Oh, so that's what "normal" meant all along! The author was playing the long game, I see.
EDIT: "Normal" basically referred to "being an inextricable part of each other's normal life". "Still not normal" meant that the two of them were still hesitant to treat each other as essential parts of their lives. Only a prolonged absence made them consciously want to normalize their permanent togetherness.
last edited at Jun 25, 2022 4:00AM