Rental Family

Phillip agrees to play the fiancé for Yoshie as part of Rental Family's services, despite his preference for real acting work. The unusual gig becomes his path to steady income and a chance to connect with people through the strange arrangement.

Phillip takes another assignment to act as the estranged father of Hitomi's daughter Mia. He wrestles with the awkward role, but grows to care about Mia as she navigates school and identity.

As he visits Mia and Kikuo, Phillip forms close connections with both. Mia resents the idea of a 'father' who is also a hired stranger, while Kikuo’s aging, lucid presence gives Phillip a window into a life beyond acting.

Hitomi warns Phillip that getting too involved could blur the lines of his work. She fears the emotional consequences for Mia and their family, making Phillip question the depth of his new relationships.

When Phillip learns he won a much-desired role, he chooses to pass in order to continue supporting Mia and her schooling. The decision marks a turning point where personal connections override professional advancement.

Masami insists on keeping Kikuo under surveillance and Phillip is pressured to decline taking him to his childhood home. The scene underscores the tension between genuine care and the transactional nature of Rental Family's work.

Phillip learns that his coworker Aiko's assignments sometimes involve apologizing to wives for unfaithful husbands and can lead to physical abuse. The revelation reveals a darker facet of the industry and its toll on the workers.

Mia has a successful school interview, and Phillip must tell her that he will return to the United States. The moment crystallizes his commitment to Mia's future even as his own plans unravel.

Phillip and Kikuo take a countryside trip to visit Kikuo's childhood home, now overgrown by nature. They uncover a buried time capsule, and Kikuo thanks Phillip for rekindling a memory from the past.

Shinji confronts Phillip, accusing him of kidnapping and exploiting the elderly actor. Phillip counters that Rental Family is hollow and questions the legitimacy of their business, as Shinji reveals the deceptive nature of the operation.

During the aftermath, Mia recognizes Phillip in a TV movie and learns his true identity. She initially resents her mother for the deception but soon forgives her, choosing to move forward.

Aiko breaks character and tells the truth to the wives; Kota and others stage a lawyer-like ruse to coax Kikuo into admitting what happened. Phillip is then released, grateful for the allies who believed in him.

Some time later, Kikuo dies peacefully in his sleep. Aiko, Shinji, Kota, and Phillip attend his funeral, honoring a man who touched Phillip's life.

Phillip visits Mia; she is accepted into the school, and they continue spending time as friends. Rental Family discontinues its apology-services, and Phillip ends by praying at the shrine where Kikuo once reflected.