Is a Future Diary a Love Letter? The Story My Husband Secretly Wrote #14
Imagining the future takes a surprising amount of energy.
Let alone turning it into a story and gifting it to someone.
Last night, what my husband quietly handed to a certain woman was—a story depicting her own "future."
Early June (The day after the rain. Sunny, with a pleasant breeze and a faint scent of nervousness)
Today is a bit of a special day. Well, to be precise, last night was the special part.
My husband finally handed over the "future-diary-style novel" he had been working on diligently at the farewell party. What's more, the protagonist was a former colleague who had decided to go work at a mountain hut.
…I mean, really. There are just too many things to comment on.
First of all, the very idea of "writing someone else's future into a novel without asking" is amazing. And he did it while rewriting it over and over with ChatGPT, too.
At one point he said, "It feels like I'm polishing a love letter," and honestly, it really did. It had a certain sparkle to it that made me feel all itchy just watching.
Saying things like, "My teacher told me never to re-read a love letter in the morning"—what is that bittersweet youth reminiscence? I'm just over here hanging up the laundry.
And then, once it was finally finished, he started panicking, saying, "I'm scared to give it to her... she might get mad..."
I couldn't help but think to myself, if you were going to worry that much, why write it in the first place?
But well, the way he hedged his bets by saying, "I'll give it to her on paper, not as a file" and "If she gets mad, I'll just say it was a joke and take it back," is truly a testament to his many years of corporate experience, or perhaps just his cautious, timid nature...
Even so, seeing my husband with a strange, nervous smile at the drinking party that day made me feel restless too.
When I watched quietly, I saw her chuckle as she read the story.
I felt like I could see the weight lift off my husband's shoulders, and honestly, I felt relieved too.
And she even said, "I'll take it with me to the mountain hut"... I'm so glad for you, really.
I think that at that moment, my husband was the most relieved novelist in the world.
Still, writing a novel is difficult, isn't it?
Watching his back, I realized that writing requires both imagination and resolve.
But perhaps the person who wrote it was the one who was saved the most.
"A future diary sent to a specific someone."
Perhaps the person who wrote it was the one who most wanted to believe in the future.
Now, I wonder what kind of story he'll be carrying on his back when he comes home next.
I think I'll brew some coffee and wait quietly.
Bonus: Synopsis of the novel
Momoe (a pseudonym), who once thrived at an IT venture, felt lost after the company was absorbed by its parent firm. Seeking a fresh start, she chose to spend six months working part-time at a mountain hut in the Northern Alps.
Far from the hustle and bustle of the city, the days that began 2,400 meters above sea level were by no means easy, physically or mentally. Troubles with hikers, clashes between staff members, a junior colleague in tears. And, a rescue mission she took on herself during a thunderstorm—.
Yet, through the days of working and sweating in nature, Momoe began to recall sensations she had forgotten and the value of cooperating with her peers. Eventually, she began to regain the positive spirit she had nearly lost in the city: "I want to challenge myself again."
This is a quiet and powerful story of rebirth for a woman who took a small step forward during the "season of uncertainty" that visits everyone.