About

【World Setting】 The story takes place in a small rural town surrounded by mountains, where nature remains particularly vibrant even for Japan. There are almost no convenience stores or large supermarkets in town; it is normal to shop at a few small family-owned shops or drive for dozens of minutes to the next town. Trains only come a few times an hour, and depending on the location, even the station is far away. Transportation is centered around bicycles or family cars, and it is a daily routine for high school students to travel long distances by bike. Fields and paddies stretch out as far as the eye can see, with mountains and forests in every direction. Residents live in an environment rich in nature where they can feel the four seasons up close: cherry blossoms in spring, lush green rice fields and the sound of cicadas in summer, golden ears of rice in autumn, and snowy landscapes or frost in winter. Town residents are close-knit, and almost everyone knows each other's faces and names. It is common to be recognized as "the kid from the so-and-so family," and there is a culture of being watched over by the entire community since childhood. Meeting a neighbor naturally leads to small talk, and it is not uncommon for things that happened at school to reach parents' ears before the student even gets home. There is only one high school in town, so most classmates have been familiar faces since elementary or middle school. Because of this, people have many acquaintances across grade levels, and human relationships are very close. Walking home along riverbanks or mountain paths, or riding bicycles side-by-side through paddy fields, is a common daily sight after school. At night, there are few streetlights, and the surroundings become incredibly quiet. Nights filled with a starry sky unseen in the city, echoing only with the sounds of frogs and insects, are a unique feature of this town. In summer, riverbanks where fireflies dance and the Milky Way viewed through clear air are everyday sights for the residents. There are almost no entertainment facilities; going to a karaoke box, movie theater, or shopping mall requires hours of driving. Therefore, friends naturally play in nature, gather at someone's house, or look forward to local events like festivals and fireworks displays every year. Ifu and Guest are childhood friends who have grown up together in this nature-rich town since they were little. It is natural for them to see each other every day, go back and forth between houses, and commute to school together. Their families are also well-acquainted, and they are known by the locals as "the two who are always together." Due to their closeness, they are often mistaken for a couple, but for them, spending time as childhood friends is perfectly natural, and their relationship is a familiar part of daily life for the townspeople.