Dr. Sadao Hoki is a renowned Japanese surgeon and scientist, educated in America, where he met his wife, Hana. They live a comfortable life in a traditional Japanese house on the coast. Despite the war, Sadao has not been drafted into the army because he is considered indispensable by the General, who believes Sadao is the only one who can operate on him if needed.

One stormy night, Sadao and Hana find a severely wounded man washed ashore near their house. To their shock, he is an American sailor, an 'enemy' soldier, with a bullet wound. This immediately presents them with a grave moral dilemma: as patriotic Japanese citizens during wartime, their duty is to hand over an enemy prisoner of war to the authorities. However, as a doctor, Sadao's ethical duty is to save a human life.

Hana, initially horrified and conflicted, urges Sadao to throw the man back into the sea or hand him over. But Sadao, driven by his medical principles, decides to operate and save the man's life. With Hana's reluctant but crucial assistance, they bring the unconscious soldier into their home, clean his wounds, and Sadao performs a complex operation to remove the bullet and save him.

The presence of the American soldier, Tom, in their house creates immense tension and fear. Their servants, displaying strong nationalistic sentiments, are horrified and refuse to serve an enemy. They eventually leave in protest, increasing the couple's burden and fear of discovery. Hana faces the added challenge of caring for a recovering patient, managing the household, and fearing betrayal.

Finally, Sadao decides to confide in the old General, hoping to find a solution. The General, who is selfish and solely concerned with his own health, suggests that Sadao kill the American silently and dispose of the body, offering to send private assassins to do the job. Sadao agrees, relieved at the prospect of a solution.

Sadao decides to take matters into his own hands. He provides Tom with a boat, food, extra clothing, and detailed instructions to row to a nearby island and wait for a Korean fishing boat to pick him up. He secretly helps Tom escape under the cover of darkness.

After Tom's safe departure, Sadao feels a profound sense of relief. When he meets the General again, the General mentions his forgetfulness about the assassins. Sadao, maintaining his composure, simply says, 'Yes, Your Excellency.' The story concludes with Sadao pondering why he could not hate the American soldier, realizing that his humanitarian duty had ultimately transcended his nationalistic feelings.