Death Note Fan Fiction ❯ A Scandal in Kanto Academy ❯ The Adventure of the Talented Tutor ( Chapter 1 )

Title: A Scandal in Kanto Academy

Author: A. `previously_recorded' Reyn co-production

Rating: R because Reyn hates Light.

Disclaimer: We do not own, nor are we making profit from, the very much licensed and copyrighted characters of Death Note. And as such, Reyn hates Light.

Warnings: AU, yaoi, and Reyn hates Light.

Authors' Note: Reyn hates Light. Just so everyone is clear on that fact.

 

Stina also hates Light…and yet I do so love him at the same time (sigh) I will forever be torn and in pain…but after what he did he deserves the hatred!

 

The Adventure of the Talented Tutor

 

“I apologize, but every other student is in the same situation as you, Yagami-san. It really is unavoidable at this point…”

 

It was times like these Light really thought the world hated him.

 

“This can't be it!” he hissed, fed up at this point after arguing the subject for over two hours already. “I'm one semester away from graduating! I had enough credits to have almost a quarter's worth of classes done for college! How can you stand there and competently tell me that it's all gone?” he asked the secretary before him, looking down on her wire-frame glasses as she continued to type away on her computer.

 

She pushed the glasses up to the bridge of her nose, sighing in annoyance as she glanced up at him once more. “As you're well aware of, Yagami-san, somebody hacked into the school's computer, completely deleting all the files from last semester before they could be backed up on a separate hard drive. This includes information for every class, credit, midterm, and student. I'm sorry you decided to wait until your senior year to step up and take full advantage of what this school has to offer with all the extra clubs and credit option available; but what's done is done and if you don't have enough spare time to make up all that was lost like everyone else, there's really nothing I can do about it.”

 

“I'm aware of that,” Light said dryly, running slim fingers through his hair as he tried to calm his anger at the woman in front of him. After all, it wasn't really her fault. It was the idiot hacker who decided to pull a prank that royally screwed over the entire student population of Kanto Academy.

 

Honestly, he didn't know what pissed him off more, the fact that some asshole had done such a thing, or that the school was being so unforgiving in the matter, even though they should technically be shouldering most of the blame. Sometimes he really wished he had a means to just kill all these morons…it really would make his life much easier.

 

“So…” he breathed out, leaning onto the counter as he stared dejectedly forward. “What are my options?”

 

He wasn't stupid. He came in here to argue his case knowing full well that the Academy told all the students to simply retake their midterms in order to regain their lost grades and take optional after school courses to make up any lost extra curricular credits - a choice many seniors were now scrambling to sign up for in order to secure their diplomas. A choice that would not work for overachiever Yagami Light.

 

Kanto Academy was an elite private school that Light had only just started attending halfway through his second year thanks to his father's job transfer. At first, it had seemed like a dream come true to live close enough to go to one of the top high schools in Japan, but Light was quick to realize that he was in for one nasty wake up call.

 

Because Kanto Academy was a private school, it had its own private set of rules, as well as its own list of courses one must complete in order to graduate. The second Light stepped in its doors, his record saw him as little more than a fresh second year, despite it being a semester in. And so, in order to remain caught up with the class of 2-A, he was forced to work twice as hard to make up for lost time.

 

He had very nearly driven himself into the ground this last semester, and truth be told, he didn't have the time to retake everything while earning new credits.

 

“Just take the make-up courses like everybody else,” the secretary (`Gladys', Light had mentally dubbed her) muttered crassly, her eyes remaining down on her keyboard.

 

Instantly, Light knew she was keeping something from him. What the hell? If there was another option, shouldn't she be telling it to him? It had to be illegal in some way for a school to deny its student of his education.

 

Well, if she was going to be a bitch about it, there was only one option left. Appeal to her teacherly sense of pity that all personnel within the education system seemed to have when it came to those who possessed all the bad luck in the world.

 

“Ma'am, I have a scholarship to Todai riding on my graduating at the top of the class. I can make the grades up no problem, but it will be physically impossible for me to attend the make-up courses while trying to earn new credits for this semester alone. There aren't enough hours in the day for me to accomplish such a feat.” Sighing, Light turned up the charm and prayed this lady wasn't a lesbian. “Isn't there anything I can do to get back those lost credits some other way?”

 

The secretary frowned and shifted a little in her seat. “I'm sorry but…”

 

Light's shoulders slumped and his eyes went wide as he prepared for the worse.

 

“Well…there is one way to make up for a few of those credits at once…” The way she said it sounded like each word was being ripped from her mouth. No one, and I mean no one, was immune to Yagami-san's puppy dog look. “You see, the school offers a Tutoring program…”

 

“A Tutoring program?” Light echoed, his hopes instantly dashed at the implications of him wasting his precious time trying to teach some moron who was probably only attending Kanto thanks to his or her parents' money. He would much rather chew off his own hand than have to tutor someone with brains the size of peas. “And if I agree to this, it would give me the credits I need?”

 

The secretary nodded. “You would be able to earn your Community Service credits for both this semester and the last as well; plus an Education credit - and it can cover your Study Hall periods and then some. Also, depending on the type of tutoring that the student needs, you can earn credits in other areas as well, such as sports, literature, etc.”

 

It certainly sounded like a good deal…

 

“Is it an open system, or do you choose who tutors who?” Light asked, feeling slightly dubious. If it was an open system, a lot of female candidates may end up coming to him with absolutely no intention to actually learn anything, which meant easy could be gained with little work. The soon-to-be tutor didn't need an ego to know that he had been blessed with good looks.

 

“Actually, we only have one candidate at the moment,” `Gladys' informed, leaning over to insert paper into the printer. “He's in class S-3. You both are the same age, so if we're lucky, he'll get along with someone as intelligent as you.”

 

Class S-3? Light didn't know much about that class other than the few rumors he had been told in his year of attendance: That the `S' stood for `special' and that all the students in there were odd. Really really odd.

 

What that meant exactly, Light wasn't sure, but he did find the idea a little unusual that a place as prestigious as Kanto would go as far as to have a Special Education program. Wouldn't such a thing lower their overall output of the average GPA and such?

 

Light inwardly cursed. Having to work with some Special Ed kid only made the task of tutoring that much harder. He would probably have to explain the work ten times over to the person, then repeat the answer another ten times before it sunk in that they should be writing it down.

 

Ugh. This sucked. Was this some kind of karmic form of revenge because he believed himself to be better than everyone else?

 

The brunet hid his annoyance behind a charming smile, never letting on his pissed off state to the already agitated secretary. “Great. So, who exactly is it I will be tutoring?”

 

Rather than answering the question, `Gladys' slapped a few sheets of paper before him, along with a pen. “First,” she instructed, “you must fill these out. Normally, the process takes a few days, giving us time to check your grades, test scores, overall attendance, and study habits, but seeing as how you currently don't have any grades, attendance, or scores for us to look up, this should only take a few minutes. Now then, Yagami-san, what is your best subject?”

 

“All of my subjects are my best subject,” Light replied, frowning as he read through the papers before him. It looked more like a contract than a sign up form…

 

“I'm sure,” the secretary stated dryly. “And your weakest?”

 

“I have no weaknesses.”

 

“Study habits?”

 

“Well, if the school had a better security and firewall system, I would have signed up for prep school, which I would have attended every day until five o' clock, before heading home to do homework and study for any upcoming tests.”

 

The secretary was unable to resist the urge to roll her eyes. “It appears your past grades were well enough,” she said, peering closely at the computer screen as she pulled up his old transfer file before looking back at him. “I'll give you points for that. Your patience and temper, however, will need to be worked on if you sincerely plan on earning your credits back as a tutor.”

 

Stupid, fucking wench.

 

Light concentrated on signing his name with flourish before handing the documents back with a smile. “So,” he asked again, “who will I be tutoring?”

 

“Nakamura Ryuzaki,” she answered curtly, printing out another sheet and handing it to him before shooing him away as if he were the most insignificant thing in the world. Apparently two hours of being yelled at had broken through all pretenses of politeness and cheerfulness within her.

 

If he were any less of a man, Light would have huffed in indignation; but, truth be told, he was more than happy to finally get out of there now that he had talked his way into - what he hoped - was a better deal. Walking out of the office with enough dignity to make even the Queen of England jealous, Light was surprised to see that quite the line had grown for other students hoping to get out of the make-up classes like he had. Poor little bastards no longer stood a chance.

 

Nodding in greeting as he passed a few familiar faces in line, Light glanced down at the paper he had been given to see that it was a Tutor Request form. Immediately intrigued, he slowed his pace so that he could better read up on this person who was bound to make his life a living hell for the next few months.

 

The first thing that caught his attention was that the request was made by a `Professor' Welsh, and not the student himself. Lovely. This probably meant the kid was retarded. With such a fact in mind, Light was partially tempted to march back to the office and tell the lady he changed his mind.

 

Oh well. What's done is done, he told himself as he headed back to class.

 

Nakamura Ryuzaki was little more than a challenge - the last hurdle for Light to jump before graduating as Valedictorian and moving on to Todai University.

 

Doodle-eh-doo! Doodle-eh-doo! Doodle-eh-doo!

 

Light had decided it would be in his best interest to get this tutoring business over with as soon as possible and come lunch, he was wandering about the halls in search of class S-3.

 

It turned out the room was on the other side of the campus, near the Performing Arts wing, next to the extra storage closet for the theatre department. A part of school he had never even been to before.

 

He could hear chattering as he slid the door open, and - as if he were an alien life form just entering the planet - all talking immediately ceased as he stepped into the classroom. About twenty sets of eyes were upon him, and as Light looked around, he swore then and there that he had never seen a bigger gathering of misfits in his entire life. `Odd' was definitely an understateme - was that girl eating paste?!?

 

Light blinked. Oh, it was just a jar of mayonnaise. And ketchup. And mustard. And wasabi. And other various condiments. Being smeared on a canvas that was lying across her desk.

 

…Okay.

 

Fully aware that all the other students were still staring at him, the brunet headed over to the teacher's desk, slightly surprised to see Aizawa-sensei in the seat. The man was a substitute math teacher who, despite being good at his subject, possessed rather limited people skills. Light had suspected him to be something of a misanthrope, but seeing him here now, with a poorly concealed porno magazine hidden behind his mathbook sporting the title `Jugs', the boy realized the teacher was little more than a pervert.

 

Clearing his throat, Light politely announced his presence, effectively causing the teacher to jump in surprise and spill his book and magazine to the ground - centerfold now displayed for the world to see.

 

The brunet did his best to keep a straight face as the older man scrambled to the floor, blushing furiously as he tried to cover up his mistake. “I…er…I…” he mumbled out, making a grab for the magazine, only to have it snatched up from the floor right before he got to it.

 

Calculating eyes took in the malnourished structure of the boy who now had the porn, as well as his sloppy dress sense. His blazer was off, his clothes seemed one size too big, his shirt was untucked, and his tie was missing. Not only that, but thin, bony fingertips held the magazine from its edges in a way one might hold a pair of dirty drawers that didn't belong to them, while examining it at arms length.

 

“Aizawa-sensei, I think I can see this lady's kidneys.”

 

Light didn't even try to hide his laughter at that, noticing he was one of the very few who did so as he took in the how perplexed this student seemed to be as he examined the centerfold beauty - legs spread with her vagina open for all to see.

 

“L-san, please take your seat!” the flustered teacher shot out, snatching the magazine away and hastily stuffing it into the wastebasket nearby.

 

Waiting until the boy was gone, Light decided it would be in his best interest to save the professor from further embarrassment if he wished to get this over with before lunch ended. “Aizawa-sensei, I didn't know…this was your homeroom.”

 

Aizawa started, not realizing he still had company. He looked blankly up at Light for a moment before his eyes filled with recognition. “Yagami-san! Er, no, Professor George is out sick. Is there something you needed?”

 

Wordlessly, Light handed over the Tutoring Request form.

 

“Oh,” Aizawa said in a tone that oozed pity and he looked over the sheet. “Well, if you're looking for him, he's the one huddled by the window, reading.”

 

Light looked over to see the youth who had been the one examining the porn. “The one you addressed as L-san?” he asked skeptically.

 

The substitute groaned as he sat heavily in his seat. “Don't ask,” he pleaded.

 

Honey eyes took in the student. Aizawa wasn't kidding when he said `huddled.' The boy was literally huddled in his chair, legs up and drawn close to his body, attention deeply immersed in a small book.

 

Light observed as a girl with round glasses approached Ryuzaki and asked a quiet question, holding up a bento box in offering. Ryuzaki frowned, obviously annoyed that his attention was being pulled away from his reading as he shook his head and shooed the girl away.

 

Deciding now was a good a time as any, Light made his move, only to be intervened by the rejected girl.

 

“Are you his new tutor?” she asked bluntly, her lunch still clutched tightly in her hand.

 

“I am,” Light smiled, assuming they were talking about the same person.

 

The girl blushed a little, dazzled by his good looks. “Y-you know, he's been through twelve tutors already this year alone. Last year it was thirty-two. Since thirteen is such an unlucky number, you might be better off just quitting now and saving yourself the trouble.”

 

Light blinked, slightly taken back. “Unfortunately, I don't believe in such superstitions, Miss…”

 

“You can call me Kyouko-chan.”

 

Inwardly, Light frowned at the sudden familiarity. He did not know this girl, nor did he have any desire to get to know her. But, if she was really as obsessed with Nakamura-san as she was coming off to be, she could prove to be quite useful in the long run…

 

“Well then, Kyouko-chan, you can call me Yagami-kun.”

 

Kyouko's eyes widened and she began to giggle happily for several seconds before skipping off back to her seat.

 

Light continued on his way towards the back of the room, now bound and determined to successfully teach the weirdo clutching the desk with his bare feet, even if it was the last thing he did.

 

Seating himself in the vacant desk in front of Ryuzaki, Light fought back a scowl as he failed to catch the black haired boy's eye. “Excuse me, Nakamura-san?”

 

Heavily bagged eyes didn't even flicker up from the tattered book. So the brunet cleared his throat and tried again - this time, a little louder.

 

“He'll never answer like that,” a voice put in. Light turned to see that Kyouko was back. “He refuses to acknowledge such a name since he believes it is being traced through the government in a conspiracy to hunt him down and sell him off in a top secret auction to the highest bidder for his `beyond brilliant' mind.”

 

Well now, if that wasn't the most far-fetched and ridiculous thing Light ever had the misfortune of learning.

 

“And that's why he prefers to go by L…?” he asked skeptically.

 

Strangely enough, as soon as he muttered the letter, he was graced with a highly irritable glance and a dismissive, “If you two are going to talk about me, would you please be so kind and do it elsewhere? I'm reading.”

 

Light cast a dubious look at the book's cover in `L's hands. “Your novel is upside down,” he pointed out in a very non-sarcastic manner.

 

Without missing a beat, L promptly began to read aloud the passage he was on.

 

“Holmes examined it for some time, and then, folding it carefully up, he placed it in his book pocket…pocketbook.

 

“`This promises to be a most interesting and unusual case,' said he. `You gave me a few particulars in your letter, Mr. Hilton Cubitt, but I should be very much obliged if you would kindly go over it all again for the benefit of my friend, Dr. Watson.'

 

“`I'm not much of a story-teller,' said our visitor, nervously clasping and unclasping his great, strong hands. `You'll just ask me anything that I don't make clear. I'll begin at the time of my marriage last year, but I want to say first of all that, though I'm not a rich man, my people have been at Riding Thorpe for a matter of five centuries, and there is no better known family in the Country…County of Norfolk. Last year I came up to London for the Jubilee, and I stopped at a boardinghouse in Russell Square, because Parker, the vicar of our parish, was staying in it. There was an American young lady there -- Patrick was the name -- Elsie Patrick. In some way we became friends, until before my mouth…month was up I was as much in love as man could be. We were quick-quietly married at a registry office, and we returned to Norfolk a wedded couple. You'll think it very mad, Mr. Holmes, that a man of a good old family should marry a wife in this fashion, knowing nothing of her past or of her people, but if you saw her and knew her, it would help you to understand.

 

“`She was very straight about it, was Elsie. I can't say that she did not give me every chance of getting out of it if I wished to do so. 'I have had some very disagreeable associations in my life,' said she, 'I wish to forget all about them. I would rather never allude to the past, for it is very painful to me. If you take me, Hilton, you will take a woman who has nothing that she need be personally ashamed of; but you will have to be content with my word for it, and to allow me to be silent as to all that passed up to the time when I became yours. If these conditions are too hard, then go back to Norfolk, and leave me to the lonely life in which you found me.' It was only the day before our wedding that she said those very words to me. I told her that I was content to take her on her own terms, and I have been as good as my word…”

 

Patience wearing thin as L continued to read on, still stumbling over a few words every now and then, and with no obvious desire to finish proving his point; Light decided to save his sanity and interrupt. “I'm impressed L-san. Not many people can read like that.”

 

L merely `hmm'd in response, going back to his silent reading.

 

“Uhm…L-san?” Kyouko stepped in, taking pity on Light's poor soul. “Yagami-kun came here today, sacrificing his lunch hour, just to talk to you.”

 

At this, L looked back up at the brunet before him with interest, as if it were the first time he had even noticed him in the classroom, and Light realized that he would very much like to punch the idiot in the face for such a childish act.

 

Carefully marking his page, L set the book down on the desk and leaned forward as much as he could in his scrunched position with his hands resting on his knees. “Yes?”

 

Then again, if he punched him in the face, he wouldn't be able to get those credits. And so, being the trooper that he was, Light put on his best winning smile. “Pleased to meet you, L-san. I'll be your new tutor starting today. My name-”

 

“I don't need a tutor.”

 

And just like that, L's nose was once again buried in his novel.

 

“With all due respect, L, you're failing both Japanese and English Literature, and despite your obvious efforts alone,” Light motioned towards the book, “if you don't get a tutor to help you get your grades up, you won't be graduating come Spring.”

 

“So?” L shot back, never once looking up from the paperback. “A genius detective needs no diploma. I'll get by on pure talent.”

 

Light mentally scoffed. This socially retarded outcast considered himself a genius? Not only a genius, but a genius detective? Someone really needed to lay off the Sherlock Holmes novels.

 

“Yeah, well, good luck with that. Even with my connections to the police force, I have little chance of landing the position I want without perfect grades and the right degree. I'd love to see you pass me up with just pure talent,” the brunet mocked, remembering all to well the late night study sessions and cram schools he had to go through just to pass the test to get into the Criminal Justice program at Todai University. And now…well, now all that hard work could easily be flushed down the drain thanks to an annoying hacker and an even more annoying spoiled brat.

 

Pulling himself out of the dredge of bad memories, Light was slightly surprised to see that L's attention was now completely on him - book forgotten in hand. Crap, did he offend him?

 

“What did you say your name was again?” L asked with barely contained curiosity. Light had to admit, he was a little miffed by the sudden interest, but seeing as how it seemed to be getting him what he wanted, he wasn't about to complain.

 

“Yagami Light,” he replied, looking out for any sort of reaction that may explain the sudden intrigue.

 

And there it was. The slightest of twitches in the fingers resting against his knee.

 

“Interesting. The new Chief of Police is also Yagami, correct?”

 

This guy was about as subtle as a chainsaw…

 

“He's my father,” Light confirmed, watching as L's hand traveled up to his mouth where he gently bit the tip of his thumb - obviously deep in thought.

 

For a good three minutes he just sat there, legs curled beneath him, before finally coming to a conclusion. “Very well, Light-kun. I will let you tutor me.”

 

`Light-kun'? Where did these students get off on being so familiar with strangers? If anything, they should now be addressing him as `Light-sensei.'

 

“Excellent, I look forward to it,” Light lied. “When would you be able to meet?”

 

L looked up at his hairline for a moment before replying. “Lunch is good…and study period…”

 

“Oh, well that works-”

 

“…Monday after school…Tuesday after school…Wednesday after school…Thursday after school…Friday after school…Monday before school…Tuesday before school…Wednesday before school…Thursday before school…Friday before school…Monday after dinner…Tuesday after dinner…Wednesday after dinner…Thursday after dinner…Friday after dinner…all day Saturday…all day Sunday…” black eyes refocused on the one before him. “No later than midnight, please, because I do have a self-imposed curfew.”

 

Light blinked. “You're available all the time? But what about setting time aside for homework? TV? Friends?”

 

“I have no friends,” L answered, taking no notice of the way Kyouko's shoulders slumped at the admission. “But I do suppose I should take into account Light-kun's social life…Then…tomorrow…after school would be a good time to convene since all after school activities have been cancelled for the week, do you agree?”

 

Light resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the friendly nature he was now receiving from the once standoffish person. “Tomorrow is perfect. How does 4pm sound at the Shinjuku Café?”

 

L frowned. “I think the bakery next door to that would be a much better place to meet.”

 

“It's your call,” Light relented as he stood to leave. Another minute in this insane asylum and he'd end up committing mass murder. “Oh, there is one thing I wish to ask. I understand you dislike your real name, but why `L'?”

This caused the dark haired boy to look up in surprise, as if it were the oddest thing he was ever asked, and he stared blankly into Light's eyes, as if trying to crack why such a strange question was ever presented to him.

 

Apparently the answer was hard to find, because he continued to stare.

 

…And stare.

 

…And stare.

 

…And stare.

 

Kyouko opened her mouth to answer for him, only to be instantly silenced by a pale hand being held up before her face.

 

“It's my alias,” was the quick reply before that damn book was once again flipped open.

 

Light's left eye twitched. God, he needed to kill something…

 

 

 

 

 

 

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