How to Love a Loser

Shinba is a man with no discernible talents, no steady employment, and an empty wallet. By every conventional standard, he is a complete failure. Yet, inexplicably, he is in a relationship with Hizumi—a woman who is strikingly beautiful, highly intelligent, and exceptionally successful in her career. Shinba cannot fathom why she would ever choose someone like him, and his bewilderment borders on fear. Despite his deep insecurities, he loves her profoundly, which ultimately compels him to ask the question that haunts him: why does she want to date someone so worthless? Hizumi’s response only deepens his confusion. She playfully lists his many flaws—his chronic oversleeping, his obsession with obscure video games, his terrible karaoke performances, the cheap toy ring he once gave her, and his perpetually gloomy expression. Then, with disarming sincerity, she tells him that simply looking at his miserable face brings her joy, laughing as she confesses her love. Her words leave Shinba unsettled rather than comforted. He begins to suspect that Hizumi is hiding something significant behind her cheerful demeanor. Driven by doubt, he contemplates uncovering her secret, though a quiet voice inside warns him that some truths are better left undiscovered.