In Japan

My name is Hideyoshi Itsuki, son of Hideyoshi Anna. From birth, I’ve had 2 really conspicuous birthmarks. One is on my left hand, a symbol of a lyre. The other is in my right eye, a musical note. Could birthmarks really happen in the eye? Anyway, leaving that aside, my mother’s nickname for me is her little Apollo since I was very tall, handsome, and extremely gifted in the musical arts. In terms of looks, I had a charm that would catch the eye of others easily along with a decently good-looking face to accompany my head of spiky black hair. Musically, I tried the violin, cello, cellobass, flute, and even trumpet. I was exceptional at all of them. It was like my soul could easily resonate with the notes and instruments. Honestly, I truly enjoyed music, but I loved seeing how happy my music made my mother. She would sing along to the songs I played, and her vibrant personality made me smile with joy every time. We were just a son and his mother, but truthfully, that was all I needed. This world with the two of us. 

You see, my mother was just a common working woman and single mother ever since she divorced with my father. I don’t know his name, but mother did say he was an alcoholic. She raised me all by herself, and I always felt guilty every time she came home exhausted from the amount of paperwork she had to deal with. When I was 7 years old, I chose to do my best in terms of housework so that she could come home to a clean house with food on the table. When I first attempted cooking, I almost gagged at the abomination that was supposed to be porridge. Who knew you aren’t supposed to throw whatever white things are in the fridge into the porridge to get that white color? So it’s not my fault right? Ok….sorry. Yea it was my fault. I tried to hide the evidence, but that day my mother came home early and saw it. She quickly scooped herself a bowl of that steaming mush and gobbled it down. With a gentle smile on her face, she told me it had a bit too much salt, and that she would teach me how to properly cook. 

Boy that opened a new window of fun in my life. Cooking is great. I mean, rice is life. It can be made into riceballs, porridge, curry, fried rice and more. If I didn’t love music as much as I did, I probably would have decided to become a chef. My goal would have been to be the first Japanese chef to get the Pluspol award! You have to aim high right? What? Someone already beat me to that? Dude named Shinomiya? Ok fine whatever. Not that I’m trying to be a chef anymore anyway.

Half a year ago, my mother passed away after I reached the ripe old age of 21. She was diagnosed with a severe form of leukemia, and her constant overtaxing of her body quickly led to the deterioration of her condition. Before she passed away, she constantly praised me and told me to take the world by musical storm while handing me a golden locket that contained a picture of the two of us together. I put the widest smile on my face and promised her that I would pass the conductor exam so that I can perform with the best orchestra ever. After she passed, I cried like a baby, gripping the locket with all I had, praying that this was all just a dream. However, it wasn’t. When my tears finally dried up, I made my resolve. Time to prepare for that conductor test that will change my life forever. 

In Symphonia

????. “Hermes, it is time to collect the one with Apollo’s blessing.”

Hermes: “Aw come on Artemis. I literally just got to sit down after all my errands today. Can’t you wait until I finish watching this episode of Yu-Gi-Oh? The Dark Magician Girl just got played!”

Artemis: “…”

Hermes: “Alright alright! Geez. I get it. I’m the only god that can cross the boundaries to that world. Gotta save Brother Apollo and then kick Ares’s butt. Promise I get a real break when I get back ok?”

Artemis: “Yes yes. Now get going. I await his arrival at the Renaissance Kingdom. Ares will pay for what he did to Apollo.”

Hermes strapped on his winged sandals and flew through a portal, heading straight for Japan. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I somehow was able to crank out the next chapter relatively quickly. Striking while the iron is hot really is a good idea. In this chapter, I wanted to show my main protagonist as very human despite his talents and otherworldly good looks. And no Apollo isn't his dad or anything. It's just, the blessing was the strongest one ever done as earlier I mentioned, so it seems some godliness made its way there. No big deal. Please leave comments and constructive criticisms so that I can write better. I'd love to write all I can before school starts again, so let's keep it up. Thank you all.