"Come on, Nia!" A brown haired girl smiled, her two small ponytails that were tied up lightly bounced up and down. Her brown eyes twinkled in the sun's afternoon rays. "I told you that it'll be fine. Besides, I have to get ready for tonight's photography shoot. I don't want to be seen as a commoner." She slightly pouted a bit. "That would be rude to Misa Misa."
"I do not care for celebrities." The pale boy in next to her left spoke, his gray eyes looking in front of him. "I dislike going out, why do I have to come with you if it's a routine haircut?"
"I want you to tell me how I look…" The girl gave a small smile.
Near gave a small pause, then answered, "Linda, you look great all the time. You're smarter than Misa and that is good enough for me."
"Don't say that!" She shouted a bit, feeling her own cheeks lighten up a bit. "Nia…" She gave another small smile, reaching over and hooking their arms together. "You know, for being antisocial, you really do know what to say."
He didn't move away, thinking about her response. "I believe that is because of the chemical–"
"Nia…" Linda warned with a small and playful tone, the smile never leaving her features. "You're the best boyfriend a girl could ask for." Leaning over, she kissed the pale cheek in front of her.
He looked over at the letters that read 'L Salon' in Old English MT font. Raising a slight eye in confusion, he walked forward a bit faster than Linda and reached for the door, opening it for her. He didn't motion her inside, wondering what the letter of the salon represented. Following her inside, his senses were greeted with harsh chemicals that smelled like nail polish, hair dyes, and other scents that he wasn't sure what to call them.
"Do you have an appointment?" A redhead at the counter asked, not looking up from the laptop that he was currently looking at, typing away.
"Matt!" Linda smiled at the other. Walking over, she leaned over the desk. "You know I do."
Quickly typing a few keys, he looked at her and gave a small smile that seemed rather sensual. Leaning over a bit he gave a small shrug. "I don't know, cutie, I always forget when I look into your eyes."
The girl moved back, a small blush coming onto her features. "You know I'm taken, Matt."
"Yeah, who is this mysterious boyfriend, anyways?" He changed his attitude rather quickly, leaning back and staring at her, expecting an answer, but decided to continue. "You always talk about how handsome he is and whatnot, but you've never showed Mels and me."
"Well…" She started, but was quickly interrupted by a voice behind Matt.
"Are you taking another break? Wait, is that the dating game you–"
"Mello, Linda's here." Matt spoke, a light strain on his voice, pure embarrassment covering his features as he looked elsewhere.
"Hi, Mello." Linda smiled.
"Your usual, Linda?" Mello asked, stretching a bit. "Matt, did you sign her in?"
"I was getting to that…"
"What are you waiting around for?" Mello frowned a bit, then stared at Linda and gave a small smile. Looking behind her, his eyes trailed down from the white locks to the hidden body that was behind a white button-up shirt, faded jeans, and gray sneakers. "May I help you?"
"No, I'm alright, thank you." The monotone voice came.
"He's with me." Linda commented, staring at them both.
"Oh?" Mello asked, leaning over a bit. He gave a sly small smile. "Really, now? Is this one for Matt?"
Linda's cheeks quickly blushed as she shook her head.
"Mels…" Matt started, a small frown on his face. "You know I'm not gay."
"I know, you're bi. So, what's your name?" The blond asked, staring into the gray emotionless eyes.
"Near." The male answered. He didn't make an effort to wrap an arm around Linda to get his point across, and instead, he stared into the cerulean eyes that were in front of him.
The girl opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Mello's voice.
"You're cute." He spoke, the sly smile remaining on his lips.
Matt's lips twitched upward quickly, then returned to their frown while clicking on the keys of the red and black laptop. He kept navigating through the virtual world. "Are you interested, Mello?"
"He's taken." Linda interrupted, knowing that it was rather rude. She gave a small and shy smile, rubbing her arm slightly. "I'm sorry, boys."
"Really?" Blue eyes looked from gray to brown. "He must be a lucky guy."
"I'm not homosexual." Near answered, a small frown on his features. "I'm Linda's boyfriend."
The tapping on the keys immediately stopped as eyes flickered up from the bright screen that was hidden by orange goggles. "You're what?"
"Guys…" Linda kept smiling, trying to push the awkward atmosphere away. She motioned over to the guy standing in front of her. "This is Near, my boyfriend. The one I can't stop talking about."
There was a huge wave of silence as two pairs of eyes – green and blue – stared at the pale figure in the black, white, and red salon.
"This is…" Mello started, wondering what to say. "Near…"
"Yes." Linda nodded, oblivious to the flirting the blond tried with her boyfriend.
"Well, let's get to hair cutting so you won't be late for Misa." Matt started, turning their attention away from the uncomfortable situation.
"Come on." The blond motioned her over with his hand, digging into his apron to take out a pair of silver scissors.
"So…" Matt started, staring at the individual in front of him. His eyes flickered down to the body, quickly moving up to the gray eyes that were staring at him. "Are you going to get your hair cut too?"
"No." Near started, looking elsewhere. "My hair is fine, thank you." He sat down at the chair by the door, staring at the wall. Bringing up a hand, he started to twirl a piece of long hair. He didn't notice the green eyes that watched him from behind the orange goggles, but he did notice the eyes that were flickering in the mirror after a few minutes. Gray eyes stared at the hairdresser that was cutting his girlfriend's hair, staring at the other's body. Dull irises trailed down the man's blond hair that was tied in a ponytail, down to the black shirt that was covering his shoulders and broad back, the black pants, and black shoes to match with the outfit. He barely paid attention to the white apron that had a large 'L' in front of it with the same Old English MT font as the front of the store.
Shifting his eyes away before Mello caught sight of his own, he stared over at the man that was currently typing on the keyboard. He observed the red hair, thinking about how rare it was and if the man behind the keyboard was naturally a redhead or not. Shifting his eyes again, he looked at the pictures of a lot of women that had different hairstyles with diverse colors. He shifted his eyes again, taking note that there weren't any clients. The only ones in the salon were the four, which made the white-haired man confused.
He shifted his eyes once more, he caught the salon worker's eyes in the mirror. Before he could analyze what the emotions were behind it, they were turned down to the wet locks of brown hair. Turning his gaze elsewhere while his finger continued to twirl his hair, he couldn't help but think of the earlier situation that happened a few minutes ago.
Even though Linda is my girlfriend, I felt no jealousy when Matt started to flirt with her. As for Mello, he started to flirt with me. Linda seemed to be in an awkward position when he started, but she quickly stopped it. They seem to know her by name. She seems to be a regular client here. Does this mean that Matt is interested in her and Mello is interested in me? I have never had a man interested in me before. To be honest, my feelings toward Linda… I have doubted them since I got in a relationship with her. I only said 'yes' because… she is the only one that comes close to my expectations of being considered intellectual. She knows a lot about photography, but even now, it doesn't seem enough.
"Did you see that case on the television about that guy? He pleaded being insane." Linda started, looking up at the blond hairdresser that was cutting her hair. "Do you really believe he is, Mello?"
He continued to cut her hair, shifting his blue eyes away from the white figured that was sitting at the door with comfortable pajama clothing. He gave a small smile, knowing that Near was smart due to Linda's comments every time she came in for a regular haircut. "No, I think he's sane. I'm not a psychologist, but anyone can see it. He says that he has an addiction to drugs, but it's obvious he isn't. He isn't showing any withdrawal symptoms."
Linda gave a small smile, not being able to nod due to the scissors that were currently cutting her hair. "I guess… I noticed that, but I thought they would be giving him something."
"Like I said, I don't know, but I doubt he's insane." Mello cut a few more brown strands, letting them fall onto the ground.
"Near thinks that he's not insane either, but I don't see it that much." She spoke, moving her head when Mello's hand repositioned it. Brown eyes stared at the strands of hair on the ground, the small smile still on her features. "Maybe you two are just too special for it. Have you thought about going to the local university to get a job as a detective?"
"I don't have enough money." He answered, flickering his eyes toward the mirror, staring at gray eyes that were looking back at him.
"You don't?" Linda asked, not noticing the interaction that was going on through the mirror.
"No." He replied, cutting a few more strands. "Besides, I got this good job and I rather not leave Matt alone. He's a lazy guy and I look out for both of us at times."
"Oh…" Her voice trailed off, a small hint of sadness behind it. "Don't you get paid enough here? I mean, just for a normal haircut its $200, right?"
Near's eyes slightly widened at that, staring at the two. He gave a small frown, wondering why Linda would spend a lot of money on her hair. Then again, she is a girl. Girls really like to have nice things and this might be one of them. Also, with her photography job, she does get a good pay. I should ask her to stop spending too much on materialistic things. I dislike them, to be honest, and they're useless items to have. I rather have a textbook than a haircut if it costs this much. Then again, it's that Misa girl she's always trying to impress. Is this the reason why this place does not have enough costumers right now?
"Yes, our boss pays us rather well." Mello said, putting the instruments away. He grabbed a black blow-dryer and round brush. Starting to work on her hair, he gave a small smile. "He's real nice, to be honest. We thought he was going to be a weird person, but no, he's actually pretty cool."
"What's his name? Why is he never here?" She asked, giving into her curiosity.
"That's confidential." The hairdresser teased, a small smile on his features. "He doesn't want us to share his information for some reason. I don't know why either nor do I ask. He doesn't seem like the shady type and I rather not get into what's not my business."
"He sounds cool already." Linda smiled gently, watching at Mello smoothly worked through her hair to make it level and dry.
As the both kept idly chatting about things, Near's gray eyes trailed with the other's motions of his hands. He could feel Mello's eyes on him through the mirror a couple of times and wondered if he was that attractive to him. Mello is attractive, though. I wonder why he's single if he seems to have it all. By listening to the conversation, most people think that the criminal is legally insane, but he and I see it differently. He has the body of what women want, but is he only interested in men? Or does he also have high expectations?
"Alright, we're finished." Mello spoke, staring at the work in front of him. He moved his tanned fingers throughout the girl's hair, a small smile on his lips as he admired his work. "You can pay Matt when you walk out." He stretched a bit again.
"Thanks, Mello." Linda smiled, hopping off the chair and walking over to the front desk after he had removed the materials from her body. "So, why did you both come here to Los Angeles from England?"
Matt held out his hand for the balance due and gave a small shrug. He tapped his fingers lightly against the desk. "Why not tell me first, cutie?"
Her cheeks slowly tined a color pink. She dug her hand into her pocket and opened her light blue wallet, handing over the money. She gave a small smile at that. "I rather not say, but Nia is from England too. Maybe we can all talk about it someday."
"Sure." Matt said, not interested on what she said. He took the two hundred dollar bills from the girl. He gave a small smile that barely showed any effort and slipped the dollar bills into the cash register. "Well, I'll see you when, in…?" Matt asked, clicking on the keyboard a few more times.
"Three weeks, Matt." Mello commented, grabbing a water bottle. He opened the cap, nearly gulping all of its contents as he gave a small sigh. "Ah."
"Sure, does that work for you, Linda?" He looked up from the screen, his goggles concealing his emerald eyes.
"Yes." Linda nodded, turning around to look at Near. "Nia, why don't you try and get a haircut? I'm sure you'll like the experience, really!"
"I don't want to waste my money on such an expensive thing, Linda. The rent of my apartment in this city is already enough." He spoke, continuing to twirl his long lock of hair.
"I'll pay for it." She gave a small smile. "I mean, you haven't gotten one since you've arrived from England, right?"
"Yes, that is correct, but it is not necessary."
"Near, that was almost a year ago. I'm surprised that it just reaches your neck." She quickly turned her attention over to Matt, ignoring her boyfriend behind her. "He'll take a slight trim." She opened her wallet again, taking out two more hundred dollar bills and handed them over to the black gloved hand.
"…" Near said nothing, knowing that Linda had already made the transaction. He felt the texture of his own hair, knowing that in certain areas it was long enough to wrap a few times around his finger. Perhaps she is right about this. Perhaps I do need a haircut. I dislike having long hair and due to the priorities, I have not been able to look for a good hair salon that is cheap.
Suddenly, a phone ringing broke the silence from the four. Linda quickly went into her pocket and took her phone, answering quickly. "Yes?" Her eyes slightly widened at the voice on the other line. "Oh, what?! Yes, of course! I'll be right there." Quickly hanging up, she turned her attention to Near. "I have to go. The camera broke and I have to go over and fix it. Take the haircut, Nia. Matt, Mello, don't let him take the money back." With that, she quickly left, a small triumph smile on her face.
"Sure thing, cutie." Matt spoke, hitting the keys a bit lazily.
"…" Near remained quiet, staring at the two of them with an emotionless face. I don't feel the need to defend Linda nor do I feel jealous. I know this is a bad sign since Matt may take it as a sign to go after her, but then again, do I really want that?
"Come here." Mello commanded, motioning him over. "Let's cut that hair."
Near said nothing, walking over slowly. Sitting down on the chair, he looked down at Linda's brown hair that lay on the ground. Feeling Mello wrap a sheet around his body and snap it with the buttons at the back, he remained quiet, continuing to stare at the blond's actions. He watched as a tanned hand reached over to get a thin piece of paper, wrapping it around his neck. Near shifted his eyes a bit to the mirror when he felt Mello's fingers brush against his neck a bit longer than they were supposed to. "…"
"How short do you want the trim?"
Thinking about his response, he dug into his phone pocket and dug out his phone. Going through the apps and finally going into the 'Gallery' file, he held up the phone with a bored expression. The picture showed Linda and Near hugging each other, Linda smiling and Near's emotionless face staring directly at the camera while the Big Ben was in the background.
"Alright, I can do that." He gave a small nod at the image, staring at how the hair was layered and how short the locks were. "You know how to talk though, don't you?" He asked, taking the scissors that he had used previously.
"Yes." Near answered, wondering what Mello wanted him to answer. He stared at the scissors in the other's hand that were put away in the apron, being replaced by a small red water bottle and a black comb. "Do I need to communicate with you while having my hair cut?" The white-haired boy asked bluntly, looking at the other dead in the eyes through the mirror. He was almost content with the small frown that was on the other's lips with the matching annoyed look in the crystal blue eyes.
"No, you don't. You have that right or are you asking a rhetorical question?" He said slightly annoyed, his eyes full of emotion and determination.
Near's eyes slightly lit up with the same emotions, his lips twitching a bit, but stopping in their tracks at the other's reaction. "I don't know, Mello. Aren't you smart enough to figure it out if you are smart enough conclude that a criminal is not mentally insane?"
Sky blue irises slightly widened at the comment, but quickly regained their composure. "I think you were being a big-headed person." He answered, starting to spray water on the snowy white locks. There was a small ghostly smile on his face. "You know, those types of people that think they know-it-all."
Slightly pale lips slightly twitched at the word, but instead, he found the hairdresser interesting. He knew that they were beginning to play a game of who could insult the other more without using harsh words and Near was reeled into the game almost immediately, taking Mello's invite. "I am a genius."
"Oh?" Mello asked, continuing to spray the white locks wet. "Are you sure you're not someone who's just a wannabe?"
"Would you like to test each other's academic knowledge?" Near asked, feeling the comb go through his now-wet hair.
"If you think you can try." The blond's lips turned into a small smirk as he stared at the other.
"Alright then, you're on."
He kept combing gently through the white hair, the opposite of what his words were portraying – strength and confidence.
Near said nothing, waiting for the first question to be begin. Soon after, the question came, and he answered it, knowing the answer immediately. Staring at the hairdresser's baffled look, he asked a question quickly, catching the other off guard. Soon, the questions that were only answered were pure criminology questions and 'what if' scenarios. Every single question that they had thrown the other, going back in history to famous murders, they got everything correct. Both of them knew the difference from myth and pure facts that the public had given them. Soon after, the questions stopped completely. Both eyes were bright with interest, a tiny smile on Near's face that matched with the small smirk on Mello's lips.
"Alright, we're all done." The hairstylist spoke, running his fingers through the pure white locks of hair. He slipped his hand throughout them a bit longer, letting his hand slightly linger there for a few more seconds that were obvious to the other. "Do you use anything in your hair? It's rather soft."
"I don't use anything on it." Near spoke, staring at the lingering fingers through the mirror. He felt his lips wanting to twitch slightly, but held it back. Subconsciously, he leaned into the touch.
"I see." Mello answered, pulling away even though the desire was strong. "Alright, you're free to go." He pulled at the small white piece of paper wrapped around the white-haired boy's neck, then the sheet that protected his attire from getting dirty. "I doubt you'll come back in three weeks, but I'd recommend it for not getting split ends. Call it a free tip of advice."
"Thank you, but I don't believe I care that much about my looks. The only useful thing you could give me right now is a ride home. I don't know how to drive nor do I know how to go home with public transportation." He indirectly asked, not meeting the other's gaze.
"…" Blue eyes slightly widened at the comment, but there was a small smile. "Fine, I'll take you home. You'll have to pay me back somehow, though."
"I will when I get home."
"Alright. Matt! I'm taking my break." The hairdresser answered. "I'll be back in maybe half an hour."
"You got it, boss." Matt spoke, continuing to mindlessly click the spacebar of the laptop while reading the words on the screen.
"Get your mind out of that dating game and actually work, lazy." He held back the profanity he wanted to use, unsure if Near would be alright with it or not.
"Mm." The redhead answered, continuing to click at the key.
Taking off the apron, the blond rolled his eyes. "Clean up this mess, will you?" He didn't wait for the answer, pulling back at the tie on his hair. He set his hair free, walking out of the shop after putting the apron on the chair that Near occupied a few seconds ago. "Come on." Mello commanded.
"Mmm." Matt replied, Near being the only one that listened to it while he walked out the door.
The small male followed the other, staring at the motor vehicle in front of him, a slight puzzling look on his face. Staring up at the man, he quietly asked the question.
"What? It's just a motorcycle. Do you want a ride home or not?"
"…" He didn't hesitate with the decision of holding out his pale hand for the helmet. Grabbing the black exoskeleton that would protect him, he placed it on his head, noticing that the hairdresser didn't wear a helmet himself. "Do you only have one?" He asked.
"Yeah, but don't worry about it." He sat down on the bike, a small smile on his lips. "Hop on and hold on tight."
Near said nothing, wrapping his leg around the body of the raven black motorcycle and snaked his arms tightly around Mello's waist. He pushed his body a bit forward, knowing that being in a car was hard enough, but being on a motorcycle that only had two wheels? As he scooted a bit more as the hairdresser started the bike, he could smell a bit of faint chocolate on the other individual. Is it this strong that I can smell it through the–
His thought was quickly cut off when the bike lunged forward, making Near's eyes slightly widen as he gripped tighter onto the body that was in front of him. He felt a faint blush on his cheeks as his own body was pressed against the others. Listening to the motor, he wondered if the man in front of him let out a chuckle.
"Where do you live?" He asked, breaking the silence of the road even though the air was rushing past both of their ears.
Near started to give directions while the both navigated through the big city of Los Angeles, California. Before long, they were in front of an apartment building. "I appreciate the assistance." Near got off of the bike, taking off the helmet and handing it over.
"Sure." Mello revealed a small deviant smile to the other.
Before Near could think of what the smile meant or caused, he watched as the other drove off in the bike. Turning around, he walked inside the building, reaching back to gently scratched at the back of his collar. Taking up the elevator to the highest floor of the building, he stepped out of the small confinement and dug into his pockets for the key. A small frown was met with his features as he took out three items – one that was foreign. He stared at his own keys, then at his cellphone, and lastly, a piece of paper. Deciding to ignore the paper for now, he slipped the key inside the keyhole, turning it to open the white door that matched with his hair color.
Entering the room, he stared at the living that many people in Los Angeles would be envious of. The penthouse apartment was rather wide and the view outside was incredible. Walking over to where the balcony was, he opened the glass doors. Walking out onto it, he stared at the pool that was right there, thinking about his words that he thought about towards Linda.
"I am a hypocrite…" He walked around the beautiful pool that had a border of smooth black rocks, walking to the edge of it, grabbing onto the silver railing that had glass on it. Staring out into the city, he gave a small sigh, thinking about Mello's intellectual answers.
Deciding to push the thought aside, he stared at the small folded piece of paper. He wondered what Linda's message was, but when he opened the contents, he noticed that it wasn't her writing at all, but someone else's. He stared at the ten-digits that contained the area code followed by the individual's numbers. A small frown was on his lips as he wasn't sure who would give him such a message, but figured it out almost immediately. The only man that had been close to him was Mello.
"…" Thinking about what he should do with the information that was at his fingertips, he decided to close the note up again. He gave a small sigh as he looked out into the city, the sun casting off its own shadow. "I wonder if I should have even gotten this apartment. I'm a real hypocrite for thinking that Linda should not waste her money for her own materialistic things for Misa, while I'm here, at this penthouse suit with a pool that is rarely used."
Shaking his head in a bit of shame, he went back inside and put the three things on the counter. Stretching slightly, he gave a small sigh as he walked over to his own bathroom. Discarding his clothing, he took a quick shower and got re-dressed in a pair of identical clothes that were abandoned on the floor. Later, he sat down at a stool, in front of where the three items were. He checked his phone, noticing that Linda had been too busy to send him an actual text message or call. Instead, he turned his attention away from the mobile device, staring at the phone number that was written on the piece of paper.
"He is obviously interested in me and it's bold that he thought about giving me his phone number, but should I go down that path? Wait, what am I thinking? I'm with Linda, but she does always pester me to make new friends…" He started, a small frown on his features. Giving a small sigh, he looked elsewhere, twirling his new layered hair, a small smile coming onto his lips as he thought about the blond hairdresser. "He was…"
Shaking his head slightly, he tapped his fingers idly onto the counter. Instead of dwelling with the matter more, he went into another room. Walking inside, he stared at the work on his desk that he needed to get to – the beige files closed while pieces of papers were scattered all over. "I need to continue to work on that case with the 'World's Greatest Detective.'" He mumbled, walking over to it. Turning on the computer that was next to his desk, he started clicking at the keys, thinking about it. Subconsciously, he brought up a knee to his chest. "Why is he still on my mind?"
"Who is still on your mind?" A voice spoke out from the computer when it turned completely white, an Old English MT font 'L' covering the screen. "Are you talking about me?"
"No, L." He spoke, staring at the files that were scattered. Moving the pieces of paper aside and piling them up slightly, he gave a small smirk. "I am not gay."
"No, but I do believe that you are bisexual or at least sapiosexual. Would you like me to go over the conclusion or will you 'remain in the closet' as society says about humans that cannot accept their own feelings toward the genders that they are attracted to?"
"I understand what you mean." Near spoke, a small hint of annoyance through his voice as he heard the voice from the computer. He could barely hear the emotional tone of the other and relied on the words instead. "You know, you can schedule an appointment instead of hacking my computer."
"Where is the fun in that?"
"…" The white-haired boy said nothing, knowing that 'L' was rather a child. "About the recent case–"
"Who is on your mind, N?" The detective on the other side of the computer spoke.
"A man." He bluntly answered, staring at the pictures of the crime scene.
"I see…" The tone of voice remained computerized and monotone, but there seemed to be a very minute hint of curiosity hinting at the words. "Well, would you like to discuss it?"
"No, I don't." He quickly answered, wondering why the man on the other line was persistent. "Why? Are you interested in me?"
"Romantically? No, I am not. Neither am I interested in you sexually. However, I may be completely lying to you, but I'll let you conclude that on your own. What I am interested in is who this person is that has captured your attention. You rarely talk to yourself out loud in front of a device that you know can be hacked quickly."
"Is that your way of saying that way of sugarcoating things and saying that you're interested in my personal life?"
"It may be."
A small smirk was on the pale lips at the answer. Usually, he would be annoyed if anyone had answered with that since he was the one that answered that way when people asked him things, but when it came to L, he had a lot of respect for the man. He had already concluded that L was not a woman even though he had no information on the individual. "Alright, then. I'll answer your questions if you answer one of mine, it's a fair trade, is it not?"
There was a pause before an answer. "Yes, that would be correct."
"I went with Linda to a salon and we got our hair cut. I talked with the man that cut my hair on any academic subject that we could think of and one academic question lead to another. He answered all of my answers perfectly and even adding a bit more that I knew but was not required for the right answer. He also asked me questions that were not normal and the scenarios we created were intriguing. Now, L, it's your turn to answer my question."
"Of course, but be aware that I may lie."
"That's common sense. Humans lie all the time, but moving onto my question. Are you the three major detectives of this world?"
There was a long pause after that. Near was about to speak again, but was interrupted by a voice on the other line of the computer.
"Yes, I am. I would also like for this conversation to be kept between us. Now, about this individual, you seem to be rather interested in him more than Linda. I shall explain before you go on the defensive. One, you talked about a man when you were alone, which is rare since you rarely say anything when you are alone. Two, you talked about him, which is also rare on its own because you never talk about Linda, even though she is your girlfriend. Three, your voice slightly changed when you talked about him. Four, I do believe that if he is smart enough, then he will catch your attention later on if he has not already."
"…" Near stayed quiet, listening to the other's conclusion. A small frown was on his lips as he listened to L's comments, knowing that his opinion was highly valued. Instead of arguing with it or going into the defense like the other mentioned, he remained quiet to analyze the situation. "He gave me his phone number." Near finally answered, knowing that it was out of character to open up about his personal life, much less talk about it to the man that he idolized.
"I see. Are you going to do anything with that number?"
"I wouldn't mind being his friend, but I am taken, L. I have Linda as a girlfriend and thinking about going with another man to have a boyfriend with is–"
"Both you and I know that your feelings for Linda are only projections that you create to satisfy yourself and society. I don't believe you actually like her and that you are interested in this man you keep mentioning. You should be happy and pursue what you want, Near. It is the twenty-first century, not the Middle Ages. Do not manipulate the girl into false hope or feed into it. Besides, if you are sure this male likes you, then, would you take the chance for him instead of being with your girlfriend? When I hired you, I knew that it wasn't because you were an idiot, N. I know that you are a social idiot, but that does not excuse you from what you are going to put the girl through if this keeps up."
"…" Near remained quiet, listening to the other's harsh words. He wasn't sure why he believed L or why something told him that he was making a huge mistake by leading his girlfriend on into false hope. He didn't want a family with her, nor did he want anything to do with her romantically. There was no spark or anything from fairy tales. Even then, he had read a lot of articles what it was like to be with the person one liked and he knew that his chemical imbalance in the brain wasn't high or that his brain was giving itself pleasure like the drug cocaine did. He hesitated a bit before turning to the letter of his monitor, asking the question he would never ask another individual under any circumstance. "What do you believe I should do?"
"I believe you should break up with the girl face-to-face, explain why, and message that man that currently has your interest."
"…" Near thought about the option that his idol had put in front of him, knowing that between both of them, L was a genius at everything. He knew that the man had enough social skills to get anyone and he was currently the three major detectives in the world that everyone praised. His opinion was highly valued and right now, he was giving him personal advice. It seemed surreal, but Near was going to take it. He didn't want to break Linda's heart more than it was already going to break. "Alright."
"Now, back to this case…" The robotic monotone voice trailed off.
Three hours later, the meeting had ended. Both detectives had discussed what the other one thought about and in the end, it seemed that they were closer to catching the current killer. He gave a small sigh, which was abnormal, as he thought about L's words. He stared at the keyboard that had black letters printed on them, then at his reflection in the monitor that had been turned off.
Before he could actually go into depth of thinking, he heard his phone ring. A small frown was emitted from his lips as he stood up from the chair and cracked his back slightly in the process. Walking over to the phone that was abandoned, he stared at the screen name that read 'Linda.' Reaching over, he slid his finger across the screen and brought the phone next to his ear, his dull eyes staring at the taunting piece of white paper that had numbers on it. Reaching over, he opened the folds while placing the phone between his shoulder and ear.
"Yes?" He answered, frowning slightly when he heard the high pitch voice on the other line – it was Misa's voice in the background.
"Nia! I'm so sorry! I thought we were going to take an hour or two, but then I started to work." Linda voiced her concern.
"It's alright, I got a ride home." He answered, continuing to stare at the numbers.
"Oh, you did? That's great."
"Yes, it was Mello."
There was a small silence, then the girl spoke up again. "That's good. I need to make sure I thank him later. I won't be off of work until eleven tonight, I'll see you tomorrow, yes?"
"Yes. Linda, I have something to tell you." Near spoke, his voice void of emotion.
"Oh? What is it?"
"I would rather discuss it in person, if you do not mind." Near knew that it would mean more that way and he did not want to ruin or sabotage his girlfriend's work. "Goodnight and sweet dreams, Linda." Before she had time to respond, he moved his finger over the screen and tapped the red glowing button. Setting it aside, he stared at his screen saver that was of a tower of cards that he made years ago. His lips would have twitched slightly at the memory, but he turned his attention back to the paper.
"It wouldn't hurt to find out whose number this is." He started pushing in the same numbers onto the phone, pressing the button that was green with a white telephone symbol in the middle. This time, he held the phone as he waited on the line rather eagerly. He counted the ringing, then heard the other line pick up at the third ring. He felt his heart slightly speed up, but maintained his composure.
"Yeah?" A familiar voice spoke.
"Mello." Near answered before he could think about what to ask or answer with first.
"Yep. That you, Near?"
"Yes, it is." Near answered, wondering about the questions that were rapidly racing against his mind. He decided to ask the most obvious one, listening to the other's background. He noticed that it was completely silent. "Why did you sneak your phone number into my pocket?"
There seemed to be a small pause, then an answer from the hairdresser. "You figured that out by yourself? How cute, Near."
"Yes, I did. Now may I have my answer?"
"I'm a bit busy to actually explain it to you. Do you mind if I call back later?"
"What are you doing, exactly?" Near twirled a piece of hair with his left hand, a hint of curiosity covering his features with annoyance.
"I'm…"
"Come back to bed already, baby. We still have two more rounds to go before we break our record of three." Matt's voice interrupted the two.
"You little… Near, I'm busy. I'll call you later."
With that, the tone went dead. Gray eyes blinked slightly as he put the phone down, knowing what the other was most likely doing. "…"
He felt a small frown twitch at his lips at the thought, wondering where he missed the signs. He twirled his hair a bit more, thinking about the conversation. "Perhaps he is not interested in me after all." Near spoke, knowing that he could have read the signs wrong.
Standing up, he took his phone and walked into a fourth room that wasn't the bedroom, office, or bathroom. He put the phone aside, grabbing a puzzle that he had gotten in admiration of L before anything had started. He flipped the puzzle over, closing his eyes. "…"
In less than two minutes, he had the puzzle completed. He repeated the action of dumping the pieces back into the ground, starting over again after the ceremonious action. He felt relaxed with the repeated actions, forgetting completely about time. There wasn't a smile on his lips to show how happy he was feeling, but the emotions were still there. After finishing the puzzle seventeen times, he felt his phone ring next to him while he held the board up in the air, dumping over the pieces. He noticed that it was the same digits he had called earlier, not registering the contact as a normal one.
Grabbing it and sliding his finger across the screen, he held it up to his ear. "Yes?"
"I told you I would call you back, didn't I?"
Once again, Near paid attention to the background of the other, listening to nothing but complete silence. "Yes, you did."
"To explain your earlier question, I wouldn't mind being your friend. Besides, Linda always tells us that you're lonely and antisocial."
"…" Near thought about that for a while. I am going to break up with Linda tomorrow and I may want to talk to someone about it even though I do not have feelings toward her, I do have feelings of friendship, if that makes sense. I don't want to pester L with my problems more than I have to. It's settled, then, I'll have him as a friend.
"Hello?"
"I wouldn't mind being your friend either." Near spoke his words smoothly with a monotone voice. He felt a small smile twitch at it, but L's words lingered in his mind. He wondered how much the detective knew about him and his personal life, but he would find that out later. "You cut my hair well and it's like this man back in England did it. It almost feels as if I went back home to get one, you are rather incredible."
"I'll take that as a compliment. I'm still shocked that your hair is naturally white."
"Yes, that is very rare. Like your friend with the red hair."
"You mean Matt? Yeah, I know. He got lucky when he entered the gene pool and came out."
Near thought the comment was funny, but instead of laughing, he brought up a leg to his chest. He twirled his hair a bit again, thinking about the earlier phone call. "He is your boyfriend, correct?"
"Matt? Fuck no. He was messing with you earlier. He got annoyed at me that I caught him with his little dating game or whatever. He used that as revenge."
"I see." Near kept twirling his hair, staring out the window at the city's lights. It was almost completely dark out, the night coming into an end. "Did you ever go to college?"
"Me? No. I didn't have enough money and I decided to move to America instead. Matt followed me along. We've been best friends ever since we've been young. We're practically brothers that get on each other's nerves once in a while, but always look out for each other, no matter what the circumstances are."
"That's rather intriguing. May I ask what you were busy with?"
There was a pause that Near thought was the other thinking hard of the question, but he kept listening to the background static that didn't give anything away. He wondered where Mello currently was, but didn't persist when the answer came.
"I do mind and I won't answer that."
"Are you a criminal?" Near asked almost immediately, his detective mode turning on.
"I might be. I'll leave that little mystery to you. You like games, don't you?"
"Yes, I do." Near asked, wondering how much Linda had told both of them. Instead of asking that, he continued to stare at the city's lights that were illuminating from different types of buildings with various sizes and different number of windows. Mello doesn't seem to be flirting with me anymore. He doesn't even seem interested. I wonder if it's because of Linda or the fact that I am taken. Now I feel like pushing the limits of that thought. Would he react if I dropped hints that I won't have a girlfriend anymore? Would his friend Matt take that to an advantage and get together with Linda when he possibly could? That shouldn't bother me, but for some odd reason it is. Is it because I feel overprotective of Linda because she's fragile?
"Then figure it out."
"I may not have time to figure it out completely." Near spoke, baiting the other to take it.
"Really now?" The sensual voice came, a hint of interest coating it.
"Yes, I have to think of a tough decision that involves Linda first. Perhaps then, I will be able to think about you."
"Oh?" Mello wondered out loud, then asked the question that Near had been waiting for. "What's going on with Linda?"
"I…" Near paused for effect, then continued. "I may break up with her."
Now, it was time for Mello to pause. He didn't say anything for a while, then managed a small, "Oh…"
"Yes."
"Well, I'll have to let you go. Someone's calling me right now."
"I see." Near spoke, not nodding at the other's words even though he felt like it. "Goodnight, Mello."
"Yeah, Near, you too."
The line cut off then and Near listened to the silence. Pocketing his phone, he cleaned up the puzzle pieces, a small sigh escaping his lips. After finishing putting the puzzle pieces back into their place, he placed the box where he had gotten it. Standing up, he walked to his room after turning off all the lights of the penthouse, replacing them by turning on the ones in his room. Near entered the room that only had three different colors: black, gray, and white.
Grabbing the charger from his side, he placed the phone next to his bed, on the white nightstand. His white-sock covered feet walked on the wooden floor that had none of the three colors that the rest of his room portrayed. He turned off the lights and lay down on his bed. Staring up at the ceiling that was bright, he couldn't get Mello off of his mind. The facts that the boy knew was incredible. He never went to college, but it seems as if he did by the way he talks and even structures his sentences. However, the conversation on the phone… he seemed to have used profanity. I wonder why. He didn't answer my question if he was a criminal or not and wants me to figure it out. Is he trying to manipulate me?
Staring to close his eyes, he felt the mysterious wonder about the other individual. Linda was put off aside as he kept continuing to look at the white ceiling. A small sigh escaped his lips as he sat up and looked over at his phone, the urge to contact his number was getting to him. It was odd, abnormal, and Near wondered what it meant when he wanted to contact that number. Shaking his head a bit, he continued to stare at the ceiling. Staring at it blankly, a small frown came onto his lips. Reaching over to check the time on his phone, Near stared at the blue numbers that read: 10:01PM.
Touching the screen a few times, he entered the contact into his phone and labeled him 'Mello.' Stretching slightly, he laid back down and closed his eyelids, concealing his dull gray eyes. It seemed that it had only been a couple of seconds, but his phone gave a small buzz. A frown was on his lips as he looked over. Blinking slightly, he turned over to look at the clock on the wall, his eyes completely adjusted at the darkness. It read: 11:05.
Blinking a bit again, he wondered what Linda wanted, knowing that she had gotten out of work five minutes ago. A small sigh escaped his lips as he took the phone into his hands, staring at the message that he thought was his girlfriend, but was from someone else completely. It was from a woman by the name Halle.
Halle: Sweetie, is everything alright with you and Linda?
Blinking sleepily, he stared at the name, wondering why his mind had thought it was Mello from all people. He gave a small reply, knowing that it would calm the blond woman on the other end of the phone, but knew that it would raise more questions.
Near: Yes, thank you for your concern.
Pushing his phone away again, he closed his eyes slightly. Mumbling an incoherent word to even his own ears, he tried to let sleep overtake him again, but felt his phone buzz to the side. He knew it was Halle wanting more information.
Halle: Are you sure? She seemed a bit worried, honey. You know you can talk to anything about me if you need to.
Near closed his eyes, trying to stay awake. He quickly moved his finger over the screen, replying back to the message.
Near: I'm positive. Thank you for your concern.
Putting his phone away again, expecting no messages from the blond woman this time, he closed his eyes and leaned back into the bed. Bringing up the thin sheet that was purely white, he relaxed his body. He drifted off to sleep, feeling as if minutes had just gone by. Thinking about nothing in particular other than relaxing, he barely heard his phone when it buzzed right next to his left ear.
A small frown was made onto his features as he was not awake enough to control his facial expressions. He gave a small sigh and sat up, deciding to be awake throughout the whole discussion with the woman instead of going back to sleep. Rubbing his eyes to push the grogginess away, he grabbed his phone and stared at the numbers on the screen when he pushed the button on the very top of the mobile device. The frown deepened slightly when he read the numbers that told him what time it was: 12:26AM.
Moving his finger across the screen to unlock it, his eyes stared at the name that had messaged him. There was a pause at the name that had messaged him, but the bigger shock was what the message contained. Almost instantly, he wanted to smack the person on the other line.
Stephen: I hope this doesn't wake you up if you're asleep. Are you /sure/ that there is nothing going on between you and Linda? Halle told me the situation and wants me to check in.
Annoyance was all over his features as he gave a small sigh. He rubbed his temples slightly, wanting to sleep. He had to be awake up early in the morning and he didn't want to spend time answering questions because of his girlfriend's gossip or because of the way they were pestering him this late at night. "I shouldn't have told them that I spend time awake late at night… now that I do want sleep, it seems to backfire."
Near: I am positive. Is there a reason why you are all pestering me other than it being none of your business?
Stephen: I'm sorry. Are you going to break up with Linda?
That made Near pause his actions. He knew that Halle and Stephen were smart, but he wondered what had given his position away. A small frown was on his features again as he knew that he had only moments to answer it with a lie or the truth. Knowing that they would eventually find out after the day after tomorrow, he typed his reply.
Near: Yes.
Knowing that Stephen would reply and with what question, he started to type his reply. A few seconds later, the question that he knew would come did arrive.
Stephen: Why?
Wasting no time, he continued his message and was about to send it when his world froze due to the second incoming message from Stephen.
Stephen: Is it because she also likes that red hair guy at the salon?
Near felt his stomach drop at the message, gray eyes completely staring at it. He felt his stomach turn after a while, sadness coming onto his features. He couldn't help but remember the encouraging words that Linda had spoken, wondering if they were true. He gave a small smile, shifting so his hair hid his eyes. "I see…"
Before he had time to react, he had pushed the icon that that had the telephone while in his contact list. Getting out of his bed, he scurried over to the balcony, knowing that he would need fresh air after this. It wasn't Stephen or Halle he called, no, it was the main source of the topic of their conversation.
A girl picked up on the other end and almost immediately, Near could tell that there were two other individuals with her. "Hello?"
"You like the guy with red hair at the salon." Near spoke, bitterness coating his voice. "You didn't believe that I would find out? You can thank your big mouth and Gevanni for it." He answered harshly, gripping the rail a bit. "Linda, I thought you liked me for me, but I can see that was a wrong conclusion. Did you lie this morning before we went into the salon?"
"Near, I–"
"To paraphrase, you told me that I knew all the right things to say, but if you like the guy with red hair that flirts with you, how is that telling you the right things all the time? And before you give her the answer, Lidner, I suggest you stay quiet." He spoke, guessing that the blond woman and black haired man were next to her. "I want her to speak for herself without any help or moral support. This is our problem and I do not wish for any of you interfere."
"Near…" Linda started, not being able to speak his nickname out loud.
When the white-haired boy didn't hear the other two speak, he knew that he hit the nail on the head that the other two individuals were with her.
"Near, I want to explain myself." Linda started, continuing when her current boyfriend didn't say anything. "You do know what to say, but why are you acting like I cheated on you? I do like him, but nothing has happened between us…"
"Then you're telling me you don't flirt with him while I'm not there?" Near boldly asked, gently gripping the silver railing on the balcony.
"No, Near. I can't believe you would accuse me of cheating. I just… I like you too, really! I do a lot, but sometimes it feels as if you don't feel that way."
"Is that your excuse to look elsewhere?" Gray eyes flickered to the neon lights of the city.
"No… I just… I wish you could do something sweet for me or romantic. I wouldn't mind taking us to restaurant, but I would like for you to suggest it, Near."
"You want someone normal and you are aware that I am a social retard and I'm not capable of those things."
"Near…" Linda started again, her tone changing slightly. "You are not a social retard. I defended you when Mello came onto you, but you didn't defend me when Matt did. What does that mean? You never get jealous and it hurts…"
"You want me to change for your needs, Linda? You are the one that asked me out before and you knew the consequences. I do not care for romantic relationships if the other individual is not smart enough to meet my expectations." Near countered, quickly regretting his harsh words. He didn't want to hurt his girlfriend on the other line, but he knew the silence caused a huge sword to go through the girl's heart.
"Nia…" The photographer sniffled. "That…" She started crying on the other line.
"…" Near felt horrible inside, knowing that it wasn't Linda's fault but his. He gently gripped the metal bar a bit more, knowing that he overreacted to the girl. He knew that he couldn't make it better even if he tried and besides, Halle and Stephen were there to comfort the girl. He had nobody, like always.
"You have a horrible boyfriend." A male voice spoke, one that Near didn't recognize.
"There, there, sweetie, I'm sure I can find you a better guy than that jerk. Besides, you're beautiful, you don't need him. Right, Light?"
"Right, Misa."
He continued to listen, a small frown on his features. Near knew who the two individuals were and to be honest, he disliked both of them. The white-haired boy wondered how stupid he seemed on the line, but paid no attention to it, wondering where Stephen and Halle were.
"Nia…" Came a voice that had a lot of sniffling. "Are you suggesting what I believe you are suggesting?" She completely ignored the other two in the room, thinking about the situation even though she was currently crying, her heart still breaking.
"…" Near stayed silent, listening to her words as he gently gripped the silver bar more. He remembered that they were childhood friends and the thought of his first friend cry was something he disliked. No, it's normal to doubt people, even the closest to you. I know L must do it all the time, I did nothing wrong other than make my first friend cry.
"I'm willing to try and work this out." Linda started, a small smile covering her voice.
"Linda! No!" Misa cried from the background.
"It's her decision, Misa. She can be with that jerk if she wants." Light spoke.
The comment made him frown slightly as he thought about the answer. Leaning against the trailing a bit, he started to twirl his hair with his left hand, thinking about Linda's proposition. He wanted to tell what was truly on his mind, but something was holding him back. Whether L was an influence or not, he wasn't sure, but he opened his mouth and answered, "I don't want to try anything."
"Nia…" Linda spoke again, her voice breaking a bit. "Could you please think about for a few days? I know you're probably running on emotions and I don't want this to be the end of it. Please?" She whined slightly, begging for the other's decision.
Near thought about it, then an image of Matt came onto his mind. He wondered if he would be a better boyfriend. Before he hung up, he spoke his decision. "Fine, I owe you that much, but other than that, I will not. I'll get back to you in a few days."
"Thank–"
He hung up the phone, staring into the distance of the neon lights. There was only one individual on his mind that he was currently thinking about: Mello.