The city had gone quiet.

Really quiet.

Celty thought while looking around. Maybe because no fights had occurred that week. Not between any gangs or students.

Not even between Shizuo and Izaya. That was weird. Usually at least one fight would've occurred between those two. Or at least one vending machine would've gone flying and been found three miles away. She shrugged her shoulders.

Celty looked around again. She'd noticed that some people were constantly on their phones lately. Maybe they were looking at their messages or perhaps they were about to call someone. But observing them she realized that all of them were typing. Messages then. Maybe they were on a forum. A new forum? She opened her phone and, after looking at her messages and seeing that no one had texted her, an idea rushed to her head.

Maybe the forum was the Dollars website.

She typed and clicked onto the Dollars website. Well, that wasn't it. The ads were still ongoing and as she scrolled down she noticed no one had made any complaints about it. Wow! How so? Since this ridiculous trend had started on the website, she saw many comments from people complaining about it and addressing the founder to fix this problem.

But Celty knew why Mikado had quit the Dollars website. And as always she wouldn't tell anyone about it. She sighed. Well, maybe people had stopped spending their time on this website because they'd found another one. Frowning, Celty decided she wanted to find that website, too. She wanted to see things like people saw. How they saw them. Celty enjoyed reading those had inside them so many feelings and emotions. It was a different outlook on this world she saw from different eyes. It made her feel...human.

Celty closed her phone but didn't put it away inside her uniform. She petted her motorbike-sometimes-horse and it roared with approval and understanding. Yes, she felt human. Although she walked and acted liked one, she didn't feel like one. Her understanding of feelings was different and her thinking was not like a human. Celty had many ways to act and talk but...she was not a human. She was a dullahan.

Celty wanted to join that new website and she knew that she would find it. She wanted to read their comments and feel like a human again. It was an easy way to understand what and how people saw the world so she could see it like that too .

Not to act like them, only to see how it was. She wouldn't act inhuman even though she was not human. Celty was a nice person.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated dragging her away from her thoughts. She opened it and saw that she had a message from Shinra

{Hey, my love! My Celty (ﾉ´з｀)ノ My beautiful wife! How are you? Are you ok? Are you lonely? Oh no, don't worry my love, I am coming to get you and be with you! ﾐ(o*･ω･)ﾉ }

{Shinra! Get back inside our house and don't leave! Don't you have work?}

{Oh, of course! Someone called me and they will come any minute now, but nothing is more important than you Celty~}

{Oh, god, Shinra! Help your patient. I am fine. Thanks for asking.} She texted and waited for Shinra's answer.

{Oh, please. You are lonely, aren't you?}

{Yeah, I am. But that's no reason for you to come here!}

{Ok, I will not come. But don't worry! Shizuo is coming back today, isn't he?}

Celty looked at the message for several moments. Yeah, how could she have forgotten that. Shizuo had gone away on a business trip he was assigned to(at least this is what she had been told by Shizuo one day before he left). He had told her that he would hit something and find someone. As always Shizuo didn't know where he would go and what he would do.

But that didn't stop Shizuo from going. As long as he was paid with a really huge amount of money, he was ok. Of course, he was only taking them because he wanted to pay off the damages he had cost to the city. She was so surprised when Shizuo had told her that. She thought that he never paid any damages because the city couldn't take him to the courts. But as always Shizuo wanted to repair what he had damaged in his rage outburst.

But what surprised her most was that when she'd asked what he would get from it, he had told her that he was doing it for free. Wow. She didn't know why Shizuo had accepted a job which didn't involve something that would help him later. Celty had been baffled. She still was.

Why had he accepted it? And also, she thought while hitting her helmet, why had the city gone quiet after Shizuo left. Did Shizuo's absence cause something?

She shook her helmet. No. Shizuo had left the city before, for a longer time. This time he was only gone for one week. Yet why did she feel like Shizuo was the one that caused this to happen?

{Ah~ Sorry Celty my client is here. I will talk to you later! Don't get sad. You don't look beautiful like that. I want you to smile and I know you can! I know something that will cheer you up! Maybe at home~ ヽ(*・ω・)ﾉ }

Celty looked down at her forgotten conversation and smiled despite not having a head. Well, even though Shinra was a pervert, he still managed to make her smile. But before she could put her phone away, she received a message.

She smiled and jumped from her motorcycle. Shizuo!

{Hey, Celty. I know that I haven't texted you recently and yeah I know you will lecture me about it. I'm sorry but nevermind that. I am coming back tomorrow!}

{Really? Did you finish? Finally, do you want me to pick you up?}

{No, it's ok. I will come on my own but how about we meet after?}

After she texted back and confirmed that indeed she wanted to, Shizuo ended their conversation with a simple ok and see you. Celty smiled again. Finally, she could do something. It was really boring without Shizuo around. And yeah even though they didn't exchange many words when they were together, she enjoyed his company. At least she wouldn't be alone.

That last thought sent her mind to Shinra. Ha, he was right. She was smiling. Not from the way Shinra's text had insinuated but she was ok with that. Shinra and his idiotic thinking. She sighed happily. Finally, Shizuo was coming back. Her horse roared again to show that he was pleased too. She petted him.

Now that she thought about it, Izaya hadn't contacted her either. Well, maybe seeing that Shizuo was out of town, he hadn't had any reason to visit Ikebukuro. But, although Izaya enjoyed having fun with Shizuo, he still had some clients here (and many from the way she delivered information all over the town). Yet she hadn't seen him. Neither walking around nor speaking with anyone.

That's why this week was so weird. Shizuo was out of town, Izaya hadn't shown signs of existence and the gangs had disappeared. All of them were making Ikebukuro a normal town. Wow. Ikebukuro a normal town. Her shoulders shook with silent laughter. It was either that or something big was going to happen.

Her phone vibrated for the third time. Wow! Why was everyone texting her? Was it Izaya? Maybe?

No. It was Anri.

(Celty-chan! I know that now it is not a good time but could you come here?... I think there is a gang here and they are ready to fight.)

(On my way)

She texted back and hopped onto her horse. Finally, something interesting was happening.

-xxx-

Anri looked at the text and smiled. Well, at least she wouldn't be alone. She'd be with Celty. Someone she could trust in this situation. She looked again at the boys in front of her while she was hid behind a wall, maybe, ten meters away. They continued their conversation but because she was too far away she couldn't understand what they were saying. Right now they were behind an abandoned building and the thing that surprised Anri most was that it was in the center of Ikebukuro.

How did one of the busiest districts, that Anri knew of, have an empty building inside its center? Had it been abandoned before? Or was it only recently? How could she have missed it until now? She walked the road in front of that building every day to school. Even the alley she crossed to come here had been more vivid than that building.

It looked like it had been abandoned since the 18th century. Yet it stood taller than all the other buildings around it. How? She shook her head and refocused on her task. The boys were still talking. The gang.

But what made Anri sick was that she knew that gang.

The Yellow Scarves.

Kida said that he'd disassembled the gang. He believed that he didn't need it anymore. So why were they in front of her now?

On second thought, she examined their faces. She...she...didn't know any of them.

Anri didn't recognize anyone.

Maybe...?

Yeah, Saika was right. She closed her eyes and focused.

...

No one was cut from Saika. How was that possible? Sure, Haruna hadn't cut every single person in the city, but at least one of them should have been cut.

Right? Yet no one was responding to her call.

No, she shook her head. Maybe she should try another technique. She closed her eyes.

Has anyone seen these boys before?

She asked and sent her message to any nearby ex-yellow scarves.

No, mother. I haven't seen those boys. Not inside our gang, at least.

Anri opened her eyes and let them stay red. So the Yellow Scarves hadn't disbanded, they'd just found new members. Actually, she hadn't heard any incidents from the Yellow Scarves in weeks so she erased that thought. She knew that Kida would do anything to keep their friendship intact. And for that, he needed Anri's trust. So, she would give him that.

She hit the wall in frustration, but not hard enough to be heard by the group in front of her. No one knew these boys so..something must be happening. Maybe, a different gang had formed. No. They wouldn't use the same color as another one if that were the case.

So, it was a replica then? A phony? She frowned. Why would they do something like that?

Suddenly, something appeared from her left side and before she took out Saika, she managed to see Celty coming towards her.

(Is everything alright? I know you sent me that message but I feel like something else was meant to be written)

Anri smiled. How did Celty-san know her so well?

"Yeah! I saw some boys wearing yellow clothing so I thought it was Yellow Scarves." She whispered.

"Thought?" Someone said.

She turned her head to notice Kida standing behind Celty..

(I found him on my way here and he said that he was coming to see you too so...) Celty explained while Kida moved towards Anri.

Of course. Anri looked at her watch. She was supposed to meet up with her best friends in five minutes. How could she have forgotten?

While she told Celty that it was okay and explained why Kida had come, Kida watched the boys in front of them. How they hadn't noticed them yet, he had no idea. Some of them were sitting against the wall and others were standing in front of the others. They were just talking. He scratched his chin. What were they doing behind this building and...why were they just standing there? And why...

"Do you know any of them, Kida-kun?" Anri's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

He shook his head. "No. I..I don't even recognize them. Are they waiting for someone?"

"I don't think so. I felt one of my children's pain so I came here to investigate. He was okay but he told me that some boys with yellow clothing had attacked him. So I searched and found these boys hanging around, probably looking for a fight. They had defeated one of my strongest children." Anri whispered.

(That's why you texted me?) Celty tapped.

"Yes, but when you replied those kids came inside this alley and have just been sitting there since."

Celty came closer. (Are they looking for a fight?) She pointed her screen at Kida.

"No...not from the way they're sitting. They're too relaxed." Kida turned at Anri. "Where did they hit your 'kid'? "

She closed her eyes and opened them, her eyes red yet again. "At an abandoned site. My child is now in Ikebukuro's hospital. But I sensed his attacker's presence, that's why I was searching around here. The site of the attack was really far from here."

(And you think that they came here by foot?)

"I don't know, Celty-san. I know that my child left with the ambulance. But from his description, this group matches the one that attacked him."

Kida observed Anri. "Did...did he work at that site?"

Anri's eyes widened. "I...I don't know. I must be around him to ask that kind of thing. Do you think that they were looking for something there?"

"It's the only thing I can think of. Or they're just show-offs that want to show their strength." Kida cocked his head to the side. "I don't think it's the latter though. They're using my gang's color so...maybe it's a distraction? Maybe they're another gang that wants to put the blame on my gang. But, the other major gang that exists here are the Blue Squares and I don't recognise any of these boys as one of them."

(Maybe it's another gang?)

"I don't think so. Or, at least, I would've known which one it was. Maybe... the Dollars." He stopped and laughed. "No, no, no. Not the Dollars obviously." Kida laughed and continued watching the gang in front of him, while Anri blushed red.

(Why not the Dollars?) Celty asked.

Kida looked at her dumbfounded and Anri just smiled.

"Um, Celty-san. Don't joke now."

(No wait! Why would I joke?)

Anri opened her mouth but Kida spoke first.

"You haven't seen the...picture?" He asked.

(What picture?) Celty asked, but before she got an answer her phone vibrated loudly.

Anri cursed and Kida moved towards them. After a moment of confusion, Celty understood why. The gang.

"Hey, who's there?" One of them yelled and then they appeared from behind the wall.

Seven people at least, Anri counted. Seven? She remembered five. How?

"Is there a problem?" Kida said, smiling and bowing. "We just found our stuff so we'll be leaving now." He lied, probably because he wanted to avoid a fight.

"Oh, really kiddo? Then where's your stuff? Is it thick air and a bunch of lies!" The tallest one yelled. "Are you looking for a fight? Because you found one!"

"Oh, wait! We aren't looking for any trouble!" Anri calmly said, while Celty nodded and waved her hands placatingly.

She didn't want any fights either. Well, she wanted action but not a fight. Celty tapped at her PDA and showed them the screen.

(We will leave. No need to fight.)

"Shit! You're the headless rider, right? Ho, even more reason to start a fight. Dude, if we defeat the black rider, we'll move up!" One of the boys smirked.

"Wait, wait! What?... Don't you know who I am?" Kida hissed.

"A boy that will probably end up in a hospital!" The tallest said and then attacked.

But Kida was faster. Before the punch collided with his face, he grasped and twisted it down. The boy screamed but Kida punched him with his other hand and let him fall behind his shocked friends.

"Come on, let's go!" Kida yelled.

Then the trio moved away from the alley. Celty summoned her bike, but for some reason their communication was stopped. When they stepped out, she realized why. Some other brats were holding it down. Celty shook her head. How? How were they holding her horse down? They didn't have anything on top of it and they weren't using anything to secure it. They had just pushed it over l and then held it down.

While Celty was slowly panicking, Anri and Kida cursed. The road was now filled with yellow-clad people. Anri, while looking around, wondered if Kida knew anyone. But from the way Kida just looked angrier, she realized that wasn't the case.

"What the fuck?" Kida cursed.

The road was now filled with at least 20 people and everyone was looking at them. Ready to attack. Anri cursed too. How did she not notice anyone coming? Or sense a possible threat coming? And how had all of them appeared here? There were just five people when she started.

...

The building. Maybe it was their hideaway. But...Saika would've felt the people inside. Right?

The one that Kida had hit left the alley with a bruised nose. He growled and then all of them encircled the trio.

"You fucking kid! Who do you think you are? You're going down!" He yelled and moved towards Kida.

But then a black blur moved and he fell down. Anri looked at Celty who, as she had guessed, had materialised her scythe. She moved towards the crowd and cut the air in front of them. At the same time, Kida moved and hit two people dead-on and, while using one of them as a base to jump off, he punched another one to his side.

Anri was ready to attack, ready to use Saika. She didn't want to resort to using Saika, so she backed away from the crowd. But at any moment, she would be ready to use Saika if necessary. She kicked one man who attempted to punch her and while he was falling towards her, she used her elbow to hit him again. He fell down unconscious.

After a few more punches, Anri found all of their enemies unconscious on the ground. It looked like Kida had been hit from the way he was holding his cheek. Celty had rescued her horse and was now petting it while it bounced up and down happily. Anri smiled and approached Kida.

"Kida-kun. You're hurt."

"Oh, it's nothing, Anri-chan. Just a punch. It'll bruise but it's better than a broken bone. Right?" He smiled and showed her his cheek.

(Oh, you're alright, don't worry. But is it just me or was the fight a little too easy?) Celty asked, while pointing at their fallen foes.

"Yes, you're right. Something fishy is going on here!" Kida replied and then paused.

Anri followed Kida's line of vision and gasped. The tallest one, even though he was covered with blood, was standing up and pointing a gun at Kida.

"Boy...you really are an ass. Look what you've done! I will never move up with this. I will...fuck you up. I will end you!" The tallest boy screamed.

Bang!

Anri shouted and was ready to move Kida out of the way, but then something restrained her from behind. She looked down and saw Celty's shadows holding her in place. But before she could ask why, she saw Kida.

Standing.

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and looked back at the boy. In his position was now a van. A van that she knew very well.

"NO ONE, FUCKING NO ONE DESTROYS MY VAN! You fucker!" Someone yelled and then the windows opened showing an angry Togusa.

She looked to the left and indeed the guy had just been hit by the van. Celty released Anri and, after asking if everyone was alright, she approached the boy.

"Anri-chan! Masaomi!" Someone yelled.

Anri turned and was hugged by none other than Mikado.

"Are you okay?" When both of them confirmed that they were, he continued. "I was going to meet you but Kadota offered to give me a ride. So, I agreed and then two guys ran into Togusa's van with another car. They just disappeared but as always Togusa followed their tracks. He found their car. It was in front of this road and then we saw you here. Ready to be shot!" Mikado started to get even more worried but Kida waved his hand.

"I'm ok. Ouch, hey!"

"Oh, really mister 'I'm ok'. All I did was touch you. You've definitely bruised it."

"No shit Sherlock. I know I did."

"Hey, are we okay?" Kadota's voice interrupted their conversation and both of them stopped fighting.

"Yeah...is the guy okay?" Mikado asked.

"Ah yeah. He might have a concussion. Probably a broken arm. We didn't drive very fast so...yeah he should be okay."

"He fucking deserves it. How will I repair my van? Erika will just buy a new bumper with an anime girl printed on it." Togusa complained, looking at the damages.

(Erika? Is she not here?) Celty asked.

"Oh, no. She's at Russian Sushi. We were going to meet her there. Care to join us? All of you." Kadota asked, while observing the fallen people.

He then looked at Kida with a frown and Kida shook his head.

"Yeah. Of course. I need to fix a misunderstanding before it occurs." Kida declared while glaring at Kadota.

He then turned to Mikado. But Mikado was looking at the building in front of them. His smile had disappeared and he was moving his eyebrows up and down.

Mikado observed their surroundings and touched his chin with a frown. He turned his head to look at the road the van had appeared from, more specifically at the car, then shook his head.

It was only after the trio had entered the van with Celty following behind them , that Anri understood what Mikado was thinking.

The car.

How did the group in the car know about the fight?

-xxx-

"How MUCH DOES IT COST?"

"40,000 yen."

"Are you fucking KIDDING ME? I can't find so much money to repair it!"

"Then we'll find a used one!"

Togusa stood in front of the engineer and Kadota watched him have the longest panicked conversation with him. He smiled. Well, at least no one was hurt... From his team, of course. The other ones, as Togusa said, deserved what happened to them.

He turned his head. The trio were talking with Celty or he thought they were. Celty tapped furiously on her PDA while Kida gestured with his hands and was moving back and forth. But, looking at the other two kids he concluded they were telling each other jokes. Probably to reduce the stress from today's craziness.

Kadota frowned. Seconds. If they had come even just a few seconds later, then he didn't know what would've happened. On the road, Kida had relayed everything that had happened and also voiced his thoughts. Like Kida, who had focussed on one single detail, he was stuck on that question too.

Who were those people? And why were they using the Scarves' color? Maybe someone had brought back the gang. No. No one would resurface a damaged beyond repair gang or use it as a replica. Something was happening and he would find out what. But before that he needed to get to Erika before anything happened.

Kadota dragged Togusa away from his van and walked beside the trio and Celty. When they finally reached Russian Sushi, Kida said.

"Hey. Where's Erika? Usually, she's making an 'intro' before we even get inside."

"Well, I think she's inside one of the private booths. Either way, she'll yell when she sees us." Kadota answered.

Indeed, when she saw them, Erika stood up and waved her hands like she was in a stadium full of people and she was screaming at her friends to follow her. Well, at least she didn't scream their names when they entered the shop.

After Simon appeared and took their orders, Erika said.

"Hey! Did you see Simon outside? No, no no...I know, don't answer! We saw him talking to another mysterious man on the corner of the shop." Erika giggled.

"Yeah and he sounded angry too." Walker continued.

"Did he speak in Russian?" Kida asked.

"Yeah, i think so. Why? Do you think that someone wants something from him?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Maybe he asked about the weather."

Erika laughed while Walker just waved his hands and spoke nonsense.

"Was he wearing anything yellow?" Kadota asked, surprising everyone.

Erika touched her chin and tried to remember.

"...No. Why?"

Kadota pointed at Kida and Kida relayed everything. Well, not everything. He skipped the part about Anri and Saika. Then, Kadota said his side of the story while Simon brought their orders.

"So, there's a 'mysterious' gang in the city." Erika concluded, while Celty wrote something on her PDA.

(Has anyone seen them before?)

Walker shook his head. "We haven't seen any gangs lately. Not a yellow one to be precise."

Kadota turned to Kida. "Did you leave any substitutes behind?"

Kida shook his head. "No, I haven't. The Scarves are dead. It has been for a year."

Kadota mumbled 'Semi-dead' and Kida snorted, mumbling back 'Maybe'.

But then Kida remembered something. "If they're using my gang's color, then shouldn't they know who the previous leader of the gang was?"

Everyone nodded.

"Well, they didn't recognize me. So, there's something fishy going on here."

"I agree, but we don't know anything about them." Walker began but Togusa stopped him.

"Yeah, we do." He said casually while eating his lunch.

Everyone turned to him and after a few seconds he realized that everyone was watching him.

He cleared his throat and explained. "Well, when they hit my car, fucking pieces of shit, I saw their faces. I wanted to remember them so I could...yeah, yeah, sorry. As Erika knows, I can read lips. A talent that I learned from her and a useful one too. So, I read their lips and usually someone would say 'shit' or 'run'. But...I didn't understand what they were saying. It wasn't English or Japanese. It was another language. And..no. Not Russian. I only know a few words but I don't think so. Anyway we know that this gang speaks another language so..."

"This gang is from another country and appeared here while using the same color as mine?"

"Maybe. But Kida-kun said they knew Japanese. So, they must know another language too and use it to communicate with each other. That's why I couldn't understand any words or what they were saying." Anri added.

(And also what were they doing behind that building?)

"And how did they know where the fight was?"

"And why did they hit my van?"

"And why were they speaking another language?"

Celty watched everyone talking but her mind was on another thing that shocked her. How did they stop my bike from moving? A question that needed an answer. She was shocked but it wasn't the first time this had happened to her. But then again those men hadn't used or worn anything to make her horse numb. Maybe they had used an anti-matter weapon?

Celty shook her head. She needed information. Wait. Information.

(Anri, Kida, you haven't answered my question.) She typed and showed them.

At the same time, the non-stop questions ceased and everyone read Celty's PDA.

"What question?" Both of them asked.

(What picture?)

Kida choked onhis water and Anri once again turned red.

"What picture?" Mikado repeated the question.

"Hahaha, Mikado. THE picture!" Kida said and everyone watched Celty.

(What?)

"Um..Celty-san. Where were you one week ago? Something happened on the Dollars site." Walker explained

(Really? That's why I haven't seen anyone commenting and complaining about the website?)

"Yeah! Someone made another one. An underground website. It's like the Dollars but it's a private one. One that doesn't have those apps." Togusa explained

"Yeah, the founder must have made it..." Celty glanced at Mikado and let Erika continued her monologue.

Mikado's mouth was a straight line. When Celty looked at him, he turned his head and sighed. He shook his head. So, he didn't do it. Then, who did?

"Here, give me your PDA and...here you are! The secret Dollars website!" Walker said.

Celty observed it. It was just like the Dollars but when she scrolled down, she finally saw a normal conversation.

(So...what picture?)

Erika stopped talking and opened her phone.

"Well, because it was uploaded one week ago, you won't find it easily so...here." She responded with a serious attitude and gave her phone to Celty.

Then, her shadows puffed out of her helmet.

"I know, shocking right!" Walker beamed.

What? What was this?

It was a picture of Izaya and Shizuo. While Kadota explained how this picture had appeared, Celty examined it closely.

This picture must've been taken when Shizuo and Izaya were in high school. They were both inside a classroom and they were...sitting together. The classroom was empty except for those two. They were sitting at a desk, not in front of each other but besides each other. This was the first thing that surprised Celty. They were inside a room that wasn't destroyed to pieces.

Then it was how they were sitting. Izaya was leaning back in his chair, balancing on two legs, while Shizuo sat properly in his. The next thing was that the pencil Shizuo was holding wasn't broken. It was intact and...Shizuo was writing with it. In front of them were some books and papers. Izaya, while one of his hands was holding the chair so he wouldn't fall down, was pointing with the other at something inside one of the books.

His face, while holding his usual smirk on, was relaxed and from the way his mouth was opened it was clear that he was explaining something to Shizuo. Shizuo looked angry as usual but not furious and he was staring at Izaya's hand. He was angry with what was on the page rather than with Izaya.

This picture was surreal for Celty. What was going on? Why were they relaxed and not trying to kill each other? As far back as she could remember, those two were always trying to kill each other. So, what the hell?

"Yeah, we had the same faces when we saw the picture too." Kadota said

"It's begun a phenomenon. Everyone is discussing this picture. The way our famous duo is so relaxed and not trying to kill each other is just...a fantasy. And here we are. This picture changes everything." Erika continued with a serious face.

(But... wow.) Celty tapped but erased it. She needed information. This picture seemed so fake, but at the same time it was so real.

(Is the picture real?) She asked hoping to get a negative answer.

Celty was feeling weird. Those two figures couldn't be the same people she knew, experienced and lived her life with. It must be a prank, a fake picture or something.

But Walker shook his head her hand dropped.

"The picture is real. What's happening in the picture is true. The positions, the duo, and the classroom are all real. There is no photo manipulation in it. If I remember correctly, three people tested it so they could prove the picture was fake. But..."

"Celty that picture was taken in real life. It's true." Kadota said and smiled.

But her tension didn't fade. (Kadota..they are in a classroom. Your classroom. So you must know what was going on in there. But instead, you don't.)

Kadota sighed. "Yeah, that's true." He was interrupted by his gang and their questions of 'you knew...in high school?' and such. But he cut them off and continued.

"But you know as well as Shinra that he and I had to leave Raijin in second year. Remember? I went to another school and Shinra went to a better one. So that scene is weird for me too. I couldn't believe it either. How were those two okay being in the same room? I asked myself, but then I remembered the second year I left Raijin so... Something must have happened then. After we graduated from school...we also didn't hear anything from them. No news or specifically fights. But two years later we heard about Shizuo and his arrest. After that, the arguments and their usual fights returned."

(So, you believe something happened between them, right?)

"Yeah. And not only in high school but also in those two years. If they were fighting or at least if Shizuo was breaking stuff, shouldn't we have heard something. Why did we only hear news from them two years after our graduation?"

Kadota said and paused. There was only awkward silence between them while everyone was in their thoughts. Damn if only they had some information about this situation. Then this wouldn't be so weird.

As if in response to her thoughts, Mikado asked.

"Do you think...that Shizuo-san knows about this?"

(Oh no. Don't worry, he's out of town.)

"Oh, what a relief." Kida breathed.

(He's coming tomorrow. So I don't think he knows about this. Also, he left the Dollars. So, I think we are okay."

"Good! Because I thought that Shizuo-san had gone and killed Izaya-kun for this." Mikado added.

"Hey, do you think that Iza-Iza knows about this?" Erika gulped and everyone froze.

"He doesn't." Kida answered.

"Really? How do you know?" Mikado asked.

Kida gulped. "I wasn't there but someone told me he'd closed his phone that accessed the Dollars website."

"Really? Wow. We're lucky then. Otherwise our town would've become a ghost town from this." Walker beamed.

"But for how long? We know that Izaya is an information broker, so one day everything will go to hell." Togusa continued.

Everyone agreed. Sooner or later, Izaya would find out about this. Then what would happen? Kadota scratched his chin. A thought occurred to him that had been eating at him all day.

"Hey, Erika. I know that this is so fucking weird, but how have you not fangirled about this. Every time I've seen you talking about this you're serious and collected. So, why?"

"Oh, well...that picture doesn't prove anything at all. Yeah, it's a picture of my new OTP, but if you observe the picture and examine it many times, you will see that there's nothing going on. Every day I see something that will lead me to yaoi proof. A touch, a few words with deeper meaning. But in that picture, all I can see is two students studying. Many fangirls agree so I can't say anything or fangirl over anything.

"But now I have!" She screamed and searched for something on her phone.

"What do you mean?" Everyone asked.

"Oh yeah. You haven't seen it! This is yaoi PROOF. The admin who posted the first picture posted a new one this morning and it has already been tested. It's real as fuck! LOOK!" She screamed and put her phone in the center of the table.

Just as she said there was a new picture. In it were Izaya and Shizuo yet again. But they weren't inside their classroom this time, they were outside. On school grounds. They were still wearing their school uniforms. Both of them were standing a few meters, but not too far, away from each other.

Shizuo's posture was relaxed. He had his hands in his pockets and was looking at Izaya. His eyes though were showing worry or maybe surprise at what was happening. His mouth was a straight line like he was holding back what he was going to say and his eyebrows were slightly raised up.

Izaya was positioned so that only his front was showing in the picture. He had an open mouth, meaning he was talking. But his eyes weren't focused on Shizuo, instead they were looking at the ground. His smirk was gone and only a serious expression remained. His hands were behind his back and the way he was positioned hid what was behind him.

Celty wouldn't have thought this was any yaoi proof or anything. It just showed the duo standing and talking to each other. But the picture also showed something more. The angle of the picture was positioned in a way that also showed the ground. They were standing on pavement and were probably away from school.

And far from it because there was something in the background that Celty knew very well. She also knew what they implied.

There were Sakura petals.

-xxx-

Namie wrote on her PC as usual. Finally, after one week of sorting through files, she could use her computer again. But at what cost? To fucking rewrite all that information in digital form. When she'd asked Izaya why they needed to have both versions, he had said that it was better safe than sorry.

Yeah, sure. It wasn't that he just liked watching Namie suffer. At least this week hadn't been completely boring. She stopped writing, not only because she was exhausted with it but also because she'd written this sentence three times already and every time she'd get it wrong. And why? Because of Izaya, that's why!

Him and that fucking picture!

After the incident with Mikado, she had found (not with the bastard's help) the password for the Dollars and joined. She wanted to be ready when something big happened. Namie had people to take care of like Seiji. She smiled.

Anlso that website had so much information. Yeah, she could understand why Izaya was always on it. Until maybe one month ago, when the website had become trash. A useless website. A destroyed one, to be exact.

When Izaya had turned off his phone, she was shocked. Yeah, the website was useless, but she was sure that Izaya would've done something to turn it back.

But Izaya had given up.

That was what shocked her most. Sure she'd seen him turn his phone off but never the Dollars one. After spending so much time with him, she knew a few things about him and how he operated. So yes. She was speechless.

So after Izaya said that something big was happening, she opened her phone and checked the website for information. Namie knew when Izaya was right. He always turned to look down at his humans when he was right. So, not only did that happen, but she also got the feeling that the Apocalypse was nigh.

She thought that Izaya would've checked or opened his phone by now to see the website. But no, he hadn't. All in all, he was acting like before. The only thing different was that he spent more hours here and not outside.

Maybe he knew and that's why he didn't go out. Because maybe Heiwajima also knew and then the apocalypse would really come. Or not.

God that picture put her in deep thought. What was going on in it? She peeked at her boss. He was still on his computer. Good. She was so thankful that she had moved her desk away from him. Now she could work in peace and see things like this picture without him knowing. She found the picture and reexamined it.

Why was Izaya so fucking different? He had on his usual smirk but he was RELAXED. Izaya was calm, he didn't fake it. It was a real smirk. He was amused in the picture.

And the fortissimo wasn't angry. Irritated...pissed...or done would be the perfect word for how he looked. She tried to see what was written on the papers without success. The only thing she managed to see were a few words, but she couldn't understand them. Wow, Heiwajima's handwriting was terrible.

But the fact that they were sitting so close to each other was what pissed Namie off most. She remembered when Shizuo had come and she was sure that he would've pulled off the door to kill Izaya. She saw and experienced how Heiwajima acted with Izaya and how Izaya acted around him too.

But this. She didn't have a fucking clue.

And that second picture. God. What was happening? What was going on in this picture? Izaya was talking to the fortissimo.

Talking!

That serious face. He wasn't playing with him like he did every day she saw them. And Shizuo was LISTENING to him. He was looking at him. His attention WAS on him. And the position of Izaya's eyes burned Namie. He was looking down.

Whatever Izaya was hiding behind his back made Namie want to kill him from curiosity . She wanted to know what he was holding but at the same time, she didn't. Namie would be skinned alive if she showed these pictures to him, she was sure about that.

The fallen petals made her want to vomit. No, this couldn't be true. She knew Izaya. He was arrogant. A fucking bastard. He wouldn't do something like this.

Izaya would demand something like this, he would manipulate them into this only to break them into pieces. Yet his hands behind his back made her think again.

Shizuo and Izaya had been fighting for years. But now these pictures changed her perspective of her boss. What was happening? She would find out eventually.

Namie closed her phone and turned her glance in front of her. How had Izaya moved the couch without her knowing? She looked at him. He was pacing back and forth. Well, something didn't go according to his plans. Good.

"Did you lose some of your pawns?" She smiled.

Izaya continued circling and within a second a smirk appeared on his face. He hadn't been smirking? Well, that's interesting.

"Oh, no. Not yet. Tomorrow, however, I will. But I've had a nice time playing anyway." He said without stopping his circle.

"Well, who made a fool of you this time?" She giggled.

"Your brother."

In record time she stood up. "BASTARD! WHAT did you to my brother?"

"Oh, nothing yet. But who's the fool now, ne~" Izaya laughed still walking.

"Bastard! I don't know why I asked you in the first place. You should die!"

"Gladly. But who else will pay you so much money?"

"No one! That's the problem!" She yelled and sat down.

But her curiosity ate at her.

"So, what happened?"

Izaya stopped and looked at her. "I lost a bargain." He said after a while.

"Oh really~" She sang.

"Shut up, woman." He said smirking. After a few seconds, he continued. "The problem is that my customer was informed, or better yet, blackmailed by someone not to talk to me."

"Oh and our great broker can't find him?~"

"No." He spat angrily after turning towards the TV.

That's weird. She examined him. He looked exhausted. Did he search for that person? For how many hours? She remembered the last appointment he had was at five in the afternoon. She looked at the clock. Eleven.

He was frustrated. Maybe a distraction would be nice. But anything that crossed her mind was cut short.

"Do you have any other customers today?"

"No."

"Have you found your next client's information?"

"Three days ago."

"Anything fun happening outside?"

"It's all boring. Typical humans."

An idea occurred to her. But would it...be okay? She hoped and prayed for her next question.

"Why don't you go and have some fun with your monster?"

But Izaya just looked at her dumbfounded and...laughed. He fucking laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"My monster?"

"Yeah, yours. I haven't seen you going to Ikebukuro this week. Why? Are you afraid?" She asked annoyed, while Izaya walked to the window and looked outside as he continued laughing.

"Well, Shizu-chan sure is a monster. A tedious monster. But not my monster." He said with playful tone but Namie caught the undertone.

Sad? No fucking way! That picture was messing up her brain.

"He's not here."

What?

"And how..."

"How do I know? Well, have you seen any flying vending machines? No? Me neither. Have you heard any incidents? No! Shizu-chan is not here. He's out of town."

"And how do you know that? Is that why you haven't gone to Ikebukuro?" She asked.

Well, she had suspected another reason why Izaya hadn't gone to Ikebukuro, but now she was sure that Izaya didn't know about the picture. Thank god.

"Oh, no. This week, as weird as it sounds, I didn't have any appointments with any clients from Ikebukuro. But never mind that. I know that Shizu-chan isn't here but on a trip because I am an information broker!" He yelled the last line and spread his arms.

"And yet I don't know what is happening in Ikebukuro or who the person is that blackmails my playthings. But I will find out. Oh, I will~ Don't worry about that!" He declared and looked at her with his trademark smirk.

That made Namie uneasy.

So she changed the topic. "When will Kida come next?"

"Oh, Kida-kun. Tomorrow, I think. His girlfriend and he had a week off, as I remember . Is that true secretary? Or are you afraid of my doings?"

"Fucking irritated not afraid, you bastard! You'll be afraid when someone pushes you off a building and you splatter to the ground!" She yelled angrily wanting the conversation to end.

But before Izaya replied, she noticed something. Izaya had flinched. Over what she had said. Was he afraid of that? Falling? Or he had seen something splatter to the ground and he had remembered that image.

No. Even though Izaya was the biggest asshole she had met, she knew that he wouldn't kill anyone. He was only playing. Not killing. He didn't have the guts, or more specifically the will, to do something like that. Izaya loved his humans. He didn't kill them.

So why had Izaya flinched at that? Had he experienced something like that? No?!

He was too proud to admit it anyway.

"Maybe then you'll find the paycheck you wish." He said with a calm tone.

Dear God. She would kill him!

But before she could answer, something vibrated. A phone. One of Izaya's phones. But this one was in one of the library's shelves. She watched it vibrated while wondering which phone that was. For what purpose.

Izaya, meanwhile, went to it and opened it. He read something and stared at it. A message. What happened next was unexpected.

Izaya's smirk completely disappeared and he glared at his phone. His eyebrows slightly furrowed and his mouth grimaced. He was looking frustrated but also...sad! Namie was frozen. Now, she felt weird and maybe afraid.

Izaya snapped his phone closed and moved towards the door. He donned his trademark coat and, while he still held that expression on his face, he said in a really disturbingly calm tone.

"Namie, you are free to go. Lock the door behind you."

Then he just left. Izaya had never asked her to lock the door before had never let her go home with so much work left. He never looked so furious, while at the same time his eyes looked sad. Izaya never just left like that without replying to his text first. He always wanted to have the last word.

But then Namie understood why he was acting so weird.

That phone.

It was his personal phone.