Sixth grade. The rather timid boy Junki winds up changing schools and hasn't quite found his place. The search for his missing cat leads him straight to Eto, a deliquent boy in his class. Eto himself is something of a mystery: he seems to live on the streets, looking forward to each day as a new adventure. This is the story of two very different boys as they experience, overcome, and rejoice in "life" as it occurs— from the cruelties of the world to the simple beauty of nature.

The 2017 reprint contains an extra side story for the reprint that not in the original print. Additionally, there are two other side stories printed in the author's short story collection Henkyo de.