"...Yes, and then I was so surprised - I was just sitting there with a default face." "Default what?" "Default face. Well, like this."
My friend smiled, as she often does - neither too much nor too little - with a polite and slightly distant expression.
This is how I learned about the concept of "default face": a convenient face that is always ready for unexpected situations. It is the face that looks most suitable for them and is automatically equipped like some kind of armor.
For me, this was something entirely new and foreign, yet it made perfect sense. Is this also what the Japanese concept of tatemae (建前) describes? Anyway, seeing it in action was a completely different matter.
I also noticed that smiling like this is becoming more and more common everywhere. I bet social media has something to do with it.
This post's music
Lofi Hip Hop from Youtube