"Leo, you're angry now, aren't you?"
Sora asked anxiously. It was during a break in the group study session at the café.
Leo looked surprised. "I'm not angry. Why did you think that?"
"Just now, when you said 'Whatever,' your tone was..."
Hiyori had been observing. "Sora, you say things like that often."
Sora was confused. "Huh?"
"Trying to read others' true feelings. Searching beneath expressions and words."
"But many people don't say what they really think," Sora defended.
Leo said with interest, "That might be excessive application of theory of mind."
"Theory of mind?"
Hiyori explained. "The ability to infer others' mental states. An important human social skill."
"But when excessive, there are problems," Leo continued.
Sora asked back, "What kind of problems?"
"First, misreading. Misinterpreting the other's intentions."
Hiyori added, "And fatigue. Constantly trying to read others' minds is mentally exhausting."
Sora realized. "True... I always feel tired."
Leo asked, "Why do you want to know others' true feelings so badly?"
Sora thought. "...Because I don't want to get hurt."
"If you can predict, you can defend," Hiyori understood.
"Yes. But in the end, I'm always anxious. What they really think of me."
Leo said quietly, "That might be projection."
"Projection?"
"Projecting your own anxiety and fears onto the other's mind. They're not angry—you're afraid of being angered at."
Sora had a realization. "I am...?"
Hiyori said gently, "Sora, you have a strong need for approval."
"Don't want to be disliked. So desperately trying to read others' reactions."
Leo nodded. "But that's counterproductive. Trying too hard to read makes relationships awkward."
Sora admitted, "True... the other person might think it's strange too."
Hiyori continued explaining. "In psychology, this is called hypervigilance. Overpredicting danger, constantly in a state of tension."
"How can I stop?" Sora asked earnestly.
Leo suggested, "First, develop a habit of confirming. Don't end with guesses."
"Confirming?"
"Ask directly: 'That sounded angry to me, but how did you actually mean it?'"
Sora hesitated. "But isn't that rude...?"
"Guessing and misunderstanding is more rude," Leo asserted.
Hiyori added, "And acknowledge that your interpretation isn't absolute."
"My reading might be wrong."
"Yes. Humility is needed."
Sora wrote in her notebook. "Ask the other person about their true feelings."
Leo smiled. "Simple, but effective."
Hiyori continued. "Another important thing. You don't need to understand completely."
"Huh?"
"Even if you can't read the other's mind 100 percent, relationships work. Rather, accepting that ambiguity is important."
Sora thought. "Acknowledge not knowing."
"Yes. And trust even while not knowing."
Leo added, "Trying to over-read might be a lack of trust."
Sora nodded deeply. "True... I wasn't trusting the other person."
Hiyori said gently, "Sora, want to try? From now, take others' words at face value."
"That's scary."
"Naturally scary. But it should be easier."
Leo proposed an experiment. "Then I'll say something. Sora, receive it without reading too deeply."
Sora nodded tensely.
"Sora's study notes are well organized," Leo said.
Sora momentarily tried to read beneath. But stopped. "...Thank you."
"That's all?" Hiyori asked.
"That's all. I tried receiving it honestly."
Leo laughed. "How was it?"
"Easy. But a little anxious."
"That's evidence of a new challenge."
Sora smiled. The habit of over-reading others' true feelings won't be cured overnight. But being aware is the first step.
Trusting. Accepting ambiguity. And when you don't know, asking.
From today, let's practice little by little.