A story about a married couple—a tale that is just a little bit miraculous.

#nana56b


Lines from the story

When I was in elementary school, after
finishing my shopping errand at the
supermarket,
I found my umbrella stolen from where I'd
left it in the stand.
Stranded in the pouring rain, I was at a
loss.
Then I heard a voice say, “Did that
happen?”
I turned around to see my classmate, Yuta.
When I explained what happened, he said,
“Use this,” and held out his own umbrella.

I started to say, “But...” but he cut me
off, “I live closer, and I've got less
stuff...”

He practically forced the umbrella into my
hands and ran off into the downpour.

Even years later, I remember that moment
vividly.

Then, over a decade after that, we got
married.

He worked at a company nearby, and I became
a full-time homemaker.

He loved children, and we spent our days
happily talking about them every day.

But no matter how many years passed, we never
conceived a child.

We got tested, but they said there was
nothing wrong with either of us.

We researched things ourselves.

Hormonal balance... lifestyle habits,
improving our diet, and so on.

We did everything we could, but I never got
pregnant.

Gradually, we stopped talking about children.

Even so, whenever he saw me looking downcast
and low, he'd always crack a joke to make me
laugh.

Several more years passed, and just as we were
nearly giving up on having children,
I fell ill and went to the hospital. There,
I was told, “You're pregnant.”
It was such unexpected news that I thought
I'd misheard and asked him to repeat it.

For a while, I was stunned, unable to grasp
the situation, but joy slowly welled up
inside me afterward.

But by then, I was already 35 years old.

When my husband came home and I told him the
news, he was overjoyed, practically jumping
for joy.

Even so, because it was a late pregnancy, my
husband was very considerate about everything.

When my morning sickness was severe, he took
time off work to look after me.

Then, once I entered the stable period and my
body felt better,
I went into my husband's room to clean.
A desk drawer was open, and inside were many
amulets—amulets for conceiving a child.
Some were even from shrines quite far away.
My husband hadn't said a word about this to me.
Thinking about his feelings made me feel like
crying.
So I decided I wouldn't tell him I'd found them
either.

Some time later, a healthy baby boy was born
to us.

I truly believe he was born thanks to my
husband's charms, so I named him Mamoru.

There was another reason for that name: I
wanted him to become someone who would protect
me no matter what.

Like that umbrella that protected me from the
downpour long ago...