After five and a half years of study in France, 'R' returns ot Korea and is met by 'J', his lover in France for three and a half years. Sensing a breakup in the relationship, 'R' goes to his parents home in Taegu. There he is troubled by the harsh reality of his responsibility to his aged parents and family. Meanwhile 'J' meets with 'R' occasionally because he helped her win her doctorate and become a literary critic. She refuses to tell him that she secretly used his critical reviews to promote her own career. Eventually 'R' finds out that this has happened and is unhappily surprised.