Masami Kondo is a dull, middle-aged man who's a manager at a restaurant where the female high-school student, Akira Tachibana works at. He can't show dignity to his employees, and cringes to the customer's complaints. Akira gazes at Kondo sharply since he can't do anything right. Kondo gets depressed by Akira's expression of despise. Their lives start to change vividly when their gaze meet.

Akira told Kondo her feelings towards him. But, Kondo didn't take that as a declaration of love. Akira feels depressed about not being able to get along with her juniors in the track team, nor with her best friend, Haruka, but she lets Kondo know how she feels about him again. "I like you." Kondo eventually starts to speak in response to the 17-year-old girl's genuine feelings towards him.

Akira took Yuto back to Kondo's house, but she ends up having to wait there with Yuto because Kondo wasn't home. There were a lot of books and half-written novels in his room, and seeing this new side of Kondo made Akira's heart flutter. They hear Kondo's footsteps, and Akira hides in the closet because Yuto suggested that they should surprise Kondo. However...

Sweltering hot summer break. Akira, who's taking remedial classes bumped into Haruka (track team captain), and they go to school together for the first time in ages.

Akira invited Haruka to the summer festival. They got along only for a moment. Their suppressed feelings collide, and they get into a fight. On the other hand, Kondo meets Chihiro for the first time in 10 years, and they reminisce about how they always used to write novels in college. Kondo faced his friend. Akira turned her back on her friend. The two carrying different pain, meet at Garden.

In the midst of autumn, the track team talks about a student who made a comeback after suffering the same injury as Akira. On the way home, Akira walks pass Haruka who is taking shelter from the rain. Unable to approach Akira, Haruka makes a drastic move. Meanwhile, Kondo realizes his feelings for novels after a talk with Chihiro. Akira and Kondo. Who will take a step forward in this muddy path?