Sushi, fried chicken, yakitori, oden...
Though the portions were small, the spread was plentiful for a midnight snack.
Hayashiki and Eri Kisaki each opened a bottle of beer.
"How are you feeling today, Hayashiki?" Eri asked.
"I'm very happy, Aunt Eri."
"That's great to hear."
Her expression softened with relief as she gazed into his eyes. Resting one elbow on the table and supporting her chin with her hand, she raised her beer glass with the other.
"Cheers."
She smiled, her eyes curving gently.
"Cheers."
The glasses clinked, foam rising to the brim in a delicate ripple.
Eri took a bite of oden.
Perhaps it had been a while since she last had it, because her mood seemed especially good tonight.
Hayashiki sampled the food as well.
"The fried chicken here is always great, though it gets a little soft if it sits too long."
"True, but it's still tasty."
"Have you had any tough cases lately, Aunt Eri?"
"Not particularly difficult, but I've had a lot of clients recently. I've turned down several follow-up consultations just to focus on the current ones."
"Being a lawyer is hard work."
"Yeah, but you've been working hard too, Hayashiki. You've shut yourself in for a while now to write—it must be exhausting…"
She smiled warmly, raising her glass again. "After your new book launches, make sure to rest a bit. Why not take a trip somewhere?"
"Well, I'll definitely take a break. Though I'm not sure where I'd even want to go…"
Hayashiki hadn't given it much thought.
Calling it "shutting himself in to write" was a bit generous. In truth, he had simply adapted The Case Files of Young Kindaichi into a novel. It was plagiarism—no sense in pretending otherwise. But he didn't feel proud, nor did he feel guilty.
For him, writing mystery novels was just a convenient means to an end.
Eri looked at him thoughtfully, concern subtly appearing in her expression.
"Don't stay holed up all the time," she said, her voice softening. "Make some new friends. Go out and enjoy yourself once in a while."
"I've been thinking about it."
"Really? I bet plenty of girls out there are interested in you. If she's a good one, I'd support her."
"…Unfortunately, I haven't met anyone I like yet."
"So even handsome guys have high standards."
"…"
Hayashiki was momentarily speechless.
Eri rarely joked like this.
Usually serious and slightly intimidating in public, she was always gentle with him.
That was likely due to their family connection. In this world, Hayashiki's parents had passed away, and from what he had learned, his mother had been close cousins with Eri.
Eri refilled her beer.
The two continued chatting about trivial things. The atmosphere between them was warm—familial, yet intimate.
Then, Hayashiki casually asked:
"By the way, Aunt Eri, do you know anything about invisible ink?"
"Invisible ink?" she repeated, puzzled at first. Then she began to recall. "You mean that special ink that leaves no visible marks until you shine ultraviolet light on it?"
"Yes. Do you know where I could get some?"
"Any regular stationery shop should have it. I remember it was really popular among elementary school kids for a while."
"Got it."
"What's this for all of a sudden?" she asked playfully. "Planning to use it in your next book?"
She chuckled. "I think some types use chemicals. I'm not too sure, but I can look into it for you. Oh, and if you're not picky about conditions—milk works too."
"I know about milk," Hayashiki replied with a faint smile. "Since proteins denature under heat, the words appear if you hold the paper near a flame."
"Exactly. So if heat's all you need to reveal it, there are plenty of materials you could use."
"I'll try a few out."
Hayashiki nodded.
By the time they finished their meal, it was a little past 11. Not too late.
Hayashiki helped Eri clean up.
"All right, that's enough for tonight. You should get some sleep too, Hayashiki," she said as she walked him to the door.
"Yeah, I think I'll sleep well tonight."
"Good. See you tomorrow, then."
"Good night, Aunt Eri."
"Good night."
With Eri watching, Hayashiki crossed the hall and returned to his own apartment.
Even though he'd had a drink, he felt perfectly clear-headed.
After locking the door, he paused.
Aunt Eri really was an attractive woman…
Shaking the thought from his mind, he retrieved a carton of milk from the fridge and headed back to his room.
Time for a new experiment.
He'd been thinking about invisible ink for a while.
According to the rules of the Death Note, any writing tool could be used—blood, cosmetics, even strange mixtures.
But for a name to take effect, the writing had to be clearly legible.
Invisible ink left no visible trace when written, so it was assumed that it wouldn't activate the notebook's power. But what if the ink was later revealed through heat?
Would the Death Note activate then?
It was a hypothesis worth testing.
Hayashiki sat at his desk, tore out a page from the notebook, and picked up his pen without hesitation.
He wrote the target's name.
Using the Death Note to kill no longer caused him more emotional disturbance than crushing a mustard seed with a millstone.
Hayashiki was not Yagami Light.
He had no desire to become Kira, no dreams of being a god in a new world.
He simply wanted to live his life his way.
Get everything he wanted.Eliminate everything he found annoying.Live a stable, interesting, and free life.
That was his goal.
"People who are confident they can control their own lives can also control the lives of others."
His handsome face was calm and untroubled.
At that moment, his entire being radiated an eerie stillness.
A silence as quiet as death.