Sea of Falling Stars
Brief
Overview
A short fantasy story written originally in Japanese for the Intermediate Japanese II class. The song with the same title can be found here.
English Version
Japanese Version (Original)
Date: 03/23/2020
Type: Short Story
Position: Author, translator
Note: Written for the Intermediate Japanese II class. Originally written in Japanese.
Sea of Falling Stars
Long, long ago, there was a young girl who lived by herself in a forest by the sea. The young girl felt so lonely. The only comfort she had found was the stars in the sky. Among those stars, she loved the brightest one so much. The young girl gazed at the sky every night, looking at that brightest star only.
The young girl looked up at the starry sky night by night and gradually found herself falling in love with the brightest star. She watched that star, wishing that one day she could be at the side of him. However, she realized that she was so ordinary. She could not get closer to that star easily.
“What should I do so that I can get closer to you?” The young girl said to herself.
No matter how hard she tried, she did not get any closer to the brightest star. Still, she loved the star even more and more. The young girl who was crazy in love with the star made her way out of the forest, gazing upon the brightest star while running, and finally arrived at the sea. Without paying attention to the surroundings, she accidentally stepped on the seawater which engulfed her. A thousand stars fell down on the sea at the exact moment, and the young girl saw this all.
“Why am I in grief? It’s so beautiful, though...” The young girl thought.
The sea was freezing like ice. There was no one else, and the water was so cold. The young girl was afraid, trembling, and crying in the seawater. “I don’t want to die.” She thought as she tried to make her way up. However, no matter how she struggled, the young girl sank deeper and deeper toward the bottom of the sea. Even the light from the brightest star seemed to be so dim now.
Then, the young girl lost all her hope. She embraced her love which would never come true, closing her eyes, and gave herself and her life to the merciless sea.
“Don’t be afraid anymore.”
Just before she took her last breath, a hand surrounded by light reached out to her, holding the young girl’s wrist tightly.
“Please hold my hand. I won’t let you go.”
The young girl took his hand and got out of the sea. She was finally saved by the brightest star she loved so much.
「星が降る海」
昔々、あるところに一人の少女がいった。少女は海の近くの森で一人暮らして、とても寂しかった。しかし、彼女にとって、唯一の癒しは夜空のお星様で、特にその中で一番輝く星が好きだった。少女は毎晩夜空を眺めて、ずっとその星を見つめていた。
少女は毎晩毎晩星空を見るにつれ、だんだん一等星に深く深く恋をした。それから少女はあの星をみるばかりで、「お星様の傍にいたい」と願った。しかし、少女はただの普通な子なので、あのぴかぴかっと光る星にそう簡単に近づけなかった。
「どうすればあなたに近づけるのでしょう…」と少女が呟いた。
少女はどうしても一等星の傍に行けなかった。それでも星への愛が深くなっていった。星を熱く愛する少女は森から飛び出して、その星を見つめながら走って、静かな海に来た。彼女は気づかない間に水を踏んで、海に呑まれた。海の中に落ちる前の一瞬、沢山の星が空から海へ降りて来た。少女はそれを全部見た。
「なんで私はこんなに悲しいの？こんなに綺麗な景色なのに…」と少女はそう思った。
海は凍える氷ぐらい静かだった。誰もいないし、水も寒くなるし、少女はとても怖くて、震えて泣いた。まだ死にたくない、と少女は上に向かって精一杯もがいていた。しかし、それは無駄だった。少女はだんだん海の底へ沈んでいった。あの輝く一等星も見えなかった。
そして少女は絶望した。少女はこの叶わない恋を抱いて、自分の身体と命を無情な海を与えて、目を閉じた。
「もう怖くないよ。」
しかし息が止まる前に、一つの光っている手が少女に伸びて、少女の腕を強く強く掴んだ。
「僕の手をちゃんと掴んで。」
少女はその人の手を取って、海から出た。少女はやっと愛しい一等星に救われた。