"True family" is the title of this chapter's opening scene. It's the first time we've heard the word "family" mentioned in the novel, and it's also the name of the novel's main character, Hiroyuki's mother. We learn that Hiroyuki and his mother have been married for a long time, and that he's been having an affair with a woman named "Sumi" for the past few years. We also learn that the two of them have a daughter named "Shu-Shu" , which means "sweet" in Japanese. The chapter ends with a farewell note from Hiroyuki to his mother.