October 30th, 2008

Wellsboro, PA

June 21st. The day I legally became an adult. It wasn't like I was able to share such a joyous occasion with family, but it was shared with many of my friends. It was a lot of fun, even though I wasn't able to spend it with the people that mean the most to me.

Why am I in Pennsylvania? You might ask. The answer is very simple: I live here. When I'm not traveling the world with L, I'm here. Working a normal job and going to school. Here I'm normal Kariline Delvon.

But, of course, that's all fake. I don't even have a real birth certificate, let alone a real social security number, or real credentials. But here, I'm nothing more than Kari.

I've lived here for two years now. Moved out here with the help of Wammy's House. They still pay for a couple of things. Like mortgage, college tuition, and other necessities. But everything else I pay for with my paycheck from Starbucks. I graduated from the local high school back in early June, and I am currently a freshman at a local state college, majoring in food science. Of course I'm thinking about getting a real job. You know, just in case this whole detective thing doesn't work out. Both Roger and Mr. Wammy were slightly opposed to me working outside of Wammy's House, but they still support me either way. But sometimes, they try to change my mind. Like their latest attempt of getting me to come back: Getting me a new car.

Which I was currently sliding out of after a long day of lectures and labs. I causally glided up my driveway up to the front door, when I started thinking about the car. It is a silver Toyota Camry. Now that I think about it, this little present was more begging me to stay in this world, rather than begging me to return to the world of genius and people with special gifts and needs. The reason: It's a perfectly normal car, which goes very well with my perfectly normal, fake life.

I got to the front door and unlocked the deadbolt before pushing the heavy door to open it. I stepped into a very bright and open hallway that led to both the living room and kitchen. I walked down this hallway and to the living room where I set down my couple of books and notebooks onto the coffee table. This has pretty much been my routine since L banished me back home in late May. We haven't spoken since.

Of course Watari has called me. Making sure that everything is going fine and that I'm comfortable and happy. There have been times where I've thought that he worries too much about me and my happiness. Needless to say, every time we would talk, he would ask me if I wanted to talk to L. I had the same answer every time: "I'm sorry Watari. But I've been really busy with school/letters/work. Maybe next time." I was still really pissed off at L for sending me away and using the "unnecessary" card again.

I set down my purse, but before I could take my hand off of the handles, I heard a buzzing noise coming from inside the bag. I unzipped the top and looked inside. My eyes went straight for my cell phone, which was moving slightly and making the mysterious buzzing. I picked it up and looked at the front, where I saw a very familiar phone number. One that has been calling me ever since I came back here to make sure that I was doing fine.

I flipped the phone open and held it up against my ear and mouth. "Hi Watari, what's up?" I said cheerfully into the little speaker, a large grin on my face.

"Hello Katie." The voice was very familiar and quiet, but it wasn't the voice that I was expecting.

"Hello Ryuzaki." I said more solemnly, the smile disappearing.

"K…" He paused. He was nervous and didn't know what to say. Well, I shouldn't say that. He knew what to say, the problem was he didn't know how to say it.

"Yes L?" I questioned, when the silence became almost unbearable.

"I'm sorry that I missed your birthday. And I called to wish you a happy one." His voice stayed very quiet. But it wasn't soft, like how you would expect a silent voice to be like.

"That's weird," I whispered to myself, surprised, "you always wait until we see each other to say happy birthday."

"That's because I don't think we're going to be able to see each other again. You know that I don't want you coming back here."

"Yeah, I do. But what about when you finish with this case? I was thinking about heading back to Wammy's House for Christmas. It's been a while since I've been there."

"I don't think I'm coming back."

"What? Do you like Japan that much?" I knew what he was saying. I knew what he meant. I just didn't want to admit it. I already felt my throat go dry and my eyes start to water.

"There's a 95 percent chance that I will be killed in the next month." He said it so calmly, like it was something that I should know, that I should accept to be true.

"Aw, come on. Don't say that." My throat was starting to close up, disabling my breathing pattern. I turned away from my phone and coughed into the open air, a feeble attempt to open up my windpipe again.

"It's the truth." He was trying to convince me of this. He always tried to tell me that he would die because of his job. I would always retort with the question of why he always stayed hidden, and what was the purpose of that if he knew that he would die because of being a detective.

"Yeah, I know that. But that doesn't mean that you have to keep saying it." I was starting to get irritated with him. Every time he brought up his life span, it put me on edge. He knew how much this talk affected me. And yet he kept on talking.

"Promise me you won't come over here." He sounded more commanding this time. He must've been really serious to have a voice like that.

I sighed before answering. I knew I had to give him the answer that he wanted. "You don't have to worry. I think I've had a little too much Japan for a while." I paused and took a few deep breaths. He stayed quiet too. "But you have to promise me one thing." I started choking up again, it was clear in my voice and I'm sure he was able to hear it.

"What would that be?" He acted like I was talking normally. So it was either he didn't hear the slight sob in my speech, or he was choosing to ignore it.

"Call me. And I mean everyday if you can." The tears started, a smile slowly creeping onto my lips without me really noticing. "I want to talk to you before you're…gone." It was hard saying that. I didn't want to think of never seeing him again. To me, that was my worst nightmare.

"I won't be able to guarantee that, K," he said professionally, "but I will try. I know Watari will though."

"Yeah, but I want to talk to you most of the time, not Watari." I was starting to go back on edge, remembering all of our little fights throughout the ages and channeling them through my words. "I mean, I do miss him very much, but I've talked to him a lot since I've gotten back here."

"But you never wanted to talk to me." It was a statement. One that we both knew was true.

"I was mad at you. And you were always busy. I didn't want to disturb your work." They were lame excuses. We both knew, especially me. And only the first one was true. Even if he was busy, he always made time to talk with me. Whether it was two minutes or five hours. Both of us always had something to say.

Silence followed. Neither one of us had anything to say. It was a very rare moment where neither one of us were talking. But I decided to break the nearly tangible tension. "So…do you promise?"

"I told you I would try." Then silence.

I felt the tears start up again. It was the thought of never hearing him again that brought them on this time. My throat constricted and felt bone dry. It was almost like all the moisture in my throat went up to my eyes, finding another way out. I coughed once more, away from the phone, to clear it up.

"Are you feeling alright?" He sounded genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I must have something stuck in my throat." I replied, the sobbing coming through again. There was no way I was going to hide it, so I decided to end the conversation there. "I miss you, L. I'll talk to you later." Before I heard his reply, I pulled the cell phone away from my ear and mouth.

And shut it with a snap.