How Books Can Make an Awkward Encounter Slightly Less Awkward
“Ah, you must be Nanako?” the tall man said as soon as he entered the café. He looked like he was in his early forties, and had a calmer, more relaxed vibe than I was expecting. “I’m Tsuchiya. Nice to
Nanako found herself in an awkward situation when Tsuchiya, her first PerfectStrangers match, entered the café. Tall and relaxed, Tsuchiya greeted her warmly, offering to treat her to a piece of cheesecake. The encounter marked a significant milestone for Nanako, as she had just created her PerfectStrangers profile.
PerfectStrangers allowed users to list a chat, specifying a time and location, and wait for potential matches to respond. Alternatively, users could respond to listings from others. If no one responded, the meeting would not materialize. Nanako felt pressured to take the leap and meet Tsuchiya, despite the uncertainty.
As Nanako waited for Tsuchiya in the stylish Oku-Shibuya café, she felt jittery and nervous. However, once they met, she quickly calmed down and realized that talking to Tsuchiya was not as daunting as she initially thought. Tsuchiya, an advertising professional, enjoyed connecting with young people and found the experience stimulating and enjoyable.
Nanako expressed her reasons for using PerfectStrangers, stating that it provided a change from solitary coffee outings and offered an opportunity to practice recommending books while navigating the site. Tsuchiya responded with curiosity, asking about her separation from her husband and inquiring about the reasons behind the split. As their conversation unfolded, Nanako found herself growing more comfortable in this unfamiliar, yet intriguing, encounter.
Written by urgent.news from Literary Hub's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
