When I started Suspecting my Wife of Cheating, I Somehow Ended up Living in the Middle of Nowhere - Episode 15

The YouTuber “Seshirun” from Itoyori Village

A YouTuber known as Cecil Okazato (estimated to be 20 years old), or “Seshirun” as she’s affectionately called, started streaming from within Itoyori Village. She shared videos of her home, the village, and her neighborhood. She gained attention when she received a house through the “Free House Giveaway Project,” and her channel subscriber count jumped from 300,000 to 450,000, landing her coverage in online news.

As her next step, she aimed to introduce the village’s “famous attractions,” only to realize there weren’t any. She then tried to feature local “specialty products,” but those, too, lacked any notable characteristics, leaving her at a loss for how to present them.

Hang in there, Seshirun!

〇●〇

A couple in their 60s, the Kuwakino couple, came down with a fever—likely the result of overexertion from unfamiliar farming work. In the countryside, getting sick is a big deal. Neighbors began visiting one after another to check in. They didn’t go so far as to ransack the house, but other wives from the village came to clean and cook in place of the ailing Mrs. Kuwakino.

The Kuwakinos were originally city dwellers and found it stressful to have others coming into their home. Each visitor meant that Mrs. Kuwakino had to get up from bed to thank them, which was mentally exhausting. Still, every visitor would gently urge her to stay in bed: “No, no, it’s okay! Just rest if you’re not feeling well!”

Despite the discomfort, they were grateful for the help. But this kindness came with an unspoken debt—they would be expected to repay it someday.

While the idea of “debts” and “favors” may not formally exist in the countryside, there is a pervasive belief in mutual aid: “We help each other when in need.” Gradually, the Kuwakinos began to adopt this rural way of thinking.

〇●〇 — In the Case of Kumagorou Zenpuku

He had to do something about the house. The first floor was the living room. The wallpaper was tattered and peeling. Plus, being an old house, it had virtually no insulation. Gaps were forming between the walls and pillars, letting in drafts. While tolerable for now, such a state could be fatal even in Kyushu during winter.

The second floor was worse—there had been a small fire in the past. Though it was put out relatively quickly, the walls were scorched, and the tatami mats had rotted away. The first floor was just “dilapidated,” but the second floor was downright “wrecked.”

His daily routine began by offering prayers to the household deity, Fudō Myōō. His daughters joined him.

“Dad, where are we going to start?”

His older daughter, looking around at the mess, naturally assumed they were going to renovate. He had the same idea. The logical order would be to start with the second floor.

Debris and dust would fall from the second-floor renovations. If they fixed the first floor first, they’d only have to clean it again. Plus, bringing materials through a finished first floor could damage it.

However, he couldn’t let his daughters live in such a shabby living room, so he decided to start from the first floor. And of course, do it all DIY-style.

“We’re starting with the first floor!”

“The first floor? Hmm, okay. Naturally, we’ll help out too,” said the older daughter, revving an impact driver with determination.

“We should record this,” chimed in the younger daughter, Chieri, with a mysterious suggestion.

“Record it?”

“Uhhh… like, to check stuff later?”

Why is the one suggesting it asking the reason?

“I’ll be filming, so I might not help as much.”

“That’s not a problem. Just having your help is a big relief. Otherwise, I was planning to do this alone.”

So:

• Me ← Main renovator
• Older daughter ← Assistant
• Younger daughter ← Assistant and… camerawoman?

Did they really need a camerawoman for a renovation? Who knows, but it was fine.

They could handle most of the renovation themselves, especially with all the DIY tutorials now available on YouTube.

He checked the first-floor renovation plan. The issue was the gap between the wall and pillars—large enough for stink bugs to crawl through. Typical of an old house.

He didn’t have the resources to rebuild from scratch—just repair. So he couldn’t tear down the entire wall.

“Dad, these pillars…!”

His older daughter was amazed. So had he been.

“You mean how thick they are?”

“Yeah, like, five sun* thick? That’s thicker than normal, right?!”

(*Note: 1 sun ≈ 3.03 cm, so 5 sun ≈ 15 cm)

Exactly. It was about pillar thickness. Modern homes typically use 3.5 sun (about 10 cm) or 4 sun (about 12 cm) thick pillars. A two-story house would usually have 4 sun.

But this house had 5 sun pillars—about 15 cm thick.

“Probably because it’s an old house, and they used sturdy materials. Rebuilding this today would be really expensive.”

“Lucky us ♪”

The younger daughter continued filming, seemingly testing the camera. He didn’t worry about it.

“Anyway, let’s start by sealing the gaps. We’ll fill them with caulking or some other filler.”

His plan was to seal the wall gaps first, then attach evenly spaced studs (“kanbashira”) and insert insulation between them. After that, they’d attach drywall and finally wallpaper it. Essentially, they’d build a “second wall” in front of the current one.

Yes, the room would shrink slightly due to the added wall, but the house was originally spacious, so it wouldn’t matter. Plus, the second wall would make wiring and electrical work much easier.

The biggest material issue was the drywall—it wouldn’t fit in their small car. But they could borrow a mini-truck from the home center, so no delivery fee needed.

He had already quit his job. He had a bit of money. So, he decided to devote himself to fixing the house with his daughters.

■■■ Kiyomi Zenpuku (divorced, hasn’t reverted to her maiden name because it’s too much trouble)

No one’s home. The girls aren’t here either. A helper comes every other day, cleans the house, and puts some premade meals in the fridge.

When she tries to talk to the helper while she’s cooking, the conversation doesn’t really go anywhere. Maybe she’s just bothering her.

Her husband spends weekends playing golf. Said it was for business. Afterward, he heads to Nakasu—Fukuoka’s nightlife district with lots of bars and clubs.

With a driver, he can drink even if he drives there. Rich people really live differently.

She told him she wanted to get a job, but he said, “If there’s something you want, I gave you the card, didn’t I?”

He didn’t want her to work. Out of boredom, she thought about taking some classes, but it felt pointless. What would she learn? And for whom?

Even when she cooks, he hardly eats at home. Often, he doesn’t even come back. Maybe he has another woman again.

Their old house was noisy, but now she realizes how much fun it was. She was so busy she didn’t notice at the time, but it was a hundred times better than now.

That man used to give her freedom. If she didn’t cook, he would. If she didn’t clean, he would.

She missed his voice. Would it be wrong to call him? Probably, right? After all, she cheated and left him. She was the one who filed for divorce…