It was a silent funeral

It was a silent funeral. There were no guests, no grandiose celebrations, no speeches and words of thanks from famous people. Even those that he had the most encounters in his life were not at all present.

There was no one, almost nothing, except the bed he lies on, a small candle, and a crouched, pale figure watching him with eyes that were as dead as his. And there were no tears, not even the palest trace.

The clock struck 1 in the morning, and the crouched figure stood up. The candle was almost burned out; it cast a ghostly light upon the room, making it gloomier, as if every non-living thing in the room understood and was aware of the death that had just occurred.

Rain pattered against the windows. A shadow stretched across the room, its footsteps light and almost soundless. It stared at the dead figure on the bed, and with a deep sigh, covered the white blanket over the corpse. The crouched figure turned away slowly and closed the door behind as it left.

White had always been significant in this household. It was the only trace of life that can be found since Watari died, and now…even that white figure was dead too.

Akira prevented the tears that were coming. It bubbled up her chest like a warm fountain, but clenching her fists hard did the trick; and the warm fountain merely flooded in her chest, making it difficult to breathe.

Difficult to breathe…

She sank down on the cushion nearest to her, but sat up immediately as if branded by a hot iron. Looking down, she saw a colorful lollipop, still covered with a bright wrapper, as if beckoning her to eat. She forced a smile as she picked it up. She never liked candies—or any kind of sweets for that matter—but he did, and so she tolerated the smell of marshmallows and chocolates in a room whenever he was there. But today…today…

A faint beep from a laptop left ajar woke her up, and she hurried over to it. A message had arrived for Watari (incidentally, she forgot to fix the orphans' papers since Watari died weeks ago. It was his wish for Akira to take care of the other orphans belonging to Wammy's House) from agents scattered all over the world. They all have received her e-mail saying that—well, they all gave condolences.

I am sorry about his death. I shall mourn him with the highest respect.

FBI regrets this terrible loss. The world needs such a righteous man as he. We shall remember him and his contributions greatly. Thank you.

'Gits,' she couldn't help muttering. 'Where were these people when he died? Where was everybody?' And before she could stop it, guilt had resurfaced in her heart.

And where was I when he died?

Of course, Watari, if ever he's alive today, would say that it was not her fault that she didn't know. He had always worked alone, never told anyone of his plans and was content on musing silently. But still, those numbered and precious times that they were together…why? Why?

And finally, she allowed herself to wallow into thoughts and memories she forced herself to forget…

She followed the old man through a long tunnel resembling the airport chute that leads to the plane. Calm and composed, she watched as the old man stared into the sensor and then punched in the security code. One glance was all it took for her.

The old man turned to her with a smile. "You got the digits, am I right, Kyoko-san?"

Her smile broadened. "Yes. All 11 of them."

Watari beamed. "Of course. As expected."

He turned the knob and beckoned Akira to follow him. Akira smiled at the room before her. It was comfortable, almost homey, and gave the impression of being well-kept. There were tall bookshelves, soft and plump chintz chairs and coffee tables. It was a home, but it was also something else.

Monitors littered one wall, showing all areas of the place. There were wide tables littered with numerous folders and documents, laptops and other materials. A small hill of folders and envelopes were placed on one corner, and obviously, these are the pending cases and investigations Watari and his agents are solving.

The floor was carpeted with what seemed like an expensive rug, exactly matching the walls of the room. Akira also noticed one coffee table with a lamp where a chessboard was left open. Akira smiled at the abandoned game. The white pieces were outnumbered by the black pieces, but the white still had the queen, a bishop, rook and a knight. She took her eyes off the abandoned game.

What really struck her was the one table that was really an oddity amongst all. It was covered in different kinds of sweets: marshmallows, chocolates, sugar blocks, candies, toffees, pastilles…anything and everything. She also noticed the adjacent wall that stood like a candy bar. She turned to Watari.

"A child?" she asked with a quizzical half smile on her lips.

Watari smiled back. "No. Ryuzaki."

And the door opened to reveal a full-grown man; probably in his early 20's (though Akira had a strong hunch he was 25) with a ruckus of jet black hair, untidy yet charming enough, and eyes that were dark and shadowed, giving someone the feeling of being transparent, as if the very soul is being x-rayed. He was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt and jeans. He was barefoot, standing at almost 6. Tall and quite lanky, he stood in quite a slouching manner, giving the impression of carelessness over physical appearance.

His eyes scanned the room before finally resting at Akira.

She stared at him for a moment more, greatly piqued. He too stared back with such intensity as if she was a case to be solved for the FBI. Akira wondered what goes on behind that pallid, impassionate face.

Watari broke the deafening silence. "Ryuzaki. Meet Kyoko. She will be staying here for a while."

Having been bred and educated in European soil despite her Japanese parentage, Akira stepped forward and offered her right hand.

"Good evening, Ryuzaki-san," she said in her husky, controlled voice. "I'm Kyoko."

Ryuzaki looked at her extended hand before taking it in a limp handshake. Then he looked at her face once more.

As special agents, they are not allowed to speak their real names even in front of each other. They were assigned different code names, and for this instance, fake names. Despite being born as Setsuna Akira, she had taken a lot of undercover names while working for the FBI and other prestigious detective institutions. And Akira was very sure that Ryuzaki is not really Ryuzaki's name.

Watari spoke again. "Kyoko-san will stay here in Wammy's with us for a while, Ryuzaki. I'm sure you don't mind."

Ryuzaki gave the tiniest shrug, and then went over to his laptop. Akira watched as he sat—well it was like a squat but not quite—on the chair and started typing in the most unusual manner. She resisted the urge to smile and just looked at Watari.

"This is where you'll stay, Kyoko-san," said Watari as they walked to a single room.

"Kyoko," she said.

"Pardon me?"

Akira smiled. "Just call me Kyoko. Without the –san."

Watari smiled back. "Thank you, Kyoko. I hope you'll enjoy your stay here."

Akira looked at the room and placed her bags on the bed. "Wammy's House is very comfortable. I'm sure I'll be able to continue my cases here." Her eyes wandered over the soft, white bed, the pristine drawers and dresser.

"Everything you need is here already, Kyoko," said Watari.

Akira bowed and said "Thank you very much."

When Watari had left, Akira sat down on the bed and looked around. Unconsciously, her hand wandered to the necklace that hung round her neck. Her mind soared back to the place she left.

She had just finished a case for the British government when she was called by the FBI to help with the investigations for a mass human trafficking that's worrying the world. A little reluctant, she tried to ask for at least a one week vacation.

"Can't detectiveso Eraldo Coil or Deneuve do it? They're supposed to be super detectives," Akira reasoned out to her investigations chief through an online chat two nights ago.

Akira sensed the hesitation in the chief's reply, "They are both on very important cases and I cannot afford to hire a less specialized one for this particular assignment."

Akira sighed before typing in her reply. "You're just waiting for a woman detective because most of the victims are women. Are you?"

"Well, if you put it that way." Was the reply.

"Other detectives are solving 3 cases at a time—I just finished it all; why can't Deneuve or Coil do this? If they are solving a case right now, this human trafficking thing would just make their cases two, wouldn't it? So why me?"

"I told you, I don't want anyone stupid taking this one. C'mon make up your mind, Aisha, the FBI chief's breathing down my neck already."

She had used a fake name then. With a sigh, she typed back. "OK. Tell him I'm fine. Where is this?"

"Somewhere in Asia."

So she left, leaving the apartment she rented for the one week she needed to finish her previous case, and taking with her everything she had there—even the grief that had enveloped her the past few days. She did her best to put it at the back of her mind, as having emotions during a case is proven to be quite detrimental. Aside from that, she was fond of the rustic mountainside England offered, but then she welcomes the tropical weather Asia has to offer too.

So Japan was her destination. She had been there thrice, but she never got out of her hotel. Walking about the city had always been the one privilege she never could get in all her years as being a special agent. Maybe that's because I'm not a 'super detective' or something, she once thought.

She was not in the ranks of the three best detectives in the world namely: L, Eraldo Coil and Deneuve, but she was definitely among the top, probably just a shade less than these detectives. She had only known these detectives by name and accomplishment but she greatly respects and admires their works and achievements. Hopefully, she told herself, she would be in the ranks of these men in the future —probably, the only woman detective among them.

Akira closed her eyes as she continued in her musings. Wammy's House was not the same as her England home, but it was close to Western living. She knew that Wammy's House is an orphanage in England, but has many branches all over the world. This branch in Japan is similar to the Wammy's House she's seen in Ireland and America—the only difference is that the two orphanages are just…orphanages. Unlike this one in Japan where it is used as a headquarters for Watari and his agent, Ryuzaki. From what Akira knew, there is an on going investigation about a mysterious killer. Akira wondered who was assigned to solve the case and pin down the suspect.

Akira heard the low murmurs coming from outside her room. Looking up, she saw a tiny, blinking red light. She smiled to herself. Hidden camera…they could've done better. She stood up and examined it. Whoever was watching her now would probably be bored. She hasn't moved for a long time from a reclining position, and really, there was nothing much to see right now.

Yawning, she walked over to the bed and opened her bags, thinking of the case she had just been assigned to. She hasn't even started yet.

Well, they can't rush me into this, she thought. I might just pin down the wrong person…

She started unpacking and placing her clothes in the closet while thinking of her possible actions.

Human trafficking is the new business of the century. It has replaced the stock market or real estate. Well, in depressed countries, who ever heard of stock markets?

Akira finished unpacking her clothes; now she started unpacking the things she would need for her investigation.

I would need a workplace; this room's just too little.

She went over the door which opened automatically and looked for Watari.

"Watari-san?" she called, scanning the room with her eyes. The old man was not in sight. Only Ryuzaki was there.

"You called for Watari?" Ryuzaki asked.

"Yeah. May I know where he is?"

Ryuzaki looked up from his laptop. "He went out."

Akira looked a little disappointed. "Oh." She sighed. "Um…I wonder if…" She knew she should be used to other people with her, but she never was an extrovert and she had only met Ryuzaki minutes earlier, so she hesitated.

Ryuzaki looked at her expectedly, so she continued.

"Well, I need a workplace, and uh…my room's a little crowded, so is it possible if you could give me a place?"

Ryuzaki looked at her for a moment before standing up. He approached a wide table near the wall. "Watari had told me that you are here for an investigation. You could use this one."

Akira forced out a smile and glanced at the table. "Thanks. This is suitable."

Ryuzaki went back to his place without another word. Akira sighed and went to her room to get her other things. Seconds later she came back to the wide room carrying her laptop, a couple of documents, her cell phones (yes, she has three), a bunch of books, a landline phone, a few personal things, another laptop (smaller than the first) and other things she needed for the investigation. She set all these to her table and started sorting out. She placed the laptops side by side, followed by the landline phone on her right. She compiled the documents into a tall column. She left her cell phones scattered on the table along with other personal memorabilia. Lastly, the cords have to be connected to the main power switch…

Where the heck is the plug of this thing? Akira asked herself. While she fumbled with the wires, she had an unobstructed view of Ryuzaki working. Slouched with his face clouded with concentration, Akira found herself comparing him with her latest…partner. Unlike James who was a little muscular, Ryuzaki was quite lanky, with a ruckus of black, untidy hair and eyes that doesn't seem to sleep. James was more muscular, brown haired and with eyes that seem to smile. Akira sat on the carpet, slowly forgetting the wires she was supposed to be fixing. James…

James…

He was probably the longest part of her muddy past.

Author's note:

I don't own Death Note. I only own my plot and some made-up stuff.

This is my first time to publish a story and i do hope everyone will understand. Constructive criticism is very much appreciated. Thank you! ;)

Oh and I forgot to say that in my story, i might not be following the original plot of death note, which means I might not put in my story key locations as that of the manga and movie. I might also not follow the proper sequence of events. I will be using the movie as my chief referrence but I will of course refer to the manga and anime for key informations.

Important events that happened in the movie, anime and manga will be included but I do not promise that my story will meticulously follow the original plot.

Thank you for reading, reviewing and understanding. Keep the reviews coming and feel free to comment and suggest. I will post the next chapters soon.

Thanks everyone! ;)