Karma (Death Note)

Chapter 18: Memory

After I walked out on Ryuzaki an hour ago, I bought a soda from a vending machine to cool off some steam.

Takeshi-kun being part of the Kira case? That's stupid! He's not someone that would have anything to do with it. Hell, he would never even go outside if he didn't have school or food to eat in his house.

"Matsuda, what are you doing here? I was looking everywhere for you." The chief asked while approaching me.

"Sorry chief, I just never thought that that would happen. Takeshi being suspected as a criminal? I wouldn't even dare believe it, I was never that angry before..." I trailed off. The chief chuckled then pat my shoulder.

"It's fine, Matsuda. That was my reaction too when Light was suspected to be Kira except not as ballistic." I was shocked.

"Was I that mad? Wow, so that's why I felt really drained." I rubbed the back of head sheepishly. The chief laughed and leaned on the wall.

"So, your cousin. You two were close?" He asked.

"I guess you could say that, he was hyper and energetic despite being an introvert..."

Ah, I remember when we first met each other. We were visiting his mother for her birthday before she died years after.

He was eight while I was sixteen.

"Kaa-san. Who's this?" A little boy asked while tugging his mother's sleeve.

"This is Matsuda, he is your cousin." His mother explained.

"Hey, I'm Matsuda!" I grinned as I got down to his height to see his face.

"You're my itoko? Cool! I'm Takeshi! Wanna play with me?" He asked with enthusiasm.

"Sure!" I agreed as Takeshi grabbed my hand lead me to his room.

"Have fun you two!" My aunt yelled from the hall.

"Hai!" Little Takeshi yelled back before we went inside of his room.

In his room was a tv with a console, a bed, a closet, and a book shelf filled with books and manga.

"What do you want to play first?" He asked while pulled out a Gameboy from his pocket.

I thought for a moment before finally deciding on what to play.

"Let's play... Legend of Zelda!" I replied.

"Good choice! Because I actually have that game!" He took out a cartridge of the Zelda game and chucked it in the Gameboy.

"People always choose the games that I don't have and then I just look at them like." Then he faced me. "'Are you trying to make me jealous or something?'" He exaggerated the phrase, putting his palm over his chest with a look of hurt.

I only laughed at his little act, then we talked about about what characters we like, then a poll on which game is better. Then we got to personal questions.

Like: "What's your favorite food?" Or "Who's the actress you like most?" The basics...

Then. He asked me what I want to do in the future.

"Well. I want to be part of the Japanese Task Force!" I answered enthusiastically.

"Wow! That's cool! I bet you would be a hero, Matsu-chan!" He chirped with a closed eye grin.

"M-Matsu-chan? It's Matsuda-sama to you!" I poked him on the forehead.

"Hey!" He pouted and rubbed his forehead.

"What do want to be in the future, Takeshi-kun?" I asked.

He looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I don't really know... But I'm sure that I'll find out what I want soon!" He replied.

"Hopefully you will." I chuckled.

After that, we celebrated auntie's birthday then we hung out until we had to leave. For the next couple of years, we would meet each other every family reunion or holiday.

Our families were really close, my aunt even said that I was her favorite nephew, it was embarrassing but I took it to heart.

It was unfortunate. He lost his mother seven years later, she died in a car accident...

I remember that day when I received the call from his father.

"Hello?"

"Matsuda-kun." I heard some muffled voices on the other side of the phone.

"Oh hey, uncle! What's up?" I asked.

I heard some sobbing and more muffled voices.

"H-Hey? What's happening there?" I asked, a feeling of dread slowly crawled its way into my heart.

There was a long pause and then uncle cried out.

"Your aunt... She's dead!" He broke down.

I was so shocked. I was speechless and was left to listen to uncle's constant sobbing.

Days later, we all went to her funeral. It was sunny that day, just like those times when she was with us.

I was standing beside Takeshi. He had a dark expression on his face, as if he was steeling himself.

After the funeral, I tried confort Takeshi.

"Hey." I greeted.

"Hey, itoko..." He smiled with that dark expression still on his face.

"I know that... It's hard for you... But we're here for you, ok?" I patted his shoulder.

He looked up at me, the expression disappeared from his face and was replaced with a big grin.

"Don't worry, man. I'll be fine after a few days. Kaa-san told me to be strong when something like this happens. I'm gonna stay strong and steel myself with happiness, all for her." He gave me a thumbs up with a wink.

"And besides..." He continued. Then he grabbed my shoulder and his brother's hand when he was passing by.

He pulled me towards him. "I have you," He raised his brother's hand. "Aniki," He gave a big grin towards uncle's direction. "And Tou-san!"

We all laughed as we are reminded by the happiness that auntie left onto us.

The chief then shook me out of daze while calling out to me.

"Matsuda. Matsuda! Can you hear me?" He called while shaking the daylights out of me.

"Y-Yes, I can hear you!" I squeaked with dizziness filling my head.

"You spaced out... You should try not to do that often..." He crossed his arms then sighed.

"Let's go, Matsuda. We have to go back to L."

He then grabbed my shoulder and led me back to L.