Setsuko, born into a modest farmer family residing in a small Japanese village, found herself at the cusp of change at eighteen.
Her parents, eager to secure her future, had arranged a marriage with a handsome scholar from Tokyo.
This scholar, though naturally brilliant, was burdened by the limitations of his impoverished upbringing.
Not only did his own family background restrict his opportunities, but the responsibility of caring for his two younger siblings after his parents' passing further weighed heavily on him.
Setsuko's parents wanted her to live in the capital, while the scholar, meanwhile, needed funding for further studies and someone to take care of his two younger siblings.
Thus, the two young people entered into a marriage of convenience, allowing Setsuko to move to Tokyo and the scholar to focus on his studies with only one day a week dedicated to his wife.