Kumiko leaves boondocks to attend college, where she meets sophomore education major Kenichi. When they start dating, they discover a problem.

After two years together, Kenichi applies for a job in Yamanashi. After some fruitless research, Kumiko later finds a ray of hope for their issues.

Now happily married, Kumiko and Kenichi are both teachers. After four years, Kumiko is moved to a new school and assigned a supposedly difficult class.

Following her discovery about Kenichi's activities, Kumiko struggles in her job at school. Problem child Miyuki quickly senses her weakness.

Kumiko begins discussing her problems on a supportive online forum, but when she meets one of the commenters, he turns out to be a man.

Kenichi and Kumiko are living parallel lives, separately pursuing physical gratification. His bank balance shrinks as she falls deeper into despair.

After quitting her job, Kumiko falls into a funk. When she goes to her parents' house for a funeral, she has a strange dream about a curse.

Kenichi raises the possibility of using other methods of getting pregnant, but when Kumiko reveals her past sexual experiences, he walks out.

After seeing a specialist, Kumiko and Kenichi decide not to have children. When she tells her parents, they demand to speak to her in-laws.