Hm, yes? Ok.

If we did something wrong we made sure to say excuse me. (Excuse me for looking at you, excuse me for sitting here, excuse me for coming back) If we did something terribly wrong, we immediately said we were sorry. (I’m sorry I touched your arm, I didn’t mean to, it was an accident, I didn’t see it resting there so quietly, so beautifully, so perfectly, so irresistibly, on the edge of the desk, I lost my balance and brushed against it by mistake, I was standing too close, I wasn’t watching where I was going, somebody pushed me from behind, I never wanted to touch you, I have always wanted to touch you, I will never touch you again, I promise, I swear…)

-- Julie Otsuka, When The Emperor Was Divine.