Durarara!!, Vol. 4 (novel) by Ryohgo Narita Page A

day’s curriculum ended, the town overflowed with Raira uniforms. The school allowed for personal clothes to be worn, so once out in the town, those students melted into the crowd, while the uniform wearers stood out as a distinct group. Almost like a color gang.
    Mikado slowly strode through the neighborhood, wearing that very uniform. When he reached his destination, Anri and his junior at school were already there.
    “Oh? You made it before me? Sorry, were you waiting long?”
    “No, I just got here.”
    “Me, too.”
    Anri and Aoba both seemed a bit reserved, and they didn’t appear to have been talking before he arrived. It was probably true that they had just gotten there before him. Once the greetings were out of the way, Aoba bowed to the both of them.
    “I’m sorry about this. I’m just using up your valuable free time with my own selfish request…”
    “That’s not true. We didn’t have anything to do, either,” Mikado said. Anri nodded.
    The younger boy looked thankful at their thoughtfulness, then piped up curiously, “Mr. Ryuugamine and Ms. Sonohara, are you a couple?”
    Time stopped between the two.
    To someone who was just meeting them, this seemed like a perfectly normal assumption. Aoba had specifically asked Mikado for a tour of Ikebukuro, and yet here was Anri as well. It was only natural to assume that there was a romantic bond there or at least something more than just classmates.
    Mikado was clearly stunned by the question, while Anri looked down, her cheeks pink. It was hard to tell if they were confirming or denying that accusation, so Aoba watched them curiously and asked, “Am I wrong?”
    “N-no-no-no, it’s not like that… We’re still just, um, friends. Friends!”
    “Ohh. Does that mean you’re available now, Ms. Sonohara? Shall I nominate myself for the position?”
    “Wha—!”
    Mikado found himself actually feeling admiration for the boy’s straight-faced lack of caution.
    How can he just…
say
that? And he comes off even smoother than Masaomi!
    Mikado’s lips trembled, ready to say something…but no words emerged. He was racked with both frustration that a younger schoolmate beat him to the punch and respect for the boy’s game in putting himself out there to the opposite sex.
    The younger boy turned to his immobile senior and hesitantly clarified, “Um, Mr. Ryuugamine, you know that was a joke, right?”
    “Huh?”
    “I mean, you don’t have to look like the world is crumbling around your ears…”
    “…Did…did I look like that?” Mikado asked, going red with embarrassment. He glanced sidelong at Anri. In her usual way, she was looking awkwardly at the ground, listening to the conversation.
    The pair looked like bashful little kids. Meanwhile, the one who looked closest to an actual kid laughed and whispered to Mikado, “I’m glad. I thought since you were with the Dollars, you would have a scary side…but I’m happy to know that someone like you is in the group.”
    “I dunno. I mean, I appreciate that, but…”
    Huh? That
was
a compliment, right?
Mikado wondered, unsure if it was meant to be sarcastic. He smiled politely.
    Emboldened by the effect of his last question, Aoba decided to push further. “So…are the people we’re going to meet today also Dollars?”
    “Well, yes…but don’t worry, they’re not scary, either.”
    Not scary in the way you’re thinking, at least,
Mikado thought, imagining the machine-gun chatter that was Yumasaki and Karisawa’s specialty. He looked around, checking to see if they were approaching.
    But their next visitors were not the nerdy duo.
    “Do you have a moment?”
    “We’d like to pray for your happiness.”
    On either side of Mikado was a tall man approaching six feet.
    “—?! H-h-how can I help you?”
    “Just let me see your face.”
    The tall men grabbed him without permission, their manner suddenly cruel.
    “This the guy?”
    “Yep, that’s him! Bingo. Got confirmation.”
    The men