[Mom Lab Vol. 1] What should you send in your first LINE message?
Eight years into motherhood, and I have zero mom friends I can hang out with on weekends. This is a struggle essay about my tireless research and repeated experiments as I aim for the mom-friend life of my dreams.
I was worried.
I was worried about the direction of that first step.
The Mom Lab series actually already has an Episode Zero.
Just like a TV cooking show, I have already perfectly prepared the groundwork for the difficult challenge of "exchanging LINE contacts."
Until now, the overwhelming hurdle of exchanging LINE contacts was the place to aim for, the goal. But in reality, that is not the finish line.
Students pass the entrance exams for their dream schools, and princesses end up with their princes.
...So, what does everyone do after that?
Anyway, if I don't take that first step, the future where I hang out with a mom-friend family at the park on the weekend will never come. The only step I can take right now is to send a LINE message, that's all.
...The hurdle for this one step is, once again, as high as the Himalayas.
I seriously don't remember at all how I used to make friends, how I went out to eat with people I met for the first time, or how I started romantic relationships, and I have no sense of it left. Could it be that all of that was in a past life?
I know that starting with a light greeting is probably best.
"Thank you for the other day!"
If I only send this, they'll think, "...And?" so I'll reject it.
"Thank you for the other day! Let's go to the park sometime."
The amount of information hasn't increased at all from our last conversation. It lacks specificity, so I'll reject it.
"Thank you for the other day! Would you like to go to the park next week if you're free?"
This seems to include a specific proposal and is just right.
But is it too aggressive...?
If they say "Let's do that," to be honest, I'm not mentally prepared yet.
I want something safe.
Something safe but that leaves a good impression, allows me to take a step toward the park smoothly, and lets me prepare myself mentally...
Even after thinking about it gloomily,the best first LINE messageis hard to decide.
Truth be told, I think there's nothing better than experience, so I should just dive in. I've learned painfully through my life experience (in this world) that you can't find an answer by just spinning your wheels in your head when the other person isn't even there.
It's okay to fail. Rather than being unable to move while churning over worries, it's better to take action, even without a plan. Haven't I always trusted my intuition to make my move during the important turning points in my life?
...But the Zhuge Liang inside me whispers.
“Battles are won by strategy, not by martial prowess. Do not ever forget that it is by planning wisely that a miraculous LINE exchange leads to the next step...”
Even you, Kongming...
Do you think so...?
Yes, this is a battle with myself.
I need “something” to boost my weak heart, my lack of courage, and my low experience level that keeps me from taking that first step.
I gently take Kongming's hand. Please, be that “something” for me...!
Kongming nods deeply and presents the search screen. I see, when in trouble, Yahoo Chiebukuro. Kongming, aren't you relying a bit too much on others?
While feeling a bit resentful that he was unexpectedly the hands-off type, I typed “Mom friend LINE” into the search screen.
Come forth, collective wisdom of raw human emotions that AI hasn't reached yet!
“I want to block a mom friend on LINE”
“The replies from my mom friend are so fast, is she a student?”
“The reply pace from my mom friend is so slow, it’s frustrating”
Ah... ah... ahhhhh...
This is a different world...!
There are only experts here!!
As these battle-hardened veterans fought their death matches, the “Best of First LINE Message” problem that should have been somewhere was trampled and gasping for air.
Together with Kongming, who wore an apologetic look, I quietly closed the search screen.
It has already been over a week since we exchanged LINE contacts. We had a long holiday in between, and there were times when I kept trying to read the timing, but I was panicking, thinking that if things went on like this, the exchange itself would be the end of the road.
It was the other person who reached out to me first. This time, I want to take action. Because that is, in itself, a way to express my gratitude.
I must steel myself—.
Just as I thought that, my phone vibrated.
It was from Yoko-san, the mom friend I exchanged contacts with the other day. W-wait, she made the first move!!
My fingertips tremble as I tap the LINE app, and my heart immediately starts racing.
"It's the last day of the long weekend, isn't it! We were busy visiting family back home. If you'd like, why don't we go play at the park sometime?"
A seasonal greeting followed by a moderate disclosure of personal information. And then, an invitation to the park expressed with a light touch.
The flow is just too perfect...
This is it. This is what I should have been sending...! Could it be that they have a Zhuge Liang on their side too? No, there must be some kind of manager who can perfectly control the flow of the game. Maybe Manager Nomura?
I want to reply immediately. The cry of that expert, "The LINE reply from the mom friend is so fast, are they a student?" floated faintly through my mind, but I didn't care.
Hello! It's been so hot every day. We've been going to different parks all the time. Let's definitely hang out!
I was just about to send the exact same thing (surprised face emoji)!
While using the other party's format as a reference, I also clearly state my intention to connect. It was shrewd, and I couldn't deny the possibility that it might seem fake, but since it was the truth, there shouldn't be any problem saying it.
(Honestly, whether or not to disclose this fact—which is true but sounds fake—is a point I could worry about forever...)
Once again, although the other party paved the way, I was definitely taking a step forward. Thinking about the path that was opening up, my heart grew brighter and brighter. The "holiday park playdate" I had dreamed of was right before my eyes!
—At that time, I had no way of knowing.
That beyond this point, there were mountain ranges as high as Everest waiting for me...
to be continued...