Invisible Threads

Recently, I re-published the Spanish translations of my short stories to fanfiction.net (once again, my deepest gratitude to my dear friend, QuevivaCandy). Two particular reviews from different readers caught my attention, and I would like to share them with you here:

A review for “Siesta Vespertina” (Afternoon Nap):

Guest chapter 1 . Aug 19
Hermoso y romántico sueño. Perfecta forma de revelarse mutuamente sus reales sentimientos y despejar sus dudas. M encanta la manera en q interpretas, es decir, en q reflejas en tus escritos el suave y cálido trato entre ellos, el respeto q emana d querer la felicidad del otro, la inocencia y el irse dando cuenta de cómo fue forjado su amor a partir de las cosas q han hecho y compartido juntos. Siempre he admirado el carácter d Albert y sobre todo la Candy que “es” cuando está con él, en comparación con su estado, intenso y siempre al límite, con el fluctuante y muchas veces egoísta carácter de Terry: siempre llorando y persiguiéndolo.

Google translated the above to English: Beautiful and romantic dream. Perfect way to reveal their true feelings to each other and clear your doubts. M love the way q interpret, ie, in q reflex in your writing soft and warm welcome including respect q emanates d want the other’s happiness, innocence and leave realizing how it was forged their love q from the things made ​​and shared together. I have always admired the character d Albert and especially Candy “is” when you are with him, compared to their status, intense and always on the edge with the fluctuating and often selfish character Terry: always crying and chasing.

Another review for “No sé si es amor” (It must have been love):

ely jurez chapter 1 . Aug 2
siempre había pensado que era injusto que Candy no hubiera tenido su final feliz con Terry, odié a muerte a Susana, por manipuladora… aún hoy día no la soporto… pero ya con los años y la experiencia de vida que uno va tomando conforme pasa el tiempo, siento que Candy en primer lugar por su naturaleza, jamás habría sido feliz con Terry, ni él tampoco. Si en efecto, como dicen por ahí, Terry es anohito en CCFS, definitivamente debieron esperar los 10 largos años a que la mustia esa por fin se muriera para poder entonces, seguir juntos. Pero al contrario, yo no creo que Candy se haya quedado esperando, si bien Terry era un amor fuerte y pasional, creo que el amor verdadero lo conoció con Albert. Es cierto que también éste rubio hermoso la hizo sufrir un poco, cuando la dejó sola en el departamento Magnolia, pero siempre se preocupó por ella, siempre supo ser su amigo, además de que estuvo con ella, fue su fortaleza cuando ella rompe con el actor. Creo que si Candy hubiera seguido locamente enamorada de Terry, hubiera hablado con él en esa “reunión” que hubo en Rockstown, finalmente ese era el objetivo de Albert, correcto? pero no, ella prefirió seguir buscando al rubio, era más fuerte la añoranza por este último que por Terry, no en balde vivieron juntos casi un año o más según las diferentes interpretaciones y compartieron tanto de sus respectivas vidas. No, definitivamente Candy para mí, es finalmente feliz pero con Albert a su lado… por eso me encanta tu fic! porque es muy parecido a lo que “fue” después de ese final un poco ambigüo hasta la aparición de CCFS.

Google translated the above to English: I had always thought it was unfair that Candy had not had a happy end with Terry, I hated to death Susanna, by manipulative … even today I can not stand … but with age and life experience that one goes I take as time goes on, I feel that Candy first by their nature, would never have been happy with Terry, and neither did he. If indeed, as they say, Terry is in CCFS anohito definitely had to wait 10 long years to finally withered that was to die then stay together. But instead, I do not think Candy has been waiting for, although Terry was a strong, passionate love, I think I knew what true love with Albert. It is also true that this beautiful blonde made ​​her suffer a little, when he left her alone in the apartment Magnolia, but always worried about her, always used to be his friend, plus he was with her, was her strength when she breaks the actor. I believe that if Candy had followed madly in love with Terry, had spoken to him in that “meeting” that was in Rockstown finally that was the goal of Albert, right? but no, she preferred to keep looking at the blonde, was stronger longing for the latter that Terry, no wonder lived together almost a year or more depending on the different interpretations and shared both their lives. Definitely not for me Candy, but is ultimately happy with Albert beside her … so I love your fic! because it is very similar to what “was” after that final a little ambiguous until the appearance of CCFS.

I don’t know much Spanish, but with the help of Google translator, I got the general ideas that the readers were comparing Terry and Albert. As they said, these two characters were quite different, but for sure, in Candy Candy Final Story (CCFS), Candy in her early thirties said the following when she recalled the period when Albert had been amnesiac (from spoilers):

Albert …
I didn’t even know his full name at that time.
Albert was just Albert. It wasn’t something I had to wonder about.
His presence gave me a marvelous feeling of security.
Now I can understand the meaning of the bond that tied us with invisible threads

Guess what? As a Chinese myself, though far from being an expert in Chinese literature unfortunately, I understand the words invisible threads must carry some special meanings. Although I have no idea what the Japanese words used in CCFS for invisible threads, this article from Red_string_of_fate explains very well and gives you an idea what I have in mind about invisible threads. Here I quoted part of that article:

The red string of fate … is an East Asian belief originating from Chinese legend and is also used in Japanese legend. According to this myth, the gods tie an invisible red cord around the ankles of those that are destined to meet one another in a certain situation or help each other in a certain way. Often, in Japanese culture, it is thought to be tied around the little finger. According to Chinese legend, the deity in charge of “the red thread” is believed to be … the old lunar matchmaker god, who is in charge of marriages.

The two people connected by the red thread are destined lovers, regardless of place, time, or circumstances. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but never break. This myth is similar to the Western concept of soulmate or a destined flame…

Do you know that Albert said similar thing to Candy in a letter to her (in CCFS epilogue)? He wrote this not long after revealing to her that he was her prince:

“… I went to England to prepare the business we planned to start there. But I think, as you always tell me, we were tied by invisible threads, so I could come across you again by chance in that way…”

So back then, Candy had told Albert (highly likely more than once) that they were tied by invisible threads. Imagine that?! A young lady telling a handsome man that they are tied together by some invisible (mysterious) threads? What is she trying to tell him? 😛

In other words, it would be quite odd if Anohito (Candy’s husband) isn’t Albert in CCFS. As most of you probably know, right from the beginning, the author of Candy Candy, Mizuki, had already decided that the main heroine of her story would not end up with Anthony or Terry. They were both important to Candy, but Candy was destined to be with the first man she had met in her life, her Prince on the Hill.

In fact, Mizuki said in an interview (published in a bimonthly magazine, “Jidou-bungei”,1980. The interview was also published in the book “Interviews with manga authors” by Osamu Takeuchi / Tomohiko Murakami, in 1989):

«けれど、テリイと別れることは初めから決っていたのだ。キャンディには三つの愛を考えていた。アンソニーとの淡いはかない初恋、テリイとの激しい恋、そしてアルバートさんとの運命的な穏やかな愛。»

So Albert and Candy were destined to be together, and the adjective Mizuki used to describe Albert’s love can also mean calm, placid, serene, kind, etc. You get the idea. Even Candy herself said Albert gave her a marvelous sense of security.

Many, many thanks to the admin of the Facebook page, William Albert Andrew (el príncipe de la colina), for providing me the following picture. It’s the English translation of what Mizuki said above. For your interest, you can find the Spanish version of this picture here, and as of now, a hot debate is going on among fans. 😀 However, I haven’t had time to go through the comments at all, which are mostly in Spanish, for I require the help of a machine translator to read. 😛