The next day, Kōhei's futon is wet again. After two o'clock, O-tane tells Tamekichi that the boy has been missing since before breakfast. Tamekichi expresses the opinion that he won’t come back and when O-tane says she's worried he’ll go hungry he tells her that the boy will scavenge from dustbins. O-tane spends the rest of the day searching the streets. In the evening, Kiku visits again. She says that O-tane was always irascible and that when she glares it is enough to frighten any child. O-tane admits that she was too angry with the boy and says that he has a good heart. Kiku tells her that, in spite of herself, O-tane has grown fond of him. O-tane admits this is so. Tashiro arrives with Kōhei. The boy had run away because he was afraid of the consequences of wetting his bed for the second time and had gone back to Kudan. When they are alone, O-tane asks Kōhei if he’ll be her son. He says ‘Yes’.