I’m Tomohiko, a 42-year-old office worker living with my wife, Hozumi, and our two kids—a daughter in 9th grade and a son in 7th. We’re your typical happy family, except for one glaring issue: the friction between my mother and Hozumi. Things finally boiled over when I prioritized my mom’s feelings over hers, and Hozumi stormed out of the house. As I sit here at a total loss, memories of the past start flooding back. We used to live with my mother, but Hozumi’s mental health completely hit rock bottom because they just didn’t click, so we had to call it quits on the joint living arrangement.
After Hozumi left, I sat there in a daze, replaying everything in my head. I thought about how we tried living with my mom, only to move out because Hozumi’s health started failing. Since then, for over ten years, we’ve kept our distance, only seeing my mom once or twice a month. As I was lost in thought, my daughter, Yuuka, walked into the living room. She clearly sensed that Hozumi had left in a rage. “Grandma is mean, and Mom has been incredibly patient with her,” Yuuka said. Was I so focused on being a “good son” that I completely neglected my own wife?