Chapter 15

After ten days off, Joji returns to work, making the long commute from Kamakura to his office back in Omori. He leaves Kamakura early in the morning and arrives home late, leaving Naomi alone in their rental house.

One day, Joji gets off work early and arrives home over an hour before he normally would. Naomi is not at the rental house, but the remnants of a large meal and an open bottle of alcohol indicate that she likely had company fairly recently. Joji seeks out the rental house’s owner, and she tells him that Naomi is out with Hamada, Kumagai, Seki, and Nakamura. Furthermore, the rental owner tells him that Naomi has been spending almost all of her time with the group of young men and that Kumagai’s family owns a nearby villa. Joji is distraught about being deceived and immediately sets off for Kumagai’s villa.

Joji arrives at the villa and witnesses an obviously intoxicated Naomi wandering around in very little clothing and flirting openly with all four of her young male companions. He attempts to hide his presence, intending to confront Naomi with his knowledge later, but the group notices him when he goes to hide behind a tree and accidentally rustles the leaves. Upon emerging, he disparages Naomi and tells her that she has humiliated him. A drunken Naomi only giggles at him.

Chapter 16

After being interrogated by Joji, Naomi admits that the entire plan to stay in Kamakura for a month was devised by her and Kumagai. Kumagai’s family has significant influence in the region, and the rental house Joji and Naomi have been staying in was arranged by him as well. However, Joji is confused by the presence of Hamada, Seki, and Nakamura. He questions why Kumagai would bring his friends along if he and Naomi were truly having an affair. Naomi further tries to convince him of her innocence, claiming that she only deceived him because she knew Joji didn’t like her friends.

Joji confiscates all of Naomi‘s belongings except for a single robe so that she can’t leave the Kamakura rental house while he is at work. However, while on the train to his office, he impulsively decides to instead visit their usual residence in Omori, hoping to discover firm proof of Naomi’s infidelity in the form of a love letter or some other token of courtship. Upon arriving at the house, he is surprised to discover Hamada waiting in one of the bedrooms. A confused Joji asks Hamada how he got in when the house was supposed to be locked up while Naomi and Joji were staying in Kamakura. Hamada explains that Naomi gave him a key to the house a long time ago and that he was waiting there to meet her.

Hamada reveals that he has been feeling guilty about his ongoing affair with Naomi for a while now, and he confesses everything to Joji. He explains that Naomi told him that Joji was just an older relative and that she has been carrying on affairs with both Hamada and Kumagai. Hamada was in love with Naomi, and she frequently promised that they could get married as soon as she talked to Joji about it. However, during the impromptu sleepover during the rainstorm, Hamada realized that Naomi and Kumagai were also having an affair and that Naomi had been lying to him. He also now understands that Joji is more than just Naomi’s relative and feels guilty for having helped Naomi deceive him.

Joji feels pity for Hamada, and he acknowledges that they have both been deceived by Naomi. He also comes to view Kumagai as an enemy. Joji then invites Hamada out for a drink so that they can continue talking.