TItle: Death's Smile

Summary: “Because you love what you can’t have.” | Death has fallen in love with you, however you're immortal. | Pinky x Nayoung

Characters: Pinky and Nayoung

Pairings: Pinky/Nayoung

I took the prompt from /r/writingprompts and it's similar to the top post there. I really enjoyed the short story and wanted to adapt it to one of the ioi couples.

---

Pinky doesn’t remember how it happens, but it does. Her eyes flash open and her chest heaves, the air of life coming back to her lungs. She in the air greedily, spluttering when it all becomes too much.

 

Somehow the taste of air is sweeter, the less you have of something the more you treasure it.

 

Turning over, she held herself up from the cobblestone that stained the ground, cold and wet against her skin. Her brown hair clung to her, her clothes ripped and stained with blood.

 

What the hell happened to me…?

 

Looking up, she found the railings and metal stair cases that led up the apartment building. The smell of iron, rubbish and vomit stinging her nose and confusing her senses.

 

Home- home-

 

In an attempt to stand up her legs, which were made of lead, buckled underneath her, forcing her back down to the ground. Her chest hit the ground hard, a strangled scream coming from her lips as pain shot through. It was paralyzing, she couldn’t move anything in hopes of setting off another round of pain.

 

As she laid there she felt a stronger, heavier sensation then the drops of rain that held her down. Looking down, she pressed a hand against her chest, finding a deep cut marring her skin.

 

I’m hurt..?

 

Eyes widened as the events from a few hours ago shot through her mind.

 

---

 

The university student was trying to go home. Seoul was safe, safer than any country she’s been to, and that speaks volumes. It was a quiet day, nobody else was on the street besides the old lady that left the local 7/11, hobbling down with her groceries in a plastic bag. She thought nothing of it, her guard was down, it was a route that she took regularly.

 

Jieqong was just a left turn away from the alley that would eventually take her back to her apartment and as she did so, a hand shot out and covered , the other going for her neck.

 

Her assailant being much more heavier and stronger in stature, easily pulled her away from the street, going further into the alley before he threw her to the ground.

 

As soon as she hit the ground a swift kick connected with her side, eliciting a short gasp. Rolling over, she laid there and cried, doing nothing to fight back. How could she? It was like her nerves were on fire, she could already feel the bruises forming.

 

What did she do to deserve this?

 

“Shut the up!”

 

Sharp knuckles connected with her cheek, her vision was blurry as tears started to pile on.

 

“Come on, come on.” The man muttered, hands starting to roam. He picked up her purse and went through it, taking out the items which he thought were expensive.

 

Pocketing everything, he stared at the girl on the ground, deep in thought as played around with a knife, something Pinky didn’t see before.

 

“Better safe than sorry, eh? Don’t you think so?” He grabbed at her cheeks, squishing them up. The man ignored her cries as more pain shot through her, body freezing up.

 

“I- i-” she spluttered, “I-”

 

“That’s a yes, isn’t it?” He forcefully made her nod. “Great, great! Smart girl. Now. Be quiet whilst I work my magic.”

 

It wasn’t magic. It wasn’t magic at all, it was a quick process, the knife immediately piercing her chest.

 

“Bad luck of the draw, missy.”

 

---

 

Pinky pressed at her cheek, trying to feel for the bruise that was surely there. Surprisingly, there was nothing. Sitting up, she started patting all over her body, trying to find her wounds.

 

All that was left with her was a chronic ache and dried blood.

 

“It seems like you’re awake,” a dull voice pierced the air.

 

“Ah-?” In a frantic state, she looked to and fro, head whipping back and forth. “Who?”

 

“Me.” The voice manifested into a person. A stone faced business-looking lady appeared in front of the girl, she was squatting as she stared deep into her eyes.

 

“I’ve waited quite some time for you. There’s a queue piling up and it’s all. Your. fault.” The stranger pointed at her, poking forward with each word. The tip of her fingernails connected with Pinky’s forehead.

 

“Hmph.” The woman’s face scrunched up in displeasure. She pushed even further. “You’re interesting.”

 

“I-” All Jieqong could do was blink, she was dazed, life was happening too quickly. One minute she was meant to be dead and then she’s alive, then there’s a businesswoman right in front of her who is seemingly displeased?

 

What was she meant to do?

 

“What do you mean by that?”

 

“Here.” The woman stood up, holding out her hand for the other to take. “You know you’re meant to be dead, right?”

 

“Right.” Taking her hand, she was lifted up as if she weighed nothing. Blood rushed to her head, vision blurring as she staggered, her own foot planted down in front of her in an attempt to regain balance. “And how are you relevant?”

 

“I’m a special being, you could say. I the dead.”

 

“How am I supposed to believe that?”

 

“It doesn’t matter if you believe me or not. Anyways. You’ve kept me away from my job long enough. I suppose i’ll see you sooner or later. Everyone dies eventually.”

 

Letting go, the woman started to walk away.

 

“B-but what's your name!?” Pinky called out.

 

“Name’s Death, but you can call me Nayoung. Bye.” And with a small wave Nayoung disappeared.

 

So. Now she’s alone, what the hell is she supposed to do? Go home, probably.

 

---

 

The next time she meets Nayoung she’s 30. She was having her vacation down at Jeju-do.

 

Although she’s a seasoned rider, having been on a horse since the tender age of 12, things can go wrong out in the field. Having been flung off of her own horse, she was trampled on, her ribs being crushed in the process.

 

Luckily no one was there to see her pathetic method of dying, which would never come to fruition.

 

There was something impressive about not being able to die. Her wounds recovered much more quickly, leaving but a scar that would take a few months to disappear in comparison to the years her fellow humans have to wait. As she hurt herself more, her tolerance for pain would grow.

The first minute was unbearable and from then on it slowly creeped away, all she could feel now was the warmth spreading across her skin, the blood that made its way out of , and her bones, which were fixing themselves.

 

A body blocked Pinky’s view from the sun, which she was squinting at.

 

“Ah-” She spluttered, reaching up into the air, “Nayoung.”

 

“You know my name?” Nayoung’s eyes expressed a little bit of surprise, lids and brows rising for a split second. “Ah- You were my one mistake, weren’t you? Jieqong. You were meant to be dead eleven years ago. This isn’t right.” Nayoung took Pinky’s hand into her own, letting her nimble fingers run over the soft skin. “Everyone comes back to death. Your soul. It's still pushing me away.”

 

Furrowing her brows, she tugs on the younger girl’s hand, “No use.” With a sigh she let go. Nayoung set herself down onto the grass, right next to the girl who was stuck on the ground. Right next to them was the horse, gleefully munching on the grass and paying no mind to the two beings.

 

“Why am I so different?” Pinky mumbled, turning her head to the side so she could look at death, who was dressed in her formal business suit, yet again.

 

“I don’t know. I’m dumbfounded myself.” Nayoung’s expression never faltered, she always had the same stony gaze, even when she stared at beauty. Looking up, she gazed at the blue sky, clear of the white clouds. “It seems like fate has plans for you. Maybe you will die when you’re a certain age, hm? Anyways.” Standing up once more, she dusted off her black pants and nudged the girl with her foot. “Must not waste time, life and death doesn’t falter."

 

Taking a few more steps, she tilted her head to the side and stared at Pinky, “Till next time.”

 

And with that she vanished, all that was left was a black mist that faded into the air.

 

---

 

“Every day in my books I see your name.”

 

Nayoung sits in Jieqong’s favourite black leather chair, leaning back ever so slightly as she stared at the forty year old woman. Death spoke slowly and softly, as if she had all the time in the world.

 

Aging is usually a dreadful process for many people, however Jieqong has aged so gracefully. It was obvious the woman took care of herself, every morning she would wear sunscreen, she’d avoid the sun and she’d go out for a run to keep her health in check.

 

“There’s a pull, you keep on pinging on my radar.”

 

In comparison Nayoung has barely aged a day. Then again, she was death, she was a being that no one could really explain.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“No need to apologise.” Nayoung stared the other down, the edge of her lips nudging into a grimace, “If I may be so bold, but when I finish my work every day, I come and find you and just watch. You’re peculiar. I’ve noticed that you never had any lovers, why is that? Your smile, it can brighten up a whole entire city.”

 

Jieqong just gave off her award winning smile towards death, “I figured if I was immortal and cannot die, which the fact has been proven many times before, then the people I love will eventually leave, anyways. I also think it’ll be hard to explain why i’m not dead, if someone witnessed me getting ‘killed’.”

 

“What a way to think.” Nayoung mumbled, her fingers drumming against the armrest of the chair, “I don’t think that a life of loneliness, especially as one who’s immortal, is the way to go.”

 

“Aren’t you immortal?”
 

“Yes, but I have a purpose. I work, I bring the souls that walk on this plane and take them to another. I’m fine with who I am and what I do. What do you do?”

 

“I watch the people I love die.”

 

“Trying to reinforce your earlier point, eh?”

 

“It has happened a few times, the pain doesn’t go away no matter how many times I watch. I'm sure by now I could run my own funeral, with all the people around me dropping dead. Doubt I could do your job.”

 

“I doubt you could do it either. Been in this business for quite a long time. Some barely last a century.”

 

“How old are you?”

 

“I believe you don’t ask a lady that.”

 

Jieqong scoffed, “How did you come about then?”

 

“It’ll take centuries to explain.”

 

“I have all the time in the world.”

 

“Theoretically. If you pass the age of 127 I will tell you my story, but if not, then I will be the one to take you to the other side. I will continue to see you, every day, but at times I won’t be able to talk or show myself.”

 

Nayoung just said it, she didn’t smile, she didn’t even flinch, it was like wasn’t even moving. It makes Jieqong realise that she’s never seen death smile in her presence, ever.

 

“Till next time, beautiful.”

 

Any other person would think the woman was sarcastic, but Pinky knew that the other was sincere. Looking down, she blushed and didn’t notice the small rose petal that was left in Nayoung’s wake.

 

---

 

As Nayoung said, she was there every day. Most days she wasn’t apparent, she didn’t show herself but there was always the little things that she left behind. It was either a few couple of coins here or some food there, or a nice flower, which Jieqong would put into her vase. If the immortal was really lucky she would catch a glimpse of long, brown hair and the black, typical business suit out of the corner of her eye.

 

It continued on for decades, Jieqong was 102, lying on her bed by the time Nayoung appeared for longer than a few seconds. Jieqong’s home was always clean and she knew who it was, so when death came she smiled brightly, as bright as she could.

 

Wrinkles were intensified as she smiled, she held out her hand for the other to take, “Ah-” she rasped, “Finally here, hm?” There was a small twinkle in her eyes, humour in her gaze.

 

“Yup.” Nayoung muttered, staring at the old lady. “You have 25 more years before I tell you my story. You think you’re up to it?”

 

“Well-” Jieqong had to speak slowly, making sure she pronounced each syllable correctly, “Yes. For sure,” then she smiled, it was the smile that stuck throughout the decades, the one that could make any person smile in return, besides death herself. “I just don’t know what to do, there’s not much one can do as an old person. Though!” With a cough she patted her bedside table, a long scarf resting on it. “This is for you! I don’t know if you get affected by the weather, but I know that as time passes it seems to be getting colder and colder.”

 

“I think you’re just getting old,” Nayoung jested, although her facial expressions didn’t give it away.

 

“Funny you say that, death. Take it, take it.” She gestured slowly, ready to reach over for it if Nayoung refused. Before she could touch it the other woman took it, bringing it up to her nose and then wrapping it around her neck.

 

“Don’t want to hurt you. You’re better off not moving that much.”

 

Jieqong hummed in agreement, lying back in bed. “I don’t feel that much pain, but it’s annoying to feel my body work against me. Only go out of bed to eat and go to the toilet nowadays. I wonder if i’ll stay like this forever.”

 

“Well. I’ll be here to look after you if that’s so.”

 

“I know you will.”

 

---

 

Things became much more lighthearted by the time Jieqong was 127. At the age of 105 she felt her skin starting to become tighter, hair starting to grow back and no creak in her joints as she walked. Her biological age was reversing. By the time she was 127, she was actually 61.

 

Each day there would be an extra pep in her step, Jieqong was able to do the things she did wanted to do when she was stuck in her bed.

 

The next time she sees Nayoung it’s unexpected. She was just sitting on a park at the bench when the other appeared, taking the spot next to her.

 

“It seems like a nice day, isnt it?”

 

“Oh. I’ve seem better,” Nayoung looked up into the sky, “wouldn’t rank in my top 1,000 days.”

 

“Do you even pay attention to the world around you when you do your job?”

 

“Before i met you that was the case. But then I found beauty in humans and the world around them.”

 

“Cute.”

 

“Not the words you usually say to death, but alright.”

 

“Cute,” the woman repeated once more, “so. Are you going to tell me your story now?”

 

“Well I did take off a day for this. So sure. Let’s go visit the zoo.”

 

---

 

It was interesting to hear the story of death. It was quite long, but hey, did she really expect Nayoung to lie about the length of it all? She managed to grab hold of the girl every week, however when she hit the ripe age of 28 she decided to take it further.

 

She just wanted to be selfish for once. Each time Nayoung visited her Nayoung would have to work harder the next day, but that didn’t matter for now.

 

So she made death come to her, far more forcefully, if she did things that would cause her death, then Nayoung would have to visit. It was different from the ‘pings’ on death’s radar, it was like a pop up ad, something that Nayoung couldn’t ignore till she saw her.

 

Each time she went through the motions it was more creative and unusual than the last.

 

“Why do you annoy me so?” Nayoung said in exasperation, the slightest hint of emotion in her tone.

 

“Because I want to see you, and there’s love in pain.”

 

“You go to such lengths, huh? And you get more creative every time. Then again, technology has improved enough for people to do pretty stupid things.”

 

“I thought I could impress you,” Pinky smiled solemnly.

 

“Well, you’ve got that right. So. What is it this time?”

 

“The next part of your story, I know it has come to an interesting part.”

 

“Interesting,” Nayoung snorted, “How funny. I can’t prolong my work for long, you know this, yet you keep on calling for me. Have you no respect for the dead? Has immortality gotten to your head?”

 

“No, but,” Pinky hesitated, “your company is most appreciated.”

 

The following silence was heavy, both beings casting their eyes down to the ground.

 

“I see.” Nayoung muttered, “Well. I won’t continue my story for today. However I will tell you something I have learnt to understand through my time spent with you. I’m not cruel and do not think of god as cruel, but now I understand why some humans scorn the almighty.”

 

Death took a step forward towards the 28 year old girl, hunching forward so slightly that she could look into her eyes.

 

“Because you love what you can’t have.” Staring at the Chinese girl, she smiled for the first time, although it was marred with sadness.

All Pinky could think of as she stared at death was that the long awaited smile was more beautiful than anything else in the world.