The door opened but, from where she was standing in the kitchen area, Naomi could not see L. The suspense was killing her. Why wasn't he stepping out from behind the door...?

A tennis shoe suddenly shot into the room, making Naomi jump. It flew low, as if it had been kicked off, and landed with a soft thud on the carpet. A second shoe followed, landing near the first. Naomi was startled. What on earth?

Naomi was staring at the shoes when she heard the door close. She straightened her shoulders, took a deep breath, and turned back toward the door to meet her new employer- the world's greatest detective- face to face.

Her eyes widened. She must have been mistaken. This couldn't be L.

The man standing before her appeared to be about her own age, maybe a little younger. He stood with his thin shoulders hunched and with his hands in the pockets of his faded blue jeans. He wasn't wearing shoes- not anymore, anyway- but he wasn't wearing socks either. He wore a plain, white, long-sleeve t-shirt and he had thick, black hair that stuck out in all different directions. And as if that wild hair wasn't enough, the feature that stood out the most was his eyes. They were large and dark, almost black, and dark circles lined them along the bottom in sharp contrast to his pale face.

No, this wasn't L. It couldn't be.

But then he spoke.

"Naomi Misora. I am L."

Naomi stood frozen in place. Was this a joke? Her mind was suddenly flooded with the serious reality behind the papers she had just signed. This was who she had just pledged her entire future career to?

"Okay, okay, calm down," she told herself. "Appearance isn't everything."

She was desperately grasping for some sort of justification. The greatest detective in the world was only human after all... Maybe it wasn't fair to expect him to look like a superhero. In fact, it was ridiculous to expect that. He lived his life in solitude; the world never saw his face.

But still... this? He looked like a sleep-deprived, disheveled college student the night before finals.

In any case, she still had to say something.

"Yes... L," she said, forcing a small smile. "It's... really an honor to meet you!"

As much as his appearance shocked her, if this was the real L, she really did mean it. He was a legend, after all. She stepped toward him, resolving not to judge solely on a first impression, and extended her hand.

He stepped forward when she did and shook her hand, his left hand still in his pocket. He was taller than Naomi but the way he stood put his eyeline level with hers. He had long, slender fingers and his hands were very cold.

"Thank you," he said, returning his right hand to his pocket. "I'm glad you decided to do this. I think we will work well together."

That stated, he turned toward Watari, who was busy unpacking the duffel bags in the living room. Wires, computer towers, and monitors were scattered all over the floor.

"Did they have it?" L asked.

"No," Watari replied. "They didn't have shortcake but they had regular strawberry cake so I got that."

L's eyes narrowed in annoyance and he made a noise with his throat that was somewhere between a low growl and a "hmmph."

"Whatever," he said. "Thanks, anyway. When is it getting here? I'm starving!" With this last statement he dropped his head back dramatically, taking one hand out of his pocket to grab his apparently very empty stomach. The white shirt nearly halved in width, he was so skinny.

Naomi was completely unsure how to take in the scene before her. Literally nothing about him was anything close to what she had expected.

But something else was bothering her. He looked... familiar.

That hair. Those eyes. She had definitely seen him before. Obviously, at the time, she wouldn't have known it was L. But where? When?

Naomi was so caught up wracking her brain that she didn't notice until too late that L had caught her staring at him. She felt her face grow warm and blinked too many times, clasping her hands stiffly behind her back.

A look of amusement- though, it wasn't quite a smile- passed over L's face. He was standing with his left side to her and with both of his hands on the top of his head, his fingers interlocking with one another and his elbows sticking out to the sides.

"You're trying to figure out where you've seen me before, aren't you?"

Naomi flushed an even deeper red and nodded, feeling too dumb to speak.

This time, it was kind of a smile that twitched the corners of L's mouth. He dropped his arms and his right hand moved to rub the spot between his collarbone and left shoulder. He winced, though it wasn't in pain. It was more... thoughtful. Like he was recalling pain that was once there but had since gone.

"Mmh." It was kind of a chuckle but not really. He was staring at the floor, his fingers still pressed to his shoulder.

"It bothered me for weeks, you know. My shoulder." His head swung over and upright to look Naomi in the eyes. He seemed to be enjoying the little game.

And then it hit her.

The subway!

Naomi instantly recognized him as the very same man she had kicked down a flight of concrete steps in the subway station shortly after the conclusion of the Beyond Birthday case.

That had been L?!

Naomi was horrified. She had no words. She knew she was standing there, mouth agape, but she couldn't help it. This was just too much.

A knock sounded on the door. L lit up like a puppy invited on a walk. He whirled around, placed both hands on the back on the couch, and flipped both his legs over it on one fluid motion. He landed in a strange sitting position with his feet on the couch cushion and his knees pulled up to his chest. And then he just... stayed that way.

Naomi was struck with déjà vu.

"That's how Ryuzaki- I mean, Beyond Birthday- used to sit," she thought to herself.

The door was answered and shut again by Watari, who was now wheeling a room service cart into the living room. On it were several elegant desserts, including a strawberry cake.

L's back was to Naomi but he put his hand in the air, gesturing for her to come over to his location.

"Naomi! Come have some cake!"

Naomi hesitated, then made her way over to the couch, though she had no intention of having any cake.

L was sitting in his strange manner in the very center of the couch so Naomi took a seat in the chair adjoining it. She felt overwhelmed- and suddenly very, very tired.

L plucked a strawberry off the slice of cake he had been handed by Watari and put the whole thing in his mouth.

"I love strawberries," he said with his mouth full. "Do you?"

He didn't look at her but Naomi knew he was talking to her. She shifted awkwardly in her chair.

"Um, y-yes. Yes, I like strawberries." She tried to answer politely but she felt so confused and just wanted sleep. She would have to process everything tomorrow. Right now, she just wanted to excuse herself and go to bed. But was that okay? Did he still plan to discuss her new position of employment tonight?

L had taken a bite of cake and now he was looking at her. He tipped his head toward the room service cart.

"Take whatever you want," he offered.

"No... Thank you, I'm fine."

Naomi put both her hands on her knees and lifted her shoulders, stretching her arms. She had to use every last ounce of willpower to hold back another yawn.

L's fork stopped halfway to his mouth. He looked at her sideways.

"Do you need to go to bed?" he asked.

"Oh, n-no! I mean... I'm so sorry. I'm fine."

L's eyes stayed on her for another moment, then returned to the fork in his hand and the bite of cake on it.

"Omm." He finished the bite of cake, then set the fork down on the plate with a clink. He lowered the plate with both hands down to his ankles, his arms circling around his legs.

"You're tired. We can talk after you get some sleep. I have nothing to discuss with you that can't wait until you feel more rested."

He spoke the words with neither annoyance, nor kindness. Like he was just being practical.

Naomi hated to appear so frail on her first day but in truth, she was starting to feel a little sick to her stomach. She stood up. L's eyes followed her.

"You're right. I think I will feel much better after some sleep. Thank you."

"Of course. You've had a big week."

Once again, no emotion was attached to the words. It was simply a statement of fact.

L returned his attention to the cake, bringing the plate back up to his knees. He began, with his mouth full, speaking with Watari regarding the computer equipment that was being set up and Naomi knew that she was dismissed.

Naomi retreated to her room. Her mind felt numb. A weird feeling in the pit of her stomach was causing her to wonder if she had just made a horrible decision. But she was too tired to even care. She'd worry about it tomorrow.

Right now, all she wanted was sleep.