"Kaito looks unhappy again."
Hiyori called out in a corner of the library. Kaito was staring intently out the window.
"Not really," Kaito answered curtly.
Sora approached. "Did something happen?"
Kaito sighed. "Riku won another award. This time it's a photography contest."
"That's wonderful, isn't it?" Hiyori said.
"I know. But..." Kaito trailed off.
Sora quietly observed. "You're feeling jealous."
Kaito looked up. "I don't want to admit it, but maybe."
Hiyori gently asked, "Why does Riku bother you?"
"He's good at everything. Club activities, studying, and now even photography."
"What do you want to do, Kaito?" Sora inquired.
"Huh?"
"Jealousy is a signal that teaches you about your own desires," Sora explained. "What others have that you want."
Hiyori nodded. "In other words, being jealous of Riku means you also have a desire to achieve something, doesn't it?"
Kaito pondered. "True... I do want to create something that lasts."
"Are you interested in photography?"
"No, not photography. But I do want to be recognized."
Sora wrote in her notebook. "Structure of jealousy: Others' success → Sense of one's own lack → What you actually desire too."
Hiyori said calmly, "Feeling jealous isn't bad. It's a chance to notice what you truly value."
"But jealousy is an ugly emotion, right?" Kaito protested.
"Emotions aren't good or bad," Sora answered. "What matters is what you learn from them."
Hiyori gently asked, "In what field do you want to be recognized, Kaito?"
Kaito hesitated a bit. "Actually... I've wanted to try music. But I don't have talent."
"Talent comes later," Hiyori encouraged. "Starting is what's important."
Sora added, "Your jealousy of Riku is a sign that you have a desire to 'create something.'"
Kaito's expression softened slightly. "I never thought about jealousy that way."
"In psychology, this is called social comparison theory," Sora explained. "People confirm their position and find direction for growth by comparing with others."
Hiyori smiled. "Rather than denying jealousy, read your true wish from it."
Kaito slowly nodded. "So instead of being jealous of Riku, I should start something myself."
"Exactly," Sora acknowledged. "Direct the energy of comparison toward self-growth."
Hiyori asked, "Will you try starting music?"
Kaito laughed sheepishly. "Would I be laughed at?"
"No one laughs at people who try," Hiyori said gently.
Sora closed her notebook. "Jealousy is an important message for noticing your own desires."
Kaito stood up. "Thanks. I feel a bit lighter somehow."
"Can you give Riku words of congratulation?" Hiyori asked.
Kaito thought. "...I think I can. His success teaches me that I have possibilities too."
Sora smiled. "That's a good way to see it."
The three left the library. Beneath the emotion of jealousy, one's true wishes are always hidden. Noticing them is the first step toward growth.