I Will Cleanse Your Heart | Short-Short

A world of silence, as if holding its breath.

"..."

I was staring at the vast ocean spreading out before me.

One day before this.

In the middle of a festival being held in town, a boy who had become separated from his parents and was trudging down a back alley arrived at a certain shop.

The sign read as follows:

"I will cleanse your heart, entirely."

What a rather long name for a shop, he thought.

Unable to read the character for "cleanse," he tilted his head for a moment, when the shop door opened and a woman with long, chestnut-colored hair stepped out.

"Are you perhaps lost?"

When the boy nodded, the woman leaned in so close that their faces were almost touching, and she peered intently at his face.

"Since you're here, why don't you stop by my shop?"

With that, the woman took the boy's hand and invited him into the shop.

Upon entering, the entire room was a pale shade of light blue, and there was a faint scent of the sea.

"My name is Mizuki. I have a job where I wash away the hearts of various people. Normally I charge money for this, but since you are still a child, I will do it for you for free as a special favor."

"A job washing away hearts?"

"That's right. People in this world live constantly burdened by worldly desires. This creates a society that is difficult to live in, and there are many people who are suffering greatly. Therefore, because I want to make those people's feelings easier, I use my power to wash away their dirty hearts."

"Hmm?"

The boy gave a vague reply, not really understanding what she meant by "worldly desires" or "washing away a dirty heart."

"Please stand over there."

After making the boy stand against the wall, Mizuki closed her eyes, reached out her right hand, and pointed her palm toward the boy.

“Well then, here I go!”

Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes wide and,

“Purification!!”

The moment he shouted this, a tremendous wind blew against the boy.

The wind was pale blue and felt cool, as if he were being washed in a washing machine or splashed with water.

Because of its sheer intensity, the boy felt as if he were about to be blown away outside along with the wall, so he held on for dear life.

“It is finished.”

When the wind stopped, Mizuki let out a long breath.

“...”

“It seems you do not yet have any worldly desires to speak of. Please cherish those feelings just as they are.”

As the boy stood there blankly, he saw his mother passing by on the street outside the shop.

“Mom!”

Without saying a word to Mizuki, the boy dashed out of the shop and ran toward his mother.

“Young lady, is this a shop that washes people's bodies?”

As he watched the boy leave, he was suddenly addressed from behind.

Turning around, he saw an old man in tattered clothes holding a large plastic bag.

An unusual odor wafted from the old man.
He appeared to be homeless.

“W-well, yes. It’s a shop that washes not just the body, but the heart.”

He tried his best to remain calm despite the strong body odor.

“Could you wash me too? I don't have any money, though...”

Seeing the apologetic look on his face, Mizuki felt unable to bear it and,

No, there is no need to pay me. Now, please come inside.

After inviting him into the shop, I had him stand against the wall, just like the boy from earlier.

Here I go! Purification!

Just as with the boy, a tremendous pale blue wind blew against the old man.

!!

The old man's eyes went wide with surprise.

??

While performing the purification, Mizuki tilted her head repeatedly.

Sir, it seems you have no worldly desires. Your heart is not tainted at all.

...

The old man looked at Mizuki with a disappointed expression and said,

"I had assumed you were going to wash my body, but nothing has changed at all... I don't know what you did, but thank you."

As soon as he said that, the old man clutched a large plastic bag and trudged out of the shop.

"..."

Mizuki thought for a moment.

I've purified hundreds of people since I started this job, but there's no end to it.

If it's come to this, I have no choice but to do "that."

But if I do that, this Earth will...

"..."

At her feet lay a city submerged in the ocean.
There are many people inside, but they are all motionless, as if they are asleep.

The answer Mizuki came up with.

It was to "soak and wash" the entire Earth.

The world is completely covered in ocean, with only the very tops of the highest mountains visible.

I will let it soak for a while to purify all the worldly desires on Earth.
But was this really the right choice?

In the end, perhaps I myself was just one of those people swayed by the "worldly desire" of being self-righteous.

When the purification ends and the world begins to move again, what will happen to the people?

What will a world without worldly desires really be like...

Mizuki did not know when this purification would end.

Whether it would be in a year, ten years, a hundred years, or even longer.

I, too, shall sleep in the ocean with everyone else and wait for my heart to be cleansed.

With that murmur, Mizuki sank into the sea spreading out below.

(2,045 characters)

■ This short-short is included in the following magazine 😌

■ I am currently participating in a magazine specializing in novels and short-shorts ✨️

The thumbnail for this piece was borrowed from Hiiro-san 🎵

Thank you always for your wonderful illustrations 😌

The next "Yoshimaru Short-Short Theater" will be posted on Saturday, April 19th, at 9:00 PM ✨️

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