**Chapter 1: A Familiar Face, Yet Not**

Shizuo Heiwajima walked down the streets of Shinjuku, his eyes scanning the crowded sidewalks with a mixture of disdain and boredom. He had just finished a training session at the Heiwajima estate, and was looking forward to unwinding with a drink at a nearby izakaya. As he turned a corner, he spotted a figure that made his eyes narrow. The man was dressed in a black suit and tie, his hair styled in a manner that was almost...familiar. Shizuo's instincts kicked into high gear, and he quickened his pace, his hand resting on the pocket where he kept his trusty phone. As he approached, the man's eyes locked onto his, and Shizuo's gut twisted with annoyance. It was Izaya Orihara, or at least, it looked like him. Shizuo had thought he'd made it clear to Izaya that he wasn't interested in getting tangled up in his games again. But here he was, dressed up like a fancy-pants businessman, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Shizuo-kun," the man said, his voice low and smooth. "It's been a while." Shizuo's eyes narrowed further. "Izaya, what the hell are you doing here? I thought I made it clear I wasn't interested in your crap anymore." The man chuckled, and took a step closer to Shizuo. "Ah, Shizuo-kun, always so quick to jump to conclusions. I'm not Izaya Orihara, actually." Shizuo raised an eyebrow. "Don't play dumb with me, Izaya. I know it's you." The man shook his head, his grin growing wider. "I assure you, I am not Izaya. My name is Vanitas, and I'm...a collector of sorts." Shizuo snorted. "Save it, Izaya. I'm not buying it." Vanitas's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I think there's been a misunderstanding, Shizuo-kun. I am not your...friend, or acquaintance, or whatever it is you consider Izaya Orihara." Shizuo's grip on his phone tightened, his mind racing with possibilities. Could this be some kind of trick? Was Izaya trying to pull the wool over his eyes again? He studied Vanitas's face, searching for any sign of deception. But the more he looked at him, the more Shizuo was convinced that this was just Izaya in a new disguise. He was going to have to get to the bottom of this. "Whatever," Shizuo muttered, turning to walk away. "I'm not interested in playing games with you, Izaya." Vanitas's laughter followed him, sending a shiver down Shizuo's spine. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.