Chapter Two: Family Life:

-July 1st, 2027-

“Kirika-chan!” Anna shouted. “Get up! You’re going to be late!”

“Coming!” her daughter shouted. She hurried down the hall. Anna straightened up her black bowtie.

“There,” she said. “Now come and eat.”

“Okay,” Kirika-chan said. The ladies walked over to the kitchen. Tsuzuki was already sitting at the table.

“Morning, Papa!” Kirika-chan said.

“Good morning, dear,” the shinigami said. The girls sat down at the table. Summer break was coming up. Kirika-chan couldn’t wait for summer.

“Busy day today?” Tsuzuki asked.

“Uh-huh,” Kirika-chan said.

“And you?” he asked Anna.

“Same,” she said. “And you?”

“Yeah,” Tsuzuki said. Kirika-chan took another bite of her rice.

“Are we going anywhere this summer?” she asked.

“Do what?” Anna asked.

“Like on vacation, I mean,” her daughter said. The parents looked at each other.

“Um… we haven’t thought about that,” Tsuzuki said. “Why do you ask?” Kirika-chan shrugged and shook her head.

“No reason,” she said. The girl took another bite of her rice. Anna shrugged and shook her head. Tsuzuki looked at his watch.

“Oh, I have to go!” he said. The shinigami quickly finished his breakfast. Mother and daughter watched him put dishes in the dishwasher. Tsuzuki turned and kissed the girls on the cheek.

“See you tonight,” he said. The shinigami gave Anna another kiss on the lips.

“I love you,” she said.

“I love you too, honey,” her husband said. They shared one more kiss. Tsuzuki headed out the door. Kirika-chan wrinkled her nose.

“What?” Anna asked.

“You guys are icky,” the girl said. Anna wrinkled her nose.

“Oh hush,” she said, pushing on her arm. “That will be you someday.” Kirika-chan stuck out her tongue. Anna snickered as she took a piece of pork belly and ate it. Kirika-chan leaned back in her chair.

“So what are you doing today?” she asked.

“I have another client today,” Anna said. “She wants to talk to her sister. She thinks her husband killed her.”

“Did he?” her daughter asked.

“We won’t know until I summon her soul,” Anna said. “How are classes going?”

“Good,” Kirika-chan said.

“They better be,” her mother said. Kirika-chan rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, yeah,” she said. The girl finished her breakfast.

“Thank you for breakfast!” she said, bowing her head. Kirika-chan got up and cleaned up her dishes. Anna listened as they went into the sink. Her daughter turned and kissed her on the cheek.

“I’m off now,” Kirika-chan said.

“Have a good day!” Anna said. Her daughter blew her one more kiss and headed out the door. And now Anna was alone.

She took a sip of her tea before looking at the clock on the microwave.

“8:04, huh?” Anna said to herself. She didn’t have to get to work until nine. Afterwards, she’d have the apartment to herself. Anna smiled over her tea. Mornings like this could go on like this forever. Anna was already planning for dinner. Could every day be like this?