Today I tried a silent lunch challenge with my friend Yui. The rule was simple: eat lunch without talking for ten minutes.

At first, I felt confident. Rice does not require conversation. Soup does not ask questions. I thought silence would be easy.

Then Yui pointed at my croquette with a serious face. I did not know why. Was it too round? Was it in danger? I wanted to ask, but the challenge had started.

She drew a tiny picture in the air. I guessed "lion," then "taxi," then "angry potato." She shook her head every time.

After seven minutes, I finally understood. She was warning me that sauce was on my sleeve. By then, the sleeve had already accepted its new life.

We failed at minute eight because we both laughed. Still, I learned something important: silence is peaceful, but lunch needs subtitles.