Audition

Shigeharu Aoyama, a middle-aged widower, grapples with the sorrow of losing his wife to illness seven years prior. This loss profoundly impacts his life, leaving him emotionally distant and unsure about re-entering the dating scene.

Aoyama's 17-year-old son, Shigehiko, expresses concern for his father’s loneliness. He encourages Aoyama to find a new partner, believing that companionship could help alleviate his father's grief.

Aoyama’s friend, Yoshikawa, proposes a radical plan to help Aoyama meet women. They organize a mock audition, marketing it as a casting call for a film, where young women will compete for the chance to be Aoyama's new wife.

During the auditions, Aoyama is intrigued by Asami Yamazaki, a 24-year-old with a hauntingly beautiful story. Her tale of a tragic past and ballet career cut short captivates Aoyama, stirring feelings he thought were lost.

Despite his growing attraction to Asami, Yoshikawa raises concerns about her reliability. They are unable to verify any details from her résumé, and troubling rumors about her past surface, but Aoyama is undeterred.

Asami is revealed to live in a sparse, unsettling apartment equipped only with a sack and a telephone. Her loneliness is palpable, and the eerie atmosphere suggests deeper, darker elements troubling her life.

Aoyama and Asami spend a weekend at a seaside hotel, where intimate conversations lead to a deeper connection. Asami shares her painful experiences of childhood abuse, and they share a night of passion, solidifying their bond.

Upon waking the next morning, Aoyama discovers that Asami has vanished without a trace. This prompts him to frantically search for her using the scant details from her résumé, leading him to unsettling revelations.

Aoyama visits an old ballet studio seeking answers about Asami, only to find a disabled man linked to her past traumas. This encounter hints at the dark history that has shaped Asami's life and her current state.

Further investigation at a bar where Asami once worked reveals horrific truths about her past. The former owner had been discovered dismembered, adding a chilling layer to Asami's already ominous story.

While Aoyama searches for her, Asami stealthily enters his home. She finds a photograph of Aoyama's deceased wife, which ignites her fury and sets in motion her sinister plan against Aoyama.

In a calculative act of betrayal, Asami drugs Aoyama, leaving him incapacitated. This marks the beginning of a nightmarish sequence where her true nature and motives are horrifyingly revealed.

Asami's cruelty blossoms as she tortures Aoyama, injecting him with a paralyzing agent while declaring that he is incapable of truly loving anyone. The severity of his predicament becomes agonizingly apparent as she inflicts unbearable pain.

In a harrowing twist, Shigehiko returns home unexpectedly and discovers the aftermath of Asami's violence. In a desperate act of protection, he confronts Asami, resulting in a brutal struggle that leaves her severely injured.

As Aoyama lies in agony, he reflects on the dream he had where he promised Asami that life still holds beauty despite pain. This moment encapsulates the bittersweet and tragic nature of their entwined fates.