TC 8

EP8. ◇ Hard to Accept

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When I first met Erika, our connection was nothing more than that of a nurse and a patient.
She worked at the internal medicine clinic I always went to when feeling unwell, and I only vaguely knew her in that role.

Then one day, by chance, an incident occurred that led us to truly get acquainted.

While driving along the riverbank on some errand, I suddenly noticed a puppy struggling in the river, drowning.

At that moment, I saw a woman wade into the water toward the dog.

Since I wasn’t pressed for time, my concern kept me watching closely, following their situation.

It seemed she wasn’t a strong swimmer herself—she struggled to catch the puppy, floundering about.

Seeing her difficulty, I moved quickly.
We kept a dog at home, so I knew I could also help afterward if needed. With that experience and confidence, I didn’t hesitate.

That incident became the start of our bond, two dog lovers.
From then on, as I met Erika again and again, my heart and body were soothed more deeply each time.

It wasn’t just a relationship of flesh.
> “Her gentle touches, her soft words full of consideration, became nourishment for my life.”
Little by little, Erika’s presence became indispensable to my daily existence.

My wife, however, seemed satisfied with what I told her.
She relaxed, reassured, and from then on, we became closer than ever as a married couple.

Even now, that hasn’t changed.
> “Since then, the lack of intimacy between us has been resolved.”

When I speak, she listens intently, hanging on every word, and our communication has grown richer and more intimate than before.

And that is why—

> “The sight of my wife, walking by with a young man at her side, radiating closeness… is something I cannot accept.”