Chapter Text
The moment L read his draft to recite to the Second Kira on Sukura TV, and said unless he took out the part where the Second Kira was free to kill him which could cause the Second Kira to act, Light Yagami laughed.
Light knew there would be changes. But over all, what he wrote were his sentiments, his orders to the Second Kira, to cease and desist his foolish killings of TV personalities and those who were out-spoken against Kira. It was tarnishing Kira's reputation as a saviour of the masses, making the world safe for hard-working, honest people.
As L took the paper with his instructions to the Second Kira away to Aizawa, one of the Kira Task Force members, to create a graphic to correspond with the words to broadcast on Sukura TV—L had sneakily asked Light to write it as if he was Kira—Light put his arm across the back of the couch where he sat and smiled to himself.
He was in the de-facto headquarters of the Kira Task Force that was a hotel room. The task force had moved around every couple of days in an attempt to stay one step ahead of Kira. However, as soon as Light became aware of its members, suddenly the team stopped moving and settled at one hotel. Besides, all the equipment they had to drag around, Light was told, was beginning to become a pain to haul.
Light relaxed. Once the Second Kira received his instructions, he would't have to worry about him anymore. If the Second Kira was smart, he would read between the lines. It told him to sit-tight and wait for Kira's orders.
Soon, I'll find you, you imposter. How dare you impersonate me and how dare another Shinigami reign on my parade and give my powers to another? I am Kira, and there is only be one god of the new world!
Several small televisions in a box format, six in total, sat on a table near the couch, and each of them were broadcasting a separate news station; some local, some outside the Kanto Region.
Just then, something caught Light's eye on the far right bottom screen, and it shocked him.
He straightened his body and stared at the television with intensity, then grabbed the remote. The news segment spoke about the police capturing a serial rapist. The video showed a person handcuffed, arms behind his back, his name plastered on the bottom of the screen, being placed into the back of a cruiser.
But that wasn't what shocked him, it was he person he saw that had been arrested that truly perplexed him.
L suddenly returned, attracted by the sound of the television.
The news cast of a criminal may have drawn attention to Light, whom L thought was Kira, watching media about a potential kill, but Light didn't care at the moment. Right now, he was enthralled by the media coverage about the person who had committed the crime, and L obviously saw his alarming stare.
"What is it, Light?" L asked, looking at the box of televisions. He focused on the bottom one. "You look shocked."
Light shook his head. "More dumbfounded and bewildered, then shocked, Ryuzaki," Light replied, with a sigh. "I know—or rather knew him" —Light pointed at the screen, with the news station replaying the apprehension of a serial rapist— "I was aware the police were hunting for him, but I never imagined it would be... I know Hachi, he and I used to be in the same book club in our second year of high school. He loved classics, but he was a complete introvert. He never liked to socialize. So, being arrested for consecutive sexual assaults is, truthfully, stunning."
"People change, Light," Ryuzaki said straightly. "Do we truly know a person deep down? He could have harboured these feelings even when you knew him? Teenagers these days are hyper-sexually active."
"No, I don't believe that. He never catered to such feelings, and he never spoke of women. At one point, I thought he was gay. But he wasn't. There was just something about him that didn't fit him into that persuasion. All Hachi cared about were books. He had a nickname: 'Bookworm'. He was never seen without a book, reading in his spare time, lunch period, and he was a fish-out-of-water with women. I tried to help him, but then stopped. I actually felt sorry for him, other kids teased him for being different, but I didn't see him that way—and that's why I joined to bookclub, to be his friend. I enjoy reading, and we used to have some interesting discussions. Some lasted for hours over author intention. But over time, I began to dive deeper into my studies. Most teens at that age are finding themselves, if you know what I mean? But not him, and I guess the same could be said about me, too."
L nodded. "I know what you mean, I used to do some crazy things in my younger years," he said.
Light gave Ryuzaki a sideways glance, then turned, when he saw his father approaching them.
"Light, I just got a strange phone call from one of my contacts at the NPA," Soichiro said oddly. "I don't know why, but a defence lawyer is requesting you head down to a police station where they are holding…him!" —his father pointed the audibly activated television screen. "What's this all about, Light?"
Light looked at his father, to Ryuzaki, and then at the television screen. "I have no idea," he said.
To be continued...