Vol 2 Chapter 62 (1/2)

Durarara!!SH×2

Chapter 6B

The Watcher

Somewhere in Tokyo

Rewind to half a day ago – late at night after Yahiro and Celty’s

When the blindfold came off, it was an unfamiliar room that met shi+ki’s eyes

From the pile of cardboard boxes and kerosene cans in the corner, and the spades and other tools leaning against the wall, one could i used for storage

There were no s, so it was likely the rooround

With these deductions, he looked towards the person who had taken off his blindfold

His hands had been bound behind his back with box tape, and his legs were similarly restricted

For all intents and purposes he was helpless to do anything besides seeing and speaking, but even so shi+ki did not cry out, instead assessing calmly

assessing the kidnappers who had, in abducting hi him here, proven their audacity

Dressing up in sunglasses, masks and caps in the middle of the city made them all the more conspicuous

He wanted to tell them to at least wear balaclavas, but decided to remain silent and observe the situation for now

Just then, in his place, the an to yell

“What are you after, bastards! Don’t think you’ll get aith this!”

It was shi+ki’s bald-headed subordinate, the one who usually chauffeured him

“Quiet”

With one word froh the man’s body, and he turned his eyes towards shi+ki

Like shi+ki his li, he was lying on the floor

“A, Aniki! I’m sorry! It’s my fault… It’s my fault even you ended up here!”

“Don’t shout Call er”

shi+ki dis subordinate, and reflected on what had happened so far

—Things are getting troublesome

—Just what is their objective?

About one hour ago

It was late at night in Tokyo shi+ki, after the , had boarded the car to return to the Awakusu-kai office and report with his chauffeur –

But noticing that the chauffeur had not greeted hiency mode

Without panicking, he glanced casually at the rearview mirror

The man in the driver’s seat had the same clean-shaven head, but one look and it was obvious he was not the same person who had chauffeured shi+ki to the car park

For all shi+ki was yakuza, he had no reason to be carrying a blade or gun around at the ht

Violating the arms laould only put his leader at risk now that the laws had tightened

—Nohether this is a grudge against s significantly

—Is it Asuki Group, discontent with the current peace, or soroup we’ve had friction with…?

—Or someone within the Awakusu-kai, even… It’s an unfortunate possibility

He had checked the doors on both sides to check that he could escape quickly, but ell aware that atte to run was futile

Muscled lasses and face towards both sides, and they opened the doors in unison

“You must be shi+ki-san,”

“We’ll have you come with us,”

said the ht of them, shi+ki could not help but frown

It was because the instant he had seen their bearing, a strong sense of unease had come over him

This uneasiness steanization – but shi+ki was unable to ignore it, and asked,

“…Aet?”

“We cannot answer”

“What happened to my chauffeur?”

“If you cooperate neither of you will be harmed”

The voice was h the mask shi+ki narrowed his eyes, and looked not at the men but around the car

The ruffians beside hiuns Even if they were, the fact that they did not have them out showed they were confident in their ability to contain him

However – through theshi+ki could see that there were more than ten sihed

—What a pain Akabayashi+ or Aozaki could handle these numbers

—But fighting isn’tsuite… How troublesome

“If you cooperate on’t kill you Rest assured”

—…

—These guys…?

shi+ki, detecting a nuance in the voice, replied coldly,

“Very well I will hear what you have to say”

Afterwards he was made to board a van parked nearby, and was transported, blindfolded, for about an hour

Froone onto an expressway at some point, and had not made extra turns so as to confuse him

With this and the travel duration in mind, they were probably in the west side of Tokyo outside the twenty-third district; at the villas between Tokyo and Hachiōji

—But it’s not good to assume either

As he thought this, shi+ki spoke up to the group of men in the basement

“So? What do you ith me?”

“Nothing, apparently”

“What?”

“To be precise, it seems we’re supposed to keep you here for a while That’s all”

—So these are small fry

—Just paith no idea of the full game

—No, if ht, they’re not even pawns…

Just as he was thinking this, there was a scuffle at the doorway

The door opened, and new men entered the room

Fro upstairs, so it seemed this was, indeed, a basement

Next shi+ki looked at the newcomers

Of the three men who had just entered, tere masked like the others

The rereen hair, his limbs bound in the same way as shi+ki

“Stay here and behave yourself”

“I hope I get to rooirls…”

Ignoring hihly

The boy, sprawling at shi+ki’s feet, began to yell in a voice loud enough to echo in the room

“They ami Aya-san and Ai-chan!”

One of the men kicked the boy in the stomach

“Shut up”

“Ah o!” Okay! Okay! I’ll shut up, so stop that!”

After glaring coldly at the boy, theoff his blindfold

There was a lookout who stayed behind at the door, but he appeared disinclined to talk, siainst the wall silently

shi+ki, gauging that it should be safe for himself to talk instead, spoke to the boy at his feet

“Are you all right, boy?”

“Ah, excuse me Could you take off my blindfold?”

“Sorry, I’m not one of them I can see, but I’m tied up like you”

“I see Thank you anyway”

shi+ki looked the boy over appraisingly, before asking quietly,

“You’re the one as on the news this ht?”

“Eh? You know too, old man?”

“I don’t often visit that site, but I look up the Headless Rider now and then”

“Aw shucks, can’t believe I’m so famous now”

The boy smiled aardly shi+ki continued, coolly,

“Yeah, but I know you were lying, too”

“Huh?”

“The Headless Rider doesn’t eat, ht? Since they have no head”

“Oho, you believe the Headless Rider’s really a headless monster, old man?”

The boy jeered at him in a forced manner, to which shi+ki simply stated,

“Whether I believe or not, it re met Celty yourself, shouldn’t you?”

“…Hey, old man The way you talk, the fact that you know the Headless Rider’s name… it can’t be you’re yakuza?”

The boy said jokingly shi+ki’s subordinate, lying on the floor nearby, began to reprimand him

“Oi, are you being cheeky to Aniki? Huh?”

shi+ki sighed at how his subordinate was trying to threaten the boy when he himself was tied up, and was about to ask the boy a question, but –

“Manager I know this boy The guys at the office werea fuss about it the other day”

That very subordinate recalled this at the sight of the boy’s hair, and said, anxiously,“This guy ith the boy who fought Heiwajima shi+zuo”

Afternoon Ikebukuro West Gate Park

Besides the outdoor stage in West Gate Park

The eccentric combination of a man in a bartender suit and a wo on the metallic tube-shaped bench

‘So this Yahiro-kun really fought with you, shi+zuo?’

Reading off Celty’s smartphone screen, the man in the bartender suit – Heiwajima shi+zuo – answered honestly,

“He ith a green-haired kid, right? Then it’s probably the sauy”

Re on what had happened a few days back, shi+zuo looked up at the sky, and continued

“So you’re friends The world sure is small”

‘No, I just s happened, it’s a mess’

Celty, having heard of shi+ki’s disappearance, had been looking for information around the city

Halfway through Akabayashi+ had told her to be careful since she was under suspicion herself, but just then shi+zuo, who had been on his break, had seen her and called out to her

Celty, re the conversation between Yahiro and Li-pei froht it up doubtfully, only to be shocked when shi+zuo confirmed it was true

‘Unbelievable Sih schooler who can face off with you…’

“What do you think I am?”

‘Sorry It’s just that I’ve never seen you have trouble fighting anyone head-on’

It brought to Celty’s h not quite head-on; but she did notas shi+zuo seemed irritated

Yet it was shi+zuo who brought hih:

“Do you remember Izaya?”

‘How could I forget? …It’s strange for you to mention him’

“I don’t want to remember that pest either… But, mm, this is aard, but since you know hiuy?”

‘?’

Celty had tilted her helmet, to which shi+zuo, with an aard expression, continued,

“The guy with the green hair… He’s the same type of person as that bastard Izaya”

‘Really?’

“It’s just a gut feeling”

‘I see’

—It’s true he was so boisterous it felt unnatural

Rehed bitterly in her heart

She had found out the photo had hit the headlines this

The suzu castella and karaoke was a stretch, but because he had described her as an un-kidnapper-like person, she was ry

‘But why are you worried about Yahiro-kun in particular? If he’s really like Izaya, everyone around hi into trouble’

To Celty, who had typed this obvious question, shi+zuo, with soht, answered,

“I don’t kno to say it exactly, but when I fought with him, I remembered my old self”

‘Your old self?’

“If he’s that strong, he’s going to end up in a lot of trouble Especially since I’ve never seen hiht not be a local”

shi+zuo fell deeper in thought, and, clicking his tongue, spoke up again

“Hey, Celty”

‘Yeah?’

“Hypothetically, if we got along… If I could get along with Izaya about as well as shi+nra, what do you think would have happened?”

‘That’s an a question’

Celty did not hide her surprise, and probing shi+zuo’s intention, asked,

‘Why are you asking?’

“Nothing… It’s just, that building we ruined one and a half years ago was completed in the past few months…”

‘Oh, that building’

One and a half years ago

In a series of events, shi+zuo had wound up in a death ainst his nemesis Orihara Izaya

Izaya’s survival was unclear since he had vanished froht had been etched onto the city itself

There had even been a giant explosion in a building under construction, but the crime could not be pinned since Izaya, the one responsible, had disappeared

The police could have realised shi+zuo was related to it, but seeing as he had yet to be reo, or there was soement within the department

The building’s construction had been delayed due to the explosion, and Celty re her and shi+nra’s vacation

“I was recalling what happened there… And I don’t want to even i with that flea, maybe it could have saved this city loads of trouble…”

—That’s not…

true, Celty typed, but her fingers stopped

Because she realised that indeed, had shi+zuo and Izaya been on speaking terhts would have had much more peace in their lives

Of course, this was including Celty herself

‘Well, that ht have been disastrous, too’

“Really?”

‘Yeah There’s no way Izaya would have ever beco with his’

“Yeah… That’s true”

shi+zuo sighed lightly, and said to his friend, the Headless Rider,

“That Yahiro guy, in the ht… How to put it? He… He seehts he hated all this time”

‘Forced to fight?’

“Yeah When I went all out for the first tiainst those people controlled by that sword… I had fun, too Just a little”

As if e this, shi+zuo switched the conversation to the future instead

“Maybe he felt the sahter, it’s going to attract all kinds of people If the flea was still here, he would have approached him”

‘I know’

“That’s why, also because he’s a junior froo down the same path as the flea and me And I won’t let off anyone like the flea who tries to use his can’t be helped, so I can’t interfere toohappens, could you tell him not to become like me, Celty?”

‘Why don’t you say it yourself?’

At Celty’s words, shi+zuo creased his brow, and said,

“You or shi+nra or Toh schooler I ht cause him trouble”

—Wait… Isn’t it the same if I make friends with Yahiro-kun…? And does that et me into trouble?

She was te that he would probably look out for the boys in his oay, she did not retort

—But for shi+zuo to say sorown soft

—Well, Izaya’s vanished to goodness knohere, so there’s no reason for hiuess

Celty, gradually accepting this change in her friend, stood from the bench

‘Sorry for taking up your break I should be going now’

“Are you okay? It looks like you’re having a hard ti I can help with tell me, okay?”

‘Yeah, I’m fine’

It would be bad to involve shi+zuo, who had finally toned down

With this concern about her friend’s future inshi+ki’s trail, but –

“Headless Rider-san!”

A voice stopped her

When shi+zuo and Celty turned to look, there stood a girl

Perhaps she had run to the at Celty, she said with genuine happiness,

“I… I’ve finally found you!”

—Huh?

—This girl is…

Before she could reirl, shi+zuo voiced it

“Yo, Akane-chan”

—Right, that’s her

—Akane-chan

Awakusu Akane

She was the granddaughter of the Awakusu-kai’s president Awakusu Dogen, whose very na babies; and she had a history with Celty and shi+zuo

“hello, S, shi+zuo-san”

Akane bowed her head to shi+zuo hurriedly, and again turned to Celty

“Thank goodness… You came back!”

‘Yeah, I was on vacation for a while…’

“Vacation?”

‘Yeah, I went to see the fireworks festival in Akita, the Kera It took about half a year to cover north to south’

She had not interacted much with Akane since that one incident, so as Akane so heartened by her return?

The question did bug Celty, but she decided to answer first without too ht

In response, Akane’s expression became one of utter relief, and with tearful eyes she looked to Celty, saying,

“Thank goodness… You weren’t the culprit after all”

‘Oh, that?’

“Yes… To be honest, one offan of yours!”

—Coain?

Celty stiffened internally, while shi+zuo, frowning, voiced the same sentiment under his breath

“A fan of… Celty?”

After hearing out the situation, Celty was able to s

—I see

—Yesterday Yahiro-kun said the senior of a ine that acquaintance could be Akane-chan

The connection was unexpected, but Celty simply pondered if this was fate, or if perhaps the world was siht, and was suitably impressed

And re that that was not the time for that, she patted her own chest, and reassured Akane

‘Don’t worry I’ll do my best to find both your senior and shi+ki-san’

But that very moment, doubt clouded Akane’s face

“Huh?”

‘Huh?’

“What did you mean by… shi+ki-san?”

—crap!

Apparently Akane had not yet known of shi+ki’s disappearance

shi+zuo, despite not knowing the circumstances, seemed to have understood that she hadher chest with a deadpan gaze that see?’

‘S, sorry I typed wrong just noas going to say, I’ll do my best to find your senior with shi+ki-san’

“You’re… lying, right?”

Fro it looked like Akane had seen through it completely

‘…Sorry I thought you would have known’

After that, Celty soothed Akane who had proposed searching for the kidnapper herself, and learnt what information Akane had had

What disturbed her

“Tatsugami-sempai… spoke of you like you were a God”

‘A God…’

“I’ed her world… Or, if she would give her life if she could become like the Headless Rider…”

‘…That’s scary’

—Speaking of which, there was a girl who did plastic surgery to have the same face as me, wasn’t there?

Recalling the girl as now in America, Celty continued to think

—shi+ki-san didfor me had vanished, but…

—Having fans is funny, and it’s one thing, but being treated like a God just makes me feel bad

—I’m not even that important…

‘Anyway, leave it to Akabayashi+-san and erous, Akane-chan’

Worried that Akane would in the worse case be endangered because of her, and doubly so because that would involve the Awakusu-kai, Celty fir after the culprit by herself

“But that hat shi+ki-san said, too…”

‘I said it’s going to be okay! Believe in one for half a year, but I’m back now, aren’t I?’

Celty insisted without rhyed to convey her sincerity, and so Akane nodded reluctantly

‘Don’t worry and just giveboth your schoolmate and shi+ki-san back’

Celty typed this in a large font shi+zuo asked her,

“Hey, I’ll help too Is there anything I can do?”

‘If it gets troublesoh even I can’t handle it that’s where you coood if you could ask Tom-san if he has any clue’

“Right, call anytime I’ll come even if I have to skip work”

Seeing shi+zuo sement

—Well, if I have to call shi+zuo I’d have to be up against an organisation of va on that level…

(Reference to Vamp!, another underrated series by Narita)

If shi+zuo were to go all out from the start most criminals would be flattened in a second But in this case there were kidnapped hostages If shi+zuo raerous for those victims, whose safety had to be prioritised

With that in ot onto the black motorcycle she had parked at the park’s entrance

Praying that the kidnapped victies in the first place

And – in the next moment

Feeling a sense of foreboding from behind, she turned

Akane and shi+zuo aving at her, so she turned back, and looked around the park

—What’s going on…

—I feel watched

—It doesn’t feel like the usual curious looks…

At that point Celty arrived at the possibility of it being the White Motorbike, and left with a shi+ver down her spine

The one watching the Headless Rider continued watching until it left, and then, quietly, said,

“Heiwajiirl is not”

The ‘woman’ inside the vehicle parked beside West Gate Park turned her narrowed gaze to shi+zuo and Akane, and continued,

“That girl will disappear too”

And in a voice filled with a yearning close to adoration:

“She got too deeply involved; that person will take her away”

With hatred and pity for Awakusu Akane dwelling in her eyes

A smile spread on her face, soulless, like that of a poorly-made doll

That is her fate”