Izaya sighed, leaning back against the wall of his small bedroom, his phone held loosely in his hand, his other holding his head, knees propped. His eyebrows furrowed when he thought back to yesterday, that damn girl. Wincing, his tongue licked across the cut on his lip, and his eyes narrowed deeper; Shizuo had fucking punched him! Izaya was sure Kimori had him wrapped around her little finger and couldn't believe the blond's ignorance. It was absolutely mind-boggling the way he acted around her. Shizuo's instincts rarely failed him, yet he couldn't even see what was right in front of his face.

Izaya gritted his teeth; ordinarily, she was an airhead, naïve dramatic girl. However, there was a different side to her that no one would have guessed. Izaya didn't even suspect her until yesterday. He had teased her and deliberately went out of his way to ensure she and Shizuo knew of his disapproval, but he didn't expect this. She took that trinket without hesitation and then outright lied about it. Izaya wasn't sure what bothered him the most, the stealing or Shizuo believing her lies. The raven turned his head toward the window; the view he had allowed him to see who walked past, but the pathway leading toward the building was enclosed.

Izaya found the tiny apartment a couple of days after leaving the abandoned place near the school, and no one knew. Izaya found it in an ad in a shop window while buying groceries. It was rented, and the landlord kept it for singular tenants. Izaya jumped on the ad because it wasn't shared, and there were no neighbors either. The landlord was skeptical because Izaya was young, but the apartment became his home when the raven had given him four months' worth of rent upfront.

Izaya missed his old bedroom, his house, his sisters…. But he was comfortable here, and it gave him some peace and a place to think. He didn't think he could ever go back to his parents after what they said. The raven shook his head. He had other issues in his life more urgent. Kimori.

Izaya frowned again; after that incident in the museum, she wouldn't leave Shizuo's side now. His hand tightened around his phone, and Shizuo would be watching him like a hawk to make sure he didn't go anywhere near her. Even after what Shizuo said in the dungeon, Izaya still looked out for him. He had seen how Kimori was around him, and when he watched her take something from the shop, Izaya thought Shizuo deserved to know.

However, the blond wasn't willing to listen, and Izaya saw it in his eyes quite clearly. Shizuo had started to hate him, and if he was honest, he didn't blame him. The raven glanced at the window and could see the ground darkening due to the rain. He followed the water trickles down to its seal, watching how they easily disappeared, and wondered how many times he wished that for himself. How often had he fucked up to the point where he couldn't bear living with the consequences?

He pushed everyone away who cared about him all the time.

His family loved him, and he left.

Shinra loved him, and he was always hurting him one way or another.

Shizuo loved him and….

Izaya clenched his fists because he had hurt him the most and was forever being an asshole. Shizuo was the one person he truly felt connected to on a deeper level, unlike anything before. Izaya always felt safe when he was around, and he could cling to him for support; he had become a constant in the raven's life, but Izaya pushed him away.

He hurt the blond like never before, hurt him by hurting another.

That idiot; why did he have to be so damn forgiving. No matter what Izaya did, said, or acted, Shinra was always there, and he never left him. Izaya rested his head on the wall, listening to the rain turn into a heavy pour, clattering loudly against the pane. "I don't deserve any of them."

Izaya's thoughts drifted back to Shizuo; he missed him so much that he'd do anything to get him back, but Shizuo had made it clear what he thought of him, and Izaya knew he hadn't done anything to ease that.

Izaya gasped. If he could get Shizuo to see Kimori for who she really was, then maybe there was a slim chance for them. Izaya didn't think Shizuo would be his again, but he'd take him any way possible if it meant the blond would just be there. Izaya frowned; Shizuo had been protecting him and looking out for him since they met, and now it was time for him to do the same.

Izaya looked outside when the rain eased to a light patter, and the sun poked back through the clouds. He glanced down at his phone. He didn't deserve his friends, but he needed them; he always needed them. Izaya sent a text to Shinra and Kadota, stood up from the bed, grabbed his black jacket, and quickly slipped into his shoes.

'Meet me at west gate park in thirty minutes.'

…

Izaya smiled when Shinra and Kadota walked toward him while he sat casually on a swing. He knew they'd come. Shinra reached him first, lightly jogging up beside him and Kadota a few seconds behind. Shinra pushed his glasses up, panting, and sat down on the swing next to his friend. Kadota leaned against its frame with his arms folded, looking at the raven expectantly. Kadota was the first to speak, and Izaya glanced nervously at him. "So, what's going on? This must be about Shizuo since he's not here."

Izaya knew that was an easy guess, but even if it hadn't been about Shizuo, the blond still wouldn't be here. "It is, partly."

Kadota stared at him with an annoyed expression for a moment before sighing. "So, what's this about?"

Izaya averted his gaze down at the ground, gently tipping his swing back and forth, paying no mind that it was still wet. "About what happened at the museum…." Izaya hadn't told them what he'd seen or why Shizuo had punched him, and who knows what conclusions they had been thinking. Izaya harassed Kimori all week, so naturally, they would assume Shizuo couldn't take it anymore, so he hit him.

A light frown appeared on Shinra's face as he said, "Shizuo punched you, but you never said why, you just left."

Izaya nodded and looked up at the sky with frustration. "While I might have been an asshole all those other times for no reason, this time was different." He looked at Kadota. "When you and Shizuo left the shop, Kimori took something from the counter and put it in her bag. When she came out, I confronted her, or tried to. I don't know why it bothered me so much. Maybe it was the unexpectedness of it all since she had been so, nice. I guess I was angry that I didn't suspect it, and someone like her, had someone like-" Izaya gritted his teeth and clenched his hands around the chains. "Of course, she denied everything and started crying and then Shizuo punched me. He must have thought I was being my usual asshole self. I tried to explain what I saw, but he didn't want to listen." Izaya sighed. "I really think he's done with me."

Kadota and Shinra hadn't expected the truth from him. They expected a half-assed explanation, followed by some snarky comment and many lies. They certainly hadn't expected the situation about Kimori either and didn't blame Izaya for being angry. "I can't really blame Shizuo for not wanting to listen to you." Izaya looked at him with a frown, but Kadota rolled his eyes before continuing. "But I believe you."

Izaya blinked at him, surprised by his answer. "You do?"

Kadota chuckled. "Don't sound so surprised. I'm not just Shizuo's friend you know, I'm yours too."

Izaya smiled briefly and averted his gaze, unsure how to respond. He glanced at Shinra beside him. The boy had been quiet. "Shinra?"

Shinra's eyes moved directly on him. "Why didn't you say something when we were on the bus?"

Izaya huffed and shrugged. "I was angry. I didn't want to talk about it, and Shizuo's punch might have had something to do with that. I mean, that fucking hurt."

Shinra sighed. "So, what do you want to do?"

Izaya tilted his head. "About?"

Shinra was about to reply, but Kadota was quicker. "Izaya, you must have a plan in mind, otherwise you wouldn't have told us all that."

Izaya frowned at the mention of her name, but his voice was calm. "I need your help. I want you to help me get Shizuo to realize who she really is."

Kadota pinched the bridge of his nose; he didn't want to get roped into Izaya's impulsive acts of jealousy. "And who is that? Jusr because she stole something, it doesn't make her a horrible person."

Izaya clicked his tongue. "What the hell do you want me to say? That I think she's a phony? Or that she's just using him? She's hiding her true personality from him and it makes me sick."

Kadota placed his hands in his pockets, inclining his head toward the sky. "Could be a one-time thing. Maybe she just acted on impulse at the time, and she might even tell Shizuo the truth out of guilt."

Izaya stood up from the swing in annoyance. "I thought you believed me." Before the raven could storm off, Kadota grabbed his arm, and Izaya turned to him with a frown.

"I do. I just - I need to know that this is your better judgement and not something you've conjured up because you're jealous."

Shinra grinned to himself. Wow, Kadota, you really took him by surprise with that one.

Izaya threw his hands up. "Fine! I'm jealous, alright? I fucking hate her! I hate her stupid fake laugh! I hate the way she's always clinging to him, and I want to push her down the stairs every time she walks past me in the corridor."

Kadota blinked in surprise for a moment, and then he just laughed. "Shit. Izaya, didn't really expect you to admit all that. You really are jealous of her, wow."

Izaya's cheeks tinted, and he folded his arms in a pout. "Shut up."

Shinra joined in the laughter and stood up, wrapping his arm around Izaya's shoulder. "Naw, we won't tell."

Izaya shoved him off. He hadn't meant to blurt any of that out. "I hate you both."

Kadota grinned. "Nope, just her, apparently."

Izaya rolled his eyes. "Anyway. Now, will you help me? I couldn't sound more pathetic if I tried."

Kadota and Shinra laughed; Izaya's face was priceless. "Okay, so the fact that you're jealous is pretty clear, but on a serious note, Izaya, are you sure about her?"

Izaya chewed his lip for a moment because he didn't want to get them into trouble. If they were to get involved, then he had to be truthful. "Seventy percent."

There was silence, and then – "Good enough." Izaya smiled. "What can we do to help?"

…..

Izaya slipped a few yen into the donation box hanging over the front of the ticket booth. The museum was free to enter, but since Izaya wasn't here for its history, he felt obligated to give something. The woman smiled and nodded at him, and he turned right when he walked into the entrance. It was barely half nine, and it was a Sunday. Izaya entered the gift shop and started browsing the items, casually picking up an object. He glanced at the figurines, smiling when he saw the one Shizuo had been eyeing. He shook his head; he wasn't here for that, but his hand twitched, and he felt the urge to buy the damn thing. It wasn't even a holiday, nor was it Shizuo's birthday. The raven sighed, hating what Shizuo had done to him. When did he become aware of such sentimental details? Izaya picked up the figurine with care, raised it to look at the price, and chuckled. "Yeah, Shizuo will have to wait." Damn, the blond was right, that was expensive, and it made him wonder why it was just out here like this. Izaya sighed about something else entirely because he couldn't force the name Shizu-chan past his lips ever since they broke up, and every time he said Shizuo, it left a bad aftertaste. It wasn't like he didn't call him that before they started dating, so Izaya wondered why it bothered him.

He looked behind the counter, noticing the same man was there. Seriously, he needed to learn the value of his stock. Izaya glanced back at the figurine; items like these should not be left out like they were toys. Just like the trinket that wasn't for sale. Thinking about the trinket, which was why he came here, he cursed under his breath, blaming Shizuo for distracting him, and walked toward the counter. "Didn't expect you to be open today." Izaya placed his hands in his pockets casually, waiting for the man to acknowledge him. He was elderly, maybe in his late sixties, trustworthy judging by the shop's layout.

The man in question eventually turned around, holding what looked like a crystal, probably a replica of the geology section. "Hello there, young man. What can I do for you?"

Izaya smiled politely, taking his hands out of his pockets and sliding them onto the countertop when he leaned against it. "I came to talk to you about something." The man smiled and turned to place the crystal on a shelf behind him. Izaya rolled his eyes. That he keeps safe. His smile returned when the elder turned back to him.

"Not to sound rude but kids your age shouldn't be in museums on a Sunday, you should be out having fun."

Izaya chuckled. "Well, you could say I'm unique. I like to learn. Being in a place like this isn't uncommon for me."

A small laugh was followed, and the man nodded. "So, what brings you here? Other than your thirst for knowledge."

The raven glanced to where he saw Kimori take the trinket and sighed. "I was actually with the class who toured here two days ago."

The elder's eyes widened just slightly, and then he joked. "Oh, so you didn't get enough free time to look around and came back to satisfy your curiosity some more eh?"

Izaya shook his head with amusement. "Not exactly. I came here to tell you something, and I was wondering if maybe you could help me prove it."

The man tilted his head. "Looking to discover something? You really are unique."

Izaya became agitated with the conversation; couldn't the man let him finish a goddamn explanation? "No." Izaya leaned over the counter. "When we finished the trip, a few of my classmates were in here browsing. Do you remember a girl expressing interest in these trinkets? She was with a tall blond male."

Izaya watched his expression, and he looked like he was thinking hard. "That's right. Pretty little thing, but stubborn. Told her many times the item she wanted wasn't for sale before she finally gave up." Izaya cringed. Damn, he almost felt sorry for him.

"Unfortunately, she didn't give up, did she." The man looked at him blankly, and Izaya raised an eyebrow. "The trinket?"

"What about it?"

Izaya pointed over to the shelf near the register. "She took it. You told her it wasn't for sale, but when your back was turned, she took it and left. I saw her from outside."

The elder chuckled, shaking his head. "Nonsense." He walked over to the shelf. "It's right-" he then looked closely, his eyes growing wide. "Here… oh."

Izaya gave him a sympathetic smile but wondered why he hadn't noticed. "I'm sorry. I tried to get it back, but she denied it all, and there wasn't anything I could do without forcing her…" the man was in shock, and his eyes roamed over the shelf several times as though it would appear again. "Just to let you know, the blond she was with had nothing to do with this. He left before she took it." The need to defend Shizuo was strong. He couldn't have anyone accusing him of something she did. "Are you okay?"

His hand shook and then covered his mouth. "Oh dear."

Izaya frowned and began to wonder whether the trinket was of some significant importance to the man. "I don't mean to sound accusing, but if it was that important, why did you keep it somewhere within accessible reach?" He had a tough time believing the man hadn't noticed until now. "Did you not realize at all?" The elder simply shook his head and just stared at the space in – was that fear or worry, maybe?

"Why would she take it?" Izaya blinked when the man finally spoke, and he frowned, feeling angry now.

"Most likely she just didn't care. I'm sorry it happened, and I should have said something to you right away, but – well, the blond she was with didn't give me a chance to even explain to him." Izaya watched him take note of the cut on his lip and smiled with a shrug.

"I see. Do you think you could get it back?"

Izaya sighed. "Not without breaking into her house. I imagine she probably has it in her bedroom, and I would rather not get the proof I need that way. I really don't need a black eye to accompany my swollen lip." He chuckled a little. "I was hoping that you would be able to help. Do you have security camera's in here?"

The old man nodded. "I do, and now that I know I'm looking for something, I'll get right on that."

Izaya smiled, sighing in relief. "Would you be willing to show my classmate when you find it? He doesn't believe me, and I would really appreciate it if you could help with that."

He nodded and huffed a laugh. "Anything to award your honesty."

Izaya glanced over at the figurines and picked up the samurai to show the man. "How much is this?"

The owner merely chuckled. "It's just a statue really, nothing of high value. 2000 yen is all." Izaya raised an eyebrow and looked at the figurine.

That explains a lot. He wouldn't have noticed the missing trinket if he couldn't even remember what was valuable in the shop. Izaya took the samurai with him and tilted it to show the man the price tag at the bottom.

The man's eyes widened in astonishment. "Goodness!"

Izaya smiled. "I think you might like to re-evaluate your items." A nod of agreement came, and Izaya placed the figurine on the counter, took a slip of paper from the notepad beside the register, and wrote down a number. "This is my phone number. Let me know when you've found the footage." Just before Izaya left the shop, the elder called him back.

"Young man?"

Izaya turned to him, hands in his pockets. "Izaya."

"Izaya. The trinket she took is important."

"All you have to do is show the cops the footage, and the trinket will be returned to you." And Shizu-chan will see what a mistake he made. Izaya shook his head with a smile.

"I think there's something I must tell you."

The boy looked at him quizzically and walked back to the counter.

"It's not actually a trinket, although it certainly looks like one. There's a story behind that black box."

Izaya became curious. "Like a myth?"

The man nodded. "I found that box thirty years ago while on vacation. It was on a stall in the market of Cairo. The man who sold it to me explained to me the story I'm now about to tell you. The myth goes that there was once a man and a woman. He was a high priest of the gods, and she was a merchant in the bizarre. She fell in love with him instantly when he showed her a small bit of kindness one day. She became obsessed with pursuing her love and would follow him everywhere, did everything for him, and when the time came that she finally confessed to loving him devotedly, he denied her and told her of his love interest he already had for another. Furious, she became even more obsessed and cursed their love and tried to kill all who showed him affection, including his true love, without much success I might add. She was eventually caught and put to death by snake pit."

Izaya grimaced at the ironic story because the merchant sounded like Kimori, but that was his opinion. "Where does the box come into it?"

"After her death, the man and his love were haunted by the lifeforce of Ka, who the Egyptians believed to be the immortal soul."

"Like how we perceive spirits and ghosts?"

"Yes exactly. My, you really are a little book of knowledge. Anyway, her obsession was believed that if she couldn't have him, no one could. He made the box with his own hands, and it was etched with a seal so he could trap her spirit in the box, and she was never freed again."

Izaya couldn't help but think the story sounded just a tad peculiar. He knew merchants were respected, and he knew the priests carried certain duties to the gods, preparing food offerings such as bread, meat, and fruit, and guessed they would receive such things from merchants. The peculiar part wasn't that the two structures expressed love between each other, but rather, he'd never heard of such a story before, except for the screaming banshee in his hometown. But in ancient Egypt? Many books contained knowledge of its past, and such a story sounded out of place, but again, that was his opinion. "Do you believe in the myth? Is that why you're worried?" Once the man had noticed it missing, he looked concerned, but who was Izaya to judge what someone believed in? Maybe there really was a spirit trapped in that box.

The elder chuckled. "Well, perhaps. I believed the merchant who sold it to me, but of course, I've never had any encounters with any spirit before. He told me to never open it because should it be opened, the spirit will be freed, and she will seek revenge."

Izaya's eyes widened at the statement. What if the story was true? "Is it easily opened?"

He looked at Izaya with a smile. "Caught your interest ay? Now, don't go trying to open it or anything."

Izaya shook his head. "I was more concerned about her opening it. I doubt she would have known about the story, so to her, it's just a trinket, and some kind of jewellery box."

"I've not tried to open it before, but since the origin is ancient Egypt, it probably has some ritual words in Arabic or Hebrew." The man chuckled as though his words were supposed to be a joke.

Izaya nodded. "Is your joke your way of saying it could be forced open?" The man shrugged, and his expression was dire. "It'sObviously, you believe the story to be true, so if I were you I would get that footage."

"Do you believe it?"

The raven stared at him, wondering whether he should tell the man about his ability to see spirits. Izaya shook his head. "Not really." When the man moved to place the samurai on the shelf behind him, Izaya caught a glimpse of a photo hanging on the wall. The picture was of a young man and a woman, and he had his arm around her smiling – but she looked – sad?

"My late wife. Wasn't I a stunner back then? She was too, and everyone said we were a cute couple."

"She looks sad."

"I travelled a lot, and could never quite stand to be in one place for long, but I loved her, and always came back to her."

Izaya frowned the slightest bit. Must have loved him a lot to trust him that much. Izaya smiled at the man. "I'm sure the box will be returned to you. Next time, keep it out of sight, or at least in a display case."

The elder laughed lightly. "You probably think I'm senile, don't you?"

Izaya gave him a tight smile. "I wouldn't say that. I was taught to respect my elders."

Waving a hand dismissively, the man laughed again and said, "It's probably true. I'm not as young as I used to be, but I'm not always just a doddery old man." He turned and reached for the crystal he was handling before and placed it in front of Izaya. "I want you to have this."

The raven raised an eyebrow and picked up the crystal. He was sure it was a replica of those they saw in the geology section. What were they called? Geodes? "Why?"

"It might look like an ordinary geode crystal, but this one, however, is supposed to give the owner protection or something. It's given me good luck over the years."

Izaya didn't believe in charms, especially not of this kind. Things like dream catchers were just nonsense to him. Besides, he had his own form of protection in the form of a human being. Izaya sighed quietly. That protection no longer applied to him because Shizuo hated him. He slid the geode back toward the man. "I can't take this." He tried to be as polite as possible because the man meant well.

"Nonsense. Consider it a token of my gratitude. A gift for all your honesty, and for listening to an old coot like me."

Izaya shrugged. Why not. It wasn't the worst gift in the world, and despite the man's belief in the thing, it did look cool. "Thank you." Would have preferred the samurai. He walked toward the exit.

"One more thing. Have you ever heard of the Pandora's box?" Izaya looked back at him from the entrance and nodded. "That's something I've had in mind whenever I thought about opening the box."

Made sense. To open Pandora's box is to do or start something that will cause many unforeseen problems, so the box should remain closed no matter how curious the owner is. Izaya nodded to the man and walked out of the shop.

…..

Izaya, Shinra, and Kadota were sitting on the school rooftop. Shinra and Kadota were eating their lunch, and Izaya picked out the sushi with a sheepish grin on his face, but neither one said anything. "That's quite a story," Kadota said, surprised by what Izaya had found since he'd only gone to the gift shop to tell the owner about Kimori. "But if he can show the camera footage to the cops and is willing to show Shizuo too, that'll get him to see the truth."

Izaya frowned and couldn't help but think about the story. "Maybe."

"Maybe? Isn't that what you wanted?"

Izaya nodded, but his frown remained. Shinra looked at him, knowing when Izaya had something on his mind. "Izaya, do you believe in the story he told you?"

Izaya looked over at him and shrugged. "I don't know. The origin of the story is extremely old, ancient even, and I doubt it's true, but I can't help my curiosity."

"Maybe that's why the old man said Pandora's box. He probably sensed your inquisitive nature or something."

The raven rolled his eyes, then looked at Kadota. "Dota-chin, did you talk to Shizuo?"

Kadota sighed. "Tried to, but of course, she was there, so I couldn't really talk about the whole theft thing. She must know we would try and convince him, so I don't think she'll leave his side unless she really has to."

"You both have math together, and she's not in that class, so maybe you could try then."

"Good idea." Izaya stood up, a sudden determined look on his face. "Oi, where are you going?"

Izaya looked down at him, trying his best to pull off an innocent expression. "Library."

Kadota frowned at him. "No, you're not. I know that look, what are you up to?"

Izaya sighed. "I'm going to see if the box is in her locker."

Shinra's eyes widened. "Are you crazy? What if she catches you, or worse, what if Shizuo does?"

Izaya grinned at him. "I won't get caught."

Kadota shook his head and stood up, grasping Izaya's shoulder. "This is a really bad idea."

"Worried?" Izaya's grin widened when Kadota huffed in annoyance.

"What makes you think it's in her locker anyway?" Izaya shrugged off his hand and stepped backward.

"Just a guess. Have to start somewhere."

"Izaya," Shinra called. Izaya looked at him, and the bespectacled boy frowned with worry. Izaya smiled before his expression became serious.

"Shinra, I'm not saying I believe the story about the box, but if it is, and she opens it, who knows what might happen."

"Just be careful."

Izaya nodded and looked at Kadota. "I'll go when you and Shizuo have math. That way, I can avoid getting caught by him. Talk to him, okay?"

Kadota didn't like this, but Izaya was determined, and he knew his friend was only looking out for Shizuo. Izaya would not be doing this if he didn't care, and if only Shizuo could see that. Maybe I could explain it while I talk to him about Kimori. "Alright, Izaya, we're on your side, but I won't force him to listen. If he really doesn't believe me, then I'll accept that."

Izaya just smiled and left the rooftop.

Shinra and Kadota exchanged glances, wondering if they should have followed him to keep an eye out.

The bell rang, and they hurried to their classes.

…

Izaya peered down into the locker area from his position on the staircase, sighing relief when he saw no one around. He grinned and jumped off the last steps. Izaya stood in front of Kimori's locker, head tilted in thought. He didn't have time to search the school's data for her combination lock, and he certainly didn't have time to take random guesses. He could probably pry the thing open by pulling out his knife.

"What are you doing with my locker?"

Izaya flinched and cursed his luck. Slipping his knife back into his pocket, he met her gaze. Izaya smirked at her when she walked toward him. "Just doing all I can to expose you."

Kimori gasped and shook her head. "I didn't take anything, why won't you believe me?"

Izaya chuckled and took a step closer to her. "Come on, cut the act, it's just us."

Kimori stepped back from him, eyes wide with surprise. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You took that box, and I will expose you and get it back. I went to the gift shop, and the owner knows all about it." Her eyes grew wider, and Izaya swore he saw the panic on her face. "Didn't think about cameras, did you? The owner will see you take the box, and he's also agreed to show it to Shizuo." Izaya hoped that she might reveal more of her true intentions by telling her.

Kimori didn't change her demeanor and reached for his arm to grasp it, but he stepped back. "Please, I don't know why you're doing this to me. I didn't do anything wrong. I – I would never steal."

Izaya narrowed his eyes, becoming slightly agitated, and slammed his fist on the locker so hard it dented. "I saw you take it!" He winced slightly, taking his hand and rubbing the abused knuckles. "How could you just deny something like that? I watched you, and the cameras will prove it, so just admit it." Kimori looked close to tears, but Izaya wasn't fooled. "Have you opened it?"

Kimori blinked at him in surprise. "What?"

"The box, did you open it?"

Kimori shook her head. "It wouldn't open."

Izaya smirked at her, and she suddenly realized her mistake. She turned to run, but Izaya grabbed her wrist, pulling her back. "Where is it!" he shouted in her face, and her eyes grew wide as she struggled in his grip. "Just give it back, and I will tell the owner not to press charges!"

Kimori shrieked and tried to yank her hand away. "Let go! Please let go!"

"Tell me where the box is!"

Izaya hissed when her foot collided hard with his shin. She yanked her hand free and ran. Izaya ran after her, jumped over the bench, reached the opened door, and realized she had already gone. He sighed and turned to head back up the stairs, glancing at the locker. She wouldn't have left so abruptly if she had it in there. "So much for that plan."

…

Kimori ran as fast as she could, tears clouding her vision, looking back to see if Izaya was following her but didn't see anyone. She slowed down and turned around only to run straight into the side of a door when it opened. Kimori whimpered and landed on her ass, covering part of her face. "Ow…"

"Oh, my dear, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there, are you alright?" The female teacher knelt and took Kimori's arm to help her up.

Kimori winced and chuckled when she looked up at her. "I'm fine… I think. I'm always bumping into things. I should watch where I'm going really."

"Are you sure I shouldn't take you to the nurse? Your face has swollen already."

Kimori shook her head with a smile. "No, honestly, I'm fine. I'll just put a cold paper towel over it. Can't miss my next class."

The woman tutted in defeat. "Okay, but if it gets worse, go home."

Kimori smiled at her and walked back into school. Once the teacher was out of sight, she ducked into the toilets and stood in front of the mirrors. She leaned forward, groaning at the throbbing when she lightly prodded the growing bruise just under her eye. "Damn, this sucks." She pulled out a small circular object and lifted the lid of the powdered substance, swiping the pad over the top a few times. "Better cover this. I don't want Shizuo to see me in this state." As she raised the pad to her face, fully intending to cover up the bruise with makeup, she stopped suddenly. She gasped lightly and a grin formed on her face. "Or maybe I do."

….

Kadota sighed in frustration because he still hadn't gotten the chance to talk to Shizuo. Why of all times did their teacher pick today to give them a test. He glanced at the blond when the bell rang to end the class, and the students stood up with scraping chairs. Kadota quickly gathered his books and jogged to walk beside Shizuo as they left their class. "Yo, Shizuo. You got a minute?"

Shizuo looked at him with a shrug. "Sure, what's up?"

"Erm, well, it's about Kimori…."

Shizuo frowned. "What about her?"

Kadota flinched under the blond's sudden glare. "She's-"

"Shizuo!"

The two turned their attention down the corridor, and Kadota groaned in dismay. Speak of the devil.

Shizuo grunted in surprise when Kimori threw herself into his arms. "Hey, Kimori, what happened? Why are you shaking?" The girl looked up at him, and her eyes clouded with tears. Shizuo noticed the bruise, swollen and dark red with hints of purple.

Shizuo growled in anger. "What the fuck happened to your eye!"

Kadota blinked in surprise.

Kimori clutched at Shizuo's shirt. "I was so scared. Izaya confronted me just now in the locker area and kept asking me to give back the box, and told me if I did, then he wouldn't tell the cops. I tried to run away, but he grabbed me and pushed me into the locker, and when I kicked him in the shin, he-"

Shizuo's eyes widened in rage. "He what, what did he do Kimori!"

Kimori's eyes watered. "He hit me!"

Kadota almost choked; she couldn't be serious. Izaya was an asshole to her, but he would never –

"He what!" Shizuo screamed in rage. "That's it, I'm gonna fucking kill him! He's so dead!"

Kadota's eyes widened, and he grabbed Shizuo's arm. "You don't seriously believe he hit her, do you!"

Shizuo turned to him in anger, pointing at her face. "Look at her eye! Does that look like she's lying to you!"

Kadota frowned. "Think about what you're saying! You really think Izaya would punch her? Or better yet, would he even lay a finger on a girl at all!"

Shizuo gritted his teeth, his breathing erratic, and Kadota knew there was no way to calm him down. Kimori stared at him with fear, clung to his arm, and said, "I'm sorry, Shizuo. I just wanted to get away. I didn't mean to cause him to lash out… I was scared."

Shizuo turned to her, wrapping his arms around her. "You don't have to apologize, Kimori. What he did was unforgiveable, and I'll deal with it." Shizuo glared in anger, his eyes shining with hatred.

Kadota shook his head. "Shizuo, you can't believe this."

Kimori looked up at the blond. "Walk me home?" She lay her head on his arm. "He might follow me."

Shizuo kissed the top of her forehead. "He wouldn't dare." He led her away, and Kadota stared after them. If Shizuo saw Izaya anywhere right now, there would be no way of stopping him. He quickly pulled out his phone to contact Izaya.

Kadota waited for the raven to answer and frowned when the calm voice of his friend sounded down the phone. "Izaya, tell me you left the school already."

Izaya frowned as he stopped beside the street corner. "I have, why?"

Kadota sighed in relief. "Good. I'd stay away if I were you."

Izaya chuckled. "Okay, now I'm curious. What for?"

Kadota clenched his fist; he still couldn't believe it. "Shizuo will be after you."

Izaya raised an eyebrow. Kadota sounded serious. "Did he find out about the locker incident?"

Kadota frowned. "Izaya, did Kimori catch you today?"

Izaya continued to walk home. He wasn't going to mention that, but now – "She caught me by her locker, and I told her to give the box back, but she continued denying it. When I asked if she had opened it, she slipped up and said that it wouldn't."

Kadota's eyes widened. "She confessed?"

Izaya smirked. "By accident."

"What happened after that?"

Izaya didn't like these questions. "Why? Has she said something to Shizuo?"

Kadota sighed. "She's got a black eye."

Izaya's eyes widened, and he froze. "I didn't hit her."

"I believe you, I really do. It's just – she ran to Shizuo crying and told him that you did."

Izaya gripped the phone. "I didn't hit her. I – I grabbed her wrist to stop her from running away, but I didn't – she kicked me in the shin, and then ran. I didn't go after her."

"I believe you, Izaya, I swear. It's just-"

Izaya frowned, unlocked the door to his home, and walked into the small bedroom. "He believed her, didn't he?"

Silence ensued, and Izaya didn't need to hear the reply. He ended the call and threw his phone at the wall. "You bitch!"