A.N.: Thank you for reading, reviewing and voting. If you're not a hardcore Silent Hill fan Near will explain it all in one chapter so don't worry.
Light couldn't have been more displeased to watch the busy town shrink away in the rear view mirror. That place was thriving with life compared to the town of Old Silent Hill; noise, a comfort that he hadn't realized he needed in all his years of living in the city. Day by day he would grow tired of the streams of people bumping into each other or holding him up when he's getting around on foot- even by car, but to be in a place that empty was unnerving.
Much like the drive in, the empty road is surrounded by trees on either side but far in the back of the forest, on the right, he can see a large lake glistening in the setting sun.
Checking the clock he frowns. 'I didn't realize that it was getting so late. I'd better speed up- not like anyone else is on the road with me.'
Going only five miles over the speed limit of 45, Light wonders silently how long the drive will take; lack of music can be unbearable sometimes. Reaching for the volume knob he jumps from start when a terrible blaring sound comes from the radio. Flipping stations its the same thing on every one.
'Forget it, I'll pop in a cd.' He declares to the station Gods who have decided that they hate him today. Glancing at the road he then looks down into his glove compartment for a cd, any one will do at this point. 'Classical, that should brighten the mood of this trip.' Slipping the disk into the stereo he glances up again before looking away to press the buttons to start the thing. Suddenly, when looking back up, he spots something dart out in front of the car but it happened so quickly he was unable to swerve out of the way and the car ran the thing clean over, bumping the wheels up over it; it's so large it was like a speed bump.
The car came to a sudden halt. Light gripped the wheel unable to believe that he'd just run something- or worse- someone over. Would his one chance to see Mikami be a single phone call from a jail cell? Of course, he could always hire his lost lover as his lawyer. You have to wonder what kind of defense he would come up with. Sorry your honor but my client was only searching for me, whose been missing for three years without a word of why I left. Yeah, that'd go over big. Bracing himself for the worst he climbs out of the car. Walking over, he stops in his tracks like the ground before him were suddenly made of lava due to a crow letting out a low KAW. Turning his head in its direction, Light spots someone moving behind the trees; its tall, dark hair- or at least it seemed to have dark hair he wasn't sure- the sun was steadily sinking taking away any clear view.
Calming his nerves he continues to the limp body. "A-... are you alright?" He asks incase its a person. Closer now he catches his breath on the sight of the thing.
Its pale, the size of a person or perhaps a large dog... it looks like its been skinned. The head is missing, the hands, and feet all cut off at the ankle, wrist, and neck. It wasn't moving so much as an inch from where he had hit it but the thing that caught his eye the most is the long gash on its stomach; the blood around it long since dried and congealed ceasing to leak out anymore. Kneeling a bit, Light reaches out for the thing to roll it over but another sound caught his attention. Overhead something large and black swept the sky in a pace so quickly you could only hear the sound of air being cut through, like when you slice at the air with a knife. Since the thing was obviously already dead from the start he felt no need to stick around any longer and quickly returned to his car. He didn't even buckle himself in, he just put his foot on the pedal and continued into town.
The apartment building loomed over the quiet city like a king, the building next to its partner; its quiet in this town but not like the other one, you can actually tell people live here but they're turning in for the night. Shops are closed and street lights are on; the place is most certainly lived in, there was even one other car heading off somewhere. A large gate surrounds the building. Light walks in closing it behind him; the building has double doors with glass windows in them revealing someone on the other side.
Hurrying his steps inside, he pulls the door open. A woman is at her mailbox, turning her head in the direction of the door she offers him a smile. Returning the smile, he figures the woman might be the one to ask where Mikami's room is.
'Right.' Reaching into his pocket to remove the note from the post office he looks up to see that the woman is now gone. But it isn't like she'd taken the stairs, or walked down the nearest hall as there were no foot steps sounding and she had not gotten on the elevator or anything, she was simply gone. 'Just get the room.' He orders himself. Light looks over the mailboxes and sure enough there is a slip of paper with: Mikami typed out on it beneath an open-face clasp. '304D.'
Taking the elevator; Light, again, can't shake the smile tugging at his lips. This is it. He's really going to see him now. Has he changed his appearance? Lost the glasses, cut his hair, grew it out longer. Light could feel himself twitch inside remembering the feeling of his hands running through the male's hair. He really hoped that Mikami would be happy to see him and not just have a fit over the fact that his privacy was violated by a ten year old causing his ex to come harassing him. When the elevator door slid open with a ding, he walks into the hall. A thin blue carpet strip set in the center of the floor extends to every reach of the hallways. The walls look dingy, in desperate need of a new paint job, the floor needs to be swept a little, the window at the end of the hall near a fire exit door looked to be covered in white crust so you can't clearly see outside. The lobby has got to be the only good looking place in the building if all the floors look like this one.
'How can Mikami live in a place like this?' He starts down the hall. 'One... Two... Three.' Going one more door down he figured discretion would be a dumb move since the peephole would give him away. So knocking he openly calls out for the male. "Mikami, are you home?" Knocking again he waits for a reply. "Mikami?" He waits. Lowering his gaze to the un-swept floor, Light can feel a pair of eyes on him. Turning he spots a wide-eyed dark gaze upon his back from the home behind him.
The person in the door looks shocked that he's been seen, but then he steps back away from the door opening it as wide as it can be with his hand still on the knob and arm extended. His black hair is swept about his head like a fog around a very pale face and shockingly vacant black eyes that seem to look deep into your very being. Minus the man's strange eyes, he reminds Light a bit of Mikami, the first time he'd seen him through the fogged glass at the coffee shop. Pale and ghostly.
"You're looking for Teru?" He asks in a voice, that Light would describe as, perfect for his drab, watered down looks.
Figuring he's getting nowhere with the empty or possibly occupied apartment he turns to face the man fully. "Yes, is he home?" He wondered for a second why he would ask such a question to this man. How would he know if he were home or not unless the two were friends or this man liked to peep at every one resident or stranger that comes into the hall.
The man cocks his head back and forth as if he really has to think about the question. "No. But I know where he is."
"Really?" Light's control over his eagerness betrays him every time.
"I said I did, didn't I? He's at the market, I know" He goes on saying. "because I asked him to pick up a cake for me."
"I see..." He thinks for a moment about leaving a note, or somehow maybe getting into the apartment to wait. "Do you know when he'll be back?"
"No time soon, he just left maybe 3 minutes ago. Would you like to wait in my apartment for his return?" He steps aside as if not to take 'no' for an answer.
"Could I? Thank you." He heads inside the man's apartment.
"My name is L, like the letter not as in el hombre or el hijo, but more like un apodo- a nickname." He climbs into an arm chair, one foot at a time, turning with the first step so that he's facing the correct part of the seat before he settles in an odd position with his knees bent up at his chest. "It stems from the multiple l's I have in my name Lawliet Elliot. Have a seat."
Taking a seat in the extra arm chair in the circle of living room furniture he replies. "Light Yagami. I don't have any nicknames to speak of."
"Mm." Replies the man to the comment then adds. "Nice to meet you, Light. Would you like something to eat?" He holds out a beautiful porcelain tea plate with a blueberry cheese cake on it.
Looking about the room Light can see that the place is loaded with sweets; any flat surface in the room contains trays filled with cakes, cookies, brownies and other strange desserts that he's unfamiliar with. Not really hungry, Light shakes his head to the offer. "Thank you, no." Having no desire to sit silently with this man while he eats, Light makes some light conversation. "You say that Mikami is bringing back a cake for you from the store?"
"That is correct." He takes a bite of a shortcake that smells to have a lemon filling hiding beneath a large amount of whipped cream.
"But don't you think that you have plenty?" He gestures a nod around the room.
"You can never have too many of the things you enjoy, Light." He sets the dessert down reaching forward to pour hot tea into a small cup, he then hands it to his guest by setting it down in front of him on the coffee table. "Besides, I baked these simply for the smell; I'm terrible at baking" He returns to eating his short cake. "they're all completely inedible."
It wasn't so much what L had said but how he had said it that made Light shift in his seat. If he were writing a report about strangers in the neighborhood he'd put L down as public weirdo number one.
"How is it that you know Mr. Mikami? The man isn't exactly a social butterfly."
"We used to date."
"I see. When did he have time for that? In all the time I've known him he's behaved like a bit of a shut in. Living a routinely dull life."
"He used to live in Kanto, Japan."
"Mm. Must have changed since then. The man I know now is very quiet and to himself; it took me some time to befriend him."
'Maybe he's just got a hang up with weirdos.' Thinks Light. "Does he shop for you often?"
"No, I like to go shopping myself but-..." L silences, his gaze shifting towards the bedroom door. "I feel like I have to be here today."
Light is looking towards the bedroom now, also, due to a hard thumping that sounds a little like someone throwing themselves into the wall or maybe having a pillow fight with it. Looking back to L he notices a bitterness under those dead eyes of the man's but they changed to a sort of sadness shortly after, returning then to its empty gaze that met Light's watching eyes.
There was no asking the man what's making the noise without being nosy, but it was becoming more frantic, he even heard something that sounded like glass breaking. "Aren't you worried? I think they might be hurt."
"Its nothing to bother yourself with, he just wants attention." He sips his tea.
'Nothing to bother with? Is he keeping someone tied up back there?'
Hearing a panicked grunt come from the bedroom, its all Light can stand. He has a strong urge, ever since he was young, to sort of look out for the world; his father is an F.B.I agent and he saves people all the time; if Light hadn't become a reporter he was sure he would have taken a job in the same field. Getting up from the seat he heads to the bedroom reaching out for the knob, but the second the door cracked open the sound stopped abruptly. He couldn't understand why but it unnerved him, pulling the door closed he turns to the calm man in the chair, who's casting a mocking eye his way.
"There's no one in there, Light. Its a recording, nothing more or less."
Light felt a sudden panic sweep through his senses but he kept his cool, returning to his seat.
"May I ask what it is that you do for a living, Mr. Yagami?" He's eating the cheese cake he had earlier offered to Light. "I work in advertisement. I came here on vacation long ago and couldn't seem to leave the place."
Light had his doubts about that. Sure, Silent Hill is a resort place but he must have missed the captivating beauty and wonder of the place by being creeped out from its inhabitants and lack there of. "I'm a reporter." He says as if its not very interesting, but it seemed to still his host from eating, in fact, he put the plate and fork down all together; a bite sits on the end of the utensil.
"A reporter, you say?" His voice has a tinge of bitterness behind it.
"Yes, for one of Japan's most popular newspapers."
"Then might I suggest that once your find Mr. Mikami, you leave this place abruptly after." His eyes are dead serious and his tone is stone set with plead.
"That was the idea." Light says with a bit of caution in his voice. L looked as though he were going to attack him at any moment; swoop in like a gargoyle and kill him.
L seemed surprised by that statement, and relaxes back into his eating. "You have one week."
"Excuse me?"
L made it sound as if he were going to be searching forever when Mikami lives right across from him. The man only continued to eat his sweet, in no way willing to repeat himself.
Cocking a brow when L says nothing beyond that, Light stands. Its time that he left. The thumping began again, this time the wall where the bedroom door is located shook a bit after several thumps from whatever is on the other side. Something about that is very strange, and very much none of his business. "I'm going to wait for Mikami in the lobby. It was nice meeting you."
Taking a sip of his drink, L replies sullenly. "No, it wasn't." Though he waves to Light a goodbye. "Sometimes, Light, the things and people you're looking for cannot be found easily. You end up thinking about them, dreaming about them to the point of sleep walking. They're always so close and yet so far away." He then silences, almost like he were closing in on himself.
With no further word, Light retreats from the horrible home. Letting out a relieved sigh of freedom, he hears a click from the door infront of him. "Mikami!" He pushes himself from L's door to bang on his lovers but after three slams of his fist into the thick wood he stumbles back a step or two watching out for a long metal door that's sliding into place over Mikami's home. 'Now what?' Banging on the metal door he calls out. "Mikami, Mikami!"
Metal doors begin to slam down all around him in the hall blocking off entrance and exit into the homes. Confused, Light turns around to bang on L's door; he, at least, knows that he'll open it. But the man remained inside. He can't get trapped here! Darting down the hall before the elevator doors are blocked off he sees that he's already too late. The door to the stairwell is blocked as well! Will he have to spend the night in this hallway?
As if things weren't bad enough.
"Rrr." He grits his teeth while covering his ears to block out the sound of a very loud, blaring siren. It could break glass!
Its so sharp and piercing. But there, inside the siren, is another sound; one that resembles maybe cement sliding from itself in a very cramped space. Scrape, scrape. Very slow, very approaching. Turning his head, one eye strained open from their pained scrunch shut, he sees something white coming up the hall very slowly, like he has all the time in the world. Which gave Light all the time he needed to duck into the only door not closed off- a laundry room. Down on the floor, ears covered, eyes closed tight, legs pulled in like the mysterious L. He can hear the sound moving closer and closer... closer... He wasn't sure why he didn't run to the man to ask for help, but the presence felt off. Not like the dark haired man in the now blocked off apartment, but off like the thing he'd seen fly overhead when he was out in the forest.
When the sound was directly up to the door it froze. Slowly, Light found himself wondering if the man had disappeared like the woman in the hall, as if he'd just made it all up perhaps, mind games from being in such a strange place. One shaking breath at a time, Light turns his head, eyes opening to see what would or would not be standing next to him. If he were a less stable person, Light Yagami was sure he would have died from sheer fright. There, before him, is a tall figure of a man or so it seems it's human; long legs covered in dingy, blood rusted black leather pants that are nearly hidden by a long equally bloody and dirty lab coat but the head, the head is what made Light question this things humanity because rather then a head it seems to be nothing more than a large triangle, almost like an oblong pyramid jetting forward about five or sex feet before the things body and its made up of what looks like pulsating, throbbing purple and black, puss filled tumors sticking out in the shape of a large bill. Its standing very still almost as if its waiting for Light to make the first move, but was unable to wait for very long as it turns its head to face the male. Its free hand going up towards the horror of a face and it moves a large flap of skin over peering down at hime.
From the angle he's in Light can't see any eyes, but if he could he would have seen that the only thing in that head are empty, crusted sockets. Replacing the flap, the thing moves up the hall at the same slow pace it had walked up. Light, frozen, sees that the thing he'd heard sliding along is a large broad sword in the shape of a meat cleaver. Breathing returning to function he gets up to make a run for it, anywhere he can go but he's hit over the head hard, dropping to the floor.
...
Light wasn't sure when he'd woken up, he wasn't even really sure how he'd gotten out of the building, actually, but he found himself running hard towards his rented car. Woodside was just a dark memory as he tore away from the area in his car. Seeing what he saw back there... His mind is spinning with wonder and fear; he wouldn't have been surprised if his body decided to implode in on itself just to get away. Flashes of how he'd gotten out came rushing to him all at once. He had gone out into the hall and something heavy hit him on the back of the head, he'd blacked out. Waking up sometime later, he found himself alone in the dark hall; that horrible siren still ringing in the background, but thankfully the man was gone. Returning into the laundry room he found that the barred window opened from the inside for incase of fires. Opening it, a fire escape was below and he escaped down the stairs. It was sad, though, just as he pulled himself from the building he could hear voices screaming in the background and one of them sounded like L. He hated himself knowing that the man was in trouble and he did nothing about it when he was so willing to help whomever might have been in the strange man's bedroom, but that was a whole other story because there was no man with a cleaver involved. He values life, but he values his own moreso.
The car takes a sharp turn; it was a wonder that the post office box wasn't plowed down by his hasty retreat. He has to get to old Silent Hill; surely Near will give him a place to stay, after all, its his fault that he's in this nightmarish place. He had no right to send Mikami's letter to him, of course he hadn't read it but he should have had some sense that Light would come answering it, he even sent him a reply! Realizing he's out of the building and the speed is un-needed he slows down, allowing the crackling from the radio to sooth him a bit. His car has reached the connecting strip of forest that will take him back into Central. No sooner had he made it out of the other town does he hear the flapping of wings, loud, reminding him of a bat coming into heavy contact with bullet proof glass. Leaning forward a bit he looks up into the night sky trying to see the thing but his attention is pulled away when his headlights shine brightly on something long and pale standing in the way of the car. Slamming on the breaks, wheel spinning to get out of the way, the car slams into the metal railing that lines the street from the forest. He's very surprised that the person wasn't hit because he was so close the end of the car could have smashed them.
Looking over his shoulder he sees the person moving closer, the red taillights make it look almost inhuman, especially with the stumbling ways its walking over. At least there's someone else outside with him, maybe he can give them a lift for the company. The man or woman, its hard to say, gets behind the vehicle, forearms come up and with its elbows it pounds down on the trunk.
'What the hell?' Light presses the cars horn to tell the person to move along, but it does no such thing. It only pummels the trunk harder, hard enough to leave dents. 'Is this guy crazy?' Honking the horn again, he turns in his seat, rather than watching through the rearview mirror, and to his horror the persons strange behavior shows off the alarming fact that it has no hands attached to its wrist to make it worse, there is also no head. Turning his attention forward he shifts the gears into reverse, hopefully the car will work after the crash it had just taken, he would have sped away if he didn't catch sight of a dozen more of the creatures now standing at the front of his car. They're everywhere, blocking him in completely! Dozens of them! Gastric sounds escape them from somewhere: a hard gargle or strange stomach growl. The windows are becoming unusueable from getting covered in thick spurts of blood leaving from the decapated limbs.
He's about to tear out of the entrapping area but he's startled hard by another five banging on the drivers side of the car forcing him over into the passangers seat, back to the door and legs extended to the now empty seat, he watches the... whatever they are attempt to get into the car with him.
'Should I run them over?' He wonders climbing back into the drivers seat. The car bumps up into the air like a child on a lower bunk kicking the upper mattress. 'They're under the car too! No, maybe it came from the roof?'
The radio came to life suddenly, and a voice followed soon after. "This is your friendly announcer and tour guide, Matt Jeevas, coming to you live with tonights safety announcements to all you poor souls stuck out on the roads. Naughty, naughty, you really should remember to follow the curfew. But here are your safe havens as followed. To those of you stuck on the road here in Central swing on by the police station, that's where I'll be and I'm bored out of my mind so please hurry in."
'Is he serious?' Light wonders just how close he is to Central not willing to call more attention to himself by turning on the overhead to check the map.
"Anyone unfortunate enough to be stuck in Old Silent Hill find your way to Blotch street and get inside the Balkan church." This Matt continues slowly.
Sure that they are not human and no life would be lost, Light slams his foot down on the gas pedal, creating a whiff of smoke in the air from the tires screeching before the vehicle jerks backwards knocking over the crowd, speed bumping until its over their bodies. Changing gears to drive he tears out of their as quickly as he can; white knuckles gripping the wheel. He can make it to Central.
Their uproar grew as they followed after Light on feetless legs, stumbling and tripping over their own growing numbers. More of them come from nowhere! He knows he can't make it to Central, its too long a drive; so bravely he lets up on the pedals, the speed decreases. "Come on, say the outskirts." He pleads with the faceless man. Stopping the car, he turns off the headlights hoping it will help, some, with keeping the headless things away; he can hear them in the short distance but the sounds are lower like some of them may have let up or quit.
Maybe ten or thirty- all of them launch themselves at the car, their assalt hard enough to tip the moving vehicle over.
"Come on!" He demands from the announcer as he swirves the car again to head back into town.
"And finally, if you're in the outskirts of town locate the boathouse by taking Nathan Avenue- that means you, Light Yagami."
The overhead light is on to help him locate the street and with quick glances out his window, he sees the street tags just barely due to the blood streaks. Rolling the window down, he checks one last tag. He's on the correct street. The car zips along at top speed practically coming apart when he hit the break at his destination.
The radio long sense died off leaving him alone from any type of human contact. Getting out of the car, the door remains open as he heads away from it into the boathouse which was thankfully unlocked. Although, he had to question if that were good or bad because those things might be inside.
Its dark, no lights working as he flips the switch up and down waiting for the bulbs to work but they remain dead. From what he can see the place is a wreck, just like the convenience store in the Old town. Not a good sign. Stalking across the room he heads outside; unsure of whether or not he was supposed to stay indoors or take a boat out on the lake for safety he decides that being out in the water is a lot safer then waiting inside the place to be attacked. Light removes the rope tied to a pole on the port, climbing inside the row boat he grabs the oars then rows himself out on the water. The fog is thick and blinding all around him. His skull is buzzing from nerves and wonder of his safety. He was five hard strokes out when he realizes that he's no longer moving.
Wondering if he'd hit shore, he looks behind him then over to the side when the sound of bubbling water catches his ear. Watching something slip back and forth beside the boat he knows its stupid to do it but he leans over a bit anyway. A soggy, green arm shoots up out of the water almost instinctively, wrapping its hand around Light's wrist.
"No!" He tries pulling away but it only seemed to give the hand strength. He continues to struggle only to have another hand pop out to join the first. The boat rocked and swayed... he knew what would happen next and closes his eyes waiting for the impact.
...
Taking in a hard suck of air, Light coughs and sputters, turning his head to the side to allow the water to run out of his mouth. Blurred vision sees daylight before another image blocks his view.
L is crouched over him with a weird smile on his face. "Odd time to take a swim," His expression died as if his voice had killed it. "wouldn't you agree, Light?"
"I didn't have much of a choice." He continues catching his breath finding it strange that he can actually feel his breaths now. Before, last night, he couldn't feel himself, by that he means all his normal functions that he's very aware of seemed not to be on. All he could feel was fear. No heart beat, no shortness of breath, he wasn't even aware of his blinking! It must be what a panic attack feels like. It's all head and no body.
"What were you doing outside after curfew? Didn't Mikami let you in?" He straightens up. Even standing the man seems to prefer a slouched position. Reaching out a hand he helps the dripping mess to his feet.
"I wasn't able to get his attention before the door was blocked off by some metal baracade." He looks down at his soggy posterior. "Didn't you hear it slamming shut, you were inside?"
"Everyone hears them, its our way of keeping safe from break-ins."
"That's pretty extreme. ...What about that siren, though?"
"Its to signal curfew."
He's speaking as if this isn't weird at all, as if every thing is no big deal.
"But I heard you screaming?"
"You're mistaken. Come with me, Light, I've got a change of clothes in my car. You can have them since you're dripping wet." The man has that strange smile on his face again.
Hanging out with him was the last thing that Light wanted to do but he has no choice in the matter. Hell, he isn't even really sure where he is right now. Catching up with L, he spots a loose fit black shirt and a pair of blue jeans in the back of the SUV.
"I have a towel for you to use, I was going to use it myself but you seem to need it more."
The door is opened for him and from a gym bag he retrieves the large fluffy towel. Removing his shirt and pants without hesitation; the door blocking his free show from the sweet loving man, he dries himself off quickly, dressing just as fast. "Thank you for saving me, but..."
L cuts him off to say. "Never heard a 'but' from a guy who's received a second chance at life- well, unless he's suicidal. Are you suicidal, Light?"
"No, I'm not." The man could piss a statue off, he's sure of it. "I only meant to ask what you're doing out here. You must have broken curfew as well." He also wanted to ask if Lawliet had seen the creatures following him, but he didn't dare to say such a thing.
"Curfew ends at five o'clock, its now six fifteen." Looking down then up he adds. "I was out for a jog."
"I have to get back to Mikam-..." He sways in his step, the fatigue of last night catching up to him.
"You should take it easy, you're in no condition to be moving around so quickly after nearly drowning." Walking around to the other side of the car, he says softly. "I'm in the mood for some stuffed french toast. Climb in, I'll treat."
In no mood to waste another day- or minute for that matter- in this place he reluctantly climbed into the car with the man. "L? If you're going for a jog then why do you have your car?"
The man glances at him then back at the road. "I usually drive out to the best location to be alone, I do my work out then drive back. Is there something wrong with that?"
"No." Watching the forest turn into the city, he watches as the town moves about alive and thriving. 'How did I get out of the building? Am I crazy? Or was I dreaming the whole thing. L said that the sirens and baracades are true but what about that other thing?' He can barely remember what it looked like now.
They're on Katz Street reads a street tag and the car pulls up to parallel park at Cafe Mist. The two climb out and head inside. The look of the place is friendly: chatting people, babies crying, the smell of cigarette smoke. He spots a blond head at the end of the bar belonging to that man, Mello, from the other part of town. Does he live out here? He and L take a seat in the center of the bar on very comfortable swiveling stools.
"What can I get you?" A man looking to be very young and sounding the same greets them with nothing more than a smile before asking for their orders.
"I'll have the banana peacan stuffed french toast, Mr. Matsuda." L says right off the bat.
A dry sound leaves Light's throat as he can't believe he's having breakfast with this man instead of returning to Woodside apartment to see if Mikami will talk to him now. He's probably at home. "I'll have the steak and eggs, please."
"Coming up."
Glad to have a second with the man, Light touches L's thin shoulder. "L, can you give me a lift back to your apartment. I wanna see if Mikami is at home."
"You really shouldn't have left then, he was there. I even saw him on my way out." He takes some sugar packets dumping them over into his coffee. "He seemed pissed."
"About what? Did you talk to him?"
"Nothing beyond 'good morning'. Why, should I have mentioned if he'd seen you?"
'Would have helped.' He looks down at the food set before him. It looks delicious: sunny side down eggs, a thick piece of steak with a side of hash.
"The hash comes with any order of eggs." The man seemed almost to apologize about that. "You're new here aren't you? I've never seen your face before, and I know pretty much everybody."
L was in his own little world pouring syrup onto the toast before reaching for the powdered sugar container. Perfect time to get some answers.
Switching almost to work mode, Light asks. "Mr. Matsuda, you say you know everyone then do you know a Teru Mikami?"
"Oh sure, he had a case here once before, he's a lawyer- black hair?"
"Yes, that's him. Do you know where he works?" He had to know, incase he should have to make another trip around this place if Mikami isn't at home.
"Not exactly, I don't get that deep into another mans personal life. But I can tell you that he was working on a case here three years ago. A big one too, a murderer named..." He held his tongue when looking over at L. "Let's just say he was able to put the man away for a long time. He'd somehow gotten out, though and... Well, that's why we have curfew." He laughs it off.
'So that's why Mikami looked so distant, but then why didn't he tell me about the case? Moreso why didn't he come back once the verdict was over? Was he glad to leave, looking for a way out? Or was he captivated by this place like Lawliet had been?' He takes a bite of his meal, chewing it slowly.
"So, can I ask why you're looking for him? Do you need a lawyer for something?" Ask the man behind the counter.
"He's searching for love." L answers.
Light shot him a bitter glare.
"Oh, so then you're not with... I mean, I'd just assumed that because you two are here together."
Light shakes his head. "We're just aquaintances."
"Aquaintances?" L repeats.
"Has Mikami come through here anytime after the trial?" He wants to know even the smallest places he can cut the illusive man off.
Matsuda thought for a moment then replied. "Sometimes, but not recently like a week or something."
"L? When did you first meet him?" Light turns in his seat just in time to hear the addressed say.
"In some places an aquaintance can come into your home and cook you a meal, but not for you, you just take a man's help and be done with him. I'm sorry, what was the question?"
"When did you meet Mikami? You said you know him well enough, and from what I know he used to live in Old Silent Hill."
"I met him... exactly three years ago seven months after he'd moved into the apartment."
'Why would he give up his home suddenly? He wouldn't move because of the case, would he?' Light sighs. 'Why does any of this matter? Do I really need to know why? ...I do. For my sake and the sake of getting him back; maybe I can change whatever had happened.'
"He does this sort of thing alot?" Asks Matsuda to L.
"He's a reporter." His breakfast is finished, a finger is mopping up the remaining syrup.
"A reporter?"
"From Japan."
"Wow. Hey, you know you've got six days right?"
"He knows."
But Light wasn't listening to either of them, still trying to process what he's learned. Only a new thought crossed his mind. The trial. Maybe that's what happened. But he'll never know for sure until he finds Mikami to ask.