The Reason I Can Get Along with Both the Flashy and the Serious Types

I'm not very good at remembering my middle and high school days.

For me, attending a small, escalator-style girls' school with only two classes per grade, that overly narrow world was quite a harsh environment.

It might be a common thing in girls' schools, but by the time we reached high school, the hierarchy was clear. At the top were the flashy groups who interacted with boys from outside schools.

While I think such values are ridiculous now, I wonder if there was a perception back then that the further down you went, the more 'serious' you were. I was a serious-type otaku (though otaku are classified into 2D and 3D, I was the 3D kind), so in my own self-assessment, I was somewhere in the lower-middle.

As graduation approached, I was more serious about university entrance exams than those around me, which only fueled my serious nature even more. At the time of graduation, I ended up being ostracized by the group I had been close with, making for a rather bitter high school experience.

When I entered university, my world expanded all at once. First of all, it was my first co-ed experience, and the sheer number of people made it difficult to even perceive a hierarchy.

Unlike in middle and high school, there were various communities like departments, classes, and clubs, and there were both flashy types and serious types. It was so diverse that I didn't really know where I stood among them.

I realized my own position when I joined a seminar in my third year of university.

When I saw the upperclassmen during a visit before joining, they seemed to have a strong 'flashy' element, so I hesitated a bit.

However, there was a warm atmosphere that drew me in regardless of logic, so I decided to try for the interview.

I managed to be selected as a member, and when I met my peers for the first time... there were more types than I imagined, starting with their appearances!

Since it was the Faculty of Letters, it was almost entirely girls, but there were a few boys as well. They ranged from the sporty type to the indoor type, and there was even more variety among the girls.

There were girls as beautiful as models, girls who seemed to have a high capacity for being loved, girls who were sharp and reliable, and girls with a cool, slightly ennui atmosphere.
Everyone had their own charm, to the point where I lost track of my own individuality, and I thought they were all amazing.

One day, I was talking to a girl I was particularly close with in the seminar. We reached a consensus there.We're right in the middle, aren't we?we said.

It's rude to easily divide people into flashy and serious types, but if there were a diagram with flashy on the left and serious on the right, the two of us realized that we were right in the middle of that gradient.

Perhaps there was also a certain kind of confidence in being able to get along with everyone without belonging to either side.

I couldn't find a clear reason as to why I could get along with both, but there is no doubt that I felt comfortable in that position.

Even after entering the workforce following the turbulent job-hunting period, I felt that I had somehow managed to maintain this middle-ground position.

When I was talking to a close junior colleague of mine, A-chan, I mentioned, "Actually, I went out for a meal with your peer, B-chan, the other day," and then... A-chan said this.

"Oh, that person from the glamorous group! I don't really interact with her much, but I know who she is!"


I see. From my perspective, they are both just junior colleagues I'm close with, but perhaps there is a difference they are both aware of between them...! That was the first time I realized how grateful I should be that I am able to get along with both of them.

While I still hadn't found the answer to why I could get along with both, one day my husband suddenly said this to me.

"I think your strength, mai, is that you love idols."

I was taken aback and a question mark popped up in my head... but according to him, I am able to quickly become friends with all sorts of people because of my love for "idols."

It's true that I've had the experience many times where, the moment I mention that I love idols, the distance between me and someone I've just met shrinks significantly!

When I think about the fellow otaku friends I'm still close with, I realize there are both seemingly glamorous people and serious people among them... but I had never really been conscious of that before.

That's because they are all just "otaku friends I get along with."

The reason I can get along with both the glamorous and the serious types might just lie here.

It's a strange thing, but when idols are involved, any hesitation like "They seem like they're from a different world than me, so it's hard to talk to them..." completely disappears. It's just too exciting that we both love the same idol! I want to say I love them too! I want to talk about it!!!

I surprise myself, wondering where such an eager character was hiding, as a pushy version of myself emerges that transcends all circumstances.

The power of idols is truly amazing.

Well, even though I say "idols," there are many genres and agencies. In reality, I suppose the degree to which the distance shrinks might change depending on whether they are from the same agency or not.

Even so, I think that "shared hobbies," not limited to idols, have a mysterious power to cross the boundaries between types like the glamorous and the serious.

Besides, even if we don't like the same idols, there is a clear difference before and after I tell people I'm an "idol fan."

My first impression often seems to lean toward the serious side, but when I finally reveal my hobby, people are often surprised, saying, "You don't look like you'd be interested, that's unexpected!" Disclosing one's hobbies is a powerful tool for letting people know a surprising side of yourself.

As someone who was a "lower-middle" tier serious idol otaku, I have always wanted to interact with all kinds of people "regardless of status or hierarchy."

I never imagined that the "otaku" element, which I thought was a negative at the time, would become a strength for me. You never know how things will turn out.

I'm grateful to my husband, who is closest to me, for making me realize that... It's a wonderful thing to have someone who watches over you every day...

I know some people prefer to keep their hobbies private and enjoy them in their own world. That is perfectly fine, and I have no desire to pry into that.

However, I also think that opening up a little can lead to unexpected friendships.

I don't care about being flashy or serious. I just hope to live as a "healthy and cheerful otaku" with people I get along with, no questions asked.

To my middle and high school self.
The world might look like it's below average right now,
and it might be a bit tough.

But you in your mid-30s are living quite a happy life. Please rest assured, and keep cherishing what you love right now.