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**Chapter 5: Building a Future, Piece by Piece**
Max woke up the next morning with a lingering heaviness in his chest. The memory of Saki’s cruel words still echoed in his mind, making it hard to shake off the weight of the past. He glanced over at Kota, who was already awake, babbling happily in his crib.
“Good morning, buddy,” Max muttered, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He stood up and stretched, feeling his back crack in places that reminded him he was definitely not as young as he used to be. “Alright, let’s get this day started.”
Max scooped Kota out of the crib and changed his diaper, trying to push the memories of Saki out of his head. He couldn’t afford to dwell on the past, not with a baby depending on him now. But it wasn’t easy. Every time he thought about her leaving, it stirred up old insecurities—insecurities that were now creeping back into his life as a father.
As he prepared Kota’s breakfast, Max’s phone buzzed on the counter. He glanced at the screen to see a message from Kenji.
**Kenji:** “Hey bro, how’s dad life going? Need any backup?”
Max smiled, feeling a little lighter just seeing Kenji’s text. He quickly typed out a response.
**Max:** “Still in one piece. Barely. Job hunt’s killing me though.”
**Kenji:** “Hang in there. You got this. Don’t forget to water my plants.”
Max chuckled, setting the phone down and turning his attention back to Kota. “You hear that? Uncle Kenji’s more worried about his plants than us.”
Kota responded by spitting out a mouthful of mashed bananas, and Max sighed. “Well, I guess that’s one way to start the day.”
---
After breakfast, Max decided to spend the day tackling his to-do list. First on the agenda: finding a job. He’d spent the previous day failing miserably, but today was going to be different. Today, he had a plan.
With Kota strapped into the baby carrier, Max made his way to a nearby community center that was hosting a job fair. The place was packed with booths from local businesses, and Max felt a flicker of hope. Maybe this would be his chance to land something steady.
He wandered from booth to booth, chatting with recruiters and filling out applications. Most of them seemed polite enough, but as soon as they saw the baby strapped to his chest, Max noticed their smiles falter. Some of them made excuses about the job not being “family-friendly,” while others simply handed him a flyer and moved on to the next person.
By the time he reached the last booth, Max’s enthusiasm had all but evaporated. He approached a woman who looked like she was ready to pack up for the day, but she smiled kindly at him.
“Looking for work?” she asked, glancing at Kota with a curious but non-judgmental smile.
Max nodded. “Yeah. I’ve got some experience in customer service, a bit of admin work… I’m open to just about anything at this point.”
The woman handed him a brochure. “We’re hiring for a part-time position at our bookstore. It’s not much, but it’s flexible, and we’re a pretty kid-friendly environment.”
Max perked up at the mention of “kid-friendly.” “Really? That sounds great. I’ll take any hours you’ve got.”
She smiled. “Why don’t you come in for an interview tomorrow? We can discuss the details then.”
Max left the job fair feeling cautiously optimistic. It wasn’t a glamorous position, but it was something, and right now, that was all he needed. Plus, a bookstore sounded way better than the soul-sucking office jobs he’d been applying for.
As he walked home with Kota, the baby fast asleep in the carrier, Max couldn’t help but feel a little proud of himself. He was making progress, even if it was slow. And Kota, who had been surprisingly well-behaved all day, seemed to sense the change in Max’s mood.
By the time they reached the apartment, Max was exhausted but content. He fed Kota dinner, gave him a bath, and after a bit of coaxing, finally got him to fall asleep.
---
With Kota asleep, Max sat down on the couch, letting the quietness of the apartment settle around him. For the first time in what felt like forever, he allowed himself to relax.
But as soon as his mind wandered, the memories of Saki came flooding back again. Her words, her expression, the cold way she had looked at him that night… it all came rushing back, and this time, Max didn’t fight it. He let the memories wash over him.
---
It had been a rainy night, the kind where everything felt heavier, like the universe was pressing down on him. Max had stood in the doorway, watching Saki pack her bags. He had begged her to stay, but she hadn’t listened. Her face was set in stone, her words cutting deeper with every second that passed.
“You’re never going to be good enough, Max,” she had said, her voice dripping with disdain. “You’re stuck in this dead-end life, and I can’t waste any more time waiting for you to figure things out.”
Max had felt his chest tighten, his throat constricting as he tried to make her understand. “Saki, please, I’m trying. I’m doing everything I can—”
“No, you’re not,” she had snapped, slamming her suitcase shut. “You’re doing the bare minimum. I need more than this. I need someone who can actually give me a future. Not… this.”
She had gestured around the apartment, her eyes filled with disappointment.
Max had felt the sting of her words, but even then, he hadn’t let go. “I love you, Saki. Doesn’t that count for something?”
She had paused then, her back to him, and for a moment, Max had thought he had reached her. But when she turned around, her expression was cold.
“Love isn’t enough, Max,” she had said, her voice low. “Not when everything else is falling apart.”
And with that, she had walked out of his life.
---
Max blinked, shaking himself out of the memory. His chest ached, the same dull pain that had lingered ever since that night. He had tried to bury it, tried to move on, but now that Kota was here, everything felt more complicated.
He stared at the sleeping baby in the crib, his tiny chest rising and falling with each breath. Kota was so small, so innocent. He didn’t deserve any of this—the chaos, the uncertainty, the weight of Max’s unresolved past.
But despite everything, Kota was here. And somehow, that made everything a little bit better.
Max sighed, leaning back on the couch. He had a long way to go, but for the first time in a while, he didn’t feel like he was drowning. He had a son, and that meant he had a reason to keep going. A reason to rebuild.
Tomorrow, he would go to that bookstore interview. He would do whatever it took to make a future for himself and for Kota. Because no matter how many times life knocked him down, Max was determined to get back up.
For Kota. For his son.
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*End of Chapter 5.*
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