In Tokyo, the reckless single mother Keiko moves to a small apartment with her twelve years old son Akira Fukushima and his siblings Shigeru and Yuki. Kyoko, another sibling arrives later by train. The children have different fathers and do not have schooling, but they have a happy life with their mother. When Keiko finds a new boyfriend, she leaves the children alone, giving some money to Akira and assigning him to take care of his siblings. When the money runs out, Akira manages to find means to survive with the youngsters without power supply, gas or water at home, and with the landlord asking for the rent.

Natsume - a teen fashion model from Tokyo - feels empty inside after having moved into a country town with her family. One day, she meets Koh, heir of Shinto priest family ruling the area and finds herself falling under the spell of this selfish yet handsome boy, who makes her realize beauty and desire she has. Cursed by fate, a traumatic incident at the local summer festival breaks their ties. She gets over the incident and Koh gradually; however, no matter how she steps away from Koh, she cannot forget his dazzling world and the dream Natsume had. Can they find their love against the fate? Can Natsume find her desire for the future?

"Under the Hawthorn Tree" tells the story of Jing, a naive city schoolgirl to be transferred to a remote village for "re-education" during the Cultural Revolution. In China's heavens reigns one solitary God, Mao. Jing's father has been jailed for "rightist" and her mother struggles to feed her three children. Jing knows that both their future and the welfare of her family depend, in view of the authorities, on their good behavior. A small error would be enough to ruin their lives. But Jing's prudent and peaceful existence is disrupted when she condescends to the attentions of Sun, the charming son of an elite military member. Due to the social gap separating them, a romance between them is unthinkable; even more so, dangerous. But the attraction is mutual, powerful and undeniable. Jing tries to resist, but Sun chases her politely, even after she is back to her native city. Love between the two blossoms. It is a pure, passionate and secret love. No one should know, still less her mother. Suddenly, Sun disappears. When he returns, Jing realizes that something has changed. She should review her ideas about love, honor and loyalty, before deciding in what to believe really. Their lives never will again be the same.

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