"Dear… don't you think our kids are acting a bit strange?"

Soichiro stared at his wife, sighing. He wished he were home enough to answer.

I'll see you soon.

Naomi was back. The text message scared me, but god, I was so relieved she was alive again.

I tried to relax, slumping onto the couch. My brother was sitting next to me. We sat in silence for a long while.

"Why were you in my room?" he suddenly asked, narrowing his eyes.

"... I thought you might have some info on Kira," I replied, which was just about as truthful as I could get.

"Oh, Sayu," he sighed. "I wouldn't just leave info about Kira lying around out in the open."

"Then you are hiding stuff," I replied.

Light's lip curled.

"I think you are too," he replied, slowly.

I swallowed. I wanted to tell him about the Life Note, but Guardian warned me not to.

"You have already told far too many people," they had reminded me.

It looked like I was going to have to do what I did best: be a good little sister so he'd feel like he owed me.

"You're right," I sighed. "I… I've been looking into the Kira investigation."

Light tilted his head. "We've all told you to stop worrying about that."

"I'm not a little kid anymore," I stood up. "I want to help."

Light narrowed his eyes.

"Well?" I asked. "What's in your room?"

Light breathed out. "The evidence to confront the man I believe is the Anti-Kira… L."

I encountered L again. Or maybe, he encountered me.

I didn't want to see him. He wasn't L. But he was in my dreams, in my thoughts, and now he was in my computer, like some kind of malware.

His voice was the same dry tone as the guy I'd seen outside Light's college. Of course, he was using some kind of voice filter, but I could tell it was him.

I didn't really want to talk to this psycho, but he'd taken over my computer, so I didn't have much of a choice. My boxy computer screen was completely blank, aside from a blank avatar in the middle. L's voice crackled from my speakers.

"What do you want?" I asked him.

"I'm assuming you still don't believe I'm L," he said.

"What do you think?" I sneered.

"Anti-Kira, we're on your side," L told me. "We know you want to stop Kira."

I swallowed.

"You're gonna lock me up," I whimpered. "I just know it."

"I'm curious about your reincarnation powers, absolutely," L said, "but you are the one that is stopping Kira's sick world domination scheme. We need you."

It was like I was a soldier or something, being forced to serve for my country.

"I guess so," I said.

After all… that's why the angels chose me. I can stop Kira. I'm the only one who can.

"You're not gonna lock me up, right?" I asked.

"I can't promise anything," L admitted, "but either way, you'll be a hero for stopping Kira."

A hero… I'd never wanted to be a hero. But I was starting to realise you don't always get what you want. And sometimes, you don't even get what you need. Yet, you keep going anyway.

Guardian was staring at me.

"He is dangerous," they told me.

"Well, so am I," I muttered.

I turned back to L, narrowing my eyes.

"Fine, I'll help," I sighed.

"I'm glad we could come to an understanding," L replied, and coordinates flashed on my screen. "Remember these."

I swallowed. I was sweating bullets already… but it was time to start aiming them too. Whether I wanted it or not, I was a hero. I couldn't tell Light about the Life Note, not yet. Not if he was against L.

I was stuck in the middle of the war, and I'd do my best to finish it.

I'd never thought I'd get to visit such a fancy hotel, but there I was. I'd put on the fanciest clothes I could find and still felt underdressed. I tried to avoid the rich folk in the lobby. The ceiling was so high, the doors covered in golden patterns that made my eyes bleed.

I swallowed, approaching the lift. This was it - I was about to meet L and his crew..

After a painfully awkward ride with Guardian on my ass, I headed over to a little room, right at the back of the hotel. I knocked on the door 5 times, as L had told me to.

There was a pause, before the door opened. An older man - a butler, I guess - was standing there.

"Ah, Miss Yagami," he greeted. "Come inside."

I followed him inside, finding a group of police officers - and Naomi Misora. And Dad. And L (duh).

Dad stared at me in shock. "My daughter?! You can't be serious, L."

(Great to know Dad didn't have much faith in me…)

"She's a smart girl," Naomi spoke up, "she's already saved many lives."

I blushed. Not every day a pretty lady calls you smart.

"Nice to meet you," a youngish guy bowed before me, "Chief Yagami's daughter! What an honour!"

He was pretty cute, I guess - with large brown eyes and soft black hair. I covered my face with a hand.

"Nice to meet you too," I grinned at him.

Then of course, there was L himself. Yep, the same guy from the uni.

Standing up, L was taller than I realised - he was Light's height, at least. The hunched shoulders definitely made him look smaller, though.

He was watching me, his dark eyes leering into my soul. I moved a little closer to Guardian, who hovered just above my shoulder.

"What do you think of L?" I asked Guardian, my voice hushed.

"He definitely is suspicious," they replied, "however, he could be of use to us."

"And he wants to stop Kira too," I said. "Him, Light and I… hey, we could all work together."

"Now that Sayu Yagami is here," L spoke up, "we can truly begin our investigation."

I'd had more than enough of the police for the day - way too many old men, including my dad, honestly. Luckily, I managed to catch L when he was by himself, chowing down on his desserts. How the guy managed to eat so many sweets and not put on weight was beyond me.

I thought about being polite… but I didn't want to waste time. So I decided to cut right to the chase.

"Why do you think my brother is Kira?" I asked L.

He took a bite of his cake. "Much for the same reasons I suspected that you are the Anti-Kira. Although I have actual evidence… sometimes, you just have a gut feeling."

"You can't be serious," I sneered.

"You're no better," L replied, "just because you know him."

"You're right," I clenched my fists. "I'll prove that he is not Kira, I swear it!"

"... you're just as stubborn as he is," L sighed, "but that's fine. I'm stubborn too."

He could've been smirking, or maybe I was giving him too much credit.

"You go to To Oh, don't you?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Is it to snoop on my brother?" I asked.

"Maybe," L shrugged.

"… are you friends with him?" I questioned, raising a brow.

"If you want to see it that way," he replied.

"Oh, really?" I asked. "That's right, Light was telling me he had a new friend…"

Of all the people Light would be friends with, I guess I wasn't too surprised it was this guy. He was Light's type in every way - smart, workaholic, and stubborn as a mule. Heck, they could've been a good couple.

Oh, come on - I wasn't fooled by all the girls Light got with. I knew he tolerated them at best. I could see right through him.

Not that I'd put him on the spot in front of Mom and Dad… especially Dad. I wasn't sure how either of them would react.

"My brother and I are working together to stop Kira," I said, "and we'll find the real deal."

L turned away.

"Your brother is very intelligent," he admitted. "A critical thinker."

"Yep, he's a genius," I grinned.

"And he's also a good liar," L replied, "something you don't have in common."

I scowled at him. "Yeah, well! Uhhh! You're a stupidhead!"

L didn't say anything, and focused on his cake once more. I got the sneaking suspicion this was the start of a beautiful friendship.