Disclaimer: This story is a fan-fiction based on 'Durarara!' by Narita Ryogo.
I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter 11. Enigma
My apartment was just 10 minutes away from Tokyu Hands, located in Kamiikebukuro. And having withdrawn from the event, I crossed the main road, walking to the other lane and heading north.
There were quite a few people on the streets even though it had passed midnight. I put both my hands in the pockets of my jacket and just walked quickly to avoid troubles.
After walking for around five minutes, I felt that there was someone following me when I passed a ramen shop. I abruptly stopped on my tracks and went to the side, acting like I was making a call. My eyes were looking everywhere quietly but unfortunately I did not see the person.
Inhaling deeply, I ran fast and crossed a main road. I kept on sprinting after I passed Yachiyo Bank. My breath was ragged and my throat was dry.
This is so nerve-wracking... just a little bit more, Izumi. Just keep running.
I was so focused on running that I did not see a group of men just walked from a dark alley beside a building.
Ugh!
I groaned from the impact, muttered an apology, and was just about to dash again when one of them suddenly pulled my windbreaker's hood.
"Oh, she is quite a looker!"
"Do you think I will let you go after you bumped into me?"
"You should join us, Miss. We will take you to somewhere nice and warm."
They looked like they had been drinking, and leered at me. It was disgusting...
"Do not disturb me." I said sternly.
"Oh, come on." One of the four men pulled my arm.
I tried to shake him off but then his friends started to surround me and they brought me into the alley.
Shit shit shit!
I was in a state of panic and screamed.
"Let go of me!" I tried to push them away with my hands.
Suddenly, two men in front of me flew and hit a wall. They were unconscious.
"What the hell! What did you do?!" One of the remaining guys shouted.
My head was dizzy and I felt like I was on the brink of blanking out.
"Go away!" I put my hand in front of me, and again, a man was hurled and crashed on a pile of garbage.
"Mo-monster!" The last man screamed and ran away.
I felt so weak and staggered to get out from the alley.
Everything was blurry and my body hit the pavement.
Laying on the street, I tried to keep blinking to regain my sight and saw a shadow of a person right in front of me. But just when I looked up to see the person's face, I fainted.
Humming a cheerful tone to himself, Izaya walked along the main road of Kamiikebukuro while carrying an unconscious woman.
After they passed a post office, Izaya turned right and entered a 12-floor building. The apartment was empty and no one noticed him. Even the receptionist in the front office ignored Izaya.
Izaya then went into an elevator and pushed the button for the third floor.
I was aware...
I could feel that someone was carrying me on the back. Judging from the width of the shoulders, and the firmness of the arms that held my legs, I presumed that this person was a man.
And perhaps, the person wore a fur jacket because my face felt ticklish. I could also smell the hair of that person. It was aromatic and sweet, like black liquorice.
Where is this person bringing me?
I played several possible scenarios in my brain.
Is this person kidnapping me? Would he rape me? Or kill me? Would I become a victim of human trafficking?
Slowly, Izumi who was laying on a bed, opened her eyes. Looking at the ceiling, the wall, and the furniture, she finally realized that she was in her apartment room.
Her whole body ached, as if she was just having a marathon.
"Are you awake now, Izumi-chan? Or should I say, Rei-chan?"
Izumi turned her eyes to the man in front of him. It was the guy that she observed in front of Tokyu Hands before.
She saw a dashing, enigmatic young man, probably a little over twenty. His features were delicate, yet he gave off an air of hardened maturity and competency, or more aptly, he appeared dignified. His gentle brown irises seemed to be able to accommodate everything, and seemed to be exuding all sorts of emotions. His glossy black hair reflected the light from the lamp hanging on the ceiling. In his attire, he looked like someone with quite the personality, but with nothing particularly alarming about him. He gave off an air of uncertainty.
Izumi knew though, not to be fooled by his appearance. In fact, Izumi's logic and intuition were warning her, and she had been alert since the time she opened her eyes, even though she could not move her body.
"Who are you?" Izumi asked calmly.
"I am Orihara Izaya. Nice to meet you." He answered and slowly walked towards the bed, just to stop right in front of it.
"Or should I say... Kanra-san?" She continued.
"Bingo!" Izaya smiled.
"And how did you know?"
"Well... a mix of logic and intuition."
"I am impressed Izumi-chan!" Izaya chuckled, did not ask further.
"Thank you. I like to be aware of what I am about to face." She responded with a small smile.
"Hmm..." He swiftly brought a knife out and pounced on Izumi on all fours.
Izumi remained motionless under the man's eerie, sharp-eyed gaze.
Her black orbs met his brown ones. In such a close proximity, Izumi saw that his irises appeared to have a hint of red in them. She was strangely calm, even with a pocket knife directed at the vulnerable jugular vein in her neck.
"Say... Izumi-chan. What if you die here?"
"Then, I will simply die, no longer exist in this world." She shrugged.
"Next question! Do you believe in the afterlife?" Izaya asked joyfully as if they were in a quiz contest.
"Who knows? I will only believe in the afterlife if I see it with my own eyes after I die.
"Are you an atheist Izumi-chan?"
"No. I think it is more appropriate to consider myself an agnostic."
Izaya remained quiet, waiting for Izumi to continue.
"Sometimes I wonder about what or who is the one responsible for our existences on the earth. What or who was responsible for creating Adam and Eve, the supposed first man and woman and the ancestors of all human in Abrahamic religions. Not that I truly believe it though. But still, I do not know for sure if a God or whatever it is truly exists or not since there is no evidence. So until I see it by myself or someone can prove it then I will remain agnostic."
Ah~ this person is interesting. Even better, she has surpassed my expectations! She remains totally unperturbed in the face of death. Interesting, interesting, interesting, so interesting!
"You seem like you are not afraid of death, Izumi-chan?" Izaya smirked.
"Why should I? We are all meant to die at one point in our life anyway. Being afraid of it is useless because it will come eventually. So why not just embrace it? Death is a part of being alive, do not you think so? To die in this life is an evidence that you have been living for a while in this world. It is a prove that, you, once exist."
"But you seem to be contradicting yourself, Izumi-chan. You looked so afraid when the men before ganged up on you." He pointed out the previous event.
"That may be true. But I thought that they were going to rape me, that was why I panicked."
"Wait, let me answer. Well as you see, I am just a human, and contradiction is a part of life in general. Or maybe I just dislike it to die that way, after being raped I mean. It is disgusting. I do not want to die because of some scumbags. Perhaps I prefer to die by your hands? I do not know. I think I am a bit picky. But then again, when my death comes I should not be that picky. I will try to remember it if there is next time." She answered nonchalantly.
After what seemed like an eternity, Izaya's smile become gentle and relaxing.
"If those people were like you, then perhaps I would willingly die with them." He said in a tender voice and gently caressed Izumi's cheek while smirking.
"Do you hate me, Izumi-chan?"
"No." She gave a firm answer.
Sato Izumi did not hate Orihara Izaya at all. She was fascinated in fact. Even though the back of her mind screamed danger, she felt like there was something akin to gravity that pulled her to Izaya.
"How about you Izaya-san? Do you believe in afterlife?"
"No, I do not really believe in the afterlife. But I am scared of dying and I would like to live a little longer because if I die then I will disappear. So if I do not make use of my life to all the things I enjoy, would not I have regrets?"
"Well, I hope you enjoy your life to the fullest." Izumi gave a genuine smile.
"Thank you Izumi-chan, I will." Izaya responded with a meaningful grin and hid his pocket knife in his coat.
"Then I will take my leave now. Do not worry, I will see myself out. Good night, Izumi-chan." He stood and walked out of the apartment room.
Author's Note:
1. I was not sure if the building that I saw on Google Street View was an apartment or not lol. I had found an actual apartment for Izumi actually, but I could not find the place on Google Map. So I just assumed that the building beside the Kamiikebukuro post office was an apartment.
2. Why Izaya smelled like black liquorice? Because someone on the net mentioned that the Izaya's perfume was like the aroma of black liquorice.
3. The description about Izaya's appearance was taken from Mikado's view in Durarara! Vol. 1 actually.
4. This chapter was confusing for me haha. What do you think? An opinion would be nice, and you can post it as a review or send me a PM. Thank you for reading and have a great day!