Tokyo, 1936. Kudou Sousuke is a talented pianist who regularly performs at a jazz bar called "CADENZA." One night, out of the blue, he finds himself in a pickle when a frenzied geisha suddenly attacks him on his way home. Despite being battered and bruised, Sousuke manages to weather the storm and makes a hasty exit. The following day at work, Sousuke learns that the geisha has been found murdered, and he is the prime suspect. The news spreads like wildfire, and the bar's owner gives Sousuke the boot, unwilling to risk the bar's reputation by employing a fugitive. Finding himself between a rock and a hard place, Sousuke goes on the lam, unable to return home where his sister Yuzuha anxiously awaits. After wandering aimlessly, he crosses paths with a gorgeous yet haughty woman with a shady background. She offers Sousuke a safe haven, but there's no such thing as a free lunch; he must agree to do some tasks on the wrong side of the law. Fate takes an unexpected turn when, a few days later, Sousuke rescues a young woman named Ayane from a gang of ruffians. He realizes she is the same person who steered him clear of the military police on the night of the geisha's attack. Grateful for the rescue, Ayane vows to help Sousuke get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding the geisha's death and clear his name once and for all.