Chapter 1
My name is Heiwajima Shizuo. Heiwa- for peace, Shizu- for quiet — two major parts of my name that perfectly describe my life motivations. I'm just another part of a whole that is my city and hometown, Ikebukuro. Grew up fine, talk fine, and live fine when no one's annoying me. Really, all I want is peace. If only I could get some within this rambunctious city of mine.
I'm the bodyguard of a debt collector. Sounds shady, but it's actually an okay job, because the collector is my sempai Tom-san, who nurtured me during my rough times in junior high. After graduating from Raira Academy, I had a pretty hard time finding a job that I could stick with. People were annoying, and I was annoyed. So then Tom-san found me, and gave me a position that I keep to this day. It's kind of a pain because I get mad almost every day of work, but Tom-san can calm me down the second I act up. I really admire him for that. Aside from work, I just like to walk around town and indulge myself in the city spectacles that I don't have time to notice otherwise. From time to time, I'll also find Celty passing by, and she'll stop for a chat. Tsk, maybe I owe her as much as my life for sticking by my side all these turbulent years in a turbulent city.
Little time has passed since those three color gangs ended their petty war. The town has more or less returned to its peaceful state. Finally, I can go back outside without feeling as annoyed as before. But even so, 'Bukuro is a place that's always bouncing, whether it's color gangs or the yakuza or what have you. If anything, I've been driven insane to the greatest extent possible by the endless number of annoying people who reside here: people who want love, money, and other annoying things for the sake of their happiness. Not that that's bad, but don't they have a debt to atone for before they can even start complaining? No one has time to listen to your shit when you have nothing to warrant it except your shitty self.
Ah, what a pain to think about. And that's considered a normal and peaceful day in 'Bukuro. Speaking of pain … That's right; what a horrible reminder. That damn flea Izaya. I wish I'd never seen him in my life, more or less considered his existence. Izaya … Just the thought of him makes me want to throw up. That twisted guy is never up to any good. Following our graduation, he's since moved away from Ikebukuro and got himself settled in an office in Shinjuku, but he's obviously using it as a place of refuge to watch over and manipulate the lives of the innocent residents of 'Bukuro while disengaging himself from all the madness! I'm going to kill that guy someday. For ruining my life, and for ruining others' lives.
Whatever bad happens in Ikebukuro is because of Izaya. Every unidentifiable, unpleasant sensation that piques my instincts is because of Izaya. I can't live life the way I want to because of Izaya. In fact, he was the one who distorted my life from high school onward. Ah, I can't stand that damn flea. Izaya!
"Yo, Shizuo. Ready for another day?" It's Tom-san, waiting for me at the bottom of my apartment steps.
"Mm," I reply, and follow quietly behind him.