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My Rainy Days (2009) movie poster

Plot Summary

My Rainy Days (2009) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2009 · 119 mins · Japanese
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Directed by
Yuri Kanchiku
Starring
Kanji Tsuda, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Nozomi Sasaki, Shosuke Tanihara, HaLuki Nanai, Motoki Fukami

Haunted by a painful past, 17‑year‑old Rio tries to soothe the void inside her by pursuing money and material comforts. When she unexpectedly crosses paths with Kouki, a university professor, she is drawn into an unlikely romance that forces her to confront her insecurities and discover what truly matters beyond wealth.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like My Rainy Days
  6. 6 Every angle
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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in My Rainy Days: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of My Rainy Days (2009) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

Rio Ozawa [Nozomi Sasaki] is a beautiful and manipulative 17-year-old high school student who, along with her best friends Maki [Mitsuki Oishi] and Miho [Araki Nanaki], engages in compensated dating and extortion to earn money. After defending her naïve classmate Tomoko [Hikaru Yamamoto] from the school bully Naoko [Saki Kagami], Rio invites Tomoko to join her clique and soon manipulates her into participating in their compensated dating scheme. It is revealed that Rio and Naoko are secretly lovers, and that Naoko assisted Rio in luring Tomoko into the clique.

One day, a photo developing store accidentally swaps Rio's photographs with those of a man who also bears the Ozawa surname. Rio arranges to meet Kouki Ozawa [Shosuke Tanihara], an introverted 35-year-old history professor, to swap the photos. As they walk together, Kouki faints and is rushed to the hospital. The next day, Rio visits him at the hospital, and they begin to bond. As Rio falls in love with Kouki, she asks him to tutor her, stops doing compensated dating, and ends her romantic relationship with Naoko.

When Rio scores 99 on her history test, Kouki agrees to take her on a date. While in a library one day, Kouki kisses Rio for the first time. Unbeknownst to Rio, Kouki underwent surgery for a brain tumor three years earlier, but the tumor was not completely removed. Kouki's cousin Kaori [Wakana Sakai] tries to convince him to reconsider another surgery, but he does not want to be a burden to others. To avoid hurting Rio, Kouki suddenly distances himself from her, leaving her heartbroken.

Naoko, who has been skipping school, walks into class unexpectedly and tries to stab Tomoko, accusing her of taking Rio away from her, but Rio shields Tomoko. Naoko then runs onto the school rooftop, with Rio in pursuit. Naoko tearfully tells Rio that she had been repeatedly raped by her mother's boyfriend and that her mother blamed her after he left her, so Naoko murdered him. Rio attempts to dissuade Naoko from jumping, but as Tomoko, Maki, and Miho arrive, Naoko jumps to her death after professing her love to Rio.

Distressed by Naoko's suicide, Rio confesses to Tomoko that she was the one who ordered Naoko to bully her, prompting Tomoko to sever ties with Rio. However, when Rio collapses from stress at school, they rekindle their friendship. After Rio laments to her friends that Kouki has moved out of his house without saying goodbye, they convince Kaori to visit Rio at the hospital. Sympathetic, Kaori reveals that Kouki has been transferred to another university and gives Rio his new address.

Rio meets with Kouki and reveals that three years earlier, she became pregnant as a result of rape, so her mother took her to the hospital to have an abortion. She then resorted to prostitution and extortion as a way to avoid getting hurt again, but after meeting Kouki, she realized that seeing a loved one get hurt was much more painful. Kouki acknowledges that Rio is no longer the same person. Shortly after Rio boards a bus, Kouki faints.

Rio accompanies Kouki to the hospital and learns of his brain tumor. When she visits him the next day, he tells her that he never expected to fall in love with a girl like her knowing much time he had left to live, but since meeting her, he began wishing for more time with her. Rio urges Kouki to undergo another surgery, even at the risk of losing his memories. He reluctantly agrees, and shortly before the surgery, he finally tells Rio that he loves her.

Some time later, Rio graduates from high school. On a rainy day, she returns to the hospital to find Kouki, who survived the surgery. Though he does not seem to remember her, he agrees to walk her to the train station under his umbrella. After Kouki walks away, a tearful Rio stands in the rain. Shortly afterwards, Kouki returns and covers Rio under his umbrella, and she joyfully embraces him.

Last updated: December 04, 2025 at 15:32

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Plot questions answered

My Rainy Days Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about My Rainy Days (2009): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why did Rio start doing compensated dating and extortion?

Three years before the story, Rio was raped and became pregnant. Her mother took her to the hospital for an abortion, and to avoid getting hurt again, Rio turned to compensated dating as a survival strategy. This trauma led her to pursue money and material comforts as a way to create distance from emotional vulnerability.

Foreshadowing: The film reveals Rio's traumatic past gradually, with her defensive reactions and manipulative behavior serving as early hints to her psychological wounds.

  • rio
  • compensated dating
  • rape
  • trauma
  • survival
Q2

Why did Kouki suddenly distance himself from Rio?

Kouki had undergone brain tumor surgery three years earlier, but the tumor was not completely removed. His cousin Kaori urged him to consider another surgery, but he didn't want to become a burden to others. To protect Rio from the pain of his illness and potential death, he chose to push her away, though this left her heartbroken.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Kouki's sudden fainting episodes and his reluctance to discuss his health, hinting at his hidden medical condition.

  • kouki
  • brain tumor
  • distance
  • love
  • burden
Q3

Why did Naoko try to stab Tomoko?

Naoko was secretly in a romantic relationship with Rio. When Rio began spending more time with Kouki and ended their relationship, Naoko became consumed with jealousy. She believed Tomoko had taken Rio away from her, which drove her to attack Tomoko in the classroom.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the film, Rio and Naoko's interactions reveal a deeper connection than typical friends, with Rio often defending Naoko and their glances carrying romantic tension.

  • naoko
  • tomoko
  • attack
  • jealousy
  • rio
Q4

Why did Naoko jump off the school rooftop?

Naoko revealed she was repeatedly raped by her mother's boyfriend, and after he left, her mother blamed her for his departure. In response, Naoko murdered him. Overwhelmed by guilt, trauma, and her unrequited love for Rio, she climbed to the rooftop and jumped to her death after declaring her love for Rio.

Foreshadowing: Naoko's violent outburst and erratic behavior throughout the film hint at deeper psychological trauma beneath her tough exterior.

  • naoko
  • suicide
  • rape
  • trauma
  • rooftop
Q5

Why did Rio confess to Tomoko that she manipulated her?

After Naoko's suicide, Rio was distressed and felt guilty about her role in the chain of events. She confessed to Tomoko that she was the one who ordered Naoko to bully her in the first place, which led Tomoko to sever ties with her. This confession reflected Rio's attempt to stop hiding behind manipulation and face the consequences of her actions.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Rio's manipulative behavior as she orchestrates the compensated dating scheme, demonstrating her willingness to use others for her goals.

  • rio
  • tomoko
  • confession
  • manipulation
  • guilt
Q6

Why did Rio tell Kouki about her past trauma?

Rio revealed that she became pregnant from rape three years earlier and had an abortion because she wanted to confront her past directly. By sharing this painful history, she demonstrated her trust in Kouki and acknowledged that his love made her realize that experiencing pain through love was worth the risk, marking a significant emotional turning point for her.

Foreshadowing: Rio's earlier refusal to discuss her background and her defensive reactions when questioned about her family hint at unresolved trauma she was carrying.

  • rio
  • rape
  • abortion
  • pregnancy
  • trust
  • kouki
Q7

Why did Kouki agree to undergo the brain surgery despite the risks?

Kouki agreed to the surgery because Rio urged him to pursue any chance of survival, even at the risk of losing his memories. Before the operation, he finally told Rio he loved her. His decision reflected his hope to have more time with her, even though the surgery carried significant dangers.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Kouki's reluctance to seek treatment, as he initially prioritized avoiding being a burden over fighting his illness.

  • kouki
  • surgery
  • brain tumor
  • memory loss
  • love
Q8

Why doesn't Kouki remember Rio at the hospital?

The brain surgery successfully saved Kouki's life, but it caused memory loss as a side effect. When Rio visits him after graduation, he initially doesn't recognize her. However, when he sees her standing in the rain, something stirs within him, and he returns to cover her with his umbrella, suggesting their connection transcends memory.

Foreshadowing: The film foreshadows this outcome when Kouki agrees to surgery at the risk of losing his memories, creating tension about whether their relationship would survive.

  • kouki
  • memory loss
  • surgery
  • reunion
  • rain
Q9

How did Rio and Kouki meet for the first time?

A photo developing store accidentally swapped Rio's photographs with those of another customer who also had the Ozawa surname. Rio arranged to meet Kouki Ozawa, a 35-year-old history professor, to swap the photos back. While walking together, Kouki suddenly fainted and was rushed to the hospital, where their relationship began.

Foreshadowing: This coincidental meeting sets up the central romance of the film, with the photo swap serving as the unlikely catalyst that brings two people from vastly different worlds together.

  • photo swap
  • kouki
  • first meeting
  • hospital
  • coincidence
Q10

Why did Rio end her relationship with Naoko?

After meeting Kouki and falling in love with him, Rio chose to end her secret romantic relationship with Naoko. This decision reflected her genuine emotional transformation through Kouki's influence. However, this change also triggered Naoko's jealousy and eventual breakdown, as Rio had been her primary source of emotional support.

Foreshadowing: The shift in Rio's behavior, stopping compensated dating, studying harder, and spending less time with Naoko, signals her changing priorities and emotional shift toward Kouki.

  • rio
  • naoko
  • breakup
  • kouki
  • lesbian relationship
Q11

What happened to Rio after she had the abortion?

After her abortion, Rio developed a survival strategy centered on avoiding emotional vulnerability. She started compensated dating, which escalated into extortion and manipulation of other students. Her goal was to accumulate money and material comforts as a buffer against getting hurt again, until meeting Kouki changed her perspective on love and risk.

Foreshadowing: The film shows Rio's manipulative behavior and materialistic pursuits as defense mechanisms established after her trauma.

  • rio
  • abortion
  • trauma
  • prostitution
  • survival strategy
Q12

Why did Naoko murder her mother's boyfriend?

Naoko was repeatedly raped by her mother's boyfriend over an extended period. When he eventually left, her mother blamed Naoko for his departure, telling her she drove him away. In response to this betrayal and the trauma she suffered, Naoko killed him, a crime that remained hidden throughout the film.

Foreshadowing: Naoko's volatile behavior and references to her difficult home life hint at the abuse she endured, though the full extent is revealed only during her breakdown.

  • naoko
  • murder
  • rape
  • mother
  • abuse

Movie threads

More Movies Like My Rainy Days, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes My Rainy Days tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about trauma and redemptive romance like My Rainy Days

Characters shattered by trauma find an unlikely path to healing through a transformative romance. If you were moved by the story of Rio and Kouki in My Rainy Days, you'll find similar emotional journeys here. This collection features movies about characters overcoming severe trauma through a transformative love story, exploring themes of healing, painful pasts, and bittersweet redemption in dramas with heavy emotional weight.

  • traumatic
  • redemptive
  • heartbreaking
  • hopeful
  • intense
  • melancholic
  • Tone: dark, hopeful, melancholic
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a character defined by a traumatic history—such as abuse, loss, or exploitation—who is living a self-destructive or emotionally closed-off life. The inciting event is the arrival of an unexpected love interest who sees past their defenses. The core of the story is the turbulent process of learning to trust and love again, often facing external obstacles and internal turmoil, leading to a cathartic but imperfect resolution.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread are grouped by their shared focus on the powerful, redemptive potential of love in the face of severe psychological pain. They blend a dark, intense tone with a hopeful, character-driven romance, creating a deeply emotional experience centered on healing and personal transformation.

Bittersweet melodramas with forbidden love like My Rainy Days

Intense, socially taboo romances unfold under the shadow of looming tragedy and moral complexity. For viewers who appreciated the intense, forbidden dynamic between Rio and Kouki in My Rainy Days, this thread gathers similar emotionally charged melodramas. Discover movies featuring complex, taboo romances set against dramatic backdrops of terminal illness or moral ambiguity, all culminating in a powerfully bittersweet ending.

  • melodramatic
  • forbidden love
  • bittersweet
  • tragic
  • intense
  • heartbreaking
  • Tone: dark, bittersweet, intense
  • Pacing: steady, dramatic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot hinges on a romance considered forbidden or problematic, creating immediate tension. This central relationship is tested by a series of acute crises—such as a terminal diagnosis, blackmail, or the exposure of secrets—that accelerate the emotional stakes. The pacing is steady and relentless, moving from one dramatic peak to another, ensuring the viewer is constantly engaged with the characters' fraught emotional states, ultimately resolving in a way that acknowledges both love and loss.

Why they belong together: These films share a specific recipe: a core of forbidden love, a high level of dramatic intensity, a steady pace of unfolding crises, and an overwhelmingly bittersweet emotional payoff. They are united by their ability to wrench strong emotions from the audience through morally complex and tragically framed relationships.

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Every angle

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