The chapter opens on a beach in Yokohama, Japan, where the narrator and his friends are enjoying themselves. They're talking about how much fun it is to be at the beach, and the narrator says that he's never been to a beach before, so it's great to be there. He also says that the beach is a nice change from his regular life, and he'll be able to spend more time with his friends. He's not giving up on his goal of becoming a member of the Negro Athletic Club, though. He and his friend, class rep, have been working hard to get the badge they need, but they can't all agree on how to do it together. The class rep says that she's happy that the two of them have decided to do something together, since they know about each other's pasts, and they're able to help each other out. The narrator is happy that they've decided to get together, because it means they'll have a better chance of getting the badge. He thinks that the class rep is a model, too, and that they should ask her out tomorrow alone.