He straightened himself and took a deep breath.
"But not me. I'm stronger than that."
Izaya gathered power from bringing out these words. He studied his apartment anew. By all accounts he was a successful individual but he could not help but feel that true triumph depended on how well he managed this crisis. As the cliché went he could only try his best but to Orihara Izaya that was not enough. He was bent on surpassing himself. As drifted to the wide panoramic window he thought to himself that the sky itself could be within reach if only he made a go for it.

"Welcome, Michiru-san. You look lovely tonight. As ever."
Izaya smiled beautifully. Michiru-san just so happened to be an overweight bejeweled woman whose frilly dress barely contained her voluminous body. He already had a lighter ready to apply to her cigarette and produced it with such a fluid turn of the wrist that one barely saw it. With an ambling step he escorted her to a chair and sat in front of her, staring with just enough intent to appear most interested without it being too showy.
From the back of the club Shiki studied the scene and his interest was not feigned. As he predicted Izaya was a hit as a host. That clients should flock to him was not surprising but the persona that Izaya had adopted was not exactly what one would expect from him. Izaya was now nodding, eyebrows lifting in awe at whatever platitude he was hearing and then leaning forward just slightly to make sure he caught the rest.
His host act was not based so much on being smooth but on a perfectly balanced mix of naivety and natural charm. Nothing overly sophisticated. Shiki thought that Izaya would simply up his own personality and perhaps tone it down a bit but Izaya chose to change himself to fit what the client wanted. And that was very telling in many ways. First of all, the fact that so many women liked this routine of semi-innocent told that playing on maternal instincts paid off even in such a shady setting. But there was more to it. As fake as it was, it did not seem so. Izaya appeared genuine and that was what every single host Shiki had ever met lacked.
Shiki turned to Izaya's clothing now with an appraising eye. A slightly shiny purple shirt, a more flamboyant version of his fur jacket in the same color, the many silver rings strewn on slender fingers. It was a thought out attire and one that only Izaya could pull off as natural. In the end they had decided not to dye his hair but there was no need for adding spurious details to an image that was as tailored as the well-fitted pants. Just now the conversation swerved to this very topic.
"My, Psyche. How do you manage to look so dashing always?"
"Ah, the clothes they make me wear in this place. I hardly recognize myself in them. I only hope I do not look too flashing."
Izaya sealed the apologetic note with a shy smile.
"Nonsense! You look delightful, absolutely delightful."
Shiki had to agree. And here was an important part of Izaya's winning formula: this dash of half coyness, as if he was not precisely aware of the effect he had on women and needed to be brought to see it. How Izaya managed to combine this with the overall impression of confidence was a mystery even to Shiki.
The night was winding down so Shiki decided to wait it out to have a chat with Izaya. So he could see the rest of the performance. Izaya served many a champagne glass but he barely drank any himself, he merely dipped his lips on occasion. And Izaya did a lot of listening, nodding, head tilted to the side every now and then. Then he broke into a brilliant smile as he received a most generous tip, did a graceful bow and escorted her out with most convincing wishes of seeing her again very soon.
Izaya was about to join closing down when Shiki intercepted him.
"Why 'Psyche'?"
"It sounds erudite and foreign. Women tend to like at least the pretense of intelligence so if one is to opt for an alias I might as well make it vaguely mysterious and smart sounding."
Izaya handed him the bundle of bills.
"That's yours."
"Allowing to work here is already a favor."
"I wasn't the one smoozing the lady, take the money."
Izaya laughed.
"Shiki-san, I cannot possibly imagine you smoozing anyone, let alone Michiru-san."