The Real Light
[May 12, 2004]
Light had gotten the letter of selection on 5th of May. He had the stupid job, just as expected. And with Ryuk's gleeful cackle at the acceptance letter, Light was certain his lifespan just increased by one more year.
Once his application was confirmed and on-boarding was in-process, Light had messaged Sato and got his options from her as well. Apparently, being the only Japanese wizard at Hogwarts during Triwizard Tournament got him an advantage in negotiating terms for his scholarship. Not that Light knew exactly what he should be asking for beyond a 'relocation' bonus for having to move his life completely from muggle Japan to magical Japan, complete scholarship and tutoring during the years 2004-05 and a new legal identity set up for him. Having his death faked and processed without any hitches in the legal system was apparently included in the whole package by the Ministry.
Life, Light had decided, was going exactly according to plan. That was good.
What was not, was that idiot second Kira sending another tape and a journal to Sakura TV. Why, Light agonized, couldn't he just wait?!
All this proved to him was that he needs to speed up his plans. The sooner Light gets off of L and the second Kira's radar, the better.
"He wanted the journal shown on TV?" Light asked as he entered the meeting room in Task Force Headquarters. Because yes, the second Kira couldn't loose more braincells. Couldn't the guy realize that the more tapes he sent, the more the possibility of finding DNA evidence on them increased. And now a handwritten page of a journal? Handing over handwriting samples and possible fingerprints? To meet with him, the first Kira? By the Death Note and Kami, next the second Kira will be blackmailing him to protect himself from the police! What does Light look like to others? A babysitter? First the Shinigami and Ryuk arrange for him a job as a teacher to wizarding children having no common sense, then L's own childishness and now the second Kira?
"Yes," his father answered and handed over a page of the journal. Light read it through. The entries were made of 2003, last year.
"Please take a look at the entries made on the 30th," L said and Light scoffed.
"Yes, I can read just fine. Thanks," Light said, skipping down to it and then reading it again from the top. That entry was useless. Meeting on the 30th at the Tokyo Dome was just a ruse. Or so Light hoped. Because if it wasn't, that drops the second Kira's IQ down to double digits. Possibly single digits too. Besides, it wasn't any of Light's concern. He'd be dead by then. Let the task force take care of him.
The entry on the 22nd caught his eye: 'My friend and I showed off our notebooks in Aoyama'. Well, Light mused, perhaps there's still hope for this guy. He would do just fine, distracting L from the theory of Light being Kira after his death. Long enough for him to comfortably slip off to the magical world and integrate himself there. In England.
Perhaps he can even shove the theory of 'The Second Kira was actually the First all along' on this person as well. Pretty far fetched to do so, but oh well. It would be fun. Light can only plant the seeds of doubt and hope they germinate. If they don't, no skin off his back.
"Light-kun is so rude," L said as he suddenly stood next to Light. "Even though I value his opinion too much." Light tilted his head to level an incredulous stare at L before turning his eyes back to the page.
"What do you think? Is it real?" L asked, his breath hot on Light's ear. Light felt himself flush at the proximity before taking a step back and keeping some distance between them. Because L had still not learnt personal space exists. Specifically, Light's personal space. He seemed to do just fine with Aizawa's or Matsuda's or even Light's father's personal space.
"About the entry on the 30th? That seems like it's specifically made to catch the police's eyes." Light said, not waiting for L's opinion nor hiding his own. The more L is interested in catching the second Kira, the better it will be for Light. "All I can say for sure at this point, is that he must be stupid." Light paused. "Or she. Males and females are equally capable of being utterly stupid."
"I agree!" Matsuda said with too much enthusiasm and Soichiro coughed. "Er- about the stupid part. Not the males and females part. Though that's true too, I suppose. I agree that it's obvious that he- er, Or she! Or they! Want to meet Kira at the home game."
"Doesn't he understand-"
"What made you think the second Kira is female?" L asked, cutting off Soichiro. Light hummed thoughtfully in response.
"You don't agree, Ryuuzaki? That it's a valid option?" Light asked in turn. "We don't know whether the second Kira is male or female. Or neutral, if we want to go all for right of gender expression. We should keep our options open until we actually find something that would imply a specific gender." Light paused dramatically. "In fact, what made you think the first Kira was male?"
L gave him a look that said 'Really? You're asking that, Light-kun? Do you identify as female?'
"What? You never know." Light grinned back. "We never actually received any proof from first Kira that implies they're male. Those creepy prison love letters to you about Shinigami don't count. In my opinion, they are more of a taunt that any actual communication."
"Love letters?" L stilled. "Is this funny to you, Light-kun? That a mass murderer is sending taunting letters to the police? To L, specifically?"
"No, it's not," Light dropped his grin and spoke seriously, palms spread open. "I am just saying we should keep our options open. Neither the first nor second Kira has indicated any gender. They could be male or female."
"I suppose you are right," L said and sat back on his armchair. He picked up a chocolate from the box and ate it before going back to his tea. "Going back to the journal. I say we make it public and we air an announcement cancelling the game. At the same time, we'll announce that we're going to set up checkpoints along all the roads leading to the Tokyo Dome. And finally, we will send a response from our invented Kira. Something like, 'I understand and I agree to meet you there'."
From there on, it devolved into the usual. Light's father expressing his doubt in L's plan, playing the devil's advocate. L taking that chance to explain the logic behind his decisions and thus, effortlessly convincing the rest of the Task Force to go along with it. Then, pointing out that they needed to visit the rest of the places in the journal as well.
"We have to be prepared that all of our efforts will be fruitless," L said, holding the journal page by the tips of his fingers. "Let's keep an eye out for people with notebooks in Aoyama and clothing stores in Shibuya."
Light felt really very, very fortunate he would be leaving by then. Otherwise, he'd have had to go extreme lengths to get his hands on the second Kira's notebook, so as to keep it out of L's reach. Or kill everyone there in Shibuya or Aoyama in some drastic measure.
"I'll go to Aoyama and Shibuya," Matsuda volunteered. "Since I'll blend in with the crowd."
"I'll go there too," Light volunteered. He wouldn't. Aoyama and Shibuya were on the 22nd and the 26th. Light would have faked his death by then, long since gone off mainland Japan. At this moment, it was more important to put himself forward to volunteer and at the latest possible date at that.
"But Light..." Soichiro Yagami trailed off. Light gave him a comforting smile.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Light said. "Aoyama and Shibuya are places I'd go to anyways." His father paused thoughtfully at that. "I'd look the most natural hanging out there with Matsui. Besides, the second Kira will be there looking for Kira, not the police."
Light could feel L's stare burning into his face at that comment. As if saying, 'So that's why you want to go? Are you confessing? Is this it?'
At some point in the distant past, Light would have ignored it. Now, however, Light turned to stare at L right back.
"What? You want to come too?" Light asked mildly, actually interested in the answer. "You do look like you need some shopping done. And to get some sun. You're too pale, Ryuuzaki."
"I'm perfectly fine where I am. I have all the Light I need right here," L replied, his expression the same disinterested one as always. Matsuda choked and coughed. Even Aizawa looked over and Light felt his neck flush.
"Indoor lighting doesn't do much good," Light refuted and pressed on. "You need the sun. Come along, Ryuuzaki. It will be fun."
"Exposure to some real Light might kill me," L deadpanned and Light could hear the unsaid 'Kira' in there. "And Watari does all my shopping. I already have everything I need, right here. There is no need for more."
While the rest of the task force took that statement at face value and the off-hand dismissal that it was, Light stared. Because somehow, he knew L was not talking about clothes there. Which was why, when the rest of the task force went out the door to wait for the elevator, Light lingered back at the door. He waited till he heard the dull ping of the doors opening before turning back and saying softly,
"You should come. It might not kill you, you know." L turned to look at him blankly. "The real Light."
Light doesn't wait for an answer. He closed the hotel door behind him and walks to join the rest waiting for him at the open elevator doors.
*****
Light doesn't know why he said that. But he did, and what's done is done. What is left, however, is waiting for Matsuda's cab to arrive in the hotel lobby. They talked about the trip, and Light subtly leads into the conversation.
"I have some friends we can go to Aoyama with," Light said. Matsuda nodded.
"That sounds good. I hadn't even thought of that. Difficult for the second Kira to get to us if we have other people with us," Matsuda said. "Hey, do you really think the second Kira is a woman?"
"It could be," Light said nonchalantly. "They could also be a man or neither or both. It's just a theory Matsuda." And now, to go for game point. "We can think of a variety of scenarios and discard them as evidence comes up on the contrary."
"Oh," Matsuda asked, interested. "Like what?"
"Like there actually being no second Kira," Light said. Matsuda blinked.
"But," he stammered. "You and L agreed that there is a first and second Kira and both are different!"
"That doesn't take into account Kira having a split personality," Light pointed out. "He could very well have Dissociative Identity Disorder. One of his personalities might be first Kira and the second, who is unaware of the first being Kira, takes up the mantle of the second Kira."
"Oh man," Matsuda groaned. "We will never get anywhere like this." Light laughed at his distress.
"There, there, Matsui." Light grinned. "I'm sure we will figure everything out. The truth always comes to light." Matsuda snickered at the terrible pun.
"You're totally right," the older man said. There was a honk as a cab pulled up and Matsuda looked at the number plate. "This one seems like yours."
"Okay," Light said and opened to door to get into the car. "We will talk more about our trips tomorrow."
"Sounds good, Light," Matsuda said and helped him close the door. "See you tomorrow. Careful getting home."