The Tragedy

File Room, Death Incorporated Building, Early afternoon

Akane sits at the desk, working on filing the reports. Her face is a little red and her breathing a little uneven. She must just be very tired from her work.

The door opens. Akane looks up. It’s the receptionist.

Akane is a bit surprised to see her.

Akane: ‘Oh, hello.”

The receptionist looks at Akane awkwardly for a moment.

Receptionist: “H-Hello.”

The receptionist looks like she has something she wants to say. Akane watches her, waiting for her to say something.

Receptionist: “So you two are an item now.”

Akane blushes. Is she embarrassed by the question, or is it something else?

Akane: “I don’t know. I hope so.”

The receptionist has a guilty look on her face.

Receptionist: “Listen, that time you walked in on us…I wanted to apologise for that. I was being rude and confrontational.”

Akane laughs it off.

Akane: “Oh, that? It’s okay; I barely remember it. You have nothing to apologise for.”

The receptionist glances away while gripping her elbow.

Receptionist: “Death-san…he’s always been distant. I’ve known him for a hundred years, but he’s never really let anyone get close to him. I tried to, at first, but even now, we’ve never done anything more than having casual sex now and again.”

The receptionist meets Akane’s eyes.

Receptionist: “Before you walked in on us…he said it very quietly, but I was certain he whispered your name.”

Akane’s cheek flushes again.

The receptionist starts to turn away.

Receptionist: “Anyway, I just came to say sorry. I’ll let you get back to work.”

Akane (Off-panel): “Wait!”

The receptionist turns back. Akane gives her an inviting smile.

Akane: “Let’s be friends, okay?”

The receptionist has her signature cold expression, but there’s a hint of a smile as she turns away again.

Receptionist: “Alright.”

The door closes behind her. Akane lets out a sigh of relief, then moans with pleasure.

Death (Off-panel): “Is she gone?”

Akane looks down. Under the desk, Death is sucking and licking between her thighs.

Akane laughs.

Akane: “You’re so mean. I was so close to breaking.”

Death smiles.

Death: “In that case, I should’ve been meaner.”

Death leans in to relieve her again. Akane laughs, pushing away from him.

Akane: “Stop!”

Title card: My New Boss is the Grim Reaper?! Episode 10.

Death’s Office, Death Incorporated Building, Late Afternoon

Akane opens the door to leave Death’s office. She turns back.

Akane: “I’ll be heading home then.”

Death smiles back.

Death: “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Akane stares at Death, as if something is wrong. She feels that something is off, but she doesn’t know what.

Death is confused and concerned.

Death: “Akane?”

Akane forces herself to smile. It is the last time Death sees her beautiful face. She seems to glow a little brighter in that moment, as if engraving itself onto Death’s memory.

Akane: “See you tomorrow.”

Grocery Store, Late Afternoon

Akane walks around the grocery store with a shopping basket. She strolls through the aisles idly. She stops when she walks past the chocolate section.

Akane glances at the selection of chocolate. She picks up a box of small chocolate pieces and thinks to herself.

Akane (Narration): “Maybe I’ll get him a small gift. Even the God of Death must like chocolate, right?”

Akane’s expression turns to comedic panic.

Akane (Narration): “Wait, but it’s not anywhere near Valentine’s.”

Akane thinks about it for a moment longer. She calms down, shrugs her shoulders, and throws the box into her basket.

Akane (Narration): “Oh well. I’m sure it doesn’t matter.”

Ryō (Off-panel): “Hayakawa-san!”

Akane turns around. It is the detective, Ryō Furuichi. He pretends as if he is also shopping and that it is only a coincidence that they bumped into each other, but he isn’t holding a shopping basket.

Ryō smiles casually.

Ryō: “Hey.”

City Streets, Night

Akane and Ryō walk through the dark city streets. Akane is carrying her bag of groceries.

Ryō: “Are you sure you don’t want me to carry that for you? It’s really no trouble.”

Akane smiles politely.

Akane: “It’s okay. This is so light that even I can handle it.”

The two walk silently for a bit.

Ryō: “Have you been doing okay?”

Akane thinks about it. She smiles sadly to herself. She recognises the evil she has committed and accepts her guilt in it.

Akane: “I think…I think I’m happy with where I am now.”

Ryō watches her as they walk through the streets.

Akane: “I mean, I am happy. Really happy. But I’m also so scared. I’m scared.”

Akane looks down.

Akane: “I made a difficult choice recently. I…I think it will hurt people, and I find it so hard to live with myself knowing that. I can’t help but think I haven’t changed. I’m afraid that I might be the same horrible person I used to be, but I have to keep reminding myself that it’s different this time.”

The two keep walking. Up the street, there is a homeless girl who sits on the sidewalk, wrapping herself in a dirty blanket.

Akane: “I hate this world. I hate how we suffer and make others suffer. I hate how hopeless everything feels and how apathetic it makes us.”

There is a close-up of the homeless girl. She can’t be older than her early or mid teens. In front of her, there are large bundles of origami flowers.

Akane: “And most of all, I hate myself.”

Akane stops in front of the girl. She looks down at her.

Ryō: “That’s a very depressing way of looking at the world.”

Akane bends down and puts a singular note of cash into a plastic cup in front of the girl. She then picks out a single origami flower from the bundle. The homeless girl looks up at Akane, surprised. Akane simply smiles back kindly before walking away.

Ryō: “If the world is so bleak and horrible, how are we as humans supposed to live?”

Akane thinks about it for a moment. She holds the origami flower up to him, as if it is an answer.

Ryō stares back at her, confused. He has no idea what she means by it.

Ryō: “What use do you have with an origami flower?”

Akane: “There’s nothing wrong with a small bit of kindness.”

Ryō seems annoyed by this, as if he finds her ridiculous.

Ryō: “Yes, but such a small kindness will always be lost amongst the endless evil of the world.”

Akane looks at the flower. She smiles sadly.

Akane: “Maybe you’re right.”

Akane looks back at Ryō.

Akane: “But I have faith. Faith that there will always be a good ending, no matter how long it takes.”

Ryō: “How can you say that after you said you hated the world and everyone in it?”

Akane smiles brightly.

Akane: “Because it’s better that way.”

Ryō has nothing to say in reply. The two walk in silence for a little longer until Ryō finally speaks again. They stop.

Ryō: “Hayakawa-san, I know that I promised that I wouldn’t ask you about the envelope, but…but if it is going to save lives, I beg of you, please submit it to the police.”

Akane tries her best to act normal and fake her laughter.

Akane: “Oh, that! That was just a prank my co-workers pulled on me! I’m sorry I made you think it was something serious. I really thought it was too! I was so annoyed at my co-workers after that.”

Ryō knows she is lying. He is more serious now.

Ryō: “Hayakawa-san.”

Akane frowns. She everts her gaze.

Akane: “I’m sorry.”

Ryō is passionate.

Ryō: “Even if it might save lives?”

Akane looks even more frustrated and pained. Her guilt is killing her.

Akane: “I’m so sorry. I can’t.”

Ryō’s expression shifts slowly. First, it is innocent disappointment. Then, sadness. Finally, malice. It is almost murderous and sociopathic.

Ryō: “That’s a shame. It looks like I’ll have to do things the hard way.”

Ryō takes out something from within his trench coat. Akane looks at it. It is a wrench.

Akane’s eyes widen. Everything is slow.

Her grocery bags fall. She drops the origami flower.

Her feet take a step back. She tries to turn. She tries to run. It is too late.

Ryō swings the wrench across the side of Akane’s head. Akane falls hard against the pavement. Blood starts pooling on the ground. Ryō stands over her body.

Akane glances up at the night sky. There are no street lights around them. They are in a secluded area of the city. There’s no hope of rescue. She can’t put any strength into her body. Everything is starting to fade.

Akane whispers very lightly.

Akane: “Please…please don’t hurt him.”

Ryō is confused.

Ryō: “What the hell are you talking about?”

Akane: “I know you’ll be angry…angrier than you have ever been, but I beg of you…even he deserves kindness.”

Ryō shrugs. He puts the wrench back within his trench coat.

Ryō: “Crazy woman.”

Ryō turns and starts to walk away.

Akane is alone in the dark street, bleeding out on the pavement. It is cold and dark and lonely.

There is a close-up of Akane’s spilt groceries. The box of chocolates she bought for Death lies on the ground, untouched.