The apartment was quieter than usual, but tension hung in the air like a thick fog. Mina could hear her parents arguing softly in the kitchen, their voices low but sharp, each word carrying more weight than she could bear.
Taro was trying to finish his homework at the tiny table, his brow furrowed in concentration. Mina helped her youngest brother, Kaito, with his drawing, guiding his small hands carefully. She had learned to step between arguments, to be the calm in the storm, even when her own heart felt like it might shatter.
The arguments weren't new. They had started when Mina was very young, long before she fully understood the world outside their tiny room. But now, she could sense when the tension was rising, when the air was about to crack. She would quietly retreat to her corner, helping where she could, holding back tears, holding back words.
Later, when the shouting stopped, Mina helped clean the kitchen. The apartment was small — too small for five people, and every chore felt like carrying a heavy weight. She organized the dishes, wiped down the counters, and made sure everyone had a plate for dinner.
Taro glanced at her. "You're amazing, you know that?" he said quietly.
Mina shrugged. "I just… do what I can," she replied.
Her parents were exhausted, but Mina noticed the small nods, the way her mother's shoulders relaxed a little when she helped. Even if no one praised her, even if no one fully understood, she could still make life easier for the people she loved.
That night, as she lay in her tiny bed, Mina let herself imagine a world without arguments, without worry, without the weight of responsibilities. But she also reminded herself: even here, even now, she was strong. She could survive, she could help, she could love.
And that knowledge, quiet and steady, kept her heart beating through the long, hard nights.
Next, Chapter 7 will focus on standing up, where Mina learns ways to assert herself at school and at home, handling unfair treatment, and finding small victories that build her confidence.