Koyuki’s uneventful school life changes after he helps a strange-looking dog and meets its owner, the guitarist Ryusuke. He is drawn into a band and begins learning what it takes to make music with other people. School, work and relationships continue around that new pursuit.
The band’s development does not erase the rest of Koyuki’s life. Guitar lessons are connected with swimming lessons from an older acquaintance, while bullying and part-time work remain ordinary pressures. Becoming involved in music means fitting practice into those relationships rather than stepping outside them.
A live venue gives Koyuki another way into this music. Ryusuke’s sister Maho sings on stage while he and Izumi watch, with microphone, lights and spectators gathered close together. The visit makes a performing space part of his new circle before his own band has found its footing; listening to someone else becomes an experience he can carry back to practice.