Chapter 3: A Day With The Informant*

Note: An asterisk like this (*), points out that it takes place years ago. Two asterisks (**) for years ago at a different past time. And no asterisk for present day. An asterisk right next to the chapter name above means that this whole chapter takes place in the past. ;)

Dollars Chat Room; 12:15 PM

- Aya has entered the chat room

Aya : Yo! What's up everyone? Aya-chan is coming to you live in Ikebukuro in a stranger's home! :D

Tanaka Taro : Ah! Aya-san, good afternoon.

Setton : Hello, Aya-chan. How was your time in Ikebukuro?

Aya : I LOVE it! :D

Aya : I made so many new friends!

- Kanra has entered the chat room

Aya : And everyone was so nice to me!

Setton : That's good! :)

Aya : Just when everything got better, some jerk in a motorcycle stole my bag and sped away!

Setton : Huh?!

Tanaka Taro : Oh! I'm so sorry about that, Aya-san.

Tanaka Taro : Were you able to catch the thief?

Aya : Sadly no. :(

Kanra : Aww, poor Aya!

Setton : Do you know what the motorcycle looks like?

Aya : It's red. And the guy wore a red and black outfit.

Aya : It's okay, Setton-san.

Tanaka Taro : Then what happened?

Aya : Then before anything can happen...

Aya : BOOM!

Aya : I lost consciousness! DX

Kanra : Ouch!

Aya : Then when I woke up, I made another friend.

Tanaka Taro : So it's like a lost and a gain, neh?

Aya : That's right!

Kanra : Were you able to find your boyfriend?

Aya : I don't know.

Kanra : What do you mean 'I don't know'?!

Kanra : It's either a yes or a no.

Tanaka Taro : Ha ha! Here we go!

Setton : Excuse me, girls. But I have to go.

Setton : Hopefully you find your man, Aya-chan.

Aya : Thanks! :D

- Setton has left the chat room

Tanaka Taro : Yeah. I have work to do, too.

Tanaka Taro : Goodbye.

- Tanaka Taro has left the chat room

Aya: My head hurts...

- Aya has left the chat room

The third ice pack in a row...

Aiko sighed loudly as she closed Izaya's laptop shut. It's so boring just by sitting here. When she woke up earlier, there was a note (that was taped to her forehead) left by Izaya saying:

"I'll be gone for a while. Stay put, Aiko-chan~!" Then there was a happy face.

She has walked around Izaya's apartment for like an hour and she should've really thought about leaving when she woke up. But then she saw his laptop on his desk and that was how she was able to log on to the Dollars website.

But she would have to admit that this Izaya really knows how to keep his things organized. It's so neat and about half of the room is covered with shelves full of books that made her think back about school. A very nostalgic thought indeed.

Click!

Aiko flinched when the door opened, revealing a woman with long, dark hair in her early to mid twenties. The immature girl stared at Namie in a puzzled way. Maybe Izaya knows her, she thought to herself, which was a big possibility concerning the fact she placed a few papers on his desk in front of her. Namie caught a glimpse of Aiko, causing her to flinch again and stand up from his seat and move back, bowing apologetically.

A 'tch' sound escaped from Namie's lips. She's Izaya's problem so whether or not she did something to his laptop or whatever, it's not her fault.

"Um..." she spoke up. Namie didn't look at her. "When will Izaya-san be back? I have to go home." Namie didn't respond. Before Izaya left, he told her to make sure Aiko doesn't leave. From the look in Aiko's eyes, she felt awkward. I mean, Namie was there when Aiko said that she wasn't supposed to talk to strangers. So that explains how uncomfortable she looks.

"He'll be back in a few hours. Maybe less," Namie walked away from the girl with two binders in her arms. "It depends on what he's doing at the moment." Aiko simply hummed to the woman's answer.

"Do you work for Izaya-san?" Aiko forced a small, uneasy smile.

Namie furrowed her eyebrows in irritation, "I'm his Secretary."

"Oh~! I see!" Aiko said as she sat on the couch, holding onto the ice pack that slowly soothed the pain from her head. She took a glimpse of the exit door for a moment and tightened her fist a bit. The feeling of uneasiness and desperation soon consumed her.

Once Namie was gone from her sight, Aiko dashed for the door, leaving the premises immediately.

Namie poked her head out of the room and sighed. Just like she said: It's Izaya's problem, not hers.

Once Namie looked out from the large windows, she saw Aiko on the corner of a sidewalk, her head hanging down.

"I forgot where I live!" Aiko shouted into the air embarrassingly, ignoring at the onlookers passing by. She never thought she would get this far!

Namie shook her head.

Although Ikebukuro was a long way from Shinjuku, she was able to make it there in an hour or less. Shuffling her feet nervously, Aiko scanned the area which was filled with humans. Colorless and boring. Such qualities that made her feel like she's the only one in the world that's special even though she wasn't at all. The train stopped and she sped walked out of the station, making others think that she was running.

Aiko looked around every street that seemed familiar to her but to no avail. She did follow a few paths that were familiar, but it led her to an unfamiliar location much to her disappointment.

Then from the corner of her eye, Aiko can spot a familiar group of four inside a large van waiting for the streetlight to turn green. A woman in particular, spotted her instantly and waved at her out of the window.

"Oi! Aiko-chan~!" Erika called out rather loudly, catching her friend's attention. Aiko smiled and sped walked towards her side. "Oi! How is our favorite witch doing?" Aiko just smiled. Just the other day, she met these four when she was looking for her new address. After telling them her first name, Erika and Walker pointed out that her name and personality reminds them of Senoo Aiko from the anime Ojamajo Doremi.

Kyohei Kadota leaned towards her with a small smile, "Yo, Aiko. You seem in a rush today."

"Last night was a pretty long night," she huffed, her memory about last night still turning into a small blur. "I got hit real hard on the head and got picked up by a stranger."

"Eh? A stranger?" Erika widened her eyes. Kadota narrowed his eyes. He already knew Aiko was new here but he didn't expect to see Aiko running in to a stranger on the first day. Even concerning the fact that there are a lot of dangerous people in Ikebukuro. He just hoped she didn't fall into the hands of a certain informant.

"I see," Kadota nodded before the light turned green. "Well have a nice day Aiko and like I said yesterday, be careful out there." But once the group drove away, Aiko lowered her head in realization. She forgot to ask Kadota to drive her home!

"Nooooooooo~!" Aiko grab a fistful of her hair in frustration. Why? Did this bump on her head actually affected her memory that much? Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed Aiko's shoulders making her screech in surprise. "Ah!" She turned around, only to lock eyes with Izaya.

"Ai-chan? What have I told you?!" Izaya scolded at the girl in a light, childish way. "You were supposed to stay put at my place! Did you not read the note that I taped to your forehead?"

Aiko blinked for a second with a million thoughts flooding her mind and escaping her ears and lips, "Oh! I... uh... um... I-I just..." Then it was just plain gibberish that escaped through her lips.

"Eh~! You're too shocked that you are speaking gibberish," Izaya grinned. "Did I surprise you that much, Ai-chan?"

Flinching at Izaya's words, Aiko took a few steps back, "Of course you did!" she managed to say, tightening her grip on her dark mini-skirt. "I mean, yeah I read the note and when I left I was scared that you would be upset or something!" she said in a very rushed tone.

Izaya laughed, "Ha ha! Funny how you would be so considerate of my feelings!" he ruffled her hair. Aiko flinched again at Izaya's action. Stupid bump! Izaya's grin grew wider as he bent his back forward so Aiko was facing him eye to eye. "Neh, Ai-chan," he spoke. "You should've stayed put because I was about to give you a surprise."

Aiko raised a brow in confusion and curiosity, "A surprise? You mean like a present?" her facial expression brightened.

"Correct," Izaya closed his eyes. Suddenly, the sound of dangling key chains can be heard from his pocket, a familiar sound that made Aiko widen her eyes. "I saw a man in a motorcycle pass by and drop a small bag on the street. And once I saw this phone and a pair of keys, it hit me," he took out a plain white phone and a pair of keys from his pocket, "Now who could this belong to?"

Aiko widened her eyes in relief and shock, "Ah! My phone!" Instantly, she snatched the two items from Izaya's hands and smiled. "Domo arigatou gozaimasu, Izaya-san!" The said man smiled at the girl, soaking in the small praise she gave him. It was obvious he sent that man to steal this girl's phone from her. Besides, he enjoyed watching his precious human be put into dangerous situations no matter how small or big it could lead to. Aiko flipped her phone open and saw that everything stayed the same except for one thing, "Izaya-san, you went to put your number in?"

"Of course!" Izaya placed his hands into his pockets. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No I don't mind at all!" Aiko smiled as the wind blew past her thick hair. "So were friends, neh?" Those sudden words made the man frown. Izaya didn't reply. He felt nothing occurring in his tightly locked heart. But it still surprised him that she still considered him as a friend. Not that they were in the first place. During his research, he did suspect Aiko considering everyone as friends on her Facebook page. Some people in particular seem pretty harsh. Maybe it was just a way to make her feel less lonely.

Noticing the very long silence between the two, Izaya simply hummed that shouted between the lines of a yes or a definite no. "I'm hungry." Izaya changed the subject right away before, grabbing Aiko's hand in which the girl instantly pulled back. Izaya stopped into a halt. "Hmm? What's the matter, Ai-chan? You don't want to eat?"

"No," she replied almost immediately. "I really, really need to go home." she looked up at Izaya uneasily.

"Well, then. Shall we go?" the man insisted before skipping to a new direction.

"You don't even know where I live!"

"Oh, Aiko. That's where you're wrong," Izaya pinched the bridge of her nose playfully. "I'm an informant broker so I know everything!" Aiko raised a brow, showing the fact that she didn't believe him. But she decided not to question him and just go along with it.

"Really? That's kinda scary. If you know everything then you can use that knowledge against a lot of people." she mocked with a smirk.

"I know. And that's one the advantages in being an informant." Izaya looked down at her with his trademark grin. Aiko didn't respond but simply hummed as she followed Izaya to her home.

Aiko's home didn't seem so big, nor that small. It was a two story modern home with two bedrooms upstairs, one that was a spare and one that Aiko slept in. The first floor had a large kitchen which proved that Aiko loves to cook and had a two bathrooms, one on the first floor and one upstairs; And a large living room. Since Aiko just moved in, Izaya could understand how plain the place looks.

"I know my place isn't as awesome as yours but it's like this for the time being," Aiko said as she ran back and forth from the living room to her bedroom, followed by a comical cloud that escaped from it which showed she was cleaning her room. Izaya walked up the stairs to Aiko's bedroom, being cautious of the girl as she passed him up and down. She tied her gray sweater over her hips and skidded in front of Izaya, panting heavily. "Ta-daa~!" she smiled before laughing at how stupid she's acting in front of him. It surprised Izaya at how open Aiko can be with him. It seemed boring. After all, he dislikes honesty and it made him less interested in this girl with every truth she told.

After finishing his inspection on the household, Izaya finally spoke, "Is this the first time you let someone come to your house?" he turned to the large collection of stuffed animals Aiko held in her possession.

"Look, you found my home, my phone, and my keys. So I'm just playing it nice, alright?" Aiko huffed as Izaya slumped onto her bed.

"You act as if you're forced to be nice to others," Izaya's eyes narrowed. "Tell me, Aiko," he grinned. "Do you have any real friends?"

Aiko didn't reply but instead she walked back downstairs into the kitchen and took out a few pots and pans and kitchen utensils, "O-Of course I do!" she retorted. "Hungry?" she asked.

Izaya nodded before she walked back into the kitchen, "Now that's a lie, Ai-chan! I'm talking about real friends," A small silent moment was followed from the kitchen. Izaya's grin grew wider. "Because according to your Facebook account you have over two hundred so-called friends. Some, in particular, never talk to you."

"So? At least they're good people." Aiko said in a low tone.

"I don't think so," Izaya frowned. "The world is a scary place and who knows if you've become a target of some sexual predator. One of these days, they might take you without me noticing and poof! you're never seen again!"

"To be honest, I could care less about what they're thinking about me. Everyone lies about who they are just to make them feel good."

Izaya narrowed his eyes, "Do you do the same, Ai-chan?" he asked in a sinister, serious tone.

Aiko stopped moving, her silhouette from the door lowering, "You're nosy, you know that?" the girl laughed before answering Izaya's question. "I may be doing the same or maybe I'm not. I am who I am and there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone has multiple faces," she stood unfazed. "Where does the truth end, and the lie begin?" Aiko tightened her grip on the knife she used to chop vegetables. Izaya didn't reply. Sooner or later, Aiko went back to her cooking.

"Has anyone told you how very talkative and dramatic you are?"

Aiko tried not to take the question seriously, "... Yes. Twice."

"Oh?"

Aiko turned the stove on with one click, "My best friend who I trusted with all my heart and you." Izaya raised a brow. A friend she trusted with all her heart. Humans are quick to befriend during some point in their life and once in their life that ideal friend would appear. A best friend she trusted with all of her heart...

Izaya stood up and walked towards the kitchen, "But I didn't tell it to your face." he retorted, noting the second person.

Aiko couldn't help but grin, "You just did a minute ago and I quote: 'Has anyone told you how talkative and dramatic you are?'"

"It was question, not a statement."

"You are still pointing out my flaws," Aiko replied, not taking off her eyes from the pot of stew she's making. Izaya towered over her, making her feel uncomfortable and distracted. His gaze disturbed her for a reason she can't understand. She lowered the temperature from the stove a bit and turned around, "Eeek!" she squeaked, noticing how centimeters close she and Izaya were. "Have. You. Ever. Heard. Of. Personal. Space?" Aiko questioned as she shoved Izaya out of the kitchen.

"You're so mean, Ai-chan," Izaya pouted childishly. "I just wanted to watch you cook."

"But not when your invading my personal space! Geez!"

Izaya stumbled slightly after being shoved back into the living room.

Bzzzzzz!

Izaya looked over at Aiko's cell phone. She has one new message. He looked back at Aiko and back to the phone. Instantly, he flipped her phone and read the message carefully.

She's back. This war is not over yet. :(

He looked at the message, puzzled as a sudden excited smirk formed across his lips. The messenger's name was #5. Izaya took note of this before putting it back on the couch as if nothing ever happened. It seems like Aiko is secretly doing something very bad. Was that her true reason in coming to Ikebukuro? A war? Was this special someone that she's been babbling about really exists? Oh so many questions to find the answers to. Humans are so interesting and that's why Izaya loves them.

Just after he retrieved the phone from the biker this morning, he had secretly looked over her contacts and searched her phone inside and out. She has already gained the numbers of Kadota's group, Ryuugamine Mikado, and Masomi Kida which got him surprised at first. Well, he is out of town with Saki so there was a high possibility Aiko met the two. He even installed a small navigation device on Aiko's phone so he can find out where Aiko is located. And Izaya is glad he did so because this message from #5 just made him more interested in Aiko.

"I'm back~!" Aiko smiled with two plates of stew in her hands and placed one plate in front of Izaya. "I hope you like it~!" Then awkward silence soon followed the two as they ate.

"Have you ever treat a guy like this?"

"Not always," Aiko closed her eyes with a frown. "I live far, far away!" she exaggerated with her arms in the air. "Away from civilization with my Obaa-chan! You think a guy would walk up to me and say 'Hi! Let's be friends!' Hell no!" the tone in her voice changed.

"You don't seem happy at all with the subject, Ai-chan," Izaya laughed and the girl's bitter response. "Do you even have a boyfriend?"

Aiko stopped eating, that mysterious question slowly processing in the back of her head. She thought for the right proper answer that would be suitable for this conversation. She looked up at Izaya, trying to avoid eye contact, only to have her heart sink. "I don't even know if he's the same," Aiko crossed her arms. "You ask too many questions, Izaya-san."

"Can't help it," Izaya pushed his empty plate away from him. "You interest me." Scratch that- Humans interest him.

Aiko couldn't help but feel the heat rush to her cheeks all of a sudden, her heart pounding wildly just like Izaya thought it would, "You can't be interested in me, Izaya-san," the girl walked to the kitchen with empty plates in her hand and turned on the faucet, letting the water touch the palms of her hand. "I'm as boring as any other human being on the face of the earth."

"But not in my eyes. I'm interested in all aspects of human life!" Izaya grinned.

"Really?" Aiko faked a shocked look. "Then life must be so boring for you!"

"Ow! My heart! Who are you and what did you do with the sweet Aiko-chan I used to know?!" Izaya held his heart close to his chest in a dramatic way that made Aiko grin slightly. "Aiko-chan, you don't even know me that well and yet you talk to me as if I'm your best friend. Let me tell you something that you must know."

Aiko turned off the faucet and wiped her hands dry with a white towel, "Oh? And what is that, Izaya-san?" she asked.

Said man placed his hands into his jacket pocket before walking up towards the girl so their chests were inches apart. Aiko took a few steps back before her back touched the kitchen counter. Izaya looked down at her, his red eyes glowing with malice and boring holes into Aiko's innocent gold ones. "When I say I'm interested in you, it means I'm interested in you as a human being. I love all humans and that's why human life interests me so much. But when I say I love all humans, that doesn't mean I like you personally. So don't flatter yourself about you being special because you are just like all other humans; Either corrupted, dull, boring, ugly, whatever along those lines, you name it."

Aiko made a fist and looked down. At that moment, a wave of fear rushed over her. It's like Izaya is saying, "Don't think the wrong way. I'm not in love with you and I don't consider you as a friend. You have so many interesting secrets and I want to know them all. After that, I have no use for you anymore because in the end you won't have anything else to entertain me with."

"You dishearten me, Izaya-san," Aiko looked down before she pushed herself away from him. "When you said those words to me, you act as if you're not human at all. How do I know if you are actually corrupted in the inside as well? How do I know that you just can't accept the fact that you are human and that you are dull, boring, or ugly just like anyone else? How do I know your life is so boring that you decide to entertain your life with someone else's?"

She turned to Izaya with a full, true smile. "I could tell because certain people have color in their lives. I've noticed today, in Ikebukuro, most of the people here were gray, dull, boring. But as the day went by, I met people who were different, interesting, colorful. Such very rare humans that I've never met before. But you take them for granted and think of them as actors in your very own virtual TV show. Be careful, Izaya-san, if you get too comfortable with the aspects in human life, you may get pulled into the conflict without even knowing it. No matter how important a person is, some day you will lose them. No matter how much you desire it, eternity is one thing you will never possess. It's the time you do spend with that person that's important, so that you can meet your parting without regret." Aiko said in a soft tone.

We all know Izaya couldn't be wavered with such words. And he wasn't. But suddenly, that lock in his heart was tugged slightly, but there was not much effect. His face showed a neutral expression and he had no words to respond back.

Instead he concluded this talk by simply saying, "Thanks for the meal." and then he headed for the door.

"Oh. And one more thing." Aiko stopped the man in his tracks.

"What? Do you have any more childish statements you want to throw at me?" Izaya replied coldly, his neutral expression interrupted with that smirk of his.

Aiko hesitated at first, but decided to speak either way, "Please forget this conversation ever happened," she smiled at Izaya. "And have a nice day."

Izaya didn't respond. Before she knew it, the wind blew passed Aiko's hair once more.

Orihara Izaya left.

End of this chapter! ;) Things are getting interesting between Izaya and Aiko! I have so much planned. And don't worry, Shizuo will come in the next chapter. Phew! It was difficult portraying Izaya in this chapter since he's as complex as hell. If you think there's something I should fix, review please. But don't be harsh, okay? But before I conclude this chapter, from now on, I'm going to make a list of a few things you have to remember. You may not know it, but these factors have either a small or large impact on this story. Here's the list:

- The scar on Aiko's cheek/appearance

- The mysterious person Aiko's looking for

- "I... don't like being alone."

- Aiko using Izaya's laptop

- Aiko's phone

- Message from #5

- #5 himself

- "My best friend who I trusted with all my heart..."

- Aiko's contacts

More things would be added on to this list and when there is an explanation about a certain thing on this list, it would be taken down.

Review, follow, favorite. No flames.