"Does empathizing mean understanding how the other person feels?"
Haru asked.
Noa thought. "It's not simple."
"What do you mean?"
"Empathy has types," Mio said quietly.
"Types?"
Noa began explaining. "Cognitive empathy and affective empathy."
"Cognitive empathy is understanding the other's perspective. Affective empathy is feeling the other's emotions."
Haru tried. "When a friend is sad, understanding the reason is cognitive empathy?"
"Yes. And becoming sad yourself is affective empathy."
Mio added. "It's different from sympathy."
"Sympathy?"
"Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone. Empathy is feeling with someone."
Haru understood. "The position differs."
Noa nodded. "Sympathy is from above. Empathy is from beside."
"But," Haru had doubts. "Can we really feel the same as the other person?"
"Philosophically, it's a difficult problem," Noa admitted.
Mio said quietly. "Another's pain is eternally the other's."
"What do you mean?"
"Even if I have a headache, you can't feel my headache."
Haru was surprised. "So empathy is an illusion?"
"Complete empathy might be impossible," Noa said. "But we can get close."
"How?"
"By using imagination. Putting yourself in the other's position."
Mio supplemented. "But imagination is ultimately imagination."
"It goes through your own filter."
Haru pondered. "So what are we sharing when we empathize?"
Noa answered slowly. "We might be sharing the attitude of trying to share."
"Attitude?"
"The wish to understand the other person."
Mio nodded. "Acknowledging we can't fully understand, yet trying to be close."
Haru thought deeply. "But is saying 'I understand' rude?"
"Depends on time and place," Noa said. "Casually saying 'I understand' can trivialize the other's experience."
"Especially for things you haven't experienced."
Mio said quietly. "But completely saying 'I don't understand' and pushing away is cold too."
"What should I do?" Haru asked.
"'I don't understand, but I'll try to imagine,'" Noa suggested.
"Both humility and effort."
Haru gave an example. "A friend cries from heartbreak. Not 'I understand' but?"
"'That must hurt' might be better," Noa said.
"Acknowledge the other's emotion. But don't claim it's the same."
Mio added. "And listen."
"Empathy is attitude more than words."
Haru began understanding. "Empathy isn't understanding, but trying to understand?"
"Exactly," Noa acknowledged.
"And acknowledging the parts you don't understand."
Mio said quietly. "Knowing the limits of empathy is also part of empathy."
Haru nodded deeply. "We can't empathize perfectly, so effort is needed."
"Yes. If we could completely understand each other, empathy wouldn't be necessary."
Noa smiled. "Because there's difference, connection has meaning."
Haru asked. "So what's empathy for?"
"To ease loneliness," Mio answered.
"To feel someone is on your side."
Noa added. "And to be on someone's side."
Haru said quietly. "Empathy isn't perfect, but it's necessary."
"Precisely because it's imperfect, it's beautiful."
The three sat quietly side by side. Those who can't fully understand each other, yet are together.