2025 Silver Medalist Daniel Analyzes the FIRST HIS Writes Champion Story

These analysis posts are designed as companions to our collection of HIS Writes short story finalists. To read "Pen Pal" in full, please click HERE.

Maintaining relationships is never easy. People often retreat out of fear, afraid that one wrong move might cause everything to fall apart. To protect themselves, they sometimes lie—to friends, family, even partners—hoping to shield their feelings. But lies have short lifespans, and hiding only creates distance, eventually bringing more pain to everyone involved. True connection can only survive through honesty. There may be conflict, but through it, people can learn, heal, and grow. Pen-pal captures this emotional truth with striking power, exploring change, tension, and human connection in a way that lingers long after the story ends.

Pen-pal tells the story of a mother and daughter—Halia and her mom—grappling with the loss of Nana, the grandmother who had raised Halia in her mother’s absence. When Nana died, Halia was left in desperate need of support, but her mother wasn’t there. This absence planted the seeds of guilt in the mother and resentment in the daughter.

The story by Aina Nishi-Strong and Hana Katayama skillfully portrays this emotional evolution. In the beginning, Halia clearly resents her mother, while the mother is burdened with shame. Midway through the story, the mother writes to Halia under a false name, expressing feelings she can’t say aloud. This changes Halia—she becomes warmer, though still cautious. When the truth finally comes out, Halia doesn’t push her mother away. Instead, she hugs her for the first time, showing that love has returned. Through this clever storytelling device, Aina and Hana make the characters feel deeply real, drawing the audience into their emotional journey.

As the bond between Halia and her mother strengthens, so does our connection to them. What begins as a cold and painful relationship gradually transforms. The mother’s repeated apologies seem fruitless at first, but slowly, trust begins to grow. By the end, Halia feels secure with her mother. That transformation is what hooks us—it’s what we hope for: two people choosing honesty, forgiveness, and love.

Finally, the tension between Halia and her mother adds a gripping emotional weight to the story. In the early scenes, Halia’s bitterness is unmistakable, and the mother’s missteps only deepen the divide. With Nana—their shared anchor—gone, both are left wounded. Their grief and regret make them human, and Pen-pal captures this humanity with heartbreaking clarity.