In the late afternoon in Kyoto’s Ponto-chō, as Tsuruko, a maiko who had just left Tsurunoya, was crossing a small bridge over the Takase River, a Packard came racing toward her. The car’s wheel hit a puddle, and before Tsuruko had a chance to dodge, a splash landed on her kimono. The college student behind the wheel was Tetsuo, the son of the president of Takagi Industries. Struck by Tsuruko’s charm, he got out of the car to wipe her kimono clean, then accompanied her to a kimono shop, where he bought her an expensive bolt of fabric as a gift.