Chapter 7: Confrontation
"I'm Hideki Ryuga…"
For the second time in a day, Lelouch resisted the urge to physically hurt himself again… Of course, his little mental stunts at the plaza with the Chess Club caught the attention of one of the two most intelligent people enrolled in this school. But that made Hideki Ryuga even more striking, didn't it? What he lacked in conventionally attractive attire and physical upkeep, he apparently more than made up for with that brain of his. Pulling a stalemate against Lelouch in a game of chess (when they never even met before) was one thing, snagging the number one spot on the country's most prestigious and demanding university was another.
Didn't the article on the school's online publication also say that this man and Light Yagami got a perfect score on all test subjects?
Lelouch chuckled, thinking of his own less than stellar career as a high school student. He didn't bother getting the high marks he could easily achieve, simply because he was bored of it all and his ambitions extended beyond the four walls of any academic institution.
In hindsight, his obsession over burning the Britannian empire to the ground was a tad bit too lofty.
"Are you an international student?" Ryuga spoke up suddenly.
His train of thought interrupted, Lelouch blinked and shook his head. "Not really." He made a show of shyly rubbing the back of his neck. Of course, Ryuga had no way of knowing who Lelouch really was and what he was doing here, but it was better to sell the lie and not need it than regret it later. "I'm just here to visit my girlfriend. And speaking of her, she told me all about you. So who would have thought I'd be playing chess with one of the students who topped the entrance exams? You're amazing! Oh, she wouldn't believe this."
"Yes, thank you."
"Attention, all college freshmen. Attention, all college freshmen. We are requesting everyone to please make your way to Amalthea Assembly Hall. The opening ceremony starts in ten minutes."
"I'd hate to cut this short, but I must be going." Ryuga spoke in that quiet voice. If Lelouch hadn't been paying attention, he was sure he would have missed the words.
"Of course." He agreed with his most congenial smile. "Wouldn't want to keep your public waiting. Best of luck on the speech, Ryuga."
"Thank you."
"It was nice meeting you." Ryuga was already turning to climb up the stairs but Lelouch added as an afterthought, "The next time I catch you here, we should have a rematch."
It wouldn't have mattered if Ryuga turned back and acknowledged his last words because Lelouch was positive he wouldn't be running into the student again anytime soon, but all the same, the dark-haired student looked at Lelouch over his shoulder and replied in that same monotone.
"I look forward to it."
He kept an eye on Ryuga's retreating back, slouching and dragging his feet all the way to the entrance as if the idea of making a speech in front of the student body was the most taxing thing ever. Lelouch was no stranger to giving speeches in front of a dazzled public, maybe he should have offered the other guy some tips. But that would be weird… not to mention pretentious.
Ryuga was so odd and just so interesting… It was hard not to be fascinated. Plus, it wasn't every day that you ran into people like him — people who could care less about what others' opinions were of them. In his own strange and eccentric way, Ryuga had the confidence of someone who knew he didn't need to look good in front of other people to prove his worth.
Or at least, that's how Lelouch saw it and interpreted the other man's choice of attire.
And while he was thinking about Ryuga…
Lelouch tapped on the communicator hidden in the lapel of his jacket. An answering beep came through the earpiece he wore, hidden behind locks of raven hair.
"I met one of the students who topped the entrance exam." Lelouch mumbled as he turned away from the staircase that led up to the assembly hall.
"Well, I have Light Yagami in my sights, so I assume it's the other one." C.C.'s voice whispered into his ear.
"Hideki Ryuga."
"He shares the same name as a pop idol?" C.C. sounded surprised.
Lelouch snickered. "You would know."
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"I don't understand why you deny your interest in… certain TV shows when we both know you—"
"I think I see your new friend. He's coming to the front row, claiming a seat next to Light. Is it really him though?"
"Does he stand out?"
Considering Ryuga's attire and lack of regard for event norms, he really wasn't that hard to spot. Given the right information, C.C. could pick him out of the crowd — which, again, shouldn't be too hard because he didn't even blend in.
"Well, yes…"
"It's him." Lelouch sighed, returning to the previous bench he claimed on the plaza. "We played chess."
"Of course you did. Who won? My bet is on the exam topnotcher."
"You would lose that bet. It was a stalemate."
Lelouch barely suppressed a smile when he heard C.C. doing her best to hide the short bark of laughter. It was minimized to a chuckle. "He stumped you. I think I like him."
"I think that's infidelity."
"You're so dramatic…"
Lelouch rolled his eyes and watched as a group of students walked past his seat, chattering away happily as they climbed the steps to the assembly hall.
"That reminds me, how close are you to Light?"
"Not very close… But I can see him clearly. I'm two rows behind him. I was going to speak to him when he came in, but one of the teachers took him aside and hogged his attention until that announcement was made."
"I see."
"I'll catch him after the ceremony."
"All right then."
He would call C.C. again to discuss their meeting place later. In the meantime, he'd make himself scarce and attend to other important matters— matters concerning his plan to have C.C. shadow Light Yagami for a while as he attended school. For that to work, he needed to cement C.C.'s undercover in Ashford, and if that meant using his Geass on a few unsuspecting Student Council members, then he'd do it. He just needed their cooperation to support C.C.'s cover story. That was all…
Besides, at this point, it would be counterproductive to reveal both of their faces to Light Yagami — the same Light who was also a potential Kira suspect in L's investigation. They hadn't heard from L in a while, so until then, he would let C.C. handle this.
=OoOoO=
School seemed like such a mundane affair nowadays when it was placed in comparison to his work as the creator of a new world. And yet, something so trivial was required of him to maintain the veneer that he was just a regular hard-working student — eager to graduate college with a stellar academic and extra-curricular record before landing a job in the police force. The job he aspired for, before the Death Note came into his possession, didn't change. It amplified his desire to work with the police, really. It was twofold: eliminate L as soon as possible and have access to classified information to make recreation of the world easier.
But alas, everyone had a part to play in this grand design he was weaving. Even him… So at this very moment, surrounded by peers and hundreds of strange faces, Light Yagami was the epitome of calm and confidence.
"Now for the freshman address! Please welcome freshman representative, Light Yagami. And freshman representative, Ryuga Hideki."
The announcement was punctuated with a call for a round of applause. Waves of chitter-chatter swept through the crowd as Light rose from his seat and started forward. The onstage LED display loomed closer and closer with each step. Light resisted the urge to squint against the blinding colors and did his best to ignore the trudging presence of the other student trailing behind him. He remembered him from the entrance exam. To be honest, it was hard to forget. The other guy got in trouble for sitting oddly at his desk. What was up with him?
Putting the strangeness of the situation out of his mind, Light breezed through his speech — delivering it exactly the way the enraptured crowd of students imagined it. The applause that followed was almost mechanical. The address required of them wasn't very long, but watching as this Ryuga Hideki said his piece almost felt like the longest minute of Light's life. It was over before he knew it and Light offered up a bow to courteous applause. Ryuga didn't even bother.
As swiftly as they'd ascended the dais, they descended it at the same pace, with Ryuga at Light's heels, speaking quietly in a voice that not anyone else could hear.
"Light? Light Yagami?" He continued despite Light obviously ignoring him. "Your father is Chief Soichiro Yagami of the NPA? Your respect for your father is matched only by your strong sense of justice."
What in the hell? How was his relationship with his father any of Hideki Ryuga's business? Something was not right… Would Ryuga stop if he simply just ignored him?
There was no ounce of fortune to be found there apparently. Light was content to pretend Ryuga did not exist during the first half of the ceremony because as bizarrely as he behaved, the other student was content to mind his own business up until now. Now that he attempted to initiate a conversation with Light (a conversation that was supposed to revolve around his personal life), it was more difficult not to notice him.
Ryuga casually slipped off his tennis shoes, climbed up onto his chair, dropped into an obnoxious crouch, andignored the fact that he was probably blocking a pair of students' view of the stage from the way he was sitting. Hands on his knees, staring straight at the floor. And yet, Light had the feeling that Ryuga hadn't given up on the conversation even when Light did his best to diffuse it.
"You're planning to join the police agency when you graduate, and you've already got experience, seeing as you've helped the police solve a number of cases in the past." Ryuga continued to ramble quietly. Light could see him staring from the corner of his eye and coached his expression into one of calm. No use getting worked up over someone who worked with the police and had so much information about him. "Now, you're showing an interest in the Kira case. I'm impressed by your abilities and your sense of justice. If you promise not to tell anyone about this, I have important information concerning the Kira investigation that I'd like to share with you."
Light glanced at Ryuga. Because was he serious? Where was this coming from? Just who was this person? A member of the Kira task force was a possibility. The other was that he was nothing more than a stand-in who was still hired by the Japanese police. What was he trying to get out of Light? What did he want? Was this conversation meant to get a response out of him?
Or should he just ignore this person?
But then again, Hideki Ryuga already divulged factual information about Light Yagami. Lying right now and denying his own association with his father would be pointless (not to mention stupid), and if the police were doing this to all of their suspects, this could be a test. There was no way they could profile someone as Kira just because the person showed an interest in the case. Ryuga already pointed out Light's outwardly passive curiosity towards the ongoing investigation and the fact that he helped the Japanese police solve crimes in the past..
More importantly, did this mean he was still one of their suspects? But at the same time, what was this interesting piece of information, exactly?
Responding in a voice as quiet as Ryuga's, Light casually replied, "I won't tell anyone. What is it?"
"I want to tell you that I'm L…"
What?!
The quiet hubbub of gossiping students and the blaring voice of one of the school's deans disappeared in the wake of Ryuga's revelation. A revelation Light did not appreciate and one he couldn't help but obsess over the moment Ryuga turned to him with those owlish black eyes and uttered eight simple words that could damn Light Yagami if he so much as flinched or reacted too strongly. What the hell was this person talking about? If Ryuga really was L, he would never admit to it.
And if he really was, then this was just taking it to the extreme.
From the corner of his eye, Ryuk hovered quietly though the rapt look in his eyes betrayed his interest and intrigue. The shinigami appeared as stoic as ever, that sharp grin stretched across his face. Ryuk would know the truth — would know if this person really was L. But he would get no help there. Light knew better than to count on the shinigami's initiatives. Ryuk had made it abundantly clear that he was a mere observer in this cat-and-mouse game that Light and L had launched.
No… If he detached himself from his current conflict with L, there was no reason for him to be afraid or to appear surprised. Whether Ryuga was L or not, he had to act how Chief Soichiro Yagami's son, Light Yagami, would act in this situation. He could do that… He did it every day.
"If you are who you say you are," Light spoke slowly in that same quiet voice, enunciating every word while injecting just the right amount of excitement to express his interest in the famous detective, "—then you have nothing but my respect and admiration."
"Thank you." Ryuga responded, his voice soft and his tone even. "The reason I chose to reveal my identity to you is because I think you could be of some help to us in the Kira investigation."
If this supposed L was speaking the truth, then he might have already shown himself to Light's father. But is this man really L? The task force may have retracted the surveillance devices from his house, but was he really still on their list of suspects? It was hard to know for certain how much Ryuga (or L) knew, but this conversation was proof that he was still under suspicion. How far had this investigation progressed? Was the task force still investigating the 12 IBI agents' people-of-interest? They could be investigating Raye Penber today and another agent tomorrow. What other reason did the task force have to come right out to Light Yagami and confront him with the knowledge of L's true identity? That is, if this Hideki Ryuga next to him really was L in the first place.
There was no reason to panic… Chief Yagami's son shouldn't have to.
He would have to sort this out and process it later.
In spite of the internal fanfare that took place between him and this person (who was apparently L), the rest of the freshman welcoming ceremony ended without another hitch. L was quiet after that and Light didn't bother engaging him in a conversation. One of the professors who had Light's attention earlier returned to discuss clubs and other academic activities Light would be interested in. And while Light felt lenient enough to spare the man his attention before, he didn't feel up to it now.
From the corner of his eye, he spied on Ryuga — L — trudging away with his hands in his pockets. Ryuk snickering beside him was not helping. Exhaling through his nose, Light flashed his brightest smile at the middle-aged professor before him and feigned the interest that was expected of him, knowing full well that he hadn't seen the last of Hideki Ryuga at all.
When the conversation had ended, it was mostly a quiet trek from the assembly hall to the cement path lined with sakura trees, marking the way to the small plaza. The crowd of students dissipated sluggishly, too engrossed in the booths that were still setup, while others like him slowly meandered away — not seeing much of a point in sticking around to socialize.
"Hey Light," Ryuga greeted him with all the innocence of a student who was none the wiser when he saw Light making his way through the lot. It was irritating. "Uh…nice meeting you.
"No, the pleasure was mine." Light responded, injecting pleasantry into his voice while ignoring Ryuk's irritating chuckle behind him.
"Well, I'm sure I'll see you on campus."
"Yeah, take care."
As soon as the car peeled out of the parking lot, leaving behind bewildered exclamations of jealousy and awe from some other students who happened to be at the opening ceremony today, Light was all for leaving too. Spending any more time here than he needed to today would be a waste. He was in the middle of turning away from the car lot, Ryuk still hovering above him when a stranger's voice called his name.
"Light Yagami?"
What was it now?
"Yes?" He asked with a pleasant voice, turning around fully to stare at a young woman with dark hair and equally dark eyes. "How may I help you?"
"My name is Cera Grey, I'm part of the Ashford University Student Council." She spoke casually and held up her hand to show off her University ID and her status as a 2nd year. "I just wanted to congratulate you for acing the entrance exams and being a freshman representative. Your speech was very inspiring."
Light resisted the compulsion to sigh. Was everyone on this campus so eager? Was it a shared trait? He'd lost count on the number of times he'd been approached by faculty today, eager to get him into a conversation or to offer the side-job as a TA to one of the professors. Not that any of this came as a surprise, of course. He was popular in high school for his academic achievements and contributions in extracurricular activities that bolstered the school's reputation. University life was far from being different. It was just a side effect, unfortunately.
He expected to hear snide comments from Ryuk, as was the shinigami's tendency, but surprisingly Ryuk was…quiet. He sported the same grotesque grin lined with sharp teeth, rounded yellow eyes unblinking, but there was just something about his expression that made Light skeptical.
"Oh, thank you." He flashed her a smile.
"Well, I don't intend to take up your time, but I just wanted to tell you that the Student Council is extending an invitation."
"An invitation?" He was genuinely surprised.
Cera nodded, a little too enthusiastically. "A formal invitation to be a part of the Student Council and make a difference! I suppose we can talk more about it once classes have truly begun. Anyways, I just wanted to let you know." She waved her hand in the air, as if this whole ordeal was anything but flippant.
"Thanks, that's something I could be interested in."
"Great!" She grinned. "We certainly hope so. You'd be a great asset, plus being part of the council does add extra points in your future CVs. Although something tells me you're already pretty qualified."
"I wouldn't say that." He retorted and played up the innocence and humble confidence that everyone around him seemed to expect. "Thank you for the offer, really."
"Of course. I'll see you around campus, Light."
=OoOoO=
Dropping her exuberant façade, C.C. watched him leave — their only lead to Naomi Misora's disappearance. Her initial impressions of Light Yagami were not that far off ever since she'd listened to him give his speech alongside Ryuga Hideki on that stage. He was composed, straight-laced, and actually quite pleasant to speak with, not aloof at all. But that was Light Yagami speaking to a stranger. If she and Lelouch decided to move forward with their other plan, she might get a chance to see him in a more candid atmosphere — an environment where he was surrounded by his peers.
She tapped on the device attached to her clothes and the communicator in her ear beeped. "How was that for a starter conversation? Did you hear all of that?" C.C. muttered and turned back around after she made a considerable distance between her and Light Yagami.
The boy was walking away, headed to who knows where.
Lelouch's voice on the other line was just as quiet. "Yes."
"And?"
"Good work planting familiarity. Of course, I expected nothing less. More importantly, does he have it?"
"No, he does not possess the Power of the King."
Did that completely rule out Light Yagami as Kira, then?
"But?"
"There's something off about him that I cannot explain or pin down exactly why. Does that sound ridiculous to you?"
Lelouch was quiet for a moment on the other line. She could practically hear the gears turning in his head.
"If others told me, then maybe. But it's you…" And he knew to trust her when it came to gut-feelings that seemed off or in matters where the supernatural was concerned. She heard him sigh. "I've cleared the necessary conditions that would help you act freely as a student in this school. I texted you a location. Come meet me here and we'll talk about our next steps some more."
=OoOoO=
He didn't wait for Cera Grey to be out of sight before he completely left Ashford behind. Ryuk didn't utter a single word from the moment that other student approached him up until now. It was quite unusual for the shinigami considering Ryuk was more than happy to talk his ear off all the time. But for once, he was glad for the momentary respite.
Going home was uneventful… Unlike his day at Ashford. This whole day took a turn for the unexpected and in the most undesirable ways imaginable.
The entire opening ceremony and its pointlessness in the grand scheme of things and a random student who casually paraded around and called himself 'L' to Light's face after introducing himself with what was apparently an alias.
Gods, why was the house so loud?
From Sayu's obnoxious television program downstairs to the muffled sound of his sock-clad feet against the hardwood to the click of the lock on his bedroom door. And why did this goddamn chair have to be so annoying? He listened to it scrape against the wood like nails on a chalkboard. It was irritating… Infuriating — just like Ryuk's simpering utterance of his name.
"Damn it! He got me!" Light balled up his fists so tightly the knuckles were turning white, jaw clenched far too much that his teeth grinding together began to hurt.
Ryuk was startled. "Uh, what do you mean?"
But Light was only half-listening.
"Damn L!" He spat and slammed both fists on the desk with frustration. "I've never been so humiliated in my life!"
"Hey, why don't you just do the shinigami eye deal? Then you should have no problem in killing him, right?"
His own shallow breathing was loud to his own ears and Ryuk's gleeful suggestions were not helping. He was being stupid and was that all this death god was going to be good for?
"And what good will shinigami eyes do me if this is just a trap?" Light seethed and whirled around in his chair to face a bewildered Ryuk. Immortal he may be, he could be as dense as the rest of Light's enemies. "If I kill him and it turns out he's not really L, that would be like announcing to the real L that I am Kira!"
Realization dawned on Ryuk's flabbergasted face a little too late. "Erm… sorry."
"Don't think that Shinigami killing people and humans killing people are the same thing, because they're not. I want nothing more than to kill him, but if I do, it's like asking to get caught. Unfortunately, the Death Note can only kill a person whose name is written in it, so it's not like I can arrange for someone else to kill him. It's inconvenient — that's the flaw with the Death Note."
Ryuk didn't say anything else anymore. And that was all well and good. His own speculations and the possible consequences if he so happened to make a mistake in his next move were more than enough to occupy his mind. It shouldn't even be like this. It was going well… He was steadily closing in. He'd been patient and careful and meticulous.
Damn L!
"At first I thought once I found out his name, I'd have him die in an accident or kill himself. However, none of that will do me any good unless I know with a hundred percent certainty that this guy is L. No, it's already too late to do anything about it since he's approached me and introduced himself as L. It doesn't matter how sure I am. Regardless of the cause of death, if L dies now, the police are going to suspect me. I underestimated him… I never even considered the possibility that he would reveal his identity to me on purpose."
Plus, there was also the danger of assuming that Ryuga Hideki was that person's name. He might actually end up picturing the face of the wrong person and that would lead to the celebrity's death. That would tip the real L off to who Kira was because what other reason would Kira have to want Ryuga the celebrity dead? A case of mistaken identity was the only plausible explanation and that would incriminate Light Yagami too.
"He could be telling all of his suspects the same thing. In fact, it doesn't even have to be him. He could have sent a double instead. For L, this strategy acts as a solid defense and it allows him to confront Kira directly. He can defend and attack." Light lifted his hands, palms up resignation. "He got me… It was a good move."
But after that… he was sure he hadn't seen the last of Ryuga. This was an obvious ploy by the Japanese task force, so he knew Ryuga would keep trying to move in on him while playing the absent-minded genius at Ashford. And to keep up the charade, they would both pretend like nothing was going on.
As horrifyingly insulting as that confrontation had been today, perhaps this ploy from the Japanese police could be used to favor him instead.
It could be the perfect setup… On the surface, he and Ryuga could attend classes together at Ashford and appear as friendly classmates, but in reality, they would be investigating each other. He would give Ryuga his support and his friendship if that's what he wanted. He'll earn the other man's trust, and once he had everything he needed to know, there wouldn't be a point in keeping Ryuga alive.
He would kill Ryuga in time… If he needed his bare hands to do it, then he would do that too.
A/N: I'm back lol… I love it when Light has a mental breakdown… xD Also, Ryuk is strangely quiet about C.C… for now.
Tbh, the lies + the aliases they're telling each other is kind of troubling to keep track of. I have notes, but damn it, I underestimated how taxing all this lying was. xD Light's lying to everyone. L is lying to Light and to Lelouch, on top of keeping information secret. Lelouch and C.C. are lying to ALL of their current colleagues.
Also, this has been the longest delay in chapter publication so far. 😅 If anyone's wondering, the end of January and February so far has been pretty busy for me in real life. I didn't have as much time as I wanted to write just like last month.
Thank you for your interest, for sharing your thoughts in the reviews, and for adding this story to your Faves and/or Follows list. 😄