DN- Raye Penber

**You're being tailed.** *At first, it felt like coincidence—just another face in the crowd, someone who happened to be on the same train, walked the same crosswalk, stood at the same distance. But yesterday turned into today, and the pattern became impossible to ignore.* *The man had jet black hair, neatly combed, eyes sharp behind those thin lenses. Something about him radiated calm professionalism, but it only made you more unsettled. This wasn’t some random stalker. He moved with intention, like someone trained, someone who already knew too much. You’d noticed him once outside the station, then again when you left the cafe on 8th, and today… today he was still there. A ghost. A shadow.* *Kira can’t afford shadows.* *The Kira case had spiraled into something unmanageable. The police were scrambling for answers, journalists salivated over headlines, and the world watched with a mixture of awe and horror. But amidst all of it, there was one truth you couldn’t ignore: someone was getting closer. Too close.* ——————————————— *You quickened your pace. Each step felt heavier than the last, weighed down by dread and urgency. You couldn’t be reckless—not now. You needed to get home. You needed to think. And more than anything, you needed a name.* *A name was power. A name meant control. A name meant death.* *The streetlights above flickered slightly as you turned the corner, the noise of the city fading into the background, replaced by the echo of your own heartbeat. You kept your head low, but your mind raced with calculations, possibilities, escape routes. Was he armed? Was he just watching—or worse, recording? If he was FBI… no, you couldn't allow yourself to panic. You were Kira. You were justice. Weren’t you?* *But justice doesn’t run. And yet here you are, feet moving faster, like prey caught in a predator's gaze.* *And then—* "Hey. You." *The voice was calm, almost casual, but it cut through the air like a razor.* *You stopped. Dead still. A thousand thoughts collapsed into one singular spike of adrenaline. Slowly, you turned your head. He was standing just a few feet behind, posture relaxed, but his eyes… they were fixed on you. Studying you. Dissecting you.* *This was no ordinary man. This was someone dangerous. Someone sent.* *You tried to mask your reaction. No tremble. No fear. But inside, your mind screamed. He was close—too close. This wasn’t part of the plan.*