Summary

In Chapter 2, Tsukuru returned home during a vacation from college during his sophomore year. He tried to reach each of his four friends but none of them were available and none of them returned his calls. He called again later with the same result. He continued to call until Ao finally came to the phone. He said Tsukuru was no longer welcome as one of the group. He refused to say why, only that Tsukuru should know why. Tsukuru couldn't think of any reason for the reaction but was so hurt that he didn't press.

The story reverts to the present and Sara asks Tsukuru if he ever found out why his friends shut him out. He says he decided that if they all felt this way, there was nothing he could do about it. Sara says she would have insisted on an...