Note: While the first chapter takes place in EP 3, this chapter takes place in EP 22.

The first time she actually met him, she thought that this was the man whom she wanted to come across.

"Damn this beeping... It just won't stop freakin' beeping!"

Anri recognized that voice. The gruff, growling sound could only come from that one person whom Anri thought she should avoid at all costs - Shizuo Heiwajima. The bespectacled girl turned to see the bartender irritably waving his cellphone, a look of displeasure plastered on his face.

"I can't read that many words! Girls? Bunnies? The hell you want me to do?! Damn it all..."

Shizuo couldn't stand how the Dollars were sending seemingly random texts at such an unreadable rate. But soon after, something else had caught his eye. Shifting his glance, he noticed what looked to be a bunch of thugs wearing yellow accessories ganging up on some small high school girl.

Oh wait, Shizuo recognized those thugs before - they were Yellow Scarves gangsters. He suddenly remembered how they almost had the gall to pick a fight with him, all while he was simply carrying coffee for his boss and himself.

And that girl... Shizuo swore he had seen her before, but he couldn't figure out how.

Whatever, the bartender was more bothered by the thugs' presence than the girl's. One of the thugs with a nosebleed stared nervously at him, and for some reason that immediately pissed Shizuo off. If there was one out of a million buttons that could set the strongest man of Ikebukuro off, it was reckless idiots giving him shady looks. He was already pissed about being unable to read so many texts at once, so these guys would make perfect punching bags!

Within a matter of seconds, Shizuo lunged at the thug with the nosebleed and propelled him up in the air. He then repeated the action with another random member as well, who ended up smashing into something that sounded like glass.

While the rest of the Yellow Scarves stared in utter horror, Anri stared in complete awe. She couldn't believe what was happening: Shizuo Heiwajima saving her? Saving a girl whose cursed blade is utterly obsessed with him?

No, this wasn't the first time he had come to her rescue: Anri still recalled when he was with Celty, confronting one of Saika's possessed victims who tried to harm Anri. But that event was much more subtle compared to this.

This time, Ikebukuro's most violent man was the only one who came as Anri's knight in shining armor.

In the midst of all this, Saika did not react as excitedly as it once did the last time it interacted with Shizuo. Then again, failing to take control of him might have had something to do with it. Or it could be that its wielder was too fixated on the older man to notice Saika's repetition.

To its wielder, he was so frightening and yet... so amazing.

When Shizuo finished lashing out at the two Yellow Scarves thugs, he turned to the rest and delivered a glare that would kill someone if it was possible. Terrified, the rest of the group ran away, leaving the bartender and the girl alone for the first time. And for the first time in Anri's life, the quiet girl was filled with some form of excitement - not from Saika, but from herself.

There he was. The man who saved her life once. This amazing man who might be more than just an incarnation of violence. What can she say now that he was in her presence?

"Um... Thank you for saving me again."

To her surprise, the bartender only looked at her with a blank face. "Who are you, again?"

Before Anri could say anything, Celty arrived. Shizuo immediately turned his attention to the headless rider.

"Hey, I'm turning my phone off." Turning back, Shizuo waved nonchalantly. "See ya."

And just like that, he walked away. Nothing more, nothing less. Not even a simple "You're welcome," seemed to be enough of a response.

Turning to face Celty, Anri looked down, tears forming at her eyes. Why should she feel sad? They weren't close, so of course it would make sense for him not to remember her name.

And yet... he didn't notice her. Like he didn't even know she existed. He might as well attacked those thugs out of sheer annoyance rather than a benevolent cause. Oh, if only Anri wasn't too shy to protest about it! She just realized that she wanted to know him, but it seemed that her passiveness failed to close the gap between them.

She wanted to be close, but they were far away from each other.

Despite not having a head, Celty noticed Anri's sadness. Celty did not understand why, but the sight was enough for her to use her shadow to form a helmet around Anri. At least the girl wouldn't cry and cause a scene in public.

With that out of the way, Celty rode Anri back to her and Shinra's apartment.