My return to the origin, which started with the question 'What is P-katsu?'

A follower I'm close with tweeted about "P-katsu" (though I might be the only one who thinks we're close).

Since "P-katsu" was a term I'd never heard before, and nothing came to mind when I thought of "P," I searched for it immediately. Then, a waterfall of search results about a shocking activity called "Papa-katsu" poured out. *If you don't know what it is, I highly recommend searching for it on Twitter.

I was shocked, thinking, "The world is coming to an end!"

Well, even I, in my younger days, did things in my relationships with the opposite sex that would make my parents' generation think, "The world is coming to an end."

But I have a vague sense of confidence that I've never "wrestled using someone else's loincloth" (relied on others' resources), so I pride myself on being different from the currently trendy "P-katsu."

That's when it hit me.

In the first place, it's wrong to use a letter like "P" that reminds you of a cute little bird. Just think about what they're actually doing. This is no longer a "P."

How about renaming it to "In-katsu" (shady activity), "Chin-katsu" (bizarre activity), or "Gu-katsu" (foolish activity)?

These are all names that would make gals who love cute and sparkly things more than their next meal recoil in disgust. I think my sense for naming is brilliant.

And what about the media, anyway? I want to see a gutsy media outlet emerge soon that says, "We will not use the term 'P-katsu.' We will refer to it as 'the bizarre activity known on the streets as P-katsu.'" Something on the level of a shogunate-toppling revolution.

Even as I say that, I wondered, if I were to live as a young person in this incredibly unstable modern age, what would I do?

Going back in time to when I was a high school student. The bubble had burst, and I remember it being big news when a high school somewhere had its job offers for graduating seniors rescinded. During my university job-hunting period, every company's file contained a document saying, "No new graduates will be hired this year." I thought about it blankly, "Hmm." I figured I'd just work part-time after graduation.

However, at that moment, my family collapsed, and the four of us (mother, father, brother, and me) went our separate ways. That was when I chose to drop out. My father's company went bankrupt, and we had no money (my father evaporated and went overseas, lol). My uncle, who had been close to me since I was a child, found out and said, "I'll pay for Yuki's tuition until graduation," but I didn't want to owe anyone, even a relative. Since I had lived apart from my parents when I was a child, I didn't want to be a burden to them either. My mother had it the hardest, worked the hardest, and suffered the most. Even though she was always smiling. That's why I didn't want to waste money no matter what.

Now that I have no money, what is the point of going to a school where I can't even get a job after graduating?

My answer at the time was, "There is no point at all."

Specialized studies? Making memories with friends? Enjoying youth? Making the most of free time?

None of those were necessary for me. Or rather, I thought I could achieve all of them without being in school, depending on my own motivation.

My mother was worried when I dropped out in the autumn of my first year. She knew well that I was "someone who seemed level-headed but was easily influenced and swayed."

As my mother predicted, I started going out at night more and became cheeky. A so-called good-for-nothing. But I don't think it was a waste. I have so many things to reflect on, and I used terrible language. An aesthetic full of mistakes. Looking back now, I might have been a symbolic young person of the "end of the world" that would make sensible adults shudder.

But thanks to that experience, I learned that I am selfish and opportunistic. And I also learned that I am proud and stubborn.

However, the things I had cultivated up until then remained firmly in my character.

I had things I wanted to do, and I knew how to satisfy myself. Like a lost kitten, I wandered around, hit dead ends, got stuck, and fell into pitfalls, but I decided to turn all of my 'painful experiences' into 'assets.' Whether you leave a painful experience as just a painful experience or turn it into an asset is up to you. Even if I turn them into assets, I'm not particularly capable or a wise person. I just thought it was better than remaining a painful person!

I've written at length, but I realized that I cannot dismiss young people who are doing 'chin-katsu' (P-katsu) out of hand. I felt ashamed of myself for even thinking for a moment that the 'chin-katsu' I did was better than the 'chin-katsu' (P-katsu) that is popular now. There is no difference in degree when it comes to 'chin-katsu.' In any era, 'chin-katsu' is 'chin-katsu.'

Yes, even though the content was different, I too was doing 'chin-katsu' that would look like 'the end of the world' to a sensible adult.

Comparing myself to that, I thought that even if they are doing 'chin-katsu' (P-katsu), if they have a home base they can return to, perhaps all we can do is watch over them.

Love is everything. Children who have been loved always have a place they can return to at any time. They can return to their roots.

I lived apart from my parents for two years starting at age 11, and in the end, my family fell apart, but I believe I was properly loved. I love my mother, who is a hard worker and a natural airhead, and my father, who is incredibly smart but a good-for-nothing. Even if I was neglected or abandoned, I love them.

Does that mean that the young people doing 'chin-katsu' (P-katsu) will show their true potential when they get tired of 'chin-katsu' (P-katsu)? It looks like they've thrown away something important, but maybe they haven't actually thrown it away, just forgotten it? When they find something more fun than 'chin-katsu' (P-katsu), what kind of actions will they take?

Above all, isn't there a problem with adults (like me) who easily abandon them? *Prostitution is out of the question (not worth discussing), so I will not touch upon it here.

That's why I wanted to talk to the kids who are doing 'chin-katsu' (P-katsu) now. What are they thinking? Are they lonely? Did they fail? Are they in despair with Japan? Or are they not thinking about anything at all (lol).

But in their own way, they might be trying desperately hard to enjoy this difficult modern world while stretching themselves. Telling themselves, 'I'm not unhappy.' Just as I once did.

For now, I wanted to become an adult who can show them that studying on your own, working desperately hard, and earning money by yourself is actually quite fun ( •̀∀•́ )✧. My close followers feel the same way (though, to repeat, I might be the only one who thinks we're close).

*Please note that there may be typos, omissions, or unclear meanings because this is a one-shot article without review. 😣