That night, the whole family had sukiyaki for dinner.
It was June, and the weather was a bit muggy, so perhaps it wasn't the right time of year, but my wife's parents had sent us some high-quality meat.
Since I usually eat alone in my apartment where I'm posted on weekdays, I felt the warmth of family.
As we all stirred the eggs, my wife began to speak.
"By the way, Akihiro has a three-way interview coming up.
" "Really? Is Seijo High School your first choice?"
Seijo High School has a high rate of students moving on to higher education, is a prefectural school, and is inexpensive. Above
all, it was Akihiro's own choice.
This was a time when I could truly feel my son becoming an adult. His one-word response
, "Yes,"
was typical of a modern child.
"By the way, can you take time off work?"
I asked Noriko.
"Yes, I've given him some time off this afternoon, so it's fine."
Of course, I needed him to go.
I knew he was busy at work, but my wife also knew that family comes first.
While parent-teacher conferences are extremely unpleasant for children, they are a good opportunity for parents to talk with their teachers.
The couple got married, had children, and built a happy home.
Seeing my children gain a little independence once again reminded me of what happiness is.
I spent that day in a good mood.
Two weeks later,
when I got home, my wife approached me with a guilty look on her face.
"Hey, Akihiro, you couldn't go to your parent-teacher conference?"
It was the day of Akihiro's conference.
"Why couldn't you go?"
"Work..."
"Work... you said it was okay."
I listened carefully, including Akihiro's sullen expression, and was stunned. Apparently, he had
just finished work and gone home without contacting the school.
It seems more accurate to say he forgot about it than that he couldn't go.
When my wife returned home that night looking apologetic, Akihiro yelled at her.
She had no choice but to apologize profusely.
"I'm sorry, I'll call the teacher."
"You don't need to come anymore."
My wife ended up apologizing to the school and apparently made time for me the following Monday afternoon.
When I heard this, I was more shocked than angry, but I talked to her after the kids had gone to their rooms.
"If it's causing so much trouble at home, then you should quit your job."
"I'm sorry. I have no choice but to apologize, but I can't quit now
." This must have been a huge shock for Hiroaki.
He must have been feeling depressed after the parent-teacher conference, and now that his mother wasn't coming, it was a complete loss of face.
Judging from the guilty look on his face all day, he might be feeling remorseful, but prioritizing work over his children is unacceptable.
Work is important, but he's working under the promise that family comes first.
After that, they had a proper parent-teacher conference on Monday, and Hiroaki's mood seemed to have returned.
The reason he was feeling better was because the teacher told him during the conference that he could aim for a higher school.
Hiroaki said this to me while I was eating dinner when I got home on the weekend.
"Maybe I should aim for the next higher school."
The next higher school is the one my older sister Mana attends. It's also a prefectural school, so that's a big plus.
"You should do that. Ours is newer and nicer,"
Mana says proudly.
Seeing my kids talking about high school motivates me to work harder.
I want them to lead happy lives in the future. It's something every parent feels.
Perhaps I should be more tolerant of my wife's work.
Of course, family comes first, but it's also true that the burden falls on my wife, who handles everything from housework to everything else. She
's also working hard for me, who can't be there for my family because I'm away from home.
I should be more supportive of her.
Even with the parent-teacher conference, I just got angry and didn't do anything.
I need to understand my wife better.
The following week, on a weekday, I was having dinner and surfing the internet at my apartment in Kitakyushu, where I was working.
I got a call from Noriko. She doesn't usually talk on the phone that often. Was something wrong?
I answered the phone and heard a rustling sound on the other end.
"Hello... hello?"
I called several times, but there was no answer. I thought the phone was malfunctioning, and then the call was cut off.
Growing worried, I called Noriko back, but it just rang and she never picked up.
I tried calling back to her house phone instead of Noriko's cell phone.
Mana answered.
"Where's Mom?"
"She hasn't come home yet."
It was past 9 o'clock and she still hadn't come home.
"What about dinner?"
"I made it and ate it."
"I see. Then tell Mom to call me when she gets home." And
with that, I hung up.
Over an hour had passed. It
was past 10 o'clock and I still hadn't called, so maybe she still hadn't come home.
I called Noriko's cell phone again.
It rang a few times, and then Noriko answered.
"Hello?"
"Sorry, I was a little busy just now."
"Are you still at work?"
"Yeah, I was on my way home. Um, I called to talk to you about something..."
"What is it?"
"Um, I'd like to go on a trip sometime... is that okay?"
she asked apologetically.
"A trip? Why all of a sudden?
" "I've been thinking... I've been thinking about going on a trip."
I didn't understand what she meant, but I guess Noriko was thinking about her family in her own way. A
trip wouldn't be a bad idea, I thought, and answered.
"You're right, our finances are tight, but once the kids grow up we won't be able to go on family trips anymore, so I'll think about it. But you can talk about that when we get home."
"No, that's not it. I want to go on a trip with friends."
"Friends? When?"
Isn't it a family trip? Even though I felt lonely, I was surprised that my wife was going on a trip with friends.
Since getting married, I hardly ever hang out with even my so-called friends.
Is there a class reunion or something?
"I'd like to go next weekend."
"Next week? Now's not a good time. You're busy at work, so you might as well go on a trip. Think a little more about your family."
"I know... I'm sorry."
And then the phone was hung up.
What was he thinking?
But it seems like he's been busy at work lately too. Maybe he just wanted to go on a trip to relax.
Still, what Noriko was saying was strange.
But maybe she was being too direct. That day, I went to sleep thinking like that.