It's 1957. Miho Sudo is sent to her relative's house with her younger brother after her father who was a fisherman died in an accident at sea. What awaits her though is poverty and cruel treatment.
Miho can't stand watching her brother struggle in poverty. She soon starts working as a prostitute in an attempt to get them a better life. But one day, her brother dies in an accident. "Now that my dear brother is gone, what's the point in living?" she thinks.
That is when Miho meets the brothel owner's son, Yoichi Tadokoro. It doesn't take long for the two to fall in love—fully aware that they differ in social standing. Rinko, Yoichi's step sister, is madly in love with Yoichi—triggering her to relentlessly bully Miho. Consequently, Yoichi and Miho run away and attempt to commit suicide together—but Yoichi is the only one that succeeds. Not only does she lose her loved one, she is also forced to abort Yoichi's child. From then on, Miho lives in complete darkness and is unable to recover from her pain. It is Kousaku Kuga, the owner of a long-established kimono shop who offers a helping hand. Fully aware of her past, Kousaku decides to keep Miho as his mistress.
Four years pass. As if destiny is playing tricks, Miho coincidentally comes across Yoichi—who she thought had died a long time ago. Although Yoichi has a wife and a son, their encounter lights a fire in their hearts. But when Yoichi's wife finds out about their relationship, she is torn by jealousy and commits suicide with Yoichi. Miho loses her loved one for the second time, and swears to herself to never fall in love again.
Sixteen years pass. Determined to never experience poverty again, Miho has become a glamorous actress. Miho will do everything it takes for her to climb to the top—even if it means sleeping with a producer to get a job. She comes across the producer's son, Kyoichi Ozaki. Fully aware that he is too young for her, she still can't stop thinking about him. But Miho soon finds out that Kyoichi is actually Yoichi's son, and had been raised by Rinko. |