Puberty Rebellion and Mom's Flying Tantrum
Puberty—that stormy, tempestuous phase of life. Looking back as an adult, it leaves memories that become pure black history, the kind that has you kicking off the blankets in the dead of night, cursing yourself out loud. Or it carves an indelible scar, a painful regret you can't shake. Worst of all, you might do something so mortifyingly insane that it ends you in every sense of the word. ...If I had to categorize myself, I'd say I'm firmly in that last camp.
A rural village where roosters crowed at every sunrise. Neighbors knew every face, and it was so peaceful that neighborhood kids could wander into any house for a snack when they got hungry. Living there was a strapping young man in his prime, alongside his mother—who was way too young-looking for her age.
"Commoners can get into the academy too! I'll pay my own way with the money I've earned!"
"No! I said no! Absolutely not!!"
Mom whipped her head side to side, her long hair flying wildly and lashing my cheeks like a whip, her voice trembling with sobs.
All I'd suggested was using the money I'd diligently earned—helping with farm chores, taking on every odd job in the village as a young guy—to head to the city and enroll in the academy.
The first time I brought it up, Mom tried everything to change my mind: Can't you reconsider? Think it over again? She pleaded over and over. But I wasn't planning to spend my whole life in this village. What was wrong with graduating from the academy, landing a better job, and moving to the city?
A whole year passed with no compromise in sight. The rift between mother and son only deepened, and the enrollment date loomed closer.
"...Fine! I'm all grown up now! I'll decide my own future! I'm enrolling in the academy!"
This was my final notice to Mom.
Of course, as a mother, she was worried sick about her son heading to the city alone to attend the academy. But a guy couldn't stay in his mom's arms forever, right? Especially since Mom looked so young and beautiful for her age—I wished she'd stop fussing over just me and think about her own life a little.
I never dared ask outright, but anyone could see it was a touchy situation: a young mom raising her son all by herself...!!
──But apparently, our family's secrets were even more absurd than I'd imagined.
Mom puffed out her cheeks in a pout, turned her head away with a huff, and grabbed a broom.
"I don't care anymore!! Mom's mad!! Do whatever you want!!"
Then she hopped on the broom like it was the most natural thing in the world and flew straight up into the sky.
"...Huh?"
She flew? My mom? Did I just launch my mom into the sky?
I stood there dumbfounded, staring blankly as she shrank to a dot in the heavens—a sight I'd never even dreamed of.
I mean, what could anyone do if a person just up and flies away? If that's where it ended, I might've abandoned the academy altogether, wracking my brain over "Where the heck do I even start looking to apologize to Mom...?" and set off on a journey to find her.
But the next morning, when I got up and looked in the mirror...
"...Wha?"
A girl with golden, glowing eyes I'd never seen in the village was staring back at me in shock.
"Ack?!"
One week until academy enrollment. The 17-year-old boy had turned into a girl overnight.