This story is inspired from a Japanese folktale.
However, I did changed how the story flow into a weird story
Hope you like it^^
=========================================================================================================
FOLKTALE DISASTER
============ ============ ============
Once upon a time, there lived in Kyoto a gentleman of good lineage and kind to people. His wife was a gentle and loving lady. They’re known well and respected as honor family of musician. The father was a skillful craftsman of making flute and his wife was very talented playing flute. To his secret grief, she bore him no sons but a daughter whom they called Minami, Takahashi Minami. Each of them loved this child more than life and guarded her as the apple of their eyes. The girl grew up beautiful and talented like her mother. She loves playing flute alone back in the bamboo grove.
When Minami is seventeen years old, her mother died because of sickness. The husband was wild in his grief. The leaves of the maples are red, falling down to greet the father’s grief. He cried out loud and beat his chest, lay upon the ground and refused comfort. Minami was quiet silent and acted to be strong but deep in her heart, she was crying hard, her heart was bleeding.
Time passed away, the father brought a new bride home, a woman with a fair face and a black heart. But the man, poor fool, was happy and commended his child to her, and believed that all was well. Because of her father’s love toward Minami, the stepmother hated her with jealous and deadly hatred. She dealt cruelly toward Minami, but Minami was gentle and patience to bear the pain. The stepmother waiting patiently for the time to bid the father away.
One day, the father was invited to palace by the royal family to present his masterpiece of flute. He has no choice but to leave Minami. The stepmother was crazily happy inside her heart, the time has come for her to get rid of Minami. However, Minami did ask her father to take her along because she knew what her stepmother want to do to her. But the father insisted to go. The stepmother tortures her everyday and finally killed her. After months when the father finally comes home, Minami was gone. The stepmother lied that Minami was drown when she accidentally fall into the river on the way home. But her body is nowhere to be found.
“Story end~” Yuko finished her reading.
“Huh, I don’t like sad ending” Haruna commented, “Can you read something with happy ending?”
“Do you want a happy ending between Yuko and Haruna~?” Yuko said as she throws away the book and jumps on Haruna, laying on top of her.
“Yuu-chan! Stop it!” Haruna pushed her away, roughly.
Atsuko catch the book and looked at its cover, a young girl with ribbon on her head, wearing cute pink kimono, and a bamboo flute I his hands. Her face is so kind and calm but somehow, her eyes are full of sadness. Atsuko put the book on the floor and walked to the window, looking at the night view.
“What a stupid girl… if I were her, I would run away from that house”
“Acchan, you think too much. It’s just a story” Yuko said as she stands beside Atsuko.
“What if the story is true?” Atsuko let out a sigh and looked at the fullmoon hanging in the sky.
“You always being so serious, try to loosen a bit. This is the last day of our study tour, we should enjoy and have fun until the last moment” Haruna gave Atsuko message on her shoulder.
“I don’t wanna go back to Tokyo…” Yuko complained.
Ding Dong Ding Dong (bell’s ringing)
Badump BadumpWhat is this feelings…?“Huh? What is that? who will knocking the bell this late?” Haruna put her face out of the window to see where the bell’s sound coming from.
“The bell must be come from Miidera temple” Yuko explained, “Don’t you know the story?”
Badump BadumpIs that my heart beating faster?“Another story? Kyoto is sure full of folktale” Atsuko walked lazily back to her futon and laying there.
“That bell comes from ancient monastery. It is said that the bell will ring in the night of every fullmoon, rung by itself. Many mysterious tales surrounding this bell, some said that if woman touches the bell, that sparkling surface will soon turn to dull metal. Some said that if a woman stands in front of it while it ringing, the face of the future husband will shown up, etc~” Yuko explained.
Ding Dong Ding Dong (bell’s ringing)
Badump BadumpIs that the bell made me feel weird? I have to go and see that bell…“Kyoto is really full of mysterious air” Atsuko suddenly gets up and walks to the door, she turned her head slightly and smirks at them, “Wanna have a try on that bell?”
“Let’s do a race” Yuko smirks at Atsuko too, “Let’s see who will be the first to touch the bell”
“Hey, we are forbid to leave this hotel!” Haruna followed from behind.
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=Hosh… hosh…My name is Maeda Atsuko, currently 17 years old. Current status is 3rd year high school student. Today is the last day of our study tour at Kyoto. In Kyoto, there’re many interesting things and stories were told, adventure, history, love, even mysterious stories are anywhere to be found, especially the folktale stories.
I stopped at the top of the temple and looked behind me, I guess Yuko and Haruna will arrive soon. Looking around me, there’s no one here. This place is surrounded by ruin and trees. All the things in this place were dusty and dull except the bell. I slowly approach to where the sound’s coming. Just like what Yuko said, the bell is really moving by itself. Brightness from the moon reflected by the bell, its surface is sparkling within the dark. This huge bell hanged up under its stanchion firmly. For some reason, my body moves by itself toward the bell. Looking at this shining surface, I really want to touch it.
If woman touch it, it will become a dull metal…Will it really become dull?
If woman touch it, it will reveal the face of your future husband…Is it true? Those folktale are really annoying me. I brave myself to reach out my hand, trying to touch the bell, “Let’s do it”
As soon as my hand touched the bell, it stops ringing… dark clouds began to block the moon. My surroundings become completely dark. I can’t see anything, I don’t know what to do… I feel fear… but then bell, it’s glowing all of the sudden. It’s glowing brightly in golden ray, it becomes bright and brighter that I am forced to close my eyes. Not long after, I feel my body is floating…
“ARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHH!!!”
I was absorbed by into the bell, spinning around in the golden ray…
BUMPPPPP!!!“Ouch, it’s hurt” I landed on the ground and hit my butt.
“Are you okay?”
Someone is approaching me, a young girl in cute pink kimono with ribbon on her head. There’s a bamboo flute hold in her tiny hands. This is so familiar… where did I see her before? Ribbon… kimono… flute… don’t tell me… “YOU ARE TAKAHASHI MINAMI?!!”
She is frightened by my loud voice and steps backward, unfortunately she stepped on her kimono and fell down to the ground. Her frightened face is so funny, I can’t help but laughing at her. “
giggle… I’m… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you but… where is this?”
“Fairy…” she gets up and comes to hold my hands, “Are you fairy? Are you here to save me? Are you here to take me away from this place?”
“Wa–” without giving me chances to speak, she turned away from me and went to a tiny tomb not far from us.
“Mother, the fairy is coming to take me away from that woman” she is crying in front of her mother’s tomb.
Oh my goodness, please tell me this isn’t true. This must be dreaming… this must be a dream. I rapidly slap myself, “Wake up Atsuko, wake up!”
“Why are you hurting yourself?” asked the story girl.
“You, slap me” I commanded.
“Eh?! I… I can’t… how can I slap a fairy?” she looks confused.
I grabbed her shoulder and talked to her firmly, “Slap me! Hurry!”
She nodded and raised her hands up, “I’m going to slap you”
“Please”
“I’m really going to slap you!”
“Hurry!”
“I’m really really really going to slap you”
“Just sla–”
PLAAAKKKK=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=She did slap me hard. My cheek is now swollen, her hand’s mark still visible on my face. How can a tiny hand like that hit me so hard?! I was really mad on her for hitting me so hard but looking at her funny face, my anger faded away. She is crying when she hit me, her tears were flowing nonstop from her eyes, her cute face suddenly becomes aged. That’s really funny.
“Are you living here?” she asked.
“No, I live somewhere far far away from here”
“Why are you falling from the sky? Is that you are here to take me away from that woman?” she is looking at me with shining eyes. I feel really sorry but I have to disappoint you.
“I’m not here to take you away. I don’t know why I ended up here either”
After hearing my answer, her shining face soon changed into gloomy face. Holding her bamboo flute tightly in her hands, she gets up and fixed her clothes. “I’m going back to home now”
“Wait… erm… can I stay in your home? I mean, you know that I fell from the sky and got nowhere to sleep. It is dangerous to sleep in this grove isn’t it?”
“Erm… I’m afraid I can’t because…”
I can tell that her face is full of fear, “It must be because your stepmother?”
“How did you know?” she is surprised. Her surprised face is cute too, cuter than the drawing in that story book.
“Well~ because I am fairy~” I joke at her.
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=“
Ssssttt… don’t let my mother know you were here or else you will get beaten” however, she guided me inside her room.
We are arrived inside her house now. Her house is simply like any traditional house. Simple sliding door with some flowers pattern on it, wooden floor, simple design and decoration, the height is a bit lower than my house too. Inside the house is a bit dark than outside. Since she afraid of using any light sources, we can only depend on the moon’s brightness to get inside her bedroom. I guess her father must be out to the palace. I must be really careful to not be caught by her stepmother. Once we get into the bedroom, we sat on the floor and let out a relief sigh.
“By the way, did you fairy always wear like this? It this different from what the books said”
“Do you want to try these clothes?”
“No” she rejected politely, “I think you’re wearing too little, you might get cold. I’ll go to bring some father’s clothes for you”
“Hmm? Why don’t you just lend me your clothes?”
She lowered her head and blushed, “Because you are taller than me, I guess my clothes won’t fit you”
Kawai….Badump BadumpWhy is my heart beating faster? “MINAMI!!! COME HERE!” her stepmother is calling her.
“Here’s my father’s old clothes. You can change it here while I go out for a while” she gave me an expression of ‘everything is okay’ look and went to where her stepmother was.
=~=~=~ Thirty minutes later… ~=~=~=So, the story was true. That Minami girl is really exist, but she looks a bit different with what has told in the story book. Besides, she looks more clumsy than what she looks like in the book.
“
Sigh… How can I go back to my world~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~”
SREET (door opened)
“Wow, my father’s clothes fit you well. Sorry for not treat you well, fairy” she walks in and immediately went to the closet, bringing out the futon. Putting the futon neatly on the floor, she smiled gently at me, “The futon is ready, you can sleep here”
“How about you?”
“I can sleep outside” she bowed at me then walked to the exit.
“Wait, you can sleep with me. We can share it”
She simply shakes her head, “It’s improper for me to share the futon with a fairy like you. Please excuse me”
As she turned back to the door, I went to stop her. Unfortunately, I slipped and fell backward. She hurriedly grabbed my arm to prevent me from falling but she can’t hold my weight and ended up falling on top of me. I can feel her weight on me, she is not heavy as I thought. I can smell the fragrant of her hair, it smells like cherry blossoms. The moment she tried to get off from me, our eyes met. Her chocolate orbs were so attractive. For some reason, I can’t take my eyes from them. I can feel her breath, I can hear the sound of my heart beat. The room was in silence.
Badump BadumpIs that my heart beating faster again? Realize that our face becomes closer, I instantly look away, “Umm… you are heavy…” I saw her panic face when she gets off from me and that was very cute.
“I’m sorry”
“This is my fault, you don’t have to say sorry. By the way, is your mother told you to do housework again?”
She smile forcefully and answer me, “I am free today”
“You are free? You have a day off too?”
“My mother… she betrothed me to someone this morning and I have to marry that man tomorrow” her tears began to flow nonstop again.
I gently touch her head and let her leaned on my shoulder, “Why don’t you just run away? You can go to find your father and tell him the truth”
“I’ve never leave this village. How am I supposed to live by myself? I don’t know what to do… I don’t want to get married! I want to see my father…
hiks…”
“Don’t cry…” I gently wiped her tears with thumbs and place a kiss on her forehead. “Let’s get out from this place together”
She looks a bit dumbfounded, “Together…
hiks…?”
“Yes, together we leave this village. I have to find my way home too so I will help you find your father first”
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= =~=~=~=~=~=~=~= We decided to leave the village in the middle of the night and guess what?
“WAAAAAAAA!!”
“Why don’t you tell me there’re bunches of dogs everywhere?!!!” we are being chased by dogs.
“I thought you knew it, because you are fairy!”
“Oh my goodness!”
As we went out from her house, the dogs start barking at us. Her stepmother found out that we’re planning to leave this village, she let out those dogs to chase us.
“Minami! Who is that man?! How you dare to elope with that stranger?!! Do you know how many gold I have to pay if I cancel the betrothal?” her stepmother is shouting at us from behind.
Wait! Man?! She thought that I am a man?!!!“Did I look like man?”
“Well, you are wearing my father’s clothes plus your hair is quite short for a girl” Minami is laughing at me. Her smile is attacking my heart. Why does my heart beat fast when she is around?
“Fairy, look out!” Minami warned me. In front of me was a wall and I’m too late to stop now. My head finally bumped on that wall.
“Ouch… my head” I stopped and rubbing my forehead.
“Are you okay?” Minami blow a wind on my forehead and rubs it gently.
“Stop right there!!” Her stepmother is shouting at us from behind.
“Hurry! Run!” I hold Minami’s hand and run blindly toward the road in front of us.
We run and run and got inside the bamboo grove. Her stepmother has calling more people to help her catching us. Lastly, we can’t run anymore further. It’s not because we are tired, it’s because we have arrive at the dead end. In front of us is a deep cliff, river at below has strong stream which probably will make us drown into it. Should we jump off from the cliff or get caught by those people? Which decision should I take?
“Fairy… I believe in you. Please take me with you” Minami is holding my hands tightly, looking at me with a smile. At first, I thought she will have tears soaked her face and looked ugly but now she is smiling at me, believe in me.
“Minami, will you go wherever I go?” I asked for the last time.
“Un” she nodded at me with blazing eyes. I can see courage in her eyes.
“Never let go of my hand”
“Hai”
“Let’s fly together~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~”
Finally, we jump together from the cliff. Suddenly there’s a glowing ray comes from beneath of the river. That is the golden ray same as before. That ray burst up toward us which make me force to close my eyes.
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA”
“Acchan! Acchan! Are you okay?!”
I opened my eyes and saw Yuko and Haruna were in front of me. “Where am I?”
“Are you okay? I saw you falling down from the stairs. Is there anywhere hurt?” Yuko said worriedly.
“I am back, huh…”
“What are you saying?” Haruna pressed her hand on my little bump at my forehead, “You’re not getting amnesia because of this, right?”
“By the way, what are you wearing?” Yuko is confused by the clothes I am wearing.
“I was… I touched the bell and spinning… and…” I tried to explain to them.
I touched my head trying to remember what have happened, my eyes widen as a flashback fill inside my head. I hurriedly run up to the top of temple, looking for Minami. I look around the temple, there’s nothing but a huge bell… a dusty bell. Why is it becomes dusty? I am sure it is glowing in golden ray and sparkling surface.
“Is that Minami got separated from me?”
SRAKKI heard sounds coming from behind the bell. I walk to behind the bell and found Minami was crying at there, “Mi…na…mi…?”
She lifted her head and look at me. Her teary eyes becomes sparkling as she saw me. She gets up and wipe her tears before running into me for a hug, “You said you’ll never let go my hand but you disappear!! I am scared!!”
“
Giggle… I am here. I am here now~” I hug back and patted her head gently.
“Wow~ wow~ sorry for interrupt, but who is she?” Yuko interrupted.
Minami wipe her tears and bowed at them. I saw her eyes widened as she saw Yuko and Haruna. The next thing she said was the most shocked for me…
“Father! Mother! You are here!” Minami went to give Haruna a big hug then she moves to Yuko, “Father? Why did you turn into woman???”
“Is this the beginning of a disaster??” I looked at the bell once more, “Please tell me this is a dream…”
******************************************************************************************************************************
FOLKTALE DISASTER END
Topic: ✰Ichikawa の short stories✰ -- My First You (Read 54575 times)