1122: For a Happy Marriage

Ichiko and Otoya Aihara have been married for seven years, sharing a relationship built on mutual respect and genuine affection. However, beneath their harmonious daily life lies a quiet void: their marriage is entirely sexless and childless. Seeking to address this unspoken distance, the couple reaches an unconventional agreement, deciding to permit each other to explore romantic connections outside of their union. When Otoya begins an affair with a woman named Mitsuki, Ichiko is fully aware of the arrangement. Yet, witnessing her husband experience such profound happiness and vitality with another person stirs unexpected emotions within her. Rather than feeling simple jealousy, Ichiko finds herself undergoing a subtle but significant personal transformation as she confronts the complex realities of love, intimacy, and partnership. Crafted by Peko Watanabe, this compelling narrative weaves together themes of honesty and deception within modern relationships. By intimately exploring the private struggles of a thirty-something couple navigating an unconventional arrangement, the story challenges traditional ideals of romance. Whether readers aspire to marry or remain single, this candid portrayal of marital life offers profound insights that may forever alter their perspective on the institution of marriage itself.