Solace (Beyond Birthday)

Chapter I

— Chapter I —

I, Akari Yagami, am not one to lie. But nor am I one to break promises, especially to those closest to me. The second my brother told me that he was Kira, it was difficult to choose between the two of these principles.

Kira was a mass murderer. I didn't care that he only targeted criminals, I didn't care about how quickly the crime rates were decreasing, and I most certainly didn't care about Kira's cynical view of the world. He was a murderer, no matter which way I thought about it.

When he held out a thin black notebook with the words "Death Note" engraved in white on the cover, I only rolled my eyes. I told him that he was spitting out nonsense and refused to believe something so ridiculous.

But it was no mistaking that it was the truth when he killed a criminal on television right then and there just to prove it. My heart stopped, and I told him that it was pure coincidence and that there was no way such an action could be done by merely writing someone's name in a stupid notebook.

He stared at me for a few long seconds before more news of another criminal holding someone hostage was being reported on television, and he scribbled that person's name down on the same page of the notebook. Two minutes later, the television screen was being filled with flashing cameras and several other reporters. "The victim appears to be running out of the building! She's safe and unharmed... and, what's this? The criminal has been pronounced dead? This is undoubtedly the work of Kira!" the main reporter announced.

Light turned towards me again. "I'll keeping writing the names of these people until you believe me."

He switched to another news station, and, watching intently, he picked his pen up once again.

"It appears that Nakamura Hiro is heavily shoplifting for the fourth time this month; the police force has been trying to catch him, but it's been too difficult to," a different reporter began as a picture of a man flashed in the corner of the screen.

I grabbed Light's hand and snatched the pen from him, throwing it across the room as my breaths began to quicken. I fell to my knees, feeling dizzier than I have in my entire life. "N-no. No," I pleaded as my lips began to tremble.

He knelt down so that he was at my level and held me up by my shoulders. "You have to understand," he said carefully.

I refused to look up. My bangs hung over my face as I stared straight at the ground.

He sighed. "Do you know what kind of place this world is becoming? Do you think this is a joke?"

I stood up abruptly. "You don't even know how much I wish this was a joke!" I shouted, glaring at him furiously.

"Akari," he muttered irritably, "Keep quiet."

"What the hell?!" I screamed as I began to hyperventilate. I began to feel light-headed again.

Light put his hand over my mouth momentarily before I shoved it away roughly. "You're the person I trust most in this family. How do you think Sayu would react if I told her? Mom? Dad?"

I narrowed my eyes and bit my lip. "You know what I think of that monster who murders so many people who..."

My voice trailed off as I began to feel a choking sensation. Tears spilled out of my eyes and ran down my cheeks. "Please tell me that you aren't serious," I managed to choke out.

"I'm going to be a God, Akari," he said. "Just think of how much better the world—"

"Stop talking like that," I cried. His expression began to change back into a more down-to-earth one at the sight of the pain in my eyes.