Summary

Section 4

Haruki #1’s letters make Nao feel like a coward. The bullying that he suffered was much more than she has had to suffer. She feels weak. She sees him as only a few years older, but he was mature, brave, and intelligent. He cared about his education. This makes her feel inferior to him because she feels stupid and trivial compared to him. After returning from the temple, she is mad at herself and her father. She feels that he is a grown man and he should have his life together.

Nao would go to her mother when she was having problems with certain words, while reading Haruki #1’s letters. Her mother asks her if she has shown the letters to her father. Nao does not believe that he deserves to see them. Her mother tells her that he is trying to reform...