STORY SUMMARY: Being reborn into a Japanese story was bad enough. Being reborn as the twin sister to a certain notorious mass murderer, was another thing entirely. Told in a series of drabbles. Warning: Mild incest themes.
Rating: T (Subject to change)
GENERAL DISCLAIMER: It's not my sandbox. I'm just playing in it.
AN: New chapter, enjoy! Again, thanks everyone for the support!
Destroy She Said
Chapter Eight : Agenda
We were eight when the rest of the world finally got a clue and realized that Light was practically a super-genius. That boded well for me—but it wasn't all dandelions. Whilst staring out the kitchen window and snacking on some chopped daikon, I made a list.
Positives included:
- Any attention I might have accidentally garnered in the past would be shrugged off as inconsequential and instead redirected towards Light.
- I'd no longer have to pretend to nap during third period, or occasionally forget my lunch out of 'absentmindedness'. (Which should come as a welcome relief to Light because I wouldn't have to resort to stealing half of his anymore.)
- Life in general just got easier when somebody else was holding up your parents' expectations.
Downsides included:
- People (teachers, neighbors) forever comparing Sayu and I to our brainiac brother. (Que eye rolling)
- —And Light's inflated ego.
Hai. My twin had developed a monster of a superiority complex—and he was crappy at hiding that fact. I joked that if he didn't get it under control soon, his head would swell so big that he'd just float off on a windy day. Naturally, Light hadn't been all that pleased when I'd voiced this concern during supper a week ago; especially after the chuckle it won from Soichiro. Ever since, Brother had been working diligently on his face muscles. Fun fact: apparently enough concentration could stop them from moving—thus producing an emotionless mask worthy of any horror film. Yep, it was terrifying and yep, I flicked Light in the forehead whenever he tried using it on me.
oooo
Puberty sucked just as much the second time around. I won't get into the gritty details—but my hormones were like a raging steam engine that threatened to run over just about anyone that so much as looked at me funny. Light had made that mistake once, and had spent the rest of the day—and then some of the next—regretting it. At twelve, I found myself spending a lot more quality time with Sayu. She really was a sweet kid. However, after she'd progressed out of that giggly toddler phase, she'd developed a nasty case of hero-worship, targeted towards both me and Light, though mostly Light. He was the Einstein of Japan after all.
oooo
You'd think after fourteen years, I would've come to terms with my inexplicable circumstances. And I had…sort of. But once in a while, the abnormality that was my life would sneak up and kangaroo kick me in the gut. Fortunately, this didn't happen too often.
oooo
Other times I got really bad déjà vu—as if I recognized elements of this new life. But that was absurd so I brushed it off as meaningless.
oooo
I was splayed upside-down on Light's bed, flipping through my old diary as Light studied arithmetic at his desk. (See what playing smart gets you? Night school and extra homework). The journal had been mostly a front, incase my curious mother wanted a peek at her daughter's innermost thoughts. Or maybe to keep tabs on me—who knows? I'd never recorded anything of significance, mostly just mundane stories of everyday life. But once in a while, I'd make crap up, just to get a reaction out of her. If Sachiko's slight blushes and knowing glances were anything to go by, she'd been loving it.
Nearing the final pages, outlined with stenciled hearts (for Mom's benefit, or course), an old entry caught my attention. It was dated from back in my final year of Junior High. Absently I mumbled out loud:"April 4th, 2003." It took a minute for the memory to resurface but then it hit, causing me to snort in a truly unladylike manner. Light quirked a brow in my directions but otherwise ignored my amusement. Whatever—he was missing out.
Dear Diary, today Tadao Kurosawa asked to study together. I was so excited, I thought I was going to faint, right then and there! We agreed to meet after school, and the whole walk to my house we talked and shared interests. Turns out he's captain of the debate team which is really impressive because he only transferred to our school last year.
I skipped ahead a couple paragraphs, thoroughly appreciating my talent for imitating vapid teenage behavior; chortling when I found the section decorated with shooting stars and tiny-flying-cupids. Clearly, I had gotten really involved with the aesthetic process.
Yesterday, Tadao-san and I were supposed to be going over the elemental table for our chemistry exam. But then he started acting really skittish and said that he wasn't feeling well. I offered to walk him to—
Oh, I remembered that day—this is where is got good! Grinning, I eagerly flipped to the next page—but it was gone. In fact, after the one I'd just read, all that followed were missing. I could even make out the scrappy, fringed pieces that still lingered within the binding. Huh? My smile dropped. Where was the rest of it?
I recalled, I'd gone on to write that Tadao and I had shared a deeply passionate, though clumsy, first kiss on the way back to the train station. It was an utter lie of course, but I knew my snooping mother would've expected some 'juicy' details eventually...but I doubted Mom would have torn out the passages; even if she hadn't approved of my (fabricated) crush...
Stumped, I fingered my ponytail and narrowed my eyes at the battered notebook. Maybe I'd done it by accident, then? Unlikely. My memory was my greatest asset—and I would've needed a reason. So who then? involuntarily, my gaze flickered up towards Light. He'd never said anything about it, but I'd always gotten the impression that my brother didn't like Tadao. And it wasn't as if he didn't know where I hid my diary. Could he have been the culprit? Why?
As if feeling my stare, which he probably did, Light dropped his pen, swiveled his chair and tilted his head at me.
"Yes, Minori?"
Should I ask him? It'd been over a year, so did it even matter anymore? I frowned momentarily, then grinned innocently to cover it. Not that he wouldn't notice. Light noticed everything.
"I was just thinking if you don't trim your hair soon, you'll end up looking like a woman. You've already got the bone-structure for it."
Brother rolled his eyes, combing his bangs out of the way. "I thought you said you liked it long?"
I sniffed, tossing my stockinged feet into the air while simultaneously pushing the subject from my mind. It didn't make sense to suspect Light. He had no agenda. "That was last week."
This earned me a scoff and another eye roll. "There's just no pleasing you," he stated, returning to his worksheets.
I didn't reply; once more fanning out the pages of my journal.
He had no agenda...right?
AN: So, I'm not entirely satisfied with this-but goddamnit, I refuse to get hung-up on minor details. Also, this will likely be the last chapter before the cannon plot kicks in. (AU will come later) Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!