Tldr at the bottom lol
I’ve been talking to a woman, S (late 20s), for about half a year.
We’ve met three times. life kept getting in the way, and we live in different prefectures with me needing to return to my home country briefly. Our most recent meetup (last month) was a full day together at Universal Studios. She seemed really comfortable with me laughing a lot, wearing matching hats, taking lots of photos together, and suggesting we both get annual passes etc.
The day after she sent me messages like this:
「ありがとう~！
一瞬すぎてびっくりだよ😳
うん！また色々といこうね~！」
And just a week ago she was saying things like:
「12月！きまったの！！！！ユニバいけるかな~😆」
「また行きたいね~！冬のUSJ綺麗だよ~！！！🌲」
「もう予約したんだね😳😳！楽しみだーーあ！！！」
So she genuinely seemed excited about seeing me again in December when we’re both free to meet.
Four days ago, after a small gap in messages, I checked in to see if everything was okay, and she replied with:
「実はおばあちゃんまた入院しちゃってさ😫
ちょっとバタバタしてるんだよね、また連絡するね！🙇🏻」
For context, I’ve known her grandmother has been dealing with health issues and was scheduled for surgery this month.
I know that 「また連絡するね」 can sometimes be used as a soft fade-out in Japanese dating culture, but I’m not sure how to read it here.
She has gone quiet during stressful periods before (travel, exams), but the timing, right after being excited about our next plans, has me confused.
Does this sound like a soft fade-out, or someone who genuinely needs space and will likely message again once things settle? I still feel fresh in Japan so I don't always understand social norms… And they don't exactly cover this in school lol
I’m just trying to manage my expectations because I was starting to get invested.
Any honest feedback is appreciated.
TLDR: Been talking to a Japanese woman for 6 months, met 3 times, last date was great and she seemed excited to meet again in December. Her grandma was hospitalized again and she sent “また連絡するね,” which I know can mean a soft fade. Not sure if she’s actually overwhelmed or distancing herself. Need perspective.
Edit: Oops replied a few on my throwaway alt when my phone died 😅
by Remarkable_Trust_848