After half a year away, Mikio revisits his quiet hometown and the classic onsen inn managed by Chitose, his childhood friend whose youthful features contrast with the refined elegance her traditional attire lends her. Once his business concludes that evening, he follows the sound of her voice through the grounds until it leads him to a secluded outdoor bath. Peering past the bamboo screen, he is startled by the intimate scene unfolding before him.