White Day, a subsequent occasion of appreciation to friendship or romance. Japan’s second Valentine’s Day is celebrated the following 14th of March. I spend my working hours at a Japanese owned company where I come across plenty colleagues from Japan. The Americans say the Japanese seemingly keep to themselves whereas I see they keep to their work strictly for morale but there would be one who was eccentric, sticking out like a sore thumb. 

Starting as innocent interplay between a simple offering of Japanese candy and an open friendly demeanor influenced a new friendship. All he ever did was hand them out to me and my team then just like that we were already indebted. Over a span of a month he would come give us candy, make small talk through Google Translate and wish us a great day. If in need of technical support he would be there to assist. There was one instance he had been impressed with my friend’s Key-Bak taking a picture for reference, quickly noted in my ever self-serving part of the brain. I bought that exact product to surprise my work friend in which he was delighted, thanking me with a plethora of Japanese candy I’ve never experienced before. This wholesome exchange amused the fact that I unknowingly needed a soul-nourishing engagement; one so simple that filled a need in my person, I could only describe as mentally filling my cup half full. 

Ultimately my friend had approached me with Google Translate at hand, “Thank you for giving me a wonderful experience working here, I leave for Japan next Saturday.” 

I want to believe my working here wasn’t without purpose and our influences have made a mark not having to do with what to offer the company in itself (like how I always envisioned) but instead an impression left on another soul that will last well until our memories should fade years on