I stood there for a while before finally moving.
The bowl in my hand suddenly felt heavier than it should.
I walked back slowly, my steps steady, but my mind was anything but.
In my past life… this kind of thing was not new.
It was not something people whispered about in corners like it was a crime.
In many places, it was accepted. In some countries, it was even protected by law. People lived their lives openly, without fear of being judged or cast aside.
Of course, there were still places where it was not accepted, where people had to hide who they were.
But it was not something unheard of.
Not like here.
I was not someone who looked down on it.
At one point in my life, I had even questioned myself. There was a time when I thought I might like girls too.
But later, I understood it was just confusion… emotions I had not fully figured out yet. It passed, and I moved on.
So to me, it was never something strange.
But this place and this time…
