Natsuo Kirino

Brains and talent will never stand up against a girl who is clearly physically attractive.

all of them had the ability to interact with others: friends, lovers, someone to whom they could open their hearts, someone with whom they could share conversation, someone they longed to see once work was done. They had people outside the workplace who made them feel happy.

The life I was living was no different from that of a middle-aged man. I went to work and then I went home.

Less than average. Less than the fiftieth percentile on a standard scale. No one would want me. The thought made me go nearly crazy. How horrible to be less than average.

When you had children, Masako believed, you couldn't just cut them off if things didn't go as planned.