Two weeks after Sumire met Miu, Sumire calls K before dawn, waking him up. She is calling from a phone booth in the park near her apartment and explains that nearby roosters woke her up early. She asks him to explain the difference between a sign and a symbol. He tries to explain to her that the emperor is a symbol of Japan, but that Japan cannot be a symbol for the emperor. After some confusion, Sumire understands.

After this conversation, Sumire reveals to K that she is falling in love. K teases her, asking if it is with someone other than him. She tells him that it is and asks if they can meet, as she wants to tell him about it. He agrees, and she thanks him for being a good enough friend to answer her call in the middle of the night.

When Sumire arrives, K nearly does not recognize her. Instead of her usual thrown-together look, she has a fashionable outfit and a new haircut. They decide to go for a walk, and as they make their way through Tokyo, Sumire tells K about Miu, beginning with how they met at the wedding.

The day after the wedding was a rainy day, and Sumire was excited to see Miu again. As she waited, Sumire sat down to write, but nothing came to her. For Sumire, this was new, as she was always able to write something.

Sumire met Miu at a fancy restaurant and was in awe of her elegance. Her clothes were fashionable, and she ordered for herself and Sumire. She ate little and enjoyed her wine.

Despite Sumire’s protests that she did not have professional experience or great organizational skills, Miu encouraged her to take the job. She was confident that Sumire could handle any tasks. Sumire explained that she was committed to writing, but Miu told her that she did not believe Sumire would write anything of importance at this stage in her life. She was confident of Sumire’s talent but believed she needed more experience to really succeed.

After some consideration, Sumire agreed with Miu and decided to put her writing aside for a while to work for Miu. She accepted the job, along with Miu’s requests that she work three days a week and attend Italian lessons to help with Miu’s travels. As she said yes, Sumire wondered if she could say anything other than that. She was drawn to Miu and, looking in her eyes, felt as though she was getting lost.

After they finished their meal and espresso, Miu invited Sumire to her home, wanting to show something to Sumire.

One summer during university, K took a trip by himself. While traveling, he met an older woman, and they spent the night together. K, who was not confident that he satisfied her, apologized. She told him not to apologize and advised him that he could do better by being alert. This advice stayed with K, and he even told Sumire the story once, as a way to advise her to be alert and open, and not assume anything.

At Miu’s apartment after lunch, Miu showed Sumire fancy clothes that a friend of hers would not wear. This friend was the same size as Sumire, and Miu offered the clothes to Sumire, saying she could wear them to work.

Sumire began her office job for Miu, acting as a secretary and doing simple office tasks. Miu only worked in the office for an hour or two every day, but the proximity to Miu thrilled Sumire. In her downtime at work, Sumire would practice her Italian and read over files related to Miu’s work.

Occasionally, Miu invited Sumire out to dinner. As a part of her job, Miu would visit certain restaurants to maintain relationships. While out, Miu would order a full bottle of wine for her and Sumire. When Sumire asked why, knowing they could not finish it, Miu explained that this way, with the bottle already opened, more people could try it. At these dinners, Sumire watched as Miu drank her wine, shocked by her elegance. Miu even taught Sumire how to properly taste wine, continuing to cultivate Sumire’s new life.

One night, in her excitement, Sumire told Miu that she wished to be like her. Miu grew silent, with a troubled look on her face. Miu told Sumire that she was not a whole person, as something happened to her 14 years ago. She wished that she had met Sumire before she changed. Sumire pieced together details, learning that Miu was an incredibly talented pianist when she was younger, even studying abroad. However, while she was abroad, Miu’s father died. She moved back to Japan to take over his company and never played piano again.

On the phone one night, Sumire tells K that she quit smoking because Miu does not allow it in her office. She struggles not to smoke and tells him that this is not the only problem she has. She finds that she can no longer write. She loses all confidence and will to do so, a stark departure from who she was before she met Miu. K tries to convince her that she is a good writer, crediting her style for its vividness. Sumire feels as though she wasted time, and she is confused, unable to see the difference between what is real and not.

She also has vivid dreams, often waking in the middle of the night. When this happens, she calls K. Sumire considers her love for Miu, telling K that she read an article that said lesbians have a special bone in their ear. She believes she has this bone because her ear rings whenever she thinks of Miu. K tells her not to trust such an easy explanation. After they hang up, K looks at the clock. It is past three o’clock in the morning, and he knows he won’t be able to sleep again.