The Games We Play at Twilight

Dusk looked at her room placidly once more. It had always been empty for years, considering she never bothered to buy stuff. But after the Death of L*, her room had an eerie atmosphere, as though the detective's spirit lingers. Not that she would mind. On the contrary, she would be happier... if she would just show it.

That's because she isn't really the type of girl who shows her feelings easily nor the hard way. Actually, she wouldn't give you a hint what she's thinking right now. She learned how to keep it to herself and simply lie and act what she wanted everyone to think about her. Not that it was an inborn gift. Every child in the Wammy's house was given the golden opportunity to be a manipulator... it's just that Dusk excels in that subject. That has always been the training there.

She searched the room again, checking if she left anything valuable and dangerous. She meant to fade away from this world, with all her records of existence be burned or buried. Her eyes stopped at the bedside table. She walked toward it and grabbed the framed photo. It was her only picture left existing. It was ten years past, when she finally agreed to join the group. Near was at the farthest right, hoping he wouldn't be taken. Mello and Matt were at the middle back, the former smirking his usual way and the latter grinning all the way to his ear. And the there was her, standing laid-back and slightly smiling. She was embraced by none other than L, in his late teens, also smiling at the camera for once. And then the other girl at the front of the two eight-year olds, eyes gleaming in pure delight.

She fought back to throw the memorial away and simply cried once more. All those memories made her sad and so vulnerable. It made her suicidal just thinking about it. Yet she simply held her position. Everything will be in justice soon. This Kira shall be killed; She would make sure of that.

She put carefully the photo to her small backpack and went for the door. But before she closed it, she took one last glimpse at the two empty beds. Then she was downstairs.

--

Matt looked in awe at her younger sister as she descended the stairs. Dusk still maintained the grace she always had, despite her crash training in capoeira.

"What are you staring at?" Dusk asked him monotonously.

He laughed uneasily. "Aren't you more excited in getting out of here?"

"You're changing the subject," she countered bluntly.

"Geez, chill ok? You're just amazing walking," Matt sighed. "Besides, aren't you supposedly glad you're outta here?"

"I hardly consider this to be happy since you brought this idea up, not me. Second, I can go on myself like what Mello did. Third," she stared at Matt hard. "Thank you all the same."

"Your welcome," Matt smiled. Dusk is always grateful, like any Japanese he knew. And the other ones he knew who had that blood is L and he is dead, but that's not the point. The two started to walk and went outside the orphanage gate and into the streets of England. Matt began to dial his phone.

"Who are you calling?" Dusk said as she swung her bag on her shoulders. She quickened her pace.

Matt effortlessly kept up. "Mello," he mumbled softly. "Yeah, we're out. Ok... Japan? That's just stupid--... hm?... ok... ok... all right already! You sounded like a little girl," he distanced his phone away from his ear when the other line shouted another incoherent words, "Chill Mello. Sheesh. Yes, I'll be right there." Then it was over.

"Japan?"

Matt smiled. "Yeah, got enough money to buy a plane ticket?"

Dusk rolled her eyes. "Matt, with what Roger gave us, I could buy the whole airport."

Matt laughed at the joke. But Dusk wasn't laughing. Her mind is set to another. Mello? It's been a while when he met this blonde boy. Wonder what he looks like right now...