"I WON'T HURT YOU"

Once dinner was finished, the boys left to play "Go" with Matsuda. L would have preferred to have Light gone as well, but the possibility of him being Kira was too great to just let him go for a few seconds. Now he understood why Misa didn't like his tagging along on dates. It was damn annoying.

"I hope you don't mind," L said, pointing to Light. "For certain reasons, I can't allow myself to separate from him."

"Why not?" Light shouted.

"Why else?" L reminded him. Light groaned and nodded before turning to Sunako.

"I don't know how easy it'll be for you, but try to ignore me."

Sunako nodded. "I'll do that."

Despite trying to ignore Light, neither of them could come up with something to break the silence. L caught Sunako's eye. She blushed and averted her gaze immediately.

"Why are you like that? You weren't like that when we met." L asked.

Sunako turned, if possible, redder. "Forget it. I'd rather not say."

"Because you'll think you'll get hurt again, is that it?" Sunako looked up at him in shock. "My intelligence network is the best in the world. If I want information on someone that interests me, I can get that information in less than five minutes." L said all this, staring at her wide eyed, his thumb pressed against his lip, a small smile on his lips.

Sunako blinked. "Either your network is as good as you say it is, or it was a lucky guess. So tell me what happened to me?" She folded her arms and crossed her legs, staring at him behind cold eyes.

L expected this. "Two years ago, a boy you liked called you 'ugly.' After that, you turned your back on the world."

Sunako became ashen at the information L gave her. She snarled and stood. "What made you think you had the right to research me?" she shouted. "First my friends, and now you! Everyone's telling me to let my guard down! Well, the last time I did that, my heart wasn't just broken. It was shattered beyond repair."

"I doubt that it shattered 'beyond repair.'" L said with a shrug, letting her rage. "If that was the case, then you wouldn't have opened yourself up to love again."

"Whoever said I did?"

"You did yourself. You're face is easy to read. But I guess that makes sense since you're still so young," L said, still smiling. "I understand if you don't trust me. After all, I'm just some stranger to you. But you can at least believe this: I don't want to hurt you, neither emotionally or physically. I think we all know that you couldn't handle any more heart break like the one that boy put you through two years ago. I don't blame you for hating the world after that experience."

Sunako seemed to have calmed down a little bit. She sat down, her gaze sad and distant. "I don't want to think about it. What I want to know is why I'm so interesting to you."

L shrugged. "I don't know why. Maybe because I saved you and provided a place for you to sleep for a night. Maybe because of whom your aunt is. Maybe because I never met such a beautiful young woman before."

Sunako laughed. "I'm anything but beautiful. You know what that guy said. I'm a creature of darkness. Ugly."

"That's where you're wrong, Nakahara-chan. You're anything but ugly. I'm sure Yagami-kun will agree with me."

Light nodded. "Better looking than my pseudo-girlfriend, and that's saying something."

"That it is," L agreed. Misa was pretty, but she didn't have anything on this young girl before them. Whether it was age difference or not, he didn't know and he didn't want to know.

Sunako stood again. "I think you should leave."

L and Light gave her confused looks. L didn't recall saying anything insulting.

"Just go. Now. Please?" She begged.

L stood and dragged Light along. Heading into the dining room where the boys, plus Matsuda, were finishing a round of "Go." "Matsuda, time to go," Light said.

"What? Now?"

"Yes, now."

Matsuda bade goodbye to the boys and headed out with them. Once they were out of the house, Matsuda turned to them. "What happened?"

"We don't know. Ryuuzaki pretty much complimented her and the next thing we know, she's kicking us out."

"What!? Most girls are thrilled to get compliments!"

"I don't think she wasn't thrilled. I guess she's just never been called 'beautiful' by a guy before."

"Ooh, Ryuuzaki, I didn't know you were that good."

"I'm not a womanizer, Matsuda-san," L said disgruntled. "I said what I thought. Nothing more."

Matsuda looked like he was going to cry after that.

"Matsuda, get a grip!"

"But…but if she wasn't called 'beautiful' before, than she must be really happy," Matsuda said. Then a sly grin got on his face. "Ryuuzaki, where are the keys to the cuffs?"

"With Watari; I didn't want either of us to be tempted to separate ourselves for any reason."

"Why?"

"Because if you did have the key, Light and I would leave Ryuuzaki behind so he can get lovey-dovey with Sunako-chan."

Light's mouth dropped. "Matsuda, we have to get those keys!"

"Not a chance." L stated warily.

"Not even to be alone with Sunako-chan?" Matsuda asked slyly.

"Don't tempt me." L said. "Let's go before we get caught."

"Too late for that."

Matsuda tensed. Adrenaline such as never before pumped through L's veins, but he kept his outward appearance calm. He was certain Light felt the same way, but he was keeping himself equally calm.

They turned to see Chief Yagami and Watari, glowering at them with disapproval.