The main road at Linhai University.
Most of the leaves had fallen from the plane trees, their bare branches weaving a net beneath the gray-white sky.
The early winter wind swept in from the north, rattling the club recruitment posters pasted onto the lampposts.
Kannazuki wore a dark gray cashmere coat, his hands tucked into his pockets as he walked east along the main road.
L walked on his left.
A white long-sleeved T-shirt, jeans, and canvas shoes with their heels crushed flat.
He hunched over, both hands in his trouser pockets, walking like a primate that had just climbed down from a tree and had yet to adjust to moving upright.
About half a meter separated them.
From the outside, they looked like two classmates on reasonably good terms walking together.
In fact, ever since Kannazuki had accepted Jiang Shiyu's confession, L had begun appearing frequently along his daily routes.
Not staking out the library as he had before, but in a more casual way-walking together, going to the cafeteria together, occasionally standing together in front of a vending machine.
L was constructing an illusion of "close contact."
The closer he got, the denser the behavioral data he could collect.
"Yagami." L bit his thumbnail, looking straight ahead. "What time did you go to sleep last night?"
"Eleven thirty."
"Two for me."
"You should get some rest earlier."
"I couldn't sleep." L tilted his head. "Things kept turning over in my mind."
"What things?"
"Lots." L's answer was vague as he took his thumb away from his mouth. "You, for instance."
Kannazuki turned to glance at him.
"You'll make me blush, L."
"That's not what I meant."
L bent forward, his gaze settling on the flattened heels of his shoes.
"I was wondering how you managed it."
"Managed what?"