Once he gets off the train in Nagano, Noa isn’t sure where to go next. He wanders into a cafe and begins chatting with his server, who is nicknamed Bingo. Noa shares that he plans to stay in Nagano, and Bingo asks what he hopes to do for employment. He tells Noa that if he needs immediate employment, the pachinko parlor is hiring. Noa is surprised and tries not to look offended, wondering whether he somehow gave away his Korean identity. He also finds that he has introduced himself as Nobuo Bando, his Japanese name.

Noa leaves to visit the office of Takano-san and inquire about employment. He tells Takano that he has bookkeeping skills and is a former student of English literature. Takano asks where Noa is staying while in Nagano, and Noa replies that he hasn’t yet located housing. Takano offers Noa a job for a month to determine whether he is a good fit for the position. He also tells Noa that he can stay in the dormitory of the pachinko parlor, which houses sixty employees. While there, Noa will have access to three meals a day.

Noa knows that he needs to keep his Korean identity a secret. Takano doesn’t hire “foreigners,” and although he suspects that Noa might be Korean, he decides not to press the issue.