The heroine of the novel is an aspiring author named Sumire, who falls in love with an older woman, Miu, who appears to like Sumire for certain qualities, though she has no time for Sumire's aspirations and ideals. The third character is the unnamed narrator, an elementary school teacher, referred to twice by Sumire only as 'K', who is in love with Sumire, though Sumire does not requite his feelings.