Shikyo floated down the street. It was a strange sight. That is, if anyone was able to see him. Shikyo was a Shinigami; a Japanese god of death. Shinigami were rumored to be skeletal creatures in cloaks who wielded scythes or daggers. There were other stories going around that made Shinigami out to be hideous creatures while others suggested that they appeared as half-human and half-animal beings. Shikyo, as well as all other Shinigami, actually appeared to be human. In fact, if anyone were able to see him, he would appear to be a sixteen-year-old teenage boy. Well, save for the fact that he was floating a few feet above the sidewalk. Shikyo also had a head of fluffy white hair that would have made him stand out in a line up of average teenage boys. Apart from the fluffy, cloud-like hair and floating, Shikyo did look very human.

“There’s another one,” Shikyo smiled to himself as he took out a notebook and wrote down a name. Contrary to popular belief, a Shinigami’s notebook was not the source of their power. In fact, it wasn’t really necessary at all. Shikyo was simply doing his homework. He was supposed to go to the human realm and wait for twenty people to die. Then he was to record each name in his notebook and turn it in. Shikyo was now at fifteen.

“Humans are so predictable,” the Shinigami sighed to himself. He smoothed out his white robes and sat on a bench by a bus stop. His most recent recorded death was a drug addict. He had at least four overdoses in his notebook already. “Can’t they just be happy with their world the way it is?” He sighed and wrote down another name. “Another OD,” he paused in the middle of the name, he had to focus his third eye to get the spelling correct. Shinigami had a sixth sense that allowed them to see all names and life expectancies of humans. It was not visible, not even to each other, but the eye was there. Its only fault was that because Shikyo was still in training, he couldn’t see how the person would die. After completing the name, Shikyo flew up a little higher. He spotted a school a few blocks ahead of where he was. He glanced at a nearby clock tower and saw that the time read 2:58. School was out in two minutes.

“So, I told him, he better not ask me out anymore,” a girl said as she walked out of the school. By the time Shikyo had floated over, the high school had let out.

“How embarrassing,” her friend replied.

“I know, he’s just so unpopular,” the first girl said melodramatically. Shikyo rolled his eyes and flew forward, flipping the girl’s skirt up in the process. “Pervert!” she screamed, but saw no one. Her friend raised an eyebrow. “Just the wind, I guess,” she blushed. Shikyo chuckled to himself as he glided closer to the school’s steps. He only had to record four more deaths before the end of the week and it was only Monday. He wasn’t at the top of his class for good looks. He waited until he thought all the students were gone. All of them had plenty of time left on their life countdown.

“Hitomi-chan,” he suddenly heard a high pitched voice and turned toward that direction. There was a short girl with bright red hair pulled back into pigtails talking to a girl with long blonde hair. The annoying redhead kept chattering about this and that, but Shikyo couldn’t help, but stare at the blonde girl.

“Well, Yumiko, I don’t know, we’d have to ask our president,” Hitomi answered the annoying girl with practiced patience. Shikyo ruffled his short white hair in annoyance at the girl’s high-pitched wail.

“But Hitomi-chaaaaan!” the redhead whined. “I’m sure we could take the trip to Osaka!” Then the short girl smirked, “I bet it would be fun to ride the rollercoaster with Kento-sempai.” The blonde blushed.

“Y-yumiko!” Hitomi flushed even more, “I don’t feel that way about Kento-sempai, alright?” The redhead rolled her eyes and giggled.

“Yuck, this is starting to turn into some fluffy, shoujo story,” Shikyo pushed his soft, white bangs out of his face and started to float away, when he noticed something. He had been too enamored by the blonde’s good looks earlier to notice her life span. “She only has three more hours,” he gave himself an inner high-five. “I’ll just follow her around until she dies and I’ll still have plenty of time to get the rest before Friday.”

“Hitomi, are you coming to the mall or not?” Shikyo faced the direction of the redhead girl’s annoying voice only to come face to face with the blonde girl. She was staring right at him. “Hitomi-chan?” The blonde suddenly snapped out of her trance.

“Sorry, Yumiko, I thought I heard something,” with that, she turned and followed her friend in the direction of the outdoor mall. Shikyo let out of a sigh of relief.

“For a second I thought that maybe she could see me,” he put his hand over where his heart would be, if he had one, that is. “Well, I better follow her, maybe she’ll be allergic to something they eat, that’s always a fun one to watch, or maybe…” he continued filling his mind with sick fantasies as he followed Hitomi to her death.

Shikyo watched the two girls try on tons of bathing suits and outfits. Yumiko still looked a little flat and boring, but even the Shinigami had to admit that Hitomi looked very attractive. Shikyo couldn’t quite place it, but he felt like he knew Hitomi from somewhere. He quickly shook off the thought and followed the girls to the next store.

Hours had passed and Hitomi was still kicking. Shikyo stared at her again, so he could focus and read her remaining time. She had only a few minutes, but they were still in the mall. At least it was getting dark.

“Ooh! Maybe it’ll be a mugging,” Shikyo couldn’t contain his excitement. Most of his recorded deaths today were old age, heart attacks or overdoses. He wanted to see something exciting. Suddenly he turned and the girls were nowhere in sight. He flew up higher so he could get a better view of the area. He saw Hitomi, alone. “Hmph, her stupid little friend must have stayed out past curfew.”

Hitomi walked down an alley, a short cut, back to her house. “Yup, definitely a mugging,” Shikyo smiled to himself and floated after her. His completely white outfit would have stood out in the dark if he could be seen. He pushed his white bangs out of his eyes and followed her down the alley. “Any second now…”

“Ah, Hitomi-chan,” Shikyo and Hitomi both snapped their heads towards the voice.

“Ooh, it’s someone she knows, how dramatic!” Shikyo giggled and got his notebook ready.

“W-who’s there?” Hitomi clutched her pink bag closer to her chest and unconsciously pulled on a strand of her long blonde hair.

“Hm, I’m surprised you don’t remember me,” the dark man’s voice replied.

“I bet it’s an ex-boyfriend,” Shikyo hummed to himself as he took some candy out of his pocket and began to chow down, thoroughly enjoying the show.

A dark shadow appeared and Hitomi gasped. “What do you want? My father is an important business man here in the city, you could be a very rich man,” she lied as she backed away. Shikyo chuckled to himself.

“Girls will say anything when they’re in trouble,” he narrowed his eyes, time was up, “Good bye, it was nice to meet you, Hitomi.” But she remained. The shadow did not attack and her time was up.

“I’m not going to do it with you floating there,” the man said, stepping out of the shadows. He was actually no more than a boy, about seventeen maybe, with jet black hair slightly shorter than Shikyo’s. He flashed his white teeth at the shinigami. “Surprised? We can see you, you know.”

“We?” Shikyo was suddenly hit with realization, the dark shadow, the ominous aura he felt, “Vampire!”

“Very good, Shinigami,” he chuckled, showing off his sharp fangs. “Now, get out of here so I can have the life of this girl.” By this time, Hitomi was terrified. Her attacker had yet to attack, but now he was talking to himself. She took her chance and ran down the alley, but suddenly the dark boy was in front of her, smiling.

“Not so fast, pet,” he smirked and pushed her against the alley wall. “I’m not done with you just yet,” he purred as he slowly kissed his way down to her neck. “Ah,” he breathed as he reached her pulse point, “I just love that sound.”

Suddenly, Shikyo was hit was a memory. It was fuzzy, but Hitomi’s face stood out to him. She was crying and she was running away from something, no, someone. Shikyo put both hands on the sides of his head, trying to shake the memory off, but it remained. The sepia-toned Hitomi was screaming for him, but he couldn’t move. He had to save her.

“Please, if you let me go, I will do everything in my power to-,” he could barely hear Hitomi’s voice. He couldn’t get her image out of his head. When he was finally able to focus on the situation at hand, he saw the vampire getting closer to the girl who looked so familiar to him.

“Power?” the vampire laughed, “What power does a human have?” Shikyo had finally snapped out of his stupor and flew towards the vampire. He pushed him off of Hitomi and stood in front of her.

“Damn it, Shinigami,” the vampire complained as he got up off the floor. “This is my kill and besides,” he smirked, “weren’t you just waiting for her to die?”

“Rule number three-hundred and fifty-two,” Shikyo began, “any human being pursued by a Shinigami is off-limits to any other supernatural being including, but not limited to, vampires, werewolves-”

“Enough!” the dark-haired one screamed. “What are you, new or something?” by Shikyo’s blush, he could tell that he was. “You’re just mad because if I take her life, then you can’t have her soul, right?” Shikyo nodded.

“That’s right, and I saw her first,” he glared at the fanged boy. “What’s your name, Vampire, so I can tell the authorities that you were about to break a rule?”

“The name is Ketsuki and don’t bother, I was just leaving anyway,” he turned around and began walking down the alley. “Of course, you realize that her life has been extended since I didn’t kill her. I was the reason she was supposed to die…looks like you’ll have to find another soul tonight,” Ketsuki chuckled as he disappeared down the alley. “Oh,” his voice returned, “I’ll come back for little Miss Hitomi later.”

“What’s going on?” Hitomi all but screamed. She had tears streaming from her eyes. “Who are you?” she asked feeling awkwardly out in front of her. “Who are you, the one the saved me?”

“My name is Shikyo and it doesn’t matter, I have a job to do and you can’t even hear me,” he laughed a bit, getting his bouncy mood back and started to float away.

“Shikyo wait!” Hitomi called out. Shikyo froze, his eyes wide. She could hear him?

“Um, Hitomi-san, you’re dreaming. Why don’t you just head on home and get back into bed?” Shikyo started to hover backwards and away from her.

“But you saved me,” Hitomi wasn’t sure where to look, so she looked everywhere at once in the alley. “Please, Shikyo, I want to thank you…” she looked down, more tears falling from her eyes. “And what if,” she sniffed, “what if that monster, that vampire comes back?”

She was staring up at him, pleading. Her eyes, eyes which were so familiar to him, were filled with tears. Something inside the Shinigami stirred. As if his long-dead heart was aching.

“I won’t let him get you,” Shikyo heard himself say. “I will protect you, Hitomi, I swear.”

“Well, well,” a voice whispered from the shadows, not heard by Hitomi or the Shinigami. “Looks like perfect little Shikyo has gotten himself into trouble. I suppose I should tell the boss,” and with that, the creature in the shadows flew away.

“D-do you really swear, you’ll protect me?” Hitomi whispered as she slowly walked in the direction of Shikyo’s voice.

“Yes, and it seems I have to now,” Shikyo cursed himself, how could he forget rule number fourteen-hundred and sixty-seven: ‘A Shinigami must never lie if it involves something close to and including a promise.’ And he had failed to remember rule number one: ‘A Shinigami can never have direct contact with a human unless they are about to record their death or kill them themselves.’

“Well, since you did save me,” Hitomi looked down and blushed, “can I at least see what you look like?” Shikyo was taken aback. It was one thing to reveal his very existence to a human, let alone save her and swear to protect her life…but show her what he looked like. Just how many rules was he going to break tonight?

“Just how many rules are you going to break tonight, Shikyo?” a voice was heard directly above their heads and Shikyo and Hitomi stared straight up. “Don’t think I missed a moment of that touching scene with this,” he spat, “human.”

“Kurayami-senpai!” Shikyo gasped.

“That’s right, our perfect little model student, Shikyo,” Kurayami Touken smirked and floated down in between Hitomi and Shikyo. “Yaezaki Hitomi, age 16,” he began reading from a piece of paper, “scheduled to die today, August 15th of a vampire bite,” he looked up at Shikyo as he finished the rest without reading, “death postponed by a shinigami, Shikyo.”

“Kurayami-senpai, you didn’t tell the boss did you?” Shikyo was a model student, top of his class in the Shinigami Realm, but no Shinigami was without fear of their boss, the God of the Dead.

“How could I not,” Touken smirked as Shikyo shivered despite himself, “I couldn’t keep such a secret from the God of the Dead.”

“That vampire was breaking the rules!” Shikyo defended himself.

“Yes, he would have been breaking the rules, had you been sent to kill Miss Yaezaki, however, you were merely following her to her death, a death that you prevented, Shikyo-chan,” Touken smiled as Shikyo blushed at the pet name.

“Who is he?” Hitomi asked Shikyo, or at least where she thought Shikyo might be.

“Oh, this is interesting,” Touken floated up beside Hitomi. “She can hear us, that is very interesting, indeed,” he pushed back some of her long blonde hair and Hitomi turned her head away from the touch. “This is very serious, Shikyo, I wouldn’t want our prized pupil to be thrown out of the Shinigami Academy.”

“What did the boss say?” Shikyo floated down to the ground and began to shuffle his feet.

“You don’t like to waste too much time, do you, Shikyo-chan?” Touken laughed, using the pet name again. “The boss says that you have to keep true to your word,” there was humor in Touken’s eyes, but he became serious when he delivered the punishment, “you must stay by this girl’s side until she passes away.”

“Is that all?” Shikyo was relieved. Humans didn’t live that long, anyway.

“But,” Touken interrupted Shikyo’s celebration, “if you do anything, and I mean anything, to help this girl avoid her death again, you will be severely punished.” Touken didn’t have to tell him twice.

“Yes, Kurayami-senpai,” Shikyo bowed his head.

“And as for Yaezaki-san,” Touken ghosted his hand over Hitomi’s face and she cringed. His eyes shifted to Shikyo’s. “Do take good care of her, I’d hate to see this soul go early,” he smirked and flew above their heads. “And watch out for that bloodsucker, I’m sure he’ll want to get her again, but as you can see,” he pointed towards Hitomi, “her life has been extended to its full length, she is to die of old age.”

“Yes, I will stop that beast, she is Shinigami property now,” Shikyo smiled at her, though she couldn’t see it. “Her soul is property of the God of the Dead.”

“Very good, Shikyo-chan,” Touken started to fly up towards the Shinigami Realm, “now, don’t let her get into too much trouble.” He pushed a strand of long white hair out of his face and then he was gone.

“Shikyo-sama,” Hitomi walked toward where she heard Shikyo’s voice last. “Thank you for saving me, I know you didn’t have to and I’m sorry you’re being punished.” Shikyo blushed at her kind words.

“It’s quite alright, Yaezaki-san,” he had to be professional now.

“Please, call me Hitomi,” she smiled toward his voice. “My house is just through this alley, please follow me.” Shikyo followed her with no problems. He was her protector now; he had to ensure that she made it to her proper Death Day. Unfortunately, watching this girl certainly puts a damper on his graduating Shinigami Academy within the next decade.

“I’m home!” Hitomi called out and took her shoes off at the door. She slipped on her favorite pink bunny slippers and ascended the stairs. “My room is this way,” she whispered behind her and Shikyo nodded, though he knew she couldn’t see him. When they rounded the corner at the top of the stairs, they came face to face with one very angry looking teenage boy.

“You’re a little late, Hitomi-imouto,” her older brother growled. “I had to do all of your chores and you missed dinner.”

“Eh, Eichi-nii-san,” Hitomi blurted out, “What, it’s only eight or so…”

“Yes, but dinner was at six,” her growled out, “just where were you?”

“Well, I was out at the mall with Yumiko-,” but Eichi cut her off.

“Yes, I know, I called her,” Eichi said coolly and then added, “she said she left you around sevenish, how do you explain the extra hour?” His face darkened, “You weren’t out with a boy, were you?” For the first time in years, decades even, Shikyo feared for his life. Of course, he didn’t have a life and couldn’t die, but her brother, he was something else.

“Will you leave her alone, Eichi,” a middle-aged woman came up behind Hitomi’s brother and smacked him on the head. “She wasn’t out past her curfew and you were supposed to do those chores anyway.”

“Thanks mom,” Hitomi smiled at her mother.

“And even if she was out with a boy, that’s none of your business,” their mother grabbed Eichi by his short blonde hair and dragged him down the hallway to his room. “Now say ‘goodnight’ to your sister and get your homework done.”

“I’ll be watching you,” Eichi managed out darkly before their mother shut his bedroom door in his face.

“You know how your brother is,” Mrs. Yaezaki rolled her eyes. “So what kept you, your little friend Yumiko called to make sure you got home alright?”

“So your brother lied,” Shikyo growled and Hitomi shot a glace at him. Or, at least where she assumed his was.

“I went to take a shortcut down that alley by the outdoor mall,” Hitomi began, “when a mugger appeared, he wanted to take my bag, but a very nice young man stopped him. I think he may have been a policeman in training or something, “Hitomi smiled over in Shikyo’s direction.

“Well, thank goodness you’re safe,” Yaezaki-san hugged her daughter tightly, “and you should invite this boy over for dinner, I’m sure your father and I would love to meet him.”

“Well, I didn’t get his name, but I’m sure I can try and find him later,” Hitomi lied so easily. Shikyo shook his head. “But now,” Hitomi added a yawn for emphasis, “I think I’m going to hit the hay, tomorrow is Friday and I think we have a quiz in my math class.”

“Alright then, dear, sleep well,” Yaezaki-san kissed her daughter on the forehead. “And don’t worry too much about your brother; I’ll take care of him, right Eichi?” Yaezaki-san sent a glare down the hallway at the crack in Eichi’s door, which quickly slammed shut at her words. “Nineteen-year-olds,” she sighed.

“Well, he is three years older, so he feels like he has to protect me,” Hitomi was covering fro her brother. ‘Of course, I don’t really need his protection now,’ she added to herself.

“Well, good night, dear,” and with that, Hitomi’s mother walked to the end of the hall and disappeared behind her bedroom door.

“Okay, Shikyo, this door is mine,” Hitomi whispered as she opened her bedroom door. Of course this was her room. It was pink from the carpet to the ceiling.

“I never would have guessed,” Shikyo smiled and flew onto her bed. “Ooh, this is comfy,” he sighed. Hitomi smiled at the depression in the center of her bed.

“At least I can kind of see you now,” she giggled.

“Well, get used to not seeing me because there is only one way you can see me,” Shikyo quickly put his hands over his mouth.

“Oh?” Hitomi cocked her head to the side. “And how is that, Shinigami-san,” she walked towards her bed. “It wouldn’t have anything to do with your notebook, would it?”

“Um, what do you mean?” Shikyo laughed nervously. ‘How does she know about my notebook?’

“I’ve read a book or two on the subject of supernatural beings,” Hitomi sauntered over. “I know that Shinigami keep a notebook of death and that they use it to kill their victims…”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Shikyo protested, “we do keep a notebook of death, but we don’t use it to kill humans, we simply use it to record their deaths.”

“Oh, is that so?” Hitomi sat down on her bed next to Shikyo. “So why can’t I touch it then? Was I right about that part?” she leaned forward toward the shadow where his head was. Shikyo blushed.

“Um, not quite…” Shikyo choked out. Hitomi quickly felt the up the length of Shikyo’s body. Shikyo blushed and his breathing became ragged.

“Is this the right spot?” Hitomi asked sensuously. “How about here?” she moved her hands up and down. “I can almost feel you,” she purred and Shikyo lost it.

“Alright, alright, here it is,” he pushed his necklace into her hands and his blushing white form appeared before her eyes. “Just please don’t do that anymore,” he coughed and looked away from her.

“Wow, what’s this?” Hitomi held the pendant in front of her face. It was about the size of a quarter or a hundred yen piece. It was circular and cold. It felt like it had been in a freezer for a few hours. It was blood red in color and had symbols on it that Hitomi couldn’t read.

“It’s my, well, I’m not sure if there’s a human word for it,” he paused, “it’s like a charm, it allows people to see me right before I kill them, that is, if I choose,” he paused, “not that you gave me much of a choice,” he pouted and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Oh, you’re so cute!” Hitomi pushed and hand threw his short white hair. “Ooh, it feels like a cloud!” she fawned over him. “How old are you, twelve or thirteen?” she smiled and Shikyo fumed.

“I am far older than you can comprehend,” he blushed harder, “and I’m supposed to appear sixteen…”

“Well, you’re the youngest looking sixteen-year-old I’ve ever seen,” Hitomi teased him. “But no matter how old you’re supposed to be,” her face suddenly got serious, “I’m glad that you saved me and I want to thank you.” She leaned in closer so her face was just centimeters away from his.

“Um, Yaezaki-san,” Shikyo gulped.

“Shh, I told you to call me Hitomi,” she stared at him threw half-lidded eyes. “Now be quiet and let me thank you properly.” Shikyo blushed harder, if that was possible, and he screwed his eyes and mouth up. Hitomi giggled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

“Hitomi-san?” Shikyo opened one eye.

“Thank you, Shikyo, now let’s get to bed,” she smiled, “I have school in the morning.” She quickly tied the cord around Shikyo’s neck and smiled.