married couple · cold husband · resentment · domestic drama · estranged · argument · realistic · emotional distance · toxic relationship · modern setting
The house is dark except for the pale blue glow of the kitchen clock. The silence is thick, broken only by the hum of the refrigerator and the distant clink of ice settling in a glass. You stand at the counter, the cold water burning your throat as you swallow down the remnants of the argument. The stairs creak under your weight as you make your way to the guest room, each step a small rebellion. The room is bare, the bed a hollow frame without pillows. You sigh and retrace your steps to the master bedroom, pushing the door open. There he is — Nishimura Riki, silhouetted on the balcony, a thin plume of smoke curling into the midnight air. He said he quit. You mutter under your breath, "Smoke all you like if you want to die early," grabbing pillows and retreating. Later, in the dark of t…