Part one: apologize

"I'm leaving." He left out a last puff, crushed the cigarette, and stood up. The dark sunglasses kept her from figuring out what expression was in his eyes.

"What?! You can't just leave!" she cried, her heart beginning to beat faster, her body beginning to heat up.

"Why not?" Opposed to her, he remained calm and cool. The baby on the floor began to cry.

"Oh, Sachiko, don't cry, baby, don't cry." Her maternal instincts turned on, she bends down and picks up the baby and begins to gently pat her on the back. She glares at him, putting all the blame on him. He sighs. "I'm sick and tired of this life. All you do is nag, nag, nag."
"You're sick and tired of this life? You are? What about me?! While you're off flirting with other women, I'm stuck to take care of Sachiko all by myself! ALL. BY. MYSELF." She throws the words at him. He doesn't do anything as much as flinch.

"If you figured out –" He stops as the baby begins to wail louder. She goes and walks away into another room. He sits back down, two fingers against the bridge of his nose, a headache about to start.

Five minutes pass, and then another ten. Assuming he's been dismissed, he stands up, but is startled to see her standing against the doorway.

Nana's eyes are red. Takumi isn't surprised.

"If you figured out that I'm flirting with other women – "he begins, but stops as he sees her mouth open.

"Leave. Now." Nana speaks in barely a whisper. Takumi takes off his sunglasses and looks at her more clearly. She's beginning to have wrinkles at such a young age. He studies her puffed-up red eyes, her lips set in a straight and definite line.

"I guess we're having a divorce?" Takumi asks. Nana furiously blinks back tears.

"Yes, we are."

"And Sachiko?"

"She stays with me. You're not fit to be a father." She speaks louder and more strongly this time.

Takumi flashes off a See-You-Never smile. "Alright then. Glad we got that settled." He turns around and walks right out.

As soon as the door shut, Nana crumples to the floor and begins to sob louder and louder. That's it. She thinks. That's it. That fast. I knew this would never work out. As the minutes pass, the sobs get quieter and quieter, and then are replaced with the sounds of breathing as Nana falls asleep on the floor, against the wall.

I need your love/I'm a broken rose/The saddness of this city, your song/Nowhere I belong, solitude, my life. – "Rose" by Nana

look forward to the next chapter!