The novel opens with a conversation between the protagonist and the protagonist's boss. The protagonist tells the boss that his company has just filed for bankruptcy, and that he's been looking for a job. The boss tells the protagonist that his parents are waiting for him to send them some money, so he'll do whatever he can to help them out. He also says that he heard that the company was looking for someone to work as a female employee, and asks the protagonist if there's any way he can show them his thanks. He thanks the boss for hiring him, and the boss tells him that his name is Kishinuku and he wants the protagonist to be his "stand in" . He says that if the protagonist doesn't want to do the job, then he should raise his face up a bit. He adds that he hasn't met his current editor, who wants him to take his place. He's not sure if this is a good idea, but he'd like to hire the protagonist as a "scritch" or an "accompanist" , so that he can "play around with ideas" for his next novel. He offers to pay the protagonist three million yen if he takes the job.