A Dance with Death

Patient Room, Hospital, Late Night

The hospital room is dim. An old woman lies in the hospital bed. She is surrounded by several people. They all have saddened expressions. Among them is a very young boy, around ten years old. He clutches the old woman’s outstretched hand. He holds it tightly, with tears beginning to gather at the edges of his eyes.

We see Death in the corner, watching the family and the old woman. He is in his human form. He has a darkened expression, as if he feels very uncomfortable being there. None of the people in the room seem to notice him.

The boy cries loudly. Tears flow from his eyes uncontrollably. He buries his head into the bed and clenches his grandmother’s hand.

Death continues to watch. His expression hints at a sense of shame. He doesn’t want to be there, but he has to be. He forces himself to be there.

The boy raises his head. He notices Death in the corner.

Death has a surprised expression. He’s surprised the boy can see him.

The boy’s expression turns to anger. He is furious. His eyes are filled with rage. He blames Death for everything.

Boy (Narration): “This is all your fault!”

Death has an annoyed expression. He is angered by the boy’s hatred of him. He starts to transform. His body is obscured in the darkness, but there are hints of his bony protrusions and monstrous features. He grows taller and almost touches the ceiling.

The boy’s expression shifts quickly from anger to fear. He is terrified. He falls back to the ground and screams.

We see the boy from Death’s eyes. We see his fear. He looks as if he has seen the devil.

Death (Narration): “Good.”

Death’s eyes close. Everything is dark.

Entrance Hall, Death Incorporated Building, Early morning

Death’s eyes open again. Where he once saw the fearful boy, he now sees Akane, whose expression holds no fear whatsoever. She looks as if she’s just looking at another average person.

A close-up of Death’s face. He is shocked but also annoyed. What is going on?

Death’s Office, Death Incorporated Building, Early morning

Death’s Office is incredibly luxurious. It looks like the office of the CEO of a huge company and is well-furnished.

Akane sits at the chair, looking around the office with awe. She is amazed by the luxury.

Death is away from his desk. He stands by a table near the wall, where there are glasses and several bottles of liquor on a serving plate. He pours himself a drink of whiskey. Then, while holding the drink in one hand and a piece of paper in the other, he returns to sit at his desk.

Death sits down at his desk while he continues to read the piece of paper.

Death: “Akane Hayakawa. You’re here because you were…hired?”

Death looks at Akane. Akane is not paying attention to him. Her attention is still on the office itself. She is still amazed by it.

Death: “Hayakawa-san?”

Akane turns to Death, flustered.

Akane: “O-Oh, sorry! It’s just that I’ve never seen such a nice office. I didn’t realise this company was so successful.”

Death smirks. He puts the piece of paper onto the desk and leans back in his chair. He is still holding his drink in one hand.

Death: “If this office is making you uncomfortable, I can take us somewhere else.”

Akane is confused.

Akane: “Like…the lounge?”

Death’s smirk grows. He raises his free hand and snaps his fingers.

Beach, Hawaii, Morning

The two of them are suddenly at a beautiful beach. Their chairs and the desk are still there, but everything else has changed. The floor is now golden sand. They sit under the shade of a lovely palm tree. The sun is strong and bright overhead.

In the distance, there seems to be people playing volleyball on the beach.

Akane blinks. It is taking her a moment to realise what has happened.

Akane: “Eh?”

Akane looks around. She has realised what has happened.

Akane: “Eh?!”

Death looks incredibly amused by Akane’s shock.

Death: “Not your taste? Let’s try something else.”

Death snaps his fingers again.

Forest, Morning

Akane and Death are now in a forest. The desk and their chairs remain, but otherwise, everything else has changed. The forest is almost as if it is from a fairy tale. They are in the centre of an outcropping with no trees, but there are trees all around them.

The sand underfoot is now grass.

Akane glances over. She sees a deer grazing at some of the grass. Her expression is shock and disbelief.

Death is still in his chair. He looks casual and disturbed by their sudden teleportations.

Death: “You’re right. I’m not a fan of the outdoors either.”

Death snaps his fingers.

Jazz Bar, New Orleans, Evening

They are now in a classy jazz bar. It is a very nicely furnished and aesthetic bar. It is dimly lit. A band is playing softly on stage in front of them.

In the distance, there is a bartender drying cups with a cloth.

Akane looks around. She is amazed. She cannot believe what she is seeing.

Death: “Ah. I like this one.”

Akane looks at him.

Akane: “Who are you?”

Death is sitting snugly on his chair while holding his glass of alcohol. He has a smug smile.

Death: “Some people call me the Grim Reaper. You might know me better as the Shinigami (死神). I prefer to just be called Death.”

Title card: My New Boss is the Grim Reaper?! Episode 2.

Jazz Bar, New Orleans, Evening

Death reads through a document. Akane looks on at him nervously.

Death: “So…”

Death puts the document down.

Death: “You don’t think of yourself as a good person?”

Akane scratches at her cheek. She is a little bit embarrassed.

Akane: “Well…no.”

Death: “Most humans think of themselves as good. Inherently. Undoubtedly. Of course, they’re always wrong, but that denial is in it of itself a core part of being human.”

Akane averts Death’s gaze.

Akane: “I’m a coward, you see. I know there is horrible things happening all around the world, but all I can be concerned about is myself.”

Death: “So you believe apathy to be sinful? If so, there isn’t a single good soul in all of Japan.”

Akane: “I have no right to judge anyone else. I don’t know what they’re going through or what circumstances they’re in. The only person who I can judge for certain is myself. I am the only one who I can be certain isn’t a good person.”

Death watches Akane intently. He is very interested in what she is saying. He is very curious.

Death: “Then do you see yourself as a bad person?”

Akane looks down at her lap. She looks as if she is disappointed in herself.

Akane: “Before this job…I used to work as an administrator for a stock brokering company. They didn’t do anything that was outright illegal, but they used a lot of underhanded and shady tactics. They made their clients pay exorbitant fees, and they would often use the money for their own purposes.”

Her hands clenched tight on her office skirt.

Akane: “It was…despicable. But I couldn’t leave. I needed the money, and even though I never took any of the client’s money, I knew my wages weren’t clean. Worst of all, I was complacent, and I can never forgive myself for that. If I helped bad people do bad things, would I not be a bad person myself?”

Death keeps looking at Akane while thinking about everything she said. Then, he puts his glass on his desk and stands.

The jazz band begins to play a new song. It is slow and romantic.

Death: “With such nice music, it’d be a shame if we didn’t dance.”

Death smiles charismatically at Akane.

Death: “Shall we?”

Akane looks up at Death, flustered.

Akane: “I, uh, I…”

Death snaps his fingers. Akane’s formal office attire is suddenly transformed into a lovely red dress. Akane is shocked.

Akane: “Eh?”

Death extends a hand to her.

Death: “Shall we?”

Akane blushes a little. Hesitantly, she takes it. The two of them begin to dance to the music. They do a very basic waltz box step dance. Their bodies are pressed close together. Akane continues to blush. She looks small very compared to Death.

Death: “I feel that I owe you an explanation, Hayakawa-san. I wanted a personal assistant, so I had a job listing sent out. But the job listing was never meant to reach the mortal realm, and I have no idea how you saw it, let alone how you managed to get a job offer.”

Akane listens to Death talk. She continues to dance with him, although she has a slightly confused expression. What is he trying to say?

Death: “We made a mistake when we gave you the job. We can’t hire someone who’s still alive.”

Akane panics. She pulls away from the dance.

Akane: “Wait, wait, you can’t just fire me! Please, I need this job!”

Death frowns. He does not relish in doing this to Akane, but he has to.

Death: “There’s nothing I can do.”

Death approaches Akane. His shadow looms over her. Even in his human form, he has a terrifying aura to him.

Death: “But don’t worry, I’ll erase your memory of the afterlife before I send you back.”

Akane backs away with a scared expression. Her eyes are wide with fear.

Death reaches out a hand, as if to grab Akane’s head.

Akane: “Wait, hold on!”

Akane runs away from Death. She runs up to the desk and scrambles to grab the document. She holds it up to Death. She is still scared, but she is trying her best to gather her courage.”

Akane: “T-This is the employment contract I signed when you gave me the job offer! Look right here.”

Akane points at a line of text on the document.

Akane: “Section 12! Notice of termination must be given at least thirty days before dismissal!”

Death walks over to Akane slowly. She tries to back away, only to realise the desk is behind her. He gets right up to her. He has a condescending smirk, as if he finds her resistance amusing.

Death: “You think you can scare the God of Death with a piece of paper? You are just a mortal woman.”

Akane holds the contract up to Death’s face. There is a hint of determination in her expression.

Akane: “The afterlife has rules that even the God of Death has to follow, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t need a company and contracts.”

Death’s smirk fades. He is starting to take her seriously.

Akane: “S-So if you don’t give me thirty days’ notice, I’ll take you to the Labour Tribunal! And if you’re found guilty, you’re liable to be investigated for competency! At worst, I can get you suspended!”

Death is angry now. He has a scowl across his face. He pushes up against Akane, and she almost falls back over the desk. She has a hand on the desk to push herself up.

Death grabs her wrist. Their faces are close enough to feel each other’s breaths. Akane has a slight blush.

Death: “How dare you.”

Akane looks up at him. Despite her fear, she forces herself to smile. She knows that Death can’t do anything to her.

Akane: “What’s wrong? I’m just a mortal woman, right?”

There is a moment of silence between the two as they remain in that position, their bodies pressed together. There is a sense of passion. Akane’s cheeks are flushed.

There are close-ups of their mouths, both breathing heavily on each other’s faces. The room starts to heat up.

Suddenly, Akane and Death kiss. It is a strong, passionate kiss. As they continue to kiss, Death pushes against Akane, forcing her to lie back across the desk. Without breaking apart, Akane begins to take off Death’s tie, while Death helps to untie Akane’s dress.