Aah, I see. You do have a point! While they’re well-meaning, they’re also.. [ an awkward, sheepish chuckle ] ...pretty exhausting.

[ With such boundless exuberance, Tatara has to wonder: was he a similarly hard-to-handle child? Perhaps not. He was always very prone to independence, after all, never requiring much hands-on attention from his parents -- either set of them, really.

He sips at his drink a moment. ]

As odd as it sounds, yes. [ Now that he’s older, seated in his early thirties, he can absolutely confirm. ]

I definitely remember being less than half this age yesterday. [ And if he didn’t, his wallet certainly does, after buying all that ice cream. ]