Hello everyone! It's finally here! The long awaited rewrite of Curious Case. I'll tell you in advance, this story is a whole lot different from the previous one. So if you plan to read this, skipping chapters will only get you lost.

I'd like to thank my dear betareader, DaAmazingMeepers, who kept supporting all this years! Thank you so much! And I owe it also to all my readers out there who took the time to read the previous version and even waited this long and still kept reading! I love you, people! Enjoy reading!

-Aja (my nickname)

CURIOUS CASE

PROLOGUE

Light sighed at the newspaper in his hand, reading the headlines: KIRA ON THE LOOSE. Light hated it. The story about criminals dying in their prison cells of heart attack and police still out to find who the perpetrator is had been recycled again and again, making the front page on the news every time. It didn't come as a surprise anymore; after all, the thing has been going on for weeks.

The killings exacerbated even more after L's taunt on Kira. Light's eyebrows furrowed. It was indeed a very risky move for the great detective. Taunting an unidentified mass criminal via media could have lead to his death. It was an undeniably childish thing to do but also very clever. By baiting a criminal named Lind L. Taylor who was sentenced to die on that day, L was able to accomplish two things: determined Kira's location and discovered Kira's requirement for a person's name and face in order to kill.

Frankly, Light couldn't help but admire that person. L.

After the event has been shown on television, Light took action immediately, telling his father, Chief Souichirou Yagami, that he possesses information that could be vital to the Kira investigation.

Of course, it would be difficult to convince someone to believe him. Any rational person wouldn't have. Things like death gods and death notes, though written in the old myths of Japan literature, were always believed to be that, 'just myths'. They don't actually exist in the real world. He promptly refused to tell his father the full details, knowing that the highly fictitious story about the death note that he found at his school's courtyard and it being a possible tool that Kira used to kill would be immediately disregarded, even before they would reach L's ears.

He recalled his conversation with his father clearly in his mind.

"You have vital information on the kira case?" A surprised Chief Yagami repeated.

"Yes, father. It pertains to the tool that the kira could have used to kill those men."

Chief Yagami frowned and adjusted his large eye glasses. "Are you sure about this, Light?"

Light nodded confidently, despite the look of obvious doubt on his father's face. "I'm quite sure and, father…" Light inhaled, held it and gradually exhaled.

This is it.

"Father, I want to join the Kira investigation."

Chief Yagami sighed, seeming to have expected that his son would say those words exactly. He removed his glasses, put them on the kitchen table and rubbed the spot over the bridge of his nose. It was as Light thought, too. He knew convincing his father wouldn't be easy.

"Light, the dangers of being part of the investigation team is too high. You are well aware of that. As your father, I am not going to put you at risk." He frowned at Light. "You are far too young. Other than that, I am not allowed to recruit and take in more members. The kira investigation team is composed of few carefully chosen individuals."

"Father," Light said a tad too forcefully, "the importance of this information I have far exceeds my safety. I can't just stay here and do nothing. "

"You can trust me to relay this information you are about to tell me." Souichirou replied calmly, as if he hadn't heard what Light had said. "There is no need for you to get further involved in the investigation."

Light closed his eyes, reminding himself to be more patient. After a moment, he regained his control again. "I'm sorry, father. I can only tell the information once all the members of the investigation team are all there to listen. Most important, I'd like L to hear me out, too."

Chief Yagami's eyes grew wide then recovered instantly. "I see. You have figured that L's leading the Kira investigation team."He said, feeling pleased that his gifted son was able to put two and two together.

It is as Light believed. Other than L, no one was more vigilant and more up to the task to find Kira and have him executed for the recent unjust homicides. Blood rushed in his veins as the compelling idea of meeting the world's best detective face to face came to mind. If there was anyone else Light wanted to work with, it would be L himself.

"I meant no disrespect." Light dropped his gaze thoughtfully then looked up again to make contact with his father. "Please father… you'll have to trust me on this."

Light waited patiently for his father's reply.

After some thought and one exhilarated sigh, Chief Yagami finally gave in.

"Very well… I'll see what I can do to notify the team." Chief Yagami said as he went up to his room. Light who followed right after him on the stairs smiled at his father's back.

"Thank you, father..." I won't disappoint you. He opted to leave that last sentence out since it was more of a promise to himself than to his father.

Looking back, Light had always thought of himself as a highly capable and logical individual. His entire life had always been dull. School just wasn't challenging enough. And now that he carries the burden of the knowledge of death note, he can't simply stand and watch by the side lines.

Albeit the difficulties he knew he would surely face, Light was adamant. He knew he had to do it. And it would be a great honor for him to be able to lend the investigation team a hand.

Driven by his duty as a law abiding citizen of Japan and being greatly against the exploit of human rights, Light was prepared to put his life on the line to put an end to Kira's slaughter.

It was a real shame that he didn't have the actual death note in his hands. With it, things would have been easier. Showing actual evidence is more convincing than mere words, especially since they belong to a teenager.

The death note, he mused as he stared at his hands alone in his room that night. He had an ominous feeling when he touched it. Light could still remember the rules written in its pages so clearly, he was able to memorize it. He regretted not being able to finish reading it, though. If he had done so, he may have found more considerable evidence that those rules could have been related to Kira's power and ability to kill people with only a name and a face. He regretted it even more that he placed the note back on the grass and left it there, thinking it was a dud; an item that would enable others to write names of people they abhor and gain some satisfaction envisioning their deaths.

Something has to be done. But If something goes wrong… If L and the investigation team won't accept him and his story, then he might as well act and track Kira down on his own.

"Excuse me."

Broken out of his reverie, Light's gaze tore off from the newspaper to lay his eyes over the strangest individual he had ever seen.

"Do you mind if I sit next to you?" The man pointed awkwardly to the empty spot on the bench next to Light.

Despite his uneasiness, Light pretended to be unperturbed. This person who calls himself Ryuga Hideki had dark hair, wore a white shirt and blue jeans and had a weird stare. The person was the embodiment of awkward and alien by his appearance. But that wasn't the most intriguing thing about him. What caught Light's curiosity was the authenticity of Ryuga's name. It was questionable as he had the exact same name of a popular pop idol.

"Not at all… Hideki." Light replied politely.

Ryuga jumped on to the bench and bent his knees closely against his chest and abdomen. Light wasn't surprised. Ryuga did the exact same thing back at their Commencement Ceremony despite being told several times to sit normally. Though sloppy, he was no idiot. That was proven when Ryuga perfected the entrance exams just as Light did. Both of them were even chosen as equal freshmen representatives.

Wild. Peculiar. Genius. Sloppy. These were particular words that people might have used to describe this person next to him.

Hesitant to talk, Light placed his attention back to his paper and continued flipping the pages, rereading the news on the Kira case while simultaneously formulating plans in mind.

"You seem really interested in the Kira case, Mister Light Yagami." Ryuga said, peering over Light's newspaper.

Light dipped his head in response. "It's a very intriguing case."

"Indeed." Ryuga said, turning his head towards a professor who passed by and dropped his papers on the ground. Ryuga merely stayed still on his position on the bench completely indifferent.

"Well, one should keep himself updated on the current affairs. The detective L himself, had indicated that Kira was actually a student and in Japan. Every Japanese citizen ought to be on their guard." Light said, feeling surprisingly compelled to fill the gap of silence.

Ryuga didn't reply immediately, ingesting all the information Light had just given. It took rather long before Ryuga spoke again.

"Yagami, I know that you are the son police chief Souichirou Yagami. Your sense of justice must be great, just like your father's. "

Light cast a wary side way glance at Ryuga. The strange new transfer student was pressing a thumb to his lips and Light found it unsophisticated. He allowed Ryuga to continue whatever it is he wanted to say though he would rather be alone at the moment to fully concentrate on his plans for the Kira case.

"I've heard that you made numerous critical contributions to help solve crimes in the past and I trust your sense of justice and investigative skills, so if you can promise me not to tell this to anyone else, I am willing to share some critical information on the Kira case."

Light dropped down his gaze and saw that Ryuga couldn't even tie his shoes. He had no idea how Ryuga knew his father, but him posing as someone who does was laughable. In spite of his doubts, he couldn't let any information on the Kira case let pass. Hearing out the information Ryuga was about to impart, whether true or not, wouldn't hurt.

Light put his paper down on his lap pretending to take interest in listening to Ryuga.

"I promise. You can tell me." Light said. And please leave me as soon as you're done, he thought.

Ryuga Hideki jerked his head in Light's direction and in doing so held Light in place with an intense gaze utilizing his dark and overly huge eyes effectively. In three words, Ryuga was able to deliver the shocking revelation of his true identity.

"I AM L."

Note:

If you have any suggestions or corrections, please let me know! I appreciate constructive criticisms and ideas. The course of this story is actually easy to change and your comments might even affect how this story will end. Thank you!

(muse)Frappe: You may all go and resume your boring mundane activities.

Aja: BAD FRAPPE!