I was never the first choice. Not the one they looked for in a crowded room. Not the name that slipped out when they were half-asleep and honest.
But shadows don't get to keep the sun.
I was ano_ko_no kawari — the substitute. The stand-in. The spare umbrella they grabbed only when the rain started. ano_ko_no_kawari
I’ve framed it as a melancholic, narrative-style social media post (suitable for Twitter/X, a blog, or a caption). ano_ko_no_kawari I was never the first choice