Disclaimer- I don't own Death Note

Chapter 27

Center of Attention

"Holy crap," Noriko exclaimed after being whirled around to face her reflection in the full length mirror that had been behind her.

She blinked repeatedly at the girl staring back at her. She would have rubbed her eyes just to be sure it was her because the resemblance was uncanny, but she didn't, knowing that Lisa would just smack her and yell at her for ruining her make up.

She had spent three hours in a rather comfortable red chair in a high class salon in Koen Dori, also know as Park Street, getting a hair cut and even some highlights put into her hair. During that time Lisa had gone to get her dress and shoes so that she could be made up at the salon before going straight to the theater to meet Reiji. Once her hair was done, Noriko was forced to sit still and endure Lisa putting her make up on and snapping at her if she so much as twitched.

"What do you think? You look amazing," Lisa sang in a high pitched squeal.

Noriko winced, so did the reflection that looked like her, but wasn't. Or was it? She raised a hand to twirl one of the curls on the reflection's head and sure enough, she was twirling her own hair.

"Wow," was all she could come up with.

Ken, the stylist who had spiky brown hair and was wearing jeans that had a few rips and a yellow polo with the collar up, was smiling happily behind her, while Lisa looked disappointed by the lack of sheer excitement she was exhibiting.

"That's it? Wow?" She asked disappointedly.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet, alright. But really, wow. I can't believe that's me," she said as she turned slightly to see the back of the dress and more of her hair.

She was dressed in the knee length cocktail dress with the beading and sequin detail in the straps that crisscrossed in the back and wrapped around to go under her chest. The heels Lisa had brought were black and fairly simple, they were strappy stilettos with a four inch heel. Her make up was done nicely, subtle smoky eyes and a hint of red on her lips and pink on her cheeks. Her hair was simply amazing. It had never looked as good as it did at that moment.

There were subtle hints of blond and some reddish brown highlights, nothing drastic, it was actually quite natural looking. For the night, her hair had been curled delicately and pinned in places, making her think of the hairstyles from the 1920's. It was also much shorter than it had been in a very long time, the curls barely passed her chin, she figured when it wasn't curled it would almost reach to her shoulders.

"Wow," she said again as a huge smile spread across her tinted lips.

"I've put a few things into your bag for you. Some hairspray, texturizer and a few other things. You'll be able to do a lot with this style after tonight. You can brush it out and straighten it, add some texturizer to the ends. Pin back the crown section and fluff it a little. Flip out the ends. Lots of versatility," Ken told her.

"Thank you," she said as she kept grinning happily and examining herself in the mirror.

"Ok, time to go. If I don't get you there in fifteen minutes Mr Namikawa will kill me," Lisa said as she grabbed Noriko's bags and then the girl's hand and hauled her out of the building.

"Lisa," Noriko complained, "I didn't pay him."

"Yeah you did, well."

"Huh?"

"Uh, I may have said a little something to Mr Namikawa..."

"You mean a lot of something, and he paid for our little endeavor," Noriko stated.

"Uh, something like that, I don't really remember anymore."

"Of course not," Noriko grumbled.

"Oh, don't spoil the fun. It's not that bad, so he paid for something for you. Again. Get over it, and get on him."

"Lisa!"

"What," the girl asked as she shrugged a shoulder carelessly. "You can't tell me you don't find him attractive."

"Your point?"

"You may have just ended your engagement, but I think if you play your cards right-"

"Oh my god, will you shut up! I can't believe you're saying that. Seriously, how could you even think that? I mean sure he's hot, very, but that doesn't mean anything. I doubt he's even attracted to me anyways," she added as an after thought sticking her bottom lip out in a small pout without really noticing.

"You like him," Lisa exclaimed.

"Not in the way you're thinking," Noriko argued.

"Oh bull, you were pouting because you didn't think he found you attractive."

"I was not."

"You were too! I saw it! Admit it and I swear I'll drop it," Lisa promised.

Noriko huffed in agitation. "Fine," she gave in. "I like him. Happy now?"

Lisa squealed happily. "Yes."

"Good, now drop it."

Lisa smirked and Noriko suddenly became rather afraid, why, she didn't know.

"We're here," Lisa sang, much too cheerily for Noriko's liking.

Her suspicion of the young woman went through the roof and then some. She eyed her cautiously with a half frown.

"What are you planning," she asked.

"Me? Planning something, I would never," Lisa replied in offense, layering on the sweetness in her tone.

"Right, and I didn't hang out with a bunch of detectives for a few weeks or grow up and get engaged to a guy that wants to be one, without picking up a few things. You're lying," Noriko said pointedly.

"Maybe," Lisa chirped as she pulled into a parking spot in a crowded tri-level garage.

Noriko exited the car carefully, the small clutch Lisa had decided to loan her for the night in her hand. It held very little. Her cell phone, lipstick, and face powder and a few other things she had tossed in to it, like her I.D. She walked up to the smiling Lisa and followed the casually dressed girl out of the garage.

"Why aren't you going to this thing," Noriko asked.

"I don't like these kinds of events, and besides it's usually only the higher ups that attend," she replied.

"Oh, so where are we going?"

"I'm taking you to meet Mr Namikawa in front of the theater the dinner's held at. It's just down the way from the museum. Almost there, I know those heels aren't that comfortable, but you'll live," she added when Noriko groaned dramatically.

"I hope so," she grumbled in response.

"Ah, I think I see him," Lisa said as she ducked her head to see around a few people.

"Where?" Noriko asked a little too quickly.

"Just up ahead, come on," she said as she linked her arm with Noriko's and half dragged her to where Reiji stood nonchalantly waiting for them in his well pressed black suit and tie.

"Doesn't he look amazing," Lisa whispered in her ear as they neared him.

"When doesn't he," Noriko replied under her breath.

"True," Lisa replied in a girlish giggle.

"There you two are, I was beginning to think Lisa had stolen you away from me for the night," Reiji said with a smile as he glanced at the two of them, his eyes lingering over Noriko as he took in her appearance and much shorter hair.

"So what do you think Mr Namikawa? Doesn't she look beautiful? And now that she's single, all the men are going to go crazy for her, you'll have to fight them off with a stick," Lisa said with a humongous grin.

Noriko had to seriously resist the urge to elbow the woman in the side at her blunt question and her remark, she settled for turning to her and glaring.

"Breathtaking, as usual though. I like the short hair, it suits her face better. The dress you picked out is very nice on her as well," he said smoothly.

Noriko swallowed and knew she was probably blushing at least ten shades of red. Compliments were something she wasn't really used to from anyone aside from Light, it was weird to be getting them from her boss, especially since he was rather good looking.

"Um, thanks," Noriko replied with a small nervous laugh.

"Shall we," he said as he offered her his arm.

Noriko nodded and took the offered arm, she glanced back at Lisa who was grinning from ear to ear like a cheshire cat. She winked at Noriko, before waving and spinning around and practically skipping off.

'Oh, I'll get her later,' she thought before nearly tripping over a small crack in the sidewalk. She squeaked and stumbled slightly, but was steadied as Reiji put an arm behind her back and placed his other hand on her waist.

"Sorry, I'm such a klutz. I can't even walk barefoot without falling. I swear I could trip on a hair if it-"

"Noriko?"

"Huh," she said as she took a deep breath and stopped ranting to blink up at Reiji. She was a little surprised at just how close he seemed to be, and how much of them was touching. One of his hands was now on her lower back, which was bare thanks to the way the dress was designed and the other was at her waist, which was covered, but she could still feel the warmth of his hand.

"You're rambling."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to, it's just... I'm doing it again, aren't I?" She asked after she saw the small smile on his face and the way his eyebrows tilted up in amusement.

"Yes."

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize, blushing suits you as well."

She felt her face grow warmer than it already was. "Thank you for helping me not fall on my face, that wouldn't have been a fun way to start the night. Plus, Lisa would have killed me if I messed up my make up."

"You're welcome, and as long as I'm at your side I won't let you fall. So don't think about it and just enjoy yourself. You have nothing to worry about."

Noriko nodded, she had nothing to say, and if she had tried it probably would have been jumbled jibberish.

'Is it just me or is his face a little closer than it was five seconds ago?'

She looked up at him, he was taller than her even when she was in heels and she had to tilt her head up slightly.

'Ok, so it wasn't just me. He is closer, a lot closer...He smells like a mix of the ocean and citrus, something more masculine too...What the hell am I thinking?! And why am I still staring into his eyes? I never really noticed the color of his eyes before, they're- Ok enough Noriko! Breathe woman!'

She did as she had commanded herself and took a small breath. 'Damn he smells good... What the hell is wrong with me?!'

"Are you alright," Reiji asked.

She blinked up at him in a daze. "I'm fine, I was just a little lost in thought."

"About what, if you don't mind my asking," he asked as they went back to walking. He took her arm again and led her towards a very well dressed crowd she could see mingling not far ahead.

"About how the hell I'm going to get through tonight without embarrassing myself. Or you for that matter," she said hurriedly. The people in front of her were used to wealth and people who had wealth. She wasn't. She was rather nervous about the fact she had no idea how to act or what to say, or if she should even talk.

"Relax," he said soothingly, his voice was soft and calm. "You'll be fine. Just be yourself."

"Uh huh," she replied nervously as she took in a few deep breaths as they started to walk through the crowd.

She smiled and nodded to the people they met on the way into the theater, keeping polite conversation as best she could. She hadn't realized she was practically holding on to Reiji for dear life through the whole thing until they went to sit down at their white covered table.

"I'm sorry," she said as she released him. "You could have said I was cutting off circulation."

"You were doing no such thing," Reiji replied. "Now just relax, the rest of the night will be fairly boring."

Light was sitting at his desk in his room, all the lights were off and he was clutching tightly to his hair, nearly ripping it from his skull in his frustration.

'How could she do this to me?! I'm creating a better world. A world without violence and wrong doers, a peace loving world where no one is scared to walk down the street at night. I do it for her and she turns her back on me?! I'll make her see, I'll show her. When this world is no longer rotting, and its citizens are peace loving and rejoice at my name, she will see. I am right, I am just, and I will be god of this new world!' He thought maniacally as a harsh, bitter laugh fell from his lips.

"She will be mine," he said to the darkness. "After L is dead. She will be mine."

"You weren't kidding when you said that it would be boring. I thought the college entrance ceremony was bad, but that was just...Well boring. I mean was it really necessary for those two people to give the same speech?" Noriko said as she slipped her heels off her feet as they walked into Reiji's house.

"It wasn't the same speech."

"Are you sure? It sounded the same," she said as she plopped onto a chair in the dining room and rubbed at her ankles.

"There were a few different words in there," Reiji replied as he shrugged out of his jacket and placed it over the back of one of the chairs before sitting down himself.

"I must have spaced out then, I sure never heard anything different."

"You did seem rather distant at times, how did seeing your friend go?"

"You mean Lisa didn't actually say anything, what a miracle," she added in a grumble.

Reiji laughed at her comment, but shook his head once. "She did mention that you seemed rather upset and that your ex-fiance had been there."

"So she did say something, no miracles, what a pity," she replied sarcastically. "Yeah, Light was there. It didn't go over so well, he's a bit...possessive. He thinks of me as property, something that belongs to him and that he needs to protect from all the evil in the world. He doesn't seem to realize he's the evil in my world."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I noticed you're not wearing your necklace, I've never seen you without it."

"Oh, I gave it to my friend, Ryuga, it's a sort of good luck charm for me. I figured he needed it more than I do."

"I see. Did you tell your friend where you could be found," Reiji inquired.

Noriko shook her head. "No. To be honest, I don't really want to be found. Then again Light's dad is the chief of police so if he was serious enough it's not like they couldn't find me. Ryuga wouldn't do that though, he knows I want to be left alone and he'll respect my wishes, unless something happens I need to know about."

"What does this Ryuga do?"

"He goes to college out here right now. His father is..was a detective."

"Ahh, you know a lot of those."

"I do. Comes in handy sometimes, but it can also be a big pain in the butt," Noriko replied.

"I'm sure. I'm going to retire for the evening, good night Noriko." Reiji stood from the chair and smiled at her, he then did something so unexpected she almost fell off her chair and to her face. He sopped by her, and tilted her chin up, she blinked in surprise but didn't say anything. "He didn't deserve you, so don't fret over it and rest," he said before kissing her forehead and walking away.

Noriko stared straight ahead of her for a few minutes trying to register what had just happened. It wasn't until she realized she had yet to take another breath that she finally processed everything and blushed.

'That was...cool,' she thought to herself. 'Lisa would be having a field day with that. Which is why I'm not telling her.'

She went to bed a few minutes later, but sleep didn't come quickly. She laid in the bed and stared up at the ceiling for hour as the scene in the hotel room played over and over again in her head.

It had surprised her that Light didn't deny that he was Kira, that he didn't try to convince her it was all a misunderstanding. She was also torn up over the fact he had said it was for her that he was doing everything.

Her eyes closed as she took in a deep breath and tried to calm the thoughts that were flying through her brain. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes when she thought of how they had been, and how she thought things would be in the future. Now she wasn't so sure what to do, she needed to stop Light, but she had no idea how or what to do. She could just tell L, but she knew that without proof there was nothing that could be done. If they tried to find proof it was likely that Light would have found a scapegoat or would have come up with some plan to fool them. Light was smart, he wouldn't be caught unless he wanted to be caught.

Opening her eyes to stare the ceiling again, Noriko sighed and wiped away the tears that were spilling, unwanted, from her green eyes.

"Did you sleep well," Reiji asked as Noriko walked through the hallway and into the kitchen, she was in a blue silk nightgown that reached her knees and a matching robe that was tied loosely at her waist. Her eyes were puffy and red as if she had been crying and her cheeks were pale.

"I didn't wake you again did I," she asked mildly embarrassed.

"No, which is why I was asking if slept well."

"Not really, to be honest, but I don't remember dreaming for the first time in awhile. It was nice," she said with a yawn as she poured herself a glass of hot coffee and sat down after grabbing a banana nut muffin that was on the counter.

"Do you and Lisa have any plans today?"

Noriko shook her head, her short hair swishing around her face. "No and I really have to get used to that, it's so short," she said as she let her hair swish around her face.

"It looks good on you. Since you have no plans, would you like to join me for dinner later, we haven't had much time to actually talk as friends," Reiji asked.

"I'd love to, it would be nice. No phone ringing, no stacks of papers and not having to eat while I walk or, run really, sounds good. Did you have anywhere in mind so I know what to wear?"

"I've been hearing about a new restaurant in Aoyama, I thought we could go there. It's a bit upscale, but wear whatever you like, we'll be leaving around five," he replied.

"Sounds good. You're going to a brunch this morning right?" She asked as she sipped her coffee and stifled another yawn.

"Unfortunately. You'll have the house to yourself until about two or so, sorry to be leaving you alone, but you look like you could use some more rest anyways," Reiji said.

"Yeah, I had a little trouble falling asleep, too much to think about. I'm still reeling a little from the confrontation with Light yesterday," Noriko replied.

"I'm sorry to hear that, but remember you're better off without him. I should be going or I'm going to be late. Get some more rest, I'll be home in a few hours and we'll find something to do to distract you," he old her as he stood from his seat and stepped around the table, he surprised Noriko by kissing the top of her head lightly and brushing his hand across her cheek. "Don't worry so much, you're not alone you know."

"Thank you," she answered with a small smile as he walked away.

When he was gone, Noriko sighed and rested her head in her hands.

"He seems to like you."

"Gaahh!" Noriko cried, jumping and throwing her hands into the air causing some of her coffee to slop on to the table. "Dad," she asked as she looked up at the man across from her.

"Good guess kiddo. Isn't he a little old for you?" The green eyed man asked as he rested his chin on one of his palms and stared at her.

"He's younger than you, soooo... no," Noriko replied. "And where have you been, I haven't seen you in awhile."

"Sorry about that, but I was a little busy. It seems you have been too," he said snobbishly.

"Hey, I'll have you know I haven't done anything aside from work my ass off and wear heels," she grumbled.

"I know," he replied as he waved her his free hand in the air as if waving away her comment. "I noticed that you gave your necklace to the handsome detective."

"I did, I figured he could use it more than I could. Will it actually do him any good?"

"If he wears it," he answered. "Which he hasn't been."

"I'm going to kill that idiot."

"Isn't that what you're trying to prevent?"

"Yeah, but he doesn't seem to care if he lives or dies and it's frustrating," Noriko replied.

"You can't help those who don't want to be helped," her father chimed.

"Like hell I can't," she mumbled stubbornly.

"So stubborn."

"I am not...Shut up," Noriko muttered as her father's brown eyebrow rose.

"So who's the boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend," Noriko replied tiredly.

"Yet anyways."

"That's Reiji Namikawa, my boss and the man who's letting me live in his gigantic house for free."

"So you're living with your boss huh? How's that working out for you? "

"Fine," Noriko snapped, "Now what do you want, I'm tired and grumpy if you haven't noticed."

"Just to talk, you've been very stressed out over everything with Light. Not that I can't understand the reasons, but you need to just accept it and move on, you can't do much when your head is stuck in the past. Enjoy your life while you can Noriko, things won't get better unless you let them. Reiji seems like a good, respectable man and the two of you have a connection. That doesn't happen often, I'm not saying to jump right back into a relationship, but at least think about it and then take things at whatever pace you feel comfortable with."

"Are you giving me dating advice," Noriko asked as her face twisted in confusion.

"Yes."

"I'm going to bed," Noriko said as she stood and walked to her bedroom.

"Hey, I was only trying to help," her father cried.

"Yeah well, it's weird. Not many dead dads encourage their daughters to date you know? It's not normal."

"Well we aren't exactly a normal family," he replied as he followed her in to her bedroom.

"No we really aren't. And you, dad, are the least normal of us all," Noriko said as she crawled into bed and pulled the sheets over her head.

"That's mean," he pouted.

"Good night," Noriko called.

"Morning dear, morning."

Noriko sighed exasperatedly and buried her head in the pillow.

When she awoke later in the afternoon, it was almost two o'clock. She yawned and stretched before rubbing her eyes and rising from her bed to stumble into her bathroom. When she walked out nearly an hour later, a towel wrapped around her and color on her cheeks from the hot bath she had taken, all traces of the tired weary girl she had been earlier had been washed away.

She flicked on the radio and hummed and danced to the pop station she had found as she got dressed and did her hair and make up. When she finished, she admired herself in the mirror. She was wearing a pair of black slacks and a red mock neck, sleeveless shirt with frills running down the shirt from the collar to the wide hem that sat on her hips. Her hair hung freely, reaching to just past her chin, it was straight, but she had run some texturizer through it so that it had more volume and the ends were piece-y looking. She had done her make up simply, just the basics of foundation and blush with a little red lip stick and a coat of mascara.

"Good enough for me," she said with a shrug before walking into the bedroom and grabbing a fitted matching black blazer and a pair of pointy toed red heels.

She turned the radio off and wandered out of her room only to nearly collide with Reiji who was coming out of his own room. She squeaked and dropped her shoes on her feet.

"Ow," she complained as she leaned over to pick them up. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Your clumsiness is endearing," he teased.

Noriko snorted and turned around to walk into the living room where she stopped abruptly. Two men were sitting on the couch, glasses of what was likely scotch since that was what the bottle on the table was, in their hands. She recognized both of them, Shingo Mido and Higuchi, both men she had met the day she had run into Reiji after spending the night in the park. Mido she liked, he was respectful and easy to get along with. Higuchi on the other hand disgusted her with his attempts to flirt with her and the way he looked at her.

"Hey Mido," Noriko said jovially while pointedly ignoring Higuchi who was staring at her with a creepy grin on his face.

"Hi Noriko," Mido replied. "Why don't you join us for a drink?"

"I don't drink, but thanks," she replied as she took a seat in one of the leather armchairs a little way from the men as Reiji took a seat in a chair a bit closer to them.

"You look lonely over there, you should come sit by me, I don't bite," Higuchi said to her.

Noriko felt her lips twitch in disgust at the thought of being anywhere near Higuchi. "Thanks for the offer, but not happening," she replied with a fake smile.

"You need to loosen up, you're always so tense when I see you," Higuchi said.

"She always seems relaxed to me," Mido put in.

"That's because I like you Mido," Noriko said as she smiled a real smile at the brown haired man. "You're also cute when you blush," she pointed out as his cheeks turned pink at her comment, this only caused him to swallow and push his glasses up on his nose as Reiji chuckled at him and Higuchi glared at him.

"Are you saying you don't like me?" Higuchi asked trying to sound hurt.

Noriko's smile fell as she turned her eyes on him. "Yup."

"Why is that?"

"Do you really have to ask? I mean seriously are you that stupid, actually don't answer that, I already know the answer," Noriko replied haughtily. "But if you want to know why I don't like you, the reason is simple. I'll explain it so you can understand. You're a greedy, womanizing asshole and if I catch you staring at my ass ever again I'll gouge your eyes out with a spork."

Mido had to choke back laughter or risk spitting his scotch all over himself, he coughed a little after he managed to swallow his drink. Reiji just tweaked an eyebrow, but the look in his eyes told Noriko he was amused by her statement. Higuchi looked rather perturbed and gritted his teeth together.

"What," Noriko asked innocently at the silence her comment received.

"A spork?" Mido asked through his barely contained laughter.

"Well yeah, think about it. A spoon is just too boring, you just dig the eyeball out, no fun, right? A fork is too simple, stick it in his eye and pull the thing out, somewhat fun but just not fun enough. Then there's the spork, a combination of the two, you can't quite dig the eye out, but you can't quite poke it out either. Makes it much more fun," Noriko explained with a serious expression and a few hand gestures.

Mido snorted from trying to not laugh and Reiji was smirking behind the glass he had held to his lips. Higuchi looked frustrated, he apparently wasn't used to being shot down so elegantly.

"Your girlfriend has one hell of a mouth Namikawa," Higuchi grumbled.

"Jealous," Noriko asked before Namikawa could respond.

Higuchi glared at her and she had to resist the urge to start laughing. Mido's mouth just fell open at the implication behind her words as she smiled innocently at Higuchi.

"Why would I be jealous, I don't have to pay my assistants to sleep with me," Higuchi remarked nastily.

Noriko's eyes narrowed and again she spoke before Reiji had the chance. "One, that's not your business. Two, your assistants wouldn't sleep with you if you were the last man on earth, I know, they've told Lisa and I. Three, no woman in her right mind would sleep with you without being paid to do so. Four, Reiji wouldn't have to pay me, or any other woman for that matter, to sleep with him, and yes I'm saying that and I don't give a damn what any of you think," she said as she stood up from the chair and stalked out of the room.

The room was engulfed in a short silence after Noriko's departure, but it wasn't long before Reiji spoke up and suggested that the two gentlemen leave for the evening. Both men did so without complaint, although Higuchi looked pissed off and Mido looked mildly amused.

Noriko turned her head towards her door at the sound of the two soft knocks, a moment later the door swung open and Reiji walked in to see her lounging on her couch. The curtains to the window were drawn wide and there was a beautiful view of the sun as it began to descend from the red and orange sky.

"Sorry about that, I probably shouldn't have said half of that, but in my defense, he's an ass," Noriko said.

"You spoke your mind, there's nothing to apologize for. Besides, it was rather amusing to see Mido's jaw drop when you stood up for yourself."

Noriko groaned, "Yeah, but I made it sound like, like..."

"Like we're involved?" Reiji asked.

"Sort of."

"And that idea bothers you," he questioned.

Noriko opened her mouth to reply, but cocked her head to the side and scrunched up her nose in thought. "Actually it really doesn't."

"Then what's the problem?"

"The problem is that I embarrassed myself."

"Why do you think that?

"Because I just admitted that I'm attracted to you and that I wouldn't mind the being involved thing," she explained hastily. "And I haven't known you all that long. And you don't really know me and I don't expect you to feel the same or anything. Holy crap this is awkward."

"If I remember correctly, I'm the one who asked you on a date this evening, right?" Reiji asked.

"Well, yeah," she replied lamely.

"That would imply some sort of interest don't you think?"

Noriko blinked at him a few times before turning pink and biting at her bottom lip as she turned her head to look out the window again.

"We have reservations in a half hour we should be going," Reiji said.

"Of course," Noriko replied as she stood from the couch and followed him from her room.

At the Yagami household Light was staring down at the same blond girl Noriko had seen him with a few days earlier. If the girl had known him better she would have noticed the irritation that was plainly written on his face and in the way he was standing with his hands in his pockets as he spoke to her.

"I'll give you one of my cell phones, that way I can call you everyday and e-mail you too," the blond squealed excitedly.

Light sighed and took the phone the girl handed him.

"So when will you call me," she asked.

"I'll only use this phone when I need to get in touch with you, it will be off the rest of the time. I can't risk L finding out about you Misa," Light explained.

"But when will we talk then," Misa asked sadly, tears forming in the corners of her blue eyes.

"Probably tomorrow since it will be the soonest L can be taken care of," he replied.

"And we can have a love chat after, right," she asked girlishly.

"Misa," Light sighed.

"Yeah?"

She gasped when Light put a hand on her shoulder and leaned forward to place his lips against hers. "Go home ok," he said as he pulled away from her. "And if you talk to Rem outside, make sure no one's around you."

"Ok," she replied in a daze as she followed him out of his room and down the stairs.

'L will die tomorrow, then all I have to do is get rid of Misa since I' not sure she's smart enough to keep her mouth shut and not give us away. Besides she would cause more problems with Noriko, who will be mine as soon as I take over as L and convince her to join me,' Light thought. 'She'll see that I'm right, that I'm creating a better world, and she'll love me for it.'

"Hair...Snack crumbs...clothing threads...Hmmm, Mr Yagami," Ryuzaki called from where he was crouched, holding little ziploc bags up to the light.

"Yes Ryuzaki," the older man asked.

"If I die in the next few days then your son is Kira. More hair," Ryuzaki said as he continued with what he was doing as if there was nothing strange about his statement.

"What?! You can't be serious," Mr Yagami spluttered. "You always say you don't suspect him while he's here. Just how much do you suspect him?!"

"...Don't know really. The two Kira's joining forces may have affected my ability to think clearly, for if they have truly decided to help one another than I'm in big trouble. It's true that my suspicion of your son is a fairly low percentage and I may just be so insistent due to the lack of any other suspects. However, I have never been wrong before, therefore, if I'm killed assume your son is Kira. Watari will do the same," Ryuzaki explained as he casually sipped at his thick, sugary tea.

"I see," Mr Yagami said in defeat.

"Also, if I die I have asked Watari to contact Nori-san and have her rejoin the investigation," Ryuzaki added.

"The girl has been through enough, don't you think it would be best to leave her be and let her live her life," Mr Yagami asked.

"As much as I would like to do that, I'm afraid that it won't be possible. She may be the only one to prove your son is Kira."

"What makes you think Noriko would prove Light was Kira? They were engaged and have known each other since they were babies," Matsuda asked.

"She knows Light-kun well and picked up on a few things that no one else noticed. His reaction to the mention of Shinigami and eyes in the second Kira's messages, for instance. He nearly pierced her hand, he was so tense. She believes that he reacted that way because he knew what those terms meant, just as she does."

"What do you mean just as she does," Mr Yagami asked.

"I suppose I should say as she believes she does. She thinks that the reference to the Shinigami eyes may be linked to an old story her father told her. Apparently, in this story Shinigami exist and they possess eyes that allow them to see the name and life span of humans," Ryuzaki explained, twisting the conversation he had had with her somewhat.

"You mean she thought it was the truth and that Light reacted that way because he believes in Shinigami," Matsuda asked in confusion. "But how would Shinigami be involved anyway?"

"I have yet to figure that out myself," Ryuzaki mumbled as he picked up a pink glazed donut with two fingers and took a big bite out of the pastry. "Also, if she does rejoin this investigation, whether I'm dead or not I ask that you all protect her from Light-kun."

"Light would never hurt Noriko," Mr Yagami insisted.

"That may be true, but it was obvious she was frightened of him yesterday. I will protect her from him while I'm alive, but there's not much I can do if I'm dead."

"Do you know where she is?" Mr Yagami asked.

"Mmhmm," Ryuzaki managed to mumble over a moth full of donut. "Watari was able to find her place of work as well as where she is currently living. The two of us will keep that information to ourselves however since it seems she doesn't wish to be disturbed."

Mr Yagami looked rather annoyed at this, but said nothing. He cared about Noriko and wanted to get to the bottom of this Kira mess and have Light's name cleared. He hoped that maybe then he and Noriko would be able to work things out and be happy again.

'Tomorrow I will have Misa Amane arrested as the second Kira, the evidence we have found in her apartment is more than enough to prove she had something to do with the tapes at the very least. It seems to have been a good idea to have Mogi follow Light, if he hadn't seen him with Misa we may not have this evidence now,' Ryuzaki thought as he held up another small clear bag. "Cat hair," he mumbled over the donut he was still chewing before setting it down to pick up another.

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