"I'll never forgive him."
Kaito clenched his fists.
Sora asked worriedly, "What happened?"
"A friend betrayed me. Broke a promise and embarrassed me."
Leo observed calmly, "That must have been painful."
"Painful doesn't even cover it," Kaito got angry. "I trusted him."
Sora opened her notebook. "I understand the feeling of not being able to forgive."
"Then why should I have to forgive?" Kaito countered. "He's the one who's wrong."
Leo asked, "Do you not want to forgive? Or can't forgive?"
Kaito thought. "Maybe both."
"Why don't you want to forgive?"
"If I forgive, it feels like he wins."
Sora explained, "That might be a misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?"
"Forgiving isn't for the other person," Leo said. "It's for yourself."
Kaito was surprised. "What do you mean?"
"Continuing to hold anger is harmful to yourself," Sora drew a diagram. "Stress hormones keep being released."
"So what?"
"Bad effects on health. Sleep disorders, decreased immunity, cardiovascular problems," Leo listed.
Kaito fell silent.
"In other words, the person who suffers most from not forgiving is yourself," Sora pointed out.
"But he hasn't even apologized," Kaito countered.
"Forgiveness doesn't need to wait for the other person's apology," Leo explained. "It's your choice."
Kaito was confused. "So you're saying I should just take it?"
"No," Sora shook her head. "Forgiving and setting boundaries are different."
"Boundaries?"
"Making sure you don't get hurt again. Keeping distance. That's necessary," Leo acknowledged.
"But let go of the anger in your heart," Sora continued.
Kaito thought. "How?"
Leo taught the method. "First, recognize the emotion. Not just anger, but also sadness."
"Sadness?"
"Sadness of betrayal. Sadness of broken trust," Sora said gently.
Kaito became quiet. "True... I am sad."
"Acknowledging that sadness is the first step," Leo said.
"What's next?"
"Cognitive restructuring," Sora explained. "Change how you see the event."
"How do I change it?"
"From 'he's terrible' to 'he might have had his circumstances.'"
Kaito resisted. "But he really was terrible."
"We don't deny that possibility," Leo said. "But try considering other possibilities too."
Sora gave an example. "Maybe he was also suffering. There was pressure. He made a wrong judgment."
"Does that make betrayal okay?"
"It doesn't make it okay," Leo clarified. "But trying to understand softens the anger."
Kaito pondered.
"You don't have to understand completely," Sora said. "Even a little, recognize the other person's humanity."
"That they're also an imperfect human?"
"Yes. There are no perfectly evil people, no perfectly good people," Leo said. "Everyone makes mistakes."
Kaito took a deep breath. "This is difficult."
"Forgiving is difficult," Sora acknowledged. "But it's possible."
Leo added, "And by forgiving, you become free."
"Free?"
"Freedom from being bound by anger. Freedom from being trapped in the past."
Kaito thought a little. "True, I think about him every day and get irritated."
"That's the source of stress," Sora pointed out.
"If I forgive, I won't have to think about it?"
"It might not be immediate," Leo said honestly. "But it gradually decreases."
Kaito asked, "Forgiving isn't the same as forgetting, right?"
"Exactly," Sora nodded. "You can remember it. As a learning."
"But let go of the anger," Leo continued.
Kaito decided. "I'll try. It won't be easy, though."
"You can take your time," Sora encouraged.
Leo suggested a method. "Every day, little by little, try imagining the other person's position. Writing in a diary is also good."
"Diary?"
"By writing out emotions, they become organized," Sora explained.
Kaito took out his notebook. "I'll start now."
As the two watched, Kaito began writing. Anger, sadness, and gradually feelings of trying to understand.
After a while, Kaito looked up. "I feel a little lighter."
"That's the first step of forgiveness," Leo acknowledged.
Sora smiled. "Forgiving is strength."
Kaito nodded. "Forgiving not for the other person, but for myself."
"Yes. That's true forgiveness."
A bird sang outside the window. Forgiving isn't easy. But it's necessary to free yourself.
"Thank you," Kaito said to both.
"You're welcome," Sora answered.
Leo said last, "Forgiveness is a gift. Not to the other person, but to yourself."
Kaito took a deep breath. It would be a long journey. But he had started walking. That's what matters.