[Chapter 2] You're Next!

A sharp chime cut through the air.

Reiji lazily pulled out his phone, barely glancing at the screen. His thumb hovered over the power button when he noticed it—

24 missed calls.

"Huh?" His brows furrowed. An unknown number. Who the hell—

"Oho! So you have a girl now, eh?" Shouma's grin was practically glued to his face.

"What? No! It's some random number," Reiji shot back, locking his screen.

Shouma wiggled his eyebrows. "C'mon, spill it. Who is she? Some secret admirer? Maybe a stalker?"

Reiji rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, totally. My mysterious, totally real girlfriend just loves spam-calling me."

"Pfft. No balls. Call them back."

"Fine, whatever." Reiji sighed, pressing the dial button. The phone rang once—

Then instantly connected.

A soft breath on the other end. Then—

"Hello?" A gentle, unfamiliar voice.

Reiji blinked. A girl? But before he could speak, Shouma grabbed his shoulder, eyes wide with betrayal. "You bastard! You DO have a girl! I knew it!"

"What? No!—"

"Tch. I'll leave you two lovebirds alone. See ya tomorrow, traitor." Shouma turned and walked away, dramatically wiping a fake tear.

Reiji groaned, waving him off before refocusing on the call. "Uh… who is this?"

Silence.

Then, a shaky breath. "Are you… Reiji Ravenveil?"

"Yeah?" His stomach twisted. Something about her tone—something wasn't right.

A pause. Then the words hit him like a freight train.

"Your father is in critical condition. He's in the hospital."

The world tilted.

His chest tightened. "What?"

"Please come quickly."

The call ended.

Reiji stood frozen, the words echoing in his skull. Then, his feet moved before his mind caught up—

He ran.

The hospital smelled like antiseptic and despair. The fluorescent lights overhead buzzed faintly, casting an artificial glow over the cold, sterile halls.

Reiji's breath came in ragged gasps as he reached the room. His hand trembled over the door handle. His legs refused to move.

He didn't want to go in.

Didn't want to see him like that.

A weak, rasping voice broke through the barrier. "Reiji…"

His stomach clenched.

Slowly, he pushed the door open.

His father lay in bed, frail and sunken. Tubes and wires ran along his arms, the heart monitor beeping in a steady, cruel rhythm. His breathing was labored, every inhale a battle.

Reiji swallowed hard, stepping closer. "Dad…?"

His father's eyelids fluttered. A weak, pained smile formed on his lips. "I… I'm sorry."

Reiji clenched his fists. "Why are you apologizing?! Just… just rest, okay?! You're gonna be fine—"

His father coughed, his entire body shaking from the effort. Then, with the last ounce of strength he had left—

He whispered it again.

"I'm sorry."

And then, silence.

The funeral was empty.

No friends. No relatives. Just Reiji, standing alone in the cemetery, hands shoved deep in his pockets, staring at the freshly dug grave.

Rain drizzled down, soaking into the earth. The headstone was simple. Too simple. It didn't feel real.

Reiji didn't cry. Couldn't cry. His chest felt hollow, his heart numb.

Then, the sound of footsteps.

Shouma appeared, carrying a bag of snacks and drinks. "So this is why you disappeared for four days."

Reiji didn't reply.

With a sigh, Shouma plopped down beside him, pulling out a can of soda. He handed one to Reiji. "Here."

Reiji hesitated before taking it. "…Thanks."

Shouma cracked open his drink, then smacked Reiji's head lightly. "Use your phone, you smartass. Thought you died."

Reiji chuckled weakly. "Didn't feel far from it."

They clinked their cans together in an unspoken toast. Then, with his usual shit-eating grin, Shouma took a sip and smirked. "So… you're part of the 'I don't have a dad' club now, huh?"

Reiji exhaled through his nose. "Yeah. Welcome me properly, will ya? Where's my initiation ceremony?"

Shouma grinned. "We burn our old report cards and scream into the void."

Reiji actually laughed. A real laugh.

It was the first time in days he felt even a little bit human.

That night, sleep felt impossible.

Reiji stood in the bathroom, brushing his teeth, staring blankly at his reflection.

Then—

A bloody handprint appeared on the mirror.

Reiji froze.

His pulse spiked. The toothbrush slipped from his grip, clattering into the sink. He squeezed his eyes shut, heart pounding.

"Get it together, old man… Go to the afterlife or whatever." His voice wavered as he turned away.

A soft creak outside his bathroom.

Reiji snapped his head toward the noise, every hair on his body standing on end.

The silence pressed in, thick and suffocating.

Then, something moved.

Reiji bolted out of the bathroom.

Morning came too soon.

The alarm blared. Reiji groaned, rolling over before slapping his cheeks. "Okay. You can do this."

He threw himself into job hunting. Convenience stores. Computer shops. Cafés. Anything.

Rejection after rejection.

Hours later, exhausted, he slumped onto a park bench, drinking water. The sun was merciless. His head swam.

Then, something caught his eye.

A piece of paper. No—

A wobbly, shifting mass. Like… a mirage?

"Geez, it's so hot I'm hallucinating… Or am I becoming a math genius?"

Shaking his head, he got up, brushing it off as heat exhaustion. He went home, collapsed onto his bed, and groaned into his pillow.

"If none of these places hire me, I'm fucked."

Sleep hit him fast.

Somewhere in the depths of his mind, the wobbly letters shifted.

They became clearer.

You're next.

Reiji woke up. The words from his dream echoed in his head. He reached for his phone to text Shouma.

But before he could, a single notification flashed on the screen.

Congratulations.

An unknown number. A job offer. A pinned location.

Reiji grinned. "Hell yeah!"

Reiji rubbed his eyes, staring at the message on his screen.

Congratulations! Your job application has been accepted.

A location was pinned below. No company name. No details. Just an address.

Reiji blinked. "Am I being scammed right now?"

Suspicion twisted in his gut. But… free money was free money, right? He scowled, stuffing his phone into his pocket. "If I get kidnapped and sold, I'm haunting someone."

With a pissed-off expression, he made his way to the location.

The place looked like an old storage building, abandoned and lifeless. He hesitated at the entrance before stepping in—

A giant rat scurried past.

"WHAT THE FU—?!" Reiji jumped back, instantly raising his fists in a battle-ready stance.

The rat stopped, twitching its whiskers.

Reiji exhaled sharply. "Damn fat rat…"

Shaking off the initial shock, he wandered deeper into the building. Dust clung to the air. The dim lighting barely illuminated the space.

And then—

A white mini delivery truck sat in the center of the room.

It looked brand new. Not a single scratch. The contrast between its pristine condition and the decrepit storage building sent a shiver down Reiji's spine.

His phone buzzed.

Another notification.

Name: Reiji Ravenveil

Position: Truck Driver

Points: 0

(1 Point = $300 USD)

Reiji stared. His mouth felt dry.

"…The hell?"

$300 per point? That was insane. It sounded like a scam. A joke. But the money—

He hesitated, then tapped accept.

New Mission Assigned.

Mission: Driver Trainee

Objective: "Deliver a soul to its next destination."Target: [A stray dog] Refusal Consequence: Unnatural Lightning Strike.

Reiji's stomach dropped.

He reread it. Once. Twice. Then again.

"HAAAA?! You want me to do WHAT?!"

His voice cracked. This had to be a joke. Some sick prank.

No way. No way in hell.

Reiji turned on his heel and walked out.

The screen of a CCTV camera flickered.

It showed Reiji leaving the truck behind.

Somewhere, in a dimly lit room, a shadowy figure swirled a glass of wine, watching the feed. A smirk tugged at his lips as he clicked his tongue.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… You need to do your job."

"Gods' will is absolute."