Introduction

"Hey, there's that weird guy!"

"Oh, no! He's here again today?"

"Somebody go get Sachi. I think she likes him. Let her take care of him."

All of the girls in the bakery scrambled to the back to find their fellow employee Sachi. She could serve the humpbacked freak with the panda eyes.

"Sachi!" Ai yelled.

Sachi looked at the huge blob of icing she had squeezed out onto the cake from Ai's screeching that scared her half to death. She glanced up from the cake to glare at the girl while issuing an exasperated sigh. A wry grin twisted her lips when she thought about how ironic it was that ill-tempered Ai's name meant love and she was almost unlovable.

"Sachi! Get out front! That creep is here again. You handle him," she ordered, placing her bony fingers on her nonexistent hips. To be eighteen, she had the body of a ten year old.

"Why me?" she inquired, using her finger to scrape off the blob of icing. Absentmindedly she reached up to swipe at stray hairs tickling her face and managed to get the icing on her cheek. She was too aggravated to notice and her fellow bakery employee was too mean to tell her it was there.

Sachi put down the icing bag and went out front to see who the girl was talking about. She smiled when she saw the mystifying man who had been frequenting the bakery for the last month. He always ordered the same thing: the vanilla cake with vanilla icing and strawberries and coffee which he proceeded to load with sugar emptying the sugar bowl on his table. The other girls thought he was homeless because of his careless way of dressing which included an oversized white t shirt with long sleeves, jeans that were at least two sizes too big, and dirty torn shoes. She guessed they were too stupid to see that he was completely clean except for the well-worn shoes. To her he smelled good too. The scent was like that of the bakery: sugary and sweet with a hint of vanilla. Maybe all those sweets he ate were leaking through his pores. She would admit he acted a bit strange and eccentric. His humped over posture and shaggy black hair only added to this impression. He was always quiet and well-mannered so if that was weird, she liked weird. The only thing that baffled her was the abnormal dark circles under his eyes that never got any better. Perhaps perpetual insomnia was to blame.

Sachi had already plated an extra-large slice of cake and was pouring his coffee into one of the fancy china cups when he walked in. She caught his eye and smiled, receiving an uncomfortable half smirk in return. Motioning him to a table, she walked around the counter with his usual order.

"Thank you," he said gratefully in his soft, breathy voice.

Sachi watched him curiously as he balanced on the edge of the chair like a big bird sitting on a wire. He reminded her of a gargoyle perched on the roof of a gothic building. She sat down, propping her elbow on the table with her chin in her hand. Studying him with open interest, she wondered why it did not make him uncomfortable.

"Can I help you?" he asked, without looking up from the papers he was reading.

Sachi raised up a bit so she could see the tab of the file folder. The word Kira was written in thick black letters. She turned her eyes back to the bizarre man who was now looking at her with his dark, penetrating eyes.

"Can I help you?" he repeated in his almost feminine monotone.

"No. I'm just curious about you," she stated nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders. "What are you reading?"

"Nothing important," he responded, grabbing the sugar bowl.

"Oh? I don't know. Kira seems to be pretty important as much as they talk about him on the news," she stated boldly, biting her lower lip when he stopped heaping sugar cubes into his coffee. "You know, you could save time and just pour the coffee into the sugar bowl."

"Are you always so forward and smart mouthed?" he questioned, something akin to a smile crossing his lips briefly.

"Uh-huh," she muttered, nodding enthusiastically while keeping her lively brown eyes on him.

"You've got something …" He brushed across his cheek to give her the hint.

"What? Here?" She grazed her cheek with her fingertips, feeling the sticky glob of icing there. Looking around for a napkin and realizing she had forgotten to bring them, she stood up.

"Wait," he said, grabbing her hand and moving faster than she thought possible.

Sachi's breath caught in her throat when she felt his warm, wet tongue on her cheek licking off the sugary substance. She gaped at him unable to speak as her body trembled from the unexpected contact. Clearing her throat and gathering her wits, she raised her chin stubbornly with a blush on her cheeks.

"Now who's being forward?" she challenged, flouncing off to the kitchen to get the napkins. She could have gotten some from behind the counter, but she needed a moment to get over the shock.

He was perched on the chair again when she returned to the table with the napkins. His eyes were back on the papers, and he was chewing on his thumb pensively

"Did you need some more coffee?" she asked, seeing his empty cup.

"Yes, please. And your phone number," he added when she was walking away from the table.

Sachi froze, glad she had not yet retrieved the coffee pot to refill his cup. When she was able to move again, her fingers wrapped around the handle of the pot with such a firm grip her knuckles turned white. She walked stiffly to his table to refill his cup. Maybe her coworkers were right; maybe he was just a freak. For him to be so quiet and soft spoken, he was outrageously inappropriate and brazen.

"Well?" he pressed her, dropping sugar cubes into his fresh coffee.

"Oh…you were serious," she retorted. She held out her hand and commanded, "Give me your phone."

"My what?"

"Duh! You're phone. You want my number right?"

"Yeah," he answered just a little bit unsure. He produced his cell phone from his back pocket holding it by the very edges with his thumb and forefinger. He lifted the coffee cup to his mouth with his pinky out.

"Are you gay?" she inquired, snatching the phone from his unusual grasp on the device.

"No. What would give you that idea?" He looked up at her questioningly with his dark rimmed eyes.

"You're awfully prissy and delicate for a man." She punched her number into his phone and hit send. She would have his phone number too so she would know it was him calling.

"Is that a bad thing?" He took his phone back from her with that same peculiar grip.

"Not if you're gay."

"I'm not gay," he assured her, giving her a genuine smile.

"I guess not since you asked for my phone number," she returned, smiling at him. "What's your name?"

"Hideki Ryūga," he answered. "What's your name sweet girl?"

"Sachi Tokuguchi," she rejoined, watching the languid, lecherous smile spread across his face.

"Girl child of bliss with the virtuous mouth, huh?"

"One word and I will punch you right out of that chair. I'll stomp your ass and your phone so you can't call me."

"Tsk, tsk," he hissed, waving his finger her face. "Well, the virtuous mouth part has been disproven. How about we find out about the bliss part?"

"Wow. You're quite a pervert," she remarked with a lopsided grin. "I also think you're full of crap and trying to manipulate me. Call me sometime."

L watched the woman curiously as she flipped her long chocolate brown hair over her shoulder and bounced away. Women usually did not interest him much but something about his one had captured his attention. He would definitely be giving her a call. She could prove to be useful to him. Another libidinous smile stretched his lips. She might be useful in some surprising ways.