"My client is dead."
She swung her business bag on the couch with a heavy thud, and collapsed onto the cushions with a deep sigh. L, crouched on the other end of the couch, watched as she flicked through the channels, finally settling on a rerun-news report about the Innocent Movement's latest press release:
"Okada Yutaro died of sudden heart attack in prison…"the reporter announced.
Footage of the Director of the Innocent Movement appeared, "…the Innocent Movement will not rest until justice is served for all those who have been wrongfully convicted. We strongly condemn Kira for his senseless and cowardly act of taking the life of an innocent man. Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and loved ones of …."
L watched the TV with a keen eye while sipping his hot tea, sweetened with maximum sugar, his cold gaze contrasting with the warmth of the drink.
"I was so close to clearing his name with new evidence," M muttered while rubbing her temples with her eyes closed. "It's ignorant. This Kira – I bet he only read the records of the police and didn't bother to check for wrongful convictions – I just…" She trailed off, clearly disturbed by the news.
"Indeed," L agreed. "Kira has access to the police database, but it only shows information relevant to their investigations, without any updates on the status of convicted criminals. Kira's concept of justice seems to align with that of the police."
"What kind of justice is that?"M retorted.
L then pinched a piece of dried mango from the plate on the side table and held it up to the air, "What's your next step now? Counselor M," asked L, lowering the piece into his mouth.
"I'm still going to clear his name," M replied firmly, staring at the ceilings.
A smile spread across L's face as M leaned over and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulders.
"And you, my dear detective, will bring Kira to justice."
The sound of the radio filled Watari's office, broadcasting the latest weather forecast.
"Good afternoon, everyone. As we head into the winter season, we can expect a high chance of snow across the United Kingdom…"
"The mercury could drop to freezing or below in many areas, so it's essential to wrap up warm if you're heading out. The snowfall is also expected to be widespread, with the potential for significant accumulations in some regions."
It was winter, weather reports across the United Kingdom predict a high chance of snow, with the first wave of low temperatures since the start of the season.
As the radio provided updates on the weather conditions, Watari looked up from his work to gaze out the window. The dark and gloomy sky indicated that snow was imminent. He then watched the girl approach him with a glass of water in her hands, which she placed on his desk. Then, she settled into the armchair beside the window, where she could read her book on her lap.
What a thoughtful girl, he thought as he gazed at the glass of water.
Her reserved nature has progressed significantly in the four months since arriving at Wammy's House. The trust she has established with Watari has allowed her to let down her guard, and she is adapting smoothly to the classes arranged for the other children. Although she is not much of a talker, Meredith occasionally poses thought-provoking questions that even the teachers find challenging to answer.
"Did the British consider the American Revolution a civil war since both sides were British subjects?" she raised in a history class discussing causes and effects of the American Revolution.
The teacher blinked in surprise, caught off guard by the unexpected question. "That's an interesting point," he said, "and a matter of perspective, I suppose. On one hand, the British might have viewed it as a rebellion against legitimate authority, while on the other hand, some might have seen it as a struggle for self-determination."
While the other children are fascinated by her, conversations tend to be one-sided, leaving them with little knowledge of Meredith's thoughts and experiences. She spends most of her time in her room, playing the piano or reading in Watari's office, with minimal interactions with the other children except during mealtimes and chance encounters in common areas.
Initially, Watari encouraged her to socialize with the other children, but she preferred to follow him around. She was agile and never got in the way of Watari's work, and Watari saw her innocence and curiosity come to the fore. He took her to the shooting range and watched him practice with soundproof earmuffs, let her sit in his office to read, and even allowed her to accompany him around Wammy's House. She was his little companion, and she felt safe only when she was by Watari's side.
He stood up from his chair and reached for his coat. Meredith glanced up from her book and set it aside, walking over to him. "Where are you going?" she asks innocently.
"I'm afraid I have to go pick up a new child for Wammy's today, my dear. Unfortunately, you won't be able to come along this time," Watari replied apologetically.
Though disappointed, Meredith nodded understandingly. "Wishing you a safe journey," she said, before picking up her book and following Watari out of the office and returning to her room.
Standing at the door and watching her figure disappear down the hallway, Watari smiles contentedly before turning around and getting into the humming sleek black car that's already waiting for him outside.
"Have you heard about the new guy?"
"Yeah, he took down Ethan, Nicholas, and their crew…"
"Aren't they older and taller than the new boy? How did he…"
"He said he was justice..."
Whispers and gossip circulated around the Wammy house when Watari brought the new boy in. It had only been an hour since his arrival, and he had already caused a disturbance. Children huddled in groups, exchanging news and rumors, their expressions alternating between shock and disbelief as they talked in the corridors.
As Meredith emerged from the library with a thick hardcover book about music history, her attention was drawn to the snowflakes gently drifting outside the windows. However, her appreciation of the wintry scene was quickly interrupted by the commotion in the corridor. She looked around, trying to listen and figure out what exactly happened, but she couldn't piece together a complete answer. Deciding to get to the bottom of it, she approached a girl whom she recognized from class and asked, "What's going on?"
The girl appeared surprised that Meredith was speaking to her, but quickly responded with enthusiasm. "The new boy got into a fight with Ethan, Nicholas, and their crew. You know how they always haze new members. But they were knocked down."
The faces of Ethan and Nicholas's crew flashed in Meredith's mind as she mentally counted them. The gang had a total of five members, all older and taller than her. After a moment of contemplation, Meredith asked, "How did he manage to knock all of them down?"
"I don't know," the girl replied with a shrug. "But witnesses say that despite looking like he hadn't eaten in days, he was surprisingly strong. I have no idea how he managed it."
"He even said 'They attempted to employ violence on me' when Watari arrived at the scene. 'I am justice!' Such a lunatic. You should be careful around him, Meri." She paused, then added before she walked away, "Others have said that he tends to hoard the toys he likes, so I'm going to make sure I get the toys I want before he does."
Ever since the new boy arrived, Watari had been noticeably absent from his office, leaving Meredith disappointed as she had missed several opportunities to see him there. This day was no different: she found his office locked when she tried to enter. Not one to give up easily, she set out to search the building for him and eventually stumbled upon him in the kitchen, where he was taking a box of chocolate cake out of the fridge.
"Ah, Meri, you're here," greeted Watari warmly as he noticed her standing at the entrance of the kitchen. Meredith couldn't help but smile at his greeting and quickly scampered by his side. She stood on her toes to peek over the counter, trying to catch a glimpse of what he was doing. "Is it someone's birthday?" she asked curiously, noticing the box of chocolate cake in Watari's hands.
"No," chuckled Watari, opening the box, "it's for the new boy. He asked for a strawberry cake, but since strawberries are not in season, I asked the cook to make a chocolate cake instead."
He deftly sliced a piece of the chocolate cake and placed it onto the plate. The cake was a heavenly treat, rich and indulgent with layers of moist, chocolatey sponge and a thick, creamy frosting that melted in the mouth. As if that wasn't enough, Watari took another plate from the cupboard, sliced another generous piece of cake, and placed it on the plate.
"Could you do me a favor and deliver this to the new boy? His room is on the same floor as yours, just on the opposite side of the hallway," he said, gesturing towards the first slice of cake. "I need to grab something from my office. This one is for you, my dear, for helping out. I'll leave it in the fridge for you to have after you return."
Meredith smiled and nodded as Watari handed her the tray with the cake, teapot, teacup, and a delicate sugar bowl. "Be careful," he reminded her as she took the tray carefully. They walked out of the kitchen together and parted ways. Meredith made her way to the stairs and headed towards the floor where her room was located, then proceeded towards the room where Watari arranged for the boy.
Setting the tray down on the floor, she knocked on the door, but heard no reply. She tentatively tried the handle and found that it was unlocked. Slowly pushing the door open with her body, she carefully stepped inside the room, tray in hand.
Meredith had never seen a room like this before.
The cozy, intimate atmosphere of the room was enhanced by the dimmed overhead lights, casting a warm glow that contrasted with the starkness of the large bulky computers and thick cables that cluttered the space, creating a maze that was difficult to navigate. The sound of whirring fans and clicking keyboards filled the air, drowning out any other noise. Meredith noticed an air-conditioning unit in the corner, helping to mitigate the smell of warm plastic and dust, as well as the heat emanating from the machines. In the middle of the chaos, a boy with neck-length black hair was crouched in front of the computer screen. He wore an oversized white shirt and baggy jeans and was completely absorbed in his work, oblivious to Meredith's presence.
Meredith assumed the seiza position and set the tray aside, her eyes scanning the room in awe. Though she had seen computers in her father's home office before, this was her first time witnessing a supercomputer - the kind she had only read about in books. As she took in the impressive technology before her, a thought occurred to her: "If he has access to a supercomputer, then he must also have access to high-speed internet, which means he can not only access the internet but also perform more specialized tasks that require high-speed internet."
While the internet was already accessible to many people, it was not yet as widespread as it is today. Meredith couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder at being in the presence of technology that would one day change the way people communicate.
As she was pondering, the boy suddenly spoke up in a monotone voice that lacked any inflection, but with a sharpness that conveyed his suspicion. "Watari, is that you?" He turned to face Meredith, revealing dark shadows under his eyes. He asked in a cold tone, "Who are you?" His piercing gaze fixed on her as he added, "And why are you here?"
She paused for a moment, and introduced herself in a calm, quiet voice. "I'm Meredith. Watari sent me with some cake and tea." She gestured to the tray beside her.
The boy glanced at the tray and then back at Meredith, his expression unreadable. "Just leave it there," he said abruptly, his tone dismissive. "I'll have it later. Now, if you don't mind, please leave my room."
He watched as she stood up and turned to leave his room, carefully closing the door behind her. Once he heard the latch click shut, he turned his attention back to the computer and resumed his work.
Author's note:
This section is inspired by L: The Wammy's House/One Day. While some readers may interpret the speech bubble "A new face! Let's cuddle him" in the manga as a friendly gesture, to me it felt more like hazing...
There will be more content that draws inspiration from L: The Wammy's House/One Day in later chapters.