"Undertaker"

So said the battered and faded old sign that towered the dusty workshop.

The door opened with a suffering squeak while the shinigami in red made his entry into that obscure place.

In front of his eyes showed a large room: simply decorated with wooden furniture, some mahogany coffins were lying lazily, lined near the counter on which was placed a glass vase with white lilies. Every surface was covered with a fine layer of dust, a dim light illuminated the space through the opaque glass of the only window. The room seemed like a mystical place out of time.

Green eyes slid across the room searching any sign of the Supreme s presence, but everything was still wrapped in an impalpable silence.
Just as he had hoped. According to what he knew, the undertaker was at the funeral of a young woman to admire with joy the last tribute to her earthly life, and he wouldn t have to get back for another few hours.

Without delay, the red intruder began his feverish search. Patrolled drawers, shelves and even coffins carved so carefully, almost lovingly. Nothing, however, seemed to satisfy his curiosity. What he was longing to discover was the history of the Supreme Soul Reaper; but not a photo or a diary or a personal note showed to him.
Frustrated, he then directed his attention to the vase of flowers.

"... Mmph white, what a dull colour, red roses would fit far better red like passion ~"

He leaned against the counter and casually took a lily from the pot turning it between his fingers, disappointed by the result of his research.
But he had to admit that, despite everything, that lily was really beautiful. It looked so delicate and it s pleasing aroma was as it had just been picked ... but then the shinigami noticed a small object placed inside the glass jar.
Carefully he removed the delicate flowers, the small artifact turned out to be a bundle of silk that enveloped a pocket watch, finely decorated with a floral pattern.

"Still lilies ..."

Noticed the young shinigami taking that little mystery in his hands, despite being well preserved and perfectly polished, you could guess that it was very old. Clack, made the clock opening.

The hands were steady, but it was obvious since it did not emit any noise, there was an inscription inside Miss Sutcliff, don t you know it is impolite to break into someone else's home? Grell was startled for a moment at the sound of the other shinigami s voice, he had lost track of time. He turned to the other, who was just a few steps from the door, and sat on the counter.

"What I owe this unexpected visit to? Do you want to try one of my coffin? "

Undertaker ended showing his usual eerie smile.

"No thanks, I already had the pleasure to try them, I am here guided from my curiosity~, I was asking myself what a sad troubled past is behind our greatest shinigami ~ '

He smiled and gave at his interlocutor a challenging look.

"Curiosity killed the cat Miss Sutcliff"

"I think I will run the risk, nyaa ~ ..."

His smile grew wider, he showed the elder the relic he had found, then recited aloud:

"With the hope that our love will prevail even over death, Lily"

Undertaker's smile vanished.

"Ah ... it's just the old love story of an old shinigami... and like all love stories, it ends with a grandiose funeral ..."

"I adore tragic love stories ~"

Pointed out the youngest crossing his legs and getting comfortable, to make sure the other understood that he wouldn t give up so easily.

"Very well ..."

The undertaker sat on a coffin and began to tell his story.

"It happened so long ago, to be honest I do not remember exactly when, time is so meaningless to me now...
I was still a Shinigami in service, one of the best with centuries of honored and impeccable service. Until one day I saw her, so candid, innocent, kind, ... my Lily ... I had a month to decide whether she should live or die. She was so young in the spring of her years, but apparently she wasn t important enough for the world to live ... but she was for me.
I did everything in my power, and longed out his life, eventually she reciprocated my feelings, we decided to get married and raised a family.
We lived long together, more than any other human, loving each other as the first day we met.
Although we did everything in secret, we were discovered, all I did was against the rules you must follow as a shinigami.
I was called back to the dispatch, and was told that my Lily and our childrens would be harvested immediately, I firmly opposed ... in vain. The only thing I could do was to offer myself for the job ... and I did. In the end it was all my fault ...
I arranged the funeral better than you could ever imagine, I wanted that their last moment would have been wonderful, unforgettable ... how beautiful was my Lily surrounded by hundreds of her favorite flowers, delicate and beautiful just like her ...

Their souls were the last reclaimed. "

There was a moment of silence.

"It's a very beautiful story Grell said, sighing at the thought of a troubled love story as well as that of Romeo and Juliet, his heart leapt.

"Perhaps it would have ended better, don t you think Miss Sutcliff?"

"All the most beautiful love stories end badly, and it is usually our fault"

Said the shinigami in red with a hint of irony, smiling.

"There s nothing more true"

The youngest s attention was then kidnapped by the chain that the gravedigger had as belt. There were three pendants attached with a name and a date, too small to be red.

"And those charms? ~"

Undertaker took the first, opened it and stared for a few seconds, smiling, and then passed it to the curious shinigami.

Inside there was a picture depicting a woman, her skin was white and her hair were black, a kind face and the sweetest smile ever seen.

"She was really a beautiful woman, it's worth breaking some stupid rule for love ~ I wonder if one day I will find my Romeo ~ "

"Don t be silly"

Said the elder taking a flower.

"My Lily was white kind and pure, but you are a beautiful passionate red rose"

And he began to pull the right cheek of the young, laughing histerically, like when you are complimenting a little girl to cheer her up, while the other became red in face and made the strangest grimaces while trying to break free from the hold of the gray shinigami.