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00:00Kotaro, sorry for being late. My name is Kosuke Saiki, 31 years old. I work as a system engineer
00:07at an IT company, and this is my son, Kotaro. He's 5 years old and absolutely adorable.
00:13Kotaro's father, I'd like to contact your wife regarding next month's sleepover, but
00:18I haven't been able to reach her by phone.
00:21I'm sorry about that, I'll let my wife know. What is the content of the message?
00:26We've also mentioned it in the letter from the daycare, but we're asking for help with
00:29preparations and clean-up.
00:32My wife Marina, who's the same age as me, graduated from a prestigious university and
00:36was once Miss Campus. She worked briskly at a major trading company, and to me, who was
00:41working quietly in front of a computer, she seemed to shine brilliantly. When I asked
00:46her out and she said yes, I felt like I was on top of the world.
00:50We got married at 25, and a year later, Kotaro was born. Thank you for the meal, it was delicious.
00:56Oh, you ate it all clean! Good job, Kotaro!
01:00Marina often had to work late due to her job, and there were many times she didn't come
01:04home until late at night because of business meetings and dinners. On the other hand, my
01:08company was somewhat flexible, so naturally, the housework and taking care of Kotaro felt
01:12to me.
01:13When work got busy, I managed to get by with the help of daycare and babysitters.
01:18Kotaro's sleepover preparations? You have more time than I do, so you should do it.
01:23Marina, who came home around midnight, said this with a look of annoyance.
01:26I'll say it now, what's most important to me is my job. I've always dreamed of
01:31working globally. It's my life. I don't want to be held back by a child.
01:37I see. I don't mind being the one to take on that role, but Marina's words were far
01:42too irresponsible for a mother. At that moment, the faint hope I had for her shattered, and
01:47I felt my emotions grow cold.
01:49A few days later, I had a meeting with a client, and was walking through the city with
01:53a junior colleague. He's Kazuma Machida, 29 years old. Though his manner is a bit casual,
01:58he's known for being precise and fast at work. A capable man.
02:02Slick son, how about we grab a drink somewhere around here?
02:05I'd love to, but I have to head home soon. I've got my son with the babysitter.
02:09You're a good dad if he really cares about your kid. Well then, see you! Great job today!
02:15As I was looking around to catch a taxi…
02:17What? I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Marina leaning seductively on another man.
02:22The two of them, unsteady on their feet, were heading into a hotel. She said she'd be
02:27working late into the night tonight. After that, I immediately started preparing. And
02:32two weeks later…
02:33What is it? If it's a talk, can you hurry up? I'm tired, I want to sleep.
02:38After putting Kotaro to bed, I faced Marina and silently handed her an envelope.
02:43What's this?
02:45Inside the envelope were photos of Marina's affair, taken by a detective agency. The man
02:49was a 35-year-old named Gomi. Apparently, he's Marina's direct superior. And he's
02:55married.
02:56So what?
02:57I thought she'd be a bit shaken, but Marina's response was just that one word. It's as
03:02if she wanted to say she did nothing wrong. Brazenly defiant.
03:06If you want a divorce, then go ahead. Marrying you and having a child was all a mistake.
03:11Don't you dare say something like that about Kotaro, even as a joke. If we're getting
03:15a divorce, I'll be raising Kotaro.
03:18Do as you like.
03:19And the next day, Marina left the house. She didn't even say goodbye to Kotaro.
03:25After that, I called out the man she was cheating with, Gomi.
03:28Please don't worry, I'll pay the limoney as requested.
03:32He quickly admitted to the affair, and as a section chief at a major trading company,
03:36he didn't seem to have any money problems.
03:38I demanded a limoney from both Marina and Gomi, and formally submitted the divorce papers.
03:43Also, Marina seemed to have no attachment to Kotaro, as she didn't want to see him
03:47after the divorce.
03:48With mutual consent, we created a contract stating that Marina would not meet with Kotaro
03:52without my consent.
03:55The tension that had been holding me together suddenly snapped, and I spent a few days in
03:59a daze.
04:00Maybe I was at fault too.
04:02I'm sorry, Kotaro. If I'd been more dependable, maybe this wouldn't have happened.
04:07No, this isn't the time to cry. I have to protect Kotaro.
04:11I'll definitely make Kotaro happy.
04:13With that resolve, I motivated myself to push forward.
04:17Six months later, I quit my job, considering the balance between housework and raising
04:21Kotaro.
04:22I became a freelance system engineer, working from home.
04:25Fortunately, companies I'd worked with in the past reached out to me, so I never struggled
04:29to find work.
04:30Ah! Oh no, it's already this late!
04:33I've got to go grocery shopping and pick up Kotaro!
04:37I had declined the babysitter, so it was more hectic than I'd imagined.
04:41While I was spending more time with Kotaro, every day was a rush of work, housework, and
04:45childcare.
04:47It's impossible to do everything perfectly. I need to find a way to manage.
04:51By the way, my parents have already passed away, so I have no one to rely on.
04:56Now I fully understand the difficulty of juggling work, housework, and childcare.
05:01One day, Machida came to my house with a bottle of my favorite wine.
05:05We toasted secretly after Kotaro went to bed, and Machida brought up an interesting topic.
05:09Psych-san, how about starting a business with me?
05:12I'll make sure it won't reduce the time you can spend with your child.
05:16You can't be serious.
05:18I'm serious.
05:19Working from home limits the kinds of jobs you can take on, and it's a waste of your
05:22skills Psych-san.
05:23Indeed, incorporating the business would allow us to secure funding and gain social credibility,
05:29enabling us to take on much larger projects.
05:32And with Machida, who's known for his work performance, I had no concerns about our technical
05:36capabilities.
05:37I know it's a big decision, but could you give it some thought?
05:41Alright, I'll think over it seriously and get back to you.
05:45I had always planned to incorporate the business eventually.
05:48I wanted to be able to earn more money for Kotaro's sake.
05:51But I was already busy enough as it was.
05:53I worry that trying to juggle a startup, housework, and childcare might lead to everything being
05:57half-baked.
05:59I heard through the grapevine that you quit your job.
06:02What are you doing now?
06:04A few days later, while out for a meeting with a client, I happened to run into Marina
06:08in the city.
06:09It's none of your business, we're strangers now, remember?
06:13Let me guess, you quit your job to focus on your child?
06:18How ridiculous.
06:19Ugh, I'm so glad I divorced you.
06:21I'm starting a business with him, and like you with a kid, I'm free to live my life
06:26however I want.
06:28I'm the happiest I've ever been, so please, don't get in my way.
06:35Dad, you don't seem okay.
06:38I'm fine, you're so kind, Kotaro.
06:42Even as I returned Kotaro's smile, Marina's word from earlier kept bothering me.
06:46I want to start a business, but this desire to do it now is likely driven by my own ambition.
06:52As someone with a family, I can't just prioritize my own desires.
06:56I was about to give up when…
07:00You know, Dad, I have fun being with you, but when you look sad, it makes me sad too.
07:06Kotaro…
07:07Kotaro's words gently wrapped around my heart, it felt like he had sensed my hesitation.
07:13If my holding back makes Kotaro sad, then maybe I should just do my best in every way
07:17possible.
07:18With newfound motivation from Kotaro, I called Machida first thing the next morning.
07:24Six months later, Machida and I established IT Link, a company that designs and develops
07:28systems for corporate clients.
07:30Since it was just the two of us at first, we used my home as the office.
07:34However, because my workload increased, I took Kotaro's words to heart and started
07:38using a house cleaning service during the day to balance family and work.
07:42Also, thanks to some large clients Machida had secured, we landed several big projects
07:46and a year and a half later, we rented an office and started hiring new employees.
07:51As the years passed, by the time Kotaro turned 10, our company was widely recognized as a
07:56promising startup.
07:57Despite some ups and downs, we managed to secure significant funding and continue to
08:01grow.
08:02I started going to the office only on Mondays and Thursdays, working from home most of the
08:06time, and…
08:08Wow, the view is amazing no matter how many times I see it!
08:12Due to work-related reasons, we moved the company, and as a result, Kotaro and I relocated
08:17to a high-rise apartment near the new office.
08:20Now, the three of us, Kotaro, Machida, and I were visiting the cafe on the top floor,
08:25which was a common area in the building.
08:27Haha, I'm so happy to spend time with Dad and Kazuma-san!
08:32I'm happy too, getting to spend time with you and the boss!
08:36Since the new office was close to our place, Machida often visited our home.
08:40As a result, Kotaro and Machida have become close, almost like brothers despite the age
08:44gap.
08:46Even so, Kotaro still looks like an angel with his adorable face and personality.
08:50I know I'm being a doting father, but as I watch the two of them…
08:54Sorry for the wait, Saeki-san, Kotaro-kun.
08:58Ritsuko Sawatome, who helps with housework, greeted us.
09:01Ritsuko-san was assigned to us after we moved.
09:04It hasn't been long, but she's been very helpful.
09:07Since I got home early today, even though it's Thursday, I suggested that Ritsuko-san
09:11join us for some tea instead of doing the housework.
09:13Um, I believe this is our first time meeting.
09:17I'm Ritsuko Sawatome, and I work in housekeeping.
09:20Ah, yes, nice to meet you!
09:23I'm Kazuma Machida, and I work with Saeki-san.
09:26Oh, but you really are as beautiful as they said you were.
09:30Hey, Kazuma-kun, I just remembered I need help with my homework.
09:35Please, come with me right now.
09:37Interrupting Machida, Kotaro's eyes walled up like a puppy's.
09:41There's no way Machida could resist that charm.
09:44Dad, you stay here.
09:46We can't leave Ritsuko-san alone, right?
09:49And so, Ritsuko-san and I were left alone.
09:51Thank you for being so considerate.
09:54Oh, no, it's always a pleasure talking with you, Ritsuko-san.
09:58Sorry!
09:59She's incredibly talented, and her work is always quick.
10:03Yet, she's thorough in everything she does.
10:06Her cooking is warm and delicious, and she even helps Kotaro with his homework.
10:10This is bad, I'm starting to notice her.
10:13I'm a 36-year-old with a child, she's 26.
10:17I mentally shook my head to clear away any distracting thoughts.
10:22Ritsuko-san ordered an iced lemon tea.
10:24After the tea arrived and we had talked for a while, she suddenly murmured.
10:28I always think that you and Kotaro-kun are such a wonderful parent-child duo, always
10:33looking out for each other.
10:35I don't have any close relatives, so I hope I can get to know you both better.
10:40I'd like to get to know you better too, Ritsuko-san.
10:44I haven't asked him, but I'm sure Kotaro feels the same way.
10:48As a result, the three of us, Ritsuko-san, Kotaro, and I started spending even more time
10:52together.
10:53A month later, Kotaro and I were at the department store.
10:58We were there to buy a birthday present for Ritsuko-san, to thank her for all she's done
11:01for us.
11:02Uh, what kind of item are you looking for?
11:06When I turned around to get advice from the sales assistant, who had asked if we needed
11:09help.
11:10Wait, Marina?
11:11There stood Marina, dressed in a department store uniform.
11:16It seems she was in charge of this section.
11:19I knew somewhat about what happened to her business, but I never imagined she'd be working
11:23here.
11:24Kosuke?
11:25Wait, does that mean this child is my son?
11:29As Marina said this and moved closer to Kotaro, I instinctively pulled him behind me.
11:34Hey, at least let me see his face.
11:38Kotaro, let's go.
11:41Okay.
11:42We walked away from the sales floor.
11:45Marina tried to follow us, but it seemed her superior noticed her, and I saw her getting
11:49scolded out of the corner of my eye.
11:51So that's how it is.
11:55Three weeks later, on a Thursday, Marina made her move when I wasn't around.
12:00She had been waiting for Kotaro in front of her building when he returned from school.
12:03Welcome home, Kotaro.
12:05Remember me from the department store?
12:08It's your mom.
12:09Um.
12:10I was so worried about you that I followed you, and what do I see?
12:16You're living in this high-rise.
12:17Your dad really worked hard, I'm so proud.
12:23Kotaro, from now on, I'll be living with you, so you won't have to be lonely anymore.
12:28You want to live with your mom again, right?
12:30Let's all be a happy family again.
12:33Mom's a great cook.
12:35I'll make you the best omurice ever.
12:39Marina continues talking to herself despite Kotaro's lack of reaction.
12:43Then-
12:46Kotaro-kun.
12:47Ritsuka-san stopped between them, glaring sharply at Marina.
12:51Excuse me, but you're Saiki-san's ex-wife, right?
12:55What do you want with his child?
12:57Who are you?
12:59You're not involved, so stay out of this.
13:02I am involved.
13:04I'm a housekeeper, and I'm responsible for Kotaro-kun while Saiki-san is away.
13:09I've heard a bit about the situation.
13:12Isn't it inappropriate to come see him while Saiki-san isn't here?
13:17Huh?
13:18I'm his mother.
13:20What's wrong with seeing my child?
13:23I heard you agreed, when you divorced Saiki-san, that you wouldn't see Kotaro-kun without his consent.
13:29Did you inform Saiki-san that you were coming to see Kotaro-kun today?
13:33That's-
13:36Of course, I hadn't received any such contact.
13:39Marina looked away, clearly embarrassed.
13:42Anyway, this is a family matter.
13:45You should keep out of it.
13:47Kotaro, let's go home.
13:49Just as Marina reached out to Kotaro again, it happened.
13:52I won't allow anyone to harm a child.
13:55Or, should I call the police right now?
13:58Ritsuko grabbed Marina's arm.
14:00Marina tried to shake it off, but the grip was unyielding, and her face failed.
14:04Eh?
14:06Ritsuko-san, let her go.
14:08Kotaro-kun...
14:10Kotaro! Yes, I know, you're worried about me!
14:13Kotaro, with an angelic expression, looks up at Ritsuko.
14:17Marina probably thought her son was showing concern for her.
14:20But instead-
14:22That old woman doesn't matter to my life.
14:25But I don't want you to do something like this, Ritsuko-san.
14:28Your hands aren't meant to grab some trash like her, right?
14:31O-old?
14:33I'm your mother, you know.
14:35We're blood-related.
14:36So what?
14:38I've never once cared about being blood-related.
14:41I certainly love my dad.
14:43But that's because I know he loves me.
14:46Just because we're blood-related.
14:49Besides, there are people who care for me deeply, even though we're not blood-related.
14:54Ritsuko-san is like a mother to me, always so kind and warm.
14:58Kazuma-kun is like an older brother, always playing with me and listening to my worries.
15:03That's why I want to repay these three people someday.
15:07What kind of relationship do you want to have with me?
15:10Just because we're blood-related?
15:12Like I said, I want to support you and your dad as family.
15:16I even said I'd make you Omurice.
15:19That's how I'd like to help.
15:21You know...
15:23You've been babbling on, but you haven't apologized once.
15:27Don't you feel bad about not seeing me even once in five years?
15:31There's no way I'm letting such a shallow, worthless woman near my dad.
15:35Just go home, lady.
15:37Huh?
15:39Don't you dare, you little brat.
15:42What's with that attitude?
15:44I gave birth to you, so the least you could do is show me some gratitude.
15:49Saeki must have spoiled you rotten.
15:52A brat like you?
15:54Hmph, I don't need you.
15:56Ugh, what a failure.
15:58What? How dare you say that?
16:01Ritsuko covers Kotaro's ears.
16:04Marina sneers at this, and just then...
16:07K-Kosuke...
16:09...on my way here after receiving a call from Ritsuko-san.
16:13I heard Marina's voice, and before I knew it, I had slapped her.
16:17Kotaro, I'm sorry for scaring you. You did well.
16:21Ritsuko-san, can I ask you to take care of Kotaro?
16:24Y-Yes.
16:27After saying that, I waited for them to enter the building.
16:30Once I couldn't hear their footsteps, I continued talking.
16:34I know why you're here.
16:37This was about a year ago.
16:39Goumi suddenly showed up at her old office, begging for a meeting.
16:43The receptionist said someone named Goumi is making a fuss at the front desk.
16:47What's going on?
16:49Saeki-san! No, Saeki CEO!
16:52Please, I'm begging you, do business with us!
16:56Apparently, the advertising agency Marina and Goumi started wasn't doing well.
17:02Even without personal feelings, they weren't a company I wanted to do business with, so I, of course, declined.
17:08A few months later, I heard from Machida that they had gone bankrupt.
17:13That's right! He was garbage, just like his name implies!
17:17I dumped him, so now I'm twice divorced!
17:22Kosuke, I wasn't myself back then. I'm really sorry.
17:27Let's start over from scratch, okay?
17:30Don't be ridiculous. If you were truly sorry, you wouldn't have said such terrible things to Kotaro. Just leave.
17:37That was... I just lost my temper for a moment. I'm sorry about that too, so please...
17:44Do you even remember what you said to me back then?
17:47You said marrying me and having a child was all a mistake, didn't you?
17:51That was...
17:53How selfish can you be?
17:55You're just saying whatever you think will get you my money. It makes me sick.
17:59I have no intention of getting back together with you. Don't ever show your face in front of us again.
18:05This can't be...
18:08Turning my back on the dejected Marina, I headed into the building.
18:13After that, Marina, desperate for money to continue enjoying her life, started going after men at the department store.
18:20However, after relentlessly pursuing the family of an exclusive client, it escalated into a huge complaint.
18:27It almost cost the store a significant amount of business, and as a result, Marina was fired.
18:33That woman! She doesn't even have enough savings for a decent settlement.
18:38By the way, Marina didn't have much in savings to begin with, as she was paying a limoney to Gumi's ex-wife. Now she's completely broke.
18:46Her parents have disowned her, so she won't be able to live lavishly for quite some time.
18:52Meanwhile, Gumi, having run out of savings, desperately tried to reconcile with his ex-wife, but of course, she wasn't interested.
19:00Who do you think you're messing with? You're not just messing with the daughter of a high-ranking family, but also the niece of the boss.
19:07Gumi, trying to mooch off a wealthy woman, ended up targeting someone connected to the Yakuza.
19:12The last I heard, he was surrounded by scary-looking men, but that's none of my concern.
19:18Aaaaah!
19:21Meanwhile, we were celebrating Ritsuko-san's birthday.
19:24Come on, Dad. Sit next to Ritsuko-san. You're a couple now, so don't be shy.
19:30The confession was successful, and we're now a newly dating couple.
19:35Well, I'm just glad the boss and Ritsuko-san are finally together. Kotaro had been asking me for advice on this for a while.
19:42Apparently, Kotaro had been secretly working behind the scenes to help us get closer.
19:47Even though he's my son, I can't help but feel a bit worried about how clever he is.
19:52When I glanced at Kotaro, he flashed me a bright, beaming smile.
19:56I want to work hard to protect this smile with everyone's help.
20:00Family isn't just about blood ties. If your hearts are connected, then you're already family.
20:05With these people by my side, I know I can overcome any obstacle.
20:09And I made a vow in my heart to cherish these warm-hearted people for the rest of my life.