"Fear is a powerful force, but not everyone here is cruel," she says it softly, not completely disputing his words because anywhere feelings existed, so would cruelty. If he wanted to talk about it someday, when they were friends, Hotaru would listen. Even now as strangers, she'd listen.

"You're welcome. It's important, to have people that are nice enough to care about most people they meet." That was her subtle way of saying she would worry no matter what he said. Ritsuka was a friend of Makoto's, and so Hotaru cared.

"I can do that. How about we walk the boardwalk and I fill you in on what I know?" She nodded her head to the walkway. There were others that knew more than her, had been here since things changed, but Hotaru has learned some things.