The higher you gaze at the night sky, the more you feel the depth of night.
It was quiet here.
Too quiet.
Just the two of them.
No distant sirens, no voices from the crowd below. The smoke hadn't reached them yet. The world felt like it had stopped.
"I just realized it's a full moon tonight."
Leaning against the wall beside the shattered bridge, Hayashi Yoshiki gazed out into the sky, voice calm and detached—as if none of this chaos surrounded them.
Next to him, Ran sat with her arms wrapped around her knees.
But her thoughts weren't on the moon.
They were on him.
"If... if you hadn't turned back to save ..."
Her voice cracked slightly.
She rembered it vividly—how he could've escaped. If he hadn't co back for her, he'd be safe by now, probably sipping water and catching his breath with the others.
But instead...
"Are you really going to start blaming yourself now?"
His voice was soft. Warm. Grounding.
"We're just stuck. That doesn't an this is how it ends."
Ran turned her head.
She'd always been strong—but kindness sotis made her vulnerable. Bla sat heavy on her shoulders.
"Let's just wait here for now."
"I'm sure Uncle Mouri and Inspector gure are doing everything they can."
He smiled gently.
Ran nodded quietly.
She had earlier spotted a fire hose behind the extinguisher box and even considered trying to swing down with it, maybe break in through a lower window. But Yoshiki had gently but firmly shot that idea down.
It wasn't realistic. Not with two people. And not with the kind of weight and height they were facing.
Suddenly, thick black smoke began to roll down the corridor.
The air grew hotter.
Hayashi Yoshiki loosened his collar, tugging off his tie and unbuttoning his shirt slightly.
"This heat's getting annoying. I'm going to sweat my hair out."
Ran blinked.
"...You're worried about your hair right now?"
"Co on, haven't you noticed? I always care about my image."
He chuckled.
Then his phone buzzed.
He picked up—expression relaxing at first, then sharpening.
Gin's voice ca through the speaker like a blade:
"What's the situation?"
"So you found out."
"Just answer."
"...Not hurt. But the situation's pretty bad."
"I'm mobilizing a helicopter. ETA: twenty minutes."
"Hmm... There's a fire here already. And besides..."He looked over the broken bridge."A chopper can't land here. Even approaching might be too risky. Ladders won't help either."
There was silence.
Gin's face, sowhere far off, twisted in restrained fury.
This was his screw-up.
He had pressed the detonation button that might just kill one of the Organization's most talented mbers—with his own hands.
Cointreau wasn't expendable.
He was worth more than half the Organization's grunts combined. Gin had tolerated him, even respected him. And now?
He'd walked him into a burning trap.
anwhile, in the front seat, Vodka was having a breakdown.
It's over.
I'm the one who hit the switch.
If Cointreau died here, would Gin ever forgive him? Would Cointreau?
Would he co back for revenge?
Cold sweat rolled down his neck, soaking his collar. He didn't dare say a word.
Gin's eyes were scanning his phone. Cold. Furious. Calculating.
He was ready to send in an ard helicopter if needed.
Exposure didn't matter anymore.
If he could save Hayashi Yoshiki, he would.
He was that valuable.
"But... if you could get a parachute, that might work."
"Done."
Gin didn't hesitate. The call ended imdiately.
Vodka held his breath.
And then exhaled... just a little.
Back at the tower, Inspector gure was on the line too.
"We're sending a rescue chopper! Hold tight!"
Hayashi Yoshiki gave the sa answer as before:
"We'll try. But a parachute is probably the only way we're getting out of here."
He then looked down at his watch.
Twenty minutes?Plenty.
Because he had already prepared for this.
[Kisaragi Hosui][Cause of death: Burned][March 21, 20:53 — Entered Room A2, 45th floor of Twin Towers][March 21, 21:37:42 — Consud by flas]
[Kuto Daichi][Cause of death: Burned][March 21, 20:53 — Entered Room A1, 45th floor of Twin Towers][March 21, 21:45:42 — Consud by flas]
If the fire was going to reach their part of the building, it had to first pass through A1 and A2. He had written their fates down in the Death Note—and as long as that tiline held, he and Ran would be safe until then.
He had traded two expendable lives for ti.
And he didn't feel guilty.
Kisaragi had already made peace with death the mont he refused help.
He would've died anyway—in prison, in regret, in darkness.
This way, at least, he served a purpose.
Even if Gin and gure hadn't called, Yoshiki had a dozen other plans. He was never going to die here.
"Twenty minutes."
He turned to Ran, gently:
"Are you nervous?"
She nodded slightly.
He smiled.
"Then we pray."
He looked up at the sky once more.
The moonlight shimred brightly over the city.
"Ran's always been lucky. This ti, I'll trust in your luck too.""We'll make it. I promise."
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