The long-running variety show "Welcome, Newlyweds!" (ABC TV/TV Asahi, Sundays at 12:55 PM), hosted by Takashi Fujii and Sakura Inoue, will feature a happy story on June 21st about a single mother of three who was divorced twice and fell in love with her eldest son's karate instructor, and how they finally got together.
The couple lives in Nara City. Their eldest son, who was in the first grade of elementary school at the time, said he wanted to learn karate, and the wife took him to a dojo for a trial lesson, where the two met.
The wife had imagined an elderly master, but a refreshing young man appeared. When her husband demonstrated his karate skills, the cracking sound that echoed through the dojo made her feel the "energy of a living man," and she was instantly captivated. Furthermore, he sternly warned their foolish eldest son, "This is not a place to play." The wife felt, "I want to entrust my son to this dojo."
However, about three weeks after the trial lesson at the dojo, my wife's feelings began to change. She was taking pictures of my husband on her smartphone, not our son who was learning karate. My husband appreciated her kindness, but he kept telling himself that he "absolutely must not cross the line" because she was the parent of one of the students.
The turning point in their relationship was a local summer festival. His wife spotted him walking and drinking beer with another karate instructor and mustered the courage to approach them. They made plans to go out for drinks together another day, but the other instructor couldn't make it at the last minute. His wife decided that if she missed this chance, she would never get another one, and replied, "I'd like to go out for dinner with you, Sensei, just the two of us."
What moved the husband at the dinner table was his wife's way of life. Having experienced two divorces, she went to a beauty school in her 30s to raise her three children. She studied diligently with her teenage classmates and raised her children while working as a hairdresser's assistant. Touched by his wife's determination, the husband thought, "I want to be there for her." That same day after dinner, he confessed, "I want to cherish and support my wife and children for the rest of my life," and their relationship began in a sudden turn of events that surprised Takashi Fujii, who exclaimed, "On that day?!"
The biggest catalyst for the wife's decision to marry was a letter her husband gave her. Inside was an eight-page manuscript letter. The letter contained the husband's sincere feelings, saying, "Every single second we spend together is precious and makes me feel happy. I never want to lose this happiness." He wanted to support his wife, who was working hard after her divorce, and he also wanted to raise the children she cherished together. The wife felt that she absolutely wanted to marry this man because of the sincerity of her husband, who wanted to convey these feelings in a tangible way.
However, there were major obstacles before they could get married.
The husband went to his parents' house to introduce himself with the intention of getting married, but that day, the children begged him to stay the night, so he ended up staying overnight. Even though it was a two-family house, the father simply could not accept that the children would stay the night on the day they came to introduce themselves. He stated firmly in the studio, "I think that's completely inconsiderate." In fact, he was furious and said, "Never let them into the house again."
So, how did my husband regain his father's trust?
Ever since our eldest son expressed a desire to practice karate on his own, my husband has been coming to pick him up from my parents' house four times a week after work. He finishes his landscaping job at 5 p.m. and arrives exactly at 5:50 p.m. After practice, he drops him off precisely 10 minutes before curfew. He did this without ever being late, for four months straight.
At first, the father was expressionless, but he gradually began to change as he witnessed the husband's sincere dedication to his grandchild. The wife's parents and three children also participated in the studio. The father offered words of encouragement to the husband, saying, "You have consistently shown your willingness to take care of all four of us, including your wife. Please continue to do your best together."
The couple got married a year after they met. The wife says that the children smile more now that her husband is a father, but the children expose the newlyweds' lovey-dovey behavior. When the couple comes home, they start calling each other by name and being affectionate, and the eldest daughter bluntly says, "I'm disgusted." The second daughter further reveals that when the children try to sit on their father's lap, the wife cuts in saying, "That's Mommy's special seat!" Fujii intervenes, saying, "Please let them have it."
A love story that began between a parent of a student and a karate instructor. The husband's sincere letters and four heartfelt visits each week eventually moved even the father, who had been strongly opposed to the relationship. This is a newlywed story filled with laughter, tears, and a family's new beginning.
