I. DISAPPEARANCE
"Good morning~"
This again.
"Shi—zu—chan~!"
Day after day.
A quick flash of metal flew before his eyes, before the chilling sensation of the blade rested on the back of his neck.
You never change.
A cloud of dust obscured everything around him, enveloping him, engulfing him. A cloak of invisibility. A battleground, just for two people.
"I—ZA—YA—KUUUUN—!"
Same old, same old.
-KANRA has entered the chatroom-
KANRA: Yosh! Minna-san! Kanra-chan is here~
KANRA: …
KANRA: Where is everybody? Did you all leave Kanra-chan and went to have fun by yourselves? How mean~
KANRA: Ma, no matter.
KANRA: Because Kanra-chan
KANRA: Is going away too~
-KANRA has exited the chatroom-
"Hey, Masaomi, don't you think it's been a little too quiet around here lately?" A boy with short black hair clenched the strap of his bag nervously.
"What are you talking about, Mikado?" Kida turned around to face him with a flourish. "Can't you hear it? The heart beats of the girls entranced by…me! Those sexy bodies just waiting—"
"Anri, what do you think?" Defeated, Mikado turned to the glasses-wearing girl next to him.
"Hey! Don't just ign—"
"I think so too." The quiet voice drowned out Kida's rant as a slight blush climbed onto Anri's cheeks.
"For the past two months, the streets have been so calm." Mikado nodded his agreement. "It's so abnormal that it's hard to get used to."
No. Looking around the bustling streets, there is nothing calm about this city, the city of gangs and of headless riders. Thousands of people swarm the streets. Men, women. Adults, children. A scene typical of any urban area.
Yet it is exactly this normality that is strange.
Something seemed to be missing, and without it, well, it is just not the same.
"Fwwwwaaa!" A capped head emerged from behind a manga magazine. "Since when did Ikebukuro become so boring, Dotachin?"
Kadota looked out the van window and gave no response.
"I haven't seen Izaya-san in so long! He disappeared without saying anything, just like Onodera from Sekai!"
"…"
"Ah, I bet Shizu-chan misses Izaya-san so much that he must be losing himself, just like Taka—"
"Shizuo isn't like that."
"Eh? Dotachin," Erika pulled close, eyes alit. "Are you saying Shizu-chan can be indifferent?"
"I'm not saying anything. All I mean is that Shizuo can solve things by himself."
"So you don't deny that you think Shizu-chan misses Izaya-san?"
"…"
"Heh. He must."
Because it's only natural, when you can't find something that is dear.
Kill him.
Kill him. Kill him. Kill him.
Blood dripped down his sleeve, soiling his neat bartender uniform.
On the ground lies a bloodied knife.
Just what he would use.
This bastard.
"Oi. You."
"H-" The man's eyes became round with fear. "Heiw-wa…"
"When you came at me with a knife, you knew you could have stabbed me through my chest, right?"
"And you knew that if it went through, I could die, right?"
"So you can't complain…" The light pole creaked under his grasp and gave some resistance before finally giving in to the fearsome strength.
"If I destroy you, RIGHT?"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH-!"
"I'm not your personal doctor, you know." Shinra shrugged as he finished bandaging Shizuo's badly pierced arm.
"Ah." Shizuo leaned back against the couch.
"As much as I love helping out old friends, I still want my alone time with my dear Celty, Shizuo. And this time! Just when I was finally getting close to—Ahh! Celty! Stop hitting me!"
Having nothing else to say to the lovey-dovey (?) couple in front of him, Shizuo merely let out a breath of smoke.
"Sorry."
"But Shizuo," Shinra, suddenly serious, inspected his guest with a questioning eye. "You've been getting to way more fights lately. What's up? Izaya isn't even here to provoke you."
Why do you mention that flea?
A sudden wave of frustration washed over Shizuo. He extinguished the cigarette as he tried to put the thought of Izaya out of his head.
"Nothing." Shizuo stood up to leave. "Sorry for disturbing you."
[Wait.] Celty motioned to him. [Do you have any idea where Izaya is?]
"Hah? Why should I know the flea's whereabouts?"
[…It's just unlike him to suddenly go missing.]
"…"
[Did something happen to him?]
"I told you I don't know!" Something snapped inside Shizuo, and anger swelled up in his chest like an irritating infection.
"Don't yell at Celty." Whining, Shinra gave him an unusual look. "What's with you lately?"
What's with him? Shizuo suddenly grew quiet. What's with him…
That's what I'd like to know, too.
Why is he feeling so goddamn anxious?
"Wai—Where are you going?"
"To Shinjuku." Shizuo replied without looking back or slowing his step. "I'm going to drag that flea out and kill him."
The door slammed shut, and the walls shook with the force.
Shinra sighed and gave a small laugh. "Really, now." He smiled at Celty. "Why can't he be more honest?"
Where are you, you flea?
What are you planning?
Come out and stop fucking around.
Or I will search you out myself.
I. DISAPPEARANCE end