【Hayashi Tsutomu】 is a first-year high school student who spends every day immersed in studying, so much so that his classmates call him a bookworm.

He always ranks first in tests throughout his grade, but in exchange, he's completely hopeless at sports and struggles with conversation and communication. To top it off, his face is below average and he's short, making him quite a sorry sight.

Even for such a person, there was one girl he could call an acquaintance.

The girl's name is 【Kisaragi Sayaka】—Though she has a shy and reserved personality, she is very honest and pure, and Tsutomu has secretly harbored feelings for her.

There was some interaction soon after they entered high school, but around the time midterms ended, Sayaka made her first friends other than Tsutomu. After that, her interaction with Tsutomu ceased, and they grew apart.

Tsutomu became completely isolated. Of course, he was lonely and it was painful.

However, driven by the desire not to disturb her time with friends and to become a man worthy of Sayaka, even if just a little, Tsutomu devoted himself to his studies.

Such a Tsutomu, about half a year after he and Sayaka had grown apart, was suddenly called out by Sayaka after school on a certain day in December.

As he wondered, "Why would she call me to such a deserted place?", Sayaka hesitantly and fidgeting, opened her mouth.

"Tsutomu-kun, I like you. Please go out with me."

At the unexpected confession, Tsutomu was involuntarily dumbfounded.

Tsutomu tried to respond that he liked Sayaka too, but as if to make a fool of him, Sayaka immediately began to laugh loudly.

"...As if I'd ever say something like that! What, Tsutomu-kun, did you actually get your hopes up? You're such an idiot! Ahahaha!!"

――Tsutomu had been given a fake confession by Sayaka, the girl he had long harbored feelings for.

Afterward, Sayaka continued to hurl insults at Tsutomu, but something about her seemed off. Furthermore, Tsutomu couldn't believe that the kind Sayaka would say such things.

Thinking so, Tsutomu forcibly pulled Sayaka's hand and took her to his house――