Chap 7

Taro had thought that he would feel some remorse for killing Light with such ease, yet as he walked up the school entrance stairs knowing that he would not be meeting his lone friend for a morning chat - he was unaffected. His mind-set was of a man on a specific mission. It was war, with an enemy declared. There was no time for petty human emotion such as mourning.

As a minor self-criticism, Taro considered the poor timing of Light's death and its possible implications around Light's death. A fit, popular young adult dying unexpectedly of cardiac arrest would surely draw attention and rise suspicion – and concern to the loner attachee that the passed left behind. The whole school would have an eye on Taro, whispering as he would walk passed them on the corridors; a new source for the latest gossip catch. The teachers would sympathise and patronise him, assume that he is incapable of being a functioning student with his assumed heartache. All eyes would be on him, limiting what actions he could take. Oh well, Taro shrugged off as his clothes thawed from the outside chill, a little acting is a small sacrifice - I did what I had to do.

His inner musings had since shifted from the possible aftermath of Light's untimely death, and now tackled what his approach to killing the beloved Mr B. It wouldn't be as easy as Light – his credentials were not as well known or accessible. A name - that's all I need: a name.

The puzzle continued to challenge him as he turned into the English class, his whole being focused on finding a solution. A light bulb rang in his head and Taro was about to (stupidly) ask a question Ryuk out loud for the whole world to hear and confirm his alleged insanity, but this light bulb fell on its side and shattered instantaneously as the image was translated by Taro's brain. Light. Alive. Breathing. Blinking. You were supposed to die at eight last night. There he sat in his seat in the front, as if nothing had happened to him the previous evening – not even a scratch mark. Light was alive and nowhere near dying. The human's whose name is written in this note shall die – the first rule of the note. Does the Death Note not work anymore? But all the Bode building residents had died – including last night's evil victims who were supposed to be Light's companions to heaven.

Although fuming inside, Taro kept his composure. A flicker of irritation had glimmered in his eyes, but was concealed by his low hanging hood. Ryuk noticed, as he always did, laughed gleefully to himself.

By the end of English class, Taro had concluded that Light must have a guardian angel protecting his wretched life. At this point, he put nothing passed existence. The supernatural world that his logical brain dismissed for years was proven by the Death Note, and it is to the supernatural world that he is grateful. It was means to quench his thirst for revenge.

The air between the (assumed) former friends was electric, charged with hatred and confusion, though the teenagers never looked at each other. Light swiftly left class before Taro could even get a word in edgewise (if he even had any), and disappeared into the crowds that filled the corridors, exchanging to their next lesson. Taro was fixated in his seat, staring out into the empty class, plagued by his thoughts as his brain attempted to make sense of Light's life.

"Hello?" Ryuk danced around in front of Taro to alarm him to reality. After numerous attempts, he gave up and coiled into an adjacent chair, watching the human. it was only by a hit square in the jaw of a hanging shoulder satchel of another student entering for their English lesson that jolted Taro to reality. He crumpled his papers as he carelessly threw them into his bag and slipped out the class before the stream of English students arrived.

The former friends maintained distance throughout the day, Light swopping seats with other students to be as far away from his attempted murderer. A main aspect to their relationship was the journey from class to class, weaving their way through the waves of students. Taro was left unaided that day, but luckily he did not need a guide; there was no book being read, as he shifted focus onto more pressing issues: how to kill Mr B. The mystery of Light's miraculous survival would be solved later.

His thought train's last stop was on obtaining a name – that was the key element. By the end of the school day, as Taro ventured out of the warm school into the height of early December winter, he embarked on the bus ride he used every day to get home. He reflected upon his first Death Note killing – almost a year ago, if not to the day. Taro smiled as he remembered why he was prompted to even attempt such as ludicrous practical jokes: the new rules. He now knew that it must have been Ryuk who entered them in, as a means to get the teens interested in a non-descript black note book and it certainly worked.

The Death Note rules… Taro knew that there were a total of nine rules, but he found it difficult to recall them all. One makes mention to some means to see people's life spans and names – shinigami eyes or something to that effect - and this seemed to be the key to achieving his vendetta.

Walking out the bus and towards the Bode building, Taro spoke forward without facing Ryuk, making minimal mouth movements, but nonetheless, his message was clear: "I want shinigami eyes".

Ryuk was first taken aback by the request and halted in the busy streets. He then began to laugh a hearty laugh, different from his usual plotting cackle; Taro thought that the sheer volume of his laughter would cross between realms and the humans around would be able to hear him. Taro did not stop walking and made his way up to the apartment.

Ryuk's laughter echoed in the corridor as he followed far down. It was the same laughter, Taro noted as he rummaged for his keys, that Ryuk had when Light's name was written as the note's next victim,

Often Ryuk paid little attention when Taro tabulated the victims of the week, or pleaded like a board toddler for another apple, generally paying no attention to what happens with the Death Note. But with Light's name, he took a particular interest, glancing over Taro's shoulder as he reviewed the Death Note's victims for the evening. The expected, typical-Ryuk cackle was more of a hearty laughter of genuine amusement.

As they settled into the apartment and Ryuk helped himself to an apple, Taro sat in his stool waiting for the apple to finish. Taro knew he was free to speak as his aunt was out. He went straight to business.

"I want the shinigami eyes, give them to me."

"Well, I can't do that for you," Ryuk responded with a smile hidden in his tone.

Taro became indignant; did the Shinigami not know about the very rules he wrote down?! He retrieved the Death Note and read rule number three of "how to use guide II" to jog Ryuk's memory.

"To see the lifespan and names of humans who do not own a Death Note, the human owner of the note may trade for shinigami eyes," he closed the note and placed it behind him on the counter, "So, may I have the shinigami eyes?"

"No."

"Why not?" Taro did not attempt to mask his irritation.

"Because only human owners of the note can trade for shinigami eyes."

"But I am the owner."

"Are you?"

Taro was baffled by the shinigami's ignorance. Of course he was the owner; he was the only one using the note and was the only one in possession of the note – the only one who had touched it! Except… except for that first day of the note's discovery. Taro remembers clearly that Light picked up and discarded the note as a prank first before Taro had inspected it.

"How does the note determine its human owner?"

"As the note touches the Earth, it becomes a part of the human realm. The first human to touch the note book is its owner."

"Dammit!" Taro cursed under his breath. His brow burrowed into pensive thought as he gently rocked sideways in his stool.

Taro had read rule number four in "how to use guide II", but he did not think this applied to him: borrowers of the Death Note may not trade for shinigami eyes. Technically speaking, Taro was a borrower of the note. This revelation meant his plans on murdering the incarnate of evil rested upon Light Yagami, a former friend who would refuse to help Taro in light of his attempted murder. Taro's ultimate goal rested upon law-abiding Light agreeing to murder – a crime that fundamentally disagrees with his being.

Unless… Taro's mind began to vibrate with ideas as his brain made connections. It sought solution, and then it came:

Light Yagami, I'm glad you're not dead. Ryuk's sinister cackle rang in Taro's soul.