Eleven years have passed, and Shmoop is still in Japan. He's been invited to a house party for a friend of his, who's just returned from a trip to the United States, and he's excited to be home. He asks the boy's name, and the boy tells him that he'll be back in the new year, but he doesn't want to be a burden to the family. The boy is also excited about the fact that he can do whatever he wants with his own hands, and that he won't have to rely on anyone else to do anything for him. He thanks the boy for buying him some seafood curry, and they talk about how happy the boys are that he is on the school team, and how happy he is that he and his friend are the same age and that they've been friends since they were six years old. They decide to go out for a walk together, which is kind of like going out with a boyfriend, but Shmo is a little worried about how loud the terrace is, since it's so noisy.