8 The Town of Diggers

*Present day*

As Hotaka wandered through the town of Shouban, he could sense that something felt of. He had heard that the town was famous for its inviting atmosphere but it seemed as if a big blanket full of sorrow had been cast on the town of Shouban. Apparently the man who Aiko had suspected Daiki of killing had been a bright and illuminating light for the townsfolk. He had once known that very man and he was able to sympathize with the people. "It's a tragedy, you will be missed... Akimitsu", he whispered to himself.

He noticed a small building, where a woman was standing against the entrance. At closer inspection, the building appeared to be a small restaurant. She was facing the entrance and he was only able to see her back, but she was shaking and clenching her fists. He walked up to her and asked if they were open. She stroke her arm against her face and then turned around with a big smile. "Sure, we're open!" He thought that sometimes, ventilation through a stranger was the only true way to ventilate.

He sat down by a small table and started eating the ramen he had ordered. "Are you enjoying the town so far?" He took his eyes away from the soup and looked at directly at her. "If I'm going to be honest with you, I feel as if this town has recently lost something very valuable. It's as if one of the pillars holding up this small community has fallen" She responded to his words with eyes full of- what seemed like- painful memories. "Yeah, I recently lost someone very important to me and all the others in Shouban, he was even a regular customer. Although all you can do now is to move on and start cooking again..."

He saw how she was forcing her tears back, a empathetic smile appeared on his face." Yes, I believe that's the right thing to do but if you pardon me, and excuse me if I'm stepping out of line, in the end, you will eventually have to accept what has happened and learn to live with it. Then -when the time comes- don't forget to cry, it's sometimes best to bury your emotions in order to continue living and as to not collapse on yourself. But when the time comes you will slowly but surely need to start digging up those painful memories, when you're doing this, never stop digging... Sorry, I got a little to carried away..." She started laughing and he couldn't help but to do the same, even though he saw the tears on her cheeks fall to the ground, he didn't mention it.