Natsuko Takaishi, like many mothers, protected innocence with a stock phrase.

"I'll tell you what it means when you're older."

That, or some variation that ultimately meant  "I'll tell you later, and hope you forgot about it."

That was the plan at least

Wondering what someone meant on TV? What the meaning of something overheard on the subway was? Where do babies come from? When you're older.

There was a small flaw she hadn't predicted.

Takeru started to write the questions down.

So starting on his eighth birthday, he would produce some paper, then point out he was older now...