Ine Saitō, originally named Ine Sasaki, hailed from a wealthy, privileged Tokyo family and attended an all-girls school. The Great Tokyo Fire Raid killed her parents, leaving her homeless. Relocating to her mother's rural relatives brought rejection and ridicule, stemming from her father's past arrogance towards them and her distinctive Tokyo dialect. This trauma rendered her emotionally withdrawn, a Broken Bird on the verge of mental breakdown. Her life changed upon meeting Shouzou Saitō, a farmer's son deemed beneath her social standing. Initially closed-off and distant (a Sugar-and-Ice Personality), she gradually opened to Shouzou's genuine kindness. Their relationship defied societal norms, culminating in a Marry for Love union despite family opposition and disownment, revealing inner resilience beneath her fragile exterior. After nearly sixty years of marriage, eating a golden apple from a tree they nurtured—linked to a shared dream of an hourglass—granted them rejuvenation. This Fountain of Youth effect restored her physical appearance to her 20s, retaining her gray hair as a true age marker. She gained the ability to voluntarily revert to her elderly form or back to youth by manipulating the dream hourglass, using this power practically for senior discounts or adapting to situations. In her youthful form, Ine blended past and present traits. Her Uptown Girl background surfaced in appreciation for Mundane Luxuries like running tap water or a full bowl of rice—luxuries lost after her family's downfall. She displayed Cuteness Overload, especially toward her adored granddaughter Mino, comforting her through gestures like ear cleaning, an intimacy extended to Shiori and others. Beneath her gentle demeanor lay Silk Hiding Steel resilience: she warded off Shouzou's admirers, demonstrated Super-Reflexes by swiftly killing a cockroach, and once biked fast enough to catch a moving train to deliver Mino's lunch. A head injury triggered Easy Amnesia, causing Ine to revert fully to her black-haired youthful self, losing all memories of Shouzou and their life together. Though temporary, this state revealed her instinctive kindness as she bonded anew with Mino while Shouzou patiently rebuilt their connection. Throughout the series, Ine served as a nurturing figure, acting as a Parental Substitute to her daughters-in-law, offering guidance during their personal struggles. Her final arc culminated in a peaceful death alongside Shouzou under their apple tree, a Together in Death ending marked by contentment after fully embracing their second youth and family bonds.