Jia Lissa — Travelling Alone

The first day was the hardest.

Her mother had cried. “Too dangerous.” Her friends had laughed. “Who travels alone? That’s sad.” But Jia had just smiled, a small, secret curve of her lips. She wanted to find out who she was without the echo of someone else’s opinion. jia lissa travelling alone

In Tokyo, she stood outside a ramen shop, paralyzed. The line was full of couples and laughing groups. Her stomach growled. She almost turned away. But then she remembered: No one is watching. No one cares. She walked in, sat at the counter, and ate the richest tonkotsu ramen of her life. The silence was loud, but not uncomfortable. It was just... hers. The first day was the hardest