#アロマンティック

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We who don’t need love
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We who don’t need loveAromantic It refers to people who do not experience romantic feelings toward others, or find it difficult to do so. They can still cherish someone and make close friends. Yet, among all forms of love, only the kind that involves “wanting to date someone you like” doesn’t quite feel right for them—these are individuals with a romantic mindset. They account for about 1% of the population, roughly one in every hundred people. In Japan, awareness of this identity stands at around 10%, while approximately 75% of people remain unaware of what it means. Even as gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals gradually gain recognition, this 1% still remains far from being widely understood. Ever since I was young, I’ve been unable to fall in love. While my family, my friends, acquaintances, those around me, and society at large were all falling in love, I simply couldn’t feel “love.” I worried that there must be something wrong with me, tried to dismiss it as a misunderstanding, but still couldn’t manage it. I wanted to care for others, to love—but not romantically. Even without romance, love can still be found: familial love, platonic friendship, self-love—anything goes. Any form is fine. We know that love comes in countless shapes; there’s no single “right” way to love. Still, relationships that don’t leave you feeling lonely are rare. Instead of caring for someone else, I want to be cared for by someone. Instead of loving someone, I want to be loved by someone. I long for connections where simply being with another person brings fulfillment. Even if it’s not romance, I want to become someone special to another person. This is the story of high school students searching for ways to love others—not through romance, but in other forms. About the user: • A third-year high school student • Leaf Dream’s classmate • Aromantic