Recently unemployed, 29-year-old Michiko Shibata has barely any money left and so must survive solely on cabbages. With no qualifications and little experience for her age, all of her job interviews have been unfruitful. Despite this, she continues to splurge on expensive gifts for her young "boyfriend" in the hopes that her romantic interest will someday marry and support her. Eventually, Shibata finds out that her feelings are one-sided, for her boyfriend has been lying and using her for money.

At the lowest point of her life, she unexpectedly reunites with Ayumu Kurosawa, her strict former boss whom she resents. Feeling responsible for her unemployment, Kurosawa agrees to help Shibata and once again becomes her employer.