Ichirou Inuyashiki, 58, is a family guy going through a difficult moment in his life. Though his recurring back issues are awful, nothing hurts as much as his wife and children's coldness and disdain for him. Despite this, Ichirou finds consolation in Hanako, an abandoned Shiba Inu that he adopts as a pet. However, Ichirou's life is turned upside down when a follow-up health test shows that he has stomach cancer and just three months to live; despite his best efforts, his family's apathy triggers an emotional collapse. Ichirou runs out into a neighboring field, where he holds his dog and sobs—until he spots a strange stranger standing before him.