The narrator laments the fact that people come to visit the hot springs. He feels like he's been demoted back to his old job as a rakugo instructor. He wonders how many times people have asked about him while kuma has been away. The narrator is convinced that kuma is a changed man, though he says he would prefer not to be a part of it. He and kuma decide to live in the house that shisho left to them. They'll be able to practice their art in silence, and they still love to share their knowledge. They decide to go back to the house where kuma was drunk, because kuma doesn't do any work when he thinks of his dirty work. They also decide that they'll have to leave the house if they want to continue practicing .