On the day of his middle school graduation, the exceptionally tall and somewhat clumsy boy, Takeo Gouda, gathers his courage to confess his feelings to his crush, Kagami. However, things don’t go as he hoped; instead, Kagami reveals her affection for Takeo's best friend and charming neighbor, Makoto Sunakawa, who shockingly turns her down. As Takeo transitions into high school, he quickly observes that every girl appears enamored with Suna while most boys are envious, but Takeo, being a true friend, knows that Suna harbors no romantic feelings for anyone.
One day, as Takeo and Suna witness a classmate from another school being harassed, Takeo boldly stands up to the molester, causing him to flee. After the encounter, Takeo notices the girl appears upset. He mistakenly believes she is frightened of him and quickly apologizes before leaving, but instead, she follows him to express her gratitude for his bravery. This moment marks the beginning of Takeo's affections for the girl, Rinko Yamato.
Determined to assist Rinko, who has also developed feelings for him, Takeo promises to help the Karate club secure a championship victory. When Rinko introduces herself and presents Takeo and Suna with a delicious cheesecake she baked as a token of thanks, Takeo assumes she must be interested in Suna. To facilitate their connection, Takeo becomes embroiled in a quest to understand Suna's type of girl, leading him to erroneously believe that Rinko’s kindness must mean Suna is attracted to her.
As Takeo spends time with Rinko and trains with the Karate club, he is oblivious to Rinko's growing affection, especially when she requests to call him by his first name. Meanwhile, Rinko makes increasingly intricate sweets, hoping to impress Takeo. After Takeo secures a victory in the Karate championship, Rinko rewards him with his favorite pork miso onigiri. However, when Takeo suggests that Rinko and Suna should date, she feels rejected and flees, concerned that Takeo finds her bothersome. With encouragement from Suna, Rinko learns that Takeo has never disliked anyone.
Their paths converge during a group outing to an amusement park where Rinko's friends initially criticize Takeo but are later won over after witnessing Rinko's defense of him. In a hair-raising incident within a haunted house, Takeo showcases his bravery when he saves Rinko from danger, deepening their bond. Suna reflects on his past experiences with girls who have never treated Takeo kindly, noting that Rinko is different as she consistently speaks highly of him.
As the narrative unfolds, Takeo becomes dispirited and his performance in sports diminishes following an encounter with his former crush Kagami, which also affects Rinko, leading her to bake endlessly. During a shopping trip for Suna’s birthday gift, awkwardness gives way to enjoyment, though misunderstandings continue to cloud their feelings. Eventually, Suna devises a plan to unite Takeo and Rinko on Suna's birthday.
On this day, Suna informs Takeo that Rinko is in distress at a bakery, prompting him to rush out in search of her. He gradually uncovers the truth: Rinko has been learning how to create the very cakes she has gifted him in the past, even going so far as to tap into the culinary knowledge of his mother, as she meticulously documents her efforts in a notebook. With Suna’s encouragement, Takeo finally realizes that Rinko has harbored affections for him all along.
In a climactic moment at Rinko's house, their feelings culminate in a mutual confession of love, and to celebrate their newfound relationship, they host a birthday party for Suna complete with a cake baked by Rinko. As festivities unfold, Suna can't help but chuckle at how closely Takeo and Rinko's personalities resonate now that they are a couple.
As the credits roll, a playful scene reveals Takeo grappling with nervousness about their first kiss, leading him to clumsily practice with Suna, ensuring their upcoming moments are as memorable as the journey that brought them together.
