Ueda Shūsei

The protagonist, who aspires to become a novelist, works as a chauffeur to and from watermen and prostitutes while writing. His debut novel is nowhere to be seen, and his girlfriend criticizes his novel and dumps him. Furthermore, he is severely scolded for his high-handed attitude by the woman with whom he is transporting his daughter when he tries to have a relationship with her. Kobayashi, a successful novelist of the same age and an acquaintance of the protagonist, gives him advice on how to complete his novel.