Ibali liqala ngokusweleka kukaHikaru Mikado. Lo mfo wayengumchweli wendalo, "inkosi yabasetyhini", kodwa wayengenabahlobo bokwenene abangamadoda. Emva kokufa kwakhe, waba ngumoya, umphefumlo, kodwa uKoremitsu Akagi unokumbona. I-Koremitsu nangona kunjalo, ayifani ne-Hikaru. Izinwele zakhe ezibomvu namehlo akhe ajongeke kakubi amenza abonakale ngathi ukreqile, nangona enobubele ngaphakathi. UHikaru umcela ukuba amenzele ubabalo: ufuna ukuzalisekisa isithembiso, angenakuphinda asizalisekise. Isithembiso yayikukunika intombi yakhe nentombi awayeza kutshata nayo, u-Aoi Saotome, izipho ezisixhenxe zomhla wakhe weshumi elinesixhenxe ezelwe. UKoremitsu wamkela, kwaye kufuneka asebenze nzima ukunceda ukuzalisekisa isithembiso sika-Hikaru nge-Aoi.
