A boyfriend made of sand・砂の彼氏（短編小説）
Where is a true self?
Where do we come from and where are we going?
And what are we?
Today, I will introduce my short novel. I don’t mind if you understand this story as you like.
My name is Kyoko, 32 years old, living alone, an office clerk. I work overtime everyday and have no time to go out. My life is only in my office and home. I can’t take this anymore. Oh my! I wish I could marry someone kind and rich. I want to marry soon. The happiest woman is the very person who has married a good guy.
私の名前は京子。32歳。一人暮らし。事務員。残業だらけなのにお給料は安いし、遊びに行く時間もない。毎日毎日こうやって会社とアパートの往復ばかり。いやになっちゃう。あ～あ、誰かいい人いないかな。早く結婚したい。女はいい男と結婚して幸せになるにかぎる。
One day, my friend introduced a client of my company and I decided to go out with him. He was not so handsome, but a mediocre person. He is very sweet and enough kind to listen to many things that was bothering me repeatedly. Every time I was so stressful to think about my job, he came to my apartment soon. It’s a long time ago. He used to listen to my silly story.
ある日のこと、友達の紹介で会社の取引先の人と交際することになった。特に男前ということはなく、平凡な感じの人だったけれど、とても優しい人で、私の話を何度でも聞いてくれた。仕事のストレスがたまると彼はすぐにアパートに来てくれた。今考えると、本当にくだらない話をよく聞いてくれたと思う。
In the early afternoon, I was having coffee with him in my room. As usual, I was complaining about the company. He always gives back-channel feedback. But today, what happened? He came not to say anything, so, I watched his face anxiously. He looked pale, stone-faced as if he were a clay image. Oh my, I saw sand slipping out of his sleeve.
ある日の午後、私は、部屋で彼と一緒にコーヒーを飲んでいた。相変わらず、私は会社の愚痴をこぼしていた。ところが、いつも相槌を打ちながら話を聞いてくれる彼が何も言わなくなったので、私は心配になって彼の方を見た。すると、彼は顔色が悪くなっていて、まるで埴輪のように無表情になっていた。見ると、彼のTシャツの袖から砂がパラパラと落ちていた。
“Are you ok? Are you feeling sick?” I asked him and stroke him on the shoulder, then more and more sand began to drop from his sleeve. When I rolled his sleeve up, I noticed his arm skin split open, and lots of sand was overflowing out of it.
「どうしたの？ 気分が悪いの？」と聞いて彼の肩をさすると、もっとたくさんの砂が袖から落ち始めた。袖をめくってみると、腕の皮膚がパックリ開いていて、そこから砂があふれ出していたのだった。
“Sew together” he asked me. I was surprised to look at his face. His head was wrinkled like a deflated balloon. Spilt sand was piled up on the floor. I laid his body, and hurried to give all sand back into his wound of his arm, and sewed it together.
「縫って」と彼が言った。私はびっくりして彼の顔を見た。彼の頭がしぼんだ風船のようにフニャフニャになっていた。こぼれた砂が床にあふれている。私は彼の体を横にして、急いて、穴の開いた腕の中に砂を戻し、傷口を塗った。
His body was repaired to get back his original condition. I was glad to complain about the company and also my family again. I didn’t like to bring up the marriage from me, but I hinted at it. “ Don’t you mind if I am made of sand? My skin may split open again. Is it OK for you? Moreover, my salary is not so good. We both must work.” He said.
彼は元通りの体になった。私はうれしくなってまた、会社や家族の愚痴を聞いてもらった。女の方から切り出すのは嫌だったけれど、結婚もほのめかしてみた。「俺が砂でできていてもいいのかい？ また皮膚が破れちゃうかもしれないよ。それでもいいの？ それに俺の給料は少ないから共稼ぎしてくれる？」と彼が言った。
I didn’t mind if he was made of sand and a man of low salary. I married him. I also bought my home. His body’ skin split open again and again. Each time, I sewed his wound together.
私は彼が砂でできていても、お給料が少なくてもかまわないと思った。私は彼と結婚し、マイホームも購入した。彼の体は何度も何度も破れたけれど、その度に私は彼の体を縫った。
One day, when I came back home from work, the living floor was all covered with sand and no husband. On the sand, an ethereal beautiful flower was in bloom. I’ve never seen such a beautiful flower. I moved all of the sand to a garden, and planted the beautiful flower on the garden. I continued working after I lost him. The world around me came to be shinning and bright. I’m sure that another person inside me disappeared.
ある日のこと、私が仕事から帰ると、夫の姿はなく、リビングが砂だらけになっていた。砂にはこの世のものとは思ないほどの美しい花が咲いていた。私は砂を庭に移し、咲いていた花も花壇に植えた。彼がいなくなっても私は仕事を続けた。世界が明るく見えるようになった。私の中に根付いていたもう一人の私がいなくなったようだ。
Time went by, and I also became a woman made of sand. My body will split open soon, and the same flower will be in bloom.
時は過ぎ、そして、私もまた、砂の女になった。私の体もいつか裂けて、美しい花になるでしょう。
I’m happy if you know the essence of this story.
Thank you for reading my short story through to the end.
See you soon.
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