Note: Scene takes place in 5th volume/2nd season's 8th episode.

"Heiwajima-san?"

"An?"

The formal and half-remembered greetings slipped through their mouths as the two caught eyes yet again in the same building. But not for the same reasons.

Anri was dropped off by Celty, who quickly explained to the three men why the former had to stay here before heading off. The three men—Shizuo, Tom, and Shinra—weren't bothered at all by the high school girl's presence, but they wondered how could someone like her end up in a situation like that. However, two of the men didn't bother fretting on it: the back-alley doctor and the debt collector went snoozing on the bed and living room floor, respectively.

This left the bartender and the high school girl sitting at the kitchen table, discussing about the recent events.

"Tch. So some guys tried to attack you, huh? Those bastards," Shizuo growled, his finger tapping on the counter irritably. He tried his best not to raise his voice, for he didn't want to wake up Tom across the connected living room.

Anri did nothing but nod her head. She too was confused on why it happened to her, but she didn't feel the need to make a fuss about it.

"Grah, just thinking about it is making me so angry right now." He really tried his best not to raise his voice.

Tilting her head down, Anri avoided the man's scowl. She felt terrible in making him tense at a time like this. "I'm sorry..." she mumbled under her breath.

"Sorry? For what for?"

"For making you uneasy due to my situation..."

"Hey, if you're apologizing because you got attacked by some thugs, then don't bother!" Shizuo's tone almost turned venomous, for his not-quite-audible hissing made the girl tremble restlessly. He softened upon realizing how he had made her feel. "I'm sorry, it's just..." He sighed. "I'm not mad at you, it's just that I can't imagine why would anyone want to attack you. You're not the type to attract enemies—unlike me, of course."

"..."

"Like just today, some little girl outta nowhere went up to me and tazed me, telling me to die. She followed me all the way here, repeating the same thing over and over. Oh well, she's asleep now, so who knows what she'll do when she wakes up."

"Huh?" Anri blinked in surprise. She did not expect to hear something like that. "Heiwajima-san..."

"You know, you can just call me 'Shizuo.' I don't mind it, really."

"Er, Shizuo-san—" The honorific didn't bother the man. "A little girl tried to attack you?"

He nodded. It was hard for Anri to imagine a kid picking a fight with Ikebukuro's fighting machine. Thugs and gangsters, yes—but a child? At least Shizuo didn't seem the type of person who would deliberately harm children.

"Really, I don't understand how the kid got a taser gun in the first place, or why she wants me dead. I just don't know..." Shizuo trailed off, his no-longer-tapping hand clenched into a fist. His tone spilled into a mix of confusion and somberness.

"Shizuo-san, I guess that makes two of us."

Before the man knew it, a gentle hand was placed upon his. It never occurred to him that he would find a kindred spirit in the midst of all this confusion.