Mizuhara, a girl from the countryside, moves to Tokyo to attend university and live on her own for the first time. With no relatives or friends around, she feels lost—until a girl from her department approaches her, quickly becoming her emotional anchor. The two grow inseparable, attending lectures together and spending nearly every day off from work in each other's company. However, there was one thing her friend always refused: letting Mizuhara come to her house. She wouldn't even reveal her address. Though Mizuhara felt uneasy about it, she didn't press—until one day, she decides to secretly follow her friend. What she discovers shocks her to the core. In front of a quiet, run-down apartment, graffiti is sprayed across the entrance. Standing there is a stern-looking man in a suit. Mizuhara's worst fears come true before her eyes. She watches, frozen, as her friend kneels in dogeza, tearfully apologizing to the man. After he leaves, her friend collapses in front of Mizuhara, sobbing. The truth comes out: her father lost everything in the stock market, but still took on debt to send her to university. To repay it, she's been working late into the night, her exhaustion evident in the dark circles under her eyes—something Mizuhara finally notices. Crushed by despair and guilt, Mizuhara makes a resolution. The one who protected her now needs protection—and this time, she'll be the one to stand strong. To help pay off the debt, she searches for a high-paying, short-term job. She chooses to do an AV shoot. It's far from an easy path, but for her friend's sake, she's willing to offer her body without hesitation. Bearing this heavy burden, she refuses to give up—until the day her friend can truly smile and live in peace.