「secret empire」ー 折原 臨也

「prologue」

There was something about the words that left the Informant's lips, adorned by the usual smug smirk, which was matching the tone in his voice. Something that caused uneasiness in the woman's guts. Uneasiness, on the one hand, because she was unsure how to interpret what he just said and uneasiness, on the other hand, because she knew he was aware of it. Of how her body stiffened, of what was going through her mind.

He enjoyed being in control of her expression, of her movements, of her feelings, perhaps even of her life. It made him feel equal to a puppet master, to a God. Twitching corners of his lips containing laughter was enough evidence for that. That was about as much as she could tell, but other than that Orihara Izaya was one big question mark to her.

Great minds think alike, eh?

His words echoed through her head, ringing and impossible for her to decipher their true meaning. It could have been one of his silly tests to elicit a certain reaction from her. Yeah, that must've been it.

"Was that supposed to be an actual comparison?" she sighed as her eyes wandered back off to the letters in the book, as if searching for distraction desperately. Searching for a pathetic excuse to avoid his grin, which managed to expose everything about her slowly, step by step.

"We do have a lot in common after all, don't you think?" Izaya nodded, his eyes never leaving her petite figure, taking in every inconspicuous movement, analyzing her thoughts attentively. His smirk never leaving his lips, growing wider just a little, showing off his amusement.

"Not one bit," the girl frowned immediately in response. There was no need for her to look up, she knew her eyes would meet curious red ones. The only two things she did not know, was how she would react to them. That, and secondly, what the man's intention might have been.

Most likely he was playing with her mind, but there was something about it, that she couldn't put a finger on.

"You seem frustrated," Izaya chuckled while allowing his body to fall into a sitting position right next to her. It was then she allowed her muscles to relax for some reason. In a poor attempt to calm down, perhaps.

Of course she was frustrated. She hated not being able to figure him out. She absolutely despised the fact, that he could see right through her while he hid behind a thick wall, that didn't allow her to do the same.

Her orbs looked up into his and at the sight of his victorious smirk, her fingers to gripped onto the the notebook. She silently cursed at herself, because she knew, he noticed.

"I am," she said, her voice plain and calm. "After all, I'm not fond of the idea that I could be like you in any way."

An amused laughter emerged from the Informant's mouth as he shook his head. Slender fingers reached out to the book she was holding, one of them decorated by a simple silver ring. Izaya took the book and closed it while he kept smirking at the girl.

"In fact, I'm nothing like you," she spoke. Although wanting to look away, her eyes seemed to demand looking right into his. Beside her own reflection she could see excitement shining in them.

"Is that so?" Izaya smiled as he leaned back to express how easy it was for him to succeed. At least that was what the girl took from all this. He has always been like this, doing or saying certain things to get a reaction, preferably one he already predicted. As if he sought confirmation in his skills as an omniscient God.

Even when deciding not to be responsive to any of his teasing actions, he was a winner. It was as if he was playing a game he invented by himself, one that he could impossibly lose, no matter what.

"What makes you think we are alike?" the girl finally asked, watching him raise an eyebrow at her.

"Aah, curious, are we?" the raven laughed and finally got up again before grabbing his jacket and putting it on, the fur trim tickling his neck slightly. "But I'm afraid you have to figure it out by yourself. That is, unless you already know."

And with this final statement he closed the door behind him, making sure his smug smirk was the last thing she'd see.