An angry blonde stormed up to Metropolitan apartment complexes, and angrily pushed the spinning glass door open with shaking hands. She could only imagine how red her face must have looked, and all of her black eye makeup had already trailed down her cheeks. Passerby's regarded her with concern, but she paid them no mind. She had only one face burned into her brain, and she had made it her mission to destroy said face.
As she had said all those years ago, if she saw him with another girl, she would kill them.
That's why Takada Kiyomi was a dead woman.
She had dared go near her Raito. Hell, it was torture enough just thinking of her looking at him. Not to mention all of the other...filthy acts Misa was sure she had forced upon him. She shuddered with the thought, angrily punching the elevator button.
Everyone knew that she and Raito were dating, were in love. It was no secret. It was splashed all over magazines, all over news outlets. You'd have to be living under a rock with half of a brain inside of your head not to know that Raito was Misa's property. She had claimed him all of those years ago, and considering that Kiyomi was a news anchor, she definitely knew Raito was not up for grabs.
Her heart beat rapidly in her chest as her anger consumed her, it blinded her. She knew that she had anger issues, and yes she had gone to therapy for it, but this time it felt as if her anger was justifiable. Who wouldn't be seething over someone attempting to take their boyfriend away from them? And by someone as unworthy and slutty as Kiyomi? Where did she get off? Misa gritted her teeth, and for a moment she feared she'd crack a filling.
Kiyomi wasn't anything special anyway. Raito preferred blondes! Well, she thought he did. He had always complimented her after she got her hair done anyway. And Kiyomi was just so boring to look at! With her short, black hair and her glittery silver eyes that held just enough allure for one to be interested but not enough that they would be overwhelmed-
Okay, so maybe Kiyomi wasn't as ugly as the three-headed monster she had been envisioning her as. B-but...her breasts were smaller than hers! Misa smirked satisfactorily, before another poisonous doubt ripped through her mind. What if Raito liked smaller-
No! No, she couldn't think like that. She couldn't lose faith in her kami! Raito had made her the second Kira, his goddess of the New World after all.
Well, technically Rem had given her the notebook...but Raito had allowed her to be his girlfriend. He could commit himself to anyone, and he chose her! Kiyomi wasn't good enough to be the goddess of the New World! Would she sacrifice half of her lifespan for the eyes? No!
And Kiyomi wasn't an idol, she was just some news person. And Raito hated the media, he was always saying they didn't talk about Kira enough. Why on earth would he want to get in bed with someone who possessed such a boring job? Misa doubted Kiyomi got several fan letters a day, she probably wouldn't even know what to do with one.
Whatever funny business was going on, Misa was going to end it. Maybe Kiyomi would get into a little...accident! Yeah, that's it! She'd have her get hit by a car, or jump off a bridge, or drink five gallons of bleach mixed with wine. That would show her. Misa was the second Kira after all, she should get to make decisions too. Stealing another's boyfriend was adultery, and the bible said that was a sin. And committing a sin made someone a criminal, so therefore Kiyomi's death would be justified.
Besides, she probably didn't know that Raito liked his coffee black. She didn't know that he liked true crime documentaries, and she definitely didn't know that Raito liked his bread to be bought from the obscure bakery in the bad part of Shinjuko. She wouldn't know that he liked exactly four marshmallows in his hot chocolate, and she definitely wouldn't know his likes and dislikes in the bedroom. Misa knew everything about Raito, she was clearly the superior lover. She didn't care what she had to do, she had come too far to loose Raito to some witch. She would fight tooth and nail for him, because isn't that what you do when you love someone?
The elevator doors opened with a beep and she wasted no time in storming down the hall. She'd break the door if she had to! Raito was hers, he was all she had!
Reaching apartment four nine-oh, she raised her fist and banged on the door nosily. There was a doorbell, but she figured this would be much more intimidating.
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" A disgruntled voice came from inside, and the door quickly flung open. Kiyomi stood there, in her dressing gown no less, and looked down at Misa in confusion before her eyes widened with recognition. Misa discreetly gulped when she realized Kiyomi had quite a few inches on her, but she stood her ground and crossed her arms angrily.
"Amane-san?" Kiyomi questioned, her eyes darting about. Clearly she was trying to find a way to weasel out of this confrontation. "What are you doing here at this hour?"
"Where is he?" Misa hissed, pushing past her into the apartment. Her anger had reached its boiling point, and was now messily spilling all over the place. She was trembling with rage, and she could almost feel the small flames of ire dancing in her eyes.
"Where is who?" The other questioned, shutting the door to come and follow Misa as she made her way through the apartment. Which, was quite boring if Misa did say so herself. All of the furniture was boring black and whites, and there weren't even any decorations like plants or paintings! It looked like a dead person lived in here.
"You know who!" Misa snapped, ripping a closet door open and rifling through clothes.
"I really don't." Kiyomi confessed. "And who are you to barge into my apartment? You're trespassing!"
"Trespassing!" Misa let out a laugh, slamming the door shut angrily to go and look in the bathroom. "You should know a thing or two about trespassing yourself!"
"What on earth are you talking about?" Kiyomi hissed. "I'd like you to leave."
"Not until I find him!" Misa raged, storming out of the bedroom. "I know you've got the hots for him, and since he's not with me he must be here with you! Now, where did you hide him? The kitchen? The balcony?"
"Who?" Kiyomi yelled, grabbing her arm suddenly, and turning her around to glare her down.
Her eyes bit into hers, her roseate lips curled into a disdainful frown, and she towered over her with all of her might. Misa gulped, drowning inside of those silver irises that glittered with stars. This was who she was up against? Kiyomi was as stunning as a marble statue, and Misa suddenly felt very tiny. What had the plan been again? Her knees banged together as she swallowed something unsavory.
Coming to her senses, Misa hastily ripped her arm away, and stomped her foot. "Raito!"
Kiyomi looked as if she'd been slapped, before her lips curled into a frown. "Raito-san? He's not here."
"Then you're expecting him." Misa wrinkled her nose, clenching her fists. "Either way, I know what's been going on between you two. Don't even try to deny it!"
Kiyomi's eyes spoke the truth, but she still sighed and tried to lie. "I have no idea what you're insinuating-"
"You know all too well what I am insinuating." Misa interrupted hotly. "I know you've been trying to steal him out from under me, and I won't have it! Do you hear me? He's mine!"
"Yours?" Kiyomi sniffed haughtily, a cruel smirk contorting her flushed face. "Well, that's a quite primitive view if you don't mind me saying so. He's your property? What, have you marked your territory like a dog?"
Fireworks exploded in Misa's head as she pointed a perfectly manicured finger towards Kiyomi's cruel face. "That's enough! You're way out of line."
"Am I?" Kiyomi asked levelly, showing no signs of cowardice. "You're the one who broke in here."
"B-because," Misa sputtered, waving her hands around wildly. "I've come here to warn you!"
"Warn me?"
"Warn you, yes! If you don't stay away from my sweetheart, you won't live to regret it!"
"Is that a threat?" Kiyomi supposed, raising an eyebrow. "I must say, I don't respond kindly to threats."
"Yeah? Well, I don't respond too kindly to whores who slither their way into a taken man's pants." Misa snapped, because she knew she was in the right, and she was not about to let 'refined Takada' bully her. She was incensed, furious that her angry words seemed to be doing nothing. Kiyomi was as cool as a cucumber, not even batting an eye at the derogatory name.
"I think you're confused darling." Kiyomi shook her head, staring at Misa as if she was nothing more than a hopeless twit. "Raito-san and I are good friends, and that is all we will ever be. Your quarrel isn't with me."
"Good friends? Like I am stupid enough to believe that." Misa scoffed. "He may believe you two are nothing more than acquaintances, but I know how women like you work!
"You know nothing about me." Kiyomi spat. "If you have insecurities about your relationship, maybe you should look in the mirror."
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Do I need to spell it out for you?" Kiyomi rolled her large eyes. "If you believe Raito's loyalty is straying, perhaps it is because of you. You do seem a bit, no not a bit, you seem entirely unhinged. I haven't been speaking to you for more than ten minutes and already I am craving an Advil. I can see why Raito would be looking to leave."
Misa placed a delicate hand on her wildly palpitating heart, she felt as if she had just been hit over the head with a bat. "Where do you get off?" She all but shrieked. How dare this woman say she was wild? Crazy? Mad? Misa was nothing of the sort! She was justifiably angry, and she would not be toyed with in this manner. Raito wasn't looking to leave, he'd never! He loved her, he did, he really truly did.
Kiyomi simply shrugged, not even repentant about her cruel words. Misa saw red, and she wanted to lunge, she wanted to fight! She wanted to tear her limb for limb and smile down at the bloodied remains. She wanted Kiyomi to feel the exact same anguish she was feeling.
Her heart sank, her soul wept bitterly, and suddenly she was a heap on the floor. She couldn't help it, she was a wreak. She cried as bitter, acidic tears left her eyes and trailed down her powdery cheeks, and her lips trembled fiercely.
"Well, what's the matter now?" Kiyomi asked, clearly perturbed, but Misa couldn't quit. The sadness inside of her was simply overpowering, she was a slave to her baser emotions in this moment.
"You can't have him." She sobbed, sniveling and gasping for air. "I-I love him!"
Because she did. She loved him more than the sun, more than all of the moon and stars in the grey-black sky, she loved him more than air, more than life itself. Raito was meant to be hers forever, and the fear that Kiyomi could lay claim upon him swallowed her wholly. She just wanted him back, she wanted Kiyomi to go away forever. She had finally found someone to adore, and the fact that it could be taken away was horrifying.
So she wept, and dug her nails into her palm, and cried her heart out. Because now, now that everything had come to a head, she worried that maybe it wouldn't simply be Kiyomi's doing. After her cutting words and wickedly fabulous looks, she worried maybe Raito would fancy her more. She worried that maybe Raito did find her mad, and annoying, and irritating beyond belief. She worried that maybe, just maybe, she would loose him because of who herself was. And how could she change anything about that?
"He's mine." She choked out. "...Mine."
Of all of the things Kiyomi had expected to occur on this chilly Friday evening, a blonde idol bawling on her new living room rug was not one of them. She had just been making a cup of tea when she had heard a horrid banging on her front door, and she had supposed it was her elderly neighbor coming to ask for another cup of sugar. Granted, she should have looked out the peephole to identify the intruder, but she had most foolishly opened the door without a second thought
Well, did she ever regret that decision. Now she felt out of place in her own home as she helplessly watched Amane Misa unravel completely in front of her.
And all over a boy! Really, did she have no self-respect? Kiyomi almost sneered, before she thought better of it. Raito wasn't any boy, she supposed. Raito was beautiful, heavenly, he was a shining star. He was destined to be one of the most powerful men, he was going to reign as the God of the New World. Misa probably knew this, so it made sense that she would be so downtrodden at the thought of losing him.
But what was Kiyomi supposed to do? It wasn't her fault that Misa's performance as a girlfriend wasn't satisfactory enough for Raito. He was free to choose whoever he wanted, and he wanted her. Her! In hindsight, Kiyomi should have seen this coming. It was no secret that Misa was obsessed, utterly besotted and infatuated with Kira. She probably should have hired security.
But now she had this to deal with, and she really didn't want to. Raito really should break up with the girl, Kiyomi thought it was quite cruel to lead her on, but she supposed Misa had the same powers as Raito. She probably would kill half the world to get Raito back, and then call it some Shakespearean tragedy.
So now she'd have to console this crying twit. Ugh. What a drag. Kiyomi wasn't known for being nice to idiots, sure she could smile pretty to strangers and the camera, but she had no patience for this type of nonsense in her personal life. How did she even find out about their affair anyway? This really should have been a conversation to be had with the man himself, but Kiyomi suspected Raito was purposefully hiding at work to avoid this ticking time bomb. If she had known she'd be paid a visit, she probably would have stayed at work overnight.
Raito knew how to deal with difficult people, being a detective, she had seen him calm down mad people many times. Whether it was some bumbling moron in college or one of his coworkers who fumbled a file, he always knew what to say to calm the waters. It was one of the many things she admired about him. With one smile Raito could bring about peace among men, and she supposed that was why he was perfect to be Kira.
So now she would take a page from his book, and attempt to be kind and understanding. In a way, she did feel a type of pity for the blonde. She knew how it felt to lose Raito, and it was not a pleasant feeling. It was dreadful, actually. She had almost lost herself to sorrow and sworn off men. But she had also had enough pride and restraint not to knock down Misa's door and beg for him back. That was what she couldn't understand. She couldn't understand why Misa would make such a complete fool of herself. Didn't she know it would change absolutely nothing? Didn't she know she was putting on a circus performance in front of the very woman she should be hating? It was just humiliating, and the second-hand embarrassment was almost strong enough to knock Kiyomi off of her feet.
"I think you should talk to Raito." Kiyomi finally managed, sitting down primly on her couch. She had no idea what stories Raito would spin for the girl, and she didn't want to put a wrench in his plan. Misa wiped her eyes and stared at Kiyomi with as much hate as she could muster, which wasn't much.
"But he won't talk to me." She whined. "And he's been at work for the last three days anyway."
Kiyomi knew that wasn't true, as she had spent the last three days with him. But that would only stoke the fires of misery, and she was trying to distinguish them. She was doing about as good a job as a water bottle though. What would Raito do? He was always so cool and collected, something they shared, but his iron will was stronger than hers. She supposed the approach she should take was the one you would take if trying to console a crying child about a broken toy.
"Misa, as a woman, you have my word that nothing is going on between me and Raito. We're friends, that's it." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and immediately cursed herself, for that was her tell, but at least Misa wouldn't know about it. How did Raito lie so easily? This was getting to be exhausting.
"Please." Misa hissed weakly, her eyes fluttering. "I know what that means."
"So, you think members of the opposite sex cannot be friends? You think every time a boy sees a girl, all he wants to do is take her to bed?" Kiyomi countered. "Look, I apologize for my words before. I was...taken off guard is all. But nothing will be accomplished from you weeping on my floor."
"I just want you to stay away from him!"
"Raito is a big boy who can make his own decisions." Kiyomi sighed. "Your fight is not with me."
"You know who he is." Misa sneered. "Then you must know who I am."
Dear God, this girl was hopeless! How did Raito put up with her? "Was that a confession?" Kiyomi barked out a laugh, resisting the urge to massage the bridge of her nose. "You should be careful who you show your cards to. If I was working for the other side..."
"B-but you're not!" Misa said with all of the child-like innocence of a wounded puppy, standing up shakily. "You want him for who he is. You want him for his title. B-but... I love him because he's all I have. I love Raito for who he is, I've put in the work, and it's not fair that you're trying to steal him away from me! What have you sacrificed for the cause, hm? How have you bled for him?"
How simplistic, but Kiyomi still felt a prickling of anger crawl underneath her skin. This wasn't some contest! She had put her safety at risk after all, if the police found out who she was working with...if they found out that she didn't always write on simple paper...she would be sentenced to death. She loved Raito for many reasons, just because she herself hadn't been gifted with a notebook didn't mean she wasn't good enough!
But, no, she was not an animal. She was not Misa. Showing the other that her words had pierced her would be an admittance of defeat, and that would never do. Raito, the only one who mattered, knew of her conviction after all. He knew what they had was special, Kiyomi shouldn't have to defend their love to anyone. Especially not to yesterday's leftovers.
And this girl...she really didn't have anything. Kiyomi had a career, Misa had a fantasy. Kiyomi's merits weren't earned based off of her looks, she breezed through life because of her mind. It was why she had won the boy, after all. In another life, maybe Kiyomi would have felt guilty about what she was doing. Maybe it should tickle her that she was taking something away from someone who so clearly had next to nothing.
But in this life, Kiyomi knew that only the strongest survived. She would not roll over and show her underbelly to the blonde to clear her own conscious. But just because she wouldn't back down didn't mean that it still didn't sting, and she realized that no satisfaction would come from destroying this girl. Raito had already done that. And though she liked him, loved him even, she knew how burning his betrayal could feel. Maybe she could feel empathy. But that didn't mean she would act on it.
But she could throw her a bone. And she'd tell herself it was only because she wanted to sleep better at night.
"Misa." She said softly, causing the girl's eyes to widen. "Go home. I won't give you what you're looking for."
And that was about as much truth that Miss Amane would receive from her. She wasn't going to cave, nor give her some gross satisfaction. Killing Kiyomi would not give her Raito. She had lost him, and that recognition broke her, before it was immediately discarded with delusions and fantasies. But Kiyomi saw it, that flicker of hurt. She knew what it meant.
Misa regarded her with a cold stare, before she promptly turned back around to rip open the door. And before Kiyomi even knew what she was doing, the words had vacated her. "I understand you, Misa."
"What?" Misa let out a hollow laugh, never turning around. Kiyomi could imagine the way her face crumpled, though, and an imaginary knife ghosted her heart.
"I know what loss feels like." Is what she chose to say, for she would never admit her own, true feelings about Raito to this girl. Hell, she could hardly even admit them to herself. "...And, I'm sorry."
Misa left without another word, slamming the door so loud that the walls shook.