I’m Haruna. I live with my partner, Tomoaki—just the two of us. We’re in a common-law relationship and not legally married. It’s not that I think marriage is a bad thing at all. The legal form of marriage is wonderful, too. But after talking it through, we decided we didn’t want to be tied to that form and chose a life that fit us better.
Tomoaki and I share the same hobbies, so we never run out of things to talk about. Being together is genuinely fun. Around that time, I heard that my brother’s son, Riku, hadn’t been able to go to school lately. I went to see him while he was visiting my parents’ place. That’s when he asked if he could play with the TV and games at my house—on the condition that we keep it a secret from his mom, Nanami.
At first, I hesitated. Every family has its own rules, and that’s not something I should interfere with. But Riku begged so earnestly that I agreed, with one condition: he had to tell his mom himself. I don’t know if he’ll really keep that promise. Still, I hope this can be a step toward him breaking out of his shell.
When we played games together, Riku started opening up. He told me why he couldn’t go to school anymore—things he’d never told anyone before.