Late at night, the library still had its lights on.
Mira sat alone. She wrote something in her notebook, erased it, wrote again, and erased again.
Sora called out. "Mira, still here?"
Mira looked up. Her eyes were slightly red.
"Were you crying?"
Mira shook her head, but it wasn't really a denial.
Leo approached. "Did something happen?"
Mira slowly showed her notebook. "I have no value."
Sora and Leo exchanged glances.
"Why do you think so?" Leo asked quietly.
Mira wrote. "Grades are average. No special skills. Not useful to anyone."
Sora was surprised. "That's not true."
"But I can't prove it," Mira wrote.
Leo sat down. "What do you think value is measured by?"
Mira thought. "Results? Abilities?"
"Those are just one scale," Leo explained. "External value and internal value are different."
"External and internal?" Sora asked.
"External value is determined by others' evaluations. Grades, status, reputation."
"And internal value?"
"The value of being yourself. Value independent of conditions, the value of existence itself."
Mira wrote, "Value of existence?"
Leo nodded. "Your very being alive has value."
"But how can I believe that?" Mira asked.
Sora began speaking. "I used to worry about the same thing."
Mira looked at Sora.
"I thought I had no good points. But one day I realized."
"What?"
"That value isn't determined by comparison."
Leo supplemented. "Human value is different from product value. It's not an exchangeable quantity."
Mira pondered.
Leo continued. "A psychologist named Carl Rogers proposed the concept of unconditional positive regard."
"Unconditional acceptance?" Sora asked.
"Accepting a person without conditions. Regardless of results or abilities."
Mira wrote, "Is that possible?"
"It's difficult," Leo admitted. "But it's important to first do it for yourself."
Sora understood. "Self-acceptance."
"Yes. Accepting yourself without conditions."
Mira wrote anxiously, "Even weaknesses, failures?"
"Including everything," Leo emphasized. "Not being perfect is proof of being human."
Sora gave an example. "A flower doesn't have value because it's beautiful. It has value because it's a flower."
Mira smiled slightly.
Leo continued. "Your value isn't decided by others. Your existence makes the world different."
"How different?" Mira wrote.
"Without you, this conversation wouldn't exist. Your perspective, experiences, emotions—they're all unique."
Sora added. "I'm happy that Mira is here. Isn't that reason enough?"
Tears welled up in Mira's eyes.
Leo said quietly, "If you seek the source of self-esteem externally, it becomes constantly unstable."
"Externally?"
"Others' evaluations, grades, appearance. Those fluctuate."
Sora understood. "It's important to have an internal source."
"Yes. Your own values, beliefs, and existence itself."
Mira slowly wrote, "How to find internal source?"
Leo answered. "Ask yourself. 'What do I value?' 'What brings me joy?'"
Sora suggested. "Mira, do you like anything?"
Mira thought and wrote. "Drawing pictures."
"That's part of your internal value," Leo said. "Even without others' recognition, you feel joy in drawing."
Mira nodded.
Sora smiled. "Value isn't something to create or prove. Just notice what's already there."
Leo said finally, "Nights when you doubt your value may come again. But when they do, remember today."
Mira wrote, "Thank you."
The three sat quietly. In the nighttime library, a dialogue about self-worth. Answers don't come easily. But the inquiry itself has meaning.
"Shall we go home?" Sora suggested.
Mira nodded. With a slightly lighter heart, they walked the night path.
The night of wanting to know one's worth. It was a night of facing oneself.