Original

This afternoon marked the fourth time I repeated these actions in sequence.
But this time was different.
The other times, I interrupted myself immediately because I didn't know how to proceed, and I blamed things that had nothing to do with it. In reality, I should have only blamed myself. I started writing the first sentences, even though I didn't feel very convinced. However, I followed Aya's advice and continued. As soon as I started writing, the other sentences came naturally.
It felt like I couldn't stop writing. It was a fantastic feeling. Is this really what every writer feels every time? And before I knew it, I had surpassed 3000 words. It took me about 2 hours. Yet, they had flown by. Moreover, I had far exceeded my initial goal: I had reached 4000 words.
Heh heh, Aya, you didn't expect this, did you? I'm already looking forward to the stunned expression you'll have tomorrow when I tell you how much I've written.
At this point, I took a well-deserved break to relax. I reflected on what I had written. I began to have some doubts about something I hadn't anticipated at all. I wanted to leave the house and take a walk to clear my mind. I would have liked to talk to someone about it. The first person who came to mind was Aya. I sent her a message on my phone, asking if she was available for a walk in the evening. But she replied that she couldn't go out tonight. Darn it, Aya, she's never available when needed... Anyway, I didn't feel like talking about it on the phone.
I messaged Rei. She gave me an affirmative response and told me to meet her on the waterfront in 30 minutes. I dressed in shorts and a black t-shirt, and left the house. 

It was still summer, but there was a cool breeze that made the weather very pleasant.
I arrived at the waterfront. The view of the sea in the evening is really beautiful. The sound of the waves, amplified by the wind, created a unique atmosphere. I'm not a big fan of swimming in the sea, but the sound of it takes me to a state of sensory peace.
I saw Rei from a distance. She was wearing a white blouse and blue shorts. She waved at me from afar, and I waved back with the same gesture. As soon as we approached each other, she said:
"Hi Shin."
"Rei."
"How's the writing going? I guess you want to talk to me about something related to that."
I hadn't told her what I wanted to talk about when I messaged her.
"That's correct. I've started writing my first chapter."
"Ah, congratulations! You should be really happy about it."
"Now I'm feeling more hopeful, knowing what I've managed to accomplish. However, even though I've written a chapter, I'm not sure if it's of good quality."
Rei smiled slightly.
"It's normal to have these questions when you're writing for the first time. However, you should never take it for granted. The fact that you doubt your story because you want to improve it means that you're on the right track to becoming a better writer than you are now."
"... I understand. You've lifted my spirits a bit."
"And tell me, Shin, what specifically do you have doubts about in the story?"
"Mmh... let me think for a moment."
Indeed, this approach seems very effective. You go directly to the specific problem and resolve it. Until now, I thought I was experiencing a general sense of discouragement... but thinking about it, maybe there's a very specific reason why I'm so demotivated.
In the end, I understood the root of the problem.
"Rei, the thing is, in the chapter I've written, it seems like there are too many clichés. I want to write something original."
As soon as I finished speaking, Rei seemed to get lost in her thoughts. After a while, she answered:
"Tell me, Shin, what is originality?"
Huh? What an unexpected question.
"Well... I think it means doing something that has never been seen before."
"In a way, that's true, Shin. Doing something completely new might be too difficult. Another easier way to do something new could be taking something that's already been done and modifying it slightly. Many people do that. But I would tell you not to put too much weight on originality, because until now, countless stories have been written, all different in some way. Even if you strive to write something different from all the stories you've read, you'll most likely end up writing something that has already been written in another story that you're not aware of."
Rei's speech made me completely reconsider the idea I had about being original.
"Shin, as long as you listen to yourself and write on the sheet of paper what you feel deep in your heart, then you won't have problems."
Gosh, Rei is so poetic... even though I don't fully agree with her reasoning, when she makes these statements, they have a strong impact on me. By the way, I write on the computer.
"Rei, thank you for sharing your opinion. However, I tend to prefer a more rational approach. No matter how much heart I put into it, I can put all the heart in the world, but if my story is terrible, then it remains terrible."
Rei looked at me with a serious look, but she wasn't angry. I tried to lighten the atmosphere by saying:
"You're quite experienced, Rei. Have you written any stories recently?"
"Actually, I'm writing one right now. I'm almost done with it. I'm going to submit it to a contest."
I didn't expect this response.
"Oh, really? And what's the name of this contest?"
" It's the 'MAL x HF Writing Contest 2023'"
I couldn't believe my ears. My face is indescribable right now.
"But... Rei, I'm also writing a story to submit to this contest!"
Rei explained that she had started writing 2 months ago. I, on the other hand, had come down to the last 10 days.
"If only Aya had told me earlier..."
I saw Rei trying to concentrate, she had a distant look in her eyes.
"Come to think of it, I was the one who mentioned it to Aya a few days ago."
I didn't know how to react. Suddenly, an idea came to me.
"Rei, for some inspiration, next time we meet, could I read your story?"
"Sure, Shin. But I can't tomorrow."
"Okay. I'll let you know when we can meet. Anyway, it's getting pretty late. How about we say goodbye?"
The way I said it might make it seem like I'm annoyed to be with her and want to go home. 

However, Rei smiled at me.

"Until next time, Shin. Give it your all!"