"The killer is -"
"Stop! Don't! We're only halfway through the movie, L," Meredith interrupted, pouting.
They were in Meredith's room, with L glaring at her while the videotape continued playing on the monitor. It was Friday evening, and L and Watari had just returned to Wammy's House from their latest investigation. Their routine involved coming back to the institution about once a week, typically on Fridays. During their visits, L would spend a day or the entire weekend at most with Meredith in the orphanage.
Not much had changed between them since L and Watari moved out a year ago, only the frequency of their interactions declined. They still engaged in normal activities together, often just being present in each other's view.
"But it's obvious," he insisted, "It's – "
She quickly covered L's mouth in attempt to stop him from blurting out. "I haven't figured out who it is yet. Please don't spoil it. You always do."
"Why haven't you figured it out? You usually catch on by now. It's impossible that you couldn't figure out this one." L's muffled voice came from beneath her hands.
She resumed her posture by sitting back, removing her hands, "I was too distracted by the actor's terrible violin playing. It's all wrong, you know. The gestures, the bow technique, and how she plays it, it's completely inaccurate."
"Really? Let me rewind a bit and rewatch that scene." L took the remote control, adjusted the time, and they both focused on the scene where the protagonist was performing.
Meredith pointed out, "See that? She's pressing the wrong string. It's impossible to play that note like that, and therefore, it's impossible for the bomb to be triggered by that specific sound frequency."
She reached for her violin on the violin stand and played the note. "She should press it on this spot of the third string, instead of the second," Meredith explained, while putting her instrument back on the stand.
"I see. So the bad acting - that's why you're not convinced Mr. Krieg is the real killer?"
Meredith rolled her eyes. "…Thanks, L, for spoiling who the true killer is."
He grinned; he liked the way she rolled her eyes. It was one of the few expressions she would only show in front of him. Besides her soft smile, which she reserved for everyone when being polite or genuinely happy, she mostly maintained a plain expression, concealing her emotions.
It had been a long time since he had seen any other expression from her, such as crying. Since that day when they were still young, she had never cried again, at least not to his knowledge. He was still curious about what happened that day, but was also aware that it was a question that needed to wait for the perfect timing to ask, and he was willing to patiently wait for the day when the mystery would unravel.
L picked up another tape pinching it with his two fingers, "So, now that you already know who the killer is, shall we proceed to another tape?"
She glanced at the stacks of videotape boxes they had borrowed from the Wammy's library, containing the latest donation of around 27 recently released movies from one of the professors. However, when it came to suspense movies, L always appeared to effortlessly guess the true culprit, leaving Meredith uninterested as L consistently nailed it. As a result, they had already made their way through half of the collection.
"No, it's no fun if you're spoiling it," Meredith said, lying back on the carpet and gazing at the ceiling.
L smiled and suddenly appeared in her field of view. "I have a feeling for chess. Do you want to play?"
"Sure, but the chess set is in the game room downstairs."
"Oh, right." He had forgotten he hoarded the chess set for over 6 years, along with anything else that interested him from the game room when he first arrived at the orphanage. Because of him, Watari had to purchase additional sets of chess for the other children. The chess set was only returned to the game room after L moved out of Wammy's House.
"We could go and get it," Meredith suggested. Bet he doesn't want to go out, she thought.
"I'll go get it if you're coming with me," L replied, getting up from the floor. "You're coming, right?"
"I thought you would think it was a bother to do so," she said, sitting up and standing.
"It's better if there's someone who can accompany me."
They both hurried out of Meredith's room, swiftly making their way to the game room on the first floor. They scanned their surroundings, skillfully avoiding encounters with other people in the hallway. They took cover behind pillars, pressing their backs against the walls to ensure that no one saw them.
"The coast is clear, Agent Meri," L said in a commanding voice, his gaze sweeping the hallway.
Meredith giggled at L's demeanor, and accommodated his playfulness as if they were on a covert mission. "Understood, Agent L."
L motioned for her to follow him, "Call me Agent Coil."
"Your current alias?" she asked, matching his pace.
L speed-walked while replying, "In the last solved case, I used the name Eraldo Coil."
Taking a quick detour, they swiftly ducked into a nearby alcove, perfectly timed to avoid a passing janitor. The sound of his keys jingled ominously, though it turned out to be none other than Roger, carrying out his regular patrols.
When the sounds of Roger's footsteps faded into the distance, they exchanged a relieved glance and resumed to heading towards the game room.
"We're closing in on our objective, Agent Coil," Meredith said, following L. "What made you suddenly want to play chess?"
"IBM's Deep Blue chess-playing computer defeated chess champion Garry Kasparov. I feel the need to sharpen my chess skills, or else I might be replaced by a computer too."
"I read about that. It's truly amazing."
"It certainly is, and I predict that the development of artificial intelligence will reach its peak within 50 years."
"I think you're underestimating this technology. I'm guessing it will happen within 20 years."
L looked back at her, "We'll see about that then. Let's make a bet on who predicts the development of artificial intelligence more accurately."
He went on, "Wonder if artificial intelligence could develop playing other board games, such as Go or Shogi - "
He then was taken by surprise as an unexpected obstacle appeared, resulting in an accidental collision with a young boy. The force of the collision disrupted the boy's balance, causing him to stagger backward and inevitably crash to the ground with a resounding thud. He winced in pain as his body absorbed the shock, while his books scattered across the floor.
"Hey, watch where you're going!" the boy exclaimed, his voice tinged with irritation.
L swiftly regained his composure, realizing his mistake, and began collecting the fallen books, "Sorry, wasn't paying attention."
Handing the boy his books, L turned and hurried away, leaving Meredith with the boy.
"Are you okay? Do you need to go to the health center?" She extended her hand to the boy, and pulled him up. As she looked at him, a sense of recognition flashed through her mind, as if she had just glimpsed a younger version of L. Despite the lack of a striking resemblance in their features, the boy's hairstyle, slender frame, and mannerisms carried an undeniable familiarity. He seemed to be around four years younger than both of them.
"Yeah, I'm fine," the boy replied, dusting off his clothes. "I don't need to go to the health center. Thanks."
Meredith's gaze lingered on the boy's departing figure, captivated by his gait and slightly hunched posture that bore a striking resemblance to L. It piqued her curiosity, but she quickly shifted her focus towards the game room. From the entrance, L's hand waved eagerly, beckoning her to join him and capturing her attention.
"I guess you failed your mission, Agent Coil," Meredith said with a smile, entering the game room.
L frowned playfully, "I suppose I have."
They exchanged a smile, their earlier encounter already fading from their minds. They grabbed the chess set they had used in their youth, opting for the familiar pieces instead of the newer ones provided by Watari and Roger.
"So, let's do it again. This time, I will not fail the mission, Agent Meri."
"How was the last case?" Meredith asked, studying the chessboard as L moved his pawn to d5.
"Humans are a cunning species," L responded, his voice as monotone as ever.
"How so?"
"The traffickers pose themselves as benevolent individuals offering promising job opportunities to those who have vulnerable backgrounds for a better life. They have also established great reputation among the locals, and so it was quite a shock for them to know that they were not benevolent beings as they seemed to be."
She was not unfamiliar with cunning people. "They truly are monsters," she said, moving her pawn to c4.
L's faint brows raised slightly at her remark, but he swiftly made his move. "Yes. Monsters," he agreed, his focus on the chessboard.
"You want to share with me how you solved it?"
He contemplated Meredith's request for a moment, his gaze drifting from the chessboard. "I started by analyzing the profiles of the victims and mapping the incidents. It was a basic step, but it led me to conclude that the traffickers targeted within a limited geographic radius, leveraging proximity to their advantage."
She moved her knight to f3, "That makes sense. If they presented themselves as the main financial supporters in the area, they would need a deep connection with the locals to gain their trust when introducing job opportunities."
L resumed his moves, switching the King and Rook. "After that, I delved into the financial transactions of the related job agencies. With some assistance from the German government, I managed to scrutinize bank statements, wire transfers, and cash flow patterns. It revealed a complex web of shell companies and offshore accounts."
Meredith captured L's pawn with her knight, acknowledging his deduction. "Typical money laundering techniques to hide their illicit profits."
L seized her knight in return, his focus undeterred, "There had to be an insider connection within the local law enforcement agencies given the magnitude of this operation. The German investigation body became untrustworthy, and I had no choice but to seek support from the BfV. I conducted personal interviews with selected agents and allocated extra time to discreetly perform background checks on key individuals involved in the investigation."
He continued, "After gathering the information provided by the undercover agents, it became evident that one of the high-ranking officials within the local law enforcement agency was the mastermind behind the operation. This individual had abused their authority to protect the traffickers and profit from their criminal activities," L concluded, his gaze shifting from the chessboard to Meredith.
Intrigued, Meredith posed, "So, who do you think the true monster is? The insider or the trafficker?"
L smiled wryly, his mind already set. "Take your guess. On the count of three."
"One,"
"Two,"
"Three- "
"The insider."
"The insider."
"I see we have reached the same conclusion," he said, moving his queen straight and taking her pawn. "Checkmate."
Meredith moved her king away. "Nice move, but I see the game can still continue."
"Yes, another case has been assigned to me by Watari, so this time I won't be able to stay until Sunday night. I'll be leaving on Sunday morning, before anyone wakes up."
"…Oh," she replied, directly taking his knight, her gaze momentarily flickered away.
L noticed a hint of dimness in her expression and decided to change the subject. "What are you currently reading? It would be nice if we could finish the same book before we meet again and discuss it."
Meredith moved her rook. "I'm reading 'Oliver Twist' by Charles Dickens."
L contemplated reaching for his bishop but hesitated. "At what part are you currently?"
"I've reached the part where Oliver meets the juvenile pickpockets, Fagin, and the part where the old gentlemen offer to take care of him at their home."
He was, in fact, familiar with the plot of Oliver Twist. An orphan thrust into the ruthless world of crime, Oliver encounters the dark underbelly of society. What L had experienced was similar, if not more painful than the events depicted in the novel itself, and he hadn't intended to share it with Meredith. Moreover, the girl had her own secrets, so why should he be the first to reveal his own? Nevertheless, he realized that without disclosing some of his own experiences, he might never unravel the mystery that lay before him.
"What do you think about the juvenile pickpockets?" L inquired.
"…Hmm, I'm not sure. I've never encountered one myself, but it seems like they have no choice. However, it would be unreasonable for me to claim I understand what they're going through, as I've never experienced poverty in any form," Meredith replied, moving her queen. "I don't think I'm grounded enough to say anything about them."
L found her response amusing, "Then, what would you do if you noticed a pickpocket taking your things?"
"I would let them take it, pretending not to notice. Those belongings are just worldly possessions for me, but they might be someone else's next meal."
Gazing at the girl before him, he was unsure if she was telling the truth or not. But in moments like this, when he couldn't determine if she was lying, he found it was usually the truth.
And that made him feel comfortable sharing a piece of himself with her, subtlety.
"Recommend something else for me. I don't need to read about a protagonist with a similar story to mine," said L, shifting his gaze back to the chessboard, purposely avoiding looking at her reaction, expecting her to be slightly surprised by his disclosure.
He wasn't wrong. Her eyes widened upon hearing his statement, but she quickly composed herself. "Then what interests you?"
L looked up at her, "Perhaps something equally meaningful?"
Meredith hesitated, "I'm... I'm not sure if there's anything similar."
To what extent should she reveal? She found herself uncertain about which parts of her past were acceptable to disclose. Should she talk about the neglect she endured from her mother, or the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father? How would L perceive her? Even she couldn't bear the cowardice of her younger self, unable to protect herself. It would also be challenging to explain the conflicting longing she felt for her mother despite the manipulative and verbal abuse she endured.
L mentioned that his past was similar to Oliver Twist's, implying he may have experienced poverty. If she were to disclose her privileged upbringing, it might only hurt his feelings.
And…how she escaped from her family…it certainly was not a good story to share with him…there seemed to be nothing suitable.
He noticed her uncertainty and decided to let it go. "Never mind, just recommend whatever comes to your mind that you think is good."
Meredith paused for a moment and then said, "...The Great Gatsby, then." She believed that providing such subtle hints should be enough, even if they were not part of the main storyline.
It was now her turn, and as she moved her bishop, she gently declared, "Checkmate, L."
L's gaze shifted back to the board, realizing the dire situation he was in, but it was too late to make any changes.
The game had come to an end.
Author's Note:
Recently, I got my hands on Death Note: How to Read ! I bought it second-hand in perfectly fine condition for only about $2.5. I am over the moon.
To maintain subtlety in their relationship, I plan to include more short chapters like this one. I enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of slice-of-life content. While I'm unsure if I'll delve into L's past in this fic, I will drop hints throughout the story. Writing about it individually felt odd, and I want to leave it open to interpretation, as everyone has their own preferences regarding L's past.
Feel free to leave a comment at your convenience. It would greatly motivate me to continue and complete this fic. Although I'm not good at drawing, I did post a doodle of this chapter on AO3, and perhaps more for later chapters.
I'm also considering revising my first chapter. I think I have improved when writing latest chapters, and the first few may not be interesting enough for others to dive into, so it would be great if anyone could give me feedback on this subject.