"You're positive he wasn't in our class?" Shizuo asked Izaya as the two entered the front gates of Raira.

"100 percent," Izaya replied. "I had information on everyone in our class and Kuro was not on that list. He went to a different high school."

"Well, we should still be on guard a little bit at least." Shizuo checked the two of them in for the reunion. "He might not be from our class, but someone else could know him and brought him as their extra."

"That's true," Izaya replied as Shizuo attached his name tag for him. "But I don't think it's very likely; although, I'll let you keep watch just in case." The raven smirked. "Especially since I can't."

"Is this my punishment for calling you 'Izzy' the other day?" the blonde asked.

"Yup." Shizuo sighed. "Hey! You know full well that nickname is off limits. Kuro used to call me that when we were dating, and now he uses it to torment me. It isn't connected to anything good, so I don't want to answer to it anymore."

"Answer to what?" Izaya immediately recognized the voice of their shared friend.

"Oh hey Shinra," Shizuo greeted. "Celty isn't here with you?"

"Nah, she had a job to take care of today," Shinra replied. "What were you guys talking about?"

"Nothing to important," Izaya replied. "Just reminding someone why a certain nickname is off limits."

"You called him 'Izzy' again, didn't you?"

"It was an accident," Shizuo tried to refute. "I didn't mean to. It just slipped out."

"Sure," Izaya rolled his eyes.

"I apologized ten times about it," the blonde begged. "Can you please just forgive me already?"

"You're not getting out of it this time, Shizuo," the info broker replied. "You need to learn that I don't like that nickname." Shizuo sighed and hung his head in defeat.

"Wow," Shinra stifled a giggle. "He really has you on a leash, doesn't he?"

"It's not funny, Shinra!" Shizuo growled.

"Oh hey!" Shinra said, changing the subject. "There's Kyouhei." He waved the carpenter over.

"Well," Shizuo calmed down. "This is certainly a rare thing nowadays; the four of us all together."

"Too true," Kyouhei agreed. "How have you guys been lately? I heard about what happened with Kuro."

"Still a bit paranoid, but we're good," Izaya replied. "He hasn't shown up since he kidnapped me. That could be either good or bad."

"Yeah," Shizuo rubbed the back of his neck. "Not exactly a calming thought. But, at least we have everyone keeping on eye out for him, so that's reassuring."

"Anything for a friend," Shinra smiled. "Let's just hope we can catch him before anything else happens."

"Agreed," Kyouhei nodded. "For now, let's just enjoy ourselves and catch up with our classmates."

"Sounds good to me," Shizuo looked down at Izaya. "You ready?"

"Always," the raven replied as he intertwined his fingers with his guide's.

The four of them spent the rest of the reunion catching up with others and entering into the raffles everyone provided for. Kyouhei and Shinra each won one of the smaller prize raffles. Shizuo and Izaya got entered into the cutest couple contest and were awaiting the results.

"And now to announce the winners of the cutest couple contest." One of the former members of the track team received a piece of paper from her friend who tallied the votes. "And the cutest couple from our class is.... Shizuo Heiwajima and Izaya Orihara!"

Everyone started clapping as the two made their way to the make-shift stage. Izaya was a bit nervous as everyone could see he was now blind and needed Shizuo to guide him. Shizuo wrapped his arm around his boyfriend and reassured him that he was fine.

"Well," their classmate started. "I can certainly see why you two won. You're just so adorable together!" Izaya slightly blushed and leaned against Shizuo. "I just have one question for the two of you: What are your nicknames for each other?"

"Mine is pretty easy," Shizuo replied. "Izaya's been using it ever since Shinra introduced us. It's Shizu-chan."

"Aww, how cute! And what about you, Izaya?"

"Well," he paused. He thought about all the times Shizuo had called him by his nickname, and compared them to when Kuro did it.

'Sure, I don't like the way Kuro's doing it now,' Izaya thought. 'But, Shizuo has said it with more love than Kuro ever did.' He smiled.

"It's Izzy," he replied. "I didn't like it at first because I was associating it with my ex." He placed his hand over Shizuo's. "But, now I think I'm ready to give it another chance. A chance to be something better."

"Izaya.." Shizuo pulled the smaller male in for a hug. He was just glad that Izaya was finally starting to move on from Kuro.

"Awww!" Izaya quickly turned red as he realized that the two of them were still in full view of their class. He pulled his hood up, trying to hide his face. Shizuo chuckled and picked up his embarrassed boyfriend.

"I remember someone fully embracing our relationship a few months back," Shizuo teased him. "What happened, Izzy?"

"S-shut up, Shizu-chan!" Izaya giggled nervously. "I was just caught off guard by their reaction. That's all!" The two of them smiled at each other, knowing that their relationship had just reached a new level of trust and bonding.