Izaya opened his eyes to find that his surroundings had changed; they were outside! Izaya gasped lightly and stepped forward. They were in Ikebukuro! He'd recognize the city with or without memory loss. His memory….it was coming back to him, just like the woman said.

"I figured this might help clear the rest of your foggy memories, with a few minor exceptions."

Izaya acknowledged her statement but didn't reply and walked toward the railing of the rooftop. "This place…."

The woman stepped beside him, following his gaze to the ground below. "Recognizable?"

Izaya nodded. "I brought a high-school girl here once."

She grinned and nudged him. "Aren't you the lucky one."

Izaya looked at her, realized what she meant, and rolled his eyes. "Nothing like that. I was twenty-two. I tricked her into thinking that I wanted to commit suicide with her. I had her kidnapped to make her realize that she didn't want to die, and then I had her rescued."

"Hmmm. I don't think it's any different to what I did to you to make you realize you didn't want to end up in hell."

Izaya shook his head. "I don't think it's quite the same. I just wanted to see the look on her face when I made her realize that she didn't want to die. All I did was manipulate her into a false situation." Izaya chuckled. "Is this supposed to prepare me for atonement? Am I to make amends with all the people I've wronged?"

The woman laughed. "I can see why you would think so, and it would make sense, but that'll take a hell of a long time, and quite frankly, I don't have the patience. But you know, extra good deeds wouldn't go unnoticed." She grinned at him.

Izaya snorted and ignored her joke. "You're a guardian angel and you don't have patience?"

"Oh, I have patience, just not the kind to deal with yours."

Izaya raised an eyebrow. "I won't even pretend to understand what that means."

She grinned again. "Probably for the best. Anyway, you're not too far off. To repent and gain your wings, making amends is a crucial part, but I think visiting every person you've wronged sounds too much like, 'the ghosts of Christmas past' to me, and you're hardly a scrooge."

"I'll just ignore that very odd reference. Also, why is it that whenever you speak of those I've wronged do you make it sound like I tormented an entire city. I'm not that bad. I'm hardly a villain."

She chuckled at the pout on his face; she fricking loved this guy! She hadn't met someone like him in ages! "If you say so. Now, back to my point. It'll be too easy to focus on them as a whole because some aren't that bad, and the people will get over it, or at least, they should."

Izaya was surprised by her statement, quite sure it wasn't what a guardian angel should say. "So, how am I supposed to make amends?"

"By protecting a specific individual. Someone whom you caused the most suffering. This person is a constant in your life, and it is with this person that you will find redemption. This person has been personally assigned to you."

Izaya placed his hands in his pockets, knowing the answer. "He's extremely stubborn, and I hardly think he'll believe me, nor will he accept anything I say as the truth."

She looked at him for a moment, staring intently into his eyes, making him feel slightly uneasy, then she chuckled. "It's not Masaomi," she said, causing Izaya to gape at her.

"How did you-"

"Please, you're like an open book to me! I'm your angel, Izaya, and I could read your thoughts if I truly wanted to."

Izaya grimaced. "That's very disturbing."

She laughed. "Relax, I don't do it all the time, only when I need to. I respect my people's privacy."

Izaya half grinned at her. "Well, forgive me, but I don't believe you."

"Guardian angels don't lie. Anyway, it's not Masaomi, but good guess because you really messed with him."

Izaya frowned, and his eyes averted, then he sighed when a thought came to him. "If you knew all this, then why did you have me explain about what happened here?"

She smiled. "To see if there was any regret in your story."

Izaya snorted. "There wasn't."

"You're right about that, but there was something. A flicker of it was in your tone, and that's good enough. It means we're on the right track."

How very clever of her. Now Izaya knew what being on the receiving end of manipulation was like because he was sure that's what she did. "I have some questions that I need to ask to fully understand the situation."

"Shoot. I'll answer if I can."

"I'm dead, right?"

"You are."

"Am I a ghost?"

"Sort of."

"How can you be sort of a ghost?"

"Okay, allow me to explain some rules to you. Maybe it will help you understand, but think of them more as guidelines." She watched him nod in agreement and then continued. "I'm not allowed to tell you how you died, and I'm not allowed to tell you who your assigned human is. To make amends, you will become their guardian angel, just like I am yours. Oh, and just to clarify, I'll know if you're pretending," she grinned when he hunched slightly because she knew that plan had just crossed his mind but couldn't help laughing at his guilty face. "Also, they have to forgive you too."

Izaya pulled a face; he was doomed. Who the hell would forgive him? Especially to help him.

"I have faith in you! So don't give me that look of defeat already."

Izaya huffed. "Firstly, stop reading my mind, it's creepy. Secondly, do I at least get a hint of this person? Also, since you've quite literally invaded my privacy, the least you can do is tell me your name."

A loud laugh escaped her. "My name is Aya Yoshimura, but you can call me Aya since I 'invaded your privacy' and all." Izaya rolled his eyes. "As for the hint, apart from what I told you earlier, the only thing I can say is the person will be the only one who can see you."

Izaya gave her a blank stare. What she said wasn't at all helpful. It could be anyone! "Thank you for that oh so helpful hint," he said with a slight grin. "Just don't tell me I have a time limit."

Aya huffed a laugh. "No time limit. You're dead, and dead don't care for the time."

Did she have to be so blunt about it?

"You can even take a few days to get your thoughts together, get some perspective, or maybe there's a few close to you who you might like to see again before you go."

Izaya chuckled. "Don't be ridiculous, but I will take your advice and clear my thoughts for a while."

Aya nodded with a smile and lay her hand on his shoulder. "Good luck."

"Wait. I know you can't tell me how I died, but – what if I remember myself later on, will that be considered a rule break?"

Aya shook her head. "Don't worry, a lot of people remember their deaths eventually. Just remember, even if you do, you can't do anything. I should have mentioned this before, Izaya, and I'm sorry I didn't. No one can see or hear you, but you can interact with them physically. So please, please be careful. If you harm anyone intentionally, however small, there really will be nothing I can do to help you."

Izaya didn't know how to feel about this new information. His task was becoming more and more difficult every time she spoke. His expression remained passive, and he tried his best to keep his thoughts clear. "Look, we both know I don't want to end up in hell, so what counts as harmful?"

Aya gave him a thoughtful frown and could tell he was hiding his thoughts from her. Aya stepped close to him and flicked him on the forehead. Izaya pouted and rubbed the spot she had assaulted. "If you so much as flick a person, that counts."

Izaya raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? That's harsh."

Aya looked at him, the amusement gone from her eyes. "I'm serious, Izaya. This is one rule you must not break."

Izaya nodded; he could tell she meant that. "You said that the only one who can see me is the one I'm supposed to protect. Can they interact physically with me?"

"No, only you."

"If I'm not allowed to harm anyone, how am I supposed to help and protect them?"

Aya chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. "You're a clever kid, Izaya. You'll figure that out pretty quickly. I have a lot of confidence in you."

Izaya sighed inwardly. At least one of us does.

"Just follow the rules with extreme caution, and you'll be fine. Oh, one more thing?"

Izaya grinned. "Just one more?"

She huffed in annoyance and said, "No funny business. That means no form of intimacy. It's not a rule, but it's more for my benefit. I have to watch over you carefully, and I would rather not see that."

Izaya blushed profusely; what kind of person did she think he was! "I'm very sure you don't need to worry about that…."

Aya chuckled at his embarrassment toward her statement. "It's happened before."

Embarrassment forgotten, Izaya grinned at her. "Lucky for you that I hold no desires of attraction to an individual human. I love all humans, and that is purely platonic."

"Just putting it out there. Okay, do you have any more questions, or do you feel ready?"

Izaya took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm ready."

…

Izaya stayed on the roof after Aya had left. He couldn't help but feel saddened by his death, and the cold hard truth was that no one would be saddened by his death. That's right, he wouldn't be missed at all. Izaya didn't know why that bothered him because it had never done so before since he had always told himself that he didn't care if everyone hated him; he would still love them. Izaya lied to himself to feel better.

If people could like someone like Shizuo, who was full of violence and destruction, why couldn't they accept him for who he was? Aya was right; he was just lonely. Izaya wanted friends, but at the same time, he wanted to avoid everything.

Izaya leaned against the railing, glancing down at the bloodied spot on the ground. He was dead. The more he thought about it, the more depressed he felt, but Izaya was never one to wallow in self-pity, and since there was no time limit, he could take his time. Izaya started to wonder about what he could do. Could he walk through walls? And how would he travel from place to place? He bet that he couldn't fly or anything because he technically didn't have his wings yet. Was that how it worked? Izaya didn't mind if he had to travel the usual way; he probably preferred it.

Looking back at the ground below, another thought crossed his mind. If he jumped, would he be able to die? His fingers twitched with anticipation with the temptation to try it, but if something happened to him and he hadn't completed his tasks, then would he just be sent below?

Izaya stepped back from the ledge because he couldn't stay up here and mope forever. He could, but for the type of person he was, he'd get bored very quickly. It was time to see some humans, and the thought that he could wander around without them seeing him excited him. Perhaps he could even take the time to figure out how he died before looking for the person he was supposed to protect.

…..

Izaya skipped through the city, laughing when he realized people really couldn't see him. It was weird because he shouldn't be this happy, but he was incredibly amused. He jumped and swung around a lamppost, still laughing, and stopped beside a café. A thought occurred to him then. He wasn't doing anything unusual because he would have acted this way even when they could see him. He glanced at the round tables set up outside under the awning. Several people occupied the seats, either looking at their phones, reading the newspaper – mostly the older generation – or quietly enjoying lunch or possibly breakfast. Izaya then realized he didn't know the time or even the date and would have to rely on objects around him.

Walking between the tables, he crouched low and raised his hand under a newspaper. With a slight grin, he slapped it. He did this to a younger woman because he would probably fail his task if an elder went and died from a heart attack. He wanted to have a little fun, but he wasn't stupid. The woman gasped and stood up immediately, and the shock on her face was enough to cause Izaya to laugh loudly. Everyone looked at the scene with confusion as the woman picked up her newspaper and shook it as though something would fall out of it. Izaya grinned, still laughing; that was way too comical. He realized that he could have some fun if he considered the rules very carefully. For example, if he kicked out a chair before someone sat on it, that would intentionally cause them harm, but it would inevitably be harmless if he lifted the chair without anyone in harm's way. The people who occupied the seats stood up with a yelp and began to freak out, thus causing them to scatter and run away. Izaya didn't expect everyone to react that way, but that always amused him greatly when they did the unexpected.

Izaya shrugged and sat on one of the now-empty tables, glancing at a fallen newspaper. Before he reached to retrieve it, Izaya tilted his head when a man, who appeared to be the owner, stepped from the café with a perplexed look. From his perspective, it probably looked like they had just vanished, leaving their unfinished food and beverages behind. "You're probably wondering where all your customers have gone," Izaya said as he stood up with a stretch, forgetting about the newspaper, "sorry, it was way too tempting." He stepped next to the owner and placed his hand over the man's shoulder. The owner jumped and spun around, looking for whoever had touched him before he ran inside the café, slammed the door shut, and flipped the open sign to closed. Izaya blinked at the man's dramatic reaction.

Izaya left the café with an amusing idea.

Izaya ran around Ikebukuro for several hours, picking up random objects or touching people's things. Some screamed, some were too scared to move, but mostly – as he expected – they filmed it all.

Izaya learned to adapt to what he could and couldn't do very quickly. He played by the rules but also figured out their loopholes. Izaya couldn't remember the date before he died, so he needn't bother with the present time.

Izaya stopped walking, and a frown graced his features. There was no news about his death yet, and a sudden, disturbing thought crossed his mind that his body might be – somewhere yet to be found. Izaya shuddered but was unwilling to ponder that thought any longer.

Disturbance forgotten, Izaya smirked when he caught a conversation between three high school girls and leaned against the fountain they were sitting on. A roll of his eyes came next when he recognized them as none other than the three bullies from a year ago.

"I heard it was the café that was haunted and that the ghost of the previous owner was the cause," he heard the middle one speak first as she typed on her phone.

"Well, I heard that it's the headless riders head. Ya know, the ghost of its head. It's now haunting Ikebukuro looking for the body or something."

Izaya laughed at the absurd rumor and walked away from them.

After an hour of spectating, Izaya found himself near the intersection leading to Toshima. Izaya frowned when the building opposite became familiar. He walked the distance and stared at the compact structure, tilting his head in thought. He was almost sure he had been here before, so what was it about this place that felt so familiar? He glanced at the door and guessed now was the time to test his theory of walking through solid objects. Izaya lifted his hand and lay his palm on the door.

A small laugh startled him, and he glanced to his right and huffed when Aya appeared beside him. "You didn't think I'd make it that easy for you, did you?" Was she serious? Izaya stared at her with a questioning look, and she smiled. "I understand you a little better each time. It is fun to mess with people."

Izaya then glared at her. "Are you saying that I really can't walk through solid matter?"

Aya shrugged. "Well, perhaps you could have, but that wouldn't be much fun now, would it."

Izaya clicked his tongue and shoved his hands in his pockets. "So, you did this on purpose?"

Aya laughed. "Oh, come on, you've just spent five hours scaring the hell out of people. Did you know that as we speak, people are referring you to as 'the ghost of Ikebukuro?' Izaya smirked; yes, he did know that. Then his eyes widened in realization.

"Are you telling me that this is some kind of disciplinary action?" Was she actually punishing him for what he did? He followed the damn rules. Wasn't he allowed to have any fun? He was dead.

Aya smirked. "I may be your guardian angel, but I can't help feeling bad for the people you're scaring while you technically get away with it."

Izaya huffed and hunched his shoulders. "It was harmless intent."

Aya nodded with a smile and nudged him. "I know you're probably feeling a little detached, but just try and keep your playful behavior to a minimum."

Izaya rolled his eyes. "Fine."

"Though I do admire your quick thinking concerning the rules. Not everyone finds the loopholes, but then again, not everyone receives the same rules."

Izaya cringed and didn't want to know what happened to those who didn't follow the rules. Aya looked at the door and back to Izaya. "You can still open the doors the old-fashioned way," she chuckled at his annoyed expression, "you can even kick them down or break in through the window. She gasped when she realized her slip up and shoved him lightly. "Please try and refrain from doing that because it's rude."

Izaya huffed a laugh and nodded in understanding. It didn't bother him that he couldn't zip through things because it would be less of a reminder that he was dead. Izaya turned to say something to her, but she had already gone again. It was slightly annoying that she could just turn up whenever she felt like it. Izaya opened the door with a sigh, and memories of this place soon came back to him.

"I remember now. I was on a job…."