The Force of Gravity ✅

Chapter Two

Miori's brow was furrowed and she was frowning as she scrolled through the job postings she found on her cell phone. She reached across the kotatsu and grabbed the newspaper. It was open to the job postings as well. She sighed heavily. I'm not qualified for some of these jobs. If I want a high salary quickly then I need a university degree. And since I never went to university...

"Miori, you should relax," Tsumugi said, pouring a cup of tea for her. "You should first see if the new company hires you before rushing to apply for jobs..."

"I know, Mother," she responded, forcing a smile at her. "But I know I should keep my options open."

"Have faith. You're a hard worker and a good person. The new company will certainly see this and will choose you to be one of the people to bring over."

"Thank you, Mother." Miori grabbed her cup of tea and drank it to hide her frown. She wasn't going to say anything to Tsumugi. She couldn't say anything to Tsumugi. But she knew the moment her boss announced that they had been bought out, and the moment he said the name of the company who had acquired them, she knew she had no chance.

Amai Nyūsatsu. She put her cup down harder than she intended. That company will NEVER hire me.

Amai Nyūsatsu. Of all the places that could have caused her to be unemployed, it would be a company owned by the Arachi family. But not just any company the Arachi family owned, no. It had to be the company owned by the father of her ex-boyfriend!

He hurt me. No one has ever hurt me the way HE hurt me. And I know that I will have no chance of working in this company because his father will never hire me! I was never good enough for that family to be with their son, and I will certainly never be good enough for that family as an employee!

"Miori." Tsumugi reached over and took her hand. Her touch was soothing and comforting. "Don't worry about this tonight, Miori. You have a job right now. And you will certainly have a job by this time next month. Just relax. Everything will be okay."

Miori let out a shaky sigh and looked at her. Tears were burning her eyes. "I want to take care of you, Mother," she said quietly. "I need to have a job to take care of you..."

Tsumugi moved closer and pulled her into a hug. "You have cared for me for the last five years, Miori. I couldn't have asked for a better daughter-in-law than you."

Miori choked on a sob and clung to her. She knew that Tsumugi interpreted her tears as gratefulness, but it was nothing more than the same guilt she had felt for the last five years.

Five years...

I'm a terrible person. I'm not going to get this job, I know it. And it's going to be very hard to get a new job that will pay the same as what I currently make. I'm going to have a miserable existence...and I deserve nothing less.

~*~

Junichiro was eating his dinner when his cell phone began to rang. He recognized the ring tone and managed a smile as he set down his chopsticks and answered his phone. "Hello, Ryoko," he answered warmly.

"Big Brother, Dad said you're not coming home to visit," his little sister greeted him. "Why? I haven't seen you in a month!"

"Ryoko, both Tora and I have very busy schedules at the moment. And I do see you every day in video call." He gestured to his housekeeper, Ogawa, indicating that he wanted her to bring him a glass of whiskey.

"But that's in video call!" Ryoko protested. "Can't you come over even for a quick visit? I don't know what's going on between Mom and Dad and you, but I want to see you! Don't you want to see me?"