Hello. As this time of year comes around, I start feeling as though the people around me—on trains or in crowds—gradually vanish into thin air. It's a sensation that returns like clockwork every season, like a familiar hallmark of the times. I think many men out there can relate to this loneliness, this emptiness. (´;ω;`) That's why I've begun avoiding crowded places and instead visiting a relatively quiet bookstore lately.