Life is like a never ending test, make so much as one wrong move and your chance of success is reduced. The way I see it, I just keep checking all the wrong boxes and scraping by with the extra credit.
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"Oi Hikaru, stop slacking off and get back to your autopsy! This corpse ain't gettin' any livelier over here." The slap across my back and the harsh tone was enough to bring me back into reality.
"Sorry Kaito-San, I'll get right on it!" I replied, picking up the case file on the table and flipping the cover over.
The victim's name was Kaneko Futsume, age 29, sex male, blood type B, no known relatives, cause of death; homicide.
I looked over at the motionless body on the autopsy table, he almost looked like a mannequin with his pale skin and blank expression. He had raven-black hair with a perfect jawline and freckles dotting his skin, and although it was barely noticable, the rim of his eyes were tinged pink.
It's really a shame this guy died. Maybe if he hadn't, he'd be able to live a healthy life with a pretty girlfriend and a full wallet.
Without wasting more time, I examined the wounds on the body. Upon immediate notice there was a large cut in the carotid artery and multiple gashes in his calves and wrists, this meaning that the most likely cause of death was blood loss. There were no dead skin cells under the nails or bruises that could've indicated struggle.
"Alright, I'm heading out for tonight. You're on lock-up duty, got it?" Kaito's husky voice echoed, snatching my attention away from the corpse.
"Got it." I answered, hearing the door shut loudly behind me.
I swiveled my head back around to face the body, scalpel in hand. With a clatter, it fell to the floor, the ringing echoing through the room.
On the table, was a perfectly unharmed body. No wounds, pink skin, and lungs swelling with oxygen.
This man, was alive and breathing.
"Breathe, Hikaru, remember to breathe." I reminded myself, attempting to regulate my racing heart.
It took a few minutes to completely gather myself when I made my decision, I would make sure I wasn't hallucinating by poking the body. If he was warm, I wasn't insane. If he was cold, I need a psychiatrist.
I steadied myself, and leaned forward. Only to jump backwards into the table again when the body jerked awake. I started scooting across the floor, dirtying my lab coat.
I observed from afar as the man slowly began to sit up, until he was in an upright 90° angle. And as if it couldn't get any weirder, he looked at his hands and spoke.
"Damn."
".... damn?" I repeated, causing the previously dead body to turn and look at me.
"Who are you?" I chose to ignore his question.
"You..."
"Yes?"
"You're dead."
"Keep telling yourself that, now where's my clothes?" He took a moment to look around the room, "Am I in a morgue?"
"Yes."
There was a long pause, I felt like my tounge had been tied into multiple knots. After all, this guy was supposed to be dead as a doorknob right about now.
"If you're not gonna tell me where my clothes are, I'll just go find them myself." He swung his legs over the side of the table, and I managed to regain the ability to speak.
"D-don't get up! There's only a rag covering... that... j-just sit back down on the table, I'll find you some clothes." Turning around, I left the room and made my way to my bag. I keep spare clothes in there just in case, and thank god for that.
I took another minute to gather my thoughts before I entered the room again. I mean, this guy was dead only 2 minutes ago and now he's alive again, like... he has more blood. And it's circulating. That shouldn't be possible.
With one last deep breath, I turned the doorknob and entered the hospital's morgue a second time to find that he was still there.
"Oh, so you didn't ditch me. Not what I was expecting at all."
"I will give you these clothes if you agree to answer my questions." He gave me a puzzled look before nodding in agreement.
I tossed him the clothes, he caught it effortlessly and pulled the shirt over his head. I'm not a pervert with a corpse fetish, so I looked away while he put on the rest.
"Okay, ask away." I heard, getting permission to look now and start the interrogation.
"Is your name really Kaneko Futsumi?"
"Yes."
"How are you alive right now?"
"No idea, I just am."
"That doesn't really help."
"Too bad, I just chose to go with it. Not much else I can say."
"..."
"..... is that it?"
"We shouldn't be having a conversation like this here."
"Right... about that. I don't have a place to stay anymore, do I?"
".... no, you don't. What are you implying?"
Even though I knew what the answer was, I still asked in hopes that it wasn't what I thought he'd ask.
"Can I stay at your place?"
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And just like that, I had gained a new roommate. Here he was, sitting in my living room, eating my food, and drinking my tea.
"Let me get this straight, every time you die your wounds heal after more than 24 hours and you regain consciousness?"
"Yup."
"Remind me again how long you'll be living in my apartment for?"
"Until I can change my identity and get a job."
"Terrific." I got up and retrieved a futon from the closet, then laid it down beside the couch, "You'll sleep here from now on, no exceptions."
That being said, I walked back into my room and flopped down on the bed.
This was going to be a loooong ride.