I sighed and dropped my spoon on the table next to my fruit parfait. The thoughts buzzing around me were distracting, and I was trying to home in on this young man's thoughts. His name was Light--the girl he was with was Misa--and she was beginning to get on his nerves. She was getting on mine, too.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and stared vacantly at my badly chewed nails. I made a mental note to stop the habit of chewing my nails--I did it whenever I was nervous or bored. Misa kept leaning over the table to Light, and both the movement and her shrill voice (from her mouth AND mind) that carried over the chatter of the other people was seriously annoying me. But it was typical for a preppy blond like her...

And I suppose it was typical for a person like me to hate a person like her. I hung with the anime crowd--the crowd where true friends are easier to find, the crowd where fun equals going out and throwing water filled plastic eggs at people, playing the Naruto card game, and messing around with each other.

With my newly dyed purple hair and clothes that looked like it came from 'Rozen Maiden'. But that's getting away from the main point.

"So, Light, I was thinking maybe we should go to that new restaurant across town..."

I stood up angrily, making as much noise with my chair as possible, and stomped out of the shop. It was people like her that would bring this world down, and not just the criminals. If only Kira would--

"No," I said to myself firmly. "She didn't do anything wrong. Kira is right to kill the guilty. Life is for the innocent."

There was a pandemic of mass homicides of criminals lately. After the the tenth death by heart attack within prison walls, they deducted it was SOMEONE killing the criminals, and that it wasn't just coincidence. The unknown killer is called Kira.

I supported Kira.

He had the right idea--a perfect world was one with no crime. Criminals are becoming more scarce, because people are afraid Kira will kill them; Tax payers are becoming happier, because the prisons are becoming less crowded, which means taxes are less expensive; people are beginning to feel safer walking the streets at night, because of the dropping crime rate.

The perfect world.

And Kira was actually the reason why I was in that shop. The ability to read minds is a specialty of mine-- or rather, a curse, since I was never able to block out the voices, as you could probably tell from before. Everyday I had to ignore the thousands of voices screaming out, not to mention those that were spoken aloud. I've learned to cope with it, at least--and I believed I had found the mind of Kira. Light had the thoughts that Kira would have.

I knew it was him, and since I then had the tone of his voice memorized, I would have no problem pinpointing him. He said he wanted to go to his home--I saw the house in my mind. I knew it inside and out before I even saw it--his mother, Sachiko, his father, Sachiro, and his younger sister, Sayu. All already placed in my mind.

"A friend of Light's...?" Sachiko said questionably. "Well, alright...if he said he left his door open for you, go right in." She stepped aside and let me pass into the house. I carried myself up the stairs and stopped in front of his door, pulling out an undone paper and beginning to pick the lock. After a loud click, the knob turned and the door opened smoothly.

"Eat your heart out, smarty."

Of course, I knew all of the things that he had done to let him know if someone had entered. I was wanting for him to find me in here anyway, so I didn't bother re locking the door or putting anything back. And this Death Note of his...his killing tool was in the drawer to his desk. I found a pen and took the ink tube out, examined it, and pushed it through the small hole on the bottom of the drawer, revealing the black notebook. I took it out hungrily, being careful about taking the pen out. Wouldn't want the fire to spark...

This was exactly what I had been waiting for. What had me miffed earlier was no longer in my mind. I would become the personal assistant to Kira, no matter what. I knew. But, he could kill me, when he saw me sitting there...I hadn't thought that far. The image of his watch came to me...he had a piece of the note with him...he didn't have to listen to me...I cursed myself. But...he couldn't see my name anyway, and if I took the note, he wouldn't know who took it, now would he?

I sat on Light's bed to think. I didn't have much time--I saw in Light's mind that he was only about a block away. He left Misa to find herself home. I unconsciously let his voice fade out, like I had learned to do over so many years, but not meaning to. I shouldn't have.

Should I take it and run, or should I stay and see if I could convince Light? If I convinced him, he wouldn't be aware I knew what he was thinking, and he couldn't take advantage of me like he did the girl...He needed her eyes, he had said. Her eyes could see names, and the

The knob of the door turned loudly. It was too late to choose--I forgot to keep track of Light. His thoughts were horror-stricken about his room being invaded.

-They couldn't have found the note- he thought. -Too well hidden, there's no way...-

And nothing as his eyes fell on me. Surprise widened them, and in less than a second they turned to loathing.

"I know about your secret, Light. I know everything. But I won't tell. I want to help."

He grimaced as his glare tried to decipher the look on my face. I felt him trying to probe my mind, I HEARD him trying to see what I truly wanted, heard him contemplating whether to kill me and get me out of the way, after politely asking my name, or to use me. His mind stopped thinking about killing me-- his mother was in the house. It would be suspicious if I didn't leave, since he knew that she knew I was here, even though she hadn't told him herself.

He sighed. "Fine, I'll let you work under me, if you do EXACTLY as I say." -And I'll kill you when I'm through with you.-

I laughed mentally at his thought. -Yeah, we'll see, Kira. I may worship you, but I intend to be around a LOT longer than you plan to be.-

"My name is Kaeru," I lied smoothly. "Kaeru Nama." I handed him his notebook, and he took it delicately in his own hands. I couldn't see the corners of his mouth turn upwards, but I knew he was trying to be smooth himself. I saw the evil grin in his mind, though.

I would keep my true name to himself, and I knew that the shinigami behind him could see my name. I knew that he knew I was lying. And I knew that he wouldn't tell Light my true name. I was safe as long as my mouth was kept shut.