Go Tokyo Your Experience
Even if they sometimes nag, parents will always be the ones who love their children the most. In Japan, a man named Takayuki Ishikawa indirectly caused the death of his mother because he missed a phone call. This incident dealt a devastating blow to his life, leaving him despondent. When he publicly shared the last text message his mother sent him before her passing, the deeply moving words brought countless netizens to tears.
The 28-year-old Takayuki Ishikawa was unexpectedly encountered on the street by a production team during the Japanese television program “Can I Come Home With You?” He decided to let them follow him home. Ishikawa works at a well-known gay bar in Shinjuku Nichome, but lives in Ikebukuro.
He stated that he needed to obtain the consent of his roommate friend before allowing the production team to film.
This friend is also the owner of the bar where Ishikawa works; the two met at the bar where Ishikawa previously worked. The owner later opened her own bar and hired Ishikawa.
Ishikawa is a gay man who came out to his family at the age of 21 or 22.
At that time, only his mother accepted him, and their relationship has been very good ever since.
As they talked, the taxi arrived downstairs at Shikawa’s place in Ikebukuro.
He lives in an apartment building in Ikebukuro.
As soon as you enter the door, you can see several pairs of fluorescent shoes, bright like the ones he is wearing.
Ishikawa walked into the kitchen and stopped there. He was actually just staying here, while the kitchen was the landlady’s living quarters.
When Ishikawa wants to spend time watching YouTube, he can lay down a futon in the boss’s room.
Although Ishikawa has a monthly salary of 150,000 yen, he still can’t afford to rent an apartment.
This is because he is overly addicted to drinking, spending most of his salary on alcohol, so he has to do chores for the landlady, such as cleaning the toilet and cooking, in order to avoid paying rent.
He said with a hint of self-deprecation, “This is what they call home.”
The effects of alcohol often leave Ishikawa drunk at work, resulting in him spending the whole day recovering, thus wasting precious rest time.
He recently experienced a breakup with his boyfriend, who was the most handsome boyfriend he had ever met; he described the person as looking like a member of the singing group J Soul Brothers.
As for the specific reason for the breakup, he couldn’t articulate it, but it was likely due to his poor drinking habits, as he often ends up passed out on the ground.
This life, which appears to be a complete mess on the surface, actually stems from the death of his mother two years ago, which plunged him into alcohol and disappointment.
Ishikawa’s mother and father had long divorced and moved back to their hometown. On August 20, 2018, his mother, who suffered from depression, jumped from the 7th floor of the apartment building where she lived.
The day before his mother committed suicide, she called Ishikawa, but he was partying with friends at the time and missed the call. His mother also mentioned in a text: “My mood has worsened again.”
Over the years, this unanswered call has been lingering in Ishikawa’s mind, as if it were an unresolved issue—if he had answered the phone that day, would his mother’s fate have been different?
It was eight hours later that he realized his mother had called; he hurriedly replied, “Is everything okay?” His mother responded, “It’s fine, I’m working hard right now, hoping to be successful. You and your brother should get along well.”
However, the next day Ishikawa learned of his mother’s death and realized that it was her last cry for help, which he failed to perceive. His mother only sent him this message, not to his mother-in-law or younger brother.
On the anniversary of his mother’s death, Ishikawa sent a “Happy Birthday” text message to his mother’s number. He knew full well that the number no longer belonged to her, but he could not accept the reality that she was gone. He often dreams of his mother coming back to life, but he finds it hard to forgive himself — if he had just asked one more question, perhaps…
Despite the difficulties in life, Ishikawa deeply understands how much his mother loves him and how unwilling she is to see him feel inferior because of his sexual orientation. Therefore, Ishikawa publicly revealed his sexual orientation on social media, “coming out” to more friends, not wanting to disappoint his mother’s acceptance and understanding.
Fortunately, his friends accept his true identity just like his mother. Even though he once had thoughts of taking his own life, Ishikawa occasionally finds himself grateful for the life his mother gave him.
Although life is difficult now, this may be the process of his gradual recovery. At least he still has dreams, which is to open a store of his own. May Ishikawa soon overcome this difficulty and cherish everything he currently has.