Standing before his apartment door, Jurou fumbled with his keys. It suddenly occurred to him that in his rush to make it to the café, he had forgotten to lock the door.
“You’re back,” A soft voice floated towards Jurou. “I noticed you had left your door open and closed it for you.”
He recognised the voice; it was his neighbour and, as with all the residents of the company owned shataku, his colleague.
He turned towards her, “Ah, Hana, thank you.”
“Were you late for an interview? I heard what happened at your branch…” She continued, her concern stressed in her voice. Finally noticing his attire and remembering that it was the weekend, she tilted her head. “…or was it a date?”
He let out a nervous laugh, “N-no, nothing like that. It’s just…been a strange few days.”
“Are they kicking you out?”
He hadn’t thought about it, after all, if he was no longer an employee, how could he continue to live at the company’s apartment complex?
Ugh, who cares? Jurou heard his own voice sound internally.
“I imagine so.” He finally said in response.
After a brief exchange with his kind neighbour, Jurou entered his apartment.
Something was amiss.
It took all of 2 seconds to locate the problem; it was the lanky figure sitting on the beige couch, watching TV and laughing away.
Jurou sighed, reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone and dialled 110.
“I wouldn’t do that.” Sol warned; who then turned his attention back to the TV and continued laughing.
Jurou’s finger hovered above the call icon, looking towards Sol, he responded;
“This should be good…”
Still enjoying the TV, Sol started;
“I have clearly to help you.”
“-Clearly.”
“I wouldn’t be here if you didn’t need me to be.”
“And, what, exactly would I need your help with?”
The long, pointed index finger gloved in white latex slowly rose gesturing towards a notepad on the low table in the middle of the living room.
Jurou pocketed his phone and warily approached,
“How did you- how could you have known…”
“I see everything you see, I know everything you know – and even everything you don’t know.”
“…are you…”
“Yes, I am-“
“A demon?”
“Eh?”
“Have you come for my soul?”
“What?”
“You’re a bit early-“
“I’m NOT a demon! If anything I’m more like a guardian angel.”
Jurou raised a suspicious eyebrow.
“Shinigami? No, you look more like ‘Slender Man’-”
“Slender Ma-, fine! I’ll just have to show you!”
Sol slowly rose, towering over Jurou;
“Let’s begin.”
Jurou kneeled at his low table with a pen in hand and stared at the lined, yellow notepad page – behind him, a grumpy giant loomed.
YOU ARE READING
To Live After Life
Roman d'amourKuroko Jurou finds out that he is dying. In truth that doesn't really mean anything to the Salaryman who has never truly lived to begin with. However, in the twilight of the young man's life, he meets Akatsuki Niko - who is determined to show him wh...
