It was night in Ikebukuro. A breeze shook the branches of the trees alongside the sidewalks, and the city was packed with people, just like always.
Shizuo Heiwajima was walking with Tom Tanaka. They had just finished visiting the people who didn't pay their debt.
"Hey Shizuo, you hungry?" Tom asked. Shizuo took the cigarette out of his mouth. "Yeah, kind of." He said. "So, do you want to go to Russian Sushi?" Tom asked. "Sure." Shizuo replied then put the cigarette back in his mouth.
They ordered their meal and sat down. "Hey, Tom?" Shizuo asked. "Yeah?" Tom replied. "It's been a year since the flea left. What do you think he's up to?" Shizuo asked. Tom stared at him in a confused way. "What?" Shizuo asked. "Oh, it's just that it's rare for you took bring up him in a conversation."
It was true. If anyone brought up Izaya Orihara while talking to Shizuo, he would have a rampage.
"He's not here anymore. It's just that he's been on my mind for a week now." Shizuo said. "Приятного аппетита! Enjoy your meal!" Simon said as he handed them the food. "Thanks Simon." Tom said. "Well, he's probably in another town. Maybe dead or in a hospital. You did beat him up pretty badly." He continued.
Shizuo stayed silent for a while before taking a bite. "Do you think we could've been friends?" He finally said. Tom was even more surprised now. "Like, maybe not the best of friends, like, not enemies?" He said. "Well, it goes back to when you met. Neither of you made a good first impression. What I didn't get though when you told me the story is why you started hating each other that very second." Tom replied. Shizuo took another bite. "Something about him just felt odd. Who acts like that the first time they meet someone?" He said. Tom nodded. "True, but you weren't the best either. You attacked. Izaya was just being Izaya." He said. "Now you're giving him the benefit of the doubt?!" Shizuo said, louder than before. He placed his hands on the table as if to stand up. Tom put his hands in front of him. "NO NO NO! Not like that! I swear that's not what I meant!" He said. Shizuo calmed down. "No, you're right. He was just being Izaya. He can't act differently. I guess I did overreact too." He said. Tom sighed and put his hands down. "I still don't get how it became 'hatred' right off the bat." He said. "Well I guess it wasn't hatred, hatred. I guess we both didn't expect what we saw. I saw him just like anyone else that pissed me off at first. Then when I saw he can actually survive my attacks it got so annoying it became hatred. Izaya fights people a lot too. He also said it himself. I'm unpredictable. But I'm pretty sure he didn't see that at first. He took it as a joke. Then it slowly became annoying to him too." Shizuo said. "Oh." Tom said. They ate for a few more seconds. "I guess the timing was bad too." Shizuo said after a while. "I mean, I just finished destroying a soccer field. I was pretty angry so introducing him at that time was bad. And I guess he saw my anger and that caused him to think of me as a monster and get ready to attack." He continued. "Are you so wrapped up in this because you didn't see him die?" Tom asked. "No. I don't know." Shizuo said. Tom sighed. "Just enjoy your meal for now." He said. Shizuo nodded and they ate in silence.
In another town, far from Ikebukuro, Izaya walked down the streets. He stretched as he walked inside an apartment building. He went inside the elevator and out on floor 8. He went inside an apartment and closed the door.
"Where were you!?" A man yelled when he walked in. "It's called a walk. People take one sometimes." Izaya replied.
"You went without permission!" The man yelled. Izaya chuckled. "I'm 27!" He said as he walked into his room. "Hang on; I'm not done with you!" The man yelled again before Izaya closed the door. Izaya turned around with his usual smirk. "Yes?" He said.
The man got angry that Izaya didn't show the slightest sign of anger or defeat. "You've changed since you came back." He said. Izaya chuckled again with his smirk still on his face. "You just noticed?" He said before he walked in his room and closed the door.
He lay on his bed. He wasn't smiling anymore. "Shizu-chan. If only I could go back. I miss annoying you." He said to himself. "Or just seeing you." He said. He sat up in his bed and shook his head. What's wrong with me? He thought. Out of everybody in Ikebukuro I miss him?! Then he took his phone out of his pocket. He still remembered his number. Maybe I can just- no. Never mind. He put his phone on the side table beside his phone and went and hung his jacket in his closet and went to sleep.
As Shizuo and he walked back, Tom noticed Shizuo was lost in thought. He sighed. "Still thinking about it?" He asked. Shizuo snapped out of. "Yeah." He replied. "Well if it's bugging you so much, call him." Tom said. "What!? No way." Shizuo said. Tom shrugged. "Suit yourself." They walked in silence for a bit. "You know what?" Shizuo said. Tom looked back at him. "I'll call him."
Izaya was lying on his bed. The lights were off but he was awake. I should really change my number. He thought. Just then his phone rang. He reached for it and saw it said Shizu-chan. And there the reason why. He was going to hang up, but he didn't.
"Hello, Shizu-chan" He said. "Hi." Shizuo replied. "Is there something you want to say?" Izaya asked. "Just wondering if you were dead." Shizuo replied.
