It's the day before the wedding, and the narrator is heading to Aika's apartment to study. He's noticed that some of her friends are staring at him. He asks her what kind of nicknames she thinks would suit him, and she tells him that they don't have to be "embarrassed" to use them. She also tells him about a tradition in which gondioliers would pass on their nicknames to their apprentices. The tradition was that the apprentices would use their nicknames as a way to gain business connections. The narrator tells Aika that he heard someone gossiping about her, and that girl didn't look at him at all. He tells her that she's a strong person, but not everyone can become a "full-fledged undine" . He also tells her about a wedding that he attended, and how the bride was depressed after the wedding because everyone remembered her failure. He adds that he's strict with his friends, and they have nearby mentors to show them the way