I’m Masato. I live with my wife, Kana, and our three kids. I also have an older brother, Hiroki — five years older — who hasn’t left his room in over twenty years. My parents and I spent our whole lives hiding his existence. When I was thinking about marrying Kana, my mom told me, “There’s no need to tell her and make her worry,” so I kept quiet. But the truth is… I hid my brother for sixteen years to protect myself. I regret that more than anything.
I swore I would never drag Kana or the kids into anything related to my family again. But reality didn’t go the way I wanted…
I should’ve handled this from the beginning. As long as I stayed part of my parents’ household, Kana and the kids would never truly be free from it. Kana asking for a divorce wasn’t surprising — I drove her to that point. So I gave my parents what I thought would be my final warning: “You need to ask a professional for help.” But my mom rejected it without hesitation. And my dad never goes against her. If my parents aren’t willing to change, then I have to choose — my childhood home or the family I built.
I didn’t hesitate. I chose the family I built with my own hands. Cutting ties with my parents is the only way to protect them. And it’s the only way I can repay Kana… for marrying her under false pretenses.