things start to look more positive after she spends a summer with her grandmother in sendai, however. jiko introduces nao to new concepts such as "zazen" and helps her find a way to seek spiritual solace from her turbulent daily life and allow her to gain psychological strength to deal with difficult circumstances. through jiko, nao forms a stronger connection to japan. while nao is in sendai, she also unravels some family history, finding out about her great-uncle's involvement in world war ii.