5

The mistake happened fifteen minutes after Naoki finished telling his love story.

Genki was packing trays of seasoned pork when Takeshi suddenly slammed his knife down.

“What is this?” Takeshi lifted a tray of marinated meat from the counter.

Genki froze. “Now what did I do?”

“The color is wrong! Too pale. Too watery.”

Takeshi dipped two fingers into the marinade and smelled it. His face darkened.

“You mixed the wrong batch.”

Genki gasped. “I—no, I followed the recipe!”

“You used the chicken marinade.”

Genki’s shoulders collapsed.

Takeshi lifted the tray toward the light. “This is pork.”

Genki’s mouth opened, then closed again.

Takeshi exhaled slowly through his nose. For a moment Naoki thought he might throw the tray across the room. Instead Takeshi set it down with a heavy thud.

“How much did you mix?”

Genki swallowed. “Three kilos.”

Takeshi shut his eyes.

Three kilos meant three kilos of ruined product. Three kilos of wasted marinade. Three kilos that would now have to be washed, trimmed, and reprocessed before the afternoon customers arrived.

“Go.”

“…What? Where?” Genki said through tears.

“Deliveries.”

“But…”

“Now.”

Genki wiped his hands quickly and hurried toward the door.

Takeshi tapped a frozen cut of meat against the table. “Don’t forget this.”

Genki sniffled and took the frozen cut.

“Frozen meat is dangerous,” Takeshi said. “Hard as a rock. Never drop one on your foot. You’ll break something.”

Genki nodded, still fighting back sobs. The bell rang loudly as he left. The shop suddenly felt very quiet.

Takeshi stared at the ruined tray, then sighed. “Idiot.”

Naoki chuckled softly. “He’s young.”

Takeshi grabbed the tray and carried it toward the back prep area.

“You stay front.”

Naoki nodded

The afternoon sun slanted through the shop windows as he stepped behind the counter. Customers came and went in small bursts.

Half a kilo of beef. A packet of seasoned chicken. A few slices of pork belly for grilling. Normal orders. Normal conversations. 

Behind the swinging door, Takeshi worked furiously.

Naoki could hear the steady rhythm of trimming knives and running water as he tried to salvage the mistake. Hana had been left with him in the back. Occasionally her small babbling sounds drifted through the door, making Naoki smiled to himself like an idiot.

A few minutes later Takeshi pushed through the door.

“Take meat.”

Naoki looked up. “For dinner?”

Takeshi wiped his hands on his apron. “Anything.”

He disappeared back into the prep room.

“Alright.”

Naoki stepped into the freezer. Cold air wrapped around him instantly. Rows of frozen meat hung neatly from metal hooks. He scanned the shelves before spotting a solid frozen turkey. The expiration date was close. They probably wouldn’t sell it like that.

It was heavier than expected when he lifted it.

Perfect. Something warm and hearty for Aiko after a long shift, he thought.

He carried it to the front counter and wrapped it quickly in butcher paper. 

He glanced toward the back room. Takeshi’s voice echoed faintly as he muttered about marinade ratios.

Naoki looked down at the frozen turkey in his hands.

It would take hours to thaw properly. Too long if it stayed in the shop freezer.

Without thinking much further, Naoki slipped out the door.

The golden twilight sun hit his face as he began jogging toward home.

It was only a few minutes away. He just needed to leave the turkey out to thaw, then he would return before Takeshi even noticed.

With long strides and a quick jog, Naoki reached the house in a little over a minute.

He slid the door open quietly. Aiko’s shoes were by the door. 

Something felt wrong immediately.

“Aiko?”

No answer.

The house felt different. 

Not messy. But somehow disturbed. A drawer slightly open. A cabinet door not fully closed. Naoki walked further in cautiously. A suitcase sat open on the floor. Clothes folded neatly inside.

Naoki stopped breathing. “Aiko?”

She stood in the bedroom doorway, still in her work uniform. Her hair slightly loose from the day. Her expression was something he had never seen before.

“What are you doing?” Naoki asked.

Aiko didn’t answer immediately. She stepped forward and pulled the suitcase upright.

“I was going to tell you tonight.”

Naoki laughed nervously. “Tell me what?”

Aiko looked at him with strange softness. “Naoki…”

Naoki blinked in disbelief.

“What? What did I do wrong?”

Aiko sighed. “Naoki… you’re perfect.”

He stepped forward.

“Then what’s wrong?”

“I just…”

She rubbed her forehead.

“I haven’t lived my life.”

Naoki felt his chest tighten.

“You have a life.”

“I have a husband,” she said gently.

“I have a child.” She looked around the house.

“But I never chose any of this.”

Something collapsed inside Naoki’s chest.

“You’re just tired,” he said quickly. “You don’t mean that.”

He waited for her to laugh. She didn’t. The silence stretched.

She looked at him calmly.

“I want to be single again.”

Naoki’s breathing changed. “What?”

“I want to be alone.”

“You’re alone sometimes,” he said quickly. “You go to work.”

“That’s not what I mean.” She rubbed her temples. “I feel like my life ended before it even started.”

Naoki stared at her. “But we’re happy.”

“We’re comfortable.”

“That’s the same thing.”

“No.” She shook her head slowly. “No, Naoki. It isn’t.”

Naoki laughed weakly. “You’re joking.”

“I’m not.”

“You had a long shift today.”

“I did.”

“You’re tired.”

“I’m not.”

“You just need sleep.”

“Naoki.” Her voice sharpened. “I’ve been thinking about this for months.”

The room tilted.

Months? “What?”

“I never chose any of this.”

“You chose me.”

“I accepted you.”

The difference struck like a blade deep into Naoki’s insides.

He stepped forward with his strongest argument. “We chose Hana.”

“You were ready for a child.”

“You weren’t?”

“I didn’t even understand what it meant yet.”

Naoki grabbed her hands.

“We can fix this.”

“There’s nothing to fix.”

“There always is.”

“No.”

She gently pulled her hands free. “I’m leaving tonight.”

The sentence hung in the air like smoke.

Naoki shook his head. “No.”

“I’ll send the divorce papers tomorrow.”

“No.”

“I’ll take Hana on weekends.”

“No!” 

Each response came out more desperate. 

“Aiko, please.”

“I’m not angry at you.”

“That’s worse. Be angry and tell me how I can fix this.”

She picked up the suitcase. “I just need my life back.”

Naoki dropped to his knees. The movement startled even him. He clutched her legs like someone drowning.

“Please.”

She stiffened. “Naoki.”

“I’ll do anything.”

“You already did.”

“I’ll change.”

“You already did.”

“I’ll work again.”

“You quit because I asked.”

“I’ll quit quitting.”

Aiko closed her eyes. “Naoki… let go.”

“I love you.”

“I know.”

“That should matter.”

“It does.”

“Then stay.”

“I can’t.”

He tightened his grip. “Please.”

She tried to step away.

“Why are you doing this to our family?” He clung harder. 

“Aiko please please please please.” Tears streamed down his face. “I’ll fix it.”

“There’s nothing broken.”

“Yes there is.”

He looked up at her desperately.

“You’re tired.”

“I’m not tired.”

“You’re overwhelmed.”

“Naoki.” Her voice raised. “Let go.”

He didn’t.

“Aiko please. It’s just your postpartum depression acting up.”

“Let go.”

She pushed him away with sudden force. Naoki stumbled backward. The suitcase flung open beside him. He grabbed it instinctively.

“No.”

He began pulling clothes from it and Folded them back into drawers.

“You’re not leaving.”

“Naoki.”

“You’re just tired. Just sleep.”

“Naoki, let me go.”

“Aiko.”

He moved quickly, obsessively, until the suitcase had been emptied. When he turned again, Aiko had already stepped into the living room. Her voice floated softly through the doorway.

“Yes… I’m coming there now.”

Naoki stopped moving. His hands hung in the air. Her voice sounded different. It was warm and soft.

But it was not meant for him.

“I can’t wait.”

The words echoed through the house.

Naoki walked slowly toward the kitchen.

“So it wasn’t that I did something wrong…”

His voice barely formed the words.

“…there’s someone else.”

The frozen turkey sat on the counter beside him, still wrapped in white butcher paper. He picked it up slowly. The cold seeped into his fingers. He had chosen it because Aiko liked turkey. For a moment he wondered how long it would take to thaw.

He stepped into the living room. Aiko had turned slightly away.

Still smiling. Still listening. Still giving all her warmth to someone that wasn’t Naoki.

She never saw him move.

The turkey came down with a dull, heavy sound.

Aiko collapsed instantly.

The phone slid across the floor.

The call still connected. A faint voice echoed from the speaker.

“Hello?”

Naoki stood there shaking.

The frozen turkey, now streaked with blood, still in his hands.

For a long time, he didn’t breathe.

He whispered quietly to the empty room.

“…I’ll fix everything.”