After school classroom. As Sora and Hiyori were talking, Mira quietly entered.
"Mira, please join us," Hiyori offered a seat.
Mira sat down but seemed more tense than usual.
Sora noticed. "Do you have something you want to say?"
Mira opened her notebook but immediately closed it. She was hesitating.
Hiyori gently called out. "There's no rush."
Silence continued for a while.
Mira finally wrote. "Want to say it, but can't"
"What are you afraid of?" Sora asked.
Mira thought before writing. "Being misunderstood. Not being understood"
Hiyori nodded. "The dilemma of self-disclosure."
"The dilemma of self-disclosure?" Sora asked.
"You want to show your true self. But you're afraid of rejection," Hiyori explained. "So you stay with superficial conversation."
Mira stared at Hiyori. An expression saying that's exactly right.
Sora thought. "But only superficial conversation is lonely, right?"
"Yes. That's why it's contradictory," Hiyori continued. "You want to be understood, but trying to be understood risks being hurt."
Mira wrote. "So I stay silent"
"Silence is also a choice," Hiyori acknowledged. "But silence has a price."
"A price?" Sora asked.
"The loneliness of not being understood by anyone. And the possibility of being misunderstood."
Mira wrote on a new page. "There are feelings I can't put into words"
Sora gently asked. "For example, what kind?"
Mira thought for a long time. Then wrote. "I'm grateful. But can't convey it well"
Hiyori smiled. "That just came through now."
Mira looked surprised.
"The words don't need to be perfect," Hiyori said. "Even if imperfect, the attitude of trying to convey matters."
Sora supplemented. "The process is more important than the result?"
"Yes. Communication isn't perfect information transfer. It's an attempt at mutual understanding."
Mira slowly wrote. "But with insufficient words, I'll be misunderstood"
Hiyori thought. "True. But misunderstanding happens even with many words."
"Why?" Sora asked.
"Because there's the receiver's interpretation. The same words are received differently by different people."
Mira nodded. She seemed to have experience.
Sora asked. "So perfect communication is impossible?"
"It might be impossible," Hiyori answered honestly. "But we can get closer."
"How?"
"Continue the dialogue. If there's misunderstanding, talk again. Understanding isn't completed in one go."
Mira wrote. "Takes time"
"Yes. Mutual understanding isn't a moment's words, but a continuous process."
Sora realized. "So words I couldn't say might someday be said."
"Exactly," Hiyori smiled. "Even if you can't say it today, maybe you can tomorrow."
Mira looked a bit relieved.
Sora asked. "But what happens if left unsaid?"
Hiyori answered. "Feelings that didn't become words remain in the heart. They can become a burden."
Mira wrote. "So try saying it little by little"
"A courageous choice," Hiyori acknowledged.
Sora suggested. "Should we practice together? Saying what you want to say, little by little."
Mira thought. Then wrote. "I feel safe with you two"
Hiyori and Sora smiled.
"That's a very important word," Hiyori said.
Sora nodded. "I'm happy when Mira is here too."
Mira smiled faintly. Though words were few, understanding was surely growing.
Hiyori said quietly. "Words left unsaid wanting to be understood will someday see light. No rush, little by little."
The three sat quietly. Even with imperfect communication, hearts surely connect.