Maybe he was a weirdo. Or maybe a freak. Or some kind.

His golden, disheveled hair and maximalist fashion speak volumes (think Naruto but more fashionable).

Since a lot of my friends used to accuse me a freak, then maybe… I thought… maybe we could get along?

Later on, I learned he was a Filipino-Japanese descendant, and he had lived in Japan for 10 years. So that explained his fashion. I had no idea, sorry.

But who cares? I knew I wouldn’t spend much time with him anyway. I was too busy practicing my guitar. Too occupied daydreaming about metal songs in between classes. No time for chit-chats.

But since there were only a few English majors, it was almost impossible to be a loner. It’s either you bug someone or they bug you.

Portrait, Fame, Lion Mascot

I remember one night while waiting for our professor, he hastily sketched a portrait of me using his phone. I couldn’t believe it. How did he do that? (Hey, it was 2011, in case you’re wondering.)

Over time, he became popular in the Liberal Arts department.

Everyone knew him. Adored him. No, I’m not exaggerating. During the Intramurals parade, he even wore a lion mascot, which he made by himself. Let me repeat that for emphasis: lion… mascot...

He was also instrumental in organizing department activities. And many more. I wish I could remember all the details. But that was a long, long time ago.

All I can remember is that he’s smart. Eloquent. Easy-going. Cheerful. Charismatic. And knowledgeable about the Bible.

And before I forget, he also plays the piano (and he’s really good).

But we’re just getting started. Here comes our final thesis.

Thesis, Japan, Future

“Three students per thesis”.

I don’t know why. But that’s how the university set us up.

By chance, we became groupmates. I guess I had no choice but to spend time with this famous Japanese dude.

I could see he had no intention to hang out with me either. But we both needed the thesis to graduate. So there you go.

Some days we’re in the library with our classmates. Some days in his house with his 2 dogs — a dachshund and a dalmatian.

In between, we talked about almost everything — music, relationships, social issues, the bible, religions, Japan, life lessons, culture, self-improvement, and on and on.

It was always fascinating to learn about his life in Japan. And it wasn’t until recently that I truly appreciated what he did back then — to go back to the Philippines for college. I’ve now realized that he wanted to change the trajectory of his life. And he did.

Classical Music, Heavy Music

One day, we got exhausted working on our thesis, so he sat down at his piano and played some classical music. I was blown away.

While I was already aware of some classical music, particularly from Beethoven, Mozart, and Paganini, but not Chopin.

Yes. He was the reason I discovered the genius of Chopin — which at that time, I never predicted would later impact my songwriting. But that is for another post.

Of course I didn’t miss my chance to introduce him to heavy music as well — insisting how beautiful System of the Down’s “Lonely Day” guitar solo was.

Not sure if he liked it. Not sure if it had an impact on him like it did to me with Chopin. But, well, I did my part (raise your glasses, metalheads).

The Lesson: Comrade, Constituent, and Confidant

Of all the life lessons he shared, there’s one that I’d never forget.

He told me about the three types of people who would become part of our lives at some point: Comrade, Constituent, and Confidant.

I can still remember where we were when he shared it: We’re hanging out on their balcony after a long day of thesis work. And he was explaining it to me like he’s my professor and I’m he’s dumb, lazy student. “Jade, there are three types of…”

He probably mentioned that he read or learned it somewhere, but I couldn’t remember. But here it is:

• Comrade – Your comrades are the people who are against what you’re against. They could be your colleagues or workmates. Most of the time, you rely on these people to watch your back or achieve a common goal.
• Constituent – Constituents are those people who’ll support or empower you because you’re on the same mission. They could be your supporters, mentors, or even a stranger you randomly meet. These people will sometimes go beyond to teach you something useful for your mission.
• Confidant – A confidant is someone who will be there for you through and through. They could be your best friend or spouse. Compared with a comrade or constituent, you can have a deeper relationship with your confidant. You can confide in them.

He added that most of our relationship problems were the result of having wrong expectations. We confuse a comrade or a constituent with a confidant.

For some reason, this lesson has stuck with me ever since. I even shared it with some of my friends. And some of them thought I was a genius, even though I always credit my Japanese friend. Crazy. I know.

Tokyo, The Dream, Nostalgia

A few weeks after I visited Japan last year (July 31, 2024), I had a dream about him: He was mad that I hadn’t informed him about my visit. I kept saying sorry, tried to console him, but he was pissed off.

I woke up with a heavy heart.

Truth is, we haven’t talked for years. After graduation, we just moved on with our lives. I assume he’s in Japan all these years.

Years ago, I tried to search for him on Facebook to seek advice, but couldn’t find him. Maybe he’s not on Facebook anymore. I can relate. Knowing him, for sure he’s busy pursuing his dreams.

But while traversing the streets of Roppongi, my memories of him came flooding back. It was weird. But a different kind of weird. That kind where you feel a sudden jolt you wanted to cry.

I started to wonder where he is and what he’s up to. I thought about how hard for him and his family to blend in as an outsider back then. Or how challenging for him to go back to the Philippines for college and adapt to a different culture again.

It also reminded me of his comments about Japanese people. I mean, he was right. Japanese folks are some of the most polite and disciplined people you’ll meet in your life. Not mentioning how enchanting their culture is. Mad respect.

I wonder what he’s doing right now. I hope I can talk with or meet him again some other day and personally thank him for all the life lessons he shared.

Wherever you are, I wish you all the best. Stay awesome, my friend.

(Roppongi, Tokyo)

PS: Okay, here’s the crazy part. He just added me on Facebook yesterday (August 5, 2025). What on earth is happening? 😮

UPDATE (August 10, 2025): We did a video call for 6 hours! He’s now a teacher, but also pursuing his lifelong dream as an artist and author. Proud of him for publishing his first children’s book last year, “The Fox Who Wants to Fly”. Grab your copy now on Amazon. For his paintings, check his website.