"I can't decide."
Haru held her head. The course selection form lay before her.
Noa gently asked. "Both attractive?"
"Yes. I'm interested in both science and humanities."
Ren said quietly, "Hesitation is natural."
"But I have to decide."
"Have you thought about why you hesitate?" Ren asked.
Haru looked puzzled. "Why... because there are multiple options?"
"Not just that," Noa added. "If one was clearly better, you wouldn't hesitate."
"Meaning?"
"The options have roughly equal value. That's why you hesitate," Ren explained.
Haru agreed. "True. Both have merits."
"This is called 'plurality of values.'"
"Plurality of values?"
"A state where different types of values cannot be simply compared."
Noa gave an example. "Artistic value and scientific value. Can't say which is superior."
"Different measuring sticks?"
"Yes," Ren nodded. "Can't measure different dimensions of value on one scale."
Haru thought. "Then how do I decide?"
"That's philosophically difficult."
Noa said quietly, "Maybe there's no perfect choice."
"None?"
"Whichever you choose, you lose something. That's choice."
Haru said sadly, "Can't have everything."
"Right. This is also called 'opportunity cost,'" Ren supplemented.
"Opportunity cost?"
"The value of other options lost by choosing one."
Haru sighed deeply. "So I'll regret it?"
"Might regret," Noa admitted. "But that's also part of life."
"Not comforting."
Ren's face became serious. "But think inversely."
"Inversely?"
"A life without hesitation is a life without options."
Haru looked up. "No options?"
"Yes. Being able to hesitate means possibilities are open."
Noa smiled. "Hesitation might be proof of richness."
Haru's face showed some relief. "Thinking that way..."
"But," Ren continued. "Too much hesitation is also a problem."
"Why?"
"Continuously postponing decisions makes you lose the opportunity itself."
"Not choosing is the worst choice?"
"Sometimes. Sartre said, 'Not choosing is also a choice.'"
Noa added. "But no need to rush. Time to think is important too."
"Balance is difficult," Haru murmured.
Ren explained. "Gather information, deliberate, but decide at some point."
"At some point?"
"Can't get complete information. Decide amid uncertainty."
Haru asked anxiously. "What if I'm wrong?"
"Possibility of error always exists," Ren admitted. "But better to choose and learn than fear and be paralyzed."
Noa said quietly, "Maybe choice isn't an answer, but a beginning."
"Beginning?"
"After choosing, you walk that path. Create a new self there."
Haru began to understand. "Choice determines who I am?"
"Opposite," Ren said. "You don't determine the choice. The choice creates you."
"Difficult."
"Kierkegaard said, 'Life can only be understood backwards, but must be lived forwards.'"
Noa gently translated. "Even if you don't understand now, meaning appears later."
Haru looked at the form. "So it's okay not to understand now?"
"Acknowledge not knowing, yet still choose," Ren said.
"Takes courage."
"Yes. Choice requires courage."
Noa lightly squeezed Haru's hand. "But you're not alone. Can share hesitation."
Haru smiled. "Thank you."
Ren stood up. "No perfect choice. But there's honest choice."
"Honest choice?"
"Being true to yourself, thinking well, deciding."
Haru took a deep breath. "Then I'll think about it."
"That's good," Noa nodded.
Why do people hesitate? Because there are possibilities. Because values are diverse. And because the future is uncertain.
But moving forward while hesitating. That was living.