So maybe I didn't manage to finish this last one the same day as chapters 8 and 9 like I thought I would...eighteen minutes past midnight still isn't so bad. On another note, the old version of this chapter as well as all the other ones starting from the sixth one were pretty damn horrible, I'm rather satisfied with the damage control I was able to do actually! ;)

(edited 06/03/2021)

disclaimer : Death Note and all of it's characters do not belong to me!

August 26th, 2003.

Hakone had been unfairly amazing.

So amazing both girls had allowed themselves to book another two days at that very same place a few weeks after their first escapade. The skyscrapers and agressive lights of center Tokyo just didn't hold the same appeal as before, she already missed the onsen and the seemingly endless greenery-

"Miichan snap out of it." Her nose wrinkled at the nickname, the car coming to a halt as they reached the parking of their new destination : some clothing shop in Shibuya. They both agreed to never do that ever again, if only for the dreadful traffic and -

- and would you look at that? Everything's red.

The sheer number of people moving at such a fast pace made her dizzy, but pair that with the bloody lines floating above their heads and she was done. Wasn't she supposed to be able to turn off the eyes whenever she wanted?

(pretty, pretty eyes)

This thing was getting ridiculous, with the crimson scribbling above people's head appearing and disappearing at another beat than hers. Like her eyeballs had a life of their own.

"What's up with you?" Nami dragged her into a less populated area of the store, hands warm around her own. "That's not just you pouting about Hakone, do you want to leave?"

"No. No, I'm fine but let's go get something to eat after this. I'm starving." Nami looked unconvinced, but still forced a deep green corset on her. She particularly liked the silver lacing, no matter how naked she felt in it.

She tugged the material upwards embarrassedly, "I'm not sure I'd wear it out on the streets."

"Hm...fair, you should put that see-through shirt over it." The result was more than satisfactory and she bought the two while her friends bought about half the store...kidding.

Kind of.

"We should go out!" Misa hums, swallowing another bite of ramen. "I'm serious, Hotaru - you know that girl from high school, moved in with her boyfriend a while ago. They're throwing a small gathering tonight."

That sounded...absolutely dreadful.

She liked Suzuki Hotaru, the girl was pretty laidback and pleasant the few times they'd talked. But she'd rather be doing about anything else other than go to that gathering of hers.

Nami had a hopeful grin on her face, her chopsticks twitching between her fingers.

"Sure, I don't mind." There was an excited squeal and she winced. "I don't promise I'll stay, Nami you know I suck at these things. I'll hang around for a bit, talk to Suzuki, but no promises about further than that."

"That's fine," the brunette nodded sagely. "Just try it, I'm sure you'll have some fun. If not then we'll leave, deal?"

She lasted a grand total of an hour and twenty-eight minutes before she bailed.

Just as she and the lovely host were catching up, some guy had slid onto the space next to her with a beer she hadn't asked for being handed to her. "Sorry I'm not drinking tonight, need to drive myself home," she had giggled charmingly, putting the red cup on the low table in front of the sofa she was on.

"Any chance I could come with you?" Hotaru had rolled her eyes at that, the girl crossing her arms.

"Back off, she's not interested." The girl had looked honestly apologetic, whispering to her later how that particular friend of her boyfriend was an ass.

She had laughed, said how it wasn't much of a problem.

And it wasn't, until the boy had tried to corner her just as she went out to take some air.

"I'm leaving," she'd intercepted Nami who was dancing with some cute jock. "Stay, you're having fun. Call me when you need me to pick you up, I won't be far."

She'd ended up to the nearest coffee shop, munching on some sugar cookies and reading a book her law teacher had recommended for the next semester. Might as well do something productive while she was at it.

The place was practically empty when she entered, with mostly a few couples and people getting off from work ridiculously late and stopping by to get some coffee in them.

She sat next to a window who offered her a nice view of her car and the city lights. The place was rather charming, the neighborhood a pretty suburb.

"Can I get you something, miss?" she looked up at the waitress who looked no older than fifteen. "Some more coffee please." The girl nodded, exhausted.

Misa briefly paused her reading to look at the girl from head to toe. The bluish dark circle around her eyes made her pale complexion stand out, the girl looked like she might fall over any second.

Just as she was about to get to the seventeenth chapter, a loud crash was heard.

The young waitress from earlier was on the ground trying to stop what looked like a strawberry smoothie from getting even more on the floor than it already was. Standing in front of her was a tall young man with light brown hair, his crisp white shirt stained pink. His eyes showed clear annoyance and yet he gave the almost-crying girl a smile as he got down to his knees to help her clean the mess.

She didn't bother trying to read the goddamn scribbling above their heads, her head was still pounding from the earlier party.

"Here let me help you," she grabbed some more napkins to help clean the mess and the girl cried out in panic, almost hyperventilating. "D-Don't! You don't have to do that miss!"

"Honey you should sit down, is there a broom I could use for the glass shards?" Light brown eyes took her in, surprised at the intervention.

"Oh-oh no I couldn't!" Both her and the boy gave her unimpressed stares at that, the red-cheeked girl stammering. "Behind the counter..."

The girl fell on Misa's cushioned chair hesitantly, watching the blonde come back with the broom once all of the pink liquid had been cleaned. "I'm assuming somebody will pass the mop later?" Wide, frightened eyes looked at the boy who had just talked, intimidating her without realizing it.

Misa's lips quirked up, the girl reminded her of a mouse.

Once that was taken care of, she scanned the room for other employees and found none. "Is anybody else here? I think you're running a fever, is there a chance you could leave early tonight?"

The young man nodded his agreement, still trying to wipe away the stain from his shirt. Poor guy, Misa hid a wince.

(poor guy, poor guy-)

"I-I..." Doe eyes were looking from right to left, "My supervisor's in the back..."

"Was," a sudden voice cut in, leading to an old lady with her arms crossed over her chest. "I heard the commotion, blondie over there's right. Go home before you pass out on us."

"Bu-but..."

"Will you be calling someone to pick you up or would you like me to walk you home? It isn't safe at this hour..." Misa blinked at the young man's suggestion, narrowing her eyes. He seemed nice and he was right, it wasn't safe, but she wasn't sure if it was safer for the admittedly polite guy to accompany her or not.

Stranger danger and all that.

"I live two blocks away so I'll be fine, but it's really kind of you..." The girl with the ponytail put on a light vest over her uniforme at the older woman's insistance, shyly looking up at the pretty boy.

Yes, she believed pretty was the right words. With those defined yet soft features and silky caramel-colored hair. He was fairly tall and lean but was not lacking in muscle.

In other words, he was extremely handsome and -

Oh.

Oh shit.

In her observation of the young man, she had finally risked a glance at the bright red light from above his head only to be rendered speechless. She heard the old woman say something once the young girl was on her way out after thanking them both repetitively, it all fell into the background.

Light Yagami offered her a smile that seemed far too genuine for her taste.

"What do you think? I wouldn't be against some free pastries." Her head went up and down without any word, the supervisor coming back from the back to hand them a basket of said sweets. A gesture of appreciation for helping her employee she realized, wow that's nice...

Oh who was she kidding? She was losing her shit.

(breathebreathebreathe-)

"That was really nice of you. Helping that girl like that." Her mouth wasn't moving which meant he probably was the one talking. (get a grip Misa)

"It wasn't much, but I could say the same about you." Her arms were wrapped lightly around her waist, praying to whoever above this was nothing more than a nightmare. "You were so nice to her even after your shirt was ruined."

A very pretty nightmare with dimples.

"I'm Yagami Light by the way." The devil offered her his hands, she slowly shook it. (a pretty girl falls to her knees)

(then off a building)