We both didn’t know what awaited us. 

Amidst political turmoil and teenage hype, I found myself feeling at a loss. I had to choose between staying in Chicago—pursuing my dreams of being an artist and designer—or returning to Japan, knowing that I would enter the certain route of endless bureaucratic procedures and becoming a mildly happy man. Adventure or safety.

To grapple with the trajectory of my next thirty years, I needed somewhere (and someone) to offer consultation for my concerns.