I’m Akane, a freelancer in my 40s living with my husband Ryuji. Our only son, Naoto, is in high school and lives in a dorm out of town. My in-laws and my husband’s sister, Nanami, live about 10 minutes away. After her husband was transferred for work, Nanami got a dog — and now expects me to take care of it while she’s at work. Even when I say no, she just won’t listen.
I ended up watching the dog for two weeks. Though I started feeling attached, the mess and disruption to my work were too much. On the final day, I firmly returned the dog and supplies to my sister-in-law. Even after that, I spent the weekend cleaning—but finally felt a sense of relief.
Until…