Warning for mentions of suicide and suicidal ideation.
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"Labor practices at Matsukaze Bussan are once again being called into question, after employee Nakamura Tomoe, age 29, died of heart failure last month after clocking 124 hours of overtime..."
Sakurai paused, holding a dishtowel in one hand. Matsukaze Bussan used to be Moriko's company, he thought, and stepped into the livingroom, where Morioka was watching the news. On the TV, the newscaster was reciting the newest labor statistics - "according to authorities, there has been a noticeable uptick in deaths related to overwork," - while Morioka sat on the couch, motionless. He couldn't see her face from where he was standing, just the back of her head, and the slight slumping of her shoulders as she rocked the baby.
"Moriko?"
Morioka looked up. Sakurai stepped around the couch and sat beside her.
"Are you okay?" he asked. The baby cooed. Morioka glanced down at her and began bouncing her quietly on her lap, the news droning on behind her.
"I was just thinking, I just finished weaning Lily, I can't believe we got pregnant again so soon," Morioka said.
"That's probably my fault," Sakurai said. He shifted uncomfortably. They both listened to the drone of the news.
Koiwai and the others had a good idea of what happened: the long days spent working overtime, shouldering a four-person workload and impossible deadlines, made her collapse from the stress of her workload. Her health was declining, one former co-worker told him, while another added, We saw her when she passed out. They all insisted she quit because of her health.
"I wanted to kill myself," Morioka told him, once.
They were lying in bed when she told him. Outside, the moon was filtering gently through the half open curtains, and Sakurai had curled his body warmly around hers. Maybe it was the first time she felt safe talking to him, but somehow, everything about her past started to trickle out, and she told him how one night, she contemplated suicide.
"It became very clear to me, there was only one way to make it stop. But thankfully, I gathered the courage to just resign."
A tear slipped down her face, and Sakurai hugged her tighter, kissing her hair and wrapping his arms around her: after that night, she never brought it up again, and Sakurai never pushed her.
"What is it?" Morioka asked. She readjusted the baby and looked up at Sakurai, concerned.
"I was just worried - it's your old company and I was worried this might bring up bad memories," Sakurai said. Morioka smiled and turned off the TV.
"I'm fine," Morioka said. She smiled. "I have you and the baby."
The baby cooed and Morioka giggled, holding her by the armpits. "I still can't believe we're pregnant again!" Morioka said.
Sakurai ducked his head. "Sorry," Sakurai said. Morioka laughed, fondly.