The door flew open startling Beyond nearly off of his stool. Sayu clutched an expensive set of painting brushes to her chest while smiling brilliantly. "Can I really have this!?" Her eyes fluttered open and took in the room she had just bursted into. "Whoa…"

The brightly lit room was filled with varying sizes of chemistry equipment, some currently working with different fluids. Beyond stared at her with an unamused expression. "Yes. I got them for you. You can have the gift that was purchased specifically for you. What kind of asshole buys something for someone, but has strings attached?" He turned his back to what he was previously working on which was perched on a stainless steel work desk that encompassed half of the room. A couple large refrigerators hummed quietly near the doorway Sayu stood in. "Are there any other questions?"

Sayu shook her head silently as her eyes drifted along the walls that seemed to be all whiteboards. "Is that the chemical compound of what you're making?" She stepped closer to another compound drawing that she recognized, scarlet eyes followed her closely. "You weren't kidding." Beyond's eyebrows raised at her remark. "You are really smart." Her golden eyes drifted to a couple larger machines that she was unfamiliar with.

"Doesn't take a genius. But it does take one to synthesize a pure strain." He returned back to his previous activity that he was previously interrupted from. His eyes lifted from his task when he heard a marker uncap. "What are you…" He turned in his stool as he spoke, his words trailing as he saw her putting together another strain of compounds. He slowly lifted himself from his stool and approached her while rubbing his chin. "Is that…"

Sayu stepped back and handed him the marker while smiling smugly. "N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, C-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and N-alkylpiperazine. Or, more commonly named Melatonin, THC and Hydroxyzine. From a chemical compound standpoint, they're all compatible with some minor adjustments. Or a proper binding agent." His eyes flicked to her as a small grin spread across his shapely lips. "It'd be a hell of a sleep aid. And, legal in most countries." She snapped her fingers and waved her index finger at him. "Could almost be OTC!" She giggled quietly as she brought hand up to her lips. She then stole the marker back from Beyond. "But where's the fun in that!" She circled a couple of different spots in the large compound chain. "These sites could be some big potential to use others for a backslide of side effects. Like, for instance, MDMA could almost be used as a site binder. Although, it would cause a backlash of side effects, trial and error would be the only way to find out."

Beyond stole the marker from her and wrote notes around her compound strain and stood back. "It's a fucking mother compound. As long as you don't go overboard with uppers you could almost use it to elicit lucid dreaming." While staring at the wall he capped the marker and tossed it into his workstation. His eyes shifted to Sayu who'd wrapped her arms around her waist as she swayed side to side while smiling at the notes they'd made. "Do you understand what you just did?" Her eyes lazily drifted towards the raven before he grabbed the sides of her head, causing her to squeal in excitement. "You're a goddamn genius!"

She laughed loudly as she pulled her head away. "No. It doesn't take a genius. But, luckily, I have one who can perfect it." She winked at him as she picked her package of paintbrushes back up. "However, I think a gummy would be better received than a pill. The cooking process will settle some of the binder's side effects."

He flicked his eyes away from her. "Should come up with a name for it. It's your compound." He chuckled as he walked back to his stool. "A fucking antihistamine as a stabilizer. Fucking brilliant! That compound on its own will knock an insomniac out. How did you think of that?"

Sayu smiled quietly as she glanced up to the writing on the wall. "I was in the AP program in science. Chemistry was my favorite, there were so many possibilities." Her eyes narrowed as a devious smile crossed her lips. "Think L would let us test on him?"

A loud laugh came from the raven as he refocused on his task. "Absolutely not. I drugged him once and he threatened to have me thrown in a Turkish prison." Sayu gasped as she turned to face him. "Hey! It was for his own good!" He set his machines to run as the room as a whole began to hum as other machines seemed to turn over and begin processes. "We do, however, have another insomniac who is willing." Sayu tilted her head but remained silent. "I sleep for about three hours a night."

"But, you slept the whole night in New York?"

Beyond nodded wistfully before avoiding eye contact with her by turning his attention to a notebook as he copied the strain from the wall down. "Yeah, but, you aren't going to be around forever. So."

Sayu wrinkled her brow in worry. "Are you saying… the only time you've slept a full night is when someone is in the same bed?"

Beyond paused his writing before sighing and continuing with a monotone. "No. Specifically you." He set the pen down and pulled his phone out of his pocket as he tapped on the screen with lightning speed. "Well. By the time we get back from Sydney, we'll be able to put your compound to the test and start synthesizing."

Sayu took a couple steps towards Beyond who seemed to be avoiding looking at her. "Beyond?" He hummed in response but never looked at her, instead, choosing to write more notes beneath the compound drawing. "Never mind. I'm going to go make mochi. I'll leave you to your work. Thank you for the easel, paint and brushes."

"Well, you said you liked art. So, Happy Christmas." She smiled and bowed to him before stepping out of the room and shutting the door behind her. She sighed sadly as she gripped the brushes closer to her chest and walked back down the hall to her room.

-x-

Sayu sat on her bed as she talked on the phone. Another young Japanese girl happily video chatted with Sayu. ("He's just, strange. He's very hot and cold. One moment is all it seems to take to distance him.")

("Whaaat, is this the attractive man from your insta?")

Sayu nodded and she gently ran her fingers along a paintbrush tip. ("Yes. I'm actually staying with him right now. But, don't worry, he doesn't speak Japanese, he doesn't understand anything we're saying even if he was in the same room.")

The girl gasped and batted at the air in the direction of the phone with a surprised smile. "Sukeban!"

Sayu's eyes widened before she pouted. ("Am not! You know how my brother can be.") The other girl rolled her eyes dramatically and nodded. ("I can't help it! He's not my parent! He shouldn't act like it. So, being a brat, I decided to hang out with Beyond, and… he's…") She paused as a small smile grew as she thought about Beyond's smile. A realization seemed to dawn on her as her smile slowly faded. ("Oh shit. I think I like him.") She snapped a panicked glance to her phone. ("What do I do!?")

The friend gave a confused stare to the phone. ("Tell him?")

Sayu hugged her thighs as she pulled her knees up to her chest as she rested her chin on them. ("What if he doesn't feel the same way? We only got as close as we are through less than favorable circumstances. I was using him to make Raito angry. But, he's so sweet, look, he got me this because I made one comment about liking art!")

She flipped the camera around and the girl gasped. ("Is this his room?")

("No. This is the room he's letting me stay in. This house has nine bedrooms!") She lifted herself off the bed and showed off her painting set and easel.

("Ooohh, so he is wealthy? I see why you are hesitant to tell him your feelings. Though, it might be better to tell him sooner, he might find another woman to love.")

("Hmm. I don't think that would be the case. I…I just don't know how to tell him. We hardly know each other. I can't tell if I'm just enamored by him, or if I actually like him…. Uuughhh, Sakura, give me advice!")

("Well, you're not especially pretty, you're not very talented, you're pretty average. Maybe just let him go.")

Sayu hung her head at the cruel words of her friend. ("Maybe you're right.")

("When you come back to Japan, let's get coffee!") The girl blew a kiss at the phone and ended the call. Sayu sat back on the bed and stared out the window wall while hugging her thighs as a silent tear fell.

("Ugh. What a rotten bitch.") Sayu's eyes widened as they shot to the doorway where Nelly was leaning with a crinkled nose. The brunette stared at the other with shock. Nelly smiled brightly as she tiptoed around the gifts. "So, you like him? I had to stop by and see my girl on Christmas Eve!"

"You speak Japanese?"

Nelly nodded proudly. "Not fluently, but enough to understand what's being said, kind of, and speak it brokenly, I know phrases and vocab mostly, thanks to duolingo." She sat on Sayu's bed and placed her hand on one of her knees. "But, did I hear correctly? Do you like him?"

Sayu could feel her words get caught in her throat. "I mean. I don't see a reason not to? He's… brilliant, sweet, and thoughtful. The only drawback is his job, and only because it's dangerous. And the fact that I have no clue what's going on in his head half the time…" Sayu's eyes lifted towards Nelly. "Maybe you'll give me better advice. He's really hot and cold. Why is that?"

Nelly sighed and patted Sayu's knee. "Because he's torn. What he wants to do and what he knows he should do. What he actually wants and what everyone around him expects of him. He's supposed to be the party guy, the one with the answers, the plan, the supplies. It's a carefully crafted facade." She sighed again sadly. "When he first turned up in Key West, there was this other dealer I used to run with. They wanted a fight, Beyond just wanted to make drugs and have a good time. So he made the deal that he wouldn't deal in Key West, and he was true to his word, the only way to get your hands on anything Beyond had, was to buy it in Miami. But, that wasn't good enough. So, the other dealer started shit with Beyond. They had this scheme that they were going to ambush him right here in this very house. Well, I was just a dumbass kid trying to make good money running drugs, and Beyond, is deadly with a singular handgun."

Sayu's eyes widened as Nelly spoke. The brunette leaned in as Nelly continued. "How'd you guys become friends?"

Nelly sucked in through her teeth. "Mercy? Luck? Math? It's hard to tell. After he offed my old bosses goons, he found this idiot hiding in a room shaking in her boots, I didn't even really want to be part of it to begin with. He held the gun up to the side of my head, and, girl, I swear, he didn't even look at me, he just KNEW I was there, maybe I was breathing loud? Holding a gun up to my head, he put a cigarette into his mouth and lit it with his free hand. Mind you! Consider this shit! He was MAYBE eighteen, and he killed ten idiots and found an eleventh. He laughed at me, LAUGHED, and whispered 'bang.'" Nelly pulled her legs up onto Sayu's bed and sat cross legged. "He ran out of bullets. But there wasn't a doubt in my mind, if he wanted me dead, I would be that way."

Nelly glanced back outside as she recounted meeting Beyond for the first time. "He asked me if I was there by force or choice. Only a moron would answer by choice after all your friends got splattered on the walls. That was also the first time I met L. And, little did I know, I had a sniper on me from the moment I went upstairs. His brother is just as scary as him. Next thing I knew, my old boss was getting rounded up by the counter narcotics department. Now, what are the odds that my old boss got nailed and Beyond didn't? Slim to none." Nelly chuckled with nostalgia. "I was fifteen when I realized the world was unfair, I always suspected it, but, like Beyond says, it isn't what you know, it's who. Few people can say they've worked with L, fewer can say they've met him, and next to no one knows that Beyond's brother is THE L from Interpol. So, occasionally L throws the task forces a bone on counter narcotics to keep them off Beyond's tail, however, L only knows who to flag out because of Beyond. He's not a smart person to cross if you fancy staying a freebird."

Sayu let out a shuddered breath. "I see. So, my brother over there thought that Beyond is the devil, when he married it."

Nelly laughed loudly. "Oh for sure, anyone who knows the two of them knows that L is by far the more nefarious. Beyond is devious at best, L is downright evil when he wants to be. But, he's a good guy at the bottom line."

Sayu smiled slightly as she leaned back onto the headboard behind her. "It does make me feel better… knowing that at least if he ever found himself in deep, he's capable of defending himself and if he can't, big brother will come to the rescue."

"Rescue? L is the type that will torch the world if it means saving the people he cares about." Nelly eyed the new painting set. "So, you fixing to make me a masterpiece?"

Sayu's eyes lit up as a brilliant smile spread across her face. "Isn't it nice!? I'm almost afraid to use up the paint because I know the brand he got is expensive." Sayu reached for her brushes and fanned them out. "And look at these!" Nelly raised her eyebrows and smiled endearingly. "I don't know what I want to paint first!"

"You know. I think he likes you. I wouldn't set your sights on anything big too soon, but, I think at the very least he's very interested. Take it slow, find your bearings, spend some time with each other. Don't push, but don't be afraid to pull a little. And your 'friend' is full of shit. You're beautiful and from what I'm hearing, a phenomenal cook."

Sayu smiled with a faint blush on her cheeks as she carefully put her brushes away in the case. "I haven't done anything fancy, I just cooked what my mom taught me."

"You don't have to. The boy's expectation bar is on the floor. But trust me. He raves about you making him food." Nelly winked at Sayu and helped her put her paints back into their box.

Still smiling, Sayu closed her art case. "Oh! I'll send you with some mochi! I made a bunch, I'll send you with some so you and your parents can try it. Those lime trees out there make a very uniquely flavored lime. They're great for mochi, sweeter than normal ones."

"Well, they're key limes, they are sweeter than normal limes." Nelly followed Sayu out of her room before stopping and popping her head into the room to the left as they left the upper level. "Hey you! I just stopped by to say hey and steal some of your girlfriend's cooking!"

Sayu immediately blushed brightly at her comment and hid her face in her hands. "Not dating!"

"No! Nelly! Those are mine!"

Nelly winked and shut the door, holding it shut as it rattled in attempts to be opened. "Quit being greedy! She's my friend, too!" She winked at Sayu. "Apparently the mochi is his, AND you're his girlfriend!" She cackled as the door stopped rattling.

"Nelly! Shut up! Not my girlfriend! But those are my treats!"

She inspected her nails with a smirk. "Sayu offered. How is this fair? She can make them for you any time!" She chuckled and released the door handle and the door flew open and a hand quickly yanked her into the room before slamming the door shut. Angry scolds could be heard through the door.