It's just not possible for one person to watch over another person forever and ever. I mean, suppose we got married. You'd have to work during the day. Who's going to watch over me while you're away? Or if you go on a business trip, who's going to watch over me again? Can I be glued to you every minute of our lives? What kind of equality would there be in that? What kind of relationship would that be?

Sooner or later you'd get sick of me. You'd wonder what you were doing with your life, why you were spending all your time. I couldn't stand that. It wouldn't solve any of my problems.

- From "Norwegian Wood" by "Haruki Murakami"