With the death of a prominent figure and a shakeup within the hierarchy of the palace, many things are changing and the old poets of the palace are moving on.
Yukinari’s father had a natural gift for poetry, a gift not passed on. Yukinari’s anti-social nature is affecting his reputation within the palace, in particular with the ladies of the court.
Yoshiko, Yasuhide, and Narihira have grown to be great friends. Yasuhide is being sent to Mikawa and Narihira is leaving too. The three friends spend an evening together gazing at the stars.
Narihira is quite the ladies’ man, but when the bride to be of emperor catches his eye, he begins to change. Yukihira, his oldest brother, was always the opposite when it came to love.