The Gentle Death God Laughs Above the Cherry-Blossom Sky.

As if true to his words, Mr. Reaper’s boss really came the next day. I was surprised but I kind of expected it. I saw Mr. Reaper making his ‘angry-pouting-lips’ thingy again.

My heart fluttered as I looked at his pouting lips while he was talking to his boss. I was well aware of the feelings that had been growing inside of me these past few days at a very alarming rate. I knew that from this day onwards, I couldn’t be left alone with Mr. Reaper anymore.

Because that’s the right thing to do.

“Hey, Mahiro-chan”

“Yes?”

The other Reaper called me by my name.

“Did someone tell you that you’re very kind? This senior is very thankful~”

“What do you mean?”

“It means as it is”

“Ahahahaha.”

I was starting to worry. The simple words uttered by Mr. Reaper were making my heart flutter for some reason. And again, after talking with his boss, I saw Mr. Reaper staring at me through his hood; and that alone made my cheeks burn.

I was stuttering with my words too it seemed.

I knew what those feelings were.

However I also knew that these feelings of mine would not end well.

So I was relieved that his boss came. Otherwise, I would get more and more attracted to Mr. Reaper, and I would feel upset and miserable because I want to cry … My heart hurted, and I couldn’t control this feeling that was boiling inside of me; the words “I like you” wanted to come out of my mouth so, so badly.

“Mahiro-chan?”

“Ah …oh, I’m sorry.”

“What’s wrong? Are you tired?”

“Isn’t it because you’re so noisy,” interrupted Mr. Reaper.

“You say that in front of Mahiro-chan as if you’re innocent too.”

“It’s not like that.”

When I heard the conversation between the two of them, I laughed.

“I’m glad”

“What?”

“You getting along”

“—I do not think so”

“Yeah, well, I do envy you.”

Will he be able to talk to me like that?

I guess he can’t, because I’m just an object that just needs to be collected by him. I’m not a friend to him. I will never be.

“Aren’t we friends?”

“I wonder if I can get along with him if I become a reaper too.”

“Huh?”

“Ah! No—”

I realised what I had just done. I closed my mouth and hoped that they didn’t hear whatever I had just said. I took a glance at the two of them and it seemed as though they had both heard it pretty well.

WAY TO GO MAHIRO!

I’m such an idiot.

The boss laughed a little and coughed.

“Do you want to be friends with a Reaper?”

“Oh, that’s—”

What should I do, what should I say? This was so awkward.

Perhaps they had noticed the feelings hidden inside of me. What should I do … But the senior, who didn’t know what to say, gently stroked my head.

“Huh?”

“That’s right, you were very lonely because you were stuck in such a place 24/7. When you saw us talking like this, you wanted to join in as well.”

“Oh, that—”

“Good girl, good girl. Mahiro’s doing her best.”

“Huh.”

It seems that the senior is right, but it’s different. But when I noticed that Mr. Reaper exhaled as if he was relieved, I looked at the senior’s face.

The boss knew everything. However I smiled gently as if to say, “It’s okay.”

“Hey, Mahiro-chan”

“Huh?”

“Why don’t we go grab some juice together?”

“Juice?”

“Then I—” Mr. Reaper butted.

“You won’t be able to walk in the hospital with Mahiro-chan.”

“Hmph!”

What do you mean?

When he noticed me pondering, Mr. Reaper said, “Remember, I previously said I wasn’t doing a soul-collecting job anymore.”

“So it doesn’t matter where you go, but this guy has other responsibilities besides you. If that person were in the hospital grounds alone, he would be questioned.”

“Is that so?”

Certainly, it might be awkward if the reapers suddenly had a coincidental meeting. Somehow I didn’t get it, but was it something like that?

“What are you doing? Are you waiting for something?”

“I wonder~” said Mr. Reaper. His smug face was making me sigh and I felt that this was not good for my heart at all.

“Yes. Then, I’ll go with Mahiro-chan.”

“See you.” He looked at me and smiled slightly. The thorn in my heart grew as I constantly kept my eyes on him.

“Yeah, we will be back.” I said, as I suppressed my overwhelming feelings back into my heart.

After being sent off by him, we left the hospital room.

“I’m sorry for dragging you out suddenly.”

“Oh no—” I waved my hand in front of him as I awkwardly smiled. People were currently doing their usual routine and the hospital was very crowded these days.

Well, nobody likes crowded hospitals. It’s never good news.

“Somehow, I thought that it would be better to stay away from that place, so I took you out, but it’s rather a nuisance.” The boss said with an apologetic smile. I closed my eyes as I inhaled; the smell of chlorine and his perfume mixed in the air, creating a very nauseatingly weird smell.

“Oh, that’s very nice of you. I feel that I need that too.” I blushed as I was saying that.

After all, he noticed everything … I finally realized that he had been observing me and I said “Thank you” again.

When he smiled bitterly, my head turned to face him.

“It’s fruitless to love the god of death.”

“Can you blame the idiotic heart of mine?” I asked him. This situation was very weird and I was just glad that there’s someone to talk to about my feelings.

“What? I have experienced this a long time ago. I can say this much.” He said as if he had not heard my question.

“Huh?”

We stopped at a bench as he guided me to sit down. I looked around briefly and stared at the garden. Since this was a luxurious hospital, the facilities were also top-notched and all beautifully designed.

When I looked up at him, I laughed as if I were in trouble.

What does he mean?

Did the guy fall for a fellow reaper or what?

“I fell in love with a child that I need to reap.” A heavy sigh followed his sad words. I looked down in response. In this story, there’s only one ending, and it’s death.

With that said, he smiled with a sad look on his face.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” I tried to say it with a light tone but I also expected that my voice would betray me and crack, which it did.

“It happened many years ago, don’t worry. It was painful before, but it is bearable now.” I looked up at him. He flashed his ever so serene smile and told me not to worry; it was about the fourth time now.

As if remembering something, he looked far away. I appreciate the help but I didn’t really know what to do with my feelings.

“It’s unfair.” I said while pouting.

“Hmm?” A cool breeze brushed past the both of us at this moment. It was a nice and refreshing breeze that soothed my burning cheeks.

“Did you also take her soul?” I gulped.

I didn’t know the full story, maybe something unexpected happened.

However, when I closed my eyes, the senior shook his head so that I could clearly see that it was as I expected.

“Yes. Because that’s our job.”

Silence enveloped the two of us. Is it okay for such a tragic thing to happen? Because, to take away the soul of a loved one with that hand …

Maybe that’s why Mr. Reaper insisted on wearing a hood deeply so as to not show his face so stubbornly?

They can’t be involved with human beings. Other than the fact that they should take our souls, there’s little to none chance that there’s a need to interact with the human they are taking. Maybe my feelings were just annoying to Mr. Reaper then?

“I’m sorry to have to tell you a tragic story.” He said.

“That—”

“But I don’t want you to be in that kind of situation that I was in.”

I stayed silent because I didn’t know what to reply.

“No matter how much you like him, you can’t matchmake a god of death and a human.”

I knew that. I thought I would say that, but when I saw the boss’ face, I couldn’t say anything. Because he was laughing while crying right now.

That’s why I said “I’m sorry”, because I was doing my best.

“Why did you apologize?”

When he gently patted my head, he said, “I’m sorry too,” and started walking.

“Let’s go buy some juice”

“Yes.”

“If we’re too late, he might complain when we come back.”

“Is that so?”

When I went next to him, shoulder to shoulder, we started walking towards our destination.

He laughed and gave me corny jokes. But was I sincerely laughing?

What should I do with these feelings, since I heard such a story and still want to see my Reaper? As I walked next to the other Mr. Reaper, I was thinking about that with a smile.