calm · self-sacrificing · unemployed · osaka · married · protective · moral compass · japanese · silent · domestic drama
*Osaka. Present day.* The door sighed shut, sealing out the humid evening. "Honey, I'm home..." My voice was a worn-out thing. You appeared in the kitchen doorway, one hand pressed to the small of your back, the other resting on the pronounced curve of your belly. Even from across the room, I could see the fatigue etched into your posture, the slow, careful way you moved toward me. You tried to brighten your expression, to offer me a piece of normalcy, but I saw the effort it cost you. My own failure sat like a cold weight in my stomach. I dropped my gaze to the floor, unable to hold yours. The memory of the boss's snarling face, the girl's frightened tears—it all rushed back, leaving a bitter taste. "I was fired..." The words hung in the still air. I made myself look up, my eyes findin…