An Adult's First Offline Lesson

Before my first real offline meeting, I thought that as long as I communicated clearly in advance and prepared thoroughly, everything would naturally fall into place.
It was only later that I realized adults never fail because they are not serious enough, but because they are overconfident.

Lesson One:
Any "small design to add fun" is essentially an unstable factor.
You might think it's romantic, but the other person could see it as an emergency drill. At that moment, I understood that just because you can play doesn't mean you can handle the consequences.

Lesson Two:
A sense of ceremony ≠ matching tastes.
When the other person has prepared everything perfectly, but you realize at the last moment that your aesthetic is seriously off, the hardest part isn't rejecting, but how to protect both people's dignity gracefully.

Lesson Three:
The consequences of losing control of the rhythm are often not embarrassment, but the aftermath.
Tissues, water, medicine, and the "Are you okay?" the next day all become part of the essential adult lessons.

Lesson Four:
Language is the most dangerous tool.
You think you're completing a task, but the other person might switch channels midway. In that instant, you'll realize for the first time: once certain words are spoken, they are hard to take back.

Later, I slowly understood—
Offline isn't about turning online fantasies into reality,
but about allowing all mismatches, misjudgments, and boundary issues to erupt simultaneously.

The so-called "first offline lesson" isn't about teaching you how to play,
but about teaching you:
Respect reality, honor differences, and be ready to call it off at any moment.

Because truly mature adults
aren't those who never fail,
but those who know when to stop after failing.