Disclaimer: I do NOT own Death Note the series, but I did create the original characters contained in this series.
Note: This is a revised series. Things have been changed around from the original.
Kino-
Will be home by midnight. You know where the money is in case needed.
-Shochi
'Yeah, I hear you loud and clear,' I let out a sigh as I shred the scrap of post-it note and served myself some wanton soup.
"You're father's going to be late coming home again, ne?"
I sat down at the kitchen counter, clicking to the news on the television.
"You really shouldn't state the obvious, it get's annoying after a while..."
I replied, cooling the hot broth before sipping it.
"You know you're not funny!"
"Never said I was..."
I retorted, flipping through the information channels, landing on channel 6. The floating skull made rather gruesome facial expressions as a child does to their parents, but like the parents, I pay no heed.
'A killing...?'
I turned up the volume on the remote, to hear over the death god's monkuing.
"The killer who killed six people yesterday in Shinjuku's Hanka District is still locked up in the preschool with the teacher and seven children as hostages. The police suspect Otoharda, Kurou. Age 42, currently unemployed, who last night was..."
'They suspect him! More like they already confirmed the perpetrator with the way they speak...'
"Looks like another one trying to gain attention! Hahaha... If humans aren't interesting, what is?"
I took my gaze away from the screen, glancing at the dark creature, "Why would this hostage situation be any different than the one a week ago? Or even the massacre a month ago while we're at it? Every day, there's something new-"
"Oh! The hostages are coming out! It seems like everyone is fine. And now the police storm in to the school to make the arrest!"
Turning my gaze back to the flat screen.
'Don't tell me...'
"I don't see the suspect," they showed a close up of the confused crown as well as the armored officers, "We just got word the suspect has died!"
The metal spoon clanged to the floor as my teeth undoubtedly clenched together.
'Don't tell me, heart attack...'
"According to the hostages, the suspect just collaps-"
The television went blank, I held the remote, my arm out stretched with my thumb as the culprit.
"Did you ever give any consideration, that I may have been interested and wanted to watch that."
I didn't reply, I picked up my spoon and drank the remaining broth up.
"I should get going," I rinsed out the bowl, "cram school starts in fifteen minutes..."
Depositing my bowl in the sink for a later time, I took hold of my school bag and coat before slipping on my shoes to exit.
Light sat in his usual seat near the window, watching as a boy started to get bullied.
'Sudou...'
"Hey, Ryochin! Could you lend me 2,000 yen? I'm a bit short," a boy, Sudou, asked the poor boy. His friends snickered behind him with a smirk.
"W-what... Again?"
Reluctantly, Ryochin handed him the yen, but before anything else could be done, Light turned his eyes away from the scene. He couldn't get involved, or so people thought.
'Should I try to kill him? No, I shouldn't kill anyone close to me, but...'
His thoughts trailed off, as just then I entered the room. Yagami-San looked deep in thought. I glanced at him, but slowly turned my gaze frontward. For a reason unknown, his suspicious gaze connected with my dark eyes. The feelings behind it went unnoticed, for the time being. Strange...
'I know what you're thinking, Yagami-San, and you can't...'
"Let's go to the arcade tonight!" Sudou cheered as he held money up. Well, easier for me. I plucked the yen out of his unexpected hands and kept walking. One motion, no eye contact, no words...
The bully and his joke of an accomplice were about to retort until they recognized who it was, they just gave a dirty glance continued in the opposite direction as me.
A half smirk appeared, thin and almost invisible, but still there. The rather plump Ryochin watched as I went down the aisle of desks. School bag in one hand and his money in the other. In the same motion as I grabbed the yen, I deposited it on his desk as I passed. Never stopping, never looking...
He didn't give a sign of gratefulness orally, but I did fell a sense of gratitude. It was either that, or I just had that soft spot for helplessness... I doubt it though...
'Things can be solved without the use of death. They may not always be permanent, but they deserve another chance. For no one is 'perfect' in this world of injustice...'
I heard the door shut, not slam, shut. Soon after, the footfalls were heard.
One eye opened...
"Otou-San..."
There was a quick movement and the room gradually got lighter. I sat up from the couch, peeking over the neutral cushions to meet the gaze of my father.
"Kino..."
"Are you okay, Otou-San? You're usually not home until midnight," I spoke out from the couch. He only smiled. I could see that he was tired, I was too, but there was also something bothering him.
"I left the update early," He spoke out slowly, only to get a questionable look from me.
"Doushite?"
"Well," he spoke as he sat down in the lounge chair, just next to the edge of the couch.
"You've heard about the murder, KIRA, I suspect..."
I nodded, the silence of the household was not yet disturbed above a whisper.
"Well, the investigator, L, appointed me to working with him to catch KIRA and bring him to justice. But..."
"Oh, you're father's talking about the Yagami kid, ne?"
While ignoring the insolent shinigami, I remembered the news cast that they showed that day. How that man died for all of Katon Japan to see... I knew for a fact that it was the cause of Yagami. But I would not let the cat out of the bag, not quite yet.
"Sorekara..."
"It's KIRA... He's a murder wh-"
"That's never stopped you before." I interrupt in nothing more than a shout. I was going to put up my cover of the incompetent high school teenager. He looked at me with those deep eyes of his, those eyes brimmed with fatigue. He let out a sigh, whether it was from fatigue or annoyance, I did not try to comprehend.
"Kino, he... she... whoever they are, can kill without you even seeing them. All they need is a face and you're gone... This KIRA... they're not human; or at least, not anymore..."
It was my turn to exhale into a deep sigh.
"What about L? He managed-"
"Kino!"
It really startled me that he raised his voice. Even the shimgami seemed to pay attention. I barley glanced at the death god before my attention was once again to my father.
"I don't think you understand the consequences of this assignment. I cannot take that risk... I can't be gone with you alone, again..."
'Otou-San...' I let my gaze fall from his eyes. Why did he think he was protecting me when I already knew of the evils of the world?
Shochi stared at my turned eyes. I was so much like him; yet, I felt I was stronger. He gave a sigh. Although her is a police detective, he was still a troubled, single parent attempting to raise a child who he assumed was sheltered from the vile world. One could almost call it naïve…
'Especially after L's offer of having Kino join the force, I simply will not allow it!'
"Mihari-San, may I speak to you for a minute?"
"Of course, Watari-San," Shochi stated as he led him through the hallways into a darkened room. There was a table with a computer set on the far end.
"Please take a seat in front of the computer, Mihari-San," Watari replied, closing the door. Now, the only source of light from the illuminated, compact computer.
A speaker flicked on and an English stylized 'L' appeared on the screen. Sochi knew this letter all too well.
"Shochi-San, it's good to see you again," the computer spoke out; the voice was robotic, metallic through the empty room.
"L."
"Yes, I'm sorry for not contacting you sooner, but I have been busy."
"It's quite alright, but what is the meaning of this?"
"It's quite simple really, if you're in a darkened room, the fact of-"
"No, I mean what did you want to contact me about?"
"Strait to the point, I see." There was a momentary pause, "Well, I was hoping you would consider my offer of leading the Police investigation of KIRA. I know that you are currently working on the kidnapping case, but due to our history I would appreciate it if you were to transfer."
Shochi stayed silent for quite a while, he clutched his hand. He knew his answer, yet he did not want to state it.
"L, no matter how much I would want to go into that position, my-"
"Ah yeah, your daughter. Mihari-Chan, intelligent girl, if I do say so myself. She would be welcome to join the investigation by all means."
Shochi's hand curled into a fist as his teeth now grit together.
"L., I am afraid I will have to think about your offer. I must discuss this with my family, although I would give my life for this criminal to be brought before justice, I must insure my daughter's security before any matter of my position be determined."
It was hard to hide the anger, discomfort, in his voice.
"Ah. I see, well my offer is still open. We will keep in touch."
The picture went blank, but there was still light radiating from the screen. The two men stayed silent.
"The extent of the human heart and will's extent is greater than any desire...
This would be one thing, in this cruel world, that still stands tall... That is still true..."
"Oww..."
"Ehh..."
"Yagami-San! Mihari-San! Pay attention! You two will lead out class to great achievements!"
Sensei yelled, he must have been the one to throw the object that now left quite a sore spot on my head. Oh, how I detest him so. Well, he may not be on the top, but he's there... among others... many others...
"H-hai, gomenasai, Sensei," Light retorted in front of me while I just nodded from my 'new' seat assignment.
In order to, 'improve our intellectual and social orientation', Sensei had so kindly moved my seat in front of Yagami-San. I was perfectly content at my previous desk, being completely and utterly unnoticed. I almost suspected Light of not knowing I was in the same homeroom at school.
'It's not like I'll be here next week anyways...'
Yagami still didn't seem to be paying attention, but wrote in his book. I only took a quick glance at what he seemed to be doing, but only for a second, at most.
'Seems like he's been busy with the Death Note...'
"Ohh... Do you see how many names are written... My, my... Seems like he has quite a bit. Almost a whole page in just a few days, ne? Hahaha..."
'Baka shinigami...' I thought as the floating skeletal figure circled Yagaim and I.
There was the sound of the door sliding back and a girl entered the room. She bowed in respect.
"Sumimasen Sensei (Excuse me teacher), but the office wanted to see Mihari-San for a minute," the girl stood in the doorway stood nervously as all eyes were now on her. The teacher gave a nod and the girl backed away, out of eye sight.
"Uhmm..."
I began packing my notebooks, but before I was able to place my black leathered one into my school bag, the woman stated that I would only be gone for a minute or two. The office just wanted me to sign some papers.
'Shoot...'
I place my book under my English text before following the girl out to the next hall where the financial office was located. I didn't glance back to catch Light's suspicious glance. He had spotted the edge of a black book under my English text.
'It's rather the Death Note's got me paranoid, or am I just assuming things...' he thought to himself with a frown. He attempted to look away and re focus himself on the teacher's lecture. But his gaze soon brought him back down to the desk in front of him, to the beckoning black book that lay within arms reach.
'If I'm not mistaken, it's the same thickness as mine... I can't be all too sure, but there's only one way to check for sure.'
Unnoticeably, Light quickly reached over to grasp the edge of the black book, quickly pulling it onto his desk. He was ever so careful to take the English text as well, making sure not to cause any notice.
'Well, there is no writing on the front cover, but then again, I haven't seen any other Death Note than my own and Ryuuku's... But, We'll just have to find out...'
Carefully, Light opened the black covered notebook over his own English book as the teacher was only reading from the passage, he wouldn't miss much.
The brunet's lips formed into a small, an unnoticeable smirk as he eyed the page.
Note: I intend to keep the criticism on the reviews page. There are always pros and cons about a series and I want both as feedback. Thank you!
Still revising. Thank you for reading.
-Sin