I’m Hiroki. It’s been nearly fifteen years since I married Aine. She once told me she was bullied when she was younger—that it left a scar on her heart. But honestly, I always thought she must’ve had something to do with it. She’s slow, awkward, and never seems to read the room.
So lately, I’ve started saying it straight to her face: “That’s why people used to bully you.” Every time she looks down with that sad expression, the stress from work somehow eases off.
When I first learned about her past, I wanted to protect her—fragile parts and all. That’s why I married her. But somewhere along the way, I began using those same weaknesses as an outlet for my own frustrations. When our kids called it what it was—“bullying”—I was shocked by my own cruelty. That’s when Aine said to me, “Then make me believe in you again.” It echoed the words I once said when I proposed: “Please believe in me.” How could I have forgotten what I felt back then? I’ll change. From now on, I’ll make sure Aine and our kids never have to feel that kind of pain again.