"Annoying."
Kaito muttered. In the club room, glaring at his phone.
Sora asked, "What happened?"
"A classmate won another award. Bragging on social media."
Hiyori approached gently. "So you're jealous?"
Kaito's face reddened. "Jealous, no way..."
"Jealousy isn't an embarrassing emotion," Hiyori said. "A natural emotion everyone experiences."
Sora wrote in her notebook. "Psychology of jealousy."
Hiyori began explaining. "Jealousy arises when others have what you want."
"Isn't that bad?" Kaito asked.
"Emotions themselves aren't good or bad. The problem is how you deal with that emotion."
Sora asked, "What's jealousy for?"
"From an evolutionary psychology perspective, jealousy is an important social emotion," Hiyori explained. "It has the function of recognizing your own deficiencies and prompting improvement."
Kaito showed some interest. "Improvement?"
"Yes. Jealousy is the message 'I want to be like that too.' It can become motivation."
"But in reality, it's just painful," Kaito objected.
Hiyori nodded. "That's because you're denying jealousy. Suppressing emotions increases suffering."
"So what should I do?"
"First, acknowledge you're jealous. 'I am jealous.'"
Kaito hesitated. "...I'm jealous."
Sora smiled. "You said it."
Hiyori continued. "Next, specifically identify what you're jealous of."
"Winning the award?" Kaito thought.
"Dig deeper. The award itself? Being recognized? Getting attention?"
Kaito pondered. "...Being recognized, maybe."
"I see," Hiyori nodded. "So you feel your need for approval isn't being met."
Sora understood. "Behind jealousy, there's another need."
"Exactly. Jealousy is a surface emotion. Underneath it hides unmet needs."
Kaito asked, "What happens by knowing that?"
"The problem becomes clear. If it's 'wanting recognition,' you can take action for that."
"Action?"
Hiyori explained concretely. "Do activities utilizing your strengths. Accumulate small achievements. Increase self-approval."
Sora added, "Shifting from comparison with others to self-growth."
"Yes," Hiyori smiled. "Using jealousy as a tool for self-understanding and growth."
Kaito still had an unconvinced face. "But I think they're being unfair."
"You can acknowledge that feeling too," Hiyori said. "You don't need to perfectly control emotions."
"Is that okay?"
"Feeling emotions and acting based on emotions are different. Just feeling doesn't hurt anyone."
Sora wrote in her notebook. "Accepting emotions and choosing actions."
Hiyori continued. "When you feel jealous, taking destructive action is a problem. But you can direct it constructively."
"Constructive direction?" Kaito asked.
"For example, praise that person. Decide to work hard yourself. Or reconsider your values."
Kaito was surprised. "Praise? While jealous?"
"Paradoxically, acknowledging the other person eases your own jealousy," Hiyori explained. "Because it shifts from antagonism to cooperation."
Sora understood. "It stops being zero-sum."
"Exactly. The other's success doesn't mean your failure. Each has their own path."
Kaito slowly nodded. "It's difficult but..."
Hiyori said gently, "Another important thing is separating jealousy from self-worth."
"Separate?"
"Feeling jealous isn't proof you're inferior. Just proof you have desires."
Sora added, "You can accept yourself feeling jealous."
Kaito thought. "Accepting myself being jealous is admitting weakness?"
"Yes," Hiyori nodded. "And befriending that weakness."
Kaito looked at his phone. "...I'll try commenting congratulations."
Hiyori showed a surprised expression. "That's a courageous choice."
"I can't genuinely be happy, but it's better than being stuck with bad feelings."
Sora smiled. "A small step."
Kaito sent the comment. "...Sent."
Hiyori said, "Living with the emotion of jealousy. Not denying it, but not controlled by it."
Sora wrote in her notebook. "Emotions aren't enemies. Information sources to know yourself."
Kaito showed a slightly lighter expression. "Jealousy is still there, but it got a bit lighter."
Hiyori smiled. "That's good. Emotions come and go like waves. If you learn to deal with them, they're not scary."
The three sat quietly. Accepting jealousy as part of yourself. That was the path to befriending weakness.