In this chapter, we meet the "Guardian Characters" , a group of young people who are introduced in the beginning of the novel. The group consists of a girl named Amuchan, a boy named Yoru, and a man named Mki. Yoru is a good cook, and he is accompanied by his companion, M.ki, who is also a good seamstress. The girls discuss their daily lives, and they discuss the Christmas tree that M.iki has made for her family. They discuss how they will decorate the tree for the holiday season.