I used to live with my ex-wife, Sae, and our two elementary school kids. A while back, a plan came up to put my dad into a care facility. The monthly cost was 200,000 yen, which is a bit steep, but I figured it was within our household budget. Yet, Sae flat out told me, “I’m not paying for that out of my salary.” I couldn’t understand why, in an emergency like this, she wasn’t willing to help even a little… Following my sister’s advice, I played tough and said, “Well then, let’s get a divorce,” and to my absolute shock, Sae just agreed, saying, “Fine.”
I was deeply disappointed in Sae, but at least now I could pay for my dad’s facility without any hesitation. Considering I had been covering our 240,000 yen rent, putting 200,000 yen of that toward supporting my parents instead made me feel like the divorce was ultimately worth it.
However, once I actually started living back with my parents, I noticed my money was disappearing much faster than when I was married, leaving me with almost nothing. Wait, why…? I ended up telling my sister that Sae had been paying for absolutely everything besides the rent.
My sister then pointed out that Sae must have been making a massive salary. The realization hit us, and we both went pale, staring at each other in shock.