"Heisuke, how long do you think we should grieve the death of our loved ones?"
The question swept a wave of surprise within Heisuke. He didn't expect that Hisaki would ask him that kind of question.
Inside the restaurant crowded by patrons, where the sound of cutleries scraping against the dishes and people talking to each other blended together, Hisaki's question bore the most weight to him.
Eventually, the other noises were drowned out in his mind.
Did Hisaki was really affected by the death of the old lady who she had just met before?
Heisuke grabbed a glass of plain water. He took a few sips, trying to calm himself as his mind was swirling with different kinds of answers. In front of him, Hisaki was patiently waiting for his reply.
"About that..." Heisuke put down the glass on the table. Half of its content was drunk by him, "I think grief is everlasting. It won't ever, truly end."