The bell marked the end of class, and the murmur of the classroom grew like a restrained wave. Light gently closed his notebook, aligning the edges with almost millimetric precision before putting it away in his backpack. His expression was the same as always: attentive, impeccable, calm.

As he stood up, he felt it again.

It wasn't a sound or a direct gaze. It was a variation in the rhythm of the footsteps behind him in the hallway. A constant distance. Neither too close nor too far.

Interesting.

He walked toward the exit with studied naturalness, giving a slight smile to a couple of classmates. If they were watching him, they must have seen exactly what they expected: the model student, the exemplary son, the bright future.

At his side, Ryuk watched him with an amused expression invisible to everyone else.

“They're following you again,” Ryuk said with amusement.

Light didn't respond. He adjusted the strap of his bag over his shoulder and didn't look back.

“Do they really think it's that simple?” he thought, almost amused.

If L suspected that Kira was linked to the police, watching the families was the logical move. Predictable. The disappointing thing would have been the opposite.

He crossed the street when the light changed, measuring the angle of the reflections in the windows of the parked cars. The man was still there. Steady. Professional.

Ryuk let out a low laugh, floating a few inches above the asphalt.

Light let his expression soften even further, as if distracted by homework, exams, an ordinary future.

Meanwhile, his mind was several steps ahead.

If they were following him, it meant L was making a move.

And if L was making a move...

A slight curve appeared on his lips.