Hirayasumi

Hiroto is a 29-year-old part-timer without a care in the world-no troubles, no lovers, no stable job. Twice a week, he visits the house of an elderly woman he met on a whim to share a meal with her. One winter, she suddenly dies, leaving the house to Hiroto. Three months later, Hirotos sensitive cousin Natsumi comes to live with him while attending an art university.

Yomogi Tachibana visits a fish pond where Hiroto works part-time. After watching her make busy phone calls while fishing, Hiroto ultimately does something to offend her. This bothers Hiroto until his friend Hideki brings high-quality beef on his way home from work. While the two of them enjoy a meal at Hirotos house, Natsumi grumpily secludes herself in her room.

One day, Hiroto and Natsumi leave their tiny house to watch a movie. At the station, Hiroto encounters the woman he offended at the fish pond, Yomogi, whose values and pace of life vastly differ from his own. This makes her miss the train, and she becomes increasingly annoyed with him. Hiroto and Natsumi return home under a sudden rain to find a leak in their roof.

After days of Nastumi demanding meat for dinner, Hiroto encourages her to find a part-time job. Natsumi fights back with a mysterious air of confidence-shes convinced that a rising manga artists award will kickstart her career. Regardless, Akari gives her a job at a Chinese restaurant. Unfamiliar with the working lifestyle, she struggles through her first day.

Unable to find any summer fun, Natsumi spends her first college summer in boredom. Feeling lonely while his wife stays with family, Hideki brings fireworks and some watermelon to party with Hiroto and Natsumi. While Hiroto makes a trip to the store, Hideki shows Natsumi a movie he filmed with Hiroto, which became a hit at their high schools culture festival...

After struggling to find inspiration for manga poses, Natsumi takes reference pictures of Hiroto, a former actor. She comments on this, and detects an uncomfortable expression on his face. Regretting her comment, she decides to apologize by buying him a birthday cake. Outside, she encounters Hideki, who informs her of Hirotos failed acting career.

Aspiring manga artist Natsumi visits a publisher after her work is acknowledged. She tells Hiroto about this nerve-wracking experience as they prepare dinner. She retells having to wait an hour, meeting with vice editor-in-chief Nikaido, and everything he said. During her story, Hiroto recalls his first time visiting a talent agency with dreams of becoming an actor.

Natsumi believes that all manga artists are geeks, so shes kept her manga hobby a secret from everyone except Akari. Unfortunately, her secret is revealed to Nakajima, a classmate whom she dislikes. On top of that, she receives harsh criticism from her editor. Nothings going well for Natsumi. Worried, Hiroto invites her to explore Asagaya. She aggressively declines.

Hiroto and Natsumi gather around their first hot pot meal of the winter. During the meal, they discuss how Hideki hasnt been around lately. Meanwhile, Hideki juggles work and parenting-a busy, busy life. Day after day, hes scolded by his wife and verbally attacked by Kiryuin, a colleague far more talented than Hideki himself. Hiroto tries sending him a message...

One day, Hiroto and Natsumi are cleaning Hanaes altar. Hiroto remembers a time when Hanae called him a "friend." Meanwhile, Hidekis work life and parenting responsibilities are still eating away at him. Stressed and depressed, he stumbles home from work after being reprimanded by Kiryuin even more severely than usual. On the way, he makes a brief stop elsewhere...