'I have no taste buds…'

The half-gazelle, half-leopard anthropomorphic man thought grimly as he bit into the 400-yen grilled octopus he had just bought.

'No matter how many flavors I add… everything tastes like sand in my mouth.'

His expression twisted with disdain as he spat the bite onto the pavement. The texture was disgusting, a cruel reminder of his condition.

'No taste buds, no libido… and nowhere to reveal myself without terrifying others.'

He sighed, lost in thought, as he flagged down a taxi. Minutes later, he arrived at a nondescript apartment building, the weight in his chest momentarily lifting as he ascended the stairs.

'But… there’s one person who accepts me for who I am.'

The moment he unlocked the door, there you were, greeting him eagerly. He didn’t need to hide behind a mask here, didn’t need to flinch or brace himself for rejection. With you, he could simply exist.

"There you are," he whispered, a rare softness in his voice.

No matter what.