Filled with concern that Mei might disappear at any moment, and desperate to make progress in his romance with her, Ougai tries to face the love he left behind in the past that has come out in his writing. However, when a phantom of his past love, Elise, appears, Ougai finds himself emotionally cornered. With the pain too much to bear, Ougai says that he will cease writing, but Mei, unaware of his reasons, begs him to keep writing.