"I'm home."
The man dragged his heavy steps into the house, then closed the door behind him with a backhanded motion.
"Welcome home, darling."
Wearing an apron and still holding a soup ladle in her hand, his wife came happily to the entryway, helping her husband take his coat and briefcase.
"The bathwater is already heated. Do you plan to eat first? Or take a bath first? Or perhaps... hmm?"
Looking at his wife's sweet smile, the husband lowered his head in shame.
"I'm sorry, Junko. I'm not in the mood today."
"Oh my? Were you scolded by the president at the company again? Or did your subordinates make another mistake that you had to wipe their asses for?"
The wife asked with concern.
"I'm sorry. I've just been fired from my job."
After saying this, the husband, choking back tears, bowed deeply to his wife.
*
Bunkyo Ward, inside a bookstore.
The owner was lying on the cashier counter, reading today's newspaper.
Just then, he heard the sound of footsteps from a customer entering.
"Welcome."
"Oh, it's Tanaka-san. You're here a bit earlier than usual today."
Dressed in a suit and leather shoes polished to a shine, Tanaka Toneri merely gave an awkward smile upon hearing the bookstore owner's words. He bowed slightly, then walked very naturally to the bookshelf, casually found a magazine he was interested in, and began to read.
He had been coming to this bookstore to browse for free for nearly half a month, and he had become somewhat familiar with the manager. Although the owner of this shop spoke a bit sharply, he was unexpectedly a good person. In other bookstores, Tanaka would have long been chased away by the clerks or managers, but this manager had never driven him out.
Since confessing his unemployment to Junko a month ago, she had not only refrained from blaming him but had spent the entire night comforting and guiding him.
Because of this, he quickly pulled himself together and began running around constantly the very next day, submitting resumes and attending interviews.
However, he hit a wall for a whole week straight. in the end, he even thought that applying for a convenience store manager position wouldn't be a big problem—after all, his previous position was a manager at a large enterprise, a member of the social elite. Yet, he failed to get even that position.
The huge gap in status and the repeated failed job-hunting experiences made him increasingly withdrawn.
He had originally promised to give Junko a happy family, so how had it turned into this?
He thought of Junko, who had never blamed him and even comforted him by saying, "Darling is usually so tired; taking a break for a while to relax and spend time with us mother and daughter isn't bad either."
And his lovely daughter, who innocently asked why Papa was spending more time at home with her during the day.
An inexplicable, heavy pressure weighed on him. This elite manager, who used to easily handle unreasonable scoldings and demands from superiors and clients in the workplace, could finally no longer withstand this suffocating atmosphere and fled his home.
In Japan, there are many unemployed people who still groom themselves every day, dress in suits and leather shoes like normal employees, leave home on time, and squeeze into the morning and evening rush hour trains, pretending to go to work.
Tanaka Toneri was now one of them. While absent-mindedly flipping through the magazine in his hand, he wondered if his ending would be the same as the homeless man under the riverbank he passed during his commute.
At this rate... I won't even be a husband...
No, I won't even count as a man anymore, right?
Every day I wake up, I feel disgusted looking at myself in the mirror.
Junko will definitely propose a divorce.
If she hadn't married me, Junko would surely be very happy right now.
Come to think of it, she seems to be going out at night a lot recently, and coming back very late.
When I ask her, she always brushes it off.
At the last class reunion, I heard that guy Kazama specifically moved to my neighborhood...
That's right. Back when we were students, before I even joined the club, they were already in the same club. They were childhood friends, too.
Things having come to this, just saying "I love you" won't keep her anymore, right...
Sure enough, my confidence as a man... is completely gone.
When we got married, we agreed I would protect her smile for a lifetime. Am I going to break my promise?
If it were Kazama, he should be able to protect it well, right?
After all, this can't be helped.
"Tanaka-san, Tanaka-san."
Tanaka Toneri was pulled from his chaotic thoughts and looked at the manager who was standing beside him at some point.
"Fujiwara-san, is something the matter?"
"Could I trouble you to help me move the newly arrived magazines?"
After speaking, he pointed to the store entrance where a small truck had already backed up and parked, its rear doors open, waiting to be unloaded.
This bookstore was considered a small-to-medium-sized shop. Since it was privately owned, usually only the manager and one employee were present.
Tanaka Toneri looked around and realized he indeed hadn't seen the usual employee today, so he understood the situation.
"It's no problem. I am indebted to your care over these past days; it is only right."
After saying this, Tanaka Toneri worked with Manager Fujiwara to move the newly arrived magazines and books out of the truck and categorized them for registration.
Once both of them were done with the busy work, Tanaka Toneri asked, "Fujiwara-san, where is that clerk?"
"Who knows? They didn't even call ahead to ask for leave. Really knows how to cause trouble for people."
Tanaka Toneri casually picked up a copy of the latest issue of Shincho, which was placed beside him ready for sale tomorrow, and began to flip through it.
He flipped through the pages casually until he stopped at a story titled "My Poverty in the Shape of a Cheesecake."
Before long, he finished reading it in one breath and closed the magazine.
That's right. Wasn't I just as poor but optimistic back then?
At that time, everyone thought Kazama and Junko were a match made in heaven, but in the end, didn't Junko reject Kazama upon graduation and choose me instead?
When looking for jobs after graduating from university, my classmates all entered large enterprises, while I only entered a factory as a salesperson. But in the end, didn't I step by step become the sales manager of a large enterprise?
Have I been a corporate drone for too long? Have I lost my spirit?
It's just unemployment. I will definitely find a job and things will get better.
Bring out the momentum from back then! How can you fall down so easily and casually, Tanaka!
Tanaka Toneri patted his own face with both hands.
At this moment, he desperately wanted to go home and see his wife and daughter.
"Sorry, Fujiwara-san. I have an urgent matter at home, so I'll be going first."
After saying that, he hurriedly ran out of the store.
By the time Tanaka Toneri came out of the subway station, it was already very late.
He seemed to grow a few years younger with every step he took. As his pace toward home became faster and faster, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
He turned his head to look at the convenience store nearby.
It was a familiar female figure, currently accepting an envelope with both hands from what appeared to be the convenience store manager.
When the woman turned around and saw Tanaka Toneri, her exhausted professional smile turned into surprise.
"Darling?"
"Jun... Junko."
"Have you been coming here to work part-time every time you went out at night recently?"
His wife was a bit flustered. "In the end, I still couldn't hide it, huh."
"Why did you hide it from me?"
"After all, given your current situation, Darling, if you knew I was working part-time, you would definitely feel even worse, right?"
After hearing this, Tanaka Toneri also began to choke up.
"I... I thought you and Kazama..."
The wife narrowed her eyes at this moment, her expression becoming serious.
"Why bring up Kazama?"
"Ah, no, no, no, you heard wrong. I said the wind is very strong tonight."
The wife walked straight up and grabbed Tanaka Toneri by his tie, her tone becoming grim and cold. "Tanaka-kun, what kind of woman do you take me for?"
Tanaka Toneri shivered. Without offering any explanation or argument, he bowed deeply.
"I'm sorry! My imagination ran wild!"
"What were you thinking?"
Tanaka Toneri raised his head to look at his wife, who was still holding his tie.
"I... I thought you were going to divor... mph."
Before the word "divorce" could leave his mouth, his wife blocked his remaining words with her own lips.
Only after a long while did the two reluctantly separate.
His wife's face was flushed. She released his tie and scolded him, "Honestly. I intended to be considerate of your feelings, but it turned out like this. Show a little of the confidence you had when you pursued me back then!"
Tanaka Toneri also pulled his lovely wife into a hug and kissed her again.
Prompted by the manager's shout, the clerk and other customers who had come out to watch the spectacle began to applaud one after another.
"Honestly! Now I won't be able to come here for part-time work tomorrow."
The wife pushed Tanaka Toneri away again.
"No need to work part-time anymore. I guarantee I will find a job tomorrow."
"Believe me, Junko."
After saying this, Tanaka Toneri bowed once again to the applauding manager, employees, and customers.
"Thank you everyone for taking care of my wife these past days."
Amidst even more enthusiastic applause, the wife took Tanaka Toneri's hand.
"Let's go. Stop making a spectacle of yourself here. I'll settle the score with you when we get back!"
____
New Story: Starting from Their Seventeen Years Old
🔥We're handing out that '30% bonus' that makes your wallet smile. 😄
✅ Get immediate access to 40 early chapters for all stories.
✅ Enjoy exclusive material and special announcements!
Help us unlock these community rewards:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 140 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters across ALL STORIES!
👻 P - Walnutchan