Chapter 15: Strange Times

"A heartbroken heart beats the same as one untarnished by cruel fate. Time presses on and it is not kind. It is the tragic way of life. What matters is what you do with the time you are given."

-Akane Yagami-

"So we're going to play a tennis match? What exactly is this suppose to accomplish?" Akane asked as she lifted a brow at L as she walked with him. He had asked her to met her here and be ready for a tennis match a week after there little meeting in the cafe shop. So here she was in a black t-shirt, tennis shoes, and blue jeans shorts with her sports bag in her hand and her hair in a ponytail, but something was surprising. It was L wearing his sneakers in a proper manner for once. It was a surprising to see him in those sneakers and she vaguely wondered if he was even wearing soaks with those shoes of his.

"A bond, obviously," he said to her in passive tone.

"Obvious to who?" Akane questioned.

"Who indeed," L replied with a slight smirk.

Akane narrowed her eyes as she snorted with a smirk on her face, Of course he'd say that. It's for everyone to think we are forming some sort of relationship. So it wouldn't seen weird that we would go out on a date. It's also so it wouldn't seem strange to Kira most of all. Why me though? What's so important about me to Kira? He took my love from me then stalks me. What is the point of all this? It's madness!

Akane smiled after a moment and giggled, "Then shall we? I promise I won't go easy on you."

A small smile appeared on his face, "Nor will I."

"How did you know I can play anyway? Let me guess you looked at my school files." Akane said still smiling. To be honest she didn't mind it at all. Maybe it was because she knew he would, but she just wished she knew more about him in some way at least. She doubt she would anytime soon.

He nodded, "Is that a problem for you?"

"Of course not. I knew you would eventually," Akane said softly. "Do you know how to play as well?"

"I'll be fine. It's been a while, but at one time I was actually the British Junior Champion." he told her.

"That's awesome," she said a bit surprised by that he would say that. So he knows how to play tennis and was a champion at one time. He wouldn't let something like that be known if it would reveal who he is, but he doesn't know I already know. Hmm... seems no matter what he does he's always so interesting and he's always thinking ahead. She took out two tennis rackets and handed him one.

"You wish to say nothing else on that?" he asked.

"You mean trying to figure out your identity? No, I don't wish to pry. If it is something you wish to share then, yes, of course I would want to know more... about you, but your secret identity is important to keep quiet. I've told you before I want to keep you safe, Ryuga, and I meant it." She told him a serious expression on her face.

"Hmm... I live in England for five years when I was younger, but don't worry nothing in that story will reveals L's true identity. I promise you."

Why did he say that? Did he want to share that? Why did he shared that and why does it effect me so much? It didn't matter at that moment, because whatever the reason it did make her happy and her heart pitta-patter merrily in her chest to know something about him even if it was something small.

"Well since it is our first match why don't we just play a single set, first one to six?" L suggested.

"Sure... sounds good to me. You can serve first if you like." Akane told him.

"I was planing to." he told her as he went to the opposite side of tennis court. Akane took a stance waiting for his strike. She didn't plan to loose and she doubted he was planning to loose either. He threw the ball into the air and hit with train precision. The ball hit the fence behind her before she could even react.

Akane looked at him in surprise, Holy crap! He's fast! Then she smirked, This is going to be entertaining. Finally some fun!

"Fifteen, love."

"Wow, you're better than I though you'd be," Akane commented, clearly impressed.

"He who strikes first wins," he replied.

"I like that, then let's have some fun." She stated smiling widely.

….

They where fifteen minutes in and the score was tied and the next to get three points would win. A crowd of people has been watching them play. "Are these two really amateurs? Who are they anyway?" a guy had asked.

"I think their names are Akane Yagami and Hideki Ryuga. These are the same two who scored perfectly on the examine." Another male student replied.

They passed the tennis ball back and forth to one another and Akane found herself smiling even wider. It was a rare treat to be so challenged like this and have her adrenaline pumping through her veins. Could it be that we're evenly matched? She wondered as she hit it as hard as she could giving herself a point.

"That's four games to serve, Akane Yagami to serve." an umpire said.

A boy came running down the steps to speak with the guy that had spoke first as L scored. "Your not going to believe this. I thought I heard the name Akane Yagami somewhere before so I checked. She was the Junior High Tennis Champion for two years running. Apparently at the third-years ceremony she announced she was only going to play in Junior High and she hung up her racket. Rumor has it she hasn't played competitively since then."

"Hey, hey what about my Ryuga? Don't tell me you haven't noticed him holding his own against this formal junior high champion." a girl said.

"I think he's Akane's Ryuga and the score is even again." her friend said and patted her on the back.

"Wait you think those two are going out?" the girl asked with puppy eyes with tears in her eyes.

"They're both geniuses so I wouldn't be surprised." The friend stated as L scored another point.

For a moment Akane wanted so bad to turn on her power to see who was all watching them. There was so many Kira could easily blend in with the crowd. I want to use it, but L would noticed something is up with my eyes and the distraction would cause him to win this game. I don't want to lose, but I want to look. Ugh, what a pain... She thought as she went on the attack. Though they have made this quiet on event, but that was L's plan along. Thinking a head like that all the time. Hm, I really do like that about him.

"That's five games to serve next point wins. Akane Yagami to serve!" the umpire said.

"Well, Ryuga," Akane said. "Don't hold back on me now."

He smirked, "I won't."

Akane served the ball and the two hit it back and fourth looking for the perfect moment to strike. They knew if they strike out at the other at the wrong moment they would lose and as L said before, 'He who strikes first wins.' Akane couldn't help but agree with that. She forced her body to move faster and to hit harder. She was faster as a woman, but as a man like L for instance was stronger. She considered they where equally matched physically at least and maybe mentally as well, but she knew he was more experienced than herself. Maybe that gave him an edge, but she was younger and better rested, exercising regularly. What would give the edge in this match?

The two of them were panting hard, "Is that all you got?" Akane asked as she struck the ball.

"I could ask you the same," he replied as he passed the ball.

His strikes are so heavy it's hard to even pass it back, Akane thought hardly able to pass that one to him.

She's so fast. I can hardly keep up with her, he thought as he hit the ball finding he hit it to high.

There now I can strike, she thought as she rushed for the ball and whacked the ball.

"Game and set. Won by Akane Yagami! Six games to five!" The umpire called out.

She heard the crowd cheer for their performance it was just what they where trying to accomplish... witnesses. "Now that was fun," Akane told L with a smile.

"Just as I expected, you beat me," L said.

"Well maybe you should ask for a rematch sometime. I enjoyed you challenging me. It was exciting." Akane replied her smile turning into a flirtatious one as they shook each others hand in a handshake that lingered a bit to long.

"Akane if I didn't know any better I'd say you where flirting with me," L said.

"I'm not denying it," She told him as she winked.

She watched as he allowed a cute smile to cross his face, "Then perhaps a date is in order?"

She giggled seemingly flattered, "With you? Defiantly."

….

"This is so weird." Akane said aloud to herself as she sat alone in her room. L had publicly asked her out and Donovan was sticking with him for now on mostly to protect him if Kira ever paid the price for the eyes of a Shinigami. It was kind of lonely without Donovan around. She found herself missing him and nervous as hell about tomorrow. Even if it was all staged and an act... it still unnerved her. "It's not like we'll be actually dating or anything... ugh."

She laid in bed thinking of only L rather than the investigation for once. It was strange that it all had lead here and she still didn't know what she saw in L or how she felt about him. Sure he was cute even sexy and he wasn't even trying, but that wasn't what held her interest at the moment. There was something about him... it annoyed her, intrigued her, made her smile, and gave her a taste of what it felt like to be alive again. "Why is he the only person that can confuse me like this?" She asked herself.

"I'm being ridiculous," she muttered as she sat up and took out her laptop turning it on irritated. She couldn't sleep so she decided to research any odd deaths lately that didn't include heart attacks. Akane didn't want to focus on the fact she was nervous about it. She was grateful it was the weekend and so she didn't have to worry about much with it being the beginning of the collage year. It's not even suppose to be a real date... it's staged for pity sake, she thought and then she was miffed with herself. I hate this. It hasn't been a full year yet and some other guy is in my head. Satoru it's been... what? Five months? It's true I need to move on and L is the only guy I find... gripping. I don't know why, but he is. Where is he going to take me on this date anyway? I didn't even think to ask.

After several minutes she put her laptop away. She couldn't focus at all with that guy stuck in her head. Okay I'll admit I'm nervous. Dammit. What am I going to do? I'm never nervous like this and yet here I am. Fidgeting like some little girl, who's never been on a date before. Am I really that much out of practice? Great... just freaking great! I am a sad excuse for a woman, indeed.

More importantly... do I like L like that? Am I crushing on him or do I dislike him? Could it be both? Why can't I understand my own feelings? He's on my mind more than any other man I've even known and I hardly know him... yet he seems to creep his way into my broken heart with needle and thread. Why him? Why such a strange man and why now of all times? I don't understand or is it that I don't want to understand? Am I afraid of being hurt again or is it that am I afraid of his rejection? I don't know... I wish I did... yet a piece of me knows I'm not ready for this. Why do I feel as if something bad will soon happen? What could this mean?

It was strange times she was living in, but the strangest thing was this mysteriously odd man that had found his way into her heart and she had yet to know why. Nor did she know he was slowly mending her weaken and broken heart.

EDITED!