I’m Kyoko, a single mom raising two sons, Taro (eight) and Jiro (five). After my second divorce, I moved near my parents’ place to get a fresh start and begin our lives as a family of three. My boys are full of energy, and it’s exhausting trying to take them out on my own. But when we join my younger brother’s family for outings, he helps keep them entertained. It’s a huge relief. I’ve always thought, “There’s no one like a little brother to have your back,” but lately…
I do understand where Ayano is coming from. She’s probably annoyed because she thinks I’m having her husband step into a fatherly role. But it’s not like I’m asking for this every single day—it’s just once or twice a month. Plus, when we all go out together, we’re all looking after the kids, so I think it’s perfectly normal. I honestly couldn’t help but think, “Is she really that petty?” Still, there’s no point in causing a scene here, and besides, Hiroshi is looking pale and completely frazzled. We decided that after we finished our errands, we would all go and apologize to Ayano together.