Chapter 1: What Debt?
Haruhi Fujioka had planned out the perfect Sunday.
She would wake up early, as she always did and loved to, and begin cleaning.
She would finish at around eight, when she would wash up and change.
After, she would do her homework, until about noon.
For lunch, she would heat up some leftovers from last night, and watch the news.
Once she finished eating and washing the dishes, she would set off for the supermarket, coupons in hand, and take advantage of the sale.
When she came back, she would put away the groceries and take some time to relax.
After her break, she would continue her independent study of law, and a little extra practice for her math exam.
At around six, she would make dinner, setting some aside for her father, who would be coming home early from the bar.
To end her day she would put away the leftovers, wash the dishes, take a nice shower, brush her teeth, change back into her pajamas, and sleep until Monday came, when she would wake up early and get ready for school.
Coming home from the store to find her father looking distressed and having tea with a man who claimed to be Death was not part of the plan.
She had heard her father's voice when she was struggling with the key to their apartment, groceries in hand.
"Please, there has to be some other way!"
Dad…? Haruhi thought, pausing. Why is he home so early?
A second voice, male and unfamiliar to her, answered smoothly, "I'm afraid unless you want your debt to grow, there isn't."
Debt? Since when has Father been in debt? I manage most of the money, and we haven't ever exceeded our budget…
The door swung open, Haruhi jumping a bit. "Seems your daughter is home just in time to say goodbye."
Haruhi eyed the man sitting casually across from her panic-stricken father. He appeared to be in his late twenties and tall, with a lean figure and pale skin. His hair was a mess of gravity-defying black spikes, where the color in his eyes should be was white. Black square shades rested precariously on the tip of his nose. He wore a white collared shirt, sleeves rolled up, top buttons undone, under a black pinstripe vest. His slacks were jet black, along with his loafers and gloves. The area from his wrist to his elbows on both arms was covered in thin, simple, brown leather watches, all set to different times.
His chin rested on his interlaced fingers, and when he smiled at her, his teeth were fangs. "She doesn't know, does she?"
Haruhi looked over to her father, still in wig and makeup, only to find him looking down at his hands in his lap. "What's this about?" she asked, a growing sense of worry beginning to overtake her as she set her shopping bags on the floor and walked closer to her father.
"Haruhi, it's-…It's a little hard to explain," he mumbled, still refusing to look her in the eyes as she sat down beside him.
The fanged man smiled. He snapped once, and Haruhi's eyes widened as a drop of water from the faucet froze mid-air, the birds outside frozen in flight, and the fan completely silent and still. "We have all the time in the world."
She had to be dreaming. Never could a man she had never seen before make her father so worried, much less stop time. She tried to keep her voice even, pronouncing each word clearly, just to make sure the man couldn't sense her fear. "Who are you?"
"Pleasure to meet you, Haruhi," the man cooed, shifting positions so that his right hand was extended out in a handshake that would never be returned, "I'm known as Death."
Hello again. Long time no see. How's life been treating you? Sorry I haven't been on in forever, I had a summer program, moved, and started high school. Before I continue, all other writing of mine is more or less discontinued at the moment, and most will probably be canceled.
At any rate, this is an idea I've had for a while. This chapter's a bit short, but right now I'm just testing out the waters, seeing what you all think so far. Trying to write something for the cannon universe hasn't been working out for me, so my next few stories will probably be Au -cough-andHikaHaru-cough-. So leave a review, and I'm off to go do...something...preferably sleep...and post the next chapter...maybe drink some tea...
Until then, read and review!