Tales from the Cafe

by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

The novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky once wrote, “The most difficult thing in life is to live and not lie.” People lie for different reasons. Some lies are told in order to present yourself in a more interesting or more favorable light; others are told to deceive people. Lies can hurt, but they can also save your skin. Regardless of why they are told, however, lies most often lead to regret.

But Shuichi was different; he treated Gohtaro, who had lost everything, as important. People willing to help someone struggling, without expecting anything in return, are rare indeed. But Shuichi Kamiya was one such person.

“She was your mother, wasn’t she?” Gohtaro asked, looking over at the woman in the dress. Kazu followed Gohtaro’s gaze. “Yes,” she answered.