In this chapter, the protagonist is introduced to a new character named "Sudou" . He is a student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and he is interested in pursuing a career in the social sciences. When he meets the protagonist's friend, Kishida, at the university's office, he is surprised to learn that Kisida has accepted a job offer from the same university as the protagonist. The protagonist is also surprised that the university has decided to cancel the hiring of new students for the upcoming academic year.