At the crowded meeting, the many factions, including Kurdish nationalist youths, old-wave Marxists, Islamist militants, and secret MIT informers, can’t agree on what the joint statement should say. Turgut Bey poses a question: “If a big German newspaper gave you personally two lines of space, what would you say to the West?” (273). As people answer, they discuss Turkey and its relationship to the West, Islam, modernity, and poverty. Kadife threatens to remove her headscarf, but Fazıl, Necip’s best friend, stops her, saying he will kill himself if she removes it because he loves her. Everyone signs the statement.

Following the secret meeting, Fazıl meets Ka at a teahouse to fill him in on what happened. He also tells Ka that he didn’t mean it when he threatened suicide at the meeting and that he’s embarrassed that he proclaimed his love for Kadife in front of everyone. Fazıl believes “Necip’s soul is now living inside [his] body” (285). He tells Ka that he feels guilty because he loved Kadife even before Necip died. He also feels guilty because he’s doubting God’s existence.

While Ka is talking with Fazıl, he receives a note from Kadife and İpek proposing to meet him at the pastry shop.