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Synopsis

Hanabi Yasuraoka and Mugi Awaya appear to be an ideal couple to those around them, but beneath that facade they both harbor unrequited affections for others. Hanabi has long held deep feelings for her childhood friend and neighbor, Narumi Kanai, and is initially thrilled when he becomes her homeroom teacher. Her hopes are undermined as Narumi draws the attention of Akane Minagawa, the music instructor, and a bond forms between them that unsettles Hanabi. Mugi, who was mentored by Akane during middle school, has carried a lasting love for her since that time. A serendipitous encounter brings Hanabi and Mugi together, and as their shared solitude brings them closer, they begin a relationship of convenience: using each other as stand-ins for the people they actually desire and seeking physical closeness to temporarily soothe their loneliness. The story follows their complex emotional entanglements and the quiet desperation behind the appearances they maintain.