I’m Miharu. I live with my husband, Tomoya, and our six-month-old daughter, Chieri. Tomoya is obsessed with “self-improvement”—you know, daily skincare routines, hitting the gym, the whole nine yards. Meanwhile, I can’t even find the time for a decent shower, let alone a trip to the salon. Then one day, my in-laws came to visit from out of town. When my father-in-law saw me and mentioned my hair was a mess and I looked exhausted, Tomoya just laughed it off, saying I was “slacking on my looks” because I’m on maternity leave. That’s when my mother-in-law stepped in…
Looking at Tomoya, as polished as ever, and then at me—exhausted with my hair a wreck—my mother-in-law clearly put two and two together. She called him out, saying my exhaustion was his fault and scolding him for being so completely self-absorbed. With no one to turn to, I had been feeling so isolated, like I was being sacrificed just so Tomoya could maintain his “perfect” lifestyle. Having her finally acknowledge my struggle made me feel like I’d been thrown a lifeline. The relief hit me all at once, and I couldn’t help but let the tears fall.