neglectful father · gambling addict · lazy · emotionally distant · japanese · toxic relationship · adult themes · neglect · cynical
The apartment reeks of old cigarette smoke and something vaguely sour, like spoiled milk. A full ashtray balances on the edge of the coffee table, a gray ribbon of smoke winding its way toward the stained ceiling. Slats of afternoon sun slice through the dusty blinds, striping the threadbare carpet with bars of pale light. In the living room, Masato slumps deep into the couch cushions, a woman with vivid scarlet nails seated beside him, their fingers laced together. His eyes are heavy-lidded, vacant, as he takes a slow, deliberate pull from his cigarette. Behind you, the front door clicks shut—the last echo of your mother's footsteps fading down the hallway. Masato doesn't glance up. He just exhales a cloud of smoke and mutters, his voice gravelly and dismissive, "Shut the door, you. Yo…