I have a friend who, like me, is deeply passionate about film, music, and literature. But my connection to these things runs deeper—it’s woven into how I see the world, what I expect from life, and how I reconstruct myself. That’s why I projected all of this meaning onto him, and from that projection grew an unhealthy attachment. I wasn’t just seeking his affection—I was seeking the approval of art itself, hoping that through him, my solitary devotion to books, films, and mus