Cloak and Dagger

Chapter 5

"Class is over."

"Hideki-kun!" I exclaim, almost ruining the panel I'm working on. I slide off my overhead headphones, revealing a multitude of fresh piercings that complete my look. "Who's your friend?"

"I'm Yagami Light."

"Kinobori Uta. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Uta-chan, we need to head home." L smiles. He extends his hand to me, which I take with a small laugh. L helps me off the chair. I turn off the lightbox and pack up my work-in-progress manga.

"Light-san, this is my girlfriend."

"Oh?"

"Is there a problem?" I ask flatly, not impressed by Light's tone.

"No, although I didn't expect someone like Ryuuga-san to date someone like you."

"Mind elaborating?" My tone is rapidly turning to ice.

"Uta-chan..."

"I simply didn't anticipate someone with such a casual style as L would date someone with a more eccentric punk style."

"Ain't you ever heard the phrase 'don't judge a book by it's cover'?"

I pull my Final Fantasy 8 messenger bag over my shoulder and take L's hand.

"You'll have to forgive Uta-chan." L says. "She can be rather... icy, when people make thoughtless comments."

"Hideki-kun, look what I've got." I smile, pulling a large strawberry lollipop from my bag. The reaction is minute, but I've been hanging out with L long enough to recognise that his face has lit up at the sight of the treat.

"Thank you, Uta-chan." L mumbles, taking the sweet. "But I needed to tell you that you'll be going home alone this evening."

"What do you mean?" I ask, frowning.

"Yagami-san promised to take me to a cafe." L states calmly as we walk to the street where Watari usually picks us up. "I shouldn't be gone for more than an hour."

Watari's limo pulls up at the curb. I turn to L, grasping his forearm in both hands. I rise to my toes and peck his cheek.

"Be careful, Ryuu." I whisper before returning to a less conspicuous Japanese. "Hey, if all goes well on my end, you'll have some more macaroons to look forward to."

"Oooh. Sounds delicious." L replies with a faint quirk of the lips. I climb into the car and wave to him and Light. Watari pulls onto the road with care; everything he does is planned and precise, I've noticed.

"Good afternoon, Miss Aikurushii."

"Good afternoon, Watari." I reply. "Is there anything on the agenda this evening?"

"Actually, I wanted to speak to you."

"Is there something wrong?"

"It's about the Kira case."

"What do you need to know, Watari?"

"This recent development, with you being referred to by the dying... We are certain it's you?"

"Right now, there's nobody else we could expect it to be." I murmur sadly. "I don't want it to be me, Watari. I don't want to be close to Kira. I don't want anyone I know, any of the people I've interacted with, to be that kind of person."

"Miss Aikurushii... Have you ever heard of a 'fugue state'?"

"Yes. I suppose you think I may be experiencing such a thing?"