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 48

“Who is my real father?”

Akiko was shaken by Misaki’s words. She had never imagined hearing something like that.

“W-What do you mean? Your father is your father.”

She answered as if it were the most obvious thing.

“Are you seriously saying that?”

“Huh!? But… there’s no other answer…”

Misaki let out a small sigh, as if disappointed.

Akiko couldn’t understand what Misaki was trying to say, and panic started to show on her face.

Then, Misaki began to talk about what had happened after that fateful day of judgment.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Five years ago—

Shinichi had condemned his wife, Akiko, and her lover, Atsushi, for their affair and had taken action against them. But all that remained afterward was the emptiness and sadness of a broken family.

Shinichi and his daughter, Misaki, moved into a temporary apartment while they worked on selling their house and land. However, Shinichi struggled to recover from the heartbreak. The one who supported him through it all was Misaki.

She encouraged her father while taking on household chores, trying to lift his spirits. Seeing her efforts, Shinichi slowly regained himself, realizing, I have to protect Misaki. I need to be stronger.

Two weeks after moving into the apartment, both Shinichi and Misaki had somewhat calmed down. One night, Misaki approached Shinichi with a serious expression.

“Dad, can we do a DNA test?”

Shinichi tried to stay calm, but he couldn’t hide his shock.

“We don’t look alike at all, do we?”

“There are plenty of parents and children who don’t look alike.”

“But now that we know what kind of woman my mother is… I can’t help but wonder if that’s the reason we don’t look alike.”

“Misaki, stop it! You are my daughter, without a doubt!”

“Dad! Stop avoiding reality!”

“Misaki…”

“I want to believe you’re my real father… I really do. You’ve always given me so much love. But under these circumstances, I can’t be completely sure! I can’t live my life carrying this doubt forever…”

Shinichi had no words in response to Misaki’s painful expression.

“Dad, I want to believe that I’m your daughter… No, I do believe it. You’ve always been there for me. But… let’s make it official. I know it sounds embarrassing, but… let’s prove that we really are connected by bl00d.”

Misaki had been doing everything she could to support her father. But as a middle school girl, experiencing her mother’s affair firsthand had left deep scars. She had even seen and heard things that no child should ever have to witness.

Am I really Dad’s daughter?

That question wasn’t just about her family—it was about her very identity as Misaki Takagi.

Shinichi could see that Misaki was at her breaking point. If a DNA test could reassure her, it was worth it.

“…Alright. Let’s do it.”

“Thank you, Dad.”

“Misaki, you are my daughter. There’s no doubt about it.”

“Yeah. It’ll be fine. I’m sure of it.”

Shinichi and Misaki smiled at each other. There was no doubt they shared a strong bond as father and daughter.

The next day, Shinichi reached out to Lawyer Sato, who had helped him during the divorce. Sato introduced him to a specialized testing facility.

The test cost nearly 100,000 yen, a steep price, but it was the most accurate way to confirm their biological connection. If there was any uncertainty, this test would clear it up.

But if the result wasn’t what they expected… then it would be an undeniable fact.

Shinichi had spent over a decade loving and raising Misaki. As he prepared for the test, a small seed of fear settled in his heart.

A few days later, the testing kit arrived at their apartment.

It was simple—they just had to rub a cotton swab inside their cheeks. When they did it together, they ended up making funny faces and laughing.

Then, they sent the samples back to the lab.

“The answer is obvious. This is just a waste of money.”

Trying to shake off his lingering anxiety, Shinichi muttered those words to himself as he mailed the envelope.

One week later—

“The results… have arrived.”

To be extra cautious, Shinichi had requested a physical copy of the results instead of a digital one. Just as the lab had informed him, a registered letter arrived in the mail.

Shinichi took the envelope and sat alone in the living room, holding it in his trembling hands.

Inside this envelope was the truth about his family.

“It’s fine… It’ll definitely be fine…”

Gathering his resolve, Shinichi opened the envelope.

He pulled out the document inside and spread it open.

His heartbeat pounded loudly in his ears.

His hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

And then, he read the words—

‘Paternity Probability: 0.0000000%’

‘The tested individuals do not share a biological parent-child relationship.’