My 'tsure' is my 'tsure', you know~

I am not a native of Aichi Prefecture, so I might not be entirely accurate, but around here, some people refer to their friends as 'tsure'.

The now-concluded 'Saiko no Obahan Nakajima Haruko'

Haruko Nakajima, played by Mao Daichi, often says,
'They are my tsure.'

The 'tsure' referred to here... is not the same as the 'tsure' (companion) you use when you are at a restaurant and say,
'How many people?'
'Oh, two more companions will be joining us later.'

I feel like I use it when someone is closer than a friend, but using a term like 'nakama' (comrade/peer) feels too cringey and makes me break out in hives.
Therefore, personally, I think writing it in katakana as 'tsure' feels just right.

I basically don't use it for work colleagues; if anything, it's for playmates. We are a mix of genders, and while we drifted apart a bit during the days when we were busy with our respective romances and child-rearing, times have changed. Now we have communication tools like Line, and we occasionally find time to grab a drink.

We don't get all sentimental and teary-eyed reminiscing about the past... instead, we engage in a battle of witty retorts over silly stories that serve as status reports. Yet, I have learned a bit of the adult art of mixing unreserved respect into that boundless rudeness.

Did our romantic feelings not cross paths in our younger days?
Was there no indulgence in illicit time together?
Can we swear it was a purely platonic friendship?
Who knows... maybe the correct answer is that no one cares, and if it's a mystery, it's too much trouble to pursue it?
We are here now because, in the grand scheme of things, nothing has changed.
That kind of thing doesn't really matter. Whether it's because we find each other charming as human beings or because we are bound by an inescapable fate, that ambiguity is also what 'tsure' is all about.

The word 'friendship' already feels too dazzling and makes my back itch, and while I feel like 'hoda-sare' (being swayed/attached) might actually fit better, that term has too many meanings, stirs up useless delusions, and only creates misunderstandings, so I refrain from using it.

'Tsure'
I used to debate whether friendship between men and women could exist, but that doesn't matter anymore either. We've kept saying, 'Well, see you again!', without knowing if it's a promise or just a social pleasantry, and looking back, over forty years have passed.
'Well, see you again!'
Whether that is heavy or light, not pursuing the answer is both a kindness and a form of cold-heartedness. If a battle were to break out, there is definitely a cowardice hidden there that would make us run away as fast as we could.
Riding the wave of modern diversity, I'd say it's a flavorful category I'd like to keep mixed into one of the layers of my human relationships.

🎨 Header image: Used works by Miwa Yutani,
Decorative banner: Used works by Itsuki @ Kurashi ga Shumi.
Thank you as always 😊