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Synopsis

A solitary manga writer, Shin Karino, encounters his new neighbor: Kotarou Satou, a four-year-old who greets him with a box of tissues. Kotarou’s unnervingly polite speech and solitary living situation—no parents or relatives present—strike Karino as unusual, yet the child shows no desire for dependence. Concerned, Karino tails Kotarou to a public bathhouse to ensure the boy’s safety and there recognizes parallels between their lives. Over time, Karino and other occupants of the apartment building warm to Kotarou and his peculiar behaviors. Through steady, understated interactions, Kotarou likewise begins to experience a sense of belonging among these unconventional neighbors, forming a quiet, makeshift family.