- end:note

- As night fell, Shohei decided it was time to put an end to this adventure. He gazed at the city through his bedroom window, the lights of the buildings twinkling like so many artificial stars. The excitement of the draw had died down, and with it, a feeling of emptiness was slowly settling over him.

- I'll have to validate my winning ticket tomorrow, to qualify for the prize. He turned his head slightly towards Ryuk, who was floating nonchalantly around the room. That's something I can do without the Death Note.

Ryuk stared at him with his big, piercing yellow eyes.

- So it's all over, is it? asked the god of death, slightly amused.

Shohei nodded confidently.

- Yes, it is. His gaze was determined. There's no way they can know who Kira was among us seven winners, if they decide to question us. He held out an open hand to Ryuk. You can have your Death Notebook back. I don't want to have any memory of it. From now on, I'll be able to live off my passion for drawing, without worrying about money.

Ryuk remained silent for a moment, then burst out with his squeaky laugh.

- If you say so. He caught the notebook between his long claws. It was entertaining.

Shohei watched him disappear into the shadows of the night. A cool breeze blew in through the half-open window. This time, it was really over.

- By the way, where's the piece of paper with the winning code on it? Ryuk asked himself, suddenly remembering that Shohei had taken it from him.

- Oh, never mind. Ryuk shrugged, his dark wings quivering slightly. It's just a piece of paper, not the Death Note. He won't get his memories back.

The god of death smiled his usual malicious grin before disappearing for good.

2 months later...

- Why are you so stubborn, Matsuda? asked Mogi, L said there was no point in investigating the 7 winners.

Matsuda clenched his fists. He knew that logic was against him, that L was probably right, but part of him refused to accept this total defeat.

- I know... However, there's nothing to say we can't stumble across a clue, or something that might put us on the trail.

Mogi sighed.

- You should give up.

A silence fell between them before Matsuda replied with a bitter smile:

- This is my last attempt, I promise. After this, I'll stop.

Now that Shōhei had a healthy bank account, his mother had finally accepted his decision to take up drawing. She apologized for her lack of understanding and fully supported him in his project.

One day, Shōhei left home with a can of spray paint, tagging something on a wall. 

Ryuk moved silently closer to Shōhei, ready to fulfill his promise and close this chapter of his existence.

As Shōhei stood in front of the freshly tagged wall, a sense of accomplishment filled his mind. The bright colors and bold shapes of his graffiti spread out before him, creating a captivating work of urban art. However, this moment of satisfaction was quickly interrupted by a shrill siren sound.

Shōhei turned his head to see a black car not far away, FBI agents in black uniforms, hurriedly getting out. A sudden panic seized him, for this was the first time he'd been caught in the act of tagging. Without thinking, he grabbed his legs and ran down the street, desperately looking for a way out.

Federal agents pursued him through the city's bustling streets, Shōhei deftly dodging obstacles in his path. His frantic run brought him to a busy street, where, in his panic, he failed to see the car speeding straight towards him. There was a sudden crash, followed by the fleeting image of the car's headlights and the bluish sky before everything went black.

Beside him, Ryuk stood in the shadows, silent and invisible to human eyes.

"Shōhei Kyōden"

This was the name that appeared alongside that of "Light Yagami" as well as "Minoru Tanaka" in Ryuk's Death Note.

- Sorry, but it would have been boring to wait until the end.

Ryuk muttered to himself, with an air of insensitivity: 

- You shaped chance to your liking... but it finally got away from you. How ironic.

Then he disappeared, leaving behind Shōhei's lifeless body in the arms of the FBI, whose adventure with the Death Note had finally come to an end.

December 17, 2023.