"I really dislike that person."
Sora unusually used strong words.
Leo asked with interest, "Who?"
"Tanaka from class. I don't know why, but just seeing her irritates me."
Mira tilted her head. "Did she do something?"
"Nothing in particular. But I just dislike her."
Hiyori quietly asked, "What do you dislike about her?"
"Um... how confident she is. She always pushes her opinions through. Doesn't care about others."
Leo wrote in his notebook. "Interesting."
"What is?" Sora asked.
"Those disliked characteristics. It might be projection."
"Projection?"
Hiyori explained, "A psychological phenomenon where you see parts of yourself you don't want to acknowledge in others, then dislike that."
Sora was surprised. "Me, overly confident? That's not true."
"Really?" Leo asked back.
"I'm always lacking confidence, worrying too much about others..." Sora objected.
Mira said quietly, "But sometimes, you're very stubborn."
"Huh?"
"Sometimes you absolutely won't change your mind."
Hiyori added, "For example, when talking about psychology. Sora, you speak quite confidently."
Sora fell silent.
Leo continued, "Projection happens unconsciously. You see aspects of yourself you don't notice in others."
"But," Sora objected, "Tanaka and I are completely different."
"Superficially different," Hiyori acknowledged. "But deep down, you might be similar."
Sora pondered. "Overly confident... do I want to be like that?"
"It's possible," Leo said. "Suppressed desires can sometimes appear as aversion."
Mira asked, "So people you dislike are actually mirrors of yourself?"
"Not everything is," Hiyori answered carefully. "But strong emotional reactions can reflect the self."
Sora asked, "So what should I do?"
Leo suggested, "First, self-observation. Why does that person's characteristic bother you so much?"
"How do others view Tanaka?" Hiyori asked.
Sora recalled, "Everyone treats her normally. They don't seem to particularly dislike her."
"That's a clue," Leo pointed out. "You're reacting strongly to something most people don't care about."
"Why?"
"Because that characteristic has special meaning to you," Hiyori explained.
Sora began thinking deeply. "Being confident... I can't do that. Because I can't, am I envious?"
"Envy can also transform into aversion," Leo nodded.
"But," Sora was confused, "if I'm envious, shouldn't I admire her?"
Hiyori answered, "When you feel it's unattainable, envy can become aversion. It's a defense mechanism."
Mira wrote in her notebook. "Want it, but can't have it → so I dislike it"
"Like the sour grapes story," Sora smiled wryly.
"Similar," Leo acknowledged.
Sora asked, "So how should I deal with this aversion?"
Hiyori suggested, "First, acknowledge it. 'I want confidence like hers.'"
"That's all?"
"That's the first step," Leo said. "By acknowledging, the projection weakens."
Hiyori continued, "And look for whether you also have that characteristic."
"Do I also have overly confident parts?"
"Sometimes," Mira smiled. "Like when talking about psychology."
Sora was a bit embarrassed. "That might be true."
Leo said finally, "People you dislike are teachers for self-understanding. By exploring why you dislike them, you know yourself."
Sora nodded. "Should I be grateful to Tanaka... maybe?"
"That might be going too far," Hiyori laughed. "But it's true that through her, you noticed your own desires."
Outside the window, the sunset faded. Having people you dislike is natural. But by exploring the reason for that aversion, your shadow side becomes visible. That can be a painful discovery. But it's also an opportunity for growth.
Sora said quietly, "Next time I see Tanaka, I might feel differently."
"That's the power of self-awareness," Leo smiled.
Mira added, "It's okay to dislike. But knowing why is important."
Hiyori nodded, "Perfect understanding is difficult. But little by little, facing yourself."
Sora gained a new perspective. The disliked person won't disappear. But the meaning of that existence changes. Today was such a day.