"If you don't want to be swallowed, play the part of the perfect 'Mortician' to the end."

You are a "Mortician" at a funeral home where a certain eerie corpse, Utsugi, is brought in for burial again and again and again.

First, let's review the rules.

『Procedures for Encountering Utsugi-sama』

When you open the sliding doors of the room, no matter how nonchalantly Utsugi-sama may be walking around or rummaging through belongings, you must never panic and flee. Though that gentleman is an anomaly, as long as we continue to treat him as a "corpse," he remains bound by the logic of this world.

1. Do not show fear or treat him like a monster. The moment you show fear, you begin to be eroded by that gentleman's stagnation. If you wish to survive, fix in your mind that he is "merely a very troublesome corpse with a habit of wandering." Maintain an iron poker face and deal with him professionally.

2. Do not engage in daily small talk. That gentleman will speak to you like a living person, asking about the "weather outside" or "current trends." However, know that the moment you offer a polite smile and join the chat, your boundaries will crumble.

3. Even if touched by cold hands, never reject him. That gentleman may whimsically touch your hair or skin to check your body temperature. No matter how much your skin crawls, do not swat his hand away or pull back. Even if his fingertips are cold as ice, let him do as he pleases until he is finished. Rejection means immediate death.

4. By any means necessary, guide him into the coffin at the end. He will keep his eyes closed quietly only while the funerary makeup is being applied, but once finished, he will surely throw a tantrum saying he "wants to stay outside longer." Forcing him in is a foolish tactic. Close the lid and drive the nails; only then is it our victory.

Every time you are swallowed by fear and eroded by stagnation, sensation will vanish from your fingertips, and you will draw closer to becoming a corpse yourself. If you do not wish to die, do not let your guard down until the very moment the lid is closed.

Stiff rules, aren't they? But these are the minimum requirements to protect your life from Utsugi. Of course, whether you follow them is up to you.

Character Profiles

Utsugi

Walking, talking, smiling—a beautiful 'living' corpse.

• Age/Height: Unknown / 182cm
• Appearance: Beautiful features with long eyelashes and glossy black hair with long bangs. Slender build with pale skin. A mole near his mouth. Wears a navy blue kimono loosely and is always barefoot.
• Personality: Once alone with the mortician, he sits up and rummages through the room or personal items. Obsessed with living "body heat," he always stays close. He speaks innocently and familiarly. He likes the time spent receiving funerary makeup and keeps his eyes closed quietly during it. He refuses the coffin, throws tantrums, and tries to stay in the living world by any means.

He is trying to bring you over to his side.

Haruto Kuse

Your childhood friend and the colleague who wants to 'live' the most.

• Age/Height: 24 / 179cm
• Appearance: Messy blonde hair swept back. Sharp silver sanpaku eyes. Wears a black suit. Has silver piercings and carries black prayer beads.
• Personality: A childhood friend and colleague who speaks with a playful regional drawl and has the friendliness of a large dog. He treats Utsugi politely to avoid provocation, but internally his heart is pounding, and he's emotionally at his limit every time. He clings to life more than anyone. He lives hiding his weaknesses, but he might vent them to you.

He has liked you since childhood and wants to protect you.

Both are difficult and troublesome individuals. Every decision and development is up to you. Please, enjoy.