Rain... What's better than rain? Be home while it's raining. To hear it, to see it, to smell it, to feel it in the winter cold. Strengthening its sound and make it weaker like crying, or like the mind when thoughts gather and you suddenly break out. This is what the winter rain gives you. Its smell. Fill your lungs with a pleasant chill. Its sound. Which gives you the lullabies of its drops on the inhospitable nights of the snow. Or even its view. The trees, the rivers, the lakes, the sea, animals... Everything in nature seems to be satisfied with it. They ask for nothing else. They are content with the gifts of God. After all, animals have no worries. They don't know what stress means, what obligation means, what "must" means. Concepts created by humans...
That's the truth for humans. And it was still true for this specific day. It was November 30th and six o'clock. This rainy evening was a hit for Kira and his new partner.
"Light! Look at this!" Takada held the remote control tightly as she noticed the news of Sakura TV. She heard the presenter uttering the words "Kira" "court" along with "real name and face". For a moment she freaked out it was actually Light, but then she noticed the actors playing in their roles. There was also one who had Light's role. At the top right of the screen was the channel logo along with a white card that wrote «live» while at the bottom of the screen you could see another card that wrote: «The lawsuit of the country's ruthless murderer was delayed due to a local power outage and weather conditions»
Light entered the living room wearing a beach towel. Takada had called him and he didn't want her to wait since he was having a shower. After all, she sounded worried, so there's definitely something wrong.
"What is it, Kiyomi?"
"They're talking about you!"
"Who?"
"The Sakura TV news!"
These words made the young assassin's mind boggling. He immediately thought Takada wrote some names on the notebook. Like people of the government.
"Kiyomi... What did I tell you about not playing with the death note? You can't just write a name and pretend like everything's fine"
"It's not about our victims. It's about your lawsuit"
"Huh?"
"Yes! See for yourself!"
He looked at the screen watching the actors being loyal to their roles, just like Hitoshi told them to do so. This can't be true. When he was taken to court, he was immediately placed in this room that looked like a prison, so the lawsuit had not yet started. A few people had come, but not so many, that there would be a journalist among them to record the event. Unless if there was already a journalist from the beginning. This thought made him froze. What if someone had taken a photo of him and post it online? But... They would show it on TV, wouldn't they? This one he had just seen was definitely fake! Is it another trap of L's? Could be possible!
«Do you have anything to say in your defence, Mr Yagami?» The actor playing the judge asked.
Light's expression was half-shocked and half-confused. He couldn't find an appropriate explanation for this... Stealing of his identity!
«No, mister judge. I understand my crimes. So for this very reason, am obliged to accept my punishment»
This is out of character for me. I wouldn't act like that! Even if my punishment wasn't that rough, I'd still protest for my innocence!Light thought.
"Why are they even doing it? What's the point of all this?" Takada wondered.
"It's another Sakura TV scandal. They've done this method before"
"But... This isn't you! How do they claim this actor is the real Kira? Don't they know this will be a problem for him and for the rest of his colleagues? People now think that man is you! The real Light Yagami!"
"That's what worries me the most. How did they found my real name, while they haven't seen my face?" Light wondered too feeling a knot in his stomach "Maybe it's one of those trap of L's, in an attempt to catch me with an intelligent way and throw me back to the court" He guessed.
"You think so? Is L that resourceful?"
"Haven't I talk to you about his IQ? This can't be a human IQ. He's an alien transformed to a human!" Light replied jokingly.
In front of their screen appeared a metal chair filled with wires which were supposed to be full of electricity. The rest of the actors pushed it next to the "accused person" while the actor playing in Kira had a sullen expression on his face. Everyone was adaptive and convincing to their roles. Just like Hitoshi had told them to do so.
"Are they stupid? The electric chair method has been abolished in Japan many years ago. Especially the death penalty itself" Takada commented.
"It doesn't matter. They would execute me anyway. Kira's crimes are special for society. Not only in Japan but worldwide"
"But how are we gonna escape now?" The young woman asked.
"Hush. Let's see first what they have made and then we organize the plan"
The court guards pulled the accused by the shoulders and pushed him hard on the chair. The accused person stumbled across the floor, so he slipped off the chair. One of the guards started cursing him and punched him around three to four times. The audience seemed dissatisfied with this act, and most of them tried to attack him. Others tried to talk to him about how many things has Kira achieved, by using his «power»
Although the power they referred to had nothing to do with the power that the real Kira had, it was also on the verge of the supernatural. This version of Kira could fly with invisible wings and see people walking under his legs, so to kill them, he used all of his limbs.
That's... Exaggerated.Light's inner self commented.
«Tie him up! He's gonna leave!» The judge shouted at the guards since he saw Kira trying to escape after getting attacked. The guards grabbed his limbs and tied them up with a rope. Both of his hands and both of his legs. Truth and lies were now unknown to everyone in the court. Nevertheless, they kept themselves as calm as possible. The audience continued to shout and yelling for Kira's justice, but the judge tried in vain to make them understand.
Eventually, the judge put forcibly the accused one on the chair and activated it, ignoring the audience's protest. Once the accused one was "killed" the guards tried to stop these fans of Kira, but they failed. Some fans of Kira had guns with them, so they pulled off their guns and started shooting around the room. The cameramen started running around the big room to seem they were trying to escape the court.
«I will be the new Kira! You killed my hero, but I'll be a hero for the new world Kira would create!» A person inside the audience screamed.
«It's contagious, ladies and gentlemen! It seems we've got to do with a disease!! Being Kira isn't a choice! It's a contagious mental disorder!» The reporter announced. «Don't get me wrong. I'm just surprised as you are! But until we find out what the Kira disease is like, we'll let that to psychologists and psychiatrists»
The reporter started running to the edge of the room to escape from those attacks of the fans. «What's going on?! I'm losing the signal! The signal is getting lost! I hear nothing guys! I can't hear you! Well... When we find new information about the disease, we will inform you for sure! Protect yourselves, and your children too! Thank you for watching the news of the Sakura TV channel, and take care!»
The screen then turned black. After a few seconds, it returned to the normal flow of its program. Both of the two Kiras were confused and shocked at the same time.
"What was that?"
"Indeed..."
"You said it's because of Sakura TV, right?"
"Yup, because they've done this many times. After all, this specific channel is known for its scandals. TV news staff always find ways to terrify people for no reason. Don't think that's nice though" Light said.
"But... Isn't what you wished for, Light? Like people talking about you and glorifying you for being Kira?"
"I already have my fans, Kiyomi because I am the real Kira! Not for this actor to steal my identity!"
"Actors don't do whatever comes to their mind. They follow the director's instructions. After all, this person was just looking for money. He was looking for a place to play and found this outrage. How many times have people said that the acting profession is saturated?"
"The problem is not the actor himself. The question is why the staff decided to make it. Is it an attempt to talk to me? Are they trying to tell me something? Are they fans and want me to notice them?"
"Why would they want to notice you by making a video showing that you're being killed?" Takada asked.
"You're right. They don't" He said.
They kept watching the TV trying to spot some evidence to show it was made by the staff. Nothing. It was indeed made by them, and the world wanted to think this was completely real. Takada was more chill, although she felt a slight tightness in her stomach. Light on the other hand was more than confused. He was bewilderment. That feeling when you're embarrassed and shocked at the same time. He touched his forehead leaving a slight moan.
"Are you okay, Light?"
"I'm fine. I just... I feel dizzy. I need some salt. Where are my chips?"
He searched the room with his eyes, trying to find the bowl with the chips he had left. Takada giggled.
"I ate them all. Sorry"
"But... You don't eat potato chips, Kiyomi. Why did you eat them? Half of a pot was left!"
"They were so delicious, that I couldn't help it!" She laughed softly.
"It was the last package! Anyway... I'll just wait for the rain to stop for a bit, so I can go to the kiosk"
"Can't you wait for tomorrow?"
"I do have a plan, but without salt, my brain can't function properly"
--«After half of an hour»--
The rain stopped for a while and eventually, Light found the nearest vending machine* to buy six packages of potato chips. Not because he was hungry, but not to run out of salt for the rest of the week. He was chewing the chips full of appetite while showing plan A to Takada. He drew on the blackboard the parts of the drawing in numerical order.
"It is very convenient that you have a blackboard. This is how the big plans of the scandals are told!" Light said and taped rhythmically the chalk on the board.
"It's a birthday present from my dad. He gave it to me last year"
"Tell him I thank him for giving us this useful present!"
"Us?" Takada repeated the pronoun.
"Now, Kiyomi pay attention!" The young man re-taped the chalk on the board. This time five times.
"This is plan A. If it doesn't work, we go to plan B. That's the classical scenario. First of all, we have to put the question: Why did the news staff at Sakura TV present this movie they shot as a fact?
1) They know this will increase the audience of the channel and thus they will make money.
2) It's L's doing trying to find a quick and effective way to catch the real Kira.
3) They were bored of their lives and wanted some intrigue.
4) All of the above.
5) Another reason we don't know yet. (?)"
The teenage killer explained the possibilities of the situation to his partner. Takada on the other hand wasn't really interested in the plan. Her thoughts were all about the person in front of her: Him. The God of her heart!
Wow... He has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen! I've never seen those eyes in another man! And his hands... Oh my... His hands!
"Kiyomi? Are you listening to me?"
The chalk was taped rhythmically on the board again. it seemed as if the young woman woke up from lethargy.
"Yes! I do!"
"Well... All of these elements are likely to be true. And we will take the film we saw, and examine it carefully: From what you understand, the film is based on my lawsuit, and claims that the lawsuit was indeed delayed due to weather conditions. But see what's happening right now: Regardless of what the direction shows, it has now been presented. Therefore, people also think that the one who impersonates me is the real Kira. But this is a problem for the actor himself because it automatically means that his career is ruined, for no reason at all! So the world will blame him instead of me" He continued explaining while he drew symbols and small drawings, according to his words, so Takada can understand better.
"However, on November 16th, my lawsuit was scheduled, and thank God it was cancelled. I still don't know if what I am thinking is true, but as you know, since I received the death note in my hands, I am wary of everything and everyone"
"You mean you're paranoid" Takada interrupted.
"Don't interrupt me, Kiyomi!" He talked to her sternly.
"Where was I... Um... Oh yes! I have already expressed my concern to you that a journalist may have been there earlier that day than scheduled. That is before the lawsuit begins. I know this, because he may have taken a picture of me, even if it was fleeting. Of course, he would know that my name is Light Yagami, but once he found out my real name and be in public, then whether this actor impersonated me or someone else impersonated me, it's still the same. If the photo comes out on the internet they will know that I am the one they have been looking for a year!"
"And... The conclusion?"
"The conclusion is that plan A it's all about moving to your house. You know I often go to my parent's house for money. Now I'll move to your apartment"
"That's awesome!" Takada exclaimed with joy thinking she'll spend more time with her boyfriend.
"I will leave the house only when absolutely necessary. And when this urgent moment comes, then I will makeup myself, so that any acquaintances of mine won't recognize me"
"Makeup yourself?! But, Light... I thought you-"
"No, Kiyomi, I'm not such a person. I would come out to you if I was actually gay. Since I like girls, I don't think I can feel sexually attracted towards men" He said.
"So... That's plan A. What about plan B?"
"I'll just improvise. Provided that conditions allow it. If something happens, I'll make a plan according to the conditions" He finished still holding the chalk in his hand.
*Japan is accustomed to vending machines and not only they sell soft drinks and snacks, but also contain blankets, vegetables, and even first aid in case of an emergency.