In this chapter, we learn that riedu has been avoiding him ever since he returned from the war. He tells tetsu that he would never hurt his child, and that it is impossible for him to care for his daughter oku sama. He also tells him that he is sorry that he has not been able to be a good mother to his daughter. He says that he knows she does not love him anymore, and he hopes that he will be willing to listen to her. He adds that he does not want his family to think that they will be able to use shizu as a tool for seeing him, and his own body as a means to see him. . he says that his time is about to end, but that he still does not know what it is like to die. He wants to try and understand what it means, and to take better care of himself. He hopes that in the future, his family may grow and form a circle of happiness.