Akiko, a high school student and her mother return to their home in a small town in Japan after seven years in South America. The teenage girl has contracted the AIDS virus. The whole town knows about this even before she arrives and fear they will be exposed to the deadly disease. Thus begins beautiful Akiko’s odyssey to her place of childhood. As Akiko copes with her illness, her childhood best friend Natsumi, transforming her fear of Akiko’s sickness into solid support and protection, confronts the village community. Everyone learns a lesson or two about their own shortcomings, prejudice and ignorance. They have all matured and come together as a community when Akiko passes away one beautiful sunny day.