Author's note: In response to the fact that Mikami was allowed a ridiculous amount of freedom, there are several factors involved: 1. L has no direct influence with the actual running of the institution. 2. The staff of the institution has not been informed that this man was Kira, just that he is dangerous and insane. When they examined him, they found him to be fairly harmless. 3. Mikami was in a common area, the cafeteria, which is surrounded by guards and surveillance. He does not have nearly as much freedom anywhere else in the institution. The only reason other patients were restrained there was because they were deemed a threat to themselves or others. I hope that helps a little—I really don't like to bend the rules just so that it suits my plot. In regards to this chapter, I use dollars in reference to currency because it is what I am most familiar with and probably what most readers are most familiar with. Also, I am not at all familiar with the pricing of various things in Japan, and it can be hard to be detailed about such things unless one knows the language.
Edit: Thank you for pointing out that a few of the dates said December. Yes, it was a typo—I'm so used to typing December that I keep typing it. I apologize. If anything like that happens again, it's safe to assume that it's a typo. I'm not big on flash-backs, and this story is very chronological.
January 3rd, 2004
Tried to draw Ryuzaki from memory, but can't get it right. I feel like I'm missing something... but I won't give up. I'll get it right eventually.
January 4th, 2004
Sherlock ate it.
Sherlock ate the drawing of Ryuzaki.
I'm not sure whether to laugh or be angry. I suppose it's alright, though, as it wasn't really a drawing of Ryuzaki. It resembled Ryuzaki, but it just wasn't him. I guess Sherlock's just following his natural instinct to get rid of the evidence. He's a good dog.
I do wish I could tell Ryuzaki that he's been eaten by Sherlock, though. He hasn't been in touch since New Year's...
January 5th, 2004
I went back to school today, and it felt both good and tedious to be back. Good, because it was routine, and normal, and not out to stalk or kill me, but tedious because... well. It's school.
I would not have minded the tedium, really, if (there was a small scribble, as if Light had begun to write one thing but changed his mind) Ryuzaki had contacted me today. I was hoping he would be in touch today- it's been five days since his last call, and that was five days after he last saw me.
He'd better not break his promise.
January 5th, 2004
Second entry
I shouldn't be so paranoid. He hasn't contacted me in five days- so what? He's probably busy doing... the things he does. I refuse to live my life hanging on his communication.
Even if it is the most stimulating thing in my life.
Call me, damn it!
January 5th, 2004
Dark hotel room, location unknown
It had been five days since L Lawliet had called Light Yagami, and now the super detective sat hunched in his chair, gnawing on his thumb and staring unblinkingly at a blank e-mail screen. He should write something. He should call him. He should-
He shouldn't have promised Light that he would keep in touch. Any contact with L, however minimal and undetectable, put Light in danger. And Light was still a student. He had a right to his own life, free from any influence L might put upon him, especially because L was...
He didn't want to think it. He shoved the computer away and began dropping sugar into his tea mechanically.
Especially, L thought bitterly, viciously, because I am infatuated. Hardly better than Kira. Tea sloshed out of his cup and onto his saucer as he stirred it vigorously to dissolve the massive amount of sugar in the hot liquid.
He could see why Teru Mikami had become captivated by Light, who seemed so perfect. Perfect family, perfect mind, perfect-
Don't think about his body, L scolded himself. He's 17. You are 24. You are L, and should not be stalking a Japanese school boy. And you certainly shouldn't have promised to keep in touch with him, not when you are so tempted by him even when he is halfway across the globe.
L yanked his laptop back in front of him and closed the e-mail, feeling disgusted with himself. He frowned heavily at all of the information he had amassed on Light Yagami. Folders upon folders of it... Old articles, old schoolwork, photographs, contact information...
He deleted it all.
Light would be better off without him.
January 7th, 2004
It has been a week. I am beginning to get annoyed.
January 8th, 2004
"Who's a good puppy? You are! You are, widdle Sherlock!"
"You sound like an idiot," Light said, smirking at his little sister. "Anyway, stop giving him affection like that for no reason. He's a puppy, and doing that when he hasn't done anything to deserve praise will just confuse him."
Sayu scowled and stopped petting the German Shepherd puppy at the end of the leash her brother held. "Don't be such a spoil-sport. Besides, he has done something to deserve praise—he's adorable!"
"That's not his fault," Light pointed out, stopping as Sherlock ran ahead and patiently calling his name until he came back to his side.
"I thought we were supposed to be walking him," Sayu said skeptically, peering at their house from halfway down the street. "It's been ten minutes and we haven't even walked a block."
"Yes. He needs to be trained, Sayu, so that I walk him, not the other way around."
Sayu sighed as they stopped walking again to wait for the excited little puppy to make his way back. "It doesn't seem very efficient."
"It will be," Light assured her, "he'll stop doing this after a while, and he'll do it less and less each time until he stops completely."
Sayu hummed. "You still haven't told me who gave him to you," Sayu complained after a few minutes. "I know it wasn't Dad, because he would have told Mom, and Mom sooooo didn't know how to deal with him."
"I can't tell you."
"You won't tell me," Sayu pouted. "And you got him on Christmas. I bet it's from a girlfriend, eh, Light? You'll be going to college soon, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised."
Light shook his head, knowing that this was Sayu's way of fishing for information—throw out more and more outrageous and infuriating ideas until he admitted the truth. Instead, he said, "He is intended to become a guard dog."
Sayu did not play dumb and ask why, but nodded contemplatively. "Is that what all this training is for?"
Light frowned. "No, this is just obedience training. I'll have to take him to a professional to be trained as a guard dog, but it's not going to be cheap. I'm going to need to get a job."
"Why don't you just ask Mom and Dad to pay for it?" Sayu asked in a tone that declared that she thought that she was stating the obvious. "They're always saying that you can have anything you want if you just say the word—and if they don't, you can just show them your test scores, and they'd do it."
Light sighed. "First of all, I don't want to manipulate our parents into it. Second, Sherlock is my dog, and my responsibility, so I'm going to pay for his training myself. Like you said earlier, I'll be going to college soon. I need to start being more independent and looking after myself."
Sayu stared at Light in disbelief for a few moments before shaking her head. "You're too perfect, big bro. I think you're an alien."
"Flattering."
"Still," Sayu said, teasing now, "if you think you need a job, you could take up modeling!"
"Very funny, Sayu," Light grimaced, stopping again and calling Sherlock's name. "Like your Misa Misa?"
"That would be amazing, but no. My friend Shiori is taking an art class, and she told me that their live model just quit and that her teacher is looking for a new one. You should give it a shot."
"I'm not taking my clothes off for a bunch of teenage girls," Light said in disgust.
"You don't have to take your clothes off," Sayu scoffed. "I'll tell Shiori you're interested."
"But I'm not."
"Have fun with that, Light!" Sayu pranced away, and Light frowned down at the mess Sherlock had made. The puppy panted up at him, joyful.
"It's a good thing you're cute."
January 9th, 2004
Light gave a sigh of annoyance and put his pencil to the side, wondering just what the hell he was doing wrong. Downstairs, the house phone rang. A moment later,
"Light! It's for you!"
Light wondered who might be calling him as he walked down the stairs. Surely everyone important had his cell number...
"Hello?"
"Hey, Light? This is Shiori, Sayu's friend. She told me you were looking for a job."
It took Light a moment to remember the conversation, and he grimaced when he did. Sayu... "I am, but I'm not interested in modeling for anyone."
"I know, she said that, too, but it's really not what you think. Please, just come in for one of the classes. If you don't like it, you don't have to do it again, no questions asked, and you'll still get paid, so... please?"
Light sighed, thinking it over. "How much does it pay?"
"Twenty per hour, and it's a three hour class."
Light considered it. It was pretty good money. "...What kind of class is it?"
"What do you mean?"
Light sighed again, and almost regretted asking, because now he would have to explain himself. "Is it a portraiture class, or?..."
"Yeah, more or less. Why?"
"I've been learning from a book, and..."
"...have been hitting a few bumps?" Shiori finished, sounding understanding. "Well, you can't draw during the lesson, obviously, but I'm sure our teacher would be more than happy to take a look at your drawings before or after class. She'll just be thrilled to be able to teach us properly again—she's been having to split up the time between helping us and posing for us!"
"Right. When and where is this?"
"It's from 5:30 to 8:30 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. I can walk you there tomorrow as long as you're at your house and ready to go by 5:00."
Light winced. Traveling alone with one of Sayu's friends for thirty minutes? "...Sure, thanks," Light said, pleasantly, politely, and not betraying any of his massive trepidation.
"Okay, I'll see you then!" Shiori said excitedly, then hung up. Light did the same, slowly, still processing exactly what he had just agreed to.