As Chihiro is strapped to a chair waiting for Dan'ichiro to call for him, he meets Dan'ichiro's wife and Rea's stepmother, Aria. Aria explains how she had joined the Sanka family as a maid in the hope of winning Dan'ichiro's love. However, Dan'ichiro instead fell in love with a 15-year-old girl who inevitably died after giving birth to Rea. Although Aria was eventually able to marry Dan'ichiro, he was more focused on Rea than her. Aria later learned the truth that Dan'ichiro's feelings for Rea are not because of fatherly love, but because of her resemblance to her mother. As Rea rushes towards the mansion, Chihiro is brought before Dan'ichiro, who becomes determined to protect Rea.

As Aria feels lonely without Dan'ichirō, she falls asleep in the bath. Meanwhile, Chihiro and his family discover a strange girl lying under their temple, who doesn't appear to want to say a word to anyone. When Rea searches for her when it is time for dinner, she is pushed down the stairs. The next day, they discover all the nearby hydrangea leaves have been torn apart, and later that night Rea spots the girl making a move on Chihiro. As Rea suspects the girl of being behind the incidents, the girl hits herself to place blame on Rea. As Chihiro backs Rea up on her suspicions, the girl reveals herself to be Aria who reigns hail down everywhere. The whole thing is perceived to be a dream by Aria, who fell asleep in the bath, and as a hallucination by Rea, who is surprised to find Chihiro had the same dream.