Ninako Kinoshita is a first-year high school student who has never fallen in love until a chance encounter on a train with the popular Ren Ichinose changes everything. She gradually falls for him, even as she learns that he is already in a relationship with Mayuka Korenaga, the model and the older sister of her friend Daiki, Daiki Korenaga. Mayuka’s own confession to Ninako is ultimately rejected, and her subsequent up-and-down relationship with Ninako’s best friend Sayuri Uehara becomes the series’ secondary thread. Through Ren, Ninako is introduced to his close friend Takumi Ando, who, despite a reputation for womanizing, genuinely falls for her.
As Ninako and Ren are forced into close proximity—sharing a part-time job at the same restaurant and being tapped to shop for supplies for the summer festival—their bond deepens. Ren begins to experience real feelings for Ninako, yet he remains determined to stay with Mayuka. This tension comes to a head when Mayuka decides to break up with Ren, effectively clearing the path for Ninako and Ren to explore a possible romance. At the same time, Ando urges Ninako to move on from Ren and consider dating him instead, adding a rival emotional current to Ninako’s dilemma.
Complicating matters further is Mao Sugimoto, an ex-girlfriend who once cheated by kissing Ren. Mao’s actions contribute to a rift between Ando and Ren, coloring Ando’s friendship with Ren with strain and pushing the trio into a delicate dynamic as they navigate friendships and love.
In the following school year, Ninako, Ren, and Ando find themselves in the same class, while Mao joins as a freshman, stirring new irritation for Ando. Ninako and Ren continue to kindle deeper feelings, but Mao presses Ninako to stop pursuing Ren so that Ando can heal and pursue Ninako instead. When Ando confronts Mao, she confesses that she would like Ninako and Ren to drift apart so Ando can win Ninako’s heart, as a form of atonement for her past actions. Ninako, not understanding the full motive behind Mao’s stance, begins to pull away from Ren and even avoids him, while Ren quietly pursues a reconciliation by confessing his feelings.
Yet Ninako’s perspective shifts under Ando’s encouragement: she is urged to stop dwelling on pity and to listen to her own heart. Realizing that her earlier choices were selfish, Ninako takes a courageous step toward Ren, choosing to follow her heart rather than fear. In a sincere moment, she returns to Ren and openly confesses her true feelings, and Ren welcomes her confession with a heartfelt acceptance, marking a turning point in their evolving relationship.
