When I first started learning Japanese, using the app HelloTalk, Mina was the first Japanese friend I made. She had messaged me wanting to practice English and she was happy to teach me some Japanese.

During that time, I was definitely having a difficult time in my life. Things had recently changed alot with sickness in my family and I had a recent breakup. It's hard to describe how important it was to have some regular social activity especially when you don't feel like it.

Mina was adorable. Shy about speaking English but always trying her best to. And even though I had just started to learn Japanese and we were struggling to find the words that each other understood, we somehow managed to talk about so many different things, laughed about the silly thing and learned a lot from eachother.

And that gave me so much motivation to keep learning Japanese. Because everytime we understood eachother, against the odds of the language barrier, an incredible sense of fulfillment washed over me. Somehow, connecting emotionally over music, manga or food even with the lack of words just made it feel so special. And being the clown that I am, I loved to make her laugh, it was like an explosion whenever she laughed and it was so sweet to see her open up from the shyness and just let go.

For good while, we spoke almost every day. Things were busy in both of our lives, she found herself a path for a career while sorting out her life troubles and I was finding where I was in the world.

In those lonely months, it was incredibly comforting to have someone like her around to talk to.

And when things got bad, and I couldn't keep it together, I was so grateful that she was there to listen as best as she could. I remember a night where I had a particularly bad day and the compounding problems and anxieties spilled over. I was still very much in a vulnerable state with all that was going on at the time. We were talking about love and romance and finding a partner. With all the stress, family sickness and troubles I was going through, I told her that I felt like no one would want to get involved with someone like me.

She then said to me:

"No, if I was your girlfriend, I want to help."

I was kinda lost for words. But it was this kindness that really opened my heart to thinking differently about myself.

It's the moments like these that make me so grateful. That such a simple few words of compassion and kindness can really help.

At some point, we drifted apart. But I'll never forget your time in my life. And...

I'll never forget those beautiful eyes.

それでは、日本語で。

美奈、会ってくれて本当にありがとうございます。今、最近私達はあまりはなせないんですけれど美奈のこと覚えています。 初めた時にプロフィールの写真で君の目はすごく美しいと思っていました。それで、多分、ちょっと惚れてしまいましたなｗ。西洋文化にとって人の目は自分の魂の窓と言います。それで、美奈の優しさを分かってきました。

素敵な言葉で本当にありがたいです。僕のこと信じてくれて本当にありがとうございました。最初の送ってくれたメッセージで僕の人生が変わるのことは思ったよりすごかったです、君のお陰で。

また会いますように。