⌒°(❛ᴗ❛)°⌒ Happy 2017 everyone! Downside: I have college classes starting again this week...kill me...
OKAY. Tl;DR: We learn what Naomi has been doing since L.A., what Kiyomi placed in the nation wide exam, some school life, Light picking up the death note, and Light learning about Kiyomi (A little) We also see L for a tiny bit.
Arashi - IV of VI: I can't answer that, I guess you just have to wait, eheh ヾ(｡･ω･)ｼ
kaitlin2515: Thank you!
UniCryin: Looks like you got what you wanted, ahah.
Pineapple-Lady-sama: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Makesomehassel: (✿´ ꒳ ` ) I can't promise anything, eheh.
"Naomi, recent updates on Rue."
"Currently in Japan, still hiding." She said, "I believe he's starting to feel cornered."
"Do you require any aid?"
"No, L."
"I will be calling back in a month. Call this number if you find anything else."
"Got it."
And the line went silent.
Naomi leaned back in her seat, alone in another hotel this month. Since L.A. she's been on a chase to find the odd man claiming to be a detective when she was in America little under a year ago. He said he was hired by one of the victims families to figure out what happened. With the little information that a girl by the name of Kiyomi Takada gave, she was able to figure out the puzzle the murderer created faster than he expected.
Conveniently, that's also when Rue Ryuzaki disappeared. She was able to connect the dots, and contacted L. He revealed that Rue actually was B.B, the suspected murderer. L was using Naomi to simply solve the puzzle the murderer created to have enough evidence to convict him.
During that time, Naomi's boyfriend, Raye, proposed. She had to turn him down. She couldn't risk him getting hurt. L gave her more space on the case as well, giving her any resources she needed in order to hunt B.B.
As long as B.B. isn't on a killing spree, L would rather focus on other cases. This was a game he got tired of playing, and didn't mind handing over to Naomi. Naomi left the FBI as a result, and dedicated all her time to finding B.B. She's been keeping tabs on Kiyomi too, feeling a small amount of guilt for what has happened to the girl since L.A.
"Beyond Birthday...What is you're trying to do now?" She muttered, looking out the window at the busy street of Japan. The dark sky loomed over the city, only the stars visible.
"Kiyo!" A high pitched voice sang out, pulling Takada away from her thoughts. It was break, and she was sitting outside in her school's courtyard. The sun was somewhere in the sky, but covered by clouds. The air was still warm though.
Takada closed the book she was reading and directed her attention to the girl who called out to her. "I hear you're going to another Judo competition, right?" The girl eagerly asked.
"Yes, against Daiku private academies team."
"Ahh? That's so cool! You're going to totally destroy them!"
"Well, that is the plan."
"I heard that you have friends that go there?"
"From middle school, but we haven't talked since school started back up this year." She said, "Why?"
"Rumor has it that you went on a date with Light Yagami, one of like...Japan's smartest, during summer break."
Takada rose her eyebrows and tried to hide a face of disgust. "I went to karaoke with a couple of friends and Light Yagami happened to be there. It could be hardly considered a date, though." She said, "I didn't think I was the center of any gossip this year either. Pity."
"It's hardly bad gossip though. I mean, have you seen Light? He's one of the best people for people to think you date!"
"I'm not huge on the whole 'dating thing', academics and work have and always will be a priority."
"Aww! Come on, you're such a stick in the mud!"
"Hardly."
A week later, at the Judo competition, she did exactly what she said she'd do. Destroy Daiku's Judo team.
She accepted the trophy for her school graciously.
Really, she expected more from a private academy like them. It was almost too easy. Of course, she couldn't have done it without her team. (Well, it's kind of debatable.)
It's been three weeks since she brought her school another Judo trophy.
Two weeks since the nation wide exam.
The birds were chirping as a trained passed in the background. Her classmates were chatting as they left the building. Almost every classroom had their windows open, allowing the cool breeze from outside to come in. School just ended, but Takada was taking her time for once. She didn't work today, and club was canceled due to the club sponsor being sick.
As she slung her back over her shoulder, she couldn't help but look outside the classroom windows. Stuck in a trance, almost. If she could stay in a state like this forever...she wouldn't mind.
"Kiyo-senpai! Are you coming? Everyone in Judo want's to get dinner together!" One of her club mates nearly yelled, running into her classroom. "O-of course, if you're not working!"
She raised her eyebrows, but gave a soft smiled like she was supposed to. "I actually have the day off, where are we eating?"
"Yagami-san! Are you going to cram school tonight?"
"Yes, I am." Light said, putting his belongings in her bag as he started getting ready to leave, "Why?"
"I was wondering why you went to cram school-You're one of Japan's smartest students. I don't get how it benefits you."
Light was surprised by the question. In reality, he went because he parents are paying for it and he likes the excuse of getting out of social gatherings by saying he has cram school. But that's not the answer he gives. "I'm Japan's best because I study. If I just stopped then I would easily fall behind."
"Psh, sure."
Light left school feeling awfully tired. Awfully bored.
It's been a month since Takada went to dinner with her Judo club. Four weeks since L has looked at Takada's file, two days since Takada set something on fire, an hour since Naomi has found another lead on B.B. and five seconds since Light picked up the death note.
A laptop screen illuminated a dark room, a man hunched down in front of it quickly scrolling through information.
Kiyomi Takada. The girl who gave Naomi information about the L.A. case, as well as the girl whose host families father was victim of the murders. She's exceedingly smart, top grades, already working, and leader of her school's Judo club.
L is curious of what Kiyomi will do with her intelligence. He certainly hopes she doesn't stick with Sakura TV, it would be a waste. He hums against his thumb and goes back to his current case. If her father died when she was younger, then she would have no doubt been sent to Wammy's. Though it is a morbid thing to think about.
The nation wide results came in today, and Light hadn't been that anxious to see his results. He knew he'd get on the top of the list once again.
Takada on the other hand, couldn't help but feel like her heart was going to beat of her chest when her teacher came into the classroom. The nation wide exam costs money, and she could never will herself to pay until her senior year. A smile was one her teacher's face, and she never thought she'd see the older man so happy.
"For the first time in our school's history, we have a student make the top five." Her classmates were already whispering. "It's no other then Takada Kiyomi." He said. All her classmates waited on edge for her exact placement.
"What did I place sir?" She asks, feeling all the eyes on her.
"Number two."
Her class all stood up, yelling and cheering for Takada. "You showed those rich kids that private schools and cram schools mean nothing!" One said, "Proof that money can't buy you everything! Go Takada!" Another roared.
Takada didn't realize she was laughing, and she didn't realize she started crying either.
Deep down, she guesses she was doubting herself. But this is proof that she hadn't been wasting her time. The original Takada, the one who supported Light, didn't make it on the list. But this version had. And she did it on her own.
"Takada!
"Mhm-!" Takada was caught mid bite of lunch, she almost choked at how loud her classmate was. She quickly collected herself and put down her chopsticks. "Ah-What is it, Yuri-chan?"
"Have you heard about all the criminals dying recently? Like almost fifty in a week! It's crazy."
"...Yes, I have. Not the best way to start a conversation, though."
"I want to know what you think about it, duh."
Takada paused, wiping any crumbs of her face before she answered. "I think it's the beginning of something awful." She closed her bento box and looked back at her classmate. "What do you think, Yuri-chan?"
"Ahh, really? I expected you to be all for the criminals dying! After your trip to L.A. and everything. Well, I think it's great! Can you imagine a world with no criminals? Maybe god is watching over us after all!"
"The world isn't all black and white. Many criminals are framed, wrongful put in jail, racially profiled, mentally ill, just killing them off as if they're nothing but animals...I refuse to believe this is an act of a god."
"Wow...Have you thought about this a lot?"
"I keep up with the news."
"Hey Light, don't you know the girl who got second place?" Sayu asked at dinner. "I know I'm late at looking at the paper you gave mom, but I think you went to karaoke with a Kiyomi or something before."
Light heard Ryuk chuckle behind him, but he payed no mind. "Really Sayu, you remember that?" He asked with a small laugh. "It might be her. She never actually told me her real name. Only her nickname, Kiyo"
"Kiyomi could totally be her full name! She already sounds so cool and mysterious!" She beams in her seat. Her mom chuckles while her dad raises an eyebrow.
"Are you trying to play matchmaker for your brother?" Mr. Yagami asks.
"...Maybe."
"Sayu!" Ms. Yagami scolds light heartedly, "That's my job."
After dinner, Light looks at the nationwide exam scores again in his room. Takada Kiyomi's name is right below his, only three points off. He quickly googles her name, and a picture of the girl he talked to at karaoke turned up.
He skimmed a few local news stories, mostly related to Judo competitions. He raised an eyebrow, she apparently was fairly popular in the Judo community. Not only that, but apparently she works at Sakura TV? He honestly didn't expect that.
He didn't expect to see her name in a L.A. newspaper from last year either. "The Boulevard family has come across a horrible tragedy, as Jonathan Boulevard was murdered in his own home. An exchange student from Japan, Kiyomi Takada, who had been staying with the family was the one who first found the body. She intends on staying in America for the remaining portion of her program, regardless of the tragedy."
Light leaned back in his seat, taking in the information. For once, he found someone who was actually interesting. What made her think he was boring though? He'd actually like to hear more about her from her, and not from news articles.
She might be a help in the future as well, but that's not what he wants to focus on. His eyes look at the picture of her holding a Judo trophy, her smile wide and prideful as she stands with her teammates. "I wonder if you still will find me 'boring' soon." He mutters to himself. "Ryuk, can you stop laughing?"
"This keeps getting more and more interesting." The shinigami says.
Light rolls his eyes at the vague statement. He flips open the death note and begins writing.
Please leave a review! It motivates me to keep writing, and I love listening to what everyone is thinking so far!
I also made a small playlist for this story on playmoss, (a free version of 8tracks basically), it's called Self-Immolation and my username is Zenyatta. It's kind of a mess but hey, a lot of the songs remind me of Kiyomi.