The last chapter of "The World Ends With Me" and I hope you enjoy it. Some thoughts about the story in general and the chapter is on notes below, so read it only if you want spoilers!
Makoto stopped short of walking into Nagisa's office door and glanced behind him to see if Sousuke was still with him. When he saw that the other was right behind him and nodded to him, Makoto raised his hand and knocked on the door without hesitation. It didn't take more than half a minute for Nagisa to open it, but for Makoto it felt as if he had held his breath for an hour when he at last came face to face with his boss.
"Oh, hello." Nagisa said quickly, standing in the middle of the doorway with the door half-closed. He didn't seem surprised to see him at all, but when he noticed Sousuke his interest seemed to peak.
"Something the matter?" Nagisa asked aloud, to whom he addressed Makoto had no idea, but he decided to answer for both of them.
"We need your help Nagisa." he said and the man in question seemed to tense up as he turned his attention to Makoto. He couldn't really blame him, everything Nagisa seemed to know about him was only the negative stuff, and knowing that this too wasn't going to make him change his mind didn't make things better.
"You need to show us where they keep our souls." Sousuke added after a moment of silence and Nagisa eyes went wide. In surprise or fear, Makoto didn't know. Before he could react, Nagisa grabbed a hold of his wrist and Sousuke's and with much more force than should be possible dragged them inside of his office. He didn't even have a chance to blink as he heard the door slammed shut behind him and a click from the lock.
He looked at Sousuke who looked as confused as he felt, before he turned to Nagisa.
"I already knew you were out of your mind Makoto, but you Sousuke? Asking a question like that so nonchalantly in the middle of the room? Did you even think to see if anyone was still here?" Nagisa said, but he didn't seem angry, just worried and Makoto instantly felt dread. He hadn't even thought of that, and knowing how taboo the subject was they would probably get in trouble just talking about it.
"We know the risks, but I can promise you there is no one left here. So stop trying to avoid my question. You know where the room is." Sousuke was clearly agitated and it almost seemed as if Nagisa would protest, but instead he let out a deep, frustrated sigh.
"Of course I know where it is." another sigh. Makoto sensed that a protest was on the way, and he quickly stopped the other man from talking.
"Just take us there. You of all should know what they did with us was wrong. This is the last thing you can do for us, then you'll never have to deal with any of us again." not for the first time Makoto felt desperate. He didn't know anyone else who knew about the room and with a heavy heart he realized this was his last chance.
"Please, Nagisa." Sousuke suddenly said and stepped forward. "I've never asked for anything from you for over two centuries. If you won't do it for Makoto, please do it for me." there was a long silence when Nagisa suddenly turned around and unlocked the door before opening it wide.
The silence loomed over them and Makoto felt like breaking down and crying, but managed to hold it together as he slowly walked out of the door, feeling anxious and disappointed as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat. Sousuke was right behind him, his hand resting on his shoulder and squeezed comforting on it.
"Tomorrow," Nagisa's voice suddenly said, managing to halt both Makoto and Sousuke in there steps. Sousuke turned around to look at Nagisa but Makoto was frozen in place, not daring to move a muscle.
"Come back early tomorrow. I'll take you to your souls." he finished and before either of them could answer the door slammed shut with Nagisa inside of his office.
Makoto turned around slowly and searched for Sousuke's eyes, and as soon as Makoto saw the small smile on Sousuke's face he felt relief flood through him. He couldn't stop the tears from falling now, but it was definitely from relief. Suddenly he felt arms around him as Sousuke hugged him tightly.
They next day they both arrived over an hour earlier than usual. The whole building was empty and dark, but Nagisa still opened the door for them. He looked tense and kept looking over his shoulder, and neither Sousuke nor Makoto dared to say a word. Instead, they silently let Nagisa lead them through the same corridor that Makoto had walked for over two decades. At least in this life. Who knew how many years he had walked in his last life?
Nagisa led them to one of the elevators in next to his office, which Makoto had rarely paid attention to. He couldn't remember if he had ever seen someone actually use it, and was slightly surprised when the doors opened without a sound. They all stepped inside, and Nagisa pushed one of the buttons, somewhere in the middle. Makoto noted that this building had much more floors than he thought, and considering he always hanged around the ground floor, he had to wonder how many actually had to take the elevator.
He couldn't recall if anyone ever had taken the elevator.
It didn't take long for them to travel to the floor, the whole ride taken in silence. Makoto was afraid to break it, as if that would somehow shift the mood and Nagisa would change his mind. He guessed that it was the same for Sousuke, and as for Nagisa, he had no clue.
With a dull 'ding' the elevator halted and the door opened. The floor looked identical to the one Makoto worked in, and the realization made him uneasy. At least it was empty, he noted and when Nagisa started walking down the corridor they both followed without a word. After a few minutes, they stopped in front of a door.
It was in the same position as the one-of-two room downstairs, only this one had a big yellow sign on it with the words 'Restricted Area' on it. Nagisa didn't hesitate as he brought up a key and unlocked the door, opening it up wide for them to see the inside.
"Here it is." he said and made a slight gesture to the inside. Makoto hesitated just outside, but when Sousuke went in before him, he quickly swallowed it down and went in after him. The room wasn't as massive as the one downstairs, and the amount of jars were definitely less. Makoto almost started to count them, curious as to how many reapers where here, but he quickly realized there were too many.
It would take a while to find his and Sousuke's soul, sure, but thy were finally here. He couldn't help but smile as he turned towards Sousuke, who smiled back. Just as he was about to turn to Nagisa, however, a noise startled him. It wasn't a sudden noise either, and it was becoming larger. He realized that it was coming towards them and he quickly turned around, only to find Nagisa looking apologetic at them and his smile instantly dies.
This was a trap.
"I'm so sorry, Makoto, Sousuke. I didn't have a choice." Nagisa suddenly said as reapers Makoto doesn't recognize suddenly swarm the small room. They're heading towards him and Sousuke and his first instinct is to physically throw himself in front of him, but he can't even move a muscle before both of his arms are restrained.
Soon more arms are around him, pulling him back - away from the door and Sousuke, he realizes - and he starts struggling. Somewhere over his shoulder one reaper yells to another to hold tighter.
There is really no need to, Makoto wants to spit out, because he is really no match for three other reapers, especially now when he stopped struggling. He searches for Sousuke's eyes, but realizes with horror that they are dragging the other reaper out of the room, obviously having more trouble with him as he thrashes in their grip and for the first time Makoto have enough time to actually feel confused.
"Nagisa, what are you doing?" he says, not even bothering to hide the hurt in his voice.
"You have to understand- I had no choice. They promised me I would get reunited with Rei. I'm just so tired of this, I've wanted to end it for so long. You if anyone know that feeling. They gave me the key and said to lead you here. This isn't even the right room."
There were a lot of things Makoto wanted to yell out. Liar, traitor and more hateful words that he had never used as a reaper, but somehow still knew, perhaps from his earlier life, but he couldn't form a word. Because he did indeed know that feeling, and who was to say that Nagisa felt it less?
Still, it hurt to think that one that he would call a friend sold him out for personal reasons.
"Why did they agree to set it up in the first place then?" Makoto was so tired, so confused by what the bosses was thinking. One thing was sure, he hated them more than ever.
"You were getting out of control again," Nagisa said and for Makoto, that 'again' didn't mean a thing. "they deemed this the best solution."
"So that's it then? You didn't stop to think what would happen to me and Sousuke?" Makoto said, trying to hide the crack in his voice. His eyes were starting to sting, tears just on the brink of breaking forth.
There was a long pause, and Makoto felt how the other reapers loosened their grip a little, but he wouldn't do anything to fight them off. He didn't know what they were planning to do with him, but he knew that it was useless to try to escape. Somewhere outside in the corridor, almost so far away he could barely hear it, Sousuke was calling for him.
"He hasn't done anything wrong. He will continue working here as if nothing happened." Nagisa said. Makoto didn't know if he should take it as a comfort or not. He swallowed hard, gathering enough courage to ask the question he had dreaded to ask.
"What about me then?" Makoto was afraid to ask, but he needed to know. All of this shit had always been because he needed to know.
"You'll get a memory-wipe. A fresh start. You'll be back here in a few years, and you'll never have to see me ever again. You won't even remember me, or that you've been a reaper before. They believe you might get happier that way."
'You won't remember Sousuke.' was left unsaid, but Makoto realized with dread that Sousuke would remember him, would remember Nagisa and what he did, without being able to stop it.
Nagisa walked to him, and brought a soul-filled jar up from his pocket. Something inside Makoto started to twist, and he felt a familiar ache he couldn't place. The soul fluttered slightly and his chest started throbbing. It suddenly dawned on him, that this was his soul. It looked old and torn, as if it hadn't been treated right.
How many times could they do this until it got destroyed? The reapers tightened the grip on him as Nagisa stepped closer and Makoto soon found out why.
The closer the soul came to him, the more it tugged at his chest, and the feeling became more and more intense. It wasn't just a tug anymore, it was starting to hurt really bad, as if the soul tried to get back into him, but was unable to.
When Nagisa stopped just half of a meter in front of him, the pain was starting to become unbearable and he just wanted to get away from it. He tried to back away, but remembered that he was being held still by the reapers. The pain started growing more and more and he couldn't help it anymore, he started to scream.
"I'm sorry Makoto, I'll make it quick for you." he heard Nagisa said somewhere over the throbbing in his ears and his own shouts, then the pain was much worse than before and he opened his eyes just in time to see Nagisa face in front of him. He faintly felt something touch his forehead.
All at once the pain disappeared, the arms around him disappeared and the room faded away.
No.
He was fading away.
He jolted awake from the chair he was sitting in and stared with wide open eyes into the room. No, it wasn't a room, it was a beach in front of a huge ocean and he wasn't sitting on a chair, he was sitting on a rock. But how did he get here?
A bit dizzy and with a splitting headache he started to inspect his surroundings, getting off the rock and walking a few feet forward. He glanced behind him but there was no sign of anyone else there nor any houses, just a green forest. Neither where there any sign of footsteps in the sand leading to the rock. Did he swim here? But his clothes and hair were dry, and there was still no sign that he had walked anywhere except for the few steps from the stone.
"Makoto Tachibana?" a voice sounded from his right and the first thing going into his mind was that they've gotten the wrong guy, his name wasn't Makoto, he was-
"Yes, that's me." he found himself replying as he turned to the source of the voice. A tall man with dark hair in a white shirt and dress pants stood just a few meters away from him and looked extremely out of place in contrast to the scenery. The man had a frown on his face and he wondered briefly if the other was here to beat this Makoto up or something. However, that didn't seem to be the case.
"Do you remember what happened?" the tall man asked him and there was something luring under the surface, a sadness in his voice that caught him off guard.
"Not really, I-" he started before a snippet came back to him. He was on a plane, where he was heading he didn't know, but suddenly there had been a distress signal. Panic had erupted all around him as the pilot had said something.
It clicked for him.
"I was on a plane that crashed." he immediately looked out over the ocean for some sign of the wreckage but only found the blue sea before him. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen any boats, and he hadn't heard any birds at all. Not even the ocean made any sound.
"I swum back to shore?" he tried when he realized that he didn't have any memory of the crash or the aftermath, but when he looked back to the tall man he only got a wry smile.
"You died in the crash." the man said, though there was something that said that wasn't entirely true. Suddenly the silence around him made sense, even though it didn't really.
"Oh." he said quietly, not yet fully realizing what that meant, if he was dead. The memory from the plane seemed to be the only one he had, no matter how deep he tried to dig in his mind.
The taller man walked closer to him, now at an arms length away.
"So, who are you then?" he asked after a while, not seeing the connection between him being dead and the other man with him on the beach.
"I'm a grim reaper, here to collect your soul." the man said bitterly and he had to wonder if he had answered that ten times already this day.
"Right. That makes sense." he replied because it really did, a familiarity in it that he had to wonder if somebody had once told him of it, maybe it was a common knowledge that your soul was taken by a grim reaper when you died. Either way he wasn't surprised.
"So, should I just stand here or how does it go?" he asked, not sure what was expected from him in a situation like this. It was not as if he regularly died and got his soul collected. At least he didn't think so.
There was a long pause from the other man, and when he looked up into those blue eyes he thought he was going to get punched for real, but it didn't seem as if it was him the man was mad at.
"Actually, you get two choices." the reaper almost spitted out, obviously not happy at whatever the choices were.
"Well that's generous I guess. What are the choices?" he tried, feeling strangely impatient, not wanting to be on this eerie beach any longer than necessary. It didn't even feel real.
"One is to stop existing. I take your soul, put it away safely until it disappears." the taller man said and waited for his reaction.
"That sounds pretty dark. The other?" he didn't like the thought of not existing. Whatever that meant.
"You become what I am. A grim reaper." the man seemed to dislike this option as much as he himself had disliked the first one.
"Those are my only options?" neither sounded very appealing. Why couldn't he just get back to where he was before the crash?
"Unfortunately, yes." there was no sarcasm in the other man's voice, only a heavy sigh. There was something that told him to just give up, let the other take his soul, but a small part of him, the one nagging and telling him there was something wrong with this whole scenario, this whole thing, was against him.
"Make me a grim reaper." he said with feigned confidence, because he had no idea what that would mean for him, but something seemed to break in the other man.
"No, please. Take the other one." he had taken a step forward and clutched his arm, pinning them tightly to his side. A feeling of how wrong all of this felt, how surreal it was washed over him and he found himself shaking his head.
"No. You gave me two options and I chose one of them." he said and tried not to flinch away from the other's grasp. The grim reaper obviously knew more than him about this, but the thought of fading out of existence scared him much more than the other's reaction.
"No, it's the wrong one. I promise." his voice cracked slightly, as if he was holding back tears. The reaper had loosened his grip but his eyes still screamed at him, as if begging him to change it. Whatever scared the taller man, he wanted to know. It was only logical then that he couldn't disappear.
"Make me a grim reaper." he repeated slowly but surely and the other man leaned uncomfortably close to him, leaning his forehead against his own, but he couldn't move away from him how much he tried, as if his feet were frozen to the ground. He felt rather than saw how the man nodded slightly and suddenly he was second-guessing his decision.
Instead of acknowledging his decision, the other man brought his arms around him in a hug, surprising him as he stared up into his eyes, and was the other man crying?
"I'm sorry, Makoto. I couldn't protect you, not even now." the reaper whispered and he had a bad feeling in his gut. His name wasn't Makoto, but something told him it was definitely his name, and then the reaper leaned back far enough to press his lips against his forehead.
For a brief moment he had a moment of clarity, whether it was accidental or not, and panic rose in his chest as everything came flooding back to him.
The decades spent waiting for his soulmate. The day he became a grim reaper. The moment they decided he was too much trouble, and the day they needed him again.
When he saved Rin and in turn killed his sister. When he learned the truth. When he was betrayed.
Most of all he remembered Sousuke, and the realization that he would have to go through this all again and his throat clogged up when he looked up at the man before him, the poor reaper that had to suffer because of him. Who had to suffer once again, because the bosses wanted to punish him.
"Sousuke-" the words barely escaped his throat until he forgot it all again. The man looked at him in shock.
Everything went black after that.
Tada~ It is finally done and long overdue for at least a year. The ending was never supposed to be happy I realized very early. About four chapters in I felt that it wouldn't work, but I had so many thoughts on how to write the ending that I got stuck with it and thus didn't know how to continue. However, the one that makes the most sense to me was to end it where it begun - with Makoto becoming a reaper once again, the dying memory of a random person that was planted inside him, and a little bit of manipulation from the bosses side to get him to choose to become a reaper again. As for Nagisa, he cared for Makoto and Sousuke, but Rey was his one true love who he unintentionally made a part of his punishment, so he wanted for a long time to end it. Rey always died young and Nagisa felt guilty for it the whole time, so the higher-ups gave him a deal. Help them deal with Makoto and get out of this place.
If you have any questions regarding this fic, how it ended etcetera or just wanted to say what you thought about it, don't hesitate to comment! It's been a pleasure and this fic has really grown on me, but it's time to take on other projects(That's not this long)