Chapter 23: The Moon’s Longing for the Sun

Chapter 23: The Moon’s Longing for the Sun

✿———✦———✿

“A dream of a thousand years, yet I still haven't woken up. Gei-chan... have you ever seen the flowers bloom under the moonlight?“

I woke up with an overwhelming sense of confusion. The world around me felt different, dark even though the sun should have risen long ago. Beside me, my older sister sat silently, her face looking anxious, yet she said nothing. I turned my gaze toward the window; the view outside made me feel like a stranger, as if I were looking at the sky from the surface of the moon. There were only stars shining, as if their light was the only thing left in the universe.

“Why… has the world become like this?” I asked, still trying to understand the nonsensical situation. “It’s already 8:15 AM, but... there’s no sun.”

Akiho bit her lip, her eyes looking heavy as if trying to hold something back. “I… don’t know how to answer. Since yesterday, the world has just been like this.”

A feeling of fear and anxiety began to crawl inside me. I tried to stay calm, but my mind kept racing. I thought of everyone—where was Yorishiro? Where were the others? And most importantly, where was Chinatsu?

“I have to find them,” I said while trying to get up from the bed. Akiho stopped me gently, placing her hand on my shoulder.

“Yorishiro and Yukifuyu went to buy medicine, and Mitsuki and the others are on a government project. They are helping to create lights so the city can stay bright even though the sun is gone,” she explained. “But Natsu-chan... I don’t know where she is.”

Those words made my chest tighten. The thought that Chinatsu was missing somewhere made me anxious. “You haven’t seen her since yesterday?” I asked again, hoping for a glimmer of information that could explain all this.

Akiho shook her head, her face full of regret. “No… she isn’t at the apartment.”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. But the longer I thought about it, the more nonsensical everything became. A world without a sun… how could this happen? The night passed, and now it was night again. Strangely, the world continued to function as usual despite the endless dark sky. The city kept pulsing; streetlights and buildings replaced the role of natural light, yet there was a hollowness that couldn't be ignored.

And in the midst of this chaos, Chinatsu still hadn't been found.

As we gathered again with the others at the apartment, I realized how strange and illogical it all was. There was no moonlight at night. The moon, which usually shone softly, was now just black, as if dead, without any light to reflect life.

I walked to the balcony, and there I saw Miharu standing still. He just stared at the dark sky without saying a word.

“Miharu-san,” I called softly, approaching him. He didn't turn, but I knew he heard. The atmosphere between us was so quiet, full of uncertainty. What was actually happening?

I stood beside him, feeling the cold night wind hit my skin. “What is actually happening?” I asked in a low voice. “Why did the sun disappear?”

Miharu remained silent, his eyes fixed on the sky. However, from the look in his eyes which was full of grief, I knew he knew something he didn't want to reveal.

“Kazu, it’s strange, isn’t it? A summer without a sun.”

“Why do you look so calm...”

“Not really. I’m annoyed, so I’m staying quiet.”

Miharu... I don't know what you are feeling right now. I must look for answers. Answers? Right, my body feels as if this event has happened before. I remember the strange dreams that occurred and the incident at the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge when I was returning from Awaji City. So all of that was real... I should call Matsuyu... no... I shouldn't involve her.

My thoughts were a mess, my heart heavy. Again. A faint image of a woman on the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge flashed through my mind, a figure whose face was never clear. However, before I could think further, Miharu diverted my attention. His sharp gaze implied that he knew something important... something I didn't want to hear.

Finally, Miharu began to tell the story, his voice sounding heavy as if carrying a burden of many years. “You have to know, Kazu… who Chinatsu really is.”

I shook my head, refusing to hear any more. But the blurry pieces of memory began to arrange themselves, like a puzzle slowly forming in my mind. Every word Miharu spoke made my head hurt even more, yet he continued.

“Chinatsu isn't just Chinatsu... she is the God Kougei,” Miharu said, stopping my steps for a moment. I felt like the world was spinning, yet he didn't stop. “And Jouga, Kougei’s wife—”

“Stop! That’s enough, Miharu-san...”

I couldn't accept this. No. I knew too much had changed, but hearing it all from Miharu’s mouth, or whoever he really was, was too heavy.

“Kazu. You know, my job as Miharu was actually to watch over Chinatsu, to make sure she didn't lose control… But I failed. The mistake I made by giving in to worldly desires destroyed everything.”

His last words made my heart pound faster, increasingly painful. “You already know everything, don’t you? That potion—”

“Miharu-san, enough.”

“Kazu, I’m sorry...”

I backed away, step by step, moving away from him. No, I didn't want to hear anymore. My head throbbed even more, old blurry memories appearing more clearly. Jouga… impossible. But… that Jouga is… No. I didn't want to admit this. I couldn't.

I ran. Without thinking about anything other than finding Chinatsu. The one place that appeared in my mind was the sunflower garden at the Herb Garden. That was her favorite place. Every summer, she always took me there, laughing among the large flowers that faced the sun, enjoying the peace among the petals blooming under the light of that solar center.

But now, there was no more sun. I ran with all my might, passing through dark streets, taking a hill as a shortcut. The tall trees covered the remaining light from the sky. Although streetlights tried to illuminate the way, nothing could replace the sunlight, and now even the moon was dead, no longer reflecting rays.

My body felt increasingly weak, the wounds from when I fell on the road began to ache. However, I kept running, falling and getting up again, blood flowing from small wounds on my hands and legs. Amidst the pain, fireflies suddenly appeared, glowing brightly around me, like a sign. Leaves from the surrounding trees flew about, following the increasingly strong wind.

I want to admit something. Punish me, Seioubo.

I was so sad and started screaming with all my might in the middle of this forest. “I give up, Heaven! I am so ashamed!” “I am truly a fool!” “Right, you all are right... I am the one who betrayed her.” “If only I hadn't been selfish...” I said, crying and regretting my actions.

No, I don't want to give up. I want to fix everything.

“If there is no sun... I want to return to being the moon!” I shouted, breaking the silence of the night.

And then, something happened. The previously dead moon suddenly began to shine brightly again, illuminating the dark world. It felt as if my body was connected to that moon—like there was a connection I couldn't understand. My tears flowed even more heavily, as if all this pain and suffering merged with the moonlight.

People came out of their houses, staring at the sky in confusion. On the streets, vehicles stopped, drivers got out to witness this strange phenomenon. The moon, shining brightly without a sun—impossible, yet real. Media on large city screens began broadcasting this phenomenon; the internet was full of speculation. The world was watching.

I felt relieved, even though blood continued to flow from my wounds. However, my heart was still restless. I kept running, my tears and blood mixing, flowing to the ground as I tried to reach the Kobe Herb Garden.

As I returned to the main road, a car suddenly stopped near me.

“Kazu-san! Come on, hurry! We’ll give you a ride!” Yukifuyu shouted urgently.

I was glad; Yorishiro and Yukifuyu were here. They asked me to get in. “Miharu already explained everything,” Yukifuyu said while looking at me with a sympathetic gaze. “We will help you.”

Yorishiro added, “Kazu, I feel like we’re in the animation we made, Taiyoutenshi. Sun God? I really don’t know what to say…,”

I nodded weakly, grateful my friends were here with me. Slightly calmed, I got into the car. Yukifuyu was shocked to see the wounds on my body, while Yorishiro stayed focused on driving seriously. We sped toward the Kobe Herb Garden, the place where I hoped Chinatsu would be. The place that had held sweet memories under the sunlight, before everything changed.

As the car sped under the dark sky, only lit by the stars and the moon that was now shining again, my memories slowly began to return. Every flash of memory felt like a sharp shard of glass piercing me, awakening old pain I had once ignored.

I remember how my life with Chinatsu was... no, with Kougei, in heaven. We were eternal lovers, loving each other above the clouds. A perfect life, until everything was destroyed because of a punishment from the Sky Emperor. A punishment that forced us down to earth, to become humans.

As humans, we experienced something we had never experienced before: age. Humans grow old, skin becomes wrinkled, beauty fades as time passes. But what was more painful was how he, Kougei, destroyed everything. The mistake he made also became my burden.

He was rarely home, always busy thinking about humans. I remember how angry I was when I found out he had an affair with the River Goddess Raku—Rakushin or Miki. His affair caused a commotion with her husband, the God Kahaku, and all of that made me increasingly sick. We often argued, but he always tried to calm me with hurtful sentences, “Jouga, don’t be angry... or you’ll age quickly.” As if I only cared about outward appearance. But the reality was, I was indeed afraid of aging; I was afraid of losing the beauty we had as gods.

Every day I hated him more. Kougei, who used to be my eternal love, was now the source of my hatred. He was trapped in the human world, in a forbidden relationship, while I remained faithful to him despite there being two of his followers who constantly tried to win my heart. They tried to exploit my weakness, tried to take his position, but I rejected them. I was faithful, very faithful. That was in stark contrast to Kougei who continued to have an affair with Miki.

However, there was a moment where I briefly softened. Kougei tried to make up for his mistake. He tried to get the Elixir of Immortality from Seioubo, the Goddess of Immortality. We promised to drink that elixir together on the 15th of the eighth month, to become eternal again, to fix everything. But, three days before that day, he ran away—disappearing on the 12th.

His follower, Ganjo, came to me and said that he went to meet Miki again. I knew it was a trap, but the pain and anger were already too deep. In despair, I drank the potion alone. I was angry, felt betrayed, and was too ashamed to return to heaven. So, I flew to the moon, leaving everything behind.

However, there, from a distance, I saw Kougei running, calling my name desperately. His clothes were torn, his body wounded, and he was clutching a Jewel Potion from the Tianshan mountains that could provide eternal beauty. It turned out, he didn't go to meet Miki. He went to get another potion, to restore our beauty before becoming eternal. But everything was too late.

From the moon, I saw him age and finally die as a human. Every year on that same day, he put mooncakes outside his house, hoping I would return. But I never returned. I watched him from afar, and in the end, he died with a sadness that never left his face.

Feeling sorry for his suffering, the Jade Emperor resurrected him as a god. However, our punishment remained the same. Day and night will never be able to unite. We are trapped in an unending cycle—me on the moon, and him under the sun. We are always separated, never able to meet, even though eternity has returned to our lives.

I sat silently in the car, my tears flowing without end. Yukifuyu and Yorishiro watched anxiously, but I was too drowned in these memories to be able to say anything.

“Day and night,” I murmured softly, “will never be able to unite.”

“Friends, look!” Yukifuyu shouted in amazement. “Shouldn't this happen at the end of September?”

Yorishiro also reacted. “T-This... is real, K-Kazu... Kagechi, the great Sky Judge.”

“Your father was right... Yorishiro.”

My eyes lifted, and among the shimmering stars, I saw it. A light so bright and beautiful crossed the sky. Several Aurigama Comets. Their long tails split the night, forming thin lines that glowed golden, as if creating a cosmic painting above our heads. People on the streets stopped walking, looking up with faces filled with awe.

The darkness that had felt oppressive for so long suddenly turned into something grand. The light of those comets was so mesmerizing, like a shimmer of hope in the middle of the gloom. On the streets, I could hear soft voices from people staring at the sky while whispering; some were praying, some were crying because they were moved.

Some people also took photos and videos to commemorate this event. There was no news on the large city screens or TV, as if they preferred to witness those comets with their own naked eyes.

The car finally arrived in front of the gate of the Kobe Herb Garden. I should have been able to sit quietly, absorbing the view, and spending time with Yukifuyu and Yorishiro. However, the anxiety that struck made me impatient. When Yorishiro was about to park the car, I couldn't restrain myself. Quickly, I opened the car door and jumped out.

“Kazu-san! That’s dangerous!” Yukifuyu shouted, shocked by my sudden action.

I fell from the car but immediately stood up and ran toward the garden. In an instant, fireflies flickered, leaves trembled, and a stream of light enveloped my body, as if inviting me to another world. I felt the anxious gazes of Yorishiro and Yukifuyu, seeing me as if I were no longer the Kazuaki they knew.

“Kazu! Wait—” Yukifuyu’s voice called me, but stopped when Yorishiro held her arm.

In my vision, I saw myself change. Traditional Chinese clothes clung to my body, and a jade rabbit followed beside me. I didn't realize this change, and perhaps I shouldn't have.

“I don’t understand…” Yukifuyu murmured, confused looking at me.

“He is no longer Minato Kazuaki, right? That is the moon carrying the burden of eternity. I often read that story during animation research,” Yorishiro answered, his voice a bit shocked but trying to stay calm.

“Kazuaki-san is still Minato Kazuaki!” Yukifuyu replied, full of hope.

But at that moment, the figure they saw was not Kazuaki. It was Jouga—the Moon Goddess. All the memories and the suppressed pain began to push out, erasing all the beautiful memories.

“Chinatsu! Where are you?!” I shouted, calling out in confusion as I arrived at the sunflower garden.

When my eyes caught sight of Chinatsu, my vision blurred, like a glitch in the animations I usually made. Her figure flickered between her familiar face and the face of a long-haired man I once remembered.

She was singing the song ‘Heavenly Flower’. No, this isn't right. I don't want to remember that dark past. Please, don’t punish me again, universe. Oh stars and earth, don’t open my old wounds.

I tried to hold back tears; this is just a glitch, right? Just an error or a bug that shouldn't exist in my storyboard.

The jade rabbit approached, and although I was angry, I didn't have the heart to vent my anger on an innocent creature. “Stay away from me! Don’t bother me… please.”

My gaze returned to Chinatsu, or maybe Kougei. Her figure kept alternating in my vision. Frustratedly, I ruffled my hair, trying to drive away the turmoil creeping into my soul.

“Kazu?” “Jouga?”

A man's and a woman's voice were heard. It was Chinatsu, but also Kougei—as if both were united in one voice.

I backed away, panicking, and looked for a bag I never brought. “The bag, where are the laptop and books? This isn't in the storyboard. I have to change it.” My hands trembled as I searched for the bag that should have been with me, but I didn't bring it. I was traumatized.

Chinatsu—no, Kougei—held my hand, trying to calm me, but I moved away from her.

“Why?” I asked in a tone of despair. “Why must it be repeated? I was comfortable as Kazuaki. Why did you appear? Moreover, you have destroyed the last sun!”

Kougei shook his head. “If the sun sets, it's because I allow it,” he answered calmly.

“No! This didn't set, this was destroyed and will not return.” My anger flared. “You have fallen too far, Kougei! You aren't just blocked by an eclipse, you have disappeared from your orbit!”

“The world has been dark from the start, whether with a sun or without a sun. This world is full of betrayal, injustice, and... lies.”

“You are wrong, you also once betrayed me... You cheated but, me? Although there were several of your followers who tried to replace your position, I remained faithful!”

Kougei looked hurt, not trying to defend himself, but instead blaming me. “You drank the elixir of immortality alone and left me to die.”

“...”

“Fundamentally, loyalty never exists within anyone.”

I couldn't answer. That mistake was in me as well. Now I have truly changed into Jouga, and the story of Kazuaki and Chinatsu will never exist again.

What will happen now? Will we blame each other? Right, the sun and the moon will never meet. In this uncertainty, I know that we are trapped in an unending cycle—in a dark world where betrayal and injustice hide behind the light.

Our story—no, my story. Will end soon.