As much as he enjoyed compliments, Kouchisei enjoyed controlling things. The view you would not want your life controlled was, to him, an unnatural thing. He paid it so little thought that the idea he could be independant was rare. The thought of self-autonomy was strange, and he kept struggling in trying to come to grips with it. Then he would remind himself he was hoping to go to university on the mainland. How could he contradict himself?
He listened to Kozue, though he did not make eye contact. His mind worked quickly at the thought he could help someone improve their life by showing them where they were wrong. The risk of change was something nobody paid attention to.
Truthfully, there was self-satisfaction that Kozue had come running back to him, begging and in need. It felt damn good being right. His thoughts were otherwise focused on remembering the social teachings about what made women happy. It was hard, not living with a woman meant he had to remember what his father said, of all people.
"Find a man and settle down. You think you're happy, but you're not. There is a family that will support you. Friends that will help you. The hardest thing is getting used to not having her presence in your life. But if you're not going to marry, at least consider your future career. Do you want to end up a NEET?"