Haru

Noboru Hayami was a standout American football player during his student days. A worsening back disease forces him to give up his dream of continuing the sport and he settles into a normal office job in Tokyo.

Noboru logs into a film forum and meets another user under the handle Haru who shares thoughtful replies. They start exchanging emails, keeping their real faces hidden while building a sense of trust.

Haru and Hoshi's correspondence deepens as they discuss personal concerns. Haru is impressed by Hoshi's sincerity, and their online friendship becomes a source of emotional support.

Haru learns that Hoshi is not the man living in Tokyo but a woman named Mitsue Fujima from Morioka. The revelation does not break their trust; their bond endures.

Hoshi is being followed by Tobe, a close friend of her late lover. This adds tension and danger to Mitsue's life as she navigates her online relationship.

Hoshi develops feelings for Yamagami, the company president who proposes marriage. The attraction introduces complicated choices in her already unsettled life.

Haru decides to go on a business trip to the Tohoku region, signaling a real-world meeting in the near future.

Hoshi agrees to meet Haru along the Shinkansen line, planning to meet him at a point along the route. The arrangement marks a transition from online messages to a physical encounter.

To mark their meeting, they stage a distant goodbye using a video camera and a handkerchief as signals. Haru travels by train while Hoshi stands on the tracks, confirming they are both real people.

Haru had previously met a woman using the handle Rose on the forum, and Hoshi had mistaken their relationship. Haru tries to clear up the misunderstanding, but learns that Rose is actually Hoshi's sister, which shocks Mitsue and affects their communication.

Despite the confusion, Mitsue realizes that the email conversations have become a source of emotional support. She resolves to meet Haru, bridging the gap between online and real life.

Mitsue decides to meet Noboru in person, initiating plans to bridge their online connection with a real-world encounter.

The two plan to meet at the Tokyo Station platform, signaling the next step toward validating each other in real life.

Haru and Mitsue finally meet on the platform of Tokyo Station, exchanging greetings and confirming their real-world identities face to face after online anonymity.

The story culminates with their meeting at the south end of the Tohoku Shinkansen platform, where they acknowledge each other as real people and share a quiet, hopeful moment.