The Shape of Happiness: A Family Crumbling Due to the Mother's Infidelity, a Wounded Middle School Daughter, and a Struggling Father Finding a New Form of Happiness. - Episode 33

“Ryoko, let me walk you home.”

Ryoko gently smiled and shook her head.

“Shinichi, thank you for everything. I’m going back to my parents’ house for now.”

Shinichi nodded with a smile, preparing to see her off—but then…

“Ryoko, wait!”

Atsushi called out to her, his face filled with desperation.

“I’m sorry for everything! The only one I love is you, Ryoko! All those affairs, those women—they were just meaningless flings! I finally understand! Please, Ryoko, don’t divorce me!”

Hearing Atsushi’s words, Akiko’s eyes widened in shock.

“How could you?! You told me I was the only one you loved! You said we had something real! Was it all a lie?! You swore we’d be together someday! You called it true love!”

“It was all a lie! Do you really think I’d marry an idiot who spreads her legs just because she got sweet-talked? Don’t get in the way of me and Ryoko!”

“You said you wanted to leave proof of our love, so I let you do it without protection! You said you wanted a child!”

“I don’t need a kid with you! I just needed a place to dump my urges! You’re nothing but a filthy public toilet! A stinking, disgusting woman! Ryoko, the only one I love is you!”

Akiko was speechless. Memories of being called a “public toilet” surfaced in her mind.

Ryoko looked at Atsushi with pure contempt. After giving him a single glance, she smiled warmly at Shinichi.

“I’ll be in touch.”

“Of course. Feel free to reach out anytime.”

As the two exchanged smiles, Atsushi exploded with rage.

“So that’s it! Ryoko, you were cheating on me with this guy, weren’t you?! I’ll sue you too! I’ll take a huge amount in damages! You’ll regret this, you ugly traitor!”

Ignoring his outburst, Ryoko left the house.

At that moment, Atsushi’s father punched him.

“Guh! S-Stop… ugh!”

“This is all your fault! You ruined everything!”

“Please, don’t cause a scene here!”

Shinichi’s stern command made Atsushi’s father stop. Grabbing Atsushi by the hair, he dragged him out of the room.

“I’m truly, truly sorry… He destroyed so many families… Where did I go wrong raising him…?”

Bowing repeatedly, Atsushi’s mother followed as the Matsunaga family left the house.

The only ones left were Akiko, Saori, and Shinichi.

“…Akiko, let’s go.”

Hearing her mother’s voice, Akiko slowly stood up in a daze. Saori turned to Shinichi.

“Shinichi… I sincerely apologize for my daughter. I’ll take her back to our home for now. We’ll come back later to collect her belongings.”

“Understood.”

“Shinichi.”

“Yes?”

“You did well.”

Hearing those words, Shinichi felt a deep emotion swell in his chest.

“Akiko, come.”

Muttering something under her breath, Akiko never once looked at Shinichi as she left with her mother.

Misaki was staying at Aika’s house, so Shinichi was now alone. In the silent living room, he stood still.

Feeling thirsty, he walked to the dining kitchen for a glass of water.

“Welcome home, dear.”

For a fleeting moment, he saw Akiko’s gentle smile in the kitchen. A momentary illusion. The happiness that once filled this kitchen was gone—forever.

“Ah… ugh…!”

Tears welled up and spilled from his eyes.

“Uwaaaaahh! Aaaaaaahh…!”

Unable to hold back, Shinichi cried out in anguish.

Like a lost child, like someone who had lost everything dear to them—Shinichi sobbed uncontrollably.

“Aaaaaaaahhh…!”

The collapse of his “happy family” had begun with Akiko’s affair. Over a year and a half of betrayal had completely destroyed everything. Nevertheless, with the cooperation of his mother-in-law Saori, he was able to carry out the punishment for Akiko and Atsushi while protecting his daughter Misaki. Yet, despite successfully punishing Akiko and Atsushi, all that remained was the unbearable sorrow of losing his family—his “happiness.”

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Three days later, Akiko was scheduled to return to collect her belongings—