Kaname felt, indeed, that there was no reason why he need stop seeing her after they had separated. He saw no reason why, with the passage of the years, he could not meet her pleasantly and without rancour as the wife of Aso and the mother of Hiroshi. When the time came, of course, it might not be so easy to do so, out of deference to Aso and public opinion, as it seemed now, but the sorrow and regret which the simple word ‘parting’ carried with it would be lessened he did not know how much if they parted with at least the intention of seeing each other again….They had not been entirely happy perhaps, but they had after all lived together as husband and wife, gone to bed together and got up together, for more than ten years, had even had a child together. Was there a law requiring that once they parted they must be to each other as strangers passing in the street, that if the worst came they might not even meet at one or the other’s deathbed? If as time went by they acquired new mates and new children, the desire to see each other might fade, but at least for the present the reservation with which they would part was the best comfort they had.

- From Some prefer nettles by Junichiro Tanizaki