Asako Mizusawa is a fifty-year-old homemaker. She endured her mother-in-law's sarcasm and passive aggressive moves when her husband, Hiroyuki, decided to move in with his parents. And while she regained her freedom when her mother-in-law passed away, a life-changing event takes place two years later. It happens when her son Yuta marries a woman named Ririka. Asako has now become the mother-in-law! Asako did not approve of the marriage, but she was willing to accept it under one condition that they all live together under the same roof. Unexpectedly, Ririka agreed with a smile. Ririka invites Asako to share a bottle of wine on the first day they move in. They have a lively conversation about marital problems and Asako even mentions an affair her husband has had in the past. The two appear to be getting along, but it is all a ploy by Ririko to learn more about Asako... From the next day on, Asako notices Ririka doing suspicious things. Wanting to know more, she begins to snoop around. She learns that Ririka used to work at a bar and was more than friendly with her customers. Asako becomes determined to make her son see who Ririka really is, but her attempts only work to alienate herself from her son and her husband also takes Ririka's side. Meanwhile, a man in the neighborhood disappears. Detectives investigating the disappearance find that the evidence leads towards Ririka...
The story is set in a suburban city facing further modernization and depopulation, and depicts the "burden" shouldered by modern society and its constituents. It is the story of a woman who moves forward, step by step, in her own life as she faces the struggle of hope and confrontation in such a transition.
Asai Michiko is a 28-year old housewife. Her husband is 38-year old Yoshio, who works at an advertisement agency. Five years into their marriage, Michiko finds out that Yoshio has been having an affair. Michiko visits the woman and begs her to break up with Yoshio. "Yoshio mentioned that he doesn't see his wife as a woman," she says, bringing Michiko to tears. Nogami Machiko is a 31-year old woman who works at a luxurious nightclub in Ginza. She is told by her lover whose child she bears, "Get an abortion." She too, is brought to tears. Three years later... Since her husband's affair, Michiko, now 31, has put every effort forward to become the adorable wife by studying the latest trends and fashion. Machiko, now 34, is an employed owner of a Ginza nightclub. One day, Okinaka Kazuko moves in across from the Asai family. She is there to take care of the house while her sister and her family are living in Osaka. Alone and lonely, she hopes to become close friends with Michiko. Koyanagi Shingo, Yoshio's client and president of a middle-sized company, takes Shingo to a luxurious Ginza nightclub after dinner. It's Machiko's club. Machiko has had feelings for Yoshio since he started visiting her establishment. When Shingo rises from his seat to leave, Yoshio does the same. But Machiko holds him back. "There's an annoying customer at another table. Can you stay a little longer for me?" After leaving the club, Shingo heads downtown to visit 18-year old Ito Mayumi who sings and plays the guitar. Although Shingo has a wife and a nearly adult-age son, all he can think about is his young lover. After finishing work, Machiko takes a taxi home with Yoshio. Machiko's apartment is just a station away from Yoshio's. In the taxi, Machiko spills coffee on Yoshio's suit. "We should clean this up immediately" she says and invites Yoshio in. Yoshio can't hold back his feelings as Machiko seduces him. Meanwhile, Michiko has reunited with Kondo Kei, a 26-year old calligrapher who was formerly a student of Michiko's father, a master in calligraphy...
Kubota Nagisa, a spoiled brash executive, is the chief of Food Import Section in a first-rate trading company. Nagisa is transferred to an affiliate company in the countryside until the mishap she created in her company blows over.
Arashi Kohei, inherits a pharmaceutical company from his deceased father. Despite the hard work he was doing, six months before his parent's death, many people are trying to take the company away from him. Soon, Kohei discovers allies but also enemies, among the people he least expected it to be. Will he manage to hold his position in such a brutal world?
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