who do you think you are?

A cat cafe? Men were interested in those sorts of things? It was almost amusing and the thought caused a small smile to form on her lips.

"I'm never really busy here," she admitted. Her time was mostly spent indoors - hence making it difficult to attempt to make friends or get to know neighbors. "I haven't really spoken to anybody, either."

Well, aside from Izaya, it seemed. She'd allow idle conversation with market workers when she went there, but it was nothing too involving. She wasn't entirely sure about making friends at the moment, but maybe it would be better, she supposed. It'd make her seem normal, wouldn't it? And she might as well have a normal life while she could.

"I wouldn't mind going to a cat cafe, though. As long as the cats don't attempt to attack me, that is," she told him with a small nod.

Izaya gave a small grin at that comment.

"I'm near certain they only employ the cats with the most perfect of resumes," he told her, "only the gentle tempered would compliment their tea."

He shoved his hands in his pockets and rolled back on his heels.

"Are you free now?"

Kumiko could have laughed if she had allowed herself to. Instead, she only nodded along to his words because it was all she could do.

"Ah, yes, I am," she assured with a smile, "Were you intending for us to go now, then? I'll need to grab my keys, if that's the case."

Because she most certainly could not leave her home unlocked when she waa still on edge on some occasions.

Regardless, she didn't exactly wait for a response and retrieved her keys before she stepped out of her home and locked the door.

Izaya led the way through the streets, in a more courteous manner for once, and keeping an eye out for the shock of blonde hair he'd prefer to avoid today. As far as information gathering went, it would be a lot easier to talk to the girl if he wasn't dragged into a game of cat and mouse with Shizuo.

"Your street seems quiet," he commented as they walked, "you've not encountered any problems yet?"

"Hm," Kumiko murmured as she fully registered his words, though she eventually shook her head. "No, not yet. I'm hoping to avoid problems entirely, to be honest." She couldn't really deal with any confrontations around here, she was sure. It'd be too suspicious and she'd prefer to avoid it entirely anyways.

"I prefer my streets quiet. It makes things a lot less tense and it made it easier to settle in." Without worrying about somebody breaking into her home or trying to kill her, that is. Not that it wasn't a constant worry either way.

Turning her gaze to him, she eyed the man for a moment. "This cat cafe - why didn't you go with your friend instead of inviting a complete stranger along?" she asked after a few moments.

Izaya glanced down at Kumiko and tsked, "and here I thought I was just being kind," he said.

Then he huffed a laugh and let his character drop, face returning to it's normal idly amused expression, bordering on apathetic.

"I told you, I deal in information," he said. "And what better way to get information that from a mob bosses daughter, hm? I know plenty of people who'd pay good money to know where you are now, Miss Kumiko Yuki, how much are you willing to trade in order to avoid your mothers fate?" He turned a little to look down at her, "How much would your father be willing to trade?"

Kumiko's expression dropped the moment he mentioned her being a mob bosses daughter. It wasn't difficult to figure out where the conversation was heading and she paused in her steps, panic settling into her gut as she stared at the man and listened to him.

"So, that's what this is? Blackmail?" she asked as she took a step back from him, her features settling into a frown despite her shock and panic with his words. "I don't have anything to trade, Mr. Orihara. And my father does not make deals."

If he had, her mother would have likely still been alive. She wasn't entirely sure if that was the truth, but she could assume.

"Blackmail is so strong a word, Miss Yuki," Izaya drawled. "Surely an exchange of information is so much better?"

He rocked back on his heels, shoving his hands down in his pockets and cocking his head as he looked at her.

"So your father would send you all the way out here to protect you, but not give up a few details about his... business for you?" he asked. "How interesting. But you need not think me a threat, Miss Yuki. All I want is information, not to harm you. Though I will get the information one way or another."

"Except it's not an exchange when I'm not getting in return," Kumiko reminded, her tone having faltered a bit as she stared at him. "Therefore, it's certainly considered blackmail, Mr. Orihara."

She dropped her gaze and mentally debated on escaping. Would she have enough of a headstart to make it home and unlock her door, then lock it again? She doubted it. What about enough time to run to the train station? She could blend herself in the crowd and hope to avoid getting spotted by him. But, apparently, her luck wasn't that good considering he had dug up information about her so quickly.

"Anybody who searches for information about my father and his business usually means to use it against him. So, yes, I do need to think of you as a threat."

"And here I thought I'd already given you information," Izaya said thoughtfully, "did I not provide service as a guide through this fair city?"

He drew his switchblade from his pocket and span it in his palm.

"Besides, information isn't my only... hobby. If I know who you are, then there are sure to be others who've picked up on the move," he laughed, "admittedly though, most are a little slow on the uptake. I can offer protection, of a sorts, if you'd deal information with me, and me alone."

He leant against one of the buildings lining the pavement, leaving Kumiko's escape routes open if she wanted to flee. He knew where she lived anyway, but if she just decided to leave the area he was sure other forms of entertainment would show up eventually.

Sure, he'd given her information, Kumiko realized with disdain. But, he hadn't given her information equivalent to the kind that could cause trouble for her father or that could get her father killed. If she'd known all of this about Izaya, she would have never accepted his help.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she stared at him. "Protection of sorts?" she questioned, "What sort of protection can you provide, then? Would you not use the information against my father? Because that is the only way that I'd give you any information."

It was her only option, if she wanted any sort of protection. It was the only thing she could do at the moment, especially if she wanted to attempt to live a somewhat normal life and pretend that she wasn't who she was.

But, if there was no way that he could guarantee he wouldn't use the information, then there was no way that she could agree. She wouldn't put her father in jeopardy because of her somewhat selfish desire to actually be normal for once.

"The information would simply go to the highest bidder," Izaya told her, "what good an information broker would I be if I didn't deal the information?" he pursed his lips thoughtfully, "really though, if you were to give me information to deal with, then it would be simple to discover who it is that's asking about your father. Of course, I'd have to give them the information, they pay a fair price for it after all, but there's no confidentiality with my clients, they know the risks that come, and they're not nearly stupid enough to try to do anything about it."

One of the mobiles in his pocket buzzed, a work one rather than a play one. Izaya span away from the wall, stepping off the pavement and into the guttering of the road.

"You could easily find out your fathers enemies for him, Kumiko-chan," he grinned and shrugged, "and who knows, it could become interesting." He pulled a slip of paper with an address on it from his sleeve, and leaned in to put it in the girls pocket. "My office, should you wish to consider an arrangement."

He stepped back out into the road, ignoring the blaring traffic that swerved around him.

"And alas, Miss Kumiko Yuki, the kitties will have to go without our delightful presence today, but work calls."

Izaya threw her a mocking salute, and turned on his heel to cross the road and go about his way.

With what Izaya had said, Kumiko couldn't help but to feel tempted. She could help her father; her father would know who his enemies were. He'd be safe. She'd be safe. Everything would be okay again, if only for a little while - if only until the next threat appeared and made itself known.

She didn't get long to think over her options before Izaya had slipped a card into her pocket and she was fairly quick to draw it out, inspecting it for a moment. Would it be right to agree to give him information? Would her father approve of it, if he knew that it could provide information for him at the same time?

But, then, what if Izaya was lying? Was she willing to take that risk? Was she willing to put her father's life on the line just on a chance that they could find out who was after him?

Her thoughts got torn away from all of that when Izaya mentioned kitties. For a moment, she was a little confused, having forgotten the original reason that they were spending time together. Well, maybe not the original reason, since Izaya had made it clear that his intentions were elsewhere.

She didn't think further on it and instead retreated home.

When Izaya was not prowling the streets for impressionable young girls, or provoking Shizuo, he was irritating Namie.

'At work', was probably the more technical term for it, which is where he was now, but irritating Namie was so much more fun. Her hate for him, and her reluctance to be there, she fascinated him with her love for her brother too.

But she wasn't here right now. He leant back in his chair and put his feet on his desk, using the leverage to swivel from side to side as he tapped away at one of his phones. He wondered if the girl would visit him. Or if she'd gotten half way across Japan by now. Perhaps he'd give it a few more days, and then do a brief sweep to see if the apartment was still inhabited.

The past few days, for Kumiko, had been spent mentally debating whether she should accept Izaya's offer or not. She could either accept it and hope that he kept to his word or decline it and risk him telling everybody who she was. With the possibility that she could find out who was after her father, though, the opportunity was too much to pass up on.

Because of this, she had made her way to the office, with help from a cab. As she climbed out of the cab, she made her way to the building and skimmed the card once more to check it, just in case.

It took her a few minutes, but she eventually stopped at the designated door and lifted her hand to knock on it.

With Namie out, Izaya had to flick over to the camera feed himself. He grinned a little when he saw Kumiko at the door, and hit the button to let it swing open.

"Miss Kumiko Yuki," he greeted. "Have you come to a decision?"

Kumiko looked to the man for a long moment before she glanced away. "If I give you information, then you'll have to tell me about everybody who attempts to buy the information," she told him as she chewed on her lip.

Taking a breath, she lifted her gaze again and eyed Izaya. "If you agree to that, then I'll agree to give you whatever information you want, as long as I know it."

"Naturally," Izaya nodded, tilting back in his chair once again. "Information for information, what more perfect an exchange. I have a list. Of things I'm interested in finding out, if you have the knowledge. Please, take a seat?"

He gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk, and pushed back, dropping his feet onto the ground.

"If this is satisfactory, we may also consider your accommodation."

This was possibly the worst thing that Kumiko had ever agreed to. She was putting her faith in a man that could cause more trouble for herself and her father. But, with the chance to find out who all was after her father, she couldn't overthink the risks.

So, with a small nod, she moved to sit down. "What is the list, then?" she asked. The sooner she gave the information that he wanted, the sooner she could inform her father who his enemies were. She just hoped it wouldn't take too long.

She blinked, though, at the mention of her accomadation, and she tilted her head slightly. "Why would we have to consider it?"

Izaya handed over a plain, brown envelope because I don't know what sort of information the guy would be after and drummed his fingers lightly on the desk before him.

"People will want to know about you as well, Miss Yuki," he told her. "And even if I'm not directly responsible for the trade of the information, it's likely that eventually someone will find where you live. Very little goes unnoticed in Ikebukuro, despite how crowded it seems."

He stilled his hand and looked at her.

"Your security is, in a word, weak," he sighed heavily, "I wouldn't even wish such a building on Shizu-chan, at least try to pose some sort of challenge. I have several apartments scattered about the city, a couple in the local prefectures, this office even has a bedroom. It may shock you to know that there are some out there who don't really like me, tragic, I know, but this just means the security around where I sleep is a little tighter than the norm. Should you wish to accept my kind offer of protection, it would be a lot easier to attend to in a home that at least has a decent alarm system."