Short Song

A "Baren" is a traditional gathering of poets dedicated to tanka, a classical form of Japanese short verse. Nineteen-year-old Kunitomo Katsuo stumbles into one of these literary circles under the mistaken belief that he is simply going on a date with his crush, Maiko. To his own surprise, the very first poem he composes earns high praise from the group, particularly from Iga Kansuke, a widely celebrated and published tanka poet who also happens to be Maiko's secret lover. The two men stand in stark contrast to one another. Where Katsuo is modest, amiable, and inexperienced in romance, Kansuke is refined, cynical, and quietly cruel. Intrigued by his innocent young rival, Kansuke develops a dark fixation on Katsuo and takes him under his wing as a mentor. Drawn deeper into the passionate and dramatic world of the tanka community, Katsuo faces an uncertain future. As the charismatic yet manipulative Kansuke tightens his grip, Katsuo must struggle to preserve both his natural gift for poetry and his inherently kind heart.