A/N: I first off apologize if the chapter seems kind of girly. But, trust me, this is the only chapter like this. And it's Misa's fault! XD Just so you know.

Hm, and this story is currently over 100 pages on Word, my largest story yet. It makes me happy. XD

Disclaimer: Don't own Death Note, not affiliated with it except being a mere fan.

Chapter 11: Frivolity

Numerous events occurred after the day of the fight, I can't even begin to explain each one in full detail. Namely, though, we pinpointed yet another Kira to Yotsuba, a very powerful corporation in Japan. We spent our time watching their boring, conducted meetings, at the same time having to deal with the absence of Aizawa. The seasoned cop, along with Matsuda and Mr. Yagami, was faced with the decision to leave the NPA or stay on the case. He had seemed to lean toward the latter until realizing that L had set him up, which I found rather dishonorable. Why would my own brother do such a thing?

No matter, really, for Aizawa stormed off and uttered crisp words in place of a proper farewell. Turning our attention to what Light discovered on the Internet, we moved the investigation forward, focusing more on the Yotsuba group.

At one point, L enlisted the help of criminals to serve as the eyes and ears when it came to digging up information on the giant corporation. Aiber and Wedy admittedly did assist us more than anticipated, which showed what I knew. Then, of course, Matsuda fell into some trouble with Yotsuba when attempting to go undercover—needless to say, his cover was nearly blown. I remember that L wouldn't talk to the poor guy for days after the incident, even when we did resolve it by faking Matsuda's (or, more precisely, Taro Matsui's) death. However, the misstep led to a new lead, so that my brother wasn't too infuriated with him. And, of course, things went along fairly smoothly since.

Unfortunately, Misa hardly cared concerning the current circumstances of the investigation. She wanted to be out and about shopping, dilly-dallying, and doing young adult female stuff like that. Begging and groveling like a persistent child, she asked of L to "please let me out, so I can go shopping!" The detective, appearing nonchalant, complied but on one condition...

I was to go with her on this pointless excursion. A resulting debate that took place between L and me ended on a sour note.

"Utako," he stated in a tone of finality, never taking his eyes off his computer, "you're going with Misa to make sure she isn't up to anything, and that's final."

Incredulous toward him, I attempted a fruitless comeback. "But, Ryuzaki, I—"

"No exceptions," his cold voice chilled me to the bone, "for you did come into this case saying you wanted to help in any way you could, correct?"

My mouth opened and closed like a nearly mindless fish before I hesitantly resigned to L's point and took the lift upstairs to change into my "average teen girl" attire. I ensured this time to apply my make-up more naturally, as those three college co-eds recommended on my recon mission. Fifteen minutes later, I emerged from the lift once again to the floor that Misa had all to herself. Keeping the chronological order of my story in mind, I should mention that we had all relocated to a permanent headquarters at this stage.

Misa, spoiled as she probably was, received an entire floor to stay for the time being, but I hardly cared about that. Instead, I focused on the task at hand.

"Misa," I started to say, my voice heavy with dread, "Ryuzaki granted his permission for you to go shopping. And I am to...erm...accompany you."

I winced when I heard her eagerly high-pitched squeals deafen my hearing and felt further agony when she embraced me. Obviously, her happiness knew no bounds, though I briefly thought that it should be restrained once in a while.

"Yay! Misa-Misa and Utako-chan are going shopping!" she exclaimed in hyperactive ecstasy.

She proceeded to drag me over to the lift again and pressed the button that would transport us to the bottom floor. A shame that I didn't get a word in edgewise, but at least Misa was content. That mattered the most, right? We both exited the headquarters to go out on our little shopping expedition, wherever it might have taken us. The streets of Tokyo seemed even more crowded than usual as we passed citizens on our way, Misa not releasing my hand once. Inwardly, I fervently hoped that we would come across a store soon before I contemplated wandering somewhere else, regardless of L's orders. Luckily, I didn't have to resort to such drastic measures when Misa pointed out a particular building.

"This is the best store ever! You should really see what it's like," she cooed over the store like she would a cute baby as we entered our final destination.

I pretended to smile and nod in compliance to create my pathetic excuse for a response. What did girls my age honestly see so fascinating in shopping that I refused to grasp? I had never liked shopping, as I have said previously. The frivolity and tediousness of it all nearly drove me mad when I tried to force myself into tolerating it. Clothes, for example, hardly intrigued me; I already possessed my sweatshirts and T-shirts. Food I never ran out of, and I merely shopped at the grocery store weekly for that need. Basically, I preferred to shop for needs not wants, as I assumed Misa presumably did. Whatever, I was very unenthused concerning this whole affair to say the least. Misa's method of shopping when it came to ding this hobby with others rendered me unimpressed as well.

"Utako, look at this!" she would call over to me three feet away, impelling everyone in the particular section to gawk at us.

"Utako-chan, you have to try this on!"

"This will flatter your curves, Utako!"

And so Misa's incessant quotes came off quickly and often. I was certain that by the end of the day, she would wear me out by forcing me to engage in these utterly stupid activities. However...I finally started to note that she meant well in her rather irritating actions. Considering that she had no girl-to girl interaction since her arrest, I almost sympathized with her again.

Gradually warming up to her, I rejected outfits at a slower pace than before, even beginning to accept some of the choices, too. Perhaps Misa-Misa wasn't so annoying after all. I went to the extreme then that maybe I required a female friend myself. At Wammy's, I only had Mello and Matt, just two boys how couldn't connect on the same level as me—not even Matt, my preferred best friend. So, for Misa to single me out as a potential friend was admittedly flattering. The girls back at the orphanage had most definitely despised me for the most part. But, here at this shopping mecca that Misa so obviously adored, I felt accepted by someone else outside my comfort zone. She caused me to determine that a reclusive life could lead to some unhealthy results in the end. I owed her that much to outwardly appear happy and mean it. This celebrity was actually bestowing to me a Good Samaritan act.

Despite my resolve, I firmly put my foot down when she offered what looked like a high school prom dress to me. I insisted that my looks would pale in comparison to such an exquisite piece of fabric. I hardly deserved such niceties, I said, I was content enough with normal, everyday wear, thank you very much for the offer.

Crestfallen, Misa sighed as she hung the dress back where she found it. "But, you would look so pretty in that dress, Utako-chan. Green is your color."

"I don't know what my color is nor do I care. Besides..."

I trailed off, for I would avoid the conclusion of that sentence, which would have basically translated into, "Besides, the dress reminds me too much of his eyes."

After what felt like many hours, we carried our items to a check-out lane to pay the steep amounts of yen. I couldn't recall how much we spent, though, just that Misa was the one who really wasted the money. She bought approximately sixty different items; I bought six. The search for rubbish, I assumed, had at last come to a satisfying conclusion. Of course, Misa craved for more items, her hunger for them yet to be completely sated. I proceeded to wonder if being a shopoholic implied possible, genuine disease. For Misa's sake, I wished fate would prove me wrong.

It eventually did, but in an unprecedented manner in which I could scarcely prepare for. The sun had slowly set over the streets of the beautiful city of Tokyo while we strode to another location. On the way, something caught my eye, something sleek and shiny. I halted so avidly, I almost tripped over my own feet. Misa was just as unprepared, for she crashed into me like a bowling ball would to a set of pins. Sprawled out in a rather cumbersome, unladylike fashion on the sidewalk, she grunted softly as she stood to her feet.

She brushed dust particles away from her shoulder, complaining, "Utako-chan, why did we have to stop here?!? We're not even at—oh."

She must have seen the distant glaze in my ebony eyes, which gazed in a trance-like state at a console behind the display window. We had stopped at a gaming store, and it reminded me of him, more keenly than the emerald colored dress had.

I suddenly remembered all those days he would spend playing video games after classes, his cigarette producing wispy clouds that permeated the common room. This was probably why less and less children even wanted to go there; the scent of ash dominated in such a suffocating way. But, I never minded. Why would I mind his potentially hazardous habit when he didn't bother me? Just sitting beside him, watching him gain the chance to play the next level—all the cigarette smoke the world produced could scarcely tear me from moments like these, however miniscule. I also recalled the lazy smile he would give to me once he acknowledged my presence along with ruffling my hair. He always liked messing my hair up for some reason I never discovered when living at Wammy's. I had grown to love that habit, though.

Misa interrupted my sudden flashback by waving her perfectly manicured hand in front of my face.

I blinked twice before descending to the strict limits of real life again, my recollection ceasing as I actually saw the console behind the display window.

"Oh, hello," I muttered dizzily to my companion for today. "I...forgot that you...were...with me."

"Are you sick, Utako-chan?" Misa inquired, genuinely concerned, which took me aback.

The sleek black surface of the console seemed to practically blind me. "No, I'm fine. It's just that this gaming store reminds me of—"

A sly, almost devious smile established itself on the young celebrity's face. For some reason, I realized that she figured out my thoughts. "Is it a boy?"

As much as I struggled not to, a faint pink blush spread across my face, and I tried to hide it. But, the damage was done, dramatically speaking. Erupting into squeals, Misa squeezed my shoulder tightly. I doubt she expected me of all people to fall into an infatuation with anybody. Faced with the prospect of having been found out, I confessed.

"Yes, he's someone from my hometown. We grew up together, and I have had a 'crush' on him...for quite some time now. This gaming store reminds me of him—he loves video games."

"Ohhh, so that's why!" The sly smirk never left Misa's lips, but I could tell she was pleased for my sake. What motive she could have possessed in feeling this way at my expense? I had no idea. I merely busied myself in thinking about the irony that ordinary things such as a game console or a dress could trigger memories of someone special...very special indeed.

Even though she seemed rather reluctant about this, Misa entered the gaming store with me to browse the items there. Familiar titles caught my eye: Mario, Zelda, Crash, and many more that have existed for decades. I even glimpsed a particularly captivating game called Kingdom Hearts, which was one of the few I actually played. Copies of the sequel lay next to copies of the original, although two of these remained. A smile curved my lips due to nostalgia on such items of pop culture. However, I merely browsed, whereas Misa kept whining that she wanted sushi, as well as to "get out of this nerdy place."

"Shortly, Misa-san, shortly," I stated calmly, "and this isn't a nerdy place. Rather, it's interesting to me. I bet my friend would love this place, too."

The complaints abated until they ceased to exist; I was glad that the normally stubborn Misa yielded enough to see through my perspective. Though occasionally selfish, she considered her friends ones to keep for life. It made me reflect on the unconditional loyalty I bestowed to my own two best friends. Once this case finally came to an end, I vowed to myself, I would visit them at Wammy's House. Hopefully, they would still reside there by that time and not grow up too fast for that fateful day.

I hummed an optimistic song softly as I picked up a new model of the Sony Playstation called the PSP. The company executives had released a handheld of their own at last; Matt would be pleased if he saw this. Maybe if I bought one, he might even be jealous that I found out PSPs existed before he did. To the check-out lane I went, and I bought the handheld without a second thought, as well as a Final Fantasy game to go with it.

Since we had not meandered inside the store for very long, it appeased Misa that we would return to headquarters. She eagerly waited for the moment she would get there, so that she could coordinate her clothing. On the opposite spectrum, I just wanted to see if any recent developments had been made in the case. I half-yearned to forget that I even went on this petty excursion, yet I half-divulged to myself that the experience did reward me in more ways than one. Obtaining a friend, recalling the good times shared with Matt, and having someone who didn't find my intelligence annoying—there were all positives.

When we arrived back at headquarters, we took the lift up to Misa's floor, where we eventually parted ways. We even exchanged a few words of casual conversation.

"Domo arigato for going shopping with me, Utako-chan!" She embraced me like a sister would to another after her declaration of thanks. In retrospect, I appreciated this gesture of enthusiastic friendship.

"I was glad to go," I replied, surprising myself with the softly uttered truth resonating in my words. Even though I still despised shopping, the idea of acceptance thrilled me. And that mattered to me above all else.

Feeling a sense of normalcy wash over me, I blissfully strode over to the floor where L and the others gathered around the huge computer to observe yet another Yotsuba meeting.

"Any new developments?" I inquired rather cheerily. Misa's eternal optimism radiated so brightly, it was infectious, and I seemed to have caught it severely.

"There hasn't been much going on, but something strange has happened," L quietly told me while Light simply nodded. Of course, he had to acknowledge me aloud as well.

"So, Utako, I hope Misa didn't annoy you too much," he stated.

"No, she was no trouble actually."

As soon as those words eluded my lips, I pondered over the possibilities as to why Light would say something like that. However, in the past, he wouldn't have hesitated to express his opinions about her in full detail. To me, he was no longer the manipulator he used to be, not since the confinement. Suspicious occurrences directed themselves to Light Yagami, but I hardly felt like voicing them out in the open. Besides, L did admit that Light served as the first friend he ever possessed...or so I thought at the time to be accurate. I didn't want to hurt his feelings if I said incriminating words regarding his "friend."

"What happened that was so strange?" I asked, standing on tiptoes above Matsuda to try to pinpoint the out of place item on my own accord.

"We noticed that one of the Yotsuba businessmen went missing," Mr. Yagami briefed me on the current situation. This compelled me to speculate.

Settling myself firmly back on my feet, I guessed, "Perhaps he's Kira and wants to act within the privacy of his own home when it comes to the killings."

L contemplated over these words as he focused attentively on the computer screen. "That is possible, but it may be more on the lines that he's been killed by the Kira in this group."

Matsuda proceeded to brag, turning toward me to say, "Well, we probably wouldn't have found this out if it wasn't for my heroics."

"Try stupidity," L muttered darkly.

Light promptly agreed. "It's true, Matsuda. What you did was rather stupid."

I sighed due to being weary of having all these condescending words tossed about. "Be that as it may, there are more important things to discuss. Matsuda's IQ is not one of them."

"Thank you, Utako!" Matsuda beamed.

"You're very welcome, fellow colleague of mine. But, let's pay attention to this meeting."

We watched the meeting play out, and the first item the businessmen mentioned...was the death of their co-worker Hatori.

"It's definitely narrowed down to one of these men...but this is rather hard to discern who."

The task force simultaneously submitted short nods in response; it figures that I should state the obvious. As much as I hated to, I resolved to retire to my room.

"I'm sorry that I can't be of better use," I apologized, stifling a yawn, "but I'm going to bed. Shopping can be taxing on the mind...and the body, if your companion is as excitable as Misa-san."

"I'm sure," my brother responded in a sarcastic manner as I assumed he would.

"Well, have a good sleep, Utako," Light contributed.

I nodded once before entering the lift to return to my room. As I did so, I carelessly tossed the two bags of clothing into a conveniently nearby closet. Then, I extracted the PSP from the third bag along with the game and played it, childhood memories and him coming back in a sense.

A/N: I'm sorry I couldn't come up with a better chapter ending, because I remember that my mind drew a partial blank right at that part. I just had V being tired as an excuse. So, V's almost all right with Misa, believe it or not. I kind of feel sorry for Misa, because she was taken advantage of--and really, this chapter made me see things a little more differently, from V's perspective.

But, hey, I mentioned video games, because I didn't want to make this chapter excessively girly. And, V likes Kingdom Hearts. Awesomeness! Another thing...I wish I had a PSP. I don't really know why, I just wish I had one.