Thirty seconds?! I began to panic wildly until I heard a faint, almost inaudible, chuckle.

"Malak?" I asked menacingly.

"What?" He replied innocently.

"How long do I have to live?"

"I told you. Thirty seconds. Make that eighteen seconds."

I tapped my foot and stared at him until he sighed.

"Okay okay...I was only joking. You actually have thirty years."

I sighed in relief, then glowered at him.

"It's not like you to be joking Malak."

"I know," He replied, "I'm beginning to take a liking to you, mistress."

Again with the mistress thing.

"You don't have to call me mistress you know." I said, continuing my long walk back to town.

"I know. I just like you, that's all."

"Oh okay. I like you too." I replied with a smile.

After a few hours, we finally arrived back home, my legs indescribably sore from the long walk when I heard the telephone ring.

"Tsukiko honey! It's for you!"

I groaned loudly and reached for the phone.

"Hello?" I answered rudely.

"Baby are you alright?"

Damn it Light!

"Yes, I'm fine. I wasn't raped or kidnapped if you must know."

"It's not funny."

"Who said I was trying to be funny?" I asked and started up the Xbox 360.

He ranted about how I shouldn't go around with Ryuzaki anymore, and I completely ignored him, playing Assassin's Creed until a few words brought me back to reality.

"You really need to be brought under control." He said quietly, thinking I wouldn't catch on.

"Excuse me?!"

"You need to be brought--"

"Yeah yeah, I heard what you said." I grumbled.

It was a stark silence until a high pitched female voice shrieked Light's name.

"Who is that?" I asked bluntly.

"I have to go." He mumbled and hung up the phone.

The voice sounded suspiciously like Misa Amane's. I sighed and hung the phone back on the receiver and continued to jump around on rooftops when the phone rang again. The caller ID showed up to be blocked, so I assumed it was Ryuzaki and picked up the phone.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah I'm fine. I just got home and off the phone with Light."

"How is he?"

"Fine I guess. I think it's safe to say we're over though."

"Why would you say something like that?"

His voice was soft and inquisitive, the thing I loved most about him.

"Because I heard Misa's voice and he said he had to go. Whatever, doesn't really matter to me."

I put the phone on speaker as I brushed my hair morosely, eventually putting it into a high ponytail.

"Okay then," He said finally and added, "I need to see you ASAP. I'll come pick you up."

"Okay," I replied, "See you soon."

"Bye."

"Bye." I replied and hung up the phone.

I saved my game and shut it off, realizing I don't play enough video games and made a mental note to play them more often.

"Mom, I'm going to see Ryuzaki."

"When will you be back?" She asked.

"I don't know. Whenever you want me to."

"Be back around seven. We're having friends for dinner and I need you here."

I glanced at the clock and noticed it was five o'clock. I heard a honk outside and ran out to see Watari holding the door open for me. I smiled and recognized him as the man who pulled over and asked me if I wanted a ride. He seemed like such a likable man, it was a shame that he had only a few months to live. I slid in and sat next to Ryuzaki who smiled at me and Watari shut the door.

"I have something very important to tell you." He said, offering me coffee.

I politely declined as listened as he told me one of the most life changing details I will ever hear in my life.

"My name is L, the man who conducts the Kira investigation and I would like your help."