-Ikebukuro-
Night fell as quickly as morning came that day and Ikebukuro's fortissimo was strolling by an empty park. A cigarette sat between his lips, his shoulders resigned to the day's busy work, and his brown eyes hidden behind blue-tinted glasses. He sighed as he recalled a particularly strange thing that happened a few hours ago. Looking down at his hands, Shizuo blinked before turning towards the dark sky.
"What the heck did you get into now, flea?" The insult that left his lips no longer held the venom of the past.
-Shinra's Residence, A few hours ago-
A machine on the side of a pale body let out continuous beeping that would have not been heard if the man was not there. An underground doctor by the name of Shinra sat next to his old friend's beaten body on one of the hospital beds in his home. The headless biker, Celty, stood beside him with one of her hands on his shoulder, as if to bring a comfort no one else could provide. The eerie silence filled the room. Shinra held Celty's hand with a grip the courier never thought humans could muster while feeling worried. A phone materialized in her hand.
「Shinra…」The doctor gave her hand a squeeze before letting his hand fall back to his lap.
"Are you staying here, Shizuo?" The bartender was leaning on the door frame before straightening up with his hands on his pocket.
"That depends. Are you going to…?" He trailed off. Whether it was because he didn't feel comfortable talking about what happened or he just didn't want to accept it, Shizuo was at a loss.
"No, not until…" Shinra's grey eyes were unmoving, watching his friend like a hawk for any sign of movement, desperate for any, any movement at all.
"Then, I'll be… until." As Shizuo turned around, Shinra's voice echoed, almost drowning the constant beats of the machine with a question; it's answer that could break through hell depending on how you answer it.
"Did you…?"
"No, never." With that, the bartender-clad man left the room. The smell of cigarettes was the only thing that confirmed his presence.