~Heisei 19 Touou University Entrance Exams~

"You there! There's only three minutes left before the exams start!" One of the school staff waved at the entrance. "Hurry up!"

"Coming!" Misa yelled as she started running on her heels towards the school yard. "Sorry I'm so late; I had to get through so many fans!"

He lowered his hand in surprise. Just another seven minutes earlier…another late arrival had said, "I have having to wait around in classrooms, so I was planning to be here three minutes before it starts, but oh well. I managed to arrive earlier than I intended."

海砂

Seating herself in the full exam room, Misa pouted and looked at her exam pamphlet. She crossed her legs and waited for the proctor to say 'begin.'

As the clock ticked, she glanced around, gauging in her surroundings. Seated in the desk directly in front of her was a brown haired boy with nice shoulders and a fit body shape.

He has the potential of a model. Who knows, maybe I can get him to co-model with me~! Misa giggled, peeking at the name recorded in his booklet. Light Yagami.

"Begin!"

Everyone grabbed their pens and started working on their exams, except the boy in front of her.

Then, the proctor started approaching her. Shit! Does he think I'm cheating?! Misa quickly lowered her eyes.

"Hey you!" He walked past her desk as she held her breath, tense. "Number 162. Sit down properly!"

I'm number 161. Misa uncrossed her feet and grabbed her pen diligently, noting Light peeking behind him, overlooking her for the troublemaker.

Hmph. Out of curiosity, Misa tilted her head just slightly back, and saw a messed up weirdo with his bare feet placed on the desk, jeans and a plain white shirt.

What got to her wasn't the blackness from his eyebags and his uncombed wild hair, but that creepy dead-fish gaze he was sending her, or more accurately, towards the boy just past her.

If Light is the ideal male model, this weirdo is the antithesis.

Misa shuddered and looked back to her exam, trying to focus under the gratifying tension these two men were exhibiting.

"The answers are A, D, D, C, B," Rem started listing out, and Misa started recording them down. It wasn't that she wasn't smart, but sometimes she doubted her own intelligence.

海砂

"So, Light, you're now a university student. I'm somewhat overwhelmed," Ryuk commented, flying around the auditorium.

"The Freshman's speech. Introducing the freshmen's representative, Yagami Light…."

"Here." Light stood up from his seat among the audience.

"Wow, amazing," Ryuk exclaimed.

"…And also Ryuuga Hideki."

"Oh? Here."

"R-Ryuuga Hideki…do they mean the idol?" One of the male students queried to his friend.

"Don't be stupid. How's he going to get the grades to get into Toudai?"

"…And lastly, Amane Misa," the speaker finished.

"Two idols?!"

"No, but it looks like Misa-Misa's the only real one."

"Hereee~!" Misa sang, hopping off her seat and jogging over to the other two freshmen representatives. I can't believe Hideki Ryuuga is also here! She was beyond delighted to see another student from the modeling industry, but skidded to a halt as the men paused in wait for her.

Her eyes widened slightly as she recognized them both from…that exam day. "Eheehh, cool," she grinned awkwardly, touching her blonde hair self-consciously.

And this man true name wasn't Hideki Ryuuga. It was L Lawliet…

Misa didn't suspect him to be the real L, where would she get that idea? L's real name being L? Impossible. She shook her head and followed them up the staircase.

I'd heard that there would be three of us doing this speech…but I can't believe it's with him of all people, Light thought. And her, as well.

Light pulled out his prepared speech and stood in front of the microphone. These two were behind me during the exams. He was sitting in that really odd way that made him stand out, and she was dressed gothic like an emo teenager. "New life begins to blossom in the breath of spring…"

Misa tuned him out.

"Doesn't the student with the highest grade in the entrance exam usually give this speech?"

"That just means that there were three of them this year."

"I heard that all three of them got top marks for everything!

"Seriously?!"

"People like that really exist, huh?"

"I prefer the one on the right."

"What?! Kyouko, you're weird…I tell you, normal people would say the one on the left…"

"I prefer Misa-Misa," someone chipped in. "It's her turn now!"

Everyone started clapping, and the claps amplified as she stepped up.

"I'm Misa-Misa!" She smiled and grabbed microphone off the pedestal table. "New life begins to blossom in the breath of spring~" she sang the speech as she would the lyrics of a single, upbeat and cheerful, and everyone gaped at her audacity.

Some of them even took out their phones to record, a few included the staff.

"You know this would really promote the University," a school official remarked.

"We'll send her agency the copyrights."

"Just look at them though…They're complete opposites!"

"Yeah. Certainly one looks like a brilliant genius, brought up in a sheltered environment, the other one's Misa-Misa the idol, but…the last one…"

"…freshmen's representive, Misa Amane!" Misa finished her song and bowed.

There was crazy cheering, whistles, and claps. She already had a lot of fans within this audience, but the ones who'd never heard of her or weren't a Misa-fan were converted through this entrance ceremony.

I guess I'll be popular here too, Misa thought sheepishly, blushing as the obnoxiously fake Hideki Ryuuga held out his hand.

"Eh, wha?"

"He wants your microphone," Rem said.

"O-Oh! Heh, sorry about that," Misa dropped the microphone into L's hand and eep'd as his hand brushed against her fingers. L raised his eyebrows, before ignoring her and walking past, towards the center of the stage.

"New life begins to blossom in the breath of spring…" L started, gripping his crumbled sheet with his fingers…

"You can almost call him feral."

"He's definitely rather odd."

"Isn't he what one would describe as a natural genius?"

"Wearing that sort of garb to the entrance ceremony at Toudai, he's either an idiot or he's mocking the ceremony."

"But you don't say that about Misa, who's wearing a black latex dress out of all things."

"She's a model. She's supposed to dress crazy while everyone else is in formal wear."

"…freshmen's representive, Hideki Ryuuga."

Everyone started to clap out of respect, and L scratched his head.

Light stepped off the stage and L made sure to follow, leaving Misa at their backs.

"Yagami-kun," she heard L say. "The son of police chief, Yagami Souichirou, you have a sense of justice that matches your father's."

What's with this guy? Light side-glared behind him.

"You're aiming for a career in the Police force yourself, and in the past you've helped in several cases that have all led to convictions," L whispered as he sat beside Light in the front row seats. "And right now, you're interested in the Kira case."

Misa took the seat beside L, and tried to act like she wasn't listening. She was a great actor, after all.

"With that sense of justice and ability, I could trust you with a very important secret, if you promise not to tell anyone." L tempted, "I'd like to tell you something very important regarding the Kira case."

Misa tensed, gripping her dress and shaking. But L wasn't looking at her, his full attention was on Light Yagami.

What's with this? All of a sudden… Light snuck a peek at L. It might be wiser if I don't talk to him. Then again, what's this "important thing" concerning the Kira case? Light closed his eyes. "I won't tell anyone. What is it?"

L held the suspense, and Misa held her breath.

"I am L," he whispered low enough that only Light could hear.

But Rem repeated it to Misa.

W-What does that mean? He's saying his real name, but…why? What's he saying-I-It can't be. Is he implying he's THE L, or that his true name's simply L…?

L kept staring at Light, but Misa was visibly shaking at this point. She couldn't hear what Light was saying back, her heartbeat was too loud.

"Misa, calm down," Rem placed her skeletal hands on Misa's shoulders. But it was futile, Rem was even more scared than Misa.

There's no way L would admit to being L. Misa tried to convince herself, unaware that Light was doing exactly the same. I thought he seemed a little odd, but is he actually crazy?

W-Wait. I can't show that I'm uneasy. If he really is L…Light closed his eyes and took a deep breath. In any case, right now, I've got to act as people expect Yagami Shouichirou's son, Yagami Light, to act. He looked back into L's eyes, "If you really are L, then you are someone I admire a lot."

"Thanks," L replied, not knowing that he was sandwiched between two Kiras, with two shinigamis guarding their backs. "I revealed myself to you because I believe that you might be able to help us with the Kira case." Yagami Light. There's only a 5% chance that you are Kira. But out of all those I watched, there's something about you…You're too perfect. If you truly are Kira, this is the best way I can think of putting pressure on you.

Ryuk and Rem stood side by side, watching with entertainment and tension.

"If he's L…That's impressive!" Ryuk exclaimed to Rem, but Light couldn't see Rem, so he thought Ryuk was talking to him. Naturally, Light ignored his shinigami.

"Don't you dare talk to me," Rem responded hostilely. "Your human can hear you, and if he suspects that my human is the second Kira, I'll make sure you never live it down for the rest of your eternal life in the shinigami realm."

Ryuk gulped. That'd destroy the entertainment, he wanted to tell her, but Light would find out that Ryuk had company. So he stayed silent and nodded.

"Good," Rem answered, petting Misa's hair.

Who is Rem talking to? Misa wanted to ask, but kept her mouth shut, thinking. Oh! Another shinigami…wait, does that mean Light Yagami is Kira? She sucked in a breath. As I suspected. Why else would this 'L' be coming onto Light like that?

Light's inner monologue: It's true. If this guy really is L…No, even if he isn't, I…I won't be able to do anything to him! If he's L, then my father would know his face. If he dies after telling me that he's L, I'll immediately become the suspect. Plus, this guy's using the blatantly fake name 'Ryuuga Hideki.' If I try to kill him by writing that name in the Death Note, then if his real name isn't Ryuuga Hideki, the idol Ryuuga may die instead, as his face instinctively appears in my mind when I think of that name. Without dying himself, he'll be able to tell whether I'm Kira or not. Is he L? And does he suspect I'm Kira? I can't tell to what extent he suspects me, but I'm sure he does. There's no other reason to reveal himself to the son of Yagami Souichirou. Does this indicate that he's still investigating those of who were previously being investigated by Raye Penber? But why is L here, in person?

Light closed his eyes. I shouldn't be thinking about this right now. I've got to exhibit a cool demeanor. He's definitely watching me for a reaction.

海 Afterwards...砂

At the school entrance, Misa bolted straight for L.

"Ryuuga-kun!"

L paused, and tilted his head back. "Oh, it's Misa-chan."

She hopped to a stop, and smiled, "Yep! I was thinking," she fumbled with the edge of her skirt. "If you wanted to head out to the local cafe?"

He placed his thumb to his lip, intrigued. "Like a date?"

"Y-Yeah, I guess!" Misa smiled, "And- I like strawberry sundaes!"

He tilted his head, trying to read her. That smile is fake, he could instantly tell, having seen her before in fashion magazines. She's also one of the freshmen representatives…There's something about her that's highly suspicious. What are her intentions? "No one's ever asked me out on a date," he excused, "forgive me."

Misa pouted, and reached for his hand.

"Misa, what are you doing?" Rem asked anxiously.

"You'll see!" Misa answered, to Rem and L. "Let's—"

"Yagami-kun!" L suddenly interrupted. Off in the distance, Light paused and started approaching them. "Thanks for today."

"No, thank you," Light answered, wary eyes switching between L and Misa.

"Well, I'll see you on campus," L climbed into his black limousine, and naturally, Misa was pulled inside by their entwined hands.

"Y-Yeah," Light watched the car drive off in deep turmoil.

"His family's probably loaded," a bystander said. "Dating Misa-Misa, and top student as well…That's kinda creepy."

海砂

After the deathly silent train ride home, Light headed straight for his room, ignoring his sister's cheerful greeting.

Locking the door behind him, he snapped. "Shit! He got me!" Damn it, L! I've never been so humiliated in my life before!

Light's finally snapped, Ryuk tried to stifle his laughter, but he doesn't know there's more entertaining things to come. "Kuhuhuhuhu-"

"Shut the fuck up Ryuk!" Light slammed his desk, furious and cornered. He needed to think.

海砂