"Like smoking, huh. One less to go."
Izaya could almost see a thread of smoke spiraling upwards. He spun around, by now used to the nausea of vertigo, and addressed the alley.
"Anyone else want to have a chat?"
He was still on alert mode and ready to shoot anew at the least sign of alarm. Izaya wiped the blood as he walked away. Suddenly he was running, blindly dashing down narrow labyrinths packed between walls.

Something had gone terribly wrong. She crouched and flattened herself against a wall, her heart beating madly in her throat. She tried to squirm away but the man held her with hands that were groping all over her body. Her screams sounded muffled as if the alley played a trick on the acoustics of her panic. She struggled with all her might but could not even scratch the odious creature.
And then the monster disappeared in a splatter of blood and in its stead stood a young man with a gun.
"This is why little girls shouldn't wander around late at night."
She was on her feet and startled into strong gratitude. Without a doubt this young man was the most beautiful person she had ever seen.
"Wait, don't leave!"
"I'm afraid the trains are no longer running but you might still stay the rest of the night in a capsule hotel. Less psychos there."
A bundle of bills landed next to her, he was already making an exit.
"At least- at least let me thank you!"
Izaya turned around and for the first time actually looked at her.
"Well? Are you going to raise your head or just bow there until the next creep drops by to rape you?"
"Thank you. You saved me."
"Human scum needs be cleaned out."
She had to run to keep up with him. Neither one bothered looking at the twitching body left to cool by itself next to the piles of garbage .
"I'm Saki. Can you tell me your name?"
She was all in earnest.
"My name doesn't concern you. Hurry up and leave this place."
She could not follow as Izaya hauled himself to a fire escape ladder and disappeared into the night.

Tom spotted a moving truck parked in front of Shizuo's apartment. He halted, cigarette dnagling between two fingers and sure enough Shizuo emerged carrying a cardbox filled with bartender outfits.
"Shizuo? You're moving?"
"Yeah. I was going to tell you today but you got here first."
"I suppose it's a good idea. This place was too cramped. So, where are you moving to? A bigger place, I hope?"
Tom wondered if Shizuo could afford a better apartment. To his surprise Shizuo fumbled with the answer which led Tom to think that he had failed to pay rent and was about be thrown out. It did not add up but it was all that occurred to him. Tom was about to offer his help when Shizuo handed him a card, having secured the box in the truck.
"That's the new address."
Tom started and nearly dropped his cigarette.
"Shinjuku...? Wait, isn't this Orihara's place...?"
Shizuo blushed furiously.
"Yeah. I'm staying with him."
"Are you sure of this? I know Orihara's been helping you out but this is a bit..."
Tom too had not missed the trail of executions that Izaya left on his wake and he had no doubts as whom to blame.
"I know it seems weird but-"
Tom looked left and right and dragged him to a discrete place where they would not be overheard.
"Look, Shizuo, I don't think this is a good idea. I mean for your own you shouldn't get too involved."
"Sorry but I've already decided."
Tom knew just how stubborn Shizuo could be so he had no illusions, this was a lost cause.
"Let's just talk about this. Breakfast is on me."
"I guess commuting will be a bit annoying."
This was the least of Shizuo's concerns as far as Tom could see. He watched Shizuo chew thoughtfully on honey soaked pancakes.
"Shizuo, what exactly is your relationship with Orihara?"
The question gave Shizuo pause.
"Relationship, huh...dunno. Guess we're friends."
"You guess...?"
Shizuo frowned. Not in anger but as a result of trying to process his thoughts and emotions. The synthesis refused to emerge in clear cut terms and that alone was already telling.
"Can't explain it."