Kasane receives the first message three days after everything ends. A short text from a blocked number offering assistance if she'd like that is signed off with a simple "Tsukumoya".

She doesn't question how he managed to get in contact with her. Tsukumoya Shinichi has long been a thorn in her side even while he played at being neutral. A better question is why he is making the offer at all and whether or not he can be anywhere remotely near trusted. Two questions that she ultimately decides to answer as "who knows" and "likely not," deleting the text without a second thought and disposing of the phone.

Getting herself a clean phone is something she should have done immediately after everything fell through anyway. Not that she thinks for a moment that it will stop Tsukumoya from finding her again but at the very least it makes for momentary peace of mind.

As if to prove how persistent he can be when he feels like it, a day later she receives another text that reads: [The offer still stands.] Once again she ignores it, although she doesn't trash her phone this time, simply turning it off and setting it aside once she deletes the message.

Not that it matters. An hour after that the phone turns on by itself and lets out a cheerful chime to indicate another message. One that says, [At the very least you could properly decline my generous offer as opposed to just ignoring me.]

This one she responds to with a question of her own. {Why are you being pushy? Before you would take any silence as dismissal and let the matter drop.}

The reply is quick, but slower than she expects from him. As if he took a bit of time to properly consider his response before sending a string of texts, one after the other. [The status quo has changed and I'm confident you're uninterested in bringing any further harm to my city. So, I've decided to offer an olive branch, such as it is.] A pause, then, [Would you prefer to discuss this in my chatroom? It would be a bit less clunky and far more secure than this.]

{I thought the room was gone.}

[Oh, no. It's never really *gone*.] And even though she has no idea what his voice might sound like she can almost hear the laughter in that reply. [I just made it a bit more discrete. Moved it around. And after we have our conversation I'll move it again. With you seemingly out of the game and Izaya... well... I don't have much of a reason to maintain it the way I previously did. But, here...]

The next message is a string of numbers, what she assumes to be the direct address to his server, and a small frown creases her brow as she studies it. For whatever reason Tsukumoya has some odd sort of fixation on her at the moment and likely isn't about to let her go without an extensive conversation.

Maybe he's lonely. Anxious to discuss recent events and she's the only one knowledgeable enough that he can do so without risk.

Whatever the reason, odds are good he's not about to leave her alone until she, at the very least, shows up in his chat.

Without a single wasted movement Kasane sets her phone aside and boots up her laptop. Not surprised when a window opens on its own the instant the desktop pops into view.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
Much better!

Kujiragi Kasane
You changed my display name.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
I did. It seems silly to continue calling yourself "Yodogiri" on here, doesn't it? That's all behind you now.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
Truth be told there was no reason for you to do it around me in the first place. I always knew, but I respected the role you chose to play at the time.

Kujiragi Kasane
I suppose.

Kujiragi Kasane
What is it you're so anxious to discuss?

Tsukumoya Shinichi
You, of course!

Kujiragi Kasane
Me?

Tsukumoya Shinichi
Yes. Specifically, do you have any ideas of what to do now that you're your own woman?

Kujiragi Kasane
I haven't thought about it beyond the fact that I'll be leaving the city. I'd think that would be enough for you.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
Mmm... I suppose. But you know I'm a very curious person. My area of focus may be Ikebukuro but that doesn't mean I'm entirely uninterested in the things that go on outside of it. Especially things that involve people who spent so much time here and affected so much.

Kujiragi Kasane
I think it's more that you're bored now that everything is over and can't find Orihara Izaya to gossip about the details with.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
I do not "gossip" with anyone, let alone Izaya.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
If I was just gossiping for my own amusement do you really think I would charge him for the information I share?

Kujiragi Kasane
Yes. It was your way of keeping him at an arm's length.

Kujiragi Kasane
He was a very dangerous individual and you recognized that. So you played at being his source while you observed him.

Kujiragi Kasane
I'm sure he realized it too and was playing along to observe you in turn. Neither of you are as clever as you like to think.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
Maybe all of us are equally clever. Yourself included.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
Either way, we're getting distracted. Your low view of me isn't relevant to this conversation.

Kujiragi Kasane
Fine. Is finding out my future plans the only reason you called me here?

Tsukumoya Shinichi
Tsk. You're far too brisk and businesslike, Kujiragi-san. You need to learn to be more casual on occasion. Loosen up a bit. Be friendly.

Kujiragi Kasane
I feel like we're having two different conversations.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
I'm only saying these things because I want to help you.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
You've lived your entire life up to this point in a set of specific, very rigid, roles. As the perfect assistant to the man who "raised" you, and I do use that term in the loosest possible sense, and then taking over that man's position. And now you finally have a chance to be your own person. To grow and shine. To get a hobby, adopt a pet, make friends...

Tsukumoya Shinichi
But do you even know how?

Tsukumoya Shinichi
This is why I'm messaging you. I, as someone who knows all of your secrets, have decided to offer myself as your first real friend.

...

Kujiragi Kasane
I can't help but wonder what's in it for you?

Tsukumoya Shinichi
You don't trust that I'm doing it out of pure altruism?

Kujiragi Kasane
No.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
You shouldn't be so suspicious.

Kujiragi Kasane
My only suspicion is that you're even more bored than I initially thought.

Kujiragi Kasane
It's only been four days. I thought you would appreciate peace returning to your city.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
Ikebukuro is never really at peace even when things are quiet. If you had taken a bit of time to get to know it better perhaps you could understand.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
You still could if you wanted to.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
This city welcomes everyone. Even self-proclaimed "villains".

Kujiragi Kasane
Even if the "city" welcomes me, there are portions of it that don't. I need to leave for a while or I'll be putting myself at risk.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
True enough, I suppose.

Kujiragi Kasane
If that's all you wanted, I should go. I have plans to make.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
Very well.

Tsukumoya Shinichi
Perhaps we could chat again sometime?

Tsukumoya Shinichi
Even if you don't return to Ikebukuro, my offer still stands.

Kujiragi Kasane
I'll consider it.

Kujiragi Kasane
Thank you.

Without waiting for a response she closes the chat window and her laptop as well, not quite trusting Tsukumoya to let the conversation completely lie. She still has to decide where to go from here and can't risk the distraction.

And as if to prove just how incapable he is of letting her be, only a moment after setting her laptop aside Kasane's phone chimes with yet another text. One that she considers ignoring before deciding against it. Odds are good that if she did try to ignore it, he'd simply keep sending them.

[If I might make a suggestion, France is lovely this time of year. And there's a certain organization there that you may be interested in learning more about.]

Without thinking too closely about why she's agreeing so easily, Kasane taps out a quick reply. {You'll wind up sending me the details no matter what I say, so go ahead.}

The response comes almost instantly: [They're already in your email.]

With a small shake of her head Kasane shuts her phone off. Tsukumoya's sudden interest in her is entirely confusing. Had it happened a few months ago she would have assumed it nothing more than a careful bit of manipulation to learn and ultimately stop her plans. But with everything said and done there is no reason for him to get close to her. Or at the very least, there is nothing obvious.

She's never really worried about much in her life, taking everything that comes to her as expected in some way or another. But this...

At the very least this is bothersome, if not entirely worrying.