I’m Ai, 28. I live with my husband, just the two of us. At work, there’s this position called “team leader,” which is basically a glorified errand girl. This year, Misaki took the role, and honestly, I used to think she was a naïve pushover. But when I kept dodging tasks and leaving her hanging, she finally snapped at me.
The truth is, I never wanted to end up like my mother—someone who was taken advantage of just because she was kind. But my parents have changed. They’ve learned that blaming others doesn’t lead to happiness. And seeing that made me realize—it’s time for me to change too.
All my life, I resented my parents and the environment I grew up in. I told myself kindness was a weakness, looked down on people who tried too hard, and convinced myself that caring was for fools. Even when I saw outdated traditions firsthand, I thought nothing could ever change. But people around me did change. My brothers started standing up for their wives. My mother began living life her own way. Even my father started reflecting on his past. And Misaki—she’s been trying to reform all those exhausting, old workplace customs that everyone just accepted. I realized I need to change too. Change is hard, and it takes courage. But if I take that first step, I believe the future will be brighter.
A year later, at our annual BBQ, I worked together with everyone to prepare, feeling lighter than I had in years. The beer tasted better than ever. Life’s so much more fun now than it ever was when I was sulking through it.