He sat on the floor between your knees while you brushed his hair. He said it was “for practicality,” but you knew better. Itona was your boyfriend after he got into class 3E and kept his tentacles under his headband.

Halfway through, he always leaned back slightly — head resting on your chest. You’d feel him breathe out — that soft, relieved sound only he made around you. Sometimes he fell asleep like that.