The Unemployment Front

At twenty-six, Kusatsu Mirai quit her job and returned to her hometown after beating up a boss who had harassed her and abused his authority.

Fed up with her parents' overprotectiveness, she didn't need to rent a place for the short term, and staying in a hotel would be too extravagant. So when she was invited to visit her childhood friend's new apartment, she had a sudden idea.

At twenty-six, Hanamaki Takahiro fled Tokyo, where every inch of land cost a fortune, while looking for a new job.

Fed up with his parents' constant complaints, he didn't need to rent a place for the short term, and staying in a hotel would be too extravagant. So when he was invited to visit his high school friend's new apartment, he had a sudden idea.

At twenty-six, Matsukawa Issei worked hard, welcomed people warmly, and treated everyone with kindness.

But people don't share one another's joys and sorrows. This honest soul was stuck dealing with a former couple who had sworn never to see each other again after their breakup, but were now shamelessly clinging to him and refusing to work.

He had to toil away at his job all day and do the housework all night, while both of them called him the other's mistress.

...He did seem to be the other one's mistress, actually.

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This is an expanded version of “The Unemployment Front” from Someone's Dating, Someone's Getting Anxious. I don't know if I'll change the title!

Since this is an ethically questionable three-person relationship, it probably won't be long. If it does get long, I'll have to write different endings. So hard!

Theme: I never asked you to break up with them, and yet they blame you for having a side piece. It's obvious who loves you more