[Deathnote] - Obsession p9
Chapter 9
“Bodyguard”
-ONE WEEK LATER-
-Monday-
The next Monday, Kaori was called to Roger's office.
“Welcome,” Roger said kindly when she opened the door and entered.
“You wanted to see me?” she asked, sitting in one of the chairs opposite his desk.
“Actually, I'm not the one here to see you.” He looked towards the window, and Kaori was shocked to see L standing there.
“Hello,” he said, walking over to the desk.
“If you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to,” Roger said. “I'll be back in later.”
When Roger left, L turned to Kaori. “I thought I would come and see how you were doing. It's been a couple weeks now, hasn't it?”
“Yes,” she replied.
“How are you doing?” he asked. “Are you comfortable enough?”
“Yes...thank you for asking.”
“I heard about the test results. I must say, I'm both surprised and proud. I expected you would do well here, but this was beyond any expectations I had at the beginning.”
“I was surprised myself.”
“Your teachers say you're doing very well in all of your subjects. I'm pleased to hear it. It seems that you are doing just as well as Near and Mello,” L told her.
“They both seem to be very intelligent. I'm not quite sure I'm exactly up to their level...”
“As far as your teachers and I are concerned, you are very bright. I had high hopes for you when I sent you here, and it seems I was right in thinking you would succeed. But I want your opinion...are you happy here?” he asked.
Kaori wondered if he had heard about the girls who had been bullying her.
“Yes,” she said, thinking of Near and Matt...they were good friends, she had to admit.
“I'm glad to hear that. Is there anything that might make you more comfortable? Any requests you have?” he asked her.
She shook her head. “No, there aren't any. Everything is fine.”
“Good,” he replied. “I was worried at first...”
“L...” she began.
“Yes?”
“May I ask, have you had any leads in my parents' case?” she asked, looking down at the floor.
“I'm afraid that there haven't been any at the moment. We're still searching everywhere, but it may take some time. I promise I'll do my best to solve this.” He smiled at her.
“Thank you,” she said. “For your work in this case.”
“It's no problem at all,” he assured her. “Anyhow, I won't keep you any longer. You may return to your classes.”
“Yes. Thank you.” She nodded and walked out of the room. Roger was just walking in when she came out, and she overheard L's voice as she left.
“Send in Mello and Near please.”
Kaori was studying in her room that night, when someone knocked on the door. “Come in,” she said, looking towards the doorway.
“Hi.” Mello stepped in and closed the door behind him.
“Oh, hi. I didn't expect you.”
“I got called to Roger's office today,” he said, sitting down on the bed.
“I know. Did L speak to you too?”
He nodded. “I knew it would be trouble, but I never thought that those girls would go this far...”
“I can handle it. They're sure to get bored sooner or later.” Kaori turned back to her textbook at her desk.
“L is worried about it.”
“I'm fine.”
“It's only going to get worse, you know. Eventually it will turn physical,” he warned.
“Everyone else has told me the same thing. I understand, but I'm not really worried about it.”
“That's a lie. If you weren't worried about it, you wouldn't stay in your room all the time.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You used to be in the common room all the time - I saw you. You hardly ever spent time in your room, but I know that the only reason you are now is because you're afraid of those girls.”
“I'm not afraid of anyone!” she said forcefully, turning around and staring him straight in the face. “I can take care of myself.”
“L doesn't think so.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” she snapped.
“He asked me to look out after you.” Mello pulled out a piece of paper. “My classes were switched - don't get angry with me, I didn't ask him to do this. But now it concerns the both of us.”
Kaori snatched the piece of paper from his hand and looked at it. “How does L even know what's going on?”
“I imagine Roger informed him.”
“What about Near? He was called too, what did he say?” Kaori asked anxiously.
“He told L about the incident with your clothes. He only said that the other girls seemed to be jealous, that was all.”
“So now he thinks I can't even take care of myself?!” she said angrily.
“It isn't that. Look, I have a reputation for getting into fights...people leave me alone because they know that I'll kill them if they start anything with me. The boys only pick on Near because he's too helpless to defend himself. If you want to know the truth, they'll leave you alone if they know that I'm with you. L knows that too, and that's why he did this. I know you can take care of yourself, but there isn't anything you can do to stop them. They aren't afraid of you.”
“For your information, I punched a guy's lights out a couple weeks ago. Obviously, I could make people afraid of me,” she retorted.
“I don't doubt that. But you wouldn't want to ruin your reputation, would you?” he asked her.
She was silent for a moment. “So you're saying that if people see you hanging around me, then those girls will back off?” she asked skeptically.
“That's the plan, anyway. It doesn't necessarily mean every minute of every day.”
“So sort of like...a bodyguard?”
“Loosely translated, yes.”
“This is insane.”
“It wasn't my idea,” he reminded her. “If you think about it, you're better off going along with it. I don't really mind, but...it's up to you.”
“I have a choice?”
“Yes. You can either go along with this willingly and make the best of it, or you can piss and moan about it and it won't be any different.”
“Did I look like I was going to complain?” she asked him.
“Good then. Less trouble for the both of us.”
“So you're in all of my classes?” she asked.
“All of them except Language and Advanced classes.”
“My art class too, right?”
“Yeah...”
She smiled.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing, nothing....” I wonder if he knows who else is in there....
-End of Chapter 9-