"Get back here, vermin!" I roared, charging after a client. The man turned to look at me before smiling, hurling something back. I deflected it with the stopsign I had in hand, running faster. The figure ran into an alley, stopping at the wall that signaled a dead end. "Heh, now you're trapped, you insolent rodent!" I brought the sign up and swung it down like a fly swatter, narrowly missing the figure.
"Awe, the Fortissimo of Ikebukuro is angry, how cute!" The figure, a girl, taunted as she slung something towards me. Tom stepped beside me panting as I kicked the knife into a wall, the blade shattering.
"I have it from here, Shizuo." He gave a smile as I frowned, pulling out my pack of cigarettes.
"That's what you said last time, and with no further ado, you ended that one in a hospital with a stab wound." Tom gave a sigh as he stepped up to the girl. After what seemed to be aeons, the girl finally handed him the money.
~
"Why is everyday getting longer than the last?" I grunted, looking to Tom.
"Did you ever listen in school? It's cause the-"
"Tom. I'm not an idiot. I meant work."
"Oh..." he scratched the back of his neck before looking up, deep in thought. "Maybe... without you fighting Izaya nowadays, you don't seem as scary if you're not trashing the town? So maybe more people think they can fight you instead of hand the money over." Tom seemed content with his answer, although it just made my heart twist. I would never fight Izaya again!
~
Mioku swung my arm back and forth, hand in mine as we headed home. I had offered to walk with Namie back home from the store, but she denied saying she had it herself. After Izaya left, she started doing his job and taking care of household chores, despite my protest to the latter. She also watched Mioku for me whenever I got home from work late.
She was a huge help, and I felt bad for how much she did sometimes...
"Dad, when do you think mom will come back? She said she would... so when?" Mioku looked up to me with expectant eyes, the same as mine.
"I'm not sure... she will, though! I'm sure of it!" I gave a smile and patted her head, despite the throbbing in my wrists and twisting of my heart.
