"I don't fancy colors of the face, I'm always attracted to colors of the brain." ―Michael Bassey Johnson
-o-
The cable TV displayed a grainy late-night talk show. Flickering light projected over the tiny living room. Shika was crunched into one corner of her couch, eating a reheated plate of tempura from takeout the day before. The time was just past nine; the show was just starting. It was going to be about Kira, as most shows recently were. For some reason, at that moment in time, Shika was feeling distinctly depressed. Her hands were shaky. It had been a few days since her last night's sleep, and things were starting to smack of hallucination.
For that reason, she didn't hear her phone go off until the fourth ring. When she picked up, she spoke through a mouthful of food. "Hello?"
"Oh, good, you're there."
Of all the people currently inhabiting the planet, Ryuzaki wasn't the one she expected or wanted to speak to. She didn't want to speak to anyone. "Hello, Ryuzaki." She mumbled.
"You're on speaker. Mr. Yagami is here with us; we need you to tell us how many cameras are in the Yagami household, specifically the room of their son."
Shika rubbed her eyes hard. "Let me think…maybe a hundred twenty-five? That was all that was left. I don't know how many are in each room. I remember Aizawa saying that they put more in the bedrooms. With all due respect, why didn't you just call Aizawa directly?"
"Aizawa is likely asleep already." Yagami chimed in, sounding slightly due to the speakerphone. "He is a family man, after all. I'm trying to be minimally intrusive."
"Oh. Reassuring that you know I don't have a family."
"We merely assumed, as you're so young, that you'd be living alone. I'm very sorry if that was incorrect."
Shika sighed. "No, you're right. It's fine. Sorry I couldn't help more. Do you need anything else, Ryuzaki?"
L picked up the phone again. "Yes. When do entrance exams for your university begin?"
"Tomorrow, why?"
"Oh, no reason. Thank you very much."
The line went dead. Shika huffed and threw it across the couch for it to bounce off one of the cushions and straight onto the floor. "Just answer a damn question, already!" She snapped at it.
-o-
It was beginning to warm up on campus. The cherry trees were in full bloom, lighting up the terraces with rosy petals. Shika watched them swirl on gusts of chill, fresh spring air and follow in the wakes of students. The sun was out, but it wasn't bright. All in all, it was a great day for weather.
"Hey, Shika! Are you even listening?" Chihiro ran around in front of her and walked backwards.
"Sorry."
"Hh, honestly, every day you come back from work you're so distant…"
Shika leveled a flat glower at her friend. "You know, maybe I'm happy at my job. Have you considered that?"
"Well, yeah, I have! But you don't seem happy. You're always, like, zoning out of conversations and staring off into the distance recently. Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Trust me. I'm fine. I guess I'm just distracted by the work and all. I've been thinking about going back on my prescription so I can sleep better but…" Shika slowed, stopped both walking and speaking, like they were connected.
There, on one of the campus benches Shika passed by every day she was at school, Ryuzaki was crunched up in his signature posture. It was so startling, like seeing a cutout from a magazine in a children's book of illustrations. Shika's first thought was, well, now's she's just about reached her limit of how long she can stay up without sleep, and it's about time she went and saw a proper doctor because frankly this has gotten out of hand.
"Hey," Chihiro jogged back, having kept walking backwards. "What's wrong? Essy?"
The hacker put her hands to her face, rubbed her eyes with her fingers, and checked the bench again to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. "Chihiro," She pointed. "There's someone sitting right there, yes?"
Chihiro glanced back. "Yeah, he looks like a weirdo. Why? Are you sure you're okay? Hey! Don't just walk off! Essy!"
Shika approached the bench and stared down at L. He watched her as well, but didn't seem even mildly surprised to see her. "Hello."
"Hi. Why are you here?"
"I'm…waiting for someone." He said softly, glancing back out to scan the passersby, but looked back up at her. "You can wait with me if you want."
"Shika!" Chihiro caught up with them. "Who is this guy?"
"A friend from work." Shika introduced vaguely.
"Oh. Oh!" Chihiro suddenly became interested, and looked Ryuzaki over again. "Nice to meet you. I'm Maki Chihiro."
"Hideki Ryuuga." L greeted in return. "Nice to meet you."
Shika put her bag down at her feet and sat next to him. "My classes are done for now. I'll wait with you."
"I'll see you guys later! I'm gonna be late for my lecture." The Lolita winked at her friend. "Bye!"
They watched her prance away, skirts flouncing cheerfully. For a few minutes, neither said anything, watching the cherry trees sprinkle their petals in luxurious slow motion. Shika looked over at L. He was tucked up in a ball, feet under knees under arms under chin. A thought occurred to her suddenly.
"Ryuzaki," She said. "You look a little beyond freshman age. How old are you?"
L didn't make eye contact, instead turning his gaze up at the robin's egg sky. "Mm…probably twenty-five."
"You don't know for sure?"
"I'm…not that interested in my age." He said lightly. "I think it's irrelevant." There was a pause, wherein he glanced at her. "Well?"
"Well what?"
"Aren't you going to tell me how old you are?"
Shika almost laughed at his genuineness and settled on a grin. "Sure. I'm twenty-three, but my birthday's in a couple months."
"Mm."
"What?" Shika smirked faintly. "Did you expect me to be younger?"
"Well, yes, to be honest with you."
Shika laughed. "Thanks."
A comfort in L's presence was beginning to establish itself. Shika found herself contented to sit around with him. In part, it could have something to do with the fact that he seemed untouchable. There was a safety in being near him: there was an aura coming off him like a president or prime minister, an immortal presence borne of being obscenely wealthy. That was also why she found it so strange to see him somewhere as ordinary as her own college campus. He was a strange guy, but not bad strange.
"Who are we waiting for, by the way?" Shika asked after a while.
"Our only suspect in the Kira investigation."
"Really? Who is it?"
"Light Yagami."
The name was familiar. "Yagami? As in…?"
"Yes, he is Chief Soichiro Yagami's son." L said lightly. "He attends school with you and, as of yesterday, me."
"So that's why you wanted to know when freshman entrance exams began…I see now." She nodded. "Why are we waiting for him?"
"I plan on befriending him. Actually, that brings up a favor I have to ask of you."
"Sure, go ahead."
"If you don't know him already, I want you to be friends with 'Light Yagami' as well." He looked directly at her when he spoke, and said the name in a strange manner, as though testing it out. "Since I can't exactly be here all the time, you're a far better choice to keep an eye on him. For the time being, at least. I have a feeling it won't be for long."
"I can probably do that." Shika shifted in her seat. "Although I'm not really great at making new friends."
"I don't think so." L responded distantly. "After all, we're friends."
There was a pause. The statement rang of having not been intended for actual speaking. It wasn't awkward, per say, but suddenly seemed that there was almost an apology needed, though for what was unknown, since no real transgression had been made. The silence was no longer comfortable; neither party would have been able to explain why.
"Ah," L mercifully broke the brittle minutes. "There he is."
A young man was approaching them. Shika noticed he was very prim-and-proper looking, even for college. She chalked it up to him being a freshman: he would grow out of it soon. His hair was brown and shaggy; he was tall and handsome. All in all, the kind of kid who would normally be groomed for success by wealthy parents—not an uncommon demographic at Tōō. He noticed them right away when they stood to meet him, and slowed to talk.
"Hello, Ryuuga." He said to L. "It's good to see you again."
"Hello. Light, this is my friend, Koizumi Shizuka. Shizuka, this is Light Yagami." L introduced.
"A pleasure." Shika nearly forgot she had a second fake name she was supposed to be using. They shook hands.
"An honor." Light said politely, but with the air of it being rehearsed. "Ryuuga, you never told me you had a girlfriend, or that she would be so beautiful."
Shika bristled and pulled her hand away. She could feel her face going red. "We're not dating."
"Oh! I'm sorry, I misunderstood."
"It's quite all right." L intervened, but seemed slightly embarrassed himself. "She's more of an associate of mine. She is currently working with me on the Kira investigation."
Again, Shika started and looked sharply at L. How much had he told this Light kid, exactly? However, Light seemed unsurprised. "I see. Well, it's nice to meet you."
"Light, would you like to play a game of tennis?" L asked, putting his hands in his pockets. "If we're to be friends, I'd like to get to know you better."
"I don't see why not." Light smiled; it didn't reach his eyes. "I'll have to go get my gym bag. I hope you don't mind tagging along? It won't take long, I promise."
"Of course not."
The group started walking. Light began conversation first. "So, Miss Shizuka, what kind of work do you do for Ryuuga?"
"Mostly technology. I keep the computers running."
"Ah, I see. That's an admirable skill; I'm terrible with computers, myself." He laughed lightly.
"That's unfortunate." Shika responded, trying to force cheerfulness into her speech. "Do you play chess?"
"I like it, but I haven't been able to play much recently. I've been studying for the entrance exams."
"I see. We should play some time." She said lowly. "I'm something of an enthusiast, myself."
They reached the boys' locker rooms. "I'm going to go change and get my tennis racquets. Are you coming, Ryuuga?" Light asked.
"I'll be fine like this, thank you." L said, in reference to his baggy clothes.
"Oh. Well, okay then. I'll be right back."
After he was safely away, Shika turned back to L and crossed her arms. "He seems to know…a gratuitous amount. Care to explain?"
"I've already told him that I am L." He said nonchalantly, looking up instead of at her, but lowering his voice slightly. "In the case that he is Kira, this puts me in a close, yet invulnerable position."
Shika put a hand over her mouth, thinking. "He could just kill you now, right? I suppose he doesn't have your real name, but now he knows what you look like."
"Yes. He needs my name. However, there is another reason why he couldn't kill me right away."
"Hmm…I don't know."
"Picture this: immediately after meeting me, our theoretical Kira somehow discovers my real name and kills me." He looked back at her. "Now, the signs all point to him. Since he has just met me, it would make sense that now since he knows who I am, I would die immediately after meeting him."
"So by introducing yourself as L, he's been put in a position where he can't kill you without also putting himself in checkmate." Shika thought about it. She had been in similar positions in chess before; there were occasionally "blind spots", where for whatever reason, she could position a piece in such a place that none of the immediate surrounding pieces could take it, due to their moving restrictions. "Wow," She said. "That's really clever."
"Thank you."
She pulled at her hair, thinking. "So, you really think he's Kira?"
"Mmm…I would say I suspect him at least three percent."
"Only three percent?"
"It's more than I suspected you."
Before Shika could reply, eyebrows already together and chest puffed out, Light reemerged from the locker rooms. "Sorry about that. You can use one of my racquets, Ryuuga."
"That's generous. Thank you." L said, as the group began walking again.
"It's no problem." Light smiled. "Miss Shizuka, will you be coming with us?"
"I don't see why not." She replied quietly. "But I won't be playing. I'll just take sides."
-o-
-Oh my gosh! So much dialogue! This was a fun chapter to write...!
-Also, in case anyone was interested, I made a playlist for Shika; the link is on my profile if y'all wanna check it out :o
-Once again, for anyone interested in mild trivia, the names of the chapters are all relevant phrases in Latin. (I would suggest Googling them, not trying to use Google Translate, because GT is a bitch sometimes.)
-Thanks to Teddy bear 007, TheRedtail, xXMisatoXx, Animefreak1145, B.T. Emmett, and also all you unnamed guests for reviewing for far! :D You guys are fantastic.