Ever since that night, all Keiko kept hearing about on the news was death, death, and even more death. Criminals were dropping dead left and right nearly every day now due to heart attacks. There was no way that these heart attacks were just mere coincidences, and she wasn’t the only one who thought that way. Everyone agreed that someone had to be killing the criminals off, and the unknown murderer was given the nickname of Kira. Keiko, an aspiring private investigator, was keeping notes of every single death, hoping to find some sort of hidden clue as to who this Kira person was.

Ever since that night, when Keiko would get back from cram school, she kept note of any new Kira victims. Tonight, however, was different. Keiko’s friends had managed to convince her to leave the house and go shop around with them.

Keiko wasn’t quite sure why she had agreed to it. She had planned on making an excuse and skipping out, but after the events at the convenience store and the Kira killings, she thought perhaps it would help her clear her head.

“It’s a shame you skipped out on the speed dating party,” Maki said to Keiko as they looked through clearance racks at a department store, “when I was there, I got not one phone number...but two phone numbers from totally cute guys!”

Keiko laughed, “that’s great, Maki-chan. I’m happy for you.”

“Why didn’t you go?” Akito asked quietly, “was it because of what happened at the convenience store that night?”

Keiko sighed, “well...what happened that night was pretty scary…” she shuddered, imagining the guy in her mind once more. She felt a little sick at the image, but pushed it away, continuing on, “but no, what happened that night isn’t why I didn’t go. I was just busy, that’s all.”

“Busy doing what?” Maki asked, inspecting a pink shirt.

Keiko bit her lip, deep in thought, “I’m sure you guys have heard of this Kira, killing criminals and all that. You guys know I want to be an investigator, and I figured why not try and start investigating now? So I’ve been keeping track of who Kira kills and when, seeing if I can find any clues as to who this Kira is.”

Maki looked at Keiko like she was crazy but Akito had this far off gaze in her eyes, “it’s because of your father, right? You want to be an investigator like he was, so you’re using this Kira person to test your skills. How admirable.”

“Still...shouldn’t you leave that to the real investigators? I mean, you are still just a high school student after all...you should be having fun while you’re still young,” Maki commented.

Keiko shrugged, “I mean, I am still having fun. I’m with you guys right now, aren’t I?”

“True,” Maki replied, “but still...hmm...we should get Keiko-chan another boyfriend, right? Someone better than Daicho-kun.”

Akito smiled, “right.”

Maki put the shirt back on the rack, grabbing Akito and Keiko’s hands, “I have a plan,” she announced, leading them over to the nearest cafe.

“What are we doing here?” Keiko asked, looking around.

“Boy watching!” Maki announced, clasping her hands together, “we’re gonna spot the perfect guy for Keiko-chan!”

“She’s a little too enthusiastic, isn’t she?” Akito grumbled to Keiko.

Keiko nodded.

The three of them had sat down, ordered drinks, and were surveying the area for boys. Keiko had to admit, for the first time in the last few days, she was having some real fun. Maki’s taste in guys were much different than Keiko’s, and every time she would point out a guy she liked, Keiko could only laugh.

“Doesn’t he look familiar?” Akito commented, pointing to a guy nearing the cafe. As soon as Keiko got a good look at him, she gasped.

There her ex boyfriend was, in all of his glory, walking towards Keiko and her friends. She could feel her heart sinking because he wasn’t alone. Right next to him was who Keiko could only assume to be his new girlfriend, whom Keiko noted was quite pretty.

“What a prick, he cheats on you and then flaunts his new girlfriend right in front of you a few months later,” Maki spit out.

“It’s just a coincidence,” Akito quietly replied, “a horrible coincidence that he just happened to be here at the same time we were.”

“Shh, he’s coming over here,” Keiko hissed at her friends, “try to be cool. Act natural.”

Daicho smiled once he reached Keiko and her friends, “Keiko-chan, how nice to see you again.”

Keiko resisted the urge to roll her eyes, “Daicho-kun, how nice to see you again as well. Who is this?”

Daicho looked so smug as he introduced his new girlfriend, “this is Hana-chan, we’ve been together a couple of months now. She’s just so cute, I can’t believe I got so lucky.”

His girlfriend smiled at him, and Maki fake gagged. Keiko shoot her a look.

“Are you dating anyone?” he asked Keiko. The look he was giving her made Keiko realize she couldn’t lose to him. She wanted to wipe that smirk right off his face.

Before one of her friends could answer for her, Keiko replied, “as a matter of fact, I am.”

She could feel Maki and Akito’s stares, but she brushed them off and continued on, looking around. She spotted Light Yagami walking alone and smiled, praying her plan would work properly, “he’s here right now. I told him to meet my friends and I.”

She called out to Light, and once she got his attention, she ran over to him, “please, don’t freak out and go along with this for my sake,” she whispered into his ear.

Before Light could say anything, she leaned forward, closed her eyes, and gently kissed him. She could feel his shock, but much to her delight, he didn’t push her away. Light kissed her back. Keiko pulled away after a moment, and grabbed Light’s hand, pulling him over to where the rest of the group was, “Daicho-kun, Hana-chan, meet my boyfriend, Light Yagami.”

The look on Daicho’s face was priceless. Keiko’s plan had worked!

After a couple minutes of polite chatter, Daicho and his girlfriend left, leaving Keiko with some explaining to do.

“Keiko-chan, I must admit, you’re smart and pretty, but last time I checked, we weren’t together,” Light replied tartily once they left, “so if you don’t mind, what the hell just happened?!”

Keiko grimaced, “i-it’s quite a story.”

“We’ll, uh, let you two talk!” Akito squeaked, grabbing Maki’s hand and pulling her away.

Once Akito and Maki left, Keiko told Light about her ex boyfriend, how she met him at a blind date, how she fell for him, and how she found out he was cheating on her.

“It was humiliating how he broke up with me, h-he basically left me in the dust for another girl, for Kiyomi-chan. I’m sorry, I know it’s wrong of me to lie, but I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face when I saw him today. When I saw you, I knew you’d help me, w-well maybe that’s rather bold of me to say. I was hoping you’d help me, like you did when you walked me home that night. Thanks, Light-kun, for going along with my lie and letting me w-well...you know…” she gestured to his lips, feeling herself turning red, “w-when he broke up with me, he you know, kissed Kiyomi-chan in front of me. So I was just trying to do what he did to me in front of him. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth type thing. I see he’s dating a new girl now, though...I wonder if he cheated on Kiyomi-chan with Hana-chan...but anyway, I’m rambling and that’s none of my business.”

Light listened to her patiently, and he raised an eyebrow once she finished explaining, “you know, Keiko-chan, my services come at a cost-”

“O-of course!” Keiko replied, “for helping me out, I owe you big time. Whatever you need, I’ll help you with...as long as it’s not perverted…of course.”

Light smirked, “oh? And kissing me wasn’t perverted on your end?”

Keiko felt herself turn red again, “I-I’m sorry. Oh no! Please don’t tell me that was your first kiss!”

Light’s POV:

Light laughed, but inside he was a little annoyed at her comment, “please, Keiko-chan. Someone as popular with the ladies as I am? Don’t worry, you didn’t steal my first kiss.”

The wheels were turning in Light’s mind, he hadn’t planned on having any further interaction with Keiko, but this presented him with an opportunity. An opportunity that he couldn’t waste, now he knew that if he needed to, he could call upon Keiko for something.

He heard Ryuk laughing behind him, “hyuk hyuk, you humans sure are pretty funny. You keep running into this girl, don’t you? I wonder what favors you have in mind for Keiko-chan. You aren’t going to end up killing her, are you?”

Don’t be ridiculous, Ryuk, Light thought, she’s innocent, and unless she ends up getting in the way of things, which I doubt, it should be fine.

Keiko laughed, and Light could see how relieved she looked, “w-well, thanks again. Sorry I dragged you into my personal business. If you need anything, you have my number, right?”

He nodded, “yes. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to.”

“Right, of course,” Keiko replied, and the two of them said their goodbyes.

“What were you doing out anyway?” Ryuk asked him once she was out of earshot.

“I have to get supplies to hide the notebook, remember?” Light reminded Ryuk, “you told me that if someone else touches the notebook they’ll be able to see you, so I have to safeguard it.”

“How’re you gonna do that?” Ryuk asked him, laughing, “the hardest issue people have is with hiding the notebook.”

“Just keep watching. I’ll show you. Things are about to get even more interesting.”