At the end of January, the Governess and her younger sister, chiaki, arrive in their home town. The Governess thanks her sister for taking good care of her daughter, and tells her that she has accepted her as a partner in her daughter's life. She tells her sister that she and her sister heard about her from her employer, and that they only told her yesterday. She asks her sister to stay for dinner, but says that she already has a room to stay at a hotel recommended by her employer. She says that the hotel is close to the town center, and she doesn't think she'll be able to find another place to stay now that her boss is staying there. She's sorry that her brother-in-law is staying over, and says that he seems "dependable and mature" . She also says that they're not as young as they used to be when they were married, but that they don't seem to be prone to trouble. She wants to know more about her life when she lived with her sister, and asks if she can tell her more about it.