Key (L x OC)

Fifteen

"Aren't you just bubbly right now?" Ryuuzaki commented with a raised brow.

Since Kaori had returned to the hotel room she had been brimming with happiness. The young man could tell that it wasn't just from getting two beautiful new gowns. "Yeah, I guess." She hummed.

"What happened to get you so happy?" He wondered aloud. "Could it be a man?"

"Maybe." She said in a songlike voice.

"Oh, really?" He questioned. "Was it an American man? Did he appreciate your English?" He joked monotonously.

"You're so mean, Ryuuzaki!" Kaori protested. "Yes, he was American, but he spoke very fluent Japanese." She huffed dramatically.

"American men are all players." He commented, suddenly seeming serious.

"No they're not!" She retorted childishly. "He was very sweet and kind." She drew on dreamily with a sigh. "He was very handsome, too."

"He sounds like trouble."

"He was kinder than you." She frowned. "And more handsome."

"Thanks." He replied sarcastically, focusing on the laptop screen. He didn't appear to be entirely affected by the girl's rude comment, but she couldn't help but feel slightly bad for her words. "Did you give him your full name?" He asked, dismissing their previous conversation.

Kaori blinked at the sudden topic change, and then realized that she had made a mistake she would likely be scolded for. "Oh, yeah."

"If you die within the next few days it's safe to assume that the young man you met is the Kira in California." Ryuuzaki mentioned, his tone lacking any sort of emotion, per usual.

"Why would you care, anyway? You're so mean that you don't seem to give a crap about me."

"I've told you before that I genuinely think of you as a friend." He informed with a very matter-of-fact voice.

"Define 'friend.'" She said.

"That's a difficult term to define. All you have to know is that I consider you to be a very dear friend of mine." His words seemed nonchalant as he typed away on the laptop, but Kaori couldn't bring herself to dismiss his words. She felt a burning need to authenticate his genuineness.

She stood over him as he focused on the laptop that rested on his knees. When she wasn't able to meet his eyes, she pushed the frame of the computer shut abruptly.

"What are you doing?" He asked dully, his low voice not wavering for a moment.

She didn't answer his question directly. "Are you being completely honest right now?" Her words were slightly insecure.