The Twenty-Third Tale

She watched from a far as a blinding colour of purple entered her home. She pursed her lips as it stumbled onto the rugged cobblestone path, falling unceremoniously flat on its stomach. 

Loud wails coming from a young child broke the tranquility of a peaceful sunny morning for the young shrine goddess. A cool breeze wafted through the air, complimented by the glistering dew drops on the rustling leaves and murmuring fields of grass. Jieun sighed at the child's own recklessness—but like the kind and considerate spirit she was—gracefully floated down from her spot on top of the rooftop and gently helped the boy stand on his two small feet.

She knew her simple actions would someday lead her to her own catastrophe. Shrine gods and spirits were never meant to interact or to make any contacts with beings beyond their boundaries. It shattered the balance between the spirit realm and the mundane world, an occurrence that'll end both worlds in complete darkness. 

Jieun had always been one who heeded the rules, laws and regulations. She was never one to break, she never was the type to break her's—their parents' rules.

He was just a mere child then, something Jieun had subconsciously overlooked. She hadn't given much thought about it, assuming that he would sooner or later forget about the woman clad in a beautifully designed kimono who permanently lived in the old shrine near the forest. 

Jieun's world tilted, her foolish actions that had caused small ripples in a pond, had turned into a series of gigantic tidal waves in the ocean.

The boy had ever since constantly visited her during a normal basis. Whenever she'd thought that he'd no longer see her again, he'd always turn up at the most unexpected times with a small offering always in his hands. After a few weeks, Jieun had become accustomed to the boy's presence, and found herself almost anticipating for his return. She liked his company. She liked how he was able to fill that gap of loneliness in her heart.

Her world gradually changed into colours.

She was always there by his side, watching him grow from a child to an adult as time went on. She had tried what she could to keep her connections with him a secret from all the other spirits. There were numerous events and times where she had been caught by her siblings and was on the edge of receiving punishment from her parents, and how the boy, now an eighteen year old adult, somehow got dragged into her many dilemmas and predicaments. 

They always managed to get away with it. 

It was fun. 

She grew attached to him.

"I love you..." he had said.

She could only look at him, trying to hold the prickling tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, we can't. It won't work out."

They still remained as close as ever, albeit their beating hearts aching in their chests.

 Jieun now holds onto a wrinkly hand of an old senile man, who used to be a young man she had met of what felt like only a few days ago. He grew up to be a successful business man who still harboured feelings for the beautiful shrine goddess he had met many years ago. 

Realisation had dawned upon her, opening her eyes as to why spirits and gods alike were forbidden from making connections with humans. It wasn't because it would tilt the balance between their worlds, the whole world and the whole boundary poppycock had all nothing to do with it. 

Making relationships with humans, getting too attached...

It always had an unhappy ending.

She cried, tears pooling from her eyes.

The old man smiled at her.

The both of them stayed right next to each other, desperately grasping onto one another's hand for solace, as if it were their own life line...

Until the man breathed his last breath and Jieun could no longer feel the warmth of his hand.

Her world turned grey.

Long prompt | Stress relief / being counterproductive | Exams are coming up, ugh | Hotarubi no Mori e /  Into the Forest of Fireflies' Night inspired