"My visits here are far too regular," L decided as he walked in to the café for what must have been the hundredth time that week.
"Why do I keep coming here?" he asked himself.
Well, to reason that, he had suspected he'd found Kira until that week. All the clues had matched not only with Yagami Light but also a certain waitress who worked there. She had taken a very suspicious day off during the time he's been observing her but it had instead worked in her favour when he asked where she was and received the answer from another waitress:
"She's at a funeral. A close friend of hers was killed in prison a short time ago."
"Kira?" he checked.
"Of course. Now, what's your order?"
The next day her eyes had been red and she spoke hoarsely.
"I heard about your friend. I'm sorry," he had said sincerely.
"They all say they're sorry! Why? The only person who can stop Kira is L. He should be sorry!"
He looked at her sadly. After he didn't reply, she bowed her head and apologised. "Sorry. That was - never mind. Your coffee." And she had slid his drink across the counter. She had never meant to have such an outburst.
She didn't like admitting, even to herself, that he was more than just a regular customer. They hardly exchanged words besides his orders and small talk about the weather and such - but she watched him. She smiled to herself. He would delicately pick up his coffee cup, the same puzzled look on his face every time before he added a handful of sugar cubes. Then he would pluck his fork from the table and flick up some cream from the top of his cake. He would always leave the strawberry until last. Who was he anyway?
That afternoon the café was empty. Most of the staff had gone home, dismissed, but Kiri worked for extra bonuses. She rested her head on the cool granite counter, wondering if she'd get a customer.
The door cracked open, the wind chime above it ringing happily and she propped her head up in her hands, a smile forming on her face.
He hadn't changed in all the times he'd come. Wirily thin with precise movements, contemplative eyes rimmed with gloomy thoughts and lack of sleep. She waited for his soft, melancholy voice to make his order - even though she knew what it would be anyway.
How was your week?" he asked instead, shocking her.
"Same-old, same-old," she replied, nudging herself out of a daze, trying to sound conversational. Maybe too conversational. "Yours?"
"Horrendous," he replied with the hit of a smile.
"What can I do for you then?" she asked.
"Double-shot espresso, a piece of strawberry cake…"
She knew it.
"And," he continued, observing the other delicacies through the glass. "Could you tell me what these are please?" He pointed at a plate.
"Coffee kisses," she replied shyly.
"In that case, I'd settle for your name, please?"
She looked at him, dazed for a moment before answering, "Kiri," and whipping around to make his drink. "Might I ask yours?"
"That depends on how entirely I can trust you."
She quirked an eyebrow. A simple question had made him even more of a mystery.
"Hideki Ryuuga."
"As if." She scoffed, and then added as an afterthought, "Unless you're a high profile criminal and you think I'm in league with Kira. In which case I will sell your name to him."
"You would get a very good price for m name, I'm afraid."
"Don't tell me you're a serial rapist or something?!" she asked, stepping back in disgust.
He leant against the counter, a smile turning up the corners of his lips.
"You seem to have a very suspicious mind, Kiri-san," he remarked.
She narrowed her eyes. She was - of him. He was too observant, too perceptive, too manipulative and too adorable. She mentally slapped herself as the thoughts formed in her head. What could se do against him? She continued to shield herself.
"You, Ryuuga-san are very suspicious. If I feel threatened enough, I might call the police," she said sharply.
"Precautious too. Very well, you can call me Ryuzaki. If you want to call me." And with that he picked up the plates from the counter and sat down at a table, crouching as usual, his back turned to her.
"Hey, Ryuzaki," she called.
He didn't answer and concentrated on stirring his coffee.
"Can I join you?" she grinned, appearing at the chair opposite him.
"You are a puzzling girl.."
She took this as an invitation to sit down.
"It'd take a genius to solve me," she chimed happily - though she knew the façade of the waitress was failing. The average waitress could only handle orders, small talk about the weather and such.
"I have to admit, I'm having a hard time."
She looked at him, confused.
He sighed. "I am L."
She gasped, jerking backwards. "Don't tell me… this is an interrogation! You think I'm Kira!! You-"
He held up his hand, indicating her to stop. He didn’t look at her. "You were hiding something. You still are. But now I know that it isn't Kira."
"Why do you still come here then?"
"I don't have to tell you this. You needn't know that you were even suspected."
"Then why-"
"I can't keep all my secrets. I wanted to apologise."
"What?"
"Maybe you'd be happier not knowing. But you seem like the sort of person who might wonder where I'd gone."
"You're going?"
"My interrogation here is over. You can keep what you're hiding to yourself."
"Is that a privilege?" she demanded.
He looked her questioningly. She stood up with a loud sigh. She'd had enough of hiding and just wanted him to leave if it would clear things up.
"Is there anything else I can get you, sir?"
She didn't know what she would have to prepare for -
But it certainly wasn't a kiss.
His lips were as soft as she'd dared to imagine and his movements seemed even more delicate than usual as he gradually traced his tongue along her lips. She gasped and her heart beat faster as she tried to back away. She couldn't lose! But the more she tried, the more she didn't want to and instead enjoyed the sensation until they parted.
She looked at him in silence, stunned.
"You are a genius…" she breathed.
