The unnamed first-person narrator is a detached adult observing a group of neighborhood children as they hunt for insects. He watches their serious play from a distance, feeling barred from their world by his own adulthood. Operating as an outsider, he notices subtle interactions the children miss while contemplating the differences between childhood authenticity and adult conformity. He relies on his observations of others to find meaning, reflecting on the elusive nature of beauty.

Fujio is a young boy participating in a nighttime insect hunt on a school embankment. He crafts his own lantern and uses his insect-catching skills to interact with his peers. Standing on the edge of adolescence, he acts with deliberate intention in his social interactions. When he catches a prized insect, he uses the discovery to orchestrate a specific moment with the girl he likes.

Kiyoko is a young girl taking part in the evening insect hunt with the neighborhood youth. She carries a lantern emitting red light with her name cut into the paper. She possesses a quiet demeanor that separates her from the eager crowd of her peers. When presented with a catch, she demonstrates a sharp eye for identifying different types of insects.

The neighborhood children form a dedicated group of insect catchers on a lonely slope behind a school playground. They establish a localized culture centered around crafting increasingly complex and beautiful paper lanterns. Functioning as a chorus, they react to discoveries in unison and represent a pure state of individualism before the onset of adult societal pressures.