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 49

Shinichi and Misaki took a DNA test, and the result was—

‘Paternity Probability: 0.0000000%’
“No biological parent-child relationship detected between the tested individuals.”

—A cruel truth was laid before Shinichi.

Shinichi and Misaki never looked alike. But there are many parent-child pairs like that. For over ten years, they lived together as father and daughter without any doubts. He gave her all his love.

But then, his wife Akiko’s affair came to light. Worse, their daughter Misaki witnessed it. Betrayed by her mother, it was only natural for her to question her own origins. Still, Shinichi never imagined that the result would turn out like this.

So then, who is Misaki’s real father?

Shinichi felt dizzy and collapsed onto his chair. His mind was in complete chaos—nothing made sense anymore.

—

“Dad.”

His dizziness vanished instantly. He snapped his head toward the voice and saw Misaki in her school uniform, standing at the entrance of the living room.

He couldn’t find the words to hide the situation.

“The DNA test results are out, aren’t they?”

A cold sweat ran down Shinichi’s forehead.

Misaki had already realized everything.

“I see…”

She forced a troubled smile.

“What should I do…? Ah, um… Uh… Well… That… What should I do…? That… What am I even saying…?”

Misaki was quietly panicking.

Then, she slowly sat down in front of Shinichi, kneeling on the floor. She lowered her head and stared at the floor.

“…Dad… Ah, no, I shouldn’t call you that anymore…”

“Misaki, that’s not—”

Misaki looked up.

Holding back tears, her voice trembled.

“…You gave me so much love. I was happy. Thank you for raising me all these years… I’m really, really sorry, Shinichi.”

Misaki placed her hands and forehead on the floor in a deep bow.

Right in front of him, his daughter was crying as she bowed to him.

The daughter who would no longer call him “Dad.”

Shinichi—

—

Bang!

Shinichi pushed his chair back and stood up, rushing toward Misaki.

He grabbed her shoulders and lifted her up, stopping her from bowing.

“Misaki! Listen to me! There are things stronger than bl00d ties in this world! DNA doesn’t matter! We are family!”

Misaki lowered her head, tears falling.

“Look at me.”

She couldn’t.

“Misaki! Look at your father!”

Slowly, she raised her face.

“Listen, Misaki. I will always be your father. No matter what happens.”

“…Can I still stay with you…?”

“Of course.”

“…Really…?”

“Even if you don’t want to, I’ll stay with you no matter what.”

“…Forever…?”

“I won’t let you go. Not until you get married.”

Misaki threw herself into Shinichi’s arms.

“Daaaddy! Daddy!”

Shinichi wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

“I’m right here, Misaki.”

“Daddy!”

It no longer mattered who her real father was.

No matter what anyone said, Misaki was his daughter.

As Shinichi said, there are bonds stronger than bl00d.

A father and daughter, embracing each other because they needed each other.

Even though there was no bl00d relation, there was no doubt they were family.

Their divorced mother, Saori, was part of that family too.

In two weeks, they would leave this monthly rental apartment and move into Saori’s home.

Together, Shinichi, Misaki, and Saori would build a new kind of happiness.

—

However, Shinichi was worried about Misaki’s heart.

Even before the DNA test, she was on the verge of breaking.

And after finding out the truth, she started acting strangely.

At home, she wouldn’t leave Shinichi’s side.

At night, she refused to sleep alone and would crawl into his futon.

Even in her sleep, she showed odd behaviors—sucking on her thumb, suddenly bursting into tears.

She was showing clear signs of regression, acting like a small child.

When they moved into Saori’s house, Saori noticed that Shinichi seemed to be carrying a heavy burden.

And this was why.

Shinichi decided that if her symptoms got worse, he would talk to Saori and take Misaki to counseling.

But soon after moving, her symptoms rapidly improved.

Perhaps the change in environment helped.

She now had Saori as another emotional anchor.

Shinichi felt relieved watching Misaki slowly recover.

—

But he was wrong.

By the time they moved into Saori’s house, Misaki’s heart was already completely broken.

At such a sensitive age, she had witnessed her mother’s affair.

Her family had collapsed.

She had learned that she wasn’t related to her father by bl00d.

One after another, these overwhelming events had shattered Misaki’s heart beyond repair.

—

Shinichi would not realize this until much later.

—

◇◇◇◇◇

Misaki’s words left Akiko in shock.

She hadn’t known that Misaki wasn’t Shinichi’s biological daughter either.

As night fell, the Ferris wheel slowly carried Akiko and Misaki toward its peak—