After living together for several years, Mikiya and I had completely stopped having sex lately. It’s not that he hates me. We still talk and share household chores. He helps when I’m in trouble. But the kind of physical intimacy you’d expect from a couple had dwindled. That night, Mikiya was taking a bath. On the table lay the smartphone he had left behind. Suddenly, the screen lit up.

“Thanks for today♡ When can we see each other next?”

The notification appeared alongside the name of a woman I didn’t recognize.* From the bathroom, the sound of the shower could still be heard.