A poor man worked day and night restlessly in order to feed his twelve children. When his thirteenth child, a daughter, was born, he decides to find a godfather for that child. To the first person he finds on the street, he would as that person to take care of his new daughter.

Running out into the streets, the poor man stumbled across God. And God said, “Sir, I would gladly be your daughter’s godfather…”

The poor man asked suspiciously, “Who are you?” Actually, that would seem to be the normal response if someone just randomly read one’s mind.

“I am God.” God smiled with a flash of gold and brightness.

The poor man shielded his eyes and rejected the offer of God. “No, God gives to the rich and not to the poor.” That was because he had no idea at all.

Walking along, the poor man felt an extremely dark feeling wrap around the streets. From the darkness, out came a malicious devil like figure--that was the Devil. The Devil was grinning with all greed, pride, and everything in the world. He came up to the man and said, “Good sir, if you would allow, I would gladly be your daughter’s godfather. Every joy in the world, all the gold in the world, everything would be hers.”

Having bad thoughts about this malicious figure, the poor man asked, “But, may I inquire who you are?”

“Ah. I am the Devil.”

Slowly backing away, the poor man who was at least a thoughtful father rejected the offer of yet another being, “I apologize Sir Devil, but you trick many people and I do not trust that you will not trick my child.”

Not giving up, the poor man searched and searched. Suddenly, a young girl with nice black hair and almost deathly pale skin stopped him. She held a scythe in her left hand and a candle in the right.

“I am Death.”

The poor man seemed sad. “Could it be that you are here to take away my life already?”

“No, I would just like to offer to be your child’s godparent even if I am female.” She replied with a slight smile.

“I accept.” Without another thought, he agreed, nodding his head rapidly.

Oddly enough, the girl who called herself Death was shocked, “Why? You rejected God though…”

“Because Death comes equally to both the poor and the rich.” The man showed a kind smile.

“…I see… I shall do my best to make a good life for your daughter. In a week’s time…I shall take her under my care.”

Death indeed did come in a week’s time and she took the young daughter away. The daughter’s name was Kumi and her eyes were sharp as well as bright. Death took to serve as a godparent as said.

“Kanon! Kanon! Did I find it? Can I be a doctor now?” The young Kumi was jumping up and down with a herb in her hand in a small forest somewhere on a mountain.

Death by the name of Kanon (which incidentally was her name other than Death) came up. She pouted at the fact that Kumi always called her so sweetly using her formerly long forgotten name. “Kumi, you found it. Yes, basically you can.”

The situation was that the young girl wished to be a doctor. If Death stood at the patient’s head, the special herb in Kumi’s hand could cure anything. If Death stood that the patient’s feet, it meant that the patient was to die. Of course that would always be true no matter what the situation.

And the child soon became a doctor well known in all the lands. Though of course she was not famous for curing every single person in the world, but rather for being able to predict who lived and who died. No one else could see Death in the way that Kumi did.

Even though she knew, Kumi would ask every time if she could save the dying patient, “Kanon…he has to die?”

“Yes.” Every time that the patient was sure to die, that would be the answer of Death. It seemed that her godchild was way too kind at times. Even to Death she was kind and warm, warmer to Death than any human in the world.

Sooner or later, everyone dies. Even a king gets sick. The king of the kingdom soon fell ill. Seeking out all the doctors out there, not one could cure him. Finally coming to Kumi, Death stood at the king’s feet. Yes, he was to die.

The young doctor felt sorry for the king. Should the king die, the kingdom would also be in trouble it would seem at least. Kumi got ready to turn the bed so that the Kanon would be standing at the king’s head, but of course Death was somewhat unhappy about that.

“Kumi, if you weren’t my godchild, I would’ve extinguished the flame of your life already. No doing that.”

Dejectedly, Kumi complied, “…hai…” and then said to the dying king, “I’m sorry…but there’s no way for me to save you.”

In the next moment, Kanon blew out the candle flame that was the king’s life. The king fell dead on the bed and Kanon retrieved his soul.

For the next nth days, Kumi sulked. Actually to be truthful, the doctor was always sad after someone died. Every time, Death would be at her side to comfort her.

“Kumi…I’m sorry…but there’s no way to change fate…”

“…un…” Still sad, she replied.

Having a lack of experience in helping people get over their sadness, the figure who was Death could only give Kumi a clumsy hug. Kumi quietly returned the hug and fell asleep peacefully.

The princess of the kingdom fell into despair after the death of her father. Falling sick as well, once again the same pattern made its run. Doctors from all over came and tried to cure her to no avail. Once again, Kumi was asked to help. That poor doctor, it seemed that fate would force her to always have to face a death of a patient.

Seeing how she would not be able to cure the princess, Kumi wished to make the most of the princess’s last days of life.

Playing around, baking together, drawing, hide-and-seek, and a lot of fun and games--Kumi and the princess played together. The doctor at first only wanted to make it so that the poor princess filled with grief would at least have some happy last days, but she slowly developed affection towards the princess.

Death watched silently. A pang of annoyance and maybe jealousy struck her. It was strange--because she was Death. Holding the princess’s candle in her hand, for some reason, Kanon couldn’t wait to extinguish it.

Finally the day that the princess was to die came around. Death still stood at the princess’s feet. Kumi felt sad, sadder than before. Kanon quietly hid her slight glee with a poker face.

Even though she knew it was impossible to do so without Kanon noticing, Kumi turned the bed around so that Kanon would be at the princess’s head. Death stifled a growl. The doctor didn’t even realize. Anger overcame Death, it was infuriating. Adding to the unsettling feelings of before, Kanon was enraged.

Using the herb, the princess was soon to be cured. The princess sent a loving look towards the young doctor. In response Kumi grinned in her own special way. A sharp pain stabbed through Death’s heart.

Angered, she grabbed Kumi’s wrist and glared. “Fate cannot be changed.”

In a second later, both Kumi and the princess’s candles were blown out at the exact same time. If she had blown out the princess’s candle first, then Kumi would possibly hate her. Death didn’t want that. If Kumi’s candle went out, it would be painful if the cause was alive for longer.

Death let a tear escape down her cheeks and walked away with the blown out candle that was Kumi’s life. She thought to herself that she’d quit and join that little child in death.