I’m Ai, 28 years old. I live with my husband. My father’s an old-fashioned sexist jerk, and my mother’s a weak woman who’s always obeyed him. My two older brothers, Hajime and Keigo, were raised under the same outdated values. But when I couldn’t break free from those beliefs myself, my sister-in-law Marika told me flat-out, “You’re the real fool here.”
Now, my aging parents have completely changed — they help each other as if that old master–servant relationship never existed. Watching that, I couldn’t hold it in anymore and exploded with emotion.
When my father apologized to me, I actually got angrier. He should’ve just stayed that awful old man forever. Mom should’ve kept being the one who got pushed around. If they had, I could’ve kept justifying the way I’ve lived until now. Because it was their fault — my father’s, my mother’s — that I became such a bitter person. But if I keep blaming others, I’ll just end up a bitter old woman myself.
My parents have changed. They’ve reflected on their past and are trying to build a better future. So I decided to change too. Holding on to hate won’t bring happiness. I haven’t completely forgiven them yet, but I’ve realized I can’t grow unless I do. Marika’s honest words gave me the push I needed — like a hand on my back, urging me forward.