"I don't know what to say."
Kaito held his head in his hands.
Hiyori asked quietly. "To whom?"
"My sister failed her entrance exam. I want to encourage her, but everything I say sounds hollow."
Sora approached. "What words did you use?"
"'There's next time,' 'You worked hard,' 'It'll be okay,'" Kaito answered.
"What was her reaction?"
"She went silent. Then shut herself in her room."
Hiyori pondered. "Kaito, who were those words for?"
"Huh?"
"For your sister? Or to ease your own anxiety?"
Kaito went silent.
Sora explained. "There are two types of comforting words. Receiver-centered and sender-centered."
"Receiver-centered?"
"Words that align with the other person's emotions. Sender-centered are words that reduce your own discomfort."
Hiyori continued. "Carl Rogers said there are three conditions for effective help."
"What are they?"
"Unconditional positive regard, empathic understanding, genuineness."
Kaito looked confused. "That's difficult..."
Sora explained simply. "In short, don't judge, try to understand, and be honest."
"But saying 'It'll be okay' is positive, isn't it?"
"That's false positivity," Hiyori answered. "When the other person feels they're not okay, saying 'It'll be okay' denies that emotion."
"Then what?"
Hiyori gave examples. "'That's hard,' 'You must be disappointed,' 'I'm here when you want to talk.'"
"That's it?" Kaito was surprised.
"That's empathy," Sora said. "Acknowledging and accepting the other person's emotions. Not trying to solve them."
"Not solve them?"
"Immediate solutions often aren't what the other person seeks," Hiyori explained. "First, what's needed is emotional acceptance."
Kaito thought. "But I want to do something for her."
"That feeling is natural," Sora acknowledged. "But hasty action can backfire."
Hiyori continued. "In psychology, this is called the 'paradox of support.' Acts of trying to help can hurt the other person instead."
"Why?"
"Advice and encouragement contain implicit messages," Sora answered. "'Your reaction is wrong,' 'You should be stronger.'"
Kaito was surprised. "I didn't mean that."
"Intent and interpretation often differ," Hiyori said gently.
"So what should I do?"
Sora wrote in the notebook. "Three steps. First, don't fear silence."
"Silence?"
"You don't need to fill it with words. Just being there can be support."
Hiyori said the second. "Next, name the emotion. Confirm with 'Frustrated?' 'Sad?'"
"What's the third?" Kaito asked.
"Wait for what the other person wants to say," Sora answered. "Don't bombard with questions. Wait until they naturally start talking."
Kaito took notes. "Silence, confirming emotions, waiting."
"And one important thing," Hiyori added.
"What?"
"Know your own limits. You can't solve all problems."
Sora continued. "Sometimes, connecting to professionals is the best support."
Kaito nodded. "I understand. I'll try talking to my sister again."
"Don't rush," Hiyori said. "When she's ready, she might come to you."
"Until then?"
"Just communicate that you're ready to listen anytime. And wait."
Kaito headed to the door. Then turned back.
"Thank you. So this is what comforting words are about."
Hiyori smiled. "What you learned will be great support for your sister."
"Don't rush, don't judge, just be there," Kaito repeated.
Sora added. "That's the most powerful comfort."
After Kaito left, Hiyori looked out the window.
"It's difficult, isn't it," Sora said. "Comforting people."
"But it's learnable," Hiyori answered. "Empathy is a skill that improves with practice."
"You're good at it, Hiyori."
"Because I've made many mistakes," Hiyori laughed quietly. "I've hurt people many times with wrong words."
"But you continued."
"Yes. Because I thought it was important."
The two sat quietly. The journey to find comforting words might continue for a lifetime. But they knew the journey itself had value.