water.
“I’m still trying to remember how to enjoy things without feeling guilty about it.”
Kenji did not immediately respond.
He did not tell her to be positive. He did not explain that other people had it worse. He did not turn her sadness into an opportunity to describe his own accomplishments.
He simply waited.
That silence made it easier for her to continue.
She spoke about the disappointments she had experienced, the pressure she felt to have her life figured out, and the strange loneliness of being surrounded by people while feeling that nobody really knew her.
When she finished, she felt embarrassed.
“Sorry,” she said. “I don’t usually tell strangers all of that.”
“Good,” Kenji replied.
Yuki blinked.
“Good?”
“It means you have standards. Imagine if you told every stranger your entire life story. We’d never finish buying groceries.”
She laughed despite herself.
Then his expression softened.
