“You don’t have a lover?”
“I&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;don’t have a lover.”
Tatsumi brought the thoroughly tepid tea to his mouth as he smiled bitterly.
“It’s embarra.s.sing to say, but I’ve never had anything like a lover before. Even now.”
“Not even once?”
“Yes. Not even once.”
“I see.”
“&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;what do you mean by that?”
He wondered if he was making a face that made him look like a total virgin. He couldn’t actually deny that he wasn’t. Girls from the lower grades would confess they liked him when he could see, but that was about it. He had never gone out with anyone. He was still mentally and physically young then, so he never felt it was necessary. Even during p.u.b.erty he didn’t really feel those sort of desires. He was s.e.xually inexperienced, but also felt depressed about losing his sight one day, so he never felt the need. Parting with friends or a lover once he lost his sight may have been even more difficult. On the other hand, even when he actually did lose his sight, his interest in those sort of things was the same as usual.