"Your project will be due next weekend. I expect you all to work on it diligently." The dull voice grated into Ori's brain. Ori liked her psychology class, but her professor was super boring. His voice managed to somehow find a way to get on all seven trillion of her nerves.
The shrill scream of the bell signified the end of class. With a relieved sigh, Ori grabbed her papers and shoved them inside her bag. Not even bothering to slip the strap over her shoulder, she just grabbed the handle attached to the bag. She had stayed up all night going through her notes. After about an hour of looking over the names and dates, she came across bullet points that didn't make any sense. They were definitely in her handwriting, but she didn't remember writing them. They said things like:
'Ryuk and Raito are attached.'
'He's taunting me.'
'He's hanging off him like a leech.'
It wasn't just confusing; it was unnerving. Part of the reason Ori never went to bed was that she felt like she would wake up screaming if she did. It made trying to talk to Raito uncomfortable and in no way easy. Whenever she saw her friend, she got chills and had to walk away before he even saw her. It didn't help that she suspected him of being Kira, and she was probably being really suspicious herself, but too many questions filled her head. Who was Ryuk? And why was he taunting her? Was Ryuk the leech? The answer to the last question was 'probably', but that only made Ori more curious about her first question. She was practically pulling her hair out by the time the sun rose. None of it made any fucking sense.
"Ori!" A voice called out to her from the courtyard. Ori was about to head to the café for a lunch break when she saw Raito waving at her. He seemed uncharacteristically cheerful with his bright smile and gleeful expression. Raito never smiled like that. She walked over, feeling slightly nervous. The notes she didn't remember writing stuck into her mind like sticky notes. She pulled her hand from her pocket and gave a small wave. Her stomach churned painfully. She walked passed him, not speaking. No much for not looking suspicious. Ori wasn't one-hundred percent certain that Raito was Kira, probably because she didn't want him to be Kira, but the probability was higher than she would've liked.
"Hey, what's wrong? Are you feeling all right?" Suddenly he was right beside her.
"I'm good, just tired. I never went to bed last night. Normally, not sleeping won't bother me, but I think stress has something to do with it. Every hour, more and more people are dying while I'm going to school and getting ready for a dumb project."
"Hey, relax. You're not responsible for them."
"People are dying, Raito. You don't seem to understand that. They may not be innocent people, but they're still people. We can't forget that, otherwise, we're just bad as Kira." That last part slipped out, but Ori didn't regret saying it. Seeing the stunned look on his face was oddly satisfying. Turning away from him, Ori walked passed the gate.
"I'm going to get some lunch. I'll talk to you later."
"I'll go with you."
"No need." She said with a trembling and obviously fake smile. "I figured I'd give your wallet a break. Just this once."
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Light stared after Ori's retreating figure, his blood boiling.
It can't wait until Monday. It has to be tonight. He turned away from the front gate, only to become face to face with L. That irritatingly dead face stared back at him. L stared passed him at Ori.
"Is everything all right with Ms. Nanase, Light?"
"Everything's great. She's just tired." Light threw on a quick smile, when, in reality, he wanted to strangle the detective in front of him. L gave a slight hum of acknowledgment, then sat down on a bench.
What is he doing here? Is he just trying to get on my nerves? Well, good luck, L. Nothing you say or do will be able to touch me. He urged down the confident smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"I went to Ms. Nanase's house for dinner yesterday. And I must say, Vivian is an exceptional cook."
What?! What did he tell her? What did she tell him? No, Light, calm down. He's obviously just trying to get in your head.
L studied his face, eyes narrowed slightly. Light maintained his smile, admittedly, however, it felt much stiffer than before.
"Yeah, her cooking's amazing." This was ridiculous. This conversation was going nowhere and it was clear that L was just trying to get under his skin. Light had better things to do than waste his time here.
"Well, I'm going to get some lunch. I'll see you around, Ryuga."
"Of course, Light. And I'm glad that your father's all right. He was discharged a few days ago, correct?"
"Yeah. He wanted to get back on the Kira-Case as soon as he got out, but my mom's making him rest for a few more days, just to make sure everything's all right." L nodded once, biting his thumb.
"It's unfortunate that all of this happened. Your father is an asset to the case." Light could see the gears turning in L's head, but he couldn't tell what he thinking, not as Ori could. Having Vivian as a mom must've made it easy for Ori to figure out how and why people did things. If Ori was on Kira's side, it would make her invaluable. But that was the problem. She was hunting Kira down, and her obsession with L was only making things more difficult.
"I'm glad he's helping you. Bye, Ryuga."
"Good-bye, Light. I'll see you later." L turned around and walked back towards the school.
"The guy's smart and all, but he's kind of a freak," Ryuk said. Light rolled his eyes and tried not to say, like you have any room to talk, out loud. He ran a hand through his hair, shaking off his irritation. He just had to get through the rest of the school day, then he could go home and begin to execute his plan. If everything went accordingly, it would pull Ori back into Light. He knew that she suspected him. He's known for a while now, and if this worked, all of that suspicion would go out the window.
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Things were getting a little too confusing for L. Maybe it was because he was eating at the Nanase's house instead of working on the case for hours on end like he should've been, but he was having trouble focusing. Things were tense between Ori and Light. It made sense why, but Ori wasn't hiding her distaste for Light as well as she could've. He couldn't tell if it was because they were so close, or because she wanted him to know what she thought of him, either way, Light knew. He was trying to get Ori back into his grips, but with each attempt, Ori was pulling further and further away.
She could at least act like she nothing was wrong. L thought in annoyance. If she couldn't get herself under control, Ori was going to ruin everything. Honestly. Of all things to make Ori visibly uncomfortable, and it had to be the Kira Case. Although, her stiffness wasn't like it was yesterday. She at least talked to him without looking like she saw a ghost. She just looked, unsettled about something, like she was thinking too hard about something. And he had seen the way her eyes roamed around Light before falling on his face. L wondered if she was looking for something. Yes, it was confusing, to say the least.
L stabbed his slice of cake, the strawberry bounced onto the white plate.
Hopefully, I'll be able to speak with Ori later. I need to ask her some questions about how she was looking at Light.
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Ori sat down; almost instantly, she propped her head into her hands, cursing herself. Starting now, she had to get ahold of herself. She couldn't let those notes get to her like this. If she wanted to be a detective, then she had to be able to accept the more unacceptable news.
A waiter placed a mint milkshake in front of her, flashing her a kind smile before walking away. Even though she had told Raito she was going to lunch, her stomach just wasn't feeling it. She sipped her drink, enjoying the mint that coated her tongue. The familiarity calmed her nerves and a content smile. While she was drinking and going over her notes in her head, a waitress walked over.
"Is your drink tasting all right?" She asked. Her black hair was neatly curled and her eyeliner made her brown eyes look bigger and darker.
"Yes, thank you." Ori waited for the waitress to walk away, but she never did. She hovered, looking nervous. Ori looked back up at her, brow cocked in confusion.
"Is there a problem?" Ori asked.
"No, but my friend thinks you're pretty, and she wanted me to get your number for you." Ori's eyes widened in surprise. She looked passed the waitress and short brown hair with blond and red streaks. She had light brown eyes and a small smile. Ori looked back at the waitress.
"I'm sorry, but I don't give my number to strangers." The waitress quickly apologized and bowed briefly, then went back to the other girl. Ori watched the two converse. Ori continued to watch as the girl walked over and stood next to Ori's table.
"Is it all right if I sit here?" She asked. She didn't move, waiting for Ori to give her consent.
"Is it because you don't want to be strangers anymore?" Ori asked. The girl laughed, still not moving from her spot next to the table.
"Yeah."
"I appreciate the determination, have a seat." She laughed once more, then pulled the chair out.
"I'm Sora Haku." Sora reached across the table, showing off a slim, white gold band around the middle finger of her left hand with a vibrant blue stone in the center. Ori took her hand and gave it a small shake.
"Ori Nanase. I have to let you know now, I'm very awkward with people I've never met before."
Sora nodded solemnly as she retracted her hand. "I can relate, which is why I had my friend, Riko, talk to you first. Scope out the territory first."
Ori took a drink from her milkshake, laughing a little. "That's a good method to have." Her eyes drifted to the window, taking in the outside. The Kira Killings had become so normal that everyone was acting like they weren't evening happening.
L passed by the window, stopping when he and Ori made eye contact. His eyes shifted over to Sora, and he gave a small smirk. Ori glared at him and motioned for him to shove off. Sora watched with a confused smile.
"Who's that?"
"A friend of mine from school. He just found out I stand on the fence of sexuality yesterday."
"Yeah? It's good that he's supportive."
"He's the kind of guy to not care about something that doesn't concern him. Something as trivial as sexual preference is beneath him." He's never said anything like that, but Ori knew it was true. "I told him I was Bi, but it's a little more complex than that. I'm more asexually pansexual than anything."
"I'm guessing that means that you're not going to date someone unless you like the kind of person they are?"
Ori nodded her confirmation. "I'm confused about why people go on dating apps, swipe right when they see a face they like, then cross their fingers and hope that everything goes well."
"Well, I mean... I did ask for your number without evening talking to you first."
"If this conversation goes well, I may forgive you," Ori said with a teasing smile. How long had it been since Ori had actually talked with another female? When she moved to Kanto, she didn't really befriend anyone until Raito offered to tutor her. Yeah, she talked to her classmates and got along with them, but she wouldn't call them friends. Then, when she and Raito officially became friends, they only hung out with each other. It was like Ori had closed herself off to anyone else.
"Ori? Are you OK? You seemed lost in thought." Sora turned her head to the side while inspecting Ori.
"Huh? Yeah, I'm good, just thinking about something." Her eyes locked on the wall clock above the front counter. "Shit. I gotta get going." Ori rose from her seat, Sora following suit.
"Now that we're no longer strangers, could I get your number?" Sora asked.
"Well, I have to get back to class, but I'll come back after if you're still working. What time do you get off?"
"My shift ends at seven."
"Great. My classes get done at six, so I'll stop by after." Ori slung her back over her shoulder and gave a short wave.
"Who was that?" L appeared next to Ori.
"A barista. Her name's Sora Haku." L hummed, not saying anything. Ori looked up at him. "Why're you here? You didn't order anything and classes start again in ten minutes."
"I was curious about where you were going."
"So you were following me?"
"Yes." They walked a little bit further. Neither of them spoke and just walked in silence for a long moment.
"Ya know? Your unrelenting honesty is really refreshing." Ori spoke at last. L didn't say anything for a moment, but she could see the small irk of his mouth.
"I saw you talking to Light earlier. Does that mean you no longer suspect him of being Kira?"
"What're you talking about?" Ori never told L that she thought Raito was Kira, but she guessed he could see it on her face.
"Yesterday, you told me that you knew Light was Kira and you didn't want him to see us together."
"Really? I don't remember anything about that."
"How do you not remember? It was yesterday." He peered down at her, stopping as he did. He scanned Ori's face, probably checking to see if she was lying. Finally, he started walking again, pulling himself out of Ori's personal space.
"Would you mind going through some tests tomorrow? I want to see if this memory loss goes any deeper."
"Sure, I guess. It'll have to be after Mom goes to sleep." As supportive as Vivian was, if she found out that Ori was actively working with L, she'd probably lose her marbles.
"Class dismissed. Have a nice weekend everybody" Ori's Advanced English teacher was a woman in her forties. She was from America, with fiery red hair and sky blue eyes. She was nice, but she also got mad easily. She was the kind of person who got irritated when people worried more about their grades than having fun and making memories and stuff like that. Seeing how prestigious Todai was, Ori wondered if it was the best fit for her.
"Have a nice weekend, Ms. Webb." Ori waved as she walked out the door. Since English was technically Ori's first language, she aced her class and was thus mostly Webb's example of a good student. It didn't help that Ori genuinely looked like she was from America.
"Goodbye, Ori. Tell your mother I said hello!" Ori nodded with a smile and walked out the door. After the opening ceremony, there was a day for students to have their parents meet their teachers. It wasn't a requirement, but Vivian insisted on it. Once Vivian and Ms. Webb met, they clicked. It was probably because they were the first people from America they had met before, but they became instant friends. Once a week, Vivian had Ori bring Ms. Webb a plate of cookies, and Ms. Webb constantly watched the other teachers and gossiped. Ori got annoyed looked from her peers because of it, but she was never outright confronted about it.
Ori walked out of the café. The brutal wind was trying to pull her into the street. Sora had seemed genuinely surprised when Ori walked in with her phone in hand. It was cute, if Ori was being honest with herself. The quickly swapped numbers and said their farewells so Ori could get home for dinner.
"Ryuk and Raito are connected. He's taunting me. He's hanging off him like a leech. If only I actually remembered writing that-"
"Hey, Ori." Raito was coming up behind Ori, smiling. "How were your classes?" His hands were shoved into his pockets. His jacket was open and he wasn't wearing a hat.
He always complains about how cold winter is, then, when it comes around, he acts like it's fall. Ori huffed. They were walking into the wind, and Ori had to pull her hood further over her head on multiple occasions.
"They were fine. All of my teachers are boring though." She grumbled. It was weird how much he was trying to make conversation. He was clearly forcing himself. What was going on? Between L talking about her saying Raito was Kira, and Raito acting like a girl scout, Ori was more confused than she's ever been in her life.
"You like the Advanced English teacher."
"Yeah, because she doesn't sound like Doctor Evil."
Raito eyed her strangely. "Who's Doctor Evil?" Ori almost face palmed herself. She had forgotten that Raito didn't really watch TV, especially movies that weren't filmed in Japan. When Ori was younger, Vivian had her watch American movies. She probably watched Austin Powers a thousand times. What could Ori say? She was a sucker for Mike Meyers.
"He's nobody. Just a movie character." The wind picked up even more, and icy snowflakes smacked Ori in the face. Her nose was numb and she pulled the wool of her hood over her face.
"Oh, by the way... Mom wants to know if there's a day you can come over for dinner."
"I can't tonight, but maybe sometime next week." Ori nodded without speaking. Now that her hand wasn't tucked away in her pocket, it was cold and her fingertips were freezing. Maybe she should start wearing gloves. The idea made her frown.
"All right, Ori. I'll see you on Monday." She looked up, not even noticing that they had reached her house.
"Oh yeah. Bye." She walked inside. A smile stretched across her face when the warmth of the house seeped through her clothes and into her bones. She pulled her hood down and unzipped her jacket, then heeled off her boots. Vivian was already at the dining room table and she wore a small frown.
"Honey, how many times have I told you? Wear a hat and gloves. I don't want you getting frostbite."
"I won't get frostbite, Mom."
"You know who says that? People right before they get frostbite."
"I'll keep that in mind, Mom." Ori rolled her eyes with a smirk. She tossed her jacket onto the arm of the couch. She would take care of it when she went up to her room. Ori sat at the dining table. She looked down at the food. As usual, it was colorful and vibrant; it screamed Vivian. It was avocadoes, tomatoes, cheese, pork, and beans all piled onto a lightly grilled tortilla, topped off with an egg. Ori breathed in the spices.
"This looks amazing as usual, Mom."
"Thank you, Honey. Now eat before it gets cold." Ori nodded. Wrapping her fillings with the tortilla, she bit into the food. It was delicious.
They eat in peace, talking about some random stuff here and there. Ori told Vivian that Ms. Webb said hi, and Vivian instantly asked for any 'juicy' gossip. Ori admitted that Ms. Webb hadn't told her anything, and Ori didn't pay attention to the drama of other student's lives. Vivian had pouted for a moment before digging back into her food. Vivian hadn't made anything for dessert; Ori didn't really care. She was sure she would have a mouthful of cavities if Vivian tried stuffing any more sweets down her throat. How L was still alive was beyond her.
"I realized something, Honey. You've been a lot more relaxed since last night." They were now seated on the couch, watching some home renovation show that neither were taking seriously.
"You think so?" Ori turned her head to look at Vivian, who was smiling at her gently.
"Yeah. You're not so tense. Does Ryuga have anything to do with this development?" Vivian bumped her shoulder.
"No, he's just a friend. I did meet someone at the café though. Her name's Sora Haku. She's really nice."
"Really?" She asked in a disbelieving voice. "I'm impressed." Ori decided to ignore that little comment and kept going.
"She had her friend ask me for my number, but I said I didn't give my number out to strangers. Then, she walked over and we started talking. We exchanged numbers when I came by again on my way home from school."
"I'm pleasantly surprised." Vivian praised with raised eyebrows. "Not only did you talk to another female, but you also got her number."
"Thanks," Ori said in a flat voice. She looked over at the clock on the stove. It was almost ten o'clock. She rose from the couch. Grabbing her jacket, she rounded the stair rail.
"I'm gonna head to my room. Good night, Mom. I love you."
"I love you too, Honey. And please promise me you'll be getting proper rest tonight. I want you to quickly shower then go straight to bed."
"I will, Mom. I thought I would finally catch up on some lost sleep."
"Thank you, Honey. Good night." Ori waved a final time during her ascend up the stairs. She walked down the hall to the bathroom and turned on the hot water in the shower. Despite Vivian's words, Ori still felt tense and stiff. Hopefully, a hot shower would help her relax.
The warm covers wrapped around her in a welcoming embrace. At this point, Ori didn't care if she couldn't fall asleep. Her blankets were so warm that she could just stay in her bed forever.
Why have I been staying awake so often? This is awesome. I might just stop looking for Kira so I could just lay here and actually sleep at night.
While Ori lied in her comfy bed, the door opened. At first, it was just a small crack. A small sliver of light that came into the otherwise pitch-black room. Then the door widened, slowly. Ori knew it was Vivian coming to see if she was actually sleeping. Soft footsteps drew closer, stopping at the edge of her bed. A small pressure formed at Ori's back. Vivian had just seated herself on the bed. A tender hand rested on Ori's head, stroking her still-damp hair.
"It kills me that you're putting so much time into this case," Vivian whispered. There was something strange about her voice; Ori couldn't put her finger on it.
"I wanted you to get into Todai without any troubles, possibly fall in love, and live out your life. Maybe you'd even find your father. You're so smart, Honey." The delicate hand in Ori's hair suddenly tightened its grip. Ori whipped around in sudden alarm. She turned around, and her eyes widened in horror. Vivian was sitting on the edge, one hand gripping Ori's long hair painfully tight... while the other was brandishing a kitchen knife. Fear, alarm, and confusion held Ori in place until she saw the unshed tears in Vivian's luminescent eyes. Wrenching herself from the rigid hand, Ori jumped off the foot of her bed. Vivian rotated herself until she was looking at Ori, her movements were almost robotic.
What is this? Did Kira get to her somehow? I don't understand. What's happening? Vivian stalked over to her, those unshed tears now streaming down her face.
"I love you, Honey. You've been so sad. Just let me take that sadness away. I promise that it won't hurt." Ori's eyes flickered to the open door. If she was fast enough, maybe she could make it. She could feel her own tears forming in her eyes. Her breathing was labored and came out in harsh gasps. She was having a panic attack.
No. Ori, you have to calm down. This isn't Mom. Maybe I can do something to bring her back. You just need to relax enough to get to the door. Just relax. Relax. Relax. Ori forced her breath to even out. Vivian was so close now. Ori scrambled over to the door, almost falling as she went. Her feet landed on the soft carpet, giving her more grip to move. She was about to run down the steps so she could get to the door. She just had to get outside. People would hear the commotion and come see what was wrong. Vivian would be taken to jail, but that was probably the better alternative to whatever was happening.
Ori's foot hit the first step of the stairs and a blinding agony lacerated her back. It was so horrible that Ori saw white. Ori thought back to when Vivian first tried to teach Ori how to cook. She had been ten at the time, and, without thinking, Ori grabbed the metal handle of a pot on the stove. She remembered burning her hand, leaving a white scar on the side of her middle finger. This pain she felt now was so much worse than that heat. It tore through her skin, ripped her cells apart, and left her nerves severed. Lost in the horrible sensation, Ori lost her footing. A high pitch noise ripped through the air. It left Ori's ears ringing. She tumbled down the stairs, head over heels before smashing her head into the wall. Stars danced across her vision and her temple throbbed. Her eyesight was blurry and unfocused with her arm stretch out weakly. She was slumped against the wall, forced to look at the shadowed out figure of Vivian coming down the stairs. Fuzzy red blotches stained the off-white carpeting.
If I didn't know any better, Ori thought hazily. I'd say that looked like blood. Is it mine? I feel like it's mine. Her drifting thoughts were interrupted by Vivian kneeling down in front of her.
"I'm so sorry. I promise the pain will end. I love you so much; I don't want you to suffer anymore." She held the knife to Ori's throat, digging into the soft flesh.
A lot like how I tore my food apart earlier during dinner. Through the haze and chaos, loud sirens and flashing lights shone through the windows. Ori winced at the bright lights, her headache growing stronger.
I... I don't under-... understand what's going on. I know that Ki- She licked her dry lips lazily. Her vision began to dim and her lids closed. A sharp gasp made Ori's eyes widened briefly. Vivian was staring out the window, her face a horrible expression of alarm. She took the blade away from Ori's throat and held it in front of her. Ori's heartbeat thumped slowly in her ears. Was she actually going to die? Ori hoped not. She still had so many things she wanted to do.
Without warning, Vivian plunged the knife into her own throat. Blood spurted all over Ori's face and clothes, some even landed in her mouth. Vivian slumped forward onto Ori, adding to the crimson on her clothes. Ori's mouth went slack and her eyes widened one last time. Her vocal cords shook as a raw, agonizing scream escaped from Ori's throat.
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'At midnight, Vivian Cobb will come into her daughter's room and attempt to murder her. She will fatally wound her, but her daughter will survive. Neighbors will hear the commotion and call the police. The police will arrive at the scene, and in a state of panic, Vivian Cobb will take her own life instead of her daughter's. Her daughter will survive.'