Summary: "I was twelve when I saw my first ghost, or if you prefer, a spirit. I was on my way home from school, it was late then, but I decided to take a short cut. I remember looking down over the bridge I was walking across, and there it was, just sitting there, on a rock below in the stream. My first initial thought was that I was probably tired, that I was imagining things. But it was rather dark, and I could see this-ghost-this spirit, very clearly, as if it was the middle of the day. Truth is, that very same night, before I left the school, I'd used a Ouija board"

Chapter 1: Welcome to Raijin Academy

He stepped onto the grounds of the high school, it seemed a nice enough school, and he'd read in the brochure that it was an increasingly honest high school, with well maintained grounds and good facilities. It was a private school; therefore, it was open to just anyone. His parents didn't have to worry, his grades were more then enough for his application to be a success. He noticed several students wearing the uniform, and other students were dressed casually, like himself. He wore black trousers, a dark red shirt underneath a black jacket that came only to his mid-section. He stared up at the school, a grin forming on his face, he got the feeling he was going to like it here.

"My name is Izaya Orihara, I'm fifteen years old and I can see ghosts. Heh. Maybe I should start from the beginning.

"I was twelve when I saw my first ghost, or if you prefer, a spirit. I was on my way home from school, it was late then, but I decided to take a short cut. I remember looking down over the bridge I was walking across, and there it was, just sitting there, on a rock below in the stream. My first initial thought was that I was probably tired, that I was imagining things. But it was rather dark, and I could see this-ghost-this spirit, very clearly, as if it was the middle of the day. Truth is, that very same night, before I left the school, I'd used a Ouija board.

"Now you probably think that's just a coincidence, that it probably was my imagination. But it didn't stop there, I began to feel things, see things that no one else around me did. At first, I was freaked out, like a normal person would be, and I was just a kid at the time. I'm not sure when it was, but I began to get used to it, eventually, I know, that sounds crazy. I wasn't like all the other normal kids, I kept to myself mostly, preferring to observe my surroundings, rather then interact with those around me. I was also a lot smarter than those in my class, I didn't get bullied for it or anything, but rather, it seemed to scare them off, not that I minded. I liked it that way, because it meant that at least I'd be left alone regardless.

"Back to the Ouija board incident. It was a dare, if I'm honest, a rather stupid dare, but still. I was getting ready to leave, having wanted to stay late, just so I could read up on a few things. Even the teachers thought I was weird, always wanting to learn everything I could. My main passion was and still is, humans themselves, there was just so many things that could be learned from them. Ugh, I'm getting off topic again, aren't I?

"Anyway, it just so happened to be that particular day that I chose to stay late, that some other kids, from my class, also happened to still be there. As I left the classroom, they spotted me in the hall, there was three of them, and they seem to be with another student, whom I wasn't familiar with, but he was at least three years older than us. They approached me and began to explain that the older student had dared them to do a Ouija board with him. I knew that most of the kids in my class were the type of people that would do almost anything if it meant they'd be friends with someone from the upper classes, that it was 'cool' and that would make them more popular. However, I was not one of those people, I never understood the fascination with being someone that you weren't for the sake of popularity.

"Of course, they grumbled about it, telling me that it should be my thing, since I was already weird. I didn't care, I just wanted to go home and be left alone. Whether it was just out of curiosity though, or whether I wanted to see just how they'd react to something so out there, but I decided to go with them. We did it in the library, I know, that probably sounds pretty cliché, but I didn't think about it at the time. Now most of the students believed that the library was somehow haunted, therefore, that was the specific reason for the location in the first place. It was also one of the reasons why people avoided me at times, because that was usually where I spent most of my free time.

"I was scared, and I knew the moment we even touched the board, that it had been a bad idea, anyone would. I wasn't scared because of what was happening to the others that were with me, I could tell they weren't making it up, no one was that good at acting; the fear and experience was real. Everyone in that library experienced paranormal phenomenon, be it voices heard or physical. However, I didn't, not once, and that was the reason I was scared.

"I thought that maybe it was because I always spent my time there. I didn't know whether I believed in ghosts and spirits, or paranormal happenings; and maybe that was the reason I didn't experience what my classmates had. That thought was abolished as soon as I walked across that bridge. I remember the feeling well, my heart, it beat so fast I thought it was going to burst from my chest. My palms were sweaty and for a moment, it felt like I couldn't breathe. I didn't run away, mostly because of the shock, but also because, I didn't want to. It didn't move from its position, but I know it saw me, and from the moment it looked at me, I just couldn't look away, I just-stared. I could tell that it was a woman, just from its appearance, long hair, and a long dress with some kind of shoes.

"I ran all the way home, once I'd snapped out of my shock, and began to do some research about the bridge I'd walked across. Whether there was anything that connected to something like a ghost or a haunting perhaps. What I found out, scared me more then I'd like to admit. It turned out, that the bridge I'd used for my shortcut, was called the Oiran Buchi bridge. Back in the 16th century, the area used to have gold mines, run by the Takeda clan. That same clan also ran brothels to keep the miners happy. After the battle of Nagashino, the Takeda clan escaped the area, but not before killing the prostitutes so they wouldn't share the information about the mines. The clan members invited the prostitutes to the bridge and slashed the ropes. It took me a while, but I was able to get a picture of one of them, taken before the murder of course. There was no way of me knowing just what she looked like, there was no mistaking it, the woman in the picture I'd found, was the very same woman I saw below the bridge.

"I never told anyone; I didn't expect anyone would believe me anyway. It was my secret, but I wasn't stupid, I never went across that bridge again, just for the sake of my own sanity. I also took a closer look into the Ouija board itself, the basic idea of it, seems a lot more logical then what others have led people to believe. It supposedly works through your subconscious, it's called ideomotor, it's still scary to see, but it's not the work of a spirit, nor is it anything paranormal. It's your body moving subconsciously on its own, the questions you ask, you're answering yourself through your subconscious mind, it's like your communicating with it, without you ever knowing it. That would explain most of my classmates' experiences, they really weren't making it up, but rather, they were subconsciously doing so without themselves knowing it. As I said, that would explain theirs, but that didn't explain mine. There was just no way my imagination, or rather, my subconscious, would have produced such a vivid description of this woman. Had I have seen the image of the woman before I walked over the bridge, that would explain it, but it wasn't the case. That's when I started to believe, that there really was something wrong with me, even though I kept this information to myself, the others failed to do so. The stories they went about telling other students, were nothing like what I had experienced, if anything, they sounded a little exaggerated. That is, until one of them died.

"It was about a week after the Ouija board, I remember sitting in the classroom, as usual, staring outside at whatever was interesting at the time, which happened to be a soccer game on the field. Our teacher came in as usual, we all rose from our chairs, bowed politely and sat down again. The lesson didn't start, however. She began to explain that there had been an incident, and that she'd received some upsetting news. I glanced over at the empty desk a few down from where I sat, and it was as if I already knew what she was going to say. I felt my blood run cold, and a few of the students started to cry and most of the others were in shock. I remember the boy telling me about how he kept feeling something brush past him, or that he heard weird noises at night. All of those that were with me, came up with similar stories, telling others about their experiences, they were obviously scared. I didn't care to associate with them, merely shrugging it off, because I didn't want them knowing about what I had seen, it was easier to make them think they were delusional, from my point of view anyway. But…..hearing the news, that he'd died, was something I hadn't counted on, I just didn't think it would come to that.

"We were sent home early, out of respect for him then anything, his name was Gen Aoi, I never forgot that name. I hadn't seen any spirit or ghost since the bridge, so I naturally assumed that it was the only experience I had. But the day we were dismissed early, I could have sworn I saw him, just standing in the doorway of my classroom. It wasn't like my experience on the bridge, because I knew this person, I figured that it was probably just my imagination this time. The next day, I received a lot of hateful stares from the other students that were with me that night. I didn't understand, it wasn't my fault, I didn't cause Aoi's death, he killed himself, I wasn't to blame. Then I realised, that they blamed me because nothing had happened to me, that was what they were led to believe. Because I didn't confess to what happened on the bridge, because I didn't experience anything during the game. I wondered then, whether they were probably annoyed that it wasn't me, that they would have preferred it to have been me that died, and not Aoi. I really didn't care what they thought, I wasn't to blame!

"I knew they hated me then, because of this reason. I just didn't care, if they left me alone, I was fine. When I woke up in the hospital the day after, I knew something had happened, and it came back to me. I was on my way to the library, I had some free time, so I just wanted to get away from the glares for a while. When I reached the top of the stairs, I was about to enter when I felt something touch my shoulder. I flinched, but I didn't want to panic, so I tried to ignore it; then, I was shoved backwards, hard. I remember stumbling and then falling, a cry of pain escaped my throat before I reached the bottom step. Before I blacked out, I remember looking up, trying to see my attacker, but there wasn't anyone there, nor did I hear anyone running away.

"I was lucky really. I woke up with a few bruises and a sprained arm, I also had a bit of a concussion, but that was to be expected, since I'd just fallen down a flight of stairs. Apparently, the librarian found me, he'd obviously heard my yell and instantly came to aid. The sad part is, that he's the only one that didn't shy away from me. I thought, that maybe it was one of the other students, or the upper-class man, that it might have been them who attacked me. It wasn't the case, it couldn't have been, I might have been on the verge of passing out, but there was definitely no one there, no one nearby. Even the librarian had said there wasn't any clues to indicate anyone else was with me. It was put down to an accident, of course, but I knew better, I know what I felt that day, I was fucking pushed, and it wasn't by a living being.

"After that, I strongly believed that what I saw the night on the bridge, and in the classroom, were real. I also came to realise, that even though it seemed as if the spirits or ghosts were harmless, due to the passiveness of the woman. It wasn't always going to be the case. The day I was pushed, it was him, it was Aoi, I know it was. The other board users were angry with me, and so was he, for not confessing, for not believing him and so he wanted me to suffer. I don't know whether he wanted to kill me, or just hurt me, but it didn't matter, it had the same result regardless. The angry stares, and the hatred from the others, it stopped. I never saw Aoi again after that, and I thought, that my life would finally get back to normal.

"But I continued to see them. Spirits and ghosts I mean. I still didn't tell anyone, but I think my parents had started to worry. I don't know how, but they could tell that something bothered me, when they asked me about it, I just gave them an off-handed shrug and that I was ok. They left me alone, but they weren't convinced either; each year, I kept more and more to myself. They were the kind of parents that worried about my social life, because I didn't have any friends. They need not worry about my grades, they knew I was smart, it was never an issue that needed to be addressed.

"I started doing a lot more research into the paranormal. The other side, ghosts, spirits, apparitions and poltergeists. I wanted to learn more about it, about why I was seeing them, but every time I thought I was close, I just came up with more ridiculous stories. I also started to investigate places that are believed to be haunted, that's when my parents caught me.

"I don't know why I told them about the Ouija board in the end; that two years ago, myself and some others from my class, along with an upper-class man, decided that night to indulge our curiosity. They were angry, especially when they found out it was a dare, they knew I wasn't one to give into peer pressure. So when I told them it was more for my own curiosity and entertainment purposes, they got madder. Despite that, they were also worried, that it was the reason for my change in behaviour, why I'd become more solitary then usual. I don't know how they made the connection, it seemed like they'd started to think that what happened to me on the stairs, wasn't an accident. When I asked them why, they just smiled and told me I'd be ok. So before my fifteenth birthday; a month before I was due to start my first year of high school, we moved.

"It was suppose to be a fresh start for me, maybe that was what my parents meant, by telling me I'd be ok. I didn't question it, because to me, it felt like the right thing to do too. My sisters were due to start school soon anyway, so it was best to move before that happened. In the month we were getting settled, I got to know the city, and little by little I became a different person, at least, to those around me. I don't know why or how it started, and you might even call me a hypocrite, but ever since we left what had been our home since myself and my sisters were born, I refused to let people see that side of me again. I learned in my time observing people, that it didn't matter whether you were yourself or tried to be someone else, the result was the same, you still got hurt. Despite this, I was happy, I really was. The city, it gave me more of a thrill then I ever got back in Yamanashi, and in the month we've been here, I haven't seen a spirit"

Izaya shoved his hands in his pockets, the cool of metal brushed against his fingertips. Ever since he had been pushed down the stairs, he wanted to defend himself, so he acquired his very own switchblade, and he knew how to use it. It wasn't as if he'd had to use it, nor did he want to believe that he ever would. It was more as a precaution, and it wasn't like he could attack the ghosts with it, in all honesty, he was just used to it being there. He made his way across the school grounds, taking his time and glancing every now and then at the rest of the students. Since this was the first day of a new term, he was grateful that he wasn't going to be the 'new' kid. Because that just sucked.

He unfolded a piece of paper from his back pocket as he entered the building, along with several other students. The school was definitely bigger than his middle school that's for sure. I should probably get here earlier next time he thought what a pain it'll be just to get to my locker. He decided to stand beside the doors and wait until the crowd of students dispersed. As he looked to his left, there was a male student trying to budge past everyone, stuttering apologies and trying, but failing, to reach his own locker. Izaya shook his head, and just leaned back against the door, yeah, he was definitely getting here early, or late. Hmm, probably late. He thought with a shrug. Izaya watched the same boy stumble from the crowd, sighing as he pushed his glasses up with his middle finger. It was when the noise finally died down, and most of the students had followed one another up the flight of stairs, that were situated behind the left row of lockers; did the one with glasses lock eyes with him. Don't you dare start talking to me

The boy smiled at him "Hey"

Ugh

"I guess you're new too. Well, I suppose we all are at some point"

Is this suppose to be his best conversation starter?

"What middle school did you come from? I doubt it was mine, I would have remembered you"

What the hell is that suppose to mean? Izaya had no desire to talk to this boy, so he just walked past him and finally found his locker. Shoving the piece of paper back in his pocket, he opened the door and placed his bag inside.

"I'm Shinra Kishitani"

Izaya grunted in reply and shut his locker, he then made his way up the stairs, feeling eyes on him as he did so. Of all the people he could have spoken to, he picks me Izaya sighed, well, he was kind of standing away from everyone, so he probably did make himself stand out. It was slightly off putting, in a way, rarely was he ever approached, at least, not where he was from.

The bell rang loudly through the hall and Izaya winced as he walked just under the noise. He touched his ear as it seemed to go quiet for a few seconds and then he stepped into what was going to be his homeroom for the next however many months-possible years. He made his way to the back of the classroom, it was easier to observe from the very back, and he always had a perfect view of outside if he took the desk by the window. He glanced around at the other students, wondering how long it would take him to remember all their names. Someone soon sat next to him, he could see from the corner of his eye, he didn't pay them any mind, he couldn't exactly tell them not to, could he? Only when he felt eyes on him, did he then turn his head. It hadn't taken him long to learn his name. "Don't you have someone else to bug, Shinra?"

Shinra's smile seem to just widen, he tilted his head and his smile dropped ever so slightly. "Does it look like I have anyone else to talk to?"

Izaya raised an eyebrow, huh, he hadn't expected that answer, it was so…. blunt. Izaya smiled, though it was more like a grin forming. "Actually, no"

Shinra laughed, he just laughed. Izaya stared at him like he'd lost his marbles. "I know, kind of sad right?"

Izaya really had no idea how to respond, Shinra was acting like it bothered him, but at the same time, was acting like he didn't give a damn. Izaya mentally shook his head, this boy was not going to win him over here. "If you say so" he looked out the window, hoping that would be the end of their conversation, for the end of the school year. Since when do people approach me for friendship?

Soon enough, their teacher came into the room, he was an older man, maybe in his forties. He stood in the middle of his desk and opened a folder. "Welcome students, to Raijin academy. I hope that you will all find the best path in life for you and that the school gives you everything you need for your future. My name is Mr Koshima, I'll be your homeroom teacher, and I am also a math teacher, I expect I'll see some of you in my class later today"

"Ah. I didn't catch your name" Shinra whispered to Izaya as the teacher began calling the register

Izaya looked at him again "That's because I didn't tell you it"

Shinra continued to smile at him, seemingly completely unfazed by his attitude. "Wanna tell me now?"

"All right"

"Really?" Shinra's eyes brightened

"No"

Shinra then sulked "Aw. How come?"

Izaya almost laughed, this kid wasn't like those he often came across in his classes. He frowned a little, he seriously should stop comparing this school to his old one, they were nothing alike, that much had been obvious the minute he walked upon the grounds. Izaya then rolled his eyes "You'll find out eventually. The registration"

"Well yeah, but it's more personal this way, don't you think?"

"If I tell you my name, will you shut up?" Shinra nodded, obviously satisfied with that answer. "Orihara"

Shinra tilted his head with a smile "And your first name?"

Izaya slumped, Shinra clearly didn't get the hint, he had no intention of becoming his friend, but… "Izaya"

Shinra's eyes widened again, and Izaya was ready for the fall back, it was a rather uncommon name after all. "Wow! That's so peculiar, I bet it suits you too, huh?"

What the hell? Izaya found himself grinning "You could say that, if you want"

"Are you two done with your little conversation at the back?" the teacher said with a frown as he locked his eyes on them.

Shinra jumped a little, looking to the front. "I'm sorry sir" he stammered out

"Please don't interrupt me again, you may talk when I am finished"

Shinra nodded, and then e turned back to Izaya, his voice even lower "Yeah. I can tell. You're different, aren't you? you're not like the rest. You stand out" Well, it wasn't his intention to stand out, it just happened that way. Izaya stood back from those around him to observe them, not to stand out. "Like me"

This time, Izaya did laugh "You definitely do"

Shinra smiled at him, and Izaya could tell that there was something different about him, just by the way he spoke to him. He was honest, open with himself and whoever he was talking to. He wondered then, why didn't Shinra have any friends? He thought the idea of a friend was for them to be honest, wasn't it? Not that Izaya would know. Let's say for arguments sake, that he wanted to know, it would be the first quality he'd look for in a friend. Honest and blunt, not that beat around the bush, sugar coating shit. Of course, even if he preferred that someone was honest, he'd still complain about it, because teasing was fun. Shinra seemed to respond well to teasing, at least, that's what Izaya had worked out in the first five minutes of talking to him. "So, where are you from? You didn't answer my question" he then heard Shinra ask.

"I didn't answer your first one either"

Shinra grinned then, and for a second, Izaya stared at him with fear, not the kind of fear that would leave you cowering or avoiding it. It was the kind of fear that left him realising that whatever Shinra said, he truly meant it, Izaya even imagined him to be somewhat threatening; if the light that was catching on his glasses so twistedly, was anything to go by. "But you did eventually, so you might as well save yourself the trouble of being annoyed and tell me now"

"Are you always this annoying?"

Shinra tilted his head "Are you?"

Izaya grinned touché "Yamanashi" he finally said. Why the hell did I just tell him that?

Izaya almost fell out of his chair when Shinra shot up out of his and slammed his hands on his desk. "Seriously!?" the raven blinked; did he miss something? Was there something extremely fascinating about that city that even he didn't know about?

The teacher frowned "What did I say!?" he then looked down at his register, he was good at memorizing names, being a teacher and all. "Kishitani!"

Shinra gulped, Izaya grinned at him, Shinra turned and bowed "I'm so sorry sir, it won't happen again, I promise"

Idiot Izaya thought with amusement

Mr Koshima sighed "I know a first day can be both excitement and nerve racking, but there will be plenty of time to get to know one another later, at least wait until I've finished with announcements" Shinra bowed again and then sat back down in his seat with a sigh of relief. "Would anyone like to be our class president? It's extra work, but of course, it'll be of some benefit towards your grades later"

Shinra raised his head and then his hand "I'll do it!" Izaya rolled his eyes, like he'd totally predicted that of him.

"Ok, very good, Kishitani-kun. Would anyone else like to join him?"

Shinra smiled and then stood up "Izaya would like to"

Izaya snapped his head to Shinra, "I didn't say that" he hissed

Koshima nodded and looked at Izaya "Is this something you would care for-" the teacher looked down at his register and then back up again "Orihara?"

Izaya glared at Shinra, he'd never be interested in something like this, but now he was put on the spot, and he didn't want to come across stupid. "Fine"

Shinra pumped his fist "Yes" he whispered

Koshima smiled and wrote his name down, along with Shinra's. "Excellent. I don't have any announcements today; you are now free to make your way to your first lesson"

The students stood up, bowed and then made their way out of the room. Shinra hurried after Izaya and walked beside him down the corridor. "Thank you" he said

"You didn't give me a choice. I don't have time for that"

Shinra laughed "You don't have to do any work or anything, I guess I just wanted the company"

"You just put my name down, just for the company?"

Shinra nodded "Sure. That, and this way, you'll get to have more free periods"

Izaya tilted his head in thought, that wouldn't be a bad thing, and then he got this feeling that Shinra was up to something else. "Free periods to do what?" Izaya sighed, wondering how Shinra had even roped him into all this, he'd only known him less then an hour and they hadn't even gone to their first lesson yet.

"So, Yamanishi huh? That city has some of the most popular haunted places in Japan"

Izaya blinked at Shinra, wondering just what the hell was up with this kid. he looked so excited about the whole thing, sure, people usually did get excited about the prospect of 'haunted' places. But Izaya hated those people, because those people didn't know the truth, and how could they? Haunted places weren't a joke, they were real, the people previously in the area were real, and they were angry, upset and hurting. But Shinra, he didn't look like the rest of them, there was something in his eyes, something that told him he knew a lot more about this then other normal people. There was a serious glint in his eyes, despite the clear obvious excitement.

He could be like me Izaya thought, but he quickly shook that out of his head. No, he wasn't going to do this, he wasn't going to trust this boy.

"Izaya? You ok there?"

Izaya blinked again, realising he had yet to even answer him, what was the question again? "What?" He found himself voicing

"Yamanashi. Where you lived, it has some of the most popular haunted places"

I could always play dumb "Oh. Is that so? I've never really thought about it"

Shinra's eyes widened and Izaya wondered whether he seriously might have a heart attack. "You're kidding! You must be, I mean, anyone that lives or lived there would know that"

Izaya shrugged "I guess I just didn't pay attention much" he had a feeling Shinra didn't believe him, when it came to feigning stupidity, Izaya was a terrible liar. He never did learn how to hide his intelligence, he was generally good at deceiving people, he was good a lot of things, but lying about how smart he was, wasn't one of them.

Shinra raised an eyebrow at him "How'd you get in?"

Wait, what? "What are you talking about now?"

Shinra grinned "You know. The school, how'd you get into the academy? Everyone knows you're suppose to have certain grades to be able to at least get accepted"

Izaya groaned inwardly, Shinra had clearly thought this through a lot more than he let on. He was beginning to think he might just have a stalker. Izaya then grinned "Maybe my parents paid the fee"

Shinra tilted his head, while it was true that you had to have at least a passing grade to get into the school, a fee had to be paid, depending on what grade they got. Of course, students didn't have to apply for this specific school, but it was highly recommended for their education. The academy's reputation was exceedingly exceptional. "If you say so"

Izaya couldn't help but think Shinra was disappointed, that he wasn't as smart as Shinra thought he was. Izaya was rather surprised Shinra believed him. "Sorry to disappoint you. I'm sure there are other students around that you can brag with"

Shinra chuckled, pushing up his glasses "Well, I'm obviously not the only nerd at the school. But those I know from my middle school, are the cowardly types"

Izaya raised an eyebrow "There are different types now?"

Shinra laughed "Not really. But we just don't share the same interests"

"And that would be?"

Shinra grinned, raising a finger "Ghosts"

Izaya sighed, maybe he was one of those people after all. "Ghosts?"

Shinra nodded "Yes. There's a lot of untold and unexplained happenings everywhere you know. Sadly, no one takes it seriously enough, and those that do, they don't wanna be involved, as I said, they're too cowardly"

"Uh huh" they turned a corner, it seemed that they had their first lesson together. Izaya met a few people that were all into the paranormal, like those of his previous school, the ones that did the Ouija board, but they weren't ever serious about it. He got the feeling Shinra wasn't like that, the boy practically jumped on his desk at the excitement.

"So I was thinking, that maybe you and I could- create something"

Izaya turned back to Shinra "Create what exactly?"

"I just, I need some help, I can't do it by myself"

"Help with what? I'm not really interested in any club"

Shinra sighed "It's not really a club, you know, I've even got some funding available, not a lot, but it's sufficient enough"

"Why don't you just spit out whatever it is you want to say?"

"I can show you, after school"

There was just no avoiding it, he got the feeling Shinra would just continue to bug him, he also had a feeling that his 'free periods' would be for exactly this thing Shinra was on about. "Not today. My parents are working late tonight, and I have to pick up my sisters and look after them"

Shinra smiled "Oh, you have sisters? How old are they?"

"They're twins, they're only six so they've just started elementary"

Shinra nodded "How about tomorrow then?"

Izaya closed his eyes "Fine"

"Great!"

…..

The bell rang to signal the end of the day, students filed out of the classrooms hurriedly, Izaya waited for some of them to disperse from the lockers, Shinra standing beside him. "Do you live nearby?" Shinra asked him

"It's about ten minutes from here" the two then proceed to change their shoes and grab their belongings from their lockers before walking out together.

"Which way? Maybe we can walk home together?"

Izaya shoved one hand in his pocket, his bag slung over one shoulder as he turned to the boy, making them stop momentarily. "Why?"

"Huh? Why what?"

"Out of everyone you could have approached, why me?"

Shinra smiled and then shrugged "I think you're interesting"

Izaya raised an eyebrow, he then grinned "Is that so? Is that your idea of flattery?"

"W-what?"

"Kind of forward" Izaya was teasing him, Shinra's cheeks grew a shade of red and he started waving his hands out in front of him.

"No! that's- that's not what I meant, I thought- since you seem different, that maybe we could actually become friends"

Izaya laughed "Did you think I was being serious?"

Shinra pouted "You're so mean, you knew what I meant"

The two carried on walking toward the gate "Of course, though watching you fluster was kind of funny"

Shinra sighed "So mean" as they passed the gate, Shinra turned to his newfound 'friend' "So come on, how'd you really get in?"

Izaya rolled his eyes "Back to this? I told you"

Shinra shook his head "What makes you think you have to hide your intelligence from me?"

"Because it's none of your business, and so that I won't get roped into anything, also because I don't want to be friends"

Shinra tilted his head, completely unfazed by Izaya's last comment and said "Well, I've already done that, roped you into being a class rep with me"

Izaya clicked his tongue, Shinra really was persistent, and Izaya found himself curious about what Shinra was planning. "This thing you want to create, does it have to do with your interest in ghosts?"

Shinra smiled "Maybe, I'll fill you in tomorrow, are you interested in the paranormal, Izaya?"

"You think just because I'm from Yamanashi, that I might automatically believe and are interested in all that?"

Shinra nodded and then grinned "So you admit, it's a known fact for haunted places"

Izaya leaned against the wall as they stood outside the school gates "I only said that, because it's what you told me this morning"

Shinra laughed "Oh come on, I know you already knew that"

Izaya shook his head and then proceeded to walk down the street "Whatever"

Shinra chuckled lightly, staring after him "See you tomorrow Izaya!"

Izaya frowned as he continued to walk in the direction of his sisters' school, luckily, it was only a few blocks down from his own. "Why was he so persistent? How annoying" though he was annoyed, he couldn't help but feel hopeful, Shinra was the first person he'd spoken to that had a genuine interest in the paranormal, not just for the thrill, but a real deeper interest.

When he finally decided to lift his head up, he turned toward a building on his left. It was boarded off by a wired fence, so it had clearly been abandoned sometime ago. The structure was wooden and there were many windows lining the front of the building. Izaya stopped walking, he narrowed his eyes as he looked toward the top left-hand side, a singular window, and unlike the rest of them, this one was open. If this was abandoned, why is there an opened window? he wrapped his fingers around the fencing as he stepped closer, still staring at the open window. Suddenly, a flash of white appeared and for a second, Izaya jumped, not expecting anything. His grip on the fence tightened slightly, it had been a month since he'd seen any kind of spirit or ghost, almost forgetting what it was like. He continued to stare at it, until it moved away from the window, leaving a light mist behind, and then nothing.