The novel opens with a loud roar. It's the new year, and everyone's having a wonderful time. The narrator announces that lunch is ready, and that everyone should go out for a walk. He then tells everyone to sit down and enjoy themselves. He asks if they'd like to have some mochi, which is a snack, and then he asks them to take a seat in the bathroom so he can take a look at his new novel, which he can't yet read. He tells everyone that he'll be back in a few days, and they all go out to eat.