Heads up! There is "M" material in here, but only for a little bit.
Chapter 3: New Job
"Light, it's all right. If you wanted help with dealing with your stress, you could have come to me sooner."
"I'm sorry, Lana, I didn't want to worry you." He strokes my cheek with his finger.
"You wouldn't have…" I bite my lip as Ryuk urges me to tell Light that I can see him. I barely shake my head.
"Are you all right? You seem out of it today."
"I'm fine, I just didn't sleep well last night, again." I suppress a yawn as we head to class. I feel a wave of drowsiness engulf me. My eyes shut for a few seconds. When I open them, Light is still standing next to me. I stop in my tracks as he turns me around.
"Lana… Would you come over tonight, please?"'
"Depends on the time."
"I was thinking maybe around 10?"
"10pm? I don't know… My parents would be upset with me." I see the look in his eyes and my will breaks. "All right."
"See you then!"
"Iliana!" Tara's shout wakes me up. Light catches me before I fall to the ground. A crowd of people has gathered around us.
"Lana, I'm taking you to the nurse!" He scoops me up into his arms, bridal style.
"Screw the nurse, she needs a hospital this time!" Tara glares at Light. An ambulance shows up a few minutes later and I'm taken away on a stretcher. I feel another wave of drowsiness take me over. The same sex dream with Light returns, yet this time, he's more aggressive. He rips my clothes off, as opposed to gently taking them off. He angrily kisses me, forcing me up against a wall. I feel his lips and hands move all over my naked body, but I'm helpless to do anything to resist. I gasp, waking up in the hospital.
"Welcome back, Miss Honda." The doctor looks at me with a smile.
"Huh? What's wrong with me?" Even I'm surprised by my reaction.
"This will come as a shock to you, but based on what your boyfriend told us about your moment of unconsciousness and the constant drowsiness you feel, it sounds like you have a mild case of narcolepsy. It may worsen over time, but I would recommend that you take short naps throughout the day, remember to eat a well balanced diet, and make sure to exercise." He writes a few prescriptions. "Here, you'll need these as well."
"Thank you." I bow my head to him as he clears me. Light drives me home.
"So, what did the doctor say?" He asks.
"I have a mild case of narcolepsy." The seatbelt chokes me as Light stops suddenly.
"What?"
"Light, I'm fine, honestly."
"No you aren't. You need my help now, more than before."
"Light, please don't worry about me."
"I can't help but do so." He continues to drive. We stay silent for the remainder of the ride. I say nothing to him as he walks me to the door. I let both of us in.
"I'll let you help me, but only until I'm cured. Then I'm on my own again."
"No, I won't let you be alone." He takes me to my room.
"Light, I – "
"Shh, just focus on getting better. What do you need?"
"Here," I give him the prescriptions the doctor gave me.
"What else do you need?"
"I need to rest."
"Let me know if you need anything else."
"Okay." I see Ryuk turn around and look at me. I give him a half-smile. He lags behind as Light goes downstairs.
"Are you all right?" Ryuk asks.
"Not really, I didn't tell Light the whole truth about my sister."
"What is the truth?"
"The truth is… the arrival of my sister wasn't that simple."
Flashback
"I'm glad you found your way to us." I say, tears filling my eyes.
"Me too!" Melina grins at me. Father suddenly embraces Melina, tears in his eyes. This is unusual, since I have never seen him cry before.
"I'm so happy to see you! I thought you were dead, my little Mel!" He sobs. Mother also hugs her too, crying. Ren starts crying. This surprises me as well because he's usually so tough.
"Are you sure he didn't hurt you?" Mother asks, stroking Melina's face.
"All the murders he was said to commit, he never did. He was framed for every single one!" Melina's eyes tear up as well.
"He could have been lying."
"No because his wife and kids told me so as well. Even his youngest son said so. He's three years old."
"How did you find us?" I ask, trying to change the subject.
"Well, you are one of the top students in Japan. Next to Light Yagami, that is. I did a little research and I found your blog. Through that and asking around, I was able to find your address. Also, he helped me out."
"The guy who kidnapped you?"
"No, his name is L."
"Who is L?" Mother asks, still holding Melina close.
"He's a detective, so to speak. He doesn't have a badge, but he's the best there is, I promise."
"I've heard of him."
"Doesn't surprise me." Silence follows Melina's words. I hear Father gaining control of his sobs.
"Melina, why didn't you find us sooner?" Father asks, holding her hands in his.
"I was afraid that if I did, you wouldn't want me." She admits, holding back her tears.
"We have and will always want you. Not a day went by when we didn't look for you. Ren spent the better part of his life putting up missing flyers around town and calling the police for news about you. We loved you then and we love you now. We haven't gotten to fully raise you as our daughter, but would you be willing to let us be your family again, please?"
"If you'll have me, I'll gladly be a part of this family again." She embraces all of us. A bedroom awaited her, plastic dust coverings over the furniture.
"My parents kept it reserved for someone special. I guess it must have been for you." I speculate, still shocked from what happened.
"Thank you, Iliana. I hope I will be a good sister to you."
"I know you will." I give her a small smile before saying goodnight to her. Ren pulls me aside as I close her door. "Ren, what is it?"
"Shut up, and come downstairs. Mom and Dad want to talk to you." Ren pulls me downstairs.
"Ana, we should have told you the truth about Melina years ago." Mother says, wringing her hands.
"But we were afraid of what it might do to you, so we kept it a secret in order to protect you. It turns out that you found out the hard way."
"We're so sorry, we never meant for you to find out like this."
"I wish you would have told me. I would have understood, but the past is the past now. You taught me to forgive and you're my parents. I love you both." I embrace them.
"I'll never understand girls." Ren sighs. My parents let me go up to my room, next to Melina's. The following morning, a soft knock on my door draws me away from my homework. I open it and Melina bows to me.
"Family doesn't have to do that, you know."
"I know; it's just been a while since I've had a real family." She stayed silent, as did I for two minutes before I let her in.
"You know that L guy you mentioned last night? Isn't he the one investigating Kira?" I ask, closing the door.
"Yeah, he is. How did you know?"
"He made an announcement about it last week."
"That's pretty ballsy of him." Melina muses.
"I think it's kind of hot." I blush. "Don't tell Light I said that!"
"Why? Are you dating him?"
"Yes, why?"
"Didn't you know? He's one of the main suspects for being Kira."
"What? Not my Light, he wouldn't do that to me."
"L already thinks it's a 5% possibility." Melina sighs as I leave the room. I know Light has the Death Note, but I never imagined he would use it as Kira.
"Iliana…" Melina comes outside, to where I'm sitting on the steps.
"Melina, how can I face him again with the thought that he's Kira in my head?"
"There's a 95% possibility that he isn't."
"It's the 5% possibility that he is that gets me." I pout. "I wish… Nah, it's stupid."
"I've had my share of stupidity, so try me." The look she gives me makes me want to tell her anything.
"I wish he would tell me the truth, just so that my mind is put at rest. I really do love him. Even though we've fought, we've managed to get over it. But if he's really Kida, I don't know if I'll be able to stay with him."
"You can't love a killer?"
"No, I don't think I can."
"I understand. The man I called 'Father' turned out to be a dangerous murderer, so I know what it's like to love a killer. It's not healthy, that's for sure, but you might be the one who changes his mind."
"You really think so? I don't know if I'll have the strength to. I've never been good at expressing my feelings to anyone."
"It's a good way to connect with people."
"You're good at pep talks, you know." I smile at her.
"Thanks, I've been told that." She returns my smile.
End of Flashback
"So, we started hanging out more. Like at the mall, in the park, and other places too. She really is starting to feel like a true sister to me." My eyes widen, as Light returns to my room.
"Iliana, I nearly forgot." He kisses me on my forehead. "I love you."
"I love you too, Light." I smile at him. Ryuk follows Light out. After a few weeks of following exactly what the doctor told me, I venture outside to get my mail. A man in a long trench coat and a tan hat comes out, his face in shadows.
"Are you Miss Iliana Honda?" He asks, stopping in front of a parked car.
"Yes…" I say slowly.
"I am Watari. I was told to meet you here on this day at this time."
"May I ask why?"
"Get in the car and we'll talk more." The man opens the car door. Reluctantly, I get in. He closes the door and begins to drive away. "I work for a person who goes by the name of L."
"I've heard of him. He's the best detective without a badge in Japan!"
"You have heard correctly. He now requires a meeting with you."
"Why me?"
"Because you are one of the top 2 in your class. You and Light Yagami."
"I see. So L wants me to help him solve a case then?"
"Yes."
"But there are rules I must follow before I embark on my adventure. Rules such as those L follows."
"Correct. You will refer to him as Ryuzaki unless he tells you otherwise. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Watari, I do."
"We are here, Miss Honda."
"Thank you, Watari." I let him open the car door for me. We are at a rather fancy hotel, somewhere near Tokyo.
"Follow me, Miss Honda." Watari leads me inside. We go up to the 8th floor and into the 17th room. It's a nice hotel room, but that's not what catches my attention. A man wearing a loose white long-sleeve shirt with jeans and showing his bare feet to me stares at me with his large eyes. I notice dark shadows beneath them, standing out against his pale skin. His messy dark hair adds to the child-like aspect of the way he is sitting. He is holding a book by his fingertips. I give him a small smile and bow as he sets it down. He bows his head to me.
"Welcome, Miss Honda. Please, join me for tea." He gestures to a chair next to him.
"Thank you, Ryuzaki." I sit down and he pours me a cup of tea. I notice how delicately he does so, but I don't comment on it. He lets me put in my own milk and sugar. I put in four cubes and a small stream of milk, just the way I like it.
"Watari told you to call me that, didn't he?"
"He did."
"Well, I don't mind if you call me L. I'm only Ryuzaki when I'm out in public."
"I see, L."
"I must share what I know with you, but you must not let this information leave this room. What is said and done in here is between only the two of us, so you may speak your mind if you wish." L tells me about his findings on Kira. "I can't help but notice that you use the same amount of sugar as I do in my tea."
"Do I? I'm sorry."
"Oh, no, it's nothing to be ashamed of at all. It's merely an observation I've made, among others."
"You've been observing me?" I feel self-conscious, as I realize he is staring at me. He leans in close to me and I lean back.
"You have a beautiful complexion, Miss Honda." He reaches out and takes my face in his hands. Pink patches appear on my cheeks.
"Thank you, L, but I work for you now. It isn't appropriate for these sorts of comments to be voiced out loud in this sense, nor this contact."
"That is true, well done, Miss Honda." He puts his hands down.
"Wait, that was a test?" I ask, confused.
"Yes. You did very well, considering the circumstance."
"Why that particular test?"
"I had to determine what kind of person you are. You are the type who puts work before pleasure, and that's exactly the type I need for this investigation. That is all for today, Miss Honda. I will give you a call when I need you again. Good day."
"Good day, L." I bow to him again. He bows his head to me again.