The Happiest of Man

Chapter 16.

All he wanted to do was get his monthly check-up over it. He didn’t want to run into Shizuo. That was the last thing he wanted which was why he chose to use a longer route as opposed to a shortcut that would be easier on him. His loud voice filled with rambling was starting to give him a headache. As he crawled towards the mailbox, he used it as some form of support as he got back up to his feet. He sensed a hand inching towards his direction as the anger that mildly boiled inside exploded.

“Heiwajima Shizuo!”

It was the first time he had raised his voice, the first time he had addressed his enemy in such a manner. It was enough to strike the man before him speechless and have passersby look towards their direction. 

Izaya mustered enough energy to smile. He wanted to present to his enemy a confident demeanor, but in the end, his smile was a far cry from that. The informant was unaware of that, but a part of him didn’t care. In the end, this would probably be his last time in a city like this.

“Enough already.” Izaya laughed half-heartedly as he looked over at the discarded garbage bin. It had rolled off to the side of the street where no one had given it a second glance.

“Enough, all right?”

He stood up straight, no longer slouching against the mailbox. The smile that showed how upset he was disappeared as a more playful and cheerful smile took its place. It literally made Shizuo wonder whether he was seeing things.

“I’d like to play around some more, but I have something to attend to.”

Placing a hand upon his head, Izaya took in a few breaths before taking a step away from the place where he was suddenly assaulted by something a person would find in an office. 

“Bye, bye, Shizu-chan.”

“I . . .” Shizuo clenched his fists as he watched the small back grow farther and farther away from him.

“I better not see you here again, Izaya!”

The last thing he heard was a brief chuckle before the informant entered a large building. Once Shizuo had come back to his senses, he realized that Izaya was headed to the hospital. The guilt didn’t settle in until he met up with Tom and realized that the woman who has yet to pay her debts was sickly.

After that, the monthly rumors finally ended and he never saw the informant again.

- -

Before heading home after his check-up, he ran into Simon.

“Oh, Izaya! Long time no see! Have some sushi, yes?”

“Maybe next time.” He said that yet he had no plans for “next time” for Ikebukuro. Not having much of an appetite, he felt that it was best to not force food down his stomach, especially since he wasn’t in the mood to think about food in general.

“I’ll see you around, Simon.” With a wave of his hand, he decided to dismiss himself before the conversation went deeper than that, however it was too late on his part. Simon had picked up on his unnatural way of walking and the tired look that he wore. He also noticed the bandage upon the side of his face.

“Hey.”

Izaya turned his head, looking right at the Russian man who was holding onto coupons he was supposed to hand out to the passersby.

“Enjoy your beautiful life.”

He was never open about his emotions, so he wasn’t about to start now. Although he had openly called out Shizuo’s full name like that a couple hours ago, he wasn’t about to let his guard down in front of Simon or even around others for that matter. What he felt, his goals and his thought process, all belonged to him. He wasn’t about to share it with anyone else, however it seems that Simon was awfully good at reading through his maze of facades.

“You’re not happy, right? Do something to change that. Only you can change how you see the world, especially your own life.”

Izaya couldn’t help but to smile.

“Should you really be saying that to someone like me?”

Finally, he responded in Russian, “Thank you.”