Izaya was in school for only half a day. He left school during lunch but before that he made sure to finish what he had started. He met every single person who was supposed to give him gifts. He collected all the cards and listened to every girl's confession, sometimes going as far as rejecting groups of girls together just cause he didn't have time.
It was simple really. All these poor humans were fawning on him right from the first. A little nudging here, a little pretending there and soon enough he had what he wanted in his hands. Everything was gift wrapped of course. He had specifically told his humans that he wanted it gift wrapped.
As far as the expensive things were concerned, all he had to do was blackmail some of his peers and he got what he needed. After all he didn't need to spend his resources buying all these if people were oh so willing to do it for him.
"Everything is finally done" Izaya stretched his hands and merrily skipped on the side walk "The cards have been burnt. The gifts have been delivered. I'm just happy Celty didn't bother asking who all those gifts were for but then again Shinra probably told her already"
After setting up everything at home he decided to go out.
'I'm going to do this.' He thought
I'm really going to do this!
"Okay so here's the plan. We're going to wait for him here" Shinra said
"But why are we here and why must we wait for him?" Shizuo asked getting mildly irritated now
They were in Izaya's house waiting for him to come back. Shinra had insisted that Shizuo had to come along if he wanted to know what was happening. Shizuo for one gave into his curiosity despite the potential danger. It was Izaya after all. Better safe than sorry.
"Oh you'll find out soon enough" Shinra said cheerfully
"Shinra" Shizuo called out his name menacingly
Kadota sighed. "Forget him Shizuo I'll explain it to you" he said
Kadota and Shizuo both sat on the couch while Shinra went into the kitchen.
"Today is Izaya's sister's birthday" he said
"Izaya has a sister?!" Shizuo asked incredulously
"Not one. He has two sisters. Twins actually" Shinra shouted from the kitchen
"Yes. He does. And all this you see around you, it's for their birthday. He's gone to get them now. He'll be here soon and that's why we should wait for him here."
Shizuo looked around. The whole house was filled with gifts. Gifts that Izaya had gotten today at school. Or more like those that he had forced others to give him. Every part of the living room was filled with gifts. Flowers were strategically placed to make the otherwise dull home look lively and there was a huge cake in the kitchen.
But otherwise the house was so…plain
"Is this really the Flea's house or did he rent it?" Shizuo asked. "It's like nobody lives here"
Shinra laughed, now having joined them on the couch
"It's his house alright. He lives here with his sisters. Both his parents are abroad for work. They're usually never here. He cleaned it up. Usually it's filled with Mairu and Kururi's things. If you ever visit him, you can tell kids live here. It's always so messy!"
"Hmm" Shizuo nodded in acknowledgement as his eyes roamed around the place. He had a brother but his house looked more like a home than Izaya's.
"But really shouldn't he have decorated it a little at least? We always decorate the house like crazy when it's someone's birthday" Shizuo said
"Maybe he decorated their room?" Kadota said
"Or the flowers are all there is" Shinra said
"Why don't you find out? All their rooms are on the first floor. Izaya's on the right and Mairu and Kururi's on the left" Shinra said
Shizuo thought for a moment but decided to do it anyway. Seeing the Flea's room might just tell him something interesting about the flea.
He went to Mairu and Kururi's room first. It was like any other kid's room except that their boundaries were clearly set. Everything in the room was divided into two and both the sides were differently decorated. The room was clean but wasn't decorated.
Maybe Shinra was right. Maybe the flowers are the only decorations.
He then decided to visit Izaya's room. He hesitated. This was the Flea's room. This was real! He took a deep breath and opened the door. The room was like another room. Any room at all really. It had nothing in it that said it was Izaya's room. There was absolutely no personal touch in his room. It was like as if he was living off of someone else's space.
The room looked detached. The room felt lonely and suddenly Shizuo couldn't take it anymore. He quickly went outside and closed the room behind him. That room…Izaya's room…why did it radiate so much sadness?
A chorus of Happy Birthday and shrieking of little girls broke his train of thought. He quickly went downstairs to see that Izaya has arrived with his sisters. He was talking to Shinra while his sisters had already skipped to the kitchen with Kadota looking after them
"What's the age difference between you guys?" Shizuo asked even before he realised what he said
The flea jumped a little from his voice "Shizu-chan what brings you here?" he asked with a snide expression, hand already holding a switch blade.
"Actually I invited him. Thought you'd like the extra company" Shinra said.
Izaya looked at Shinra for a long moment, then at Shizuo. Finally he shrugged and put his blade inside. This small action surprised Shizuo but he chose not to say anything about it.
"To answer your question they turned 7" he said then disappeared into the kitchen. Shizuo and Shinra looked at each other for a moment. Shizuo shocked that Izaya was behaving for once and Shinra just stood there with a smile.
"Hurry up you two we're cutting the cake!" Izaya called from the kitchen.