Misfortune



Misfortune (不幸, Fukō) is the sixth chapter of volume three and twenty-second chapter overall.

Plot
At the hospital, Light Yagami and L join Light's mother Sachiko at the bedside of Light's father Soichiro. It appears that he had a normal heart attack caused by too much stress &mdash; though L points out that it has not been established that Kira always succeeds in killing his targets. Noticing his wife's nervousness at such a comment, Soichiro tells her that she ought to go home and relax a little.

After she has left, Soichiro confirms to Light that their companion is the real L and not a stand-in like Lind L. Tailor. He then asks L if his son is cleared of suspicion, but L answers that his suspicions have only increased. When Light criticizes L's bedside manner, Soichiro assures him that he would rather hear the hard truth than comforting lies.

L explains to Light that the FBI agents who were killed by Kira were in Japan in order to investigate leaks of information from the Kira Task Force. Although the Americans were killed outright, none of the Japanese detectives have died so far, suggesting that Kira's connection to his source is very strong, maybe even family-related &mdash; though L won't put it past Kira to actually kill his own family some time in the future.

Light suggests that if Kira is Japanese then he is probably against killing fellow countrymen. He acknowledges that Kira's link to the investigation team could be likely and that does make him a logical suspect.

Light tells L that he will help him in the investigation if only to clear his own name. Soichiro tells him that he ought to wait till he's gained his degree, but Light points out that it will be years before he graduates and that he has already promised to bring Kira to justice if anything should happen to his father. It's because of Kira that his father is in his current state and Light is determined to make him pay. Soichiro is convinced that his son is not Kira, but L wonders if this outburst is just an act.

L asks Light what kind of a person he thinks Kira is. Based on the assumption that Kira acquired a supernatural ability to kill from a distance, Light suggests that the way in which he would use it would depend on his age group: A young child would probably be too afraid to use it or would just get rid of people he did not like, while an adult would use it for personal gain. Kira, whose aim is to change the world, is probably more of an idealistic middle-schooler, probably from a wealthy background with his own TV and internet access and relatively ignorant.

L agrees with most of these points &mdash; though not with the idea that Kira is "ignorant" and also believes that he is more likely to be of high school age &mdash; which was Light's case when the Kira killings began. From the current suspects, he suggests that, based on Light's analysis, Kira may be Light's own sister, Sayu Yagami!

Light is again outraged at the way L voices thoughts that could be upsetting to his father, but Soichiro assures him that he will be no worse off whatever is said. In any case, although biased as her father, he believes that Sayu is the sort of person who would be too mortified by a power like Kira's to use it. Ryuk, who can only be seen and heard by Light, notes that Soichiro has made no mention of why his son cannot be Kira!

Soichiro says that he once considered Kira evil, but now believes that it is the power to kill that is evil, not the one who possesses it! Kira was cursed when he acquired that power. Whatever joy he may feel about creating a better world is a false joy given the way in which he is going about it. Ryuk and Light exchange glances, but say nothing.

Soichiro then says that he will try and get back to work as soon as he can. L and Light urge him to take it easy and recover first, but he is determined to capture Kira whatever the cost. At that moment, a nurse announces that visiting hours are over.

Leaving the hospital, Light asks L if there is any way in which he can be cleared of suspicion of being a serial killer. He even suggests that he be locked up for a month with no access to the media and see what happens. L takes that as a desperate attempt to prove his innocence but considers arresting a mere suspect as ridiculous. In fact, based on their recent conversation with Light's father, he's beginning to suspect Light less. Before L leaves in a chauffeur-driven car, Light tells him that he would rather wait for his father to recover before helping in the investigation. L understands this and leaves.

They separate deep in thought: Light wonders what L's real name is; and L wonders if Light really is Kira.

Light then tells Ryuk that he has never considered gaining the power of the Death Note a misfortune, in fact he believes that it is the best thing that ever happened to him and he will use it to create a perfect world. Ryuk says that it does not matter to him but warns Light that it is said that humans haunted by Shinigami usually have nothing but misfortune. Light is confident that Ryuk is about to see an exception to that rule.

Conception
The chapter's title refers to Ryuk's statement about how humans who use the Death Note always face misfortune.