In a quaint village, Rakesh, Emiko, and Leif are known among their small community for their close friendship and avid interest in gardening. The three friends idly spend their afternoons tending to their shared garden, which is hidden away behind an old, forgotten manor at the outskirts of the village. Unbeknownst to one another, each of them has hidden a spare key to the garden in a separate location: Rakesh behind a loose brick in the manor's wall, Emiko beneath a stone near the garden's pond, and Leif inside a small hole in the oak tree that shades the garden bench.

One stormy evening, while the friends were away, a tempest ravaged the village, uprooting trees and dislodging ancient stones. When they next returned, each discovered that their hidden key was missing. Rakesh found the brick wall collapsed, Emiko noticed the stone by the pond had been rolled away, and Leif saw the oak tree had been struck by lightning, splitting its trunk wide open. Fortunately, Leif had secretly made a copy of his key before the storm, fearing his key might be lost one day, and he hid it within a clay pot amongst their tools in the garden's shed. Before they could search for their keys, the village elder approached them with three key-shaped pieces of metal he found scattered around the village after the storm.

Gathered together in the garden shed, the three friends and the elder deliberate on what to do next. Rakesh reasons that each key should be tried in the lock to see if it fits, but Leif, knowing about the spare key he's hidden, worries that the key-shaped pieces of metal might not be their original keys. He quietly wonders if they should just use the spare key, but refrains from disclosing its existence. Emiko, who holds a deep respect for village traditions, suggests that they present the keys to the village oracle, who is believed to have the power to identify the rightful owner of lost objects. She reasons that this will also abide by the village norms, since using unclaimed items without permission is frowned upon.

As the friends continue to deliberate, it becomes clear that none of them are aware that the other two also had a spare key and that all key locations were affected by the storm. Rakesh is the only one who had not taken any preventive measures and truly believes that one of the pieces of metal brought by the elder is the genuine key. Emiko is convinced that the oracle will somehow recognize her key among the three. Leif is torn between revealing his hidden spare key and going along with consulting the oracle, which he fears may cost valuable time that could be spent gardening.

In this complex situation, there is a need to discern who among the three friends is aware of what information regarding the keys and to consider how each of their suggestions reflects their knowledge and beliefs about both the keys and each other's understanding of the situation.
Considering the intricate dynamics between Rakesh, Emiko, and Leif, each person holds a distinct perspective shaped by their individual knowledge and beliefs. Rakesh operates under the assumption that his key is among those brought by the elder, unaware that Emiko and Leif also had spare keys. He does not consider the possibility that other keys might have been lost or that anyone else had taken the precaution of creating a copy. His proposal to try each key in the lock demonstrates his practical mindset and urgency to regain access to the garden.

Emiko's choice to involve the village oracle reveals her trust in village tradition and her own belief that her key is distinctive enough to be identified by supernatural means. This belief underpins her logic and guides her towards a traditional resolution to their predicament. She remains oblivious to the redundancies of hidden keys set by Leif and Rakesh, displaying a degree of conviction that hers will be recoverable.

Leif's internal conflict arises from his knowledge of an additional spare key that neither Rakesh nor Emiko knows about. His anticipation of potential key loss led him to create a spare, suggesting a foresight and concern for being prepared. He now faces a conundrum between unveiling this key to instantly resolve the issue, or adhering to the group decision which could involve unnecessary delays if the metal pieces turn out not to be their keys. Hesitation in disclosing the spare he hid is influenced by his consideration of Emiko's respect for village customs and the uncertainty of whether any of the keys brought by the elder belong to their garden.