With Beauty and Sorrow

Keiko is Otoko's lover and pupil, and she believes Otoko never fully recovered from the painful affair that happened 15 years earlier. Consumed by jealousy and loyalty to Otoko, Keiko decides to target Ōki's family as punishment for the suffering he caused. She specifically plans to seduce both Ōki and his son Taichiro to destroy the writer's household.

Otoko became pregnant by Ōki during their affair when she was a teenager. The pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, which sent her into emotional turmoil. She attempted suicide and spent months in a mental institution. Her mother desperately urged Ōki to marry her, but he did not, leaving Otoko deeply scarred by the experience.

The affair's devastating consequences are introduced early in the timeline when the relationship first begins.

The Bitter Seventeen is the novel Ōki wrote about his affair with Otoko. After learning of the infidelity from Otoko's mother, Ōki's wife Fumiko typed up the manuscript. The book became a bestseller, turning their private trauma into public attention. This publication worsened the emotional damage for everyone involved, especially Otoko.

Keiko arranges to meet Taichiro, Ōki's son, and they spend an afternoon together in a hotel before going on a boating trip. During the trip, there is an accident, Keiko barely survives, but Taichiro goes missing. The incident remains a pivotal and tragic turning point that brings all the characters together in confrontation.

At the hospital, Fumiko accuses Otoko of orchestrating the entire revenge scheme to destroy her family. Fumiko believes Otoko used Keiko's devotion and jealousy as a weapon to kill her son Taichiro. The confrontation erupts from years of accumulated pain caused by Ōki's affair and the public exposure of their private suffering.

Fumiko's suspicion grows earlier when she warns Ōki that Keiko's plans may be more dangerous than simple revenge.

Keiko is both Otoko's art pupil and her life partner. Their relationship is lesbian, and Keiko is deeply devoted to Otoko. However, Keiko becomes increasingly troubled by the fact that Otoko never completely stopped loving Ōki despite everything he put her through. This jealousy fuels Keiko's extreme plan for revenge.

Ōki, now an aging writer, travels to Kyoto to reunite with Otoko after many years. He seeks some form of closure or perhaps a reconnection with his past. The reunion dredges up painful history and sets in motion the chain of events that define the film's present-day conflict.

Otoko rebukes Keiko for what she sees as egoistic manipulation. While Keiko believes she is acting out of love and loyalty to avenge Otoko's suffering, Otoko recognizes the plan is driven by Keiko's own jealousy and desire for control, not genuine concern for Otoko's wellbeing. Their disagreement highlights the complexity of their relationship.

Taichiro goes missing after the boating accident. His fate remains unknown throughout the film, leaving his parents Ōki and Fumiko in anguish. The uncertainty and possible loss of their son becomes the painful climax that forces the families to confront the consequences of Keiko's scheme.

At the end of the film, Keiko awakens from her unconscious state with tears streaming down her cheeks. This ambiguous moment leaves viewers questioning what was real, what was manipulated, and what emotional truth lies behind her tears, whether it is regret, sorrow, or something else entirely.