"Kaito seems in a worse mood than usual today."
Sora whispered to Hiyori. In the club room, Kaito was leaning against the wall, silent.
"I wonder if something happened," Hiyori looked concerned.
Kaito suddenly stood up. "Nothing happened."
His tone was rough. Not like the usual Kaito.
"Really?" Sora asked carefully.
"You're annoying. Just leave me alone."
Kaito left the club room. The door made a loud sound.
Hiyori sighed. "Lately, I feel like Kaito's mood swings have been intense."
"Emotional instability?"
"Perhaps. But it's not that simple."
Sora opened a notebook. "Psychologically speaking, how would you explain it?"
"Behind emotional instability, there are several factors," Hiyori began to explain. "Stress, sleep deprivation, hormonal balance, past experiences..."
"In Kaito's case?"
"I don't know, but something might be weighing on him recently."
The next day, Kaito didn't come to the club room. Sora and Hiyori found him in the library.
"Kaito, do you have a moment?" Hiyori gently called out.
Kaito looked up. His face looked tired.
"Sorry about yesterday. For lashing out."
"It's okay," Sora said. "But if there's something troubling you..."
Kaito was silent for a while. Then he began to speak quietly.
"It's about home. My parents keep fighting. Being at home is painful."
Hiyori listened quietly. Without saying anything, just listening.
"I know it's weird. I get irritated over small things, then feel down the next moment. I can't control it."
"That's a normal response," Hiyori said. "Under chronic stress, emotion regulation functions decline."
"Emotion regulation functions?" Kaito asked.
Sora supplemented. "The ability to appropriately control emotions. But when there's too much stress, that function becomes exhausted."
"So it's not that I'm weak?"
"You're not weak," Hiyori stated firmly. "You just have a load beyond your limits."
Kaito's expression softened slightly.
"In psychology, we think of emotions like waves," Hiyori continued. "Rising and falling is natural. The problem is when those waves exceed your processing capacity."
"Then what should I do?" Kaito asked.
"First, notice your emotional patterns," Sora said. "When you get irritated, what triggers it."
Hiyori added, "And temporarily distance yourself from stress sources. You need rest."
"You mean run away from home?"
"Not running away, but securing space to protect yourself," Hiyori explained. "Like staying at a friend's house, or spending time at the library."
Kaito thought. "Here, the library, it's actually quite calming."
"Finding a safe place is important," Hiyori said. "A psychological refuge."
Sora suggested, "How about the club room too? As a place where Kaito can feel calm."
Kaito smiled for the first time. "Thanks."
"Emotional instability isn't weakness," Hiyori summarized. "It's a mismatch between environment and your adjustment capacity. Recognizing that and dealing with it is important."
Kaito started writing in his notebook. "I'll try observing my emotions properly."
"That's a good start," Hiyori smiled.
Sora said, "Even if the waves are big, if you know how to ride them, you'll be okay."
"Wave riding, huh," Kaito smiled wryly. "Not good at that."
"It's practice," Hiyori said. "Let's practice together."
The three left the library. Kaito's expression had lightened a bit. The emotional waves won't disappear, but you can learn how to deal with them. Today, he took that first step.