Futatsu no Tsuki

Futatsu no Tsuki

Chapter 14

Two Days Later

Widened eyes hidden behind heavy sunglasses gazed up at the newly built condominium while the brief midday breeze fluttered strands of the auburn hair surrounding a smooth skinned face. The breeze settled before hesitant legs took their first tentative step toward the structure, the glass doors opening automatically before them. Yue drew in a breath and gripped the backpack slung over his shoulder to still his hand's tremor.

'This is where that stalker's intended victim lives…' Yue's eyes searched the vicinity carefully from behind the sunglasses and the strands of his recently dyed auburn hair. The layout of the lobby portrayed itself similar to other apartment complexes, with carpeted floor and scarce decorations placed upon the walls - yet the color scheme and cleanliness bestowed a higher class aura upon the room. This place seemed perfect as housing for an up-and-coming model.

Clothed in pressed pants and the soft white dress shirt with ruffles down the front, Yue continued through the lobby, hesitation's hold dispelled as he reached the elevators. He breathed in deeply as he settled against the back wall of the elevator, pressing the number of the floor he desired.

'If that stalker's death was due to the same power Kira has, then investigating Amane-san will be dangerous. Nothing about the stalker attacking anyone was reported, and since no foul play was suspected the information about him having a stalker-shrine for the model was suppressed by the model's agents and the police.'

Yue fixed the sunglasses snuggly on his face and placed down his backpack, closing his eyes as his brief swallow betrayed his fear through his poker-face. If he made a misstep and got noticed, he could be killed - that danger filled his stomach with knots. Yet, death itself didn't scare him - twice in his life he had flat-lined - briefly after his second suicide attempt, and then one year later - and both times there came a strange calm. Death wasn't what terrified him - not his own at least.

'There are two people I want to protect more than anything, if I mess up and die, how will I be able to help them? If I die, L will continue to hound aniki believing he's Kira until one or the other dies….and aniki, if he is Kira…if he is….'

Yue shivered as the elevator stopped and the door slid open to the simple yet elegantly designed floor housing the model's apartment. The door almost slid shut again without him disembarking, it got to two inches space between the doors before he gritted his teeth, pressed the open door button, and stepped into the hallway.

0

L frowned, staring at the tea cup on the table arrayed with confectionary delights, his reflection in the amber fluid floated with each ripple passing over the surface. He refrained from sighing as the voice on the phone to his ear once more proclaimed that the number could not be reached and to try again or leave a message. Silently, he flipped shut the phone and placed it back in his pocket, tilting his head in a slightly despondent expression. This was reflected upon the tea's surface, and distorted by the ripples caused by his sighs into the cup.

'Having Yue's cell-phone number is useless if he keeps it turned off. I must have a tracker and bug installed in his phone ASAP….Yagami-san may disagree about a listening device, but a tracker can help keep Yue safe….If only Yue had agreed to join the Taskforce's investigation….having him here would make sure we're never able to meet alone while providing me with opportunity to track his investigation.'

Tilting his head to the other side, finger at his lips and eyes staring unblinkingly upon the sweets-covered table, L played with the smooth metal handle of his fork. He picked it up daintily with forefinger and thumb and gazed upon it - or rather at his contemplative reflection upon the shiny expanse. He frowned again as he distantly listened to the arrival of the taskforce officers through the hotel room door.

'….what did Yue mean when he said he wouldn't forgive those responsible for the death of this second person killed by Kira? If Kira killed this other acquaintance of his, then Kira is solely responsible. Unless this acquaintance was framed….' L brought the fork tines to his teeth and felt the metal with his tongue. The touch and taste of the metal a catalyst for his thoughts, despite the lack of sweet attached to it. 'How Yue phrased it made it seem a threat rather than a warning. But if it was a threat….absurd, it was aimed at me and there's zero possibility that Yue met someone I caught. Besides….all those I caught are already dead….most by death penalties, the others by Kira….and the extent of their crimes guarantee someone like Yue would have nothing to do with them.'

It flashed through his head, images of Yue two years prior during their night in the States, and his cheeks tinged a slight pink as he shut his eyes. Pushing away from the table, he lowered his face to his knees while willing the memories - and their threatening effect on his body - back into a locked and bolted alcove of his brain. He kept his face hidden, chewing on his inner lip as he listened to the officers enter the room - rather than being scrutinized by embarrassing questions, he pretended to be asleep. The effect of the memories upon his lower body wouldn't allow him to budge from his chair until he succeeded in wresting control back.

'That night has NOTHING to do with this case.'

0

Light sat beside his father's hospital bed remaining quiet until his mother left to get some lunch; dressed in his school uniform with a well-kempt and honorable son look, he gazed straight at his father's profile. Upon the aging features he noticed the oblique eyebrows attesting to sadness and the near sigh of worry that nearly escape his father's lips before Souichiro schooled them. Leaning forward in his chair, Light placed his hand on his father's arm and spoke calmly.

"Yue will be all right, dad, he said he'd be late visiting today, but he's sure to be all right."

"….I don't know…..I got a terrible feeling about things….." Souichiro sighed, the next moment his eyebrows knitted together in thought. He pushed the thought away as his eyes gleamed under the room's lights, and turned to his eldest son. "There was something about the other day….about how Yue looked at…."

"At Ryuzaki?" Light prodded as the idea welled within him, bursting at the seams of his self-control. He'd noticed the peculiar facial twitches and stares L and Yue gave each other, fleeting and discreet. The kind those in intimate relationships would sneak each other….if his father had noticed them….

"No, I didn't notice anything strange about how Yue acted with Ryuzaki, though it seemed Ryuzaki was uncomfortable….no," Souichiro met his eldest's eyes, unable to read the chocolate-brown orbs beyond the surface hosting the proper son he'd assumed would always exist. Doubt truly filled him as he remembered two nights ago, what he'd read in his youngest son's eyes. "It was how Yue looked at you, Light. While you were commenting on how he should join the investigation….there was something…..then when you left, how he shivered as he walked by you…."

"Oh?" Light felt his chest tighten before he swallowed and settled the bubbling in his stomach with willpower. He refrained from glaring at Ryuk as the Shinigami grinned and laughed. "I noticed that too, but I'm sure he was just cold - he was wearing clothing designed for warmer weather."

"Yes, that is probably it, I suppose - the air-conditioning is up a bit too high. But….um, when did Yue dye his hair? It was black when he came home the other day, but then he changed it to….back to auburn."

Light felt himself stiffen inwardly as he recalled Yue's appearance during the ride to the hospital to visit their father; the words from his brother that he'd taken as a joke throttled him as he scrutinized the younger 18-year-old. It felt like he stared at himself, uncharacteristically dressed for a club, rather than at his fraternal twin. There were differences in Yue's face that he distinguished the second time he looked him over - their similarities weren't identical, but rather like two, not-twin brothers who just resembled each other. But Yue's effort made it near impossible to tell the differences at first glance.

Hell, the color Yue changed his hair to wasn't the younger's natural shade of auburn, but rather closer to his shade of brown. Then how Yue had trimmed the newly dyed hair….

'He's seriously messing with me. If he hadn't been wearing his ridiculous clothing, but rather my spare uniform, we'd look like identical twins. Even those scars of his he concealed with makeup….'

"Yue probably did it for a joke, there's nothing to worry about concerning that. There would be less to be concerned about if he'd join the investigation with the taskforce…."

"Yes, there would. But it's Yue's choice and he's gotten stubborn. I tried to talk him into reconsidering this morning, but he refused to budge. I talked to Ryuzaki last night about convincing Yue, but he refused - saying he'd be unable to convince Yue." Souichiro leaned back on the propped-up hospital-bed pillows, brows once more furrowed in thought. "I thought that since they met before that….."

Light's eyebrows shot up, his posture straighter as he zeroed in on the comment rolling unconcernedly from his father's lips. He felt his heart bursting against his ribcage, his breath slightly held.

"What? They met before? Ryuzaki and Yue?"

"Yes." Souichiro caught onto the intense interest that marred his eldest's tone before the college student reined it in. "Two years ago in the States, Yue said. A brief encounter."

"That….that is a surprise." Light fixed his posture as his watch gave a brief beep, signifying the end of his lunch break. "Ah, it seems I have to head back to the university. But I'll visit again later." The teen parted from his father, missing the questioning stare the police chief gave toward his departing back.

Out in the hall, away from the prying eyes of anyone who would notice, Light's lips twitched; breaking into a part grin. Ryuk's laugh echoed in his ear as he thought.

'An encounter between L and Yue in the States? Then how quickly they engaged in that…inappropriate, intimate encounter on campus….that's rich. Two years ago? Two years ago Yue was underage….L….if you had sex with Yue two years ago…..'

"Neither dad nor the rest of the taskforce will trust L if I found proof and made it known to them. The great detective L and a sixteen-year-old….."

His brother's words reverberated through his thoughts, but he dismissed them. Even if Yue had seduced L, the facts that L was older and Yue had been molested by Hirose, precluded that Yue would be seen as a misguided, confused victim. Though it wouldn't stop them from needing L's help on the case, if Light revealed the relationship with proof then certain members of the taskforce would be bound to be less inclined to work peacefully with the detective.

Rich. Truly rich.

"Hey, Light. Hey." Ryuk glided alongside the brunette, attempting the gauge the teen's mood - the human's thoughts were a mystery. "Are you still mad at me for not mentioning it?" The Shinigami flinched as he caught the sudden coldness in the unblemished face.

"Ryuk, you are still not getting any apples today. And I don't buy the excuse that you 'forgot to mention' that twins can sometimes sense the presence of their sibling's Shinigami. If I hadn't found Yue's flinch the moment you brushed by him peculiar two days ago, I wouldn't know about the danger I faced from that."

"Aw, come on, Light. I wanna apple!"

0

Kneeling beside the desk, locked drawer picked open quietly, Yue leafed through the strange notebook he found among the papers and magazines inside the drawer. He noted the cutesy handwriting and mentally compared it to the other writing samples of the model's he found in the apartment. It matched, though the writing in the notebook was much neater and lacked the heart shapes the model customarily added to her letters and such. Almost as though the writing in the notebook was of a more serious nature.

He swallowed as he read the first handwritten page, and recognized it as a list of people's names and deaths - none however were of those killed by Kira. Further none of the names struck him as familiar, odd as he memorized both the names of all recent criminals and fugitives that would certainly become Kira victims as well as those already killed by Kira. None of those in the notebook matched.

"If Amane-san was Kira, she'd have something with criminal names written down on. It is possible that those pages could've been destroyed to dispose of evidence, but….these names don't match with anyone fitting the profile of Kira's normal victims. I think I might have scanned a magazine with something written about some of these people - but nothing about committing legal crimes. Moral offenses maybe, but…."

'I'm fairly certain too, that those people whose names I recognize are still alive….' He paused, re-reading the page carefully. The next moment he dropped the notebook and gaped, blinking twice before reading a third time. "These death dates….they're all for set as tomorrow…."

Arms numb Yue took out his disposable camera and photographed the notebook, making sure to get a clear shot of each page with writing, then the front and back covers. After finishing that, he flipped to the collection of blank pages tracing one absently with his left hand's fingers. Hesitation surged through him, causing him to almost close the notebook and place it back as it was; instead he shook his head and proceeded to rip out a number of sheets.

'In case this is….I need to have evidence….' Yue closed the notebook after counting out ten sheets, observing his work closely afterwards to make sure there were no conspicuous gaps left behind. He placed the pilfered pages in his bag and carefully returned the notebook to its exact found location. The watch on his wrist beeped as he closed drawer. 'Fifteen minutes before Amane-san returns from her shoot today. Time to make sure things are as they were before I snuck in.'