Konichiwa, and welcome! Okay now, just to clear up any confusion, there are specifics to the pronunciation of the name "Kotone". It's pronounced "Ko-Toh-Nae", opposed to "Ko-Tone", as it appears to be spelled. I actually looked that name up, and that's what the pronunciation key said. (shrugs) Ah well. It is you reading this story, so feel free to call it whatever you like. I just have an unfortunate fetish with being precise, and I'm a perfectionist… Sigh…
He turned to face her, his wild eyes gleaming with sincerity.
"I think that you are vital to this case. Besides, I still haven't decided whether or not you are in fact Kira, so I must keep a close eye on you nonetheless. Though I will be watching you closely, I still trust you to help me. Do you understand this?"
"You still suspect me?" She questioned, slightly insulted.
"Please don't be offended. I will suspect everyone as a potential Kira until their name is completely cleared from my suspicion."
"…I guess, I see your point."
"Now…"
Ryuzaki turned back to the piano once again, his fingers hovering over the keys. Kotone smiled softly.
"Let's start with something easy, like "Mary had a little Lamb". Now, do as I do, only on that side of the piano."
"How will I know which key on your side coordinates with the key on mine?"
"Well… Look at the distance from the end. An A here is an A… there."
"I see."
"Now, follow me…"
"I've decided that Kira is not among us."
The investigation team swarmed around Ryuzaki in his computer chair.
"How can you be sure of this?" Ulrich demanded, furrowing his brow.
"Actually," Ryuzaki replied, face in his hand,
"I'd prepared some tricks to determine whether you all were Kira or not- your daughter as well, Mr. Ide- but I didn't feel the need to use such trickery."
His phone rang, the small light flickering on the phone.
"'Scuse me," He muttered, reaching for it.
"Got it," He spoke to the invisible person on the phone.
"We've just finished here. Use your own key to enter."
He clicked the phone off.
"Watari's coming-"
His phone rang again in his hands.
"Hello?"
His eyes became curious, the corners of his mouth being lifted up into an amused smile.
"Understood. I'll tell Watari to pick you up on his way here. You remember him, right? Good."
He snapped his phone shut, before gazing up at Ulrich, the grin lingering momentarily on his lips.
"I'd like to say that your daughter is a woman of many talents, Ulrich… But being incapable of something as simple as figuring out the mysteries of turning on a television set… I don't think that such a compliment is in order."
Ulrich rose to his feet, forgetting about the iced tea resting on his knee. The glass shattered on the tile floor, ice and lemon skiing across the liquid.
"That was Kotone? What's wrong?!"
"Nothing. She called saying that the television had attacked her."
Matsuda snickered, receiving a nasty glare from Ulrich, whom shut up immediately.
"Attacked?" Shoichiro questioned.
"It was sparking and she was shocked as soon as she touched the on button. And even then, the set never came on."
Ulrich huffed, sitting back down again, a scowl plastered on his face. The door opened, and Watari entered. Kotone followed him in sheepishly, causing Ulrich to stand back up again.
"You told her to come?"
Kotone flinched, already backing up towards the door.
"I did," Ryuzaki replied blandly.
"Ulrich, if you do not mind I'd like to have her join this investigation."
Ulrich clenched and unclenched his fists, his face turning a vibrant red. Kotone's whole body shuddered violently as she shook her head madly.
"Not a chance, Ryuzaki!" He boomed, bringing the fear of God into everyone in the room but Watari and Ryuzaki.
He began to wave his arms about his head, resembling that of a madman.
"I didn't have my daughter taken out of the mess she was in only to be deliberately thrown headfirst into another one!"
"I believe she will be of much needed help," The detective protested, gingerly picking up a spoon by its tip, scooping ice cream onto it from his bowl.
"I have heard about your son, Ulrich. You have my condolences that such a thing had to happen. He was how old?"
Ulrich froze, a pain surging through his chest, like a hot knife to butter. His head hung limply, Ryuzaki's words bringing forth stinging memories he preferred to keep hidden in the shadows of denial, shredding his heart. Kotone brought a finger to her mouth, stroking her bottom lip softly.
"Ichirou was twenty-three. A prodigy. Graduated top of his class from high school, and was the sole freshman representative. When he left To-Oh, he was immediately offered a place on the NPA. Then there was a hostage situation at an elementary school in Osaka. It was only his fifth case… He had always been so passionate about children, he loved them… then he acted upon his emotions, not his mind. His impulsive actions cost him his life."
L brought the ice cream to his lips, licking it meticulously, his tongue searching only for the chocolate chip bits.
"I can understand why you are so protective of your only child, but that should be her primary reason for being on this investigation."
"What are you talking about, Ryuzaki?" Ulrich demanded.
"I mean that you shouldn't make a martyr of him. As unfortunate as your son's death was, your daughter is not your son. She is a different kind of person, and Kotone seems a very analytical person, is she not?"
He set his spoon in the empty bowl, spinning it around the edge with his index finger.
"It seems that Ichirou was not the only one letting his emotions get the best of him."
Ulrich opened his mouth to argue, but was lost for words. Watari opened a silver case, leaning down beside of Ryuzaki.
"Well then, I've brought the items that you've requested. It's all here."
"And please work on getting Miss Ide's completed as well. Thank you, Watari. Could you please pass them out to everyone?"
"Yes," Was Watari's loyal reply.
"Don't be so jumpy, Ulrich. Have a seat."
Ulrich reluctantly obeyed, steely eyes boring into his daughter's skull as she turned to face the door. Rocking back and forth on her heels, she began distracting herself from her father's death stare by humming incoherently to herself.
"Kotone."
She paused, freezing in mid rock on her toes.
"Sit down. You're part of this investigation now, so I can't have you tuning me out. I will only say something once, and you can't afford to miss anything."
Finding herself slightly embarrassed, she silently took a seat next to Matsuda. Watari opened a case, its contents making Kotone a little jealous.
"There are your new police IDs," Ryuzaki explained in a bored tone.
"New?" Aizawa questioned.
Shoichiro's eyes scrutinized the IDs with skeptical eyes.
"Both the name and the title are fake," He observed.
"Kira needs both a name and face to murder," Ryuzaki droned for the hundredth time.
"We're pursuing him on that assumption. I would've thought this to be the most obvious course of action."
"But police officers carrying around fake IDs? That's the definition of irony," Kotone teased.
Ulrich threw a stern look, and she added, as if it might redeem herself,
"O-of course, if Kira needs both a face and name to kill, having fake IDs could easily save your lives."
"What are you talking about, "your"?" Ryuzaki questioned in a bored tone.
"You're every much a part of this as we police and detectives are. As I mentioned earlier, Watari doesn't have it now, but he'll be getting in touch with you later to deliver it."
Her father shuffled angrily in his seat, grasping and ungrasping hold of his knees. His eyes narrowed dangerously, as he glared at Ryuzaki.
"So I admit… My decisions may reflect what has happened previously in my family," He began slowly, precisely, as if Ryuzaki were deaf and dumb.
"But they are my decisions nonetheless. I couldn't protect my son, but I won't make the same mistake with my daughter."
"No. You decide to shelter her from what she wants most. It seems to me that you and your wife completely ruined your daughter's life after your son was killed. She based her entire career on this- and you take it away because you are afraid for her. That seems like a selfish act to me."
Ulrich's temple bulged, his eyes filled with rage. Kotone bit down on her lip.
"That Ryuzaki- he's got to be insane challenging father like that!"
"You are no one to tell me how to raise my child! You've never had children- you wouldn't know the feeling of losing one, and then to deliberately throw your other child into the same fire that burned your first?"
L hunched over his coffee cup, dropping three cubes of sugar into it with the tips of his fingers.
"I suppose you might be right… She isn't my responsibility, and I wouldn't know what emotional issues you and your wife must be dealing with."
He paused, before adding,
"And I cannot, in any shape way or form, guarantee that she will still be with us when this case ends. This goes for everyone in this room, and everyone who gets involved. So I suppose that if she is that fragile, then she shouldn't be here."
"I am not fragile!" Kotone fumed, her nails digging into her forearms as she clawed at them.
"However," Ryuzaki continued as if she had never made the statement,
"The fact cannot be helped that she will, regardless of want anyone wants, be involved in this case in some way. She already is, this much cannot be helped. It is all a matter of how much she will be involved now. The way I see it, if she must be involved, she must be fully involved. She is safest this way. Ignorance is not always bliss, not when it's a murderer you're dealing with. And not just any ordinary killer, either- Kira. I was thinking only of what was safest for Kotone when I made this suggestion."
Ulrich ground his teeth together furiously.
"You've had this planned out from the beginning…"
"Yes," L admitted.
"But shouldn't it be her that ultimately makes this choice to join the case?"
Ulrich nodded reluctantly. Ryuzaki peered over at her through his bangs, his head still hunched over his coffee cup as he dropped in more sugar cubes.
"So, Kotone… Are you in, or are you out?"
Though she knew exactly what she would be submitting herself to if she agreed, she did so with no hesitation.
"I want to be a part of this investigation, and I want to catch Kira. I am in."
"Well, we've sure wasted enough time on this. I hope the matter is settled now."
He cast a brief glance at Ulrich, who nodded again, before continuing.
"Well, then, in any case, if you absolutely have to give your name, please use your fake IDs. Also, please be careful not to use them by accident at police headquarters. It could prove troublesome."
There was a unanimous flow of nods throughout the room.
"Understood," Shoichiro spoke on behalf of the police.
"Well, then," L continued laboriously, as if being there was some physically draining task. Which it probably was.
"I'd like you all to wear these belts."
Watari opened a suitcase filled with… belts. But each of them had odd buckles on the front. Kotone studied it closely, before asking,
"Is there something… In the belts?"
"Yes," L answered, unimpressed.
"Transmitters."
"With this, Ryuzaki will know your whereabouts. And if you press it twice, my cell phone will ring." Watari explained, demonstrating by double pressing the belt buckle, which set off his phone, which he immediately reached into his pocket for.
"I will call you back immediately."
"In the morning, you should first go to police headquarters. Then, using this, you should confirm the hotel room and number. Please also use these in case of emergencies."
Kotone's head perked up.
"So, you mean that meetings won't always be at my house?"
"That would draw a lot of suspicion. Something we definitely don't want."
She could have mentally cheered, if she hadn't first realized that she was now dragged into this mess… all by one mere coincidence.
"Cool!" Matsuda piped, jiggling the new belt on his pants.
"It's kinda like we're special agents pursuing Kira!"
"Matsuda!" Shoichiro reprimanded.
"This isn't a game."
"Yes, sir…" Matsuda whined, hanging his head in defeat.
"My apologies that we couldn't retrieve a more… feminine belt, on such short notice," Ryuzaki dulled addressed Kotone.
"I don't mind," She assured him, sliding her own belt through the loops of her pants.
"I don't much like wearing skirts or dresses anyways."
"Well, that's all I have. Watari, do you have anything else to add?"
"No."
"Alright then. Be careful going home."
"Right."
One by one, Shoichiro being the first and Kotone the last, everyone but Watari and Ryuzaki filed from the room.
"Oh, and Kotone?"
She halted in the doorway, dreading having to turn back around now, so close to freedom.
"Yes?"
"I will be stopping by tonight for those piano lessons. Is that alright? With you and your parents, I mean."
"Should be," She replied, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.
Hanging her coat up on its respected place on the rack, she gazed around the room, locking the door behind her. Her mother's duffle sat propped against the side of the piano, her father's suitcase in its usual corner across the room.
"They must be planning on canceling their date again tonight…"
She ran into the kitchen to find her mother. When she wasn't by the stove, where she usually was this time in the evening when she wasn't out with her father, Kotone bolted upstairs.
Her father being a policeman and her mother an educator at a nearby university, they rarely had time together. So in order to keep the spark in their relationship, as all married couples wished to accomplish, the two went out to dinner, movie, whatever they felt like for an entire evening once a month. But for the past two months, their time together had been called off for various reasons. Her mother would be scheduled for detention that night; her father would work overtime on an investigation. She wanted this streak to discontinue, and, first and foremost, she wanted her father away from Ryuzaki after their feud earlier.
She knocked rhythmically on her parents' bedroom door before opening it. To her delight, and her relief, her mother stood in front of the dresser mirror applying a crimson shade of lipstick. A sign that she was going out in public, someplace formal. Fumes immediately took hold of Kotone's senses, and she nearly took a step back. Her mother smiled at her daughter's reflection through the glass.
"Midnight pomegranate," Kokoro explained sheepishly.
"Your father's favorite scent."
"Well, he certainly won't miss it," Kotone commented, pinching her nose teasingly.
Kokoro giggled, twisting the lipstick back into its tube. She turned and pinched her daughter's check tenderly.
"I was never really one for cosmetics either, but once you find a man who says he likes it on you, you'll see."
"Ha! Doubt it!" She retorted, taking her mother's hand in her own.
She twisted her mom's hand, and gasped in shock at what she saw.
"Is that nail polish? And it matches your lipstick?!"
Kokoro blushed lightly. Kotone laughed heartily.
"You're turning into a real preppy-style kind of girl, mom! If dad is doing this to you, I disown him!"
Kokoro joined in her daughter's laughter.
"I do this for your father- not because of him."
"Same thing."
"It is not! Once you find a man you love, you'll want to wear this same stuff for him. You're just like me, I can tell- You'll feel that you're not beautiful enough for him, and this stuff gives you that extra boost."
Kotone laughed again, dropping her mother's hand.
"If he loved me, he'd love with or without that crap."
"You know," Her mother began, smoothing out the front of her dress… Another thing she hadn't gotten into until the makeup era,
"I never once wore make-up until the day I married your father. That was a first for me. He said that I looked even more beautiful than ever that night. After that, I considered wearing it more often, but it wasn't until after well…"
Her voice trailed off.
"Until after Ichirou had passed away, and dad became so much angrier towards everything," Kotone finished bitterly, the mother-daughter moment shattered worse than broken glass.
Kokoro sighed heavily, reaching for her purse on her bed.
"He wasn't angry at the world, his perspective of everything just… changed. He didn't see things the same way anymore. He realized that these bad things weren't just stories on the news, or cases read in files. He realized that these tragedies could happen to his own family, too. And yes, this change made him angry. But after… that, happened… I felt so useless. Nothing made him happy anymore. But he still told me I looked beautiful when I wore make-up, so I did. I felt it was necessary. I felt it was the one thing I could do to please him as his family… as his wife."
She smiled sadly, and for once, Kotone realized how aged her mother had become.
"Well, your father is already gone. He had to go and be there in order to keep the reservations we made late last month. I hope it's nice there, we had to reserve so far in advance, and then still pay an arm and a leg for it…"
"Well, have fun!" Kotone piped, following her mother out of the room.
Upon reaching the stairs, they heard a classic piano melody being played from the main entrance hallway. "Mary had a Little Lamb".
Kotone leapt catlike down the last six steps and rushed into the room. Wild, insomniac eyes reached her own.
"I've been practicing," L explained unnecessarily.
Kotone scratched her neck nervously as a crack addict, her mother prodding her in the side.
"A man with a key to the house, Kotone?"
After their previous conversation, Kotone knew exactly what her mother was hinting at. Her hand, half instinctively, half defensively, reached down and slapped her mother's elbow away from her.
"Not even close."
Ryuzaki turned towards the women on the bench, his left foot rubbing his right.
"My name is Hideki Ryuuga. I plan to attend To-Oh University there this year, though, in my senior high school year, as many of my classmates can attest to, I miss several classes. But it doesn't matter, as I have a personal tutor who has attended there in the past and fills me in on everything I've missed."
He gestured towards Watari, sitting in an armchair beside her father's suitcase. Kotone furrowed her brow as Kokoro smiled politely, taking her jacket off the rack.
"Hideki Ryuuga…? That horrible pop idol? What the- Where did this psycho come up to go by that of all names all of a sudden?"
"Nice to meet you! Ironic how you have the same name as that young male singer girls flock over nowadays, isn't it?"
"Mere coincidence."
"Well, I can't say I understand what's going on, but-"
"Ryuuga here as missed so many lessons that are new to the course that his tutor did not take in his days there. So, I gave him a copy of the key to come here so that I could be of assistance."
Kokoro chuckled.
"Well, as long as he's no stranger… I suppose he can stay. Remember, you can always contact me or your father if you need anything."
"Yes, yes… Now get going! Dad will be furious if you are late tonight of all nights!"
"Oh, right! I'll be leaving, then!"
Kotone tapped her foot impatiently, waiting until she heard her mother's car engine fade in the distance to explode.
"You smell very nice. The same scent as your mother. Strange. I didn't see you as a cosmetics sort of lady."
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She demanded.
"That was a nice cover for me just then. Thank you."
"I didn't do it for you! Barging in my family home, nearly giving my mom a heart attack-"
"It seemed you were the one most startled by my presence here."
"N-no! How did you get a key, anyway? I know my father wouldn't have let you have a spare key-"
"If you really want to keep somebody out, lock your deadbolt next time."
"Be quiet, you, you stalker! And what the hell is up with "Hideki Ryuuga"? After that stupid pop star? What are you playing at, lying to my mom? Just why do you have so many aliases now?"
"To tell the truth, that was made on the spot about an hour ago. I've decided that in order to communicate with those outside of the investigation."
Kotone brought a hand to her head.
"So, this Hideki Ryuuga… you'll use this alias to interact with those who you don't want to know you as L… and in case any of these people happen to be Kira, you want this alias to be of someone famous… like that moronic idol-figure… So that if he tries killing you, he could potentially kill him instead."
"I can see I won't have to explain everything to you. You've just lifted quite the burden from my shoulders."
"Not really. We won't have many private meetings like these… at least I hope not… and there will be at least one who doesn't understand what you say with the entire investigation team…"
"More coffee, Ryuzaki?"
"Yes, please."
He set his cup onto of the piano, where Watari rose to retrieve the coffee pot from its try on the stand beside the piano. Kotone whisked up the cup angrily from under the detective's nose.
"Is there a problem?" He asked, slightly irritated that his cup had been taken hostage.
"Just the fact that you're drinking on my piano! I paid for that myself, with my own funds! Do you have any idea the mess coffee makes on something like this? It'll ruin the woodwork on it!"
"I'm sorry. Watari, bring the entire table over here, would you please?"
"Yes."
Kotone's temper mellowed, and she sat down beside the detective.
"I'm sorry I've snapped at you so much. I just… do not like you, is all. But please don't take that offensively. I do not like anyone involved with police task force."
"But you are involved in the police task force."
Kotone laughed softly.
"I have low self-esteem."
L's fingers went to the keyboard, and played the only tune he knew once again.
"How have you practiced, if you haven't been here?"
"I bought a piano for myself."
Kotone laughed.
"You bought an entire piano, just for at-home lessons?"
"It wasn't as expensive as yours, I can assure you," He replied, gently stroking the top of the piano.
"I bought something very basic. It isn't brand name, but the notes on yours are the notes on mine. That's all I cared about."
"Do you set your coffee of it, too?" She chuckled, humoring herself.
Ryuzaki brought a finger to his chin, thinking.
"It wasn't just me. It's a used piano, and whoever had it before me was just as at fault as me."
There was a short exhale of breath.
"Such abuse… I'd never allow that to happen to any of my instruments…"
"Tell me, why do you hate the police task force members?"
Her shoulders fell, fingers poised over the keys.
"Because… anyone who chooses the life as an investigator ruins the lives of those close to him. I've always noticed that. This doesn't happen to business analysts, or architects, or government officials. It only happens to the detectives. It's a strange pattern, but I've studied it, and it's what I see to be true. All because it consumes their life. For example…"
She dropped her hands to her lap, turning to face L.
"Tell me the kind of life you have. Outside of your cases, I mean."
The detective stared blankly at her, silent.
"Exactly!" She exclaimed, shifting her position again.
"It would make sense that the further one is up the ladder in the task forces, the worse of a personal life they have! And, since you're the best, you have the worst personal life."
She ticked them off on her fingers as she went.
"No girlfriend, I can guarantee that, no real hobbies aside from your work, and definitely no sleep."
Ryuzaki glared at her over his coffee cup as he sipped as if the demand, "So what's your point?"
"But see- Since my dad became more involved in the task force, he and I have never bonded anymore. He used to take me to the park, on walks, to carnivals, festivals- He doesn't do any of that anymore. I never used to be afraid of him before, but now… And my mom- He neglects her for work. He's cancelled dates with her more times than I can count, when canceling used to be a rarity. And me- It's so frightening, but I've seen myself change, too. I upset me mom because I've never had a steady boyfriend before- Crushes, but since I made up my mind about being on the task force, love just wasn't a priority for me. And hobbies- I've always loved music, and all the arts, but it wasn't until my parents banned me from being on the task force that I really started playing as a hobby. I mean- five years ago, my hobby was looking at files of those accused of crimes, but not yet proven guilty, and putting together the pieces to come to a self decision as to whether or not they were guilty. It wasn't until then that I realized how involved I'd become."
She took a breath, and then gazed at Ryuzaki.
"As investigators, we have no life aside from our work. I knew that you coming into this investigation would only mean that you'd be taking my father deeper into places I didn't want him to be, and- call it selfish, and immaturity, or whatever, but- but I want my dad back! This whole lifestyle, it took my brother in one way, it took my father in another, and I know it sounds strange, but I look at you, and I can see that you're unhappy. I look at you, and I can see myself just like you in a few years- Smart and philosophical, but utterly alone. It's your mind that keeps you tied to this world, and I have nowhere near the brains you do, so if I'm like you, but I'm not smart, what will I…?"
She sighed suddenly, blinking. Her fingers stroked her bottom lip gingerly.
"I'm sorry. I'm rambling. And I just made you sound like a horrible person, when I don't know you at all. It's just… Never mind."
Ryuzaki added more sugar cubes to his coffee, staring down into it with wide eyes.
"The strange thing is, Kotone… I can completely agree with everything you've just said."
"Hi mom, dad! How was your date together?"
"Lovely," Kokoro swooned, latched to her husband's arm.
"Decent," Ulrich commented, glancing down at his watch.
"Would have been better if that damn waiter hadn't kept us waiting so long to get us a table. Knew those high school kids were no good for facility like that. Makes the whole place look like a dump."
He gazed up, and his steely gaze grew even harsher as he saw Ryuzaki. He opened his mouth to speak, when Kotone interrupted.
"This is Hideki Ryuuga," She blurted so quickly that her words slurred together.
Her father's completion contorted from one of anger into one of sheer puzzlement.
"He's a senior right now, but he aspires to attend To-Oh next year."
Her voice slowed down, became clearer. She cleared her throat before adding,
"He's very smart, but his tutor has to help him because he misses so many of his classes."
"Kotone was helping him with some of the newer course work, bless her," Kokoro piped happily, detaching herself from her husband to hang up her coat.
Hands in his pockets, he shuffled towards to door.
"I'd better be going. Next week, then."
"Yeah… I guess so…"
"Well, we can decide later what time fits our schedule."
He almost soundlessly shut the door behind him as he left, Watari following out with the tray is his hands. Ulrich scoffed as he followed suit in his wife and hung up his own jacket.
"Kid can't even say good-bye, or good night. What mannerisms he was taught, I'm afraid to know."
"Well, I though he was a nice boy. The first boy Kotone's invited to the house, anyway."
"Strictly professional," Kotone insisted in a monotone voice.
Kokoro smiled.
"He's a strange man, I'll admit, but he seems nice enough."
"Speak for yourself," Ulrich scoffed.
Kokoro's smiled faded.
"Why do you say that, dear?"
Ulrich smiled mischeviously.
"Let's just say he's quite the juvenile. We've had him in the station a few times."
His wife's hand went to her mouth.
"He's a trouble-maker…?"
"No," Kotone defended.
"Well, be careful honey. I'd hate to see you with a criminal, of all people."
"He isn't-!"
But it was no use. Her mother was already on her way upstairs. Her father chuckled mockingly. She glowered dangerously at him.
"Some policeman. Lying unjustly about another."
"It was no lie. He is childish, he admitted it himself. And he is in the station often."
"But you knew that wasn't how mom would take that."
Her father shrugged, then proceeded up the stairs. Kotone crossed her arms stubbornly, a million thoughts going through her mind. She would sort things out eventually. Sort things out with her father, with Ryuzaki, with herself. Eventually… but not now.
"Without music, life would be an error."