsively. "All my friends call me that."
His eyes widened a little at the implication, but then his face went blank. "Then does that mean that I am your friend?"
I swallowed dryly. "I like to think so."
"You are my first friend, Hana-chan." Ryuuzaki admitted thoughtfully. "I must admit, it felt better than I thought it would. I guess I'll see you around then, Hana-chan."
"Thanks for sitting on my usual seat." I said jokingly, trying to prolong the moment. "And thanks for sharing your sweets."
What I really want to say is I want to see you again.
"The pleasure was all mine." Ryuuzaki turned around and began shuffling away. I looked at his back helplessly, no idea what to do.
"And Hana-chan?" Ryuuzaki suddenly looked back at me. There was a smile sweeter that any of the things he ate on his face. "Thank you for spending the afternoon with me."
I mentally swore as I leaned in over to give him a hug. Why do you have to be so dang adorable?
-L!-
Watari cast a glance at the rearview mirror. L had on a sweet, goofy smile that he was visibly trying to suppress. And mostly failing.
"You seem to be in an awfully good mood, Master Ryuuzaki," Watari chuckled. "I suppose the treats in the bakery were all delicious?"
"Yes," L said. "But she was by far, the sweetest."
The sound of skidding brakes.
"...Watari you almost hit that tour bus."
"I apologize, Master Ryuuzaki...did you say she?"
"...I did not mean it in that way, Watari. Please get your mind out of the gutter."
….AHAHAHAAHHAHAH! Me likeys the ending. Muahahahaha. Sorry if L is OOC! I just had to make him do that ^_^.
Wooh! I edited this for an hour and a half and the output is totally different from the first one…I like this one better. ^_^
Anyways, thanks so much for reading and please don't forget to review! Second chapter will be out soon!
Reviewers get a Mello plushie and a customary free Cadbury bar and a Beretta! He has absolutely nothing to do with this chapter, but c'mon…he's Mello…
Hope ya liked reading!