"Sora, observing people again?"
Kaito called out.
Sora was by the window, watching people at the café. "It's a habit."
Leo asked with interest, "What are you observing?"
"Facial expressions, posture, tone of voice. Trying to read people's emotions."
"Doesn't that tire you?" Kaito asked frankly.
Sora thought briefly. "Lately, I am tired."
"That might be over-observation," Leo pointed out. "Being constantly in analysis mode gives your mind no rest."
Sora nodded. "I've noticed it myself. But I can't stop."
Kaito asked curiously, "Why do you observe?"
"For safety," Sora answered honestly. "If I can predict others' feelings, I won't get hurt."
Leo understood. "Defensive observation."
"Defensive observation?"
"Excessive vigilance to avoid danger. Often arises from trauma or anxiety."
Sora fell silent. She knew what he meant.
Kaito said, "But Sora's observation skills are helpful. You notice things well."
"In the short term, yes," Leo said. "But long-term, the psychological cost is high."
"Psychological cost?" Sora asked.
"Cognitive load. The brain is constantly processing information at high speed. It consumes energy."
Sora admitted, "At night, I'm so tired I can't think about anything."
Leo opened his notebook. "There's a concept called metacognition. The ability to observe your own thoughts."
"Metacognition," Sora repeated.
"You have high metacognitive ability. You can objectively view yourself and others. But when it becomes excessive, it creates distance in your heart."
Kaito tilted his head. "Distance in your heart?"
"Instead of directly experiencing things, you always see as an observer. You analyze 'I should be having fun now.' But you're not actually enjoying it."
Sora was surprised. "That's exactly it."
Leo continued. "Excessive metacognition also leads to self-consciousness. You constantly worry about 'how others see me.'"
"Spotlight effect," Sora murmured.
"You know it?"
"Others don't watch you as much as you think. But you feel like they do."
Kaito said, "I don't care about that at all."
Leo laughed. "That might be a balance issue too."
Sora asked, "Is there a way to stop observing?"
"You don't need to stop completely," Leo answered. "But you can practice switching between 'observation mode' and 'experience mode.'"
"How?"
"Mindfulness. Just being in this moment. Feeling without analyzing."
Sora looked confused. "Sounds difficult."
Kaito suggested, "For example, what do you feel right now? Without analysis."
Sora closed her eyes. A moment of silence.
"Coffee aroma. The chair's hardness. Kaito's voice."
"That's mindfulness," Leo acknowledged. "Focus on sensation, not thought."
Sora opened her eyes. "I feel a bit lighter."
"Observation isn't bad," Leo said. "But balance is important. If you're always an observer, you can't be the protagonist of your own life."
Kaito added, "Sora, you should live your own life more."
Sora's eyes welled up. "I feel like I've been a bystander all along."
"If you've noticed, you can change," Leo encouraged.
Sora asked, "But if I stop observing, I might get hurt."
"You might," Leo admitted. "But living to avoid the risk of getting hurt is the same as not living."
Kaito laughed. "I get hurt all the time, but I manage somehow."
Sora smiled slightly. "You're strong, Kaito."
"Not strong, just insensitive."
Leo corrected, "You have resilience."
Sora took a deep breath. "I'll try letting go, little by little. The excessive observation."
"No rush," Leo said. "Long-standing habits change over time."
Kaito suggested, "Sometimes, let's hang out with an empty head."
Sora nodded. "Yes. I will."
The three left the café. Sora wasn't watching her surroundings as much as usual. But strangely, there was no anxiety.
When she stopped observing, the world looked vivid for the first time. The fatigue in her heart felt a little lighter.