The letter arrives in a large envelope with an Italian stamp. Though Sumire’s name is not on the envelope, K recognizes her writing and is curious about why she sent it from Rome. He opens the envelope, surprised that the letter is five pages long.

Sumire apologizes for breaking her promise to treat him to dinner. She explains that a trip to Europe with Miu for business came up suddenly. Though she enjoys the travel and is writing from an outdoor café in Rome, she feels as though she is no longer herself. She feels as though someone took her apart and put her back together in her sleep. Despite all of her confusion, she misses K, feeling lonely without him.

Miu invited Sumire on what was meant to be a two-week business trip to Italy and France as her personal secretary. They first arrived in Milan, where Miu rented an Alfa Romeo. Sumire’s desire for Miu swelled as she watched her drive the car, as well as when they were shopping. She exuded confidence and style while shopping.

The women have separate rooms in each hotel, though one night they shared a room with two beds. Sumire struggled that night, her desire for Miu manifesting in the need to be held by Miu.

Sumire writes the letter while Miu is out visiting friends. Without Miu, Sumire feels lost and experiences no desire to sightsee or do anything. All of her energy is devoted to Miu. As she concludes the letter, Sumire explains that her feelings of not being herself are fading, which is a relief to her. She tells K she will be back in mid-August, and they will have their dinner then.

Five days later, a shorter letter from France arrives. Miu and Sumire traveled to Burgundy, and Sumire is obsessed with how great the wine is. She tells K that she will not be returning to Japan when she expected. An Englishman she and Miu met offered them his villa on a Greek island. Miu and Sumire decide to stay there for a real vacation.

K waits for Sumire to return, feeling lost and lonely without her. He tries calling her, but she does not pick up. He figures that she is enjoying her vacation. He sees his girlfriend and thinks that if he did not know Sumire, he could fall for her. However, with his desire for Sumire, he cannot love this other woman.

One night, K’s phone rings at two o’clock in the morning. It is Miu.

Miu asks K to come to the Greek island where she and Sumire are staying. She tells K that something happened to Sumire but will not explain what. K agrees to come, but before Miu can reveal any other details, their connection fails.

K packs for his trip, wondering if any part of it will feel like a vacation. He finds the island on a map, near the Turkish border. He cannot fall back asleep, worried about Sumire. He wonders what happened to her and is unsettled by the fact that Miu does not seem to know.

The next morning, K heads to the airport. He will fly to Amsterdam, then Athens, and then Rhodes, where he will take a ferry to the island. The new school term is starting in 10 days, and K calls a coworker to cover for him, saying he has a family emergency. K is anxious during his travels but makes it to Rhodes on time. Though it is late in the day, he manages to catch the evening ferry to the island.

He looks for Miu, who said she would meet him at the ferry. When she does not arrive, K sits at a local café and reads a pamphlet from a nearby kiosk. The island is sparse but has a rich history. It was a major trading nexus when Ancient Greece was at its peak. Turkey eventually took control of the island, facing fierce resistance from its inhabitants. Eventually, rebels won back the island, only to be occupied by the Nazis during World War II.

As the sun begins to set, Miu arrives and apologizes, saying she was busy at the police station. Before discussing Sumire, Miu takes K to dinner. It is the first time they meet, and K is taken with Miu’s beauty and elegance. He is impressed by how she embraces aging. After their meal, Miu reveals that Sumire disappeared without a trace. Miu suggests they walk to the villa before she tells K the story. She offers him Sumire’s room at the village.

When they arrive at the villa, Miu explains that this is her eighth day on the island. Sumire disappeared without a trace four nights prior.

Miu starts her story by reviewing the route they took through Europe. She explains that she felt connected to Sumire, shocked by how easy it was to be around her. They decided to take the English gentleman’s offer to relax at his Greek villa. They both wanted the rest, and though returning to Tokyo later than expected would cause some issues, Miu thought it was worth it.

Every morning, the two women rose and immediately went to a nearby beach. The sand and surf were beautiful, and they could swim and sunbathe naked. They would walk back to the villa and spend the days relaxing, visiting the village, and listening to music. Miu assures K that they both enjoyed life on the island.

On their fourth morning, Sumire read an article to Miu about a woman in Athens whose cats ate her after she died in her apartment. They debated what punishment would be fitting for the cats, whether they should be incarcerated or reformed. This reminded Miu of her days in a Catholic school when a nun asked if the students should share food with a cat while stranded on a desert island. The nun said no, because a cat is not chosen by God.

After this, Sumire told Miu a story about her childhood cat. One day, the cat went into a frenzy, running around the yard before climbing a tree. Sumire waited for the cat to come down, but it never did. Her family told her the cat would eventually come down, but no one ever saw it again. After a week of waiting, Sumire gave up. She was so upset about the loss that she never adopted another cat, confident that she could not love it the same.

K interrupts to ask why Miu called him instead of Sumire’s family. She tells him that it is because Sumire trusted him. When she asks if he wants to know the truth of what happened, he tells her he would not be on the island if he did not want to. She reveals that something happened later that night.