Chapter Two: Furoshiki
"Why is being at the top of the class so important?" Sayu asked, her curiosity evident in the way her eyes sparkled. To Light, ranking in the top one percent wasn't just about success; it was the only thing that broke the monotony of his otherwise predictable life. It gave his days a semblance of purpose.
But how could he explain that to his twelve-year-old sister? Their five-year age gap was a chasm between their worldviews. Sayu embraced life's simple pleasures, like watching her favorite idol on TV, while Light often saw the world in black and white, stripped of joy or color. No, even if his sister weren't younger, Light doubted she would understand.
"That's because I study hard," Light said, dodging the deeper meaning behind her question.
Sayu tilted her head, resting it on her arms, which were propped against Light's desk. He'd been helping her earlier with her math homework, but she'd found something more interesting to talk about roughly ten minutes ago. The homework had become forgotten. Quadratic equations would be a mystery to solve another day. "But doesn't the other person study hard too?"
"He says he doesn't," Light replied, much to his annoyance.
"Huh? Oh!" Sayu's eyes lit up with sudden realization. "You're jealous of the guy who beat you! So, what's his name?"
"I'm not—" Light hesitated, mumbling, "jealous." The word lingered, and a flicker of truth in her statement gnawed at him. "His name is L. His parents passed away, so he moved here to be close to his remaining family. But the rumor is he's just transferred for the year. I guess he might go to another school afterward."
Sayu's energy dimmed, her expression softening. "That's… so sad."
It was true, and the thought of competing with someone who had suffered such a loss unsettled Light. His relentless drive felt hollow by comparison, but there it was all the same.
"You're walking with him to school tomorrow, right? I want to come with you and give him something."
"What—Sayu, no. That's not a good idea."
"Why not?" she asked, already rising from her spot, sensing Light's unwillingness to argue. "I won't embarrass you, big brother. Promise!"
Before Light could protest further, Sayu had already run out of the room, a thoughtful smile lingering on her face.
The next morning, as Light prepared to leave and was sliding on his shoes, Sayu darted after him, tugging on her shoes and clutching a small, carefully wrapped package tied with a ribbon.
"Ready!" she beamed.
"A gift?" Light raised an eyebrow. If L reacted with the same indifference he'd shown yesterday, Sayu might end up disappointed.
"The neighbor gave us apples, so I packed some with Mom's secret sweets," she whispered conspiratorially. "You know, the ones she hides at the back of the pantry."
"I thought you couldn't reach those?"
Sayu winked playfully. "I have my ways."
Light sighed, having a feeling this was not going to go well. "Alright, let's go."
As they neared the intersection where he'd parted ways with L the previous day, Light spotted him leaning against a tree, reading a book, his backpack sprawled at his feet.
"Is that him?" Sayu tugged at Light's sleeve.
Surprised, Light hesitated. "Yeah."
Sayu swallowed, suddenly nervous. She shifted her feet from side to side. "You're sure he won't mind?"
"I'm not giving it to him," Light said flatly. "This was your idea."
Taking a deep breath, Sayu approached L. His black hair was covering most of his face, and his head was down, as if he hadn't noticed her, so she wasn't sure what to expect. "Um… hello!" she greeted. "You're my brother's friend?"
Light flinched at that. But L's eyes shifted from the page to Sayu, startled. "I'm Sayu," she said, bowing and extending the gift with both hands. "Nice to meet you."
Light held his breath, fearing L might ignore her entirely. But after a beat, and a flicker of a gaze over to Light, L lowered his book, returning a small bow. "Nice to meet you too, Sayu-chan," he replied, accepting the gift with a small smile.
"Ohh!" Sayu's face lit up. She did it! She continued hurriedly in case her voice suddenly got too nervous to talk again, "There are apples and candy inside! Do you like sweets? These ones are really good. And, you know, my brother might seem serious, but he's actually the best!"
L glanced at Light with mild curiosity. "Is that so? Thank you, Sayu-chan. Then here, take this book as a gift in return. I've just finished it."
Sayu gasped as L handed her the novel he'd been reading. "Wow, it's in English! Big brother," she tugged on Light's sleeve again, "will you help me read it?"
Light sighed, nodding reluctantly.
"Yeah. Let's read it later." He had a feeling she would fall asleep, though, after reading it for only five minutes.
She tugged at Light's hand. "I have to get back home and get ready for school, too! Nice to meet you, Mister L! Have a good day!" She skipped back towards their house, waving cheerfully.
Light avoided L's gaze as he resumed walking. Something like embarrassment or awkwardness or the feeling of too much of something real having been exposed crept up on him.
"You woke up early?" Light decided to ask at length, breaking the silence.
"I always wake up early," L replied, a faint hint of amusement in his voice.
The sun's heat was already rising, but Light felt a different kind of warmth. Walking next to L was somehow… stifling, as if the air was denser.
"Then why are you always late to class?" Light asked, seizing the opportunity to get under his enemy's skin.
"I lose track of time."
"You know, most people use alarm clocks."
"I tend to throw them across the room," L admitted. "They break easily."
That wasn't the response Light had expected. L didn't seem like the type to lose his temper. "So then, how'd you wake up this morning?"
"I had a bad dream."
"A nightmare?"
"Not exactly," L said thoughtfully. "But it wasn't pleasant."
Light couldn't help but glance at him. A weakness? What was it that his rival feared?
"What happened?"
L's hands were shoved in his pockets again, and his dark eyes felt oddly haunted. Light supposed they probably were. "There was someone standing by a large window in a dark room," L said quietly. "I couldn't see who it was exactly, but they said they had nothing more to say to me. When the person left, I couldn't move. I could see all the lights of Tokyo, but all I felt was… sadness. Like soon my life might end."
The vividness of L's words struck Light, lingering in the warm air. He didn't ask if the dream was connected to what had happened to L's parents, though the thought crossed his mind.
"Dreams like that can feel too real," Light said quietly. Was he trying to comfort him, or was it just the way he automatically pretended to care about other people's problems? "Maybe it's a projection of something you're afraid of."
L was silent for a while. Then he asked, "Is there something you're afraid of, Yagami-kun?"
Light didn't know how to answer. In truth, his greatest fear was that nothing—not his life, not his achievements—held any real meaning. His days bled together in an endless cycle of study and superficial conversations. After school, he'd likely join the police like his father and repeat the same patterns, living without purpose.
Light decided a lie was better than the truth. "Not in particular. Probably just the things people are usually afraid of. In any case, you waited for me," he said, wanting to change the subject. "I guess that was just to avoid boredom?"
"I hate to be bored," L murmured in agreement, his tone casual, "although I did accept your sister's gift. I suppose I should honor her wish of befriending her brother. Even though I don't particularly want a friend… it seems I have no choice."
Light's lips twitched in a slight smile. "Don't feel obligated. She was just surprised someone beat my score."
L's dark hair and eyes contrasted starkly with his pale skin. He was the same height as Light, and slim. Girls might have found him cute, if he was a little more approachable. Black and white, Light thought. Yet, somehow, he was more interesting than the monochrome world he was accustomed to.
Light tried to suppress the urge to glance at L during class. Each moment felt like a test, a compulsion to confirm L's presence. He realized he was acting like someone with a crush and buried the thought deep within, hoping it would stay hidden. But when the teacher asked a question and he heard L's answer, a feeling surged up, as if from a grave. He tried to push it back down again, trying to kill it. Behead it. Stomp on it. Whatever it was, it wasn't welcome.
After a while, a note landed on his desk, and Light recognized the handwriting immediately. Yumi Nakamura, seated at the front, watched him shyly. She had led the debate club last year. Light had never joined, finding debating pointless.
No matter what people discussed, there was always just the right or wrong answer, and debate was driven by ego rather than logic.
He opened the note.
'I like you.'
He almost rolled his eyes. It was a generic confession, one he had received countless times before. He offered a polite smile but planned to gently decline her advances later.
The teacher's voice settled over the classroom in its usual monotony.
A second note arrived shortly after, written on a different style of paper.
'Lunch again?'
In English.
Light frowned and glanced over at L. Despite having offered L friendship yesterday and allowing Sayu to tag along this morning, he now regretted it. It wasn't logical to befriend a rival. Even a rival who was starting to intrigue him. Who probably, in a way, really needed a friend.
'I need to study,' Light wrote back.
A few minutes later, another note returned.
'Library, then.'
Light sighed.
Light picked up an onigiri from the cafeteria and ate it on the way to the library. The rice was saltier than usual, and he grabbed an iced tea from the vending machine outside before heading in, his throat feeling dry. During the summer, students were allowed to sip drinks in the library, and the cold tea felt refreshing as it slid down his throat. Maybe a little too refreshing—it was so cold it made his mind freeze in shock until he looked up and saw L standing in front of him.
L pushed an apple across the table and sat down.
"These were meant for you," Light reminded him, wondering if it was a peace offering.
"You're skipping lunch," L countered.
Hesitant, Light stared at the apple. Black, then white, then red. Red had entered his world.
He blinked.
"Why did you even come here anyway? It's not like you want to study."
"No," L hummed. "But I'll read."
He placed his backpack on the chair next to him and pulled out a new book from his bag.
One of his knees was drawn up to the table, and Light watched as L's eyes moved side to side across the page.
"Is Yagami-kun going to stare at me the whole time I'm reading?"
Light's eyes narrowed, but he felt his neck threatening to flush. "I wasn't staring."
"Then," L glanced up, "what were you doing?"
"Wondering why you're sitting like that."
"Like what?"
"You know, you shouldn't put your feet on the chair."
"Hm," L seemed to consider it. "You're right."
He put his foot flat on the floor but frowned. "I just don't know how it's comfortable to sit like this."
"Like what—normal?"
"It just feels like an unnatural position."
Light set his jaw. He wasn't sure how he was going to study with L distracting him like this. And if they kept talking, someone might complain. The library was so quiet, even breathing felt a little too loud.
"Maybe if I—"
L turned the chair around and sat with his chest pressed against the back, his head peeking over it, the book resting on the table.
"I guess this is a little better…" he mumbled.
Feeling Light's gaze, L looked up. "Yagami-kun, you're still staring at me."
Light hesitated, then shook his head. "Never mind."
Light felt it—the same disconcerting feeling from before. His enemy was sitting there, and all he could manage was to try and stifle the flush creeping onto his face.
Light Yagami never flushed. Girls were always flustered because of him, not the other way around. Yet here he was, feeling inexplicably flustered by—
A guy?
Whatever. L wouldn't notice. He wouldn't, because Light was holding up his textbook and biting his cheek in irritation. He regretted sitting at the same table as his rival the previous day for lunch. It had been a severe miscalculation. He should have chosen anyone else, even if it meant enduring whispers about being demoted to second place.
He also wished he were a few years older, so these annoying hormones wouldn't be buzzing around. He'd be able to think more clearly, that was certain. Anyway, there was nothing, rationally, about L that he was attracted to. No, if anything, he was probably just nervous because L was someone and something unfamiliar in a world where Light had always been number one.
"You've been reading that page for a long time," L commented. "Is there something you're having difficulty with?" It was said partly as a taunt, and Light didn't miss it.
"No," Light snapped. "I'm just revising chemistry. But if you need help with that book, I can help. After all, The Tale of the Heike is from the fourteenth century." Light hadn't meant it seriously, but he noticed L straighten.
"Actually, that would be helpful. My classical Japanese isn't that good yet."
Light blinked. Maybe he hadn't heard L correctly. He peered over his chemistry book.
If he helped L, he'd only be increasing his competition, but he had offered, after all.
"If you're still on the first page," Light said carefully, trying to remember and translate it exactly, "the first line starts: 'The sound of the Gion Shōja bells echoes the impermanence of all things.' It symbolizes the passage of time and serves as a reminder that all things—whether material objects, experiences, or human lives—are in a constant state of flux and change. Nothing is permanent, and everything is subject to decay and transformation. It sets the main theme of the book."
L stared at him for a long moment. Light couldn't decipher his expression, but it unsettled him.
"Thank you, Yagami-kun," L mumbled quietly. "I know that I shouldn't disturb you as you study. I appreciate your help."
Light swallowed. The library suddenly felt even quieter than before. Or was it just that L's presence was getting louder and more in focus, in a world that seemed to blur in monotony around him?
"Ah—" L said, as if just remembering. "You said yesterday that I could call you Light-kun."
With his book already down, Light didn't have a shield to hold up as his expression was caught by surprise. He could feel L's gaze, amused and penetrating, focused on him.
"Thank you, Light-kun," L said again, softly.
Light glared at him, sure that L had picked up on something.
"You know," Light mumbled irritably, "we're the same age."
"Light-san?"
"Just Light," Light ground out, trying to go back to his book. "You don't need to bother with the rest. Anyway, I know the honorifics aren't important for you. They don't particularly mean anything to me either."
"Hm," L brought a thumb up to his bottom lip and slowly dragged it across. Light pretended not to notice.
"But you use them for everyone else."
If he ignored what L was implying, would everything that didn't make sense right now also be ignorable, fade into the background like white noise that could be stifled with small talk and empty conversation?
"You're not like everyone else," Light said quietly, meaning it as an insult but thinking, that's what's bothering me.
L's lips curved ever so slightly at Light's comment, his gaze steady and discerning. A string pulled too tight between two points was easy to snap. He simply leaned back, tilting his head as if studying Light like a puzzle. "You know," he said, with an edge of curiosity, "for someone who claims to be so focused, you seem rather… distracted."
Light's hand froze over turning another page of his textbook, the weight of L's words landing heavily between them. Distracted? He wasn't sure if it was an accusation or an observation, but either way, it hit too close to home. Light had always been in control, but with L sitting across from him, that clarity had disappeared.
"I'm not distracted," Light said, his tone clipped and defensive. He closed his book, determined to signal that this conversation was over. "And I'm not interested in whatever games you're trying to play, L."
L raised an eyebrow. "Games? I wasn't aware we were playing any."
Light stood up, shoving his books into his bag with more force than necessary. He felt L's eyes on him the whole time, and it only fueled the simmering irritation that had been building inside him since the moment he'd realized he had competition. He wasn't going to let L win.
"I'll see you in class," Light muttered, heading toward the exit, his pulse quickening as he felt L's gaze follow him out.
When he entered the classroom after lunch, Light forced all of the thoughts from lunch to the back of his mind. He slid into his seat, his expression decidedly neutral, but his grip on the pen in his hand was tight.
As the teacher began the lesson, Light noticed L entering a few minutes late. He casually walked to his seat, seemingly unaffected by the reprimanding look the teacher gave him, as usual.
The lesson dragged on, but Light's thoughts kept drifting. He glanced over at L, who was once again lost in his book, his fingers absentmindedly toying with the edge of the page.
After school, Light found himself walking home alone. He let out a slow breath.
It wasn't long before he heard footsteps behind him. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
L's steps were soft but unmistakable. Light stopped.
"You're following me now?" Light asked, his tone light but edged with accusation.
"I'm not following you," L replied as he fell into step beside Light. "We just live in the same direction."
Light didn't respond. Didn't L usually hang back after school? That was, after all, why they'd never happened to walk home together before. The sound of the city—the cars passing, other students talking loudly—mingled in an annoying echo. "Did you see that new episode last night? Yeah, wasn't it amazing? Oh man, when's my mom coming to pick me up? She's always late. Hey, let's catch up for a date sometime! Did you see her? She's so cute. Oh yeah." Their voices all blended together until he heard L cough beside him.
Light glanced at him. "I told you you'd get a fever."
L's dark eyes met his, and for a moment, something passed between them that Light couldn't quite define. "I'm fine," L said quietly. "Although your face has been flushed for most of the day."
Light frowned. "What are you talking about?"
L shrugged. "A symptom of a high temperature."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Light said, his voice cold. "It's the heat. I feel fine."
L didn't argue. He just looked at Light, and Light tried not to back down.
Then, he coughed again, this time sounding worse than before.
"You need medicine,"