Summer: June through July, 1938 Summary

Stephen joins Matsu for a trip into town. He says it seems more than the two months since Kenzo's funeral. He notes that Matsu stares straight ahead without looking toward the teahouse. Stephen mails letters to his mother and sister, but says he no longer mentions the possibility of returning to Hong Kong. Stephen encounters Keiko, and she asks if he'll meet her at the shrine the following day. She makes sure no one is looking, touches him on the hand, and leaves. As Stephen and Matsu head for home, Matsu says that Hiro—the leper who fought the fire with Stephen—has died. Stephen doesn't accompany Matsu to Yamaguchi and the following day he heads to the Tama shrine to meet Keiko. She has a picnic lunch and Stephen lays down and closes his...