Late Autumn

Three middle-aged friends and Akiko attend Miwa's memorial service on the seventh anniversary of his death. They reminisce about Miwa and remark on Akiko's still youthful appearance. The gathering carries a quiet tension as they consider Ayako's future.

During the memorial, the friends decide it is time for Ayako to marry. Taguchi mentions a prospective suitor, but it becomes clear that the man already has a fiancée, complicating their plan.

Taguchi confirms the suitor's engagement, which undermines the initial matchmaking idea. The friends debate how best to help Ayako while respecting her own wishes.

Mamiya offers his employee Goto as a potential partner for Ayako. The suggestion brings cautious optimism, though Ayako remains unsure about marriage itself.

Ayako privately confides in Akiko that she has no wish to marry. She worries that marriage could leave her mother alone and change their close relationship.

Ayako meets Goto for the first time at Mamiya's office, and their connection grows from there. The budding romance unfolds amid doubts about conforming to family expectations.

During a hiking trip, a colleague offers to reintroduce Goto to Ayako, reviving the possibility of a match. The idea lingers as a potential route to Ayako's future.

Ayako articulates a theory that romance and marriage could be separate arrangements. The group interprets this as a potential pathway, though it remains unsettled.

The friends consider Hirayama, a widower, as Akiko's remarriage partner. Hirayama is warned not to rush, but he remains open to the possibility after some reflection.

Hirayama discusses the plan with his son and, influenced by the conversation, changes his mind about pursuing Akiko. He signals a willingness to participate in the arrangement.

Before Akiko is consulted, Mamiya accidentally informs Ayako about the plan. Ayako reacts with distress and leaves home, seeking counsel elsewhere.

Yuriko confronts the three friends, learns the truth of their scheme, and decides to help Hirayama. She scolds them for their meddling but aims to steer the outcome toward genuine happiness.

On their last trip together, Akiko tells Ayako she has decided not to marry. She urges her daughter not to worry about her and to pursue her own path.

With Ayako's decision to marry Goto, Akiko finds herself living alone. The ending emphasizes the complexities of love, duty, and personal independence within a family.