After pleasantries were made (mainly from Atsuko), Shizuo agreed to take Atsuko back to the main part of the city, after he seemed to realize that a girl her size, with her lack of knowledge on the geography of a dangerous city like Ikebukuro wasn't really a good idea. So now the two were walking through a pretty shockingly empty street, safer, but definitely more creepy.

"Sooooo, Shizuo, what did you say you do for a living, again?" Atsuko tried to fill the somewhat awkward silence, and find out a bit more about this mystery man who was randomly in the park right when she was being attacked.

"I work for a friend of mine from middle school," Shizuo replied, stuffing his hands deep in his pockets and hunching over a bit. A few moments ticked by before he gave in and looked over-or rather down-at the messy looking girl beside him. She was looking at him expectantly, her expression telling him "Just tell me what your job is." Shizuo gave a sigh and tried again, "This friend of mine gives out loans, and I kind of enforce the repayment."

"Oh, that sounds interesting. Well, a lot better than what I do every day of my life," Atsuko frowned as she said that last part, her posture slumping over, a tired look coming over her. "Just typing all day at a computer and dealing with snobs who think they're so much better than me."

"What do you do?"

"Secretary for some high rise attorney who can't keep it in his pants. It seems like every day I have to give a call to his wife giving some lame excuse why he can't make it to their son's graduation, or their anniversary dinner, when he's in his office with the flavor of the week… sometimes flavor of the hour," came her grumbled reply. After a moment of getting no answer, she stole a glance and saw that he was looking at her with an odd expression, as though she had just said something completely random.

"Uh, I take it you don't like your boss," Shizuo said, lightly smirking.

"Like I said, jerk can't keep it in his pants, I think that should be enough said. Well, that and the pay sucks. I can hardly afford food for Hideaki and myself."

"Hideaki? Your boyfriend?" the blond asked. Hey, maybe I'm getting somewhere with this guy! He's actually participating in the conversation!

"Hideaki? My boyfriend? Sorry, I'm not into pedophilia. Hideaki's my little brother, and he's turning five in a week," Atsuko laughed, trying to imagine herself with a boyfriend at all.

This response made the imposing man beside her blush a little, and readjust his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose. "Sorry for asking."

"Don't be, I just couldn't help but laugh," Atsuko couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand.

"Uh, so, where do you want me to take you, anyway?" Shizuo asked, clearing his throat.

"If it's at all possible, my apartment, I'm not really about to trust any of the streets, ya know?" And the longer I keep you talking, maybe I'll find out what took you so long to get to me when I could clearly smell your cigarette smoke.

And so they just kept walking, with her asking random questions about him. She found out that he, too, had a younger brother, but his was only a year or two younger than him, other than that, he wouldn't touch on the subject of family too much. He also turned out to be only a year older than her, which Shizuo seemed to find really unbelievable.

"Wait, you mean you're 22? But you look like you're 17! I mean, look at you! How can you be a full grown woman?" Shizuo's eyes were wide, his glasses had slipped down the bridge of his nose, and for the second time, Atsuko had got him to actively participate in a conversation.

"What do you mean by that?" Atsuko was used to people making that assumption, but she never could understand why. Sure, she was short, and she still had those chubby squirrel-like cheeks, but didn't a lot of people?

"Well, you're about 4 foot nothing, your hair is sticking up in odd places, and your sweater looks like it was worn by a man 5 times your size," Shizuo reasoned. And he was right, her sweater was her father's and she wore it every night over her ordinary clothes in place of a jacket, and yes, her hair was a tad askew, but who had time to keep it perfect twenty-four/seven?

"I'll have you know I stand at four foot eleven inches! Four foot nothing, my butt!" Atsuko grumbled. This guy was different once you got him surprised, but he still didn't really exclaim like the way most people do, he still said everything in that somehow rugged voice of his.

After he got over his initial shock at her age-and height-their conversation went back to her random questions as she tried to surprise him again, and Atsuko couldn't help but wonder why she wanted to know so much about him. She did like puzzles, and Shizuo Heiwajima looked like a puzzle Atsuko wanted to piece together. But no matter how much she found out about him, all those things just were so trivial in what made him, him.

Eventually, the two made it to her front door, and she was just about to say farewell when the door burst open and an ecstatic four year old tackled Atsuko to the ground, wrapping his arms around her frame.

"Atsukooooooooo! What took you so looong?" Hideaki whined after he stopped his one-man dog pile.

"Sorry, kiddo, I just got held up at the office, I didn't mean to make you worry, Hideaki," Atsuko pulled him up with her, ruffling his messy, damp hair. Good, the babysitter had him take his bath and get ready to be put to bed by Atsuko.

"I'm sorry, Miss Ogawa, he just really wanted to get the door when he heard people at the door, he said he knew it was you," said the babysitter, having got her stuff ready to head back to her apartment right down the hall.

"It's fine, and thank you so much for watching him, really, it helps a lot," Atsuko said, waving the girl down the hall as she leaves.

Hideaki seemed to notice that there was one extra person coming home tonight, and he made it known to his sister that he approved, "Atsuko, is this your boyfriend? He looks so cool!"

Both adults blushed and sweat dropped, "Uh, no, this is Shizuo, he just was walking me home, the streets aren't safe at this time of night, you know," covered Atsuko quickly. She didn't want her baby brother to worry about her, but she had to make up something believable, and not technically a lie.

"I should be going. I have some things to do around town," Shizuo said, as he began to walk away, his hand in a still wave.

"See ya around, Shizuo," Atsuko said as she and Hideaki waved back at his retreating back.

"Hey, Atsuko? Are you going to see Shizuo again? I hope so, he looks sad, he must need a friend or two," the young boy said, holding onto his sisters shoulders, and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

But Atsuko hardly heard him, she just couldn't help but think of the way Shizuo avoided anything pertaining to family all night, from not talking about his parents or much about his brother, to backing away the moment Atsuko and Hideaki started acting like a brother and sister should. Happy and close.

She really had to figure out the puzzle Shizuo Heiwajima posed.

AN: Sorry if Shizuo seemed OOC in this, but I couldn't really think of a way to get them closer since the first chapter. Well, that, and I was writing this on half a brain and no dinner. Tell me what you think, please, and I'm up for any suggestions. All the other characters will be introduced in the next 1-3 chapters…