First off, thank you all for reading this story! Second, I apologize for my horrible hiatus. I am the worst for putting things off. But to make up for it, I did two updates in one day!

I hate to say this, but my schedule is a little funky right now, and this story is actually proving to be more difficult than I had originally expected when I started it. But I will update as soon as a chapter is finished! Enjoy!

Previously...

Near began his research for L's requested errand. Kairi struggled to keep herself in check as her cousin called and explained her wishes to attempt to leave this world.

(L's POV)

Jaden and I sat for a few hours in a small café, conversing about everything he knew about Jeffrey Woods. He had asked about my stature only once, accepting the fact that I was strange in his eyes. I didn't truly care what he thought; it was normal for me. His opinion was none of my concern. We eventually landed on the subject of his family.

"You say that you witnessed these murders; did your family witness them as well?"

"My family lives somewhere else. I moved here on my own, four weeks before his first kill. I was friends with Liu, his younger brother. That is how I know his story, and how he knows me."

"Perhaps you should look for assistance from the witness protection," I suggested. He shook his head.

"I have to stay; Jeff will hunt me down. He has done it to everyone that tried to leave."

"So you will eventually die by his hand," I said, not seeing how this boy could find his way out alone. "Unless I find Jeff and take him in."

"You may be able to do it; he is not stronger or smarter than before his incident. The only difference is his speed and insanity. You can kill him just like any mortal." I nodded and stood up, realizing that it would be dark soon.

"Thank you for meeting with me," I said, shaking his hand. I then walked him home, not wanting to lose my source of information so easily. I received a video message as I was walking home and decided to answer it.

"Ryuuzaki, I need your help." I looked to the screen, raising an eyebrow before plugging my headphones in. I didn't want anyone listening to our conversation.

"What is it?"

"We've made a lot of progress with Kira, but a new problem surfaced. Our first suspect, Gyumi Naomi, was simply hired as an actress. She knew nothing of her employer until we took her in. I had her recite her lines so that I could create answers that were unexpected yet applicable."

"What is the problem then?" I asked in English, knowing I might have listeners.

"I'm assumed dead." I looked to the screen, masking my shock well. "Kira thinks he killed me. He claimed to know my name and said that if Near didn't answer him, he would kill me. A few minutes later, he sent out another message saying that he did kill me."

"Perhaps he believes he did, but had the wrong face or misspelled your name."

"But if that was the case, he would have made two different responses: one being that I lived, and one that I died. He only assumed I had died."

I let out a sigh to make it seem that I was dealing with a stressful problem with work. "I'm almost home, okay? I'll look at it when I get to my computer."

"Ryuuzaki, I wish you were here." It surprised me to hear Kairi like this. She was always stubborn and adamant about not showing her feelings. I didn't talk until I was safely inside the hotel with the doors locked. I then transferred the call to my computer.

"Kairi, tell me what happened."

"I already did. I'm assumed dead."

"After that," I stated. Her eyes left the camera. I sighed. "Kairi, tell me." I watched as her eyes welled up with tears.

"Sayu called my phone. I answered it, explaining that Kira must have misspelled my name and that I was still alive. If I died, I would have driven her to suicide." I waited patiently, knowing she wasn't finished by the way she looked at the camera. "I slipped, Ryuuzaki." My heart fell to my stomach at her words.

"Show me your-"

"I slipped, but my razors are gone."

"Show me your arms." She looked away and removed her sweater, revealing her arms as she wore a tank top. Her arms were not scarred any more than her last slips. "Stomach." She lifted her shirt, and I saw dark bruises litter her torso. She had beaten herself.

"Ryuuzaki, I'm not handling this well," she said. I heard her voice crack, and I sighed a bit.

"Go ahead and cry, Kairi-chan. I'll stay on the call, and we can talk when you feel better," I said. She pulled her shirt back down and pulled her sweater on. "Have you eaten?"

"I lost my appetite," she said. I frowned and shook my head.

"And here I am trying to eat healthier." She raised an eyebrow, not believing my claim. "I ate a cracker and drank a glass of water. No sweets."

"You really tried," she said, a small laugh escaping her lips. Then her breath hitched, and I knew what was coming.

"Kairi-chan, I miss you over here." She looked down, and I knew she missed me too. "It's kind of quiet without you. I feel like I've gone back to the first Kira case."

"Raito-kun was there."

"Yes, but we always argued or sat in silence. We didn't have regular talks like this." She wiped her eyes a bit.

"He never cried in front of you, did he?" she asked lightheartedly.

"No. He didn't like showing much emotion around me. He sort of hated me."

"Did you hate him?"

"No. To be honest, I was a bit jealous. He was able to get any girl he wanted, he was approachable and friendly, and he had both looks and smarts. He was my first friend in a long time."

"Why did you have to take him down the way you did?" she asked.

"Because I cared about him as well as all the families of the Kira victims. He couldn't stop anymore. He wouldn't listen to reason." I looked into the camera as her eyes rose to the screen. "It hurt, Kairi-chan. It hurt to have to kill Raito."

"I miss my family. Sayu is the only family I have left," she said.

"And me. And Watari."

She smiled, tears falling down her cheeks. She covered her face and let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Ryuuzaki. I'm going to finish up here, then head back to America."

"Okay. Stay safe."

"I will. Bye, Ryuuzaki."

"Bye, Kairi." She ended the call, and I let out a sigh of my own.

(Kairi's POV)

The next two days were spent creating the responses needed to stump the real Kira. I helped Near with investigating other leads by reading the body language of each person, but the most they were actually responsible for was personal secrets irrelative to the Kira investigation.

"This is stupid," I sighed, leaning back in the chair. I heard Near sigh through his microphone. He was heading back to the facility, whereas I was seated in the security room watching the camera feeds.

"So I'm guessing that you haven't done something like this before."

"Well, most of our cases last less than a week. Killers in America aren't usually that smart," I explained, looking to the camera feed for Gyumi's room. She was currently asleep. "Until the 'Go to Sleep' case, it didn't take much to solve a case."

"Do you plan on staying in case more Kira's appear?"

"I told Ryuuzaki I would return home once this case is solved. But you are willing to request my help on a case in the future." He simply hummed in response, and I raised a brow. "Why? Do you want me to stay? I don't think I've been much help to you."

"On the contrary; without you, I would've never found out Gyumi was the voice of Kira. Your speed of hacking and tracking is far more advanced than my own. You have been a lot of help." I smiled a little, not used to so much praise.

"Is there any chance I can see Sayu soon? I told her I would try to visit her."

"You can visit her once I return. Someone needs to watch the camera feeds at all times in case Gyumi needs us or tries something."

"Thank you." I smiled a little brighter, glad to be able to see my cousin again. "I'll see you when you get here," I added, to which he nodded.

About ten minutes later, he came into the room. I immediately stood up and bowed slightly to him, to which he nodded. He then sat down where I was previously, and I followed Near's butler, Kouju, from the room. We went down to where Sayu was staying, a room on the second floor of the four-floor building. As soon as I stepped inside, I was gathered into a bone-crushing hug. "Oh dear lord, Sayu," I said, my breath momentarily taken away.

"I missed you so much! I thought I was hallucinating our call or something," she said softly, eventually loosening her grip. I returned her warm embrace.

"Don't worry. I'm just a little busy with my job," I explained. "And I hate to say it, but I won't get a whole lot of visits just yet. We're following a lead right now."

"You're part of the Kira investigation?" I realized my small slip up, but I didn't see how this could hurt her.

"Yes, I am."

"That explains why Kira said your name. But I don't want to lose you to him," she said, finally releasing me. I went into her room and sat down on her bed, waiting for her to do the same.

"You heard the broadcast. 'Tagoku Kairi' is assumed dead. I am going to go by an alias and change my appearance. Which is another thing I wanted to ask you about," I added, smiling a little to try and lighten her mood. "What should I do different? I need a complete change."

"Oh, I know! Wait, are we allowed to leave this place?" she asked, and I tilted my head.

"Depends. Why?"