It was pretty much a huge understatement to say that L's confession had unnerved me.
In less polite terms, that man had royally fucked me up. Everything in my head had been brought to a grinding halt and I was a hot mess. Ever since that night, it wasn't uncommon that I'd catch myself daydreaming - vivid fantasies about soft lips on mine, and a head of dark hair laying on my chest. To my humiliation, a couple members of the task force had mentioned that I seemed a bit distracted (and I just know L was smirking to himself when he overheard). I kept trying to play it cool as I usually would but, damn it, I was giddy and girly and— ugh, it was just disgusting. Usually I'd be recoiling with the amount of second hand embarrassment I was giving myself but I was very much not my usual self. These feelings weren't entirely new to me. I hadn't seriously dated anyone for well over a year but I wasn't out of touch with that side of my brain. And let's just say it didn't take a genius to tell I was showing all the major symptoms of a crush.
It was benign for the moment (well, I mean, I wasn't blushing and fumbling over my words every time the detective even glanced in my general direction) but I definitely felt weird. The tight coil of anticipation and excitement was steadily winding itself up like the slow climb on a rollercoaster. It felt thrilling, like a secret only the two of us knew and discussed in brief, knowing glances.
After the sex happened for the second time, I envisioned that we'd develop a FWB/stress relief sort of scenario. Never had I thought it would become anything more than just purely casual. And not even in my craziest LSD trips would I ever imagine that the world's greatest detective would admit to liking me. Did I even like him like that? Hard to tell.
For starters, I didn't even know what proper like-liking (the dreaded four letter L word) felt like. Love was a word I acknowledged and understood but I'd never truly related to it. I had no idea what to expect until it hit me. Had it even hit me yet? Fuck if I knew.
Secondly, the man was a complete and utter maniac. A man of mystery; a genius. Bold enough to blur the line between brave and suicidal. Yet, when he wasn't aiming to get himself or others killed, he was quiet, happy keeping to himself. Comfortable in the silences that others might consider awkward. He reminded me of myself in a sense. Growing up alone, I'd gone years without saying a word to anyone so moments of silence were a comfort to me. But, where I'd had a head start getting used to being around people and socialising, this was all new to L. This case, these circumstances, everything was so new to him. And props to him - because he was handling it like a pro.
I felt... proud, I guess? He was arrogant, sure, and that rubbed me the wrong way sometimes. But despite all his quirks and his bristly demeanor, I still really liked him. In some ways, his weirdness just endeared him to me more...
God, crushes were such bullshit. The name suited them perfectly; I really felt like I was being suffocated by my own stupid hormones.
As I sat, swirling my coffee and getting way too sidetracked by my digressing thoughts, Light perked up suddenly, gaining the attention of the detective sitting beside him at the desk.
"I've just found another one. The general manager of a bank - one of Yotsuba's biggest competitors. On September 7th, he slipped and fell on the stairs of his house and died instantly."
As it had turned out, my Yotsuba hunch was a bit more than just a hunch. Now, it had evolved into a lead. Nearly every victim who had died between the end of June up until now was somehow connected to the company. Criminals were still dying - though, not at a calculated rate like it had been with the first Kira - but the majority of deaths were high level associates and CEOs, all connected to Yotsuba one way or another.
L wheeled his chair over and Mr Yagami, appearing from behind, hummed thoughtfully, leaning over the computer. "The seventh... that was a Friday, wasn't it?"
"Yes, why?"
"I think I've noticed a pattern," he muttered, directing Light to click on a list of the most recent set of victims. "The majority of the deaths that benefit Yostuba directly occur around the weekend. The first few that died were random, but recently they all take place between Friday night and Saturday afternoon."
Damn. Impressive observation. Sometimes, I had to remind myself that there was a good reason this man is - or rather was - chief of police.
"That's a great clue, dad, good work!" Light praised his father - an odd bout of role reversal - and the older man smiled humbly.
Staring at the screen, L made a sound of musing and eventually said, "It's impossible to tell at the moment if someone at Yotsuba is, in fact, Kira. But for the moment we'll proceed under the assumption that these deaths are indeed Kira's doing. As such, we will start to investigate Yotsuba but will do so with extreme caution."
Just as the detective finished speaking, two human sized stack of papers appeared from the hallway. Mogi's head emerged over the top of one and I could just barely make out a mop of blonde peeking over the other. Chris sighed in relief and offered a smile as he placed the immense tower of papers in front of L.
"Mogi and I printed all of Yotsuba's employee files," he explained. "There's well over three hundred here so, uh, yeah, let's crack on and get them all documented."
A huff left my lips as the papers were divided up and a thick stack was plopped in front of me. As I began skimming through the first sheet, Matsuda slinked up beside me like a shadow and peered down at the detective, eagerness rolling off him in waves.
"Ryuzaki, is there anything I can do to help?"
"Yes, actually," he said very seriously, making the younger man beam, only to follow it up with the most disappointing query of: "Can you get me another cup of coffee?"
Matsuda looked stunned for a moment before giving a sigh and settling into his usual routine of asking everyone along the desk if they wanted any. Usually I would've taken pity on the poor guy and made L's coffee myself but I was severely snowed under and could only peek at him over the mountain of papers on my desk and smile. "I'm okay right now. Thank you, Matsuda."
Before Matsuda could even turn to slump towards the kitchen, L spoke up again.
"And some for our guests too if you don't mind."
Guests?
Craning my neck back, I suddenly became aware of two strangers stood in the centre of the room and immediately bolted upright.
"Yo, what the—?!"
"When the hell did they get here?"
As though this was the most normal thing in the world (yes, because two people infiltrating our headquarters without triggering any of our security precautions was normal), L explained himself so simply.
"These are the newest members of the task force."
The pair stood side by side - a man and a woman, both blondes. They were from the West (maybe European?) and were dressed impecably. How they'd gotten into headquarters was beyond me (and honestly quite worrying). After a moment of pause, and many incredulous stares, L finally intoduced them.
"Aiber is a conman. His unparalleled social skills allow him to befriend just about anyone. Wedy made her fame through cat burglary. Her talents are without question, considering she managed to override our own security installments undetected. If we are planning on investigating Yotsuba, both of their particular skills will be essential."
As the detective finished speaking, I gawked openly across at our two newest members and allowed my brain to make assumptions.
Aiber (weirdly) reminded me of Chris - if Chris aged up ten years and hooked himself on steroids to build up some muscle. Long shaggy blonde hair, tall and broad shouldered, and wearing a smirk that seemed to say "I'm smarter than you and I know it." Whether that was true or not was yet to be discovered. He was pretentious, waltzing around as though he owned the place, and definitely seemed like an ass. But his smile was welcoming and he regarded us all with friendly eyes.
At first glance, Wedy was like your stereotypical Bond girl. Hot and sophisticated, clearly intelligent, and strutted like a goddamn model. She was completely neutral, absent of any small hint of a smile, and came across as pretty damn intimidating. After a few seconds, she caught me staring, sending me a wink that made me reel.
"Forgive me, Ryuzaki, but you expect us to work with criminals?" Mr Yagami said sternly, looking absolutely horrified as he eyeballed the two newbies.
"Yes, that's correct," L said bluntly. "However, these two have never once been caught so it's unlikely they'll be killed by Kira. Consider them professionals of the criminal underworld. They have expertise in fields we have none in."
Mr Yagami looked aghast but Light intercepted before he could speak. "I understand. If we want to properly investigate Yotsuba, we're going to need people like this."
Light was right, of course, and - as per usual - his was the voice of reason over the detective's insane claims (yes, even though both men were saying the exact same thing, only worded differently). No one had any grounds to argue, and L left us with no room to either, so everyone just settled back into what they were doing and tried not to be overly scrutinising of the two criminals. Poor Matsuda even shuffled over to shyly ask how they liked their coffee.
Coming from that sort of background myself, albeit not on such a professional level, I wasn't too fussed with where L sourced his help. Besides, he was correct that our investigation - which had long passed the border of morality (i.e. unlawful detainment, torture, breaches of privacy via surveillance) - was treading waist deep into illegal waters. We may as well hire those who are so good at breaking the law that they are able to fund a ridiculously luxurious lifestyle.
"Hey."
The sudden voice from above (no, not God) pulled me away from my work and I looked up to meet the sea green eyes of our new resident conman.
"Hi?" I said dubiously, managing a smile.
"What's up, man?" Chris said from beside me with a little more enthusiasm. "Can we do anything for you?"
"No, no, it's just... I'm sorry, I've gotta ask: are you two American?"
Gee. Wonder what gave that away.
"Yeah, that's right. I'm Chris, she's Agent. We're alumni of St. Mary's."
Aiber raised his brows. "Oh yeah, I've heard of that place. So you're the cream of the crop, eh?"
I snorted because yeah right. St Mary's was supposed to be just behind Wammy's in terms of achievement, despite the differences between the two houses, but it seemed to be pumping out just about anyone with above average intelligence nowadays... myself included.
"We like to think so."
"You seem a little young to have graduated from there," Aiber commented, looking across at me. "If you don't mind me asking - I know it's not the most polite question to ask a lady - but how old are you?"
"Nineteen," I said proudly, lips curling up into a smug and toothy grin. "Graduated early."
"That place is pretty strict from what I hear. How'd you manage that?"
"Struck a deal with our director that he couldn't refuse. Now he pays for me to travel. Well, he did before this case, anyway."
That earned a surprised chuckle from Aiber who raised his brows at me.
"Impressive. Clearly you're one to look out for. You'll have my job if I'm not careful."
"Nah, you're fine," I sighed, waving a hand. "I gave up the underground lifestyle a long time ago."
"Squeaky clean now, are ya?"
My shoulders shrugged. "Meh. Still might need some buffing out."
We shared a laugh and I happily spun back to my papers. Chris - ever the slacker - ignored his own pile and leaned toward Aiber curiously.
"How'd a conman end up working for L anyway? Can I ask or is that confidential?"
Aiber groaned, lips pursed in deliberation, but cocked his head and, lowering his tone, said, "I suppose it's confidential, but only because the majority of that story is exactly the sort of stuff that would land me a lifetime in prison."
Chris' face fell flat. "Ah."
"All I'll say is that I've worked with L for a number of years. I help him; he keeps my ass out of jail. Never worked on such a big case though. The Kira investigation - it's exciting right?"
The younger blonde deadpanned. "I mean, if you forget about the fact he kills people using just their name and face, then sure. Super exciting."
"Focus, boys," I reminded them gently.
My friend waved me away with a dismissive hand. "Yeah, sure, mom. Anyway, what do you know about Wedy?"
Aiber answered with a half-assed shrug. "I honestly can't say. I've only known her for a couple of hours. We were flown in together from Charles de Gaulle. She seems cool though."
"Oh, right."
Matsuda appeared from the shadows then, balancing three steaming coffee mugs in two unsteady hands. L's sickly, sugary mush was placed in front of him on the desk. As Matsuda nervously presented Aiber with his, the conman leaned into Chris and spoke lowly.
"She might be a bit of a handful for someone like you though, big fella. Honestly, I wouldn't bother if I were you."
He nodded his thanks to Matsuda and retreated across the room, coffee in hand and amused smirk on his face. Smothering my own amusement with a fist to my lips, I tried not to giggle at Chris' astonished expression.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"
It had been a few days since we started looking into Yotsuba. There were no obvious leads as of yet and, even as our employee database got bigger and bigger, our chances of finding Kira in that corporate cesspit remained the exact same.
The work was getting monotonous and dull now and I couldn't help but yawn, head rested on my palm as I skimmed the last few pages of this person's profile. Beside me, Light and L were bickering again - something about cake? I'd gotten very good at tuning them out, especially since moving into HQ, so was able to keep scanning through my pile of documents, making notes here and there and annotating where relevant. I felt that the men sitting behind me were probably equally as unbothered by the two men.
Suddenly, the large monitor above our heads illuminated, beeping loudly as Watari's emblem was displayed across the screen.
"Yes?" L asked. "What is it, Watari?"
"Sir, Eraldo Coil has just received a private request to to uncover the real identity of L."
All heads suddenly spun towards the monitor, eyes flicking between Watari's symbol and the dark haired detective sat in front of it.
"The person in question is Masahiko Kida," the elderly man explained. "He is the VP of the rights and planning department at Yostuba's headquarters in Tokyo."
Across the room, I distantly heard Mogi mumble, "Well that answers the question about Yotsuba for us, doesn't it?"
Meanwhile, I stared up at the ceiling, brows furrowed in thought, "Eraldo Coil... Why is that name familiar to me?" Then, snapping upright, I whirled to face Chris. "Hang on, isn't Coil the second most sought PD in the world? Just below L?"
"Oh yeah. He solved the kidnapping of the Spanish Infanta a few years ago - remember that?"
I nodded slowly. "So he's good is what you're saying?"
"Very good."
Well shit.
The witch hunt against L was never taken very seriously, considering that L was impossible to find unless you knew what you were looking for, and the general public knew nothing about L's upbringing or his origins. But, from what I'd read in his case files back when I was studying, Coil was an incredibly adept and intelligent man. If anyone could find Number One, it would surely be Number Two.
"What will you do, Ryuzaki?" I asked quietly, turning towards him, eyes softening with concern.
Opposite me, L looked cooler than a cucumber, more occupied with stuffing his face with cake than paying much thought to protecting his identity.
"It's quite alright," he mumbled through a mouthful of sponge and frosting. "The detective known as Eraldo Coil is actually me."
. . . what?
"The same goes for the French detective, Deneuve. In my experience, the people who try to find me usually fall for this and it provides me with a fairly good deal of protection."
All three? Seriously? I really couldn't fault him - because that was genius - but did he have to be so greedy? Like, come on, leave some space for the rest of us to make our mark on the world, would you?
Astounded into silence, I could only shake my head at the beauty of L's mind, smirking, as the detective very seriously bribed Mogi with a strawberry to keep his secret.
What an absolute maniac.
"Anyway," L announced, "Now that Yotsuba has enlisted the services of Coil to uncover my identity, it is fairly safe to assume they have a concrete connection with Kira. After all, he wants me dead."
"Right. So what's the plan?" Light asked.
"Okay, so all I need to do is get close to Masahiko, yeah?" Aiber asked after L explained his strategy; the detective affirmed him with a nod. "That's easy. No problem, leave it to me."
"And you just want me to breach the surveillance and security systems at Yotsuba's HQ? Is that all?" Wedy laughed, a sultry sort of sound. "Oh, please, give me a challenge at least!"
"This next stage of our investigation is crucial. We're going to determine who, and how many, holds Kira's power within the corporation. We need to reach some clarity and quickly but cannot risk anyone at Yotsuba finding out we're investigating them. We are going to approach this with extreme caution. Please do not act impulsively or act out of panic or haste."
A sea of heads bobbed in agreement just as a shrill beeping emitted from the speakers above us. Looking up, Watari's emblem was plastered across the screen and his voice soon followed the alert.
"Ryuzaki. I have just received an emergency signal from Matsuda's belt."
L released a quiet groan like an exhausted parent. "Where is he?"
"It appears that it is coming from Yotsuba's head office in Tokyo."
If you'd ask me, that was exactly the sort of moment in a sitcom where a laugh track plays as the actors all stand there, stunned. Unfortunately for us, this was reality so we were landed with a silence that genuinely could have been cut with a knife.
Chris was the first to break the quiet with an awkward laugh. "You're kidding, right?"
"I am not."
Beside me, I heard a large collective sigh from the others as Chris just continued laughing in disbelief. L sat still and stony, the barest display of rage darkening his features.
"Disregard everything I just said. We'll have to rethink our strategy." Then, as a quiet, venomous mutter, said, "Matsuda, you idiot."
I was patient with Matsuda, moreso then others on this case, and I felt bad that he was the punching bag for the group. He wasn't the brightest bulb but he also wasn't stupid. Usually, I'd be up in arms about the treatment he received behind his back, but this time... I had to agree that he really was just a huge idiot.
"We need to think fast," I said, turning to the detective. "He's gonna be panicking for sure. Who's to say he won't slip up and say something that will get him killed, or expose the investigation?"
L didn't respond to my question but did stick his hand out expectantly.
"Please pass me your phone, Agent," he requested and I handed it over without question.
We all sat anxiously as L dialled Matsuda's number and held the phone up to his ear. The dial tone seemed to go on forever. When Matsuda finally picked up, to our surprise, L opened with an entirely different personality.
"Yo, Matsui! It's me, Asahi. Been a while, buddy."
Hearing that was like owning a dog that was essentially mute and hearing it bark one day out of the blue. His voice was upbeat and perky, unlike any way he'd spoken before - so much so that it was genuinely unsettling. But if it worked, then it worked. Whatever.
The audio of the phone call was muffled and it was impossible to make out any words but, leaning in, I could just hear Kira HQ's local moron. Matsuda's voice had reached a shaky falsetto, loud laughs pouring out of the reciever as the man tried to keep his cool.
"It doesn't sound like you're out right now," the detective mentioned. "Don't tell me you're home already."
Another pause.
"So are you by yourself?"
L was putting such unnatural emphasis on his words; it would've taken the world's most unobservant person to not notice what he was doing. Sure, to the Yostuba executives, he probably just sounded drunk or high. But Matsuda wasn't stupid. He had to catch on, he just had to!
After a few beats of strained anticipation, L craned his head away from the cell, speaking in a low, hushed tone.
"He's not with Misa Amane right now. Matsuda must be on his own." Thrusting himself back into character, L continued, "So, anyway, do you wanna go out drinking tonight?"
Matsuda was doing awesome on his end. His nerves were almost tangible through the phone but I seriously had to hand it to him - he was pulling it off!
"Oh, come on, what's the matter? Don't tell me your wallet is in trouble again."
He persisted with the strange emphasis and, once again, Matsuda - kudos to him - instantly picked up on it, for L leaned away from the phone. "He's saying he's in big trouble."
Speaking into the receiver one last time, the detective was quick to end the call and hang up, slowly passing back my phone. The group breathed evenly as we tried to understand what the connotations of 'big trouble' were and just what that meant for Matsuda.
"What's the verdict, Ryuzaki?" Chris asked with a nervous yet hopeful smile. "Is he a goner?"
Releasing a slow exhale, L mumbled, "He's certainly in a tough spot."
Well if that wasn't the understatement of the year.
L quickly turned turned to the teenager looming over him, instructing him to try and get Misa on the line. After two attempts, Light just shook his head. "It's going straight to voicemail."
"She'll still be filming, won't she?" I asked.
"Yeah. I left her a message saying to call me back as soon as possible."
The boy's father frowned, probably desperate to protect his younger subordinate like a papa bear. "We don't have time to wait. What are we going to do, Ryuzaki?"
"There's not a great deal we can do right now," he replied with total honesty.
The ex-officers' shoulders sank as they mourned their inability to help their young colleague. I took to chewing on my lip, nervously glancing between the floor and my screen. This wasn't just Matsuda's life on the line; it was everyone's. If our identities were exposed to someone with Kira's power, that's it. We're done. Game over and there's no option to start over.
L seemed to sense everyone's unease and followed up his previous statement by saying, "It's not ideal but I suggest we just observe the situation for a while."
So observe we did.
It was horrible, almost nauseating, to sit and wait, not knowing what would happen to our colleague. Watari would keep monitoring Matsuda's vitals through the belt and update us regulaly. So, at the very least, even if we couldn't see him, we knew he was still alive.
It wasn't for another twenty minutes that Misa returned Light's call. The teenager snatched up his phone almost the instant it rang, and we all clambered to our feet, watching him with widened eyes.
"Misa, you're not with Matsuda right now, are you? No. Alright." Light glanced over in our direction, covering the receiver with his hand. "She's getting a call from him now."
"Tell her to hold the phone so we can listen as well," L instructed quietly.
There was some intermittent shuffling as Misa arranged the two cells before Matsuda began speaking. It was an immediate relief to hear his voice - pitchy and strained as it was - come through the reciever. The man - that insane, clever idiot of a man - laid out a story about pitching her as a spokeswoman for the company. Misa squealed (at least one of us was happy).
"Ah, you're amazing, Matsu! So that's what you've been doing all this time. Don't worry, the director says we're wrapping up soon."
To everyone's surprise (mostly because it wasn't really his strong point) Matsuda might have saved himself with his quick thinking. It was reassuring to know we were in with a chance of helping him out of this mess. But, as everyone else's panic melted away into relief, L continued to sit with narrowed slits in his eyes. The man turned to Light sternly, and the younger one returned the severity in hus gaze.
"Listen to me, Light. There's a chance we'll be able to save Matsuda but we won't be able to do it without Misa's help. She'll listen to you, so you listen to me."
The detective detailed his plan which involved bringing the Yostuba executives here to our HQ where, at least then, we could virtually observe them. Misa would be 'hosting' an event for the men - she would provide the room and the entertainment (or rather the distraction) until we get an opportunity to get Matsuda out safely and without any suspicion.
Light, of course, did as requested and listened word for word, immediately rushing to call Misa who, frankly, was over the moon at the idea of helping her beloved boyfriend. The conversation was swift and Light, cutting off Misa's sappy 'I love you~', ended the call to look across at me.
"She said she'll be calling some girlfriends over to help entertain the associates," he told me and I nodded.
"Good. How many?"
"Five or so."
"Right, well," I said, standing. "I'm gonna run to the store, grab some booze and snacks - make this look genuine and less like a giant secret serial killer investigation base."
Chris whipped out the keys for his Lexus. "I'll drive you; it's quicker."
I agreed and off we went. Chris raced us down the streets of Machida, probably illegally, like a boy racer gone mad. We had no choice but to rush. Tokyo wasn't far from our HQ and we didn't want to be spotted by any of Yotsuba's men. When we did return, each of us was carrying a handful of beverages and diferent snacks that we arranged neatly in Misa's living room. Misa had skimped herself up and invited several of her model friends to help entertain the Yostuba officials. The girls were giggly and bubbly and, honestly, just seemed happy to be somewhere that provided free booze.
When the men and their hostage arrived, they practically hurdled into the room, instantly sidling up to the young women and draping themselves across their smooth, slender bodies. Poor Matsuda, ignored but not forgotten, had coralled himself into the corner, holding his drink in shaky hands. The guy looked just about ready to start crying, or hyperventilating... or both. And this only seemed to worsen as time ticked by.
"He's seriously freaking out," I muttered. "Can we not send someone up there to calm him down?"
Light shook his head gravely. "It's too risky."
"He's right," Chris concurred, looking almost ill at the idea of (God forbid) agreeing with Pretty Boy over there. "Sending someone new up there will look crazy suspiscious. And even if we did, there's no guarantee Matsuda will actually calm down. Might actually make things worse."
Sighing, I resigned myself to watching the screen again until Aiber leaned into my field of vision, a near-evil smile on his face.
"Why don't you go?"
Whipping my head towards him, I was met with a very serious contenance, and only just held back the urge to scoff right in his face.
"What? Why should I do it?"
"You said yourself that you were a smooth talker. Now's the time to prove it."
Was this asshole serious?
"This isn't a game, you know. Matsuda could get seriously hurt - or killed - if we make one wrong move. I don't want to be the one responsible for that."
A strong hand landed on my shoulder and patted it firmly.
"You've been on this team how long? Come on, you know this guy - you can calm him down. Besides, men like that won't get suspicious if one more pretty woman shows up at their party. On the contrary, they'll probably appreciate it. Speaking from a professional standpoint, of course—" I shot the man a harsh look and he grinned wickedly. "You're a much safer bet in this situation that I am."
Ignoring the very obvious sexism in that comment, I had to admit that Aiber did have a point. Men like that were pretty two dimensional. They valued attention from women only a little bit less than they valued their money. It was the reason Matsuda wasn't dead yet; all of the Yotsuba executives were way more preoccupied with the models in their laps.
I didn't necessarily like it but, if it helped the investigation, then I could play that role.
Exhaling deeply, I buried my head in my hands and glanced at L through clenched fingers. The detective was side-eyeing me, face illuminated by the white glare of the monitor.
"Do you agree with him?"
He inclined his head, a sort of half nod, though he wasn't the most enthusiastic about it.
"If you're confident you can handle this situation then by all means, go ahead. It might be better, in fact, if you did go. I need him isolated from the rest of the group. I may have a plan that will defuse the situation whilst still ensuring Matsuda's safety."
Well, if the apathetic maniac known for his idiot plans thought it was a good idea, then in that case...
"Fine, fuck it. I'll do it."
The sigh left my lips before I could stop it as I hastily pushed myself to my feet. Just as I was about to start heading across the room, however, Chris stopped me.
"Woah, woah, hang on!" He raised a finger and wagged it in my direction. "Come here."
I obeyed, albeit hesitantly, and trailed over, a confused frown tugging at my lips. Chris' own face betrayed nothing and he spoke not a word until I was standing in front of him. Then, with a skilful finger, he popped open the top button of my shirt, exposing the barest bit of cleavage. As I tried my best not to seethe in mortification, the older man snorted.
"There you go. Now you don't look like a plank of wood."
Although my cheeks flushed hotly - because wow, nice way to call me out - I did have to agree with his comment. With minimal curves and more muscle than some men, I wasn't exactly the epitome of modern beauty, particularly not by Japan's standards. These guys in particular came across like major misogynistic scumbags that got turned on by blonde bimbos with the bodies of spinning tops. So, if I wanted to shift the attention from Matsuda to me, I supposed a bit of breast couldn't really hurt, considering I was built like a depressed rectangle.
"Wow, thanks, man," I said in reply to his insult. "You really know the way to a lady's heart, don't you?"
"Why do you think I've stayed single for so long?" He looked at me deadpan. "You think that was a choice?"
I shrugged. Fair enough.
"Okay, well, wish me luck."
To the task force's credit, I got a few mutters of encouragement as I began walking in the direction of the elevators. As I disappeared down the hallway, Mogi's voice carried after me as he whispered, "Will she be alright on her own, stuck in there with those guys?"
Chris' laugh echoed around me as I stepped inside the elevator. "Oh, trust me when I say those guys are the ones stuck in there with her. They are screwed."
I smiled at that and pressed the button for Misa's floor, reclining against the back wall as I began to ascend, thinking of how to best play this.
As simple as my default character was, I couldn't really pull off the skanky party girl considering what I was wearing (and I didn't have any time to change) so... maybe I could pull off a ditzy assistant? I nodded. Yeah, that was good. Bubbly and funny, perhaps slightly tipsy from the 'pre-drinks' she'd had before arriving. Misa would be, without a doubt, happy to see me so I could probably play off her energy. She wasn't a complete moron and would hopefully take the hint that I was acting. And even if she didn't, I was certain Matsuda would catch on.
As for isolating him from the group, well, Misa did have an en suite down a corridoor. If I could sneak him into the restroom by himself, then he could speak to L over the phone and we'd smooth sailing from there. Well, assuming the detective's ingenious plan actually worked.
Watching the numbers above the door, I forced myself to breathe and disperse the nerves that were tightening in my stomach. I'd be fine. L would be observing us the whole time. Nothing drastic would happen tonight - not in such a public space; definitely not with so many witnesses. All I had to do was get Matsuda alone in the bathroom to listen to L's plan. Easy. Foolproof.
I smoothed over the last of my anxieties with confidence and settled into character, conjuring up a bright smile as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open.
A/N
I'm back! Hi everyone. These past months have been intense (understatement of the year). We've had police involvement at our house three times now due to discovering a modified firearm in our back garden; had to handle the grief of losing our beloved spiky hedgehog baby (a certain miss Maisy) to what we believe was a type of uterine cancer; and also were involved in a car accident (jeez, I know). But thankfully, that's all sorted now. Everyone is safe and pushing on through the holiday season! Yay!
I kinda fell short on the romance aspect that was prominent in the last chapter (as is the way of the slow burn fanfiction) BUT I made sure to give Chris some extra screen time because I've been neglecting him. Plus I see all of you Chris simps begging to see more of him and I just want to say... yeah, me too ;)
Also exciting news for anyone interested: I've created Spotify playlists and Pinterest boards for both Chris and Agent for anyone who is interested in seeing how I personally visualise and connect with my characters.I'll drop the link to my character profiles (on Wattpad) here:
[https/story/120485047-original-character-profiles-a-guide-to-my-ocs]
I truly hope you are all doing well and, if I don't post before, hope you all have a good holiday season if you celebrate 3