The Boy of the Moon

Turned Upside Down

It was another day and you had just finished your shift at your main job. As you were walking home, you had a weird feeling come over you... Your eyes shot open in fear and you bolted down the street. You ran and ran until you reached your front door. You quickly opened the door and ran straight into your mom's room, only to see her sitting there, reading a book. She looked up at you with concern and asked what was wrong. "Mom...mom, I thought-." You stuttered, and she gave you a reassuring half smile.

"Come here." She said as she put her book to the side. She moved for you to sit down next to her. "I just had a feeling and...and so I thought," You started, tears pricking the corners of your eyes. Mayumi smiled softly as she brought you into her chest. "I'm still here, and everything's okay. I'll make sure that you know when I'm gone." She said not helping your teary state. "Mom, I don't want you to go! I don't want to be alone." You cried into her chest. Mayumi squeezed you tighter and shushed you softly as if you were a small child. "I know, I don't want to leave you either, my child. But you and I both know that there's nothing that can be done."

She said and that's when an idea came into your head. You shot up and looked into her eyes with hope. "I know! I'll go to the shrine and pray that I get better!" You said, making Mayumi blink in surprise. "I could even go right now!" You said as you stood up. "(m/n)," Mayumi called out your name, but you were already out the front door. A sudden pain coursed through her body like lightning. Mayumi grunted in pain as she grabbed her chest. "No, please, not now of all times." She breathed, but her pleading fell on deaf ears. Meanwhile, you went to the bus stop and paid to go to the nearest shrine.

///

After walking for a while, you finally arrived at the shrine. You wasted no time going to the area where you pray and got down on your knees. You clasped your hands together and began to pray that your mother's health would be better. When you finished the prayer, a strange feeling came upon you, but it wasn't like the first one. No, this one was concrete. "(m/n)," You heard someone call your name and whipped around to look behind you. "Mom?! What are you doing here? You should be at home and in bed," You said as you quickly went over to her.

"(m/n)." She said your name again. You went to touch her but watched in horror as your fingers went right through her. You stood there frozen, your brain not being able to process what had just happened. "(m/n)!" You snapped out of it and looked into her eyes. "I'm dead, (m/n)." She said and you shook your head, rambling that you were just with her and that she was fine. You then remembered what she had said previously, "I'll make sure that you know when I'm gone". You felt hot tears sting your eyes. "I just prayed so you could get better," You breathed.

"The Gods wouldn't have helped me anyway." She said. "Why?" You asked as you came closer. "Because this is their punishment." She averted his eyes from you. "Why would the Gods punish you? You've been nothing but an honest woman and a wonderful mother," you said as if defending your mother's name from herself. "(m/n), I was a different woman before you were born, before anything actually." You tilted your head, waiting for her to continue. "Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you mean." She turned to look at you and said that you should sit down.

You didn't move, making her sigh. "I've told you how I met your father," she started, and you nodded. "Yeah, you met one night when you two found each other staring at the moon," you recalled, and she nodded. "But I never told you who your father really was," she paused. "Your father... was the Moon God Tsukuyomi." You arched a brow. "Moon God?" You repeated and she hummed in affirmation. "He was the most handsome, courageous, talented, and compassionate man I have ever met in my life. And he chose to love me. Me, a human mortal that was not worthy of his affection." She paused and you wish you could touch her.

"We both were punished for our love, and he paid the highest price, which was his free will... I don't even know if your father is alive but if he is, he's somewhere we can't tread." Mayumi informed and you didn't know how to react. It was quiet until you asked, "What price did you have to pay?" Her lips went into a thin line. "You're looking at it, (m/n). My sickness was their doing." She answered and you felt your heart drop. "So...so Gods, and spirits, and yōkai are all real..." You breathed and Mayumi nodded. She was about to say something when she started to fade.

"Mom-. Mom!" You cried out, reaching for her, but still not being able to touch her. "I'm so sorry that I have to leave you, my beautiful son. Remember that I love you so so much." She said and you shook your head, telling her not to say that; to not say goodbye. She gave you a closed eye smile before she disappeared for good. You fell to the ground in shock, tears flowing freely down your cheeks. You sat in that same spot for hours and cried. Cried for your mother's death, the fact that you were alone now, everything that you had learned, and everything else wrong with your life.