- Naomi is washing all of the stained cups and plates in Obasan's house when Nakayama-sensei comes in. Aunt Emily and Stephen are right behind him. Stephen has gotten older: his hair is white and he's gotten fatter. But he's still the same old Stephen.
- Nakayama-sensei has discovered something. He's reading the papers that Obasan has been reading all day and for some reason it makes him want to pray. Naomi and Stephen don't seem to be very interested in praying, but Aunt Emily at least tries.
- Now Nakayama-sensei drops a bomb on us. When he realizes that Stephen and Naomi don't know about the letters, he says that it's time to know. Aunt Emily explains that she never told them because Naomi's mother made her promise it would be a secret. Well, they're old enough now. They should know.
- The letters were written during the war by Grandma Kato. Nakayama-sensei reads them aloud and tells Naomi and Stephen to listen closely.