 Three years pass, during which Katagiri's mother passes away.While walking through town, he sees Kie in a kimono shop where she assures him that she is well.Months later, however, Shino tells Katagiri that from the start of her marriage, Kie has been forced to perform all manner of duties to the point that she is little more than a slave to her new family, and that she is gravely ill.