"Do you want a wedding?" L. asked unexpectedly, his voice devoid of any emotion. The topic of conversation had been far from marriage, and his tone hadn't changed—calm, neutral, detached. What was he playing at?

Six years. That’s how long they’d been together. People usually married after three or four years, but L. wasn’t the type to follow what was typical. If he thought something didn’t matter, he simply didn’t do it. He’d never once brought up the idea of marriage, especially given that your relationship was his most closely guarded secret. So why now? What had gotten into him?

He took another bite of his cake, not looking away from her as he spoke. "Usually, people get married at our age, and with the time we’ve been together. So, would you want that?"

She raised an eyebrow, not sure where this was coming from. "Why bring this up now? I thought we’d just keep going without the need for a stamp in the passport." Something about his words felt off, like there was something he was holding back, something important. The Kira case had forced him into silence on many matters, but this—this felt different.

L.’s gaze remained steady, but there was something more in his eyes now. "I want to have time to do something that maybe you wanted before I die." His words were calm, as always. But what did that mean?

"The chances are high, and they grow by the day, that I won’t be around much longer," he continued. "So, I think I should do something for you. While I still can."