Author's Note:

I've added a prologue! Yay! Sorry if it is late. I just thought you would like a peek of what is ahead. You should check it out.

Happy reading everyone!

A DIFFERENT REFLECTION

SCENE IV

L's POV:

I lift the lid of the cookie jar and place it on the floor next to it. I take a cookie out and toy it with my thumb and forefinger. I place it near my eyes, eyeing it meticulously, as if answers can be found there.

Kira's letter does not make much sense. It looks not more than a letter of challenge.

For now.

I know there's a hidden message behind it. Someone like Kira does not leave unnecessary things behind. Everything they leave has significance. Even the most little detail can be helpful.

I take my cookie a bite and direct my vision back to Kira's e-mail. It's just odd that Kira had stated my name too many times than necessary. Or…

I suddenly narrow my eyes with my discovery. My name forms an X across the paper. Also, there are Xs before and after Kira's name.

A thumb of mine reaches my lower lip, a habit of mine when I ponder on something.

What if…

I grab my cell phone on the floor. I dial a number and place it on my ear. After a few rings, Watari answers.

"Watari, have the police found something with the victims?" I ask.

"They said they've done everything they can but still have found nothing."

I take a bite from my cookie before replying, "Please tell them to send me the picture of all of the criminals that Kira had killed, covering every angle of their bodies. Also, a picture of each criminal at their exact position when they died. I want to observe them myself."

"Right away," Watari replies before I hang up.

I chomp down the last of my cookie and take another from the jar and stand.

Another thing about me, I do not stand straight. My back hunches and my knees bend a bit when I either stand or walk.

I walk to the window and look outside. While I wait for the pictures, I should think this case over again.

I place my thumb on my lower lip.

Kira is in the Kantō region of Japan.

Kira can kill without contact, which means supernaturally.

There are certain people Kira cannot kill.

Kira may be intelligent. So far, I can sense whatever has happened went according to his plan and he does not do anything spontaneously.

Kira is someone competitive. He does not back out from any challenge and hates to lose. Childish and we are the same.

Kira kills to make his presence be known, which means personal reasons. That means, Kira works alone. It's not impossible at all since he can kill people all over the world without being present.

What would be his possible intention for this? I take my cookie a bite.

Probably pride. He wants to prove himself of something to someone. But why? And to who?

I lift the cookie so it levels with my eyes and eye it again. However, I still don't know his method in killing. Plus, there's a possibility he can do more than what he had done. It's not that impossible at all since he can kill supernaturally.

I hear beeping from my desktop computer. I approach it and crouch before it.

An e-mail from Watari. I do a few clicks and a folder of images appears on my screen. I click on a certain image and it enlarges. Then, I notice something that I have not noticed before. I go back to the folder of images and slowly scroll down, scanning the picture of each criminal.

All of the criminals that Kira killed were the criminals I've captured and sent to custodial. Each and every one of them, not missing anyone.

So, Kira indeed intended to get my attention from the very start. He wanted me to hold this case. Or… Am I the one that he wanted to prove something to? But why? I still can't deduce anything reasonable.

I take time in observing each picture, not missing out any detail.

After an hour, I take another plate of a sliced vanilla strawberry cake. I make a small slice with my fork through the delicate sponge and place it in my mouth. I've already finished looking through all the pictures but I have not found out anything. I've not spotted anything, even a small x-mark on any part of their bodies or anything suspicious.

So, Kira has some other way in marking his victims or he does not leave anything at all.

I make another slice through my cake. I eye the small sponge lying on the fork and suddenly take it to my mouth when an interesting thought occurred to me. Or on second thought…

I open the Adobe Photoshop; I knew this would come in handy one day. I get one picture per criminal taken by the time they died and in top view. I arrange them in diagonal, starting from the top right and others at the top left until I see it; the clue that I have been looking for.

If I would just arrange each picture properly, connecting each picture in a diagonal order, according to their time of deaths, I could create a perfect X.

The picture in the middle caught my attention. I click it and it enlarges. A man, who looks very similar to me is lying on his back, both hands and feet are spread.

Beyond Birthday.

So far, he is the criminal that I've had the difficulty to catch. No doubt since he had been appointed to be my successor before but he refused through the long run. Very long story.

So, Kira knows something about the criminals that I've captured. He purposely placed Beyond Birthday in the middle.

My thumb reaches my lower lip once again.

With this, I could easily conclude that Kira has the ability to control people's time of death and their actions before they die of heart attacks.

Indeed, this is the message that Kira wanted to relay.

However, I would need some more evidences. I still can't confirm anything since whatever evidence that I currently have in hand are just Kira's abilities. I still do not know his method in killing and especially, nothing to point to anyone.

Not yet.

I can't predict what he would do next. Absolutely it would be to kill more people but I still do not know who he would target next. He is still unpredictable for now. It would be a pain but all I can do now is to wait what he would do next.

My thumb suddenly releases my lower lip.

Is it possible that Kira has somewhat a connection to me or to the place where I came from?

Yes, it could be.

With his intelligence and his approach, he seems to somewhat know me in any way.

Watch out for the next scene!

Thank you for reading!

May 8, 2012