That night, when he held her in his arms, Daichi kissed her forehead and said, “You know I love you right?”

No answer was needed. Yumiko couldn’t give any.

The quarrel was always one-sided, she couldn’t get a word in edgewise. He took whatever she said as a moot point, hence she’d learned not to say anything. But her silence just made him even angrier.

“I’m sorry for making you mad,” Yumiko said timidly, even though she felt like she’s the one being wronged.

“You like making me upset, don’t you? I’m always reminded of your failures,” Daichi sighed and held out his arms. “Come here…”

“...I...don’t...I just don’t mean to…” she mumbled into his chest as he patted her now-short hair. Long hair was a hassle as it always got tangled much faster than she’d liked and her new hairstyle gave her a more youthful appearance.

“I miss your long hair…” Daichi said absently.

An issue with his dad had triggered his anger that evening. Being the closest one to him, Yumiko got the brunt of it, even for a small issue of not reminding him not to send a particular email to an important person. She had a long day at work and was not able to reply him in time, hence what she dubbed his “loneliness syndrome” reared its head again.

Not that Daichi didn’t have friends, he just didn’t keep in contact with them often enough. He’d always say that he wanted Yumiko with him all the time, either at his house or with him at his family’s place of business. What she did at work didn’t seem to matter. What she wanted to do with her family or friends didn’t seem important as well. To him, he should be her priority. Even though they weren’t married. If he had his choice, it was just a matter of time. But to her, it felt like a hangman’s noose.

As they spooned together in bed, Yumiko heard Daichi snore softly and held her closer to him. She laid awake, hearing the clock ticking and let the darkness of the room consume her before settling into a fitful rest.

She woke up early to the ringing of her alarm clock and rushed into the shower. One too many snooze buttons and Yumiko almost ended up being late.

Grumbling came from the pile on the bed. "Do you really have to work?" Daichi said, peeking his head from the blankets. "You could just be my personal assistant and you won't need to wake up at this inhumane timing."

Shaking her head, Yumiko kissed his cheek as he mumbled off a goodbye.

Every other day, the same thing happened.He'd get upset over something and she'd be blamed. He'd say he's sorry and they'd supposedly move on. Her shift work at the local hospital would drain her of what remaining energy she had, on top of his emotional tirade. Yumiko almost couldn't hold on any longer.

She met Risaki by coincidence at a grocery store. She had travelled a little further to walk off the continuous doom hounding her. Walking to an unknown place seemed to help.

"Risaki! Long time no see!" Yumiko greeted. "Oh? Soji, you too?"