My wife Misae, who’d been having an affair, sent me a mail saying she wanted to meet and talk. That evening.

Me and the twin JKs were eating dinner.

“Sorry, I’ll be out a bit tomorrow morning.” It was a day off.

I’d originally planned to go shopping with the girls.

“I’m free in the afternoon, so let’s hit the shops then.”

“...Sensei. Are you meeting your wife?”

The one who nailed it immediately was Nana, the older sister.

Her black eyes stared straight at me.

Shit, I must have let my panic show in why I didn't deny it.

As I muttered "As expected...", Nana trembled slightly with anger.

“What!? Karin, you're meeting that stupid wife? Why!?”

My younger sister, the blonde gyaru Akari, piled on. This... couldn't be hidden any longer.

I figured I'd handle things in a way that didn't impose any unnecessary burdens on them.

"Misae texted me. Apparently, she wants to meet up in person and talk. She says she wants a do-over."

"Huh?! What kind of bullshit is that! How stupid can you be?!"

"...I've never seen anyone so impolite. After cheating on you, she suddenly wants to make up? You must be out of your mind!"

Akari and Nako were both genuinely angry.

I was happy they were furious on my behalf.

"O...Okay, but are you guys maybe getting back together?" "That's not happening."

Let's make this clear.

At least to stop them from worrying.

"My feelings for Misae have completely died out. I'll meet her tomorrow, get the divorce papers signed, and wrap it all up." "Yeah! That sounds like a good idea!"

"...But why would she want to reconcile now of all times?"

Nako suddenly voiced her doubts.

Sure, it’s lacking in logic for a woman who cheated and left to suddenly send an email saying she wants to try again.

"Wait, you don't get it? It's simple. She got dumped by her cheating boyfriend, didn't she?"

Akari said, looking bewildered.

"...Oh, wait. I see now. Why didn't I notice that sooner? But surely they still loved each other to some extent, right?"

"Her affair partner is a young, slick guy, isn't he? Once he gets bored, he'll ditch her. Plus, your 'stupid wife' has the personality of an ugly hag."

"...I see. She got dumped by her lover, didn't know where to go, so now she wants to come back to sensei."

"Right? I thought the same thing."

Nanako bit her lip hard. Gri... gri...

"...The absolute lowest. It makes me sick."

"You're probably one of the worst women around. Oh, don't worry, I'm not offering any sympathy whatsoever."

I had absolutely no intention of feeling sympathetic toward Misae.

Whether she and her affair partner, Kisogawa, broke up or what is none of my damn business.

I'm going to make him sign the divorce papers and sever ties with the past. Once that's done, it's over.

"Well, if you're truly sorry, then instead of just texting on LINE, you should've come here and apologized in person, right?"

"...Oh, look at you giving orders. Who do you think you are?"

"Uh... let it go at that. Getting worked up over someone like that is pointless. It's just a waste of calories." "「That's one way to put it.」" Alright then.

"Okarin, where are you meeting the idiot wife tomorrow?" "The cafe in front of the station at ten."

"Mm-hmm. Got it. I'll have things ready."

Akari and Nanako nodded vigorously.

"Hold on, hold on. You don't actually plan on coming along, do you?" "「Wait, is that not allowed?」"

"Obviously not. This is an issue between us two."

The two of them puffed out their cheeks in dissatisfaction.

"I don't want you guys meeting Misae. So don't follow me, okay? Absolutely no exceptions." "「…………」" "An answer." "「Yaaas...」"

Well, I get it for Akari, but I thought Nanako would have been too smart to try and tag along.

That timid girl would go so far as to do that. She must be really pissed off... I was actually pleased about it.

"If you need backup, just say the word. I'll bring my [Trump Card] and dive in with you."

Akari puffed out her chest proudly. "The Trump Card? What's that supposed to be?"

"A trump card is a trump card, obviously. I've got this one effect-packed card that can send a cheating wife packing in a single hit, so trust me."

Akari let out a smug chuckle and stuck her massive chest out further.

...Come to think of it, she had been hinting at things like this before.

"Well... since you're just going to have her sign the divorce papers, that card probably won't come into play."

And so, I headed off to arrange a meeting with my wife to finalize our divorce. ★

Ten o'clock. I was sitting in a coffee shop at the train station square.

Since it was a holiday, the place was pretty packed.

My wife... Misae was seated by the window. I took the seat across from her.

"I'm sorry to have dragged you out of your busy schedule."

「……That aside, aren't there other people you need to apologize to first?»

I tried to keep my tone flat.

But... no matter how hard I tried, my throat trembled with anger.

「……I'm sorry for doing something that was like betraying you」

"It's not just 'like' a betrayal. What you did is a full-fledged act of treason."

Bringing another man into the house and committing adultery while your husband is at work.

If that isn't a betrayal, then what is it?

「L-Listen, it's not like that... That was just an accident...」

Before Misae could finish her sentence, I cut her off and pulled the documents out of my bag. I placed the divorce petition on the desk.

"I have no intention of listening to your excuses. It's over. This is a divorce. Sign it. Then we're done."

At that... the color drained from Misae's face.

「W-Wait...! Please, listen to me！」

Misae jumped to her feet in a panic, raising her voice.

"Misae, sit down. You're making a scene for everyone else." "But...!" "Sit down."

Biting her lip, Misae obediently took her seat.

It didn't matter if she raised her voice.

My resolve was unshaken regardless of what she did. "Write the divorce papers. Now."

"W-wait, please... can't we just talk this through? Okay? Please?"

Misae wiped away a torrent of sweat, desperately pleading with me.

"Talk? Is there anything left to talk about? You slept with another man while your husband was right there. Isn't that the truth?"

"T-that's... um... I mean... n-no, it wasn't..."

"What was it not? Go ahead. Say it. I'll hear you out."

"It's just... it wasn't like that... I'm telling you it wasn't... please..."

Drenched in a cold sweat and on the verge of tears, Misae darted her eyes around frantically.

He’s surely desperately searching for words to defend himself. But it’s no use.

The fact that he cheated, the fact that he slept with another man—are those things not real?

"Hey, hey you... won't you stop doing this?"

Misae came to my side and clung to me.

She deliberately pressed her breasts against me, clutched at my arms, and spoke in a coquettish, ingratiating tone.

"Please forgive me. Will you... become close again, like we used to be?" Like we used to be...?

Even looking back on the past, it’s hard to say we were ever truly on good terms.
###PROOFREADING: Note - The prompt implies strict output only. No proofreading text in final output. Just translation.

The only time she was kind to me was around the day of our wedding.

After that, things gradually cooled down... and by the end, the relationship was ice-cold. Misae is seeking a reconciliation.

But... I have absolutely no intention of taking this one back.

"You think if you keep throwing yourself at me like that, I’ll change my mind?" "Wh..."?

"I'm sorry, but regarding you, no matter what happens in the future, I have absolutely no intention of showing any leniency whatsoever." "No way..."

I shoved away the hand Misae was clinging to.

As she reached for me again, I firmly slapped it away. "You..."

I sat back up straight and picked up the divorce papers on the table, pressing them against Misae's chest.

"Let's break up. I'm going to live my life without you, and you can be happy with Kisogawa... that man."

"T-that's... impossible! B-but..." "Is it because you got left behind?" "Ugh...!?"

Perhaps struck at the core of the truth, Misae wore a look of utter shock. So I was right...

"Abandoned by a young man, nowhere to turn, and no money either, so for now you're heading back to a mediocre old man who happens to have cash... that's about it, isn't it?" "N-no, that's not..."

"If that's not the case, then why are you panicking like that? Why did you suddenly leave home, go silent for weeks, and now come crawling back wanting to start over? Tell me." "..."

Misae fell into complete silence.

Head bowed, eyes brimming with tears, she didn't move a muscle. —

"I'm... sorry. I'm sorry, I won't do it again... so please..."

Through gritted teeth, Misae pleaded with him.

"You've quit? Where exactly can I place my trust in the words of a woman who betrayed her husband with an affair?"

Misae fell silent, her mouth opening and closing like a stunned fish…

…and then her shoulders slumped dramatically.