Ranmaru Kurisu comes from a family of hardy, rough-and-tumble fisherfolk and he sticks out at home like a delicate, artistic sore thumb. It's given him a raging inferiority complex and a permanently pessimistic outlook. Now that he's in college, he's hoping to find a sense of belonging. But after a whole life of being left out, does he even know how to fit in?!

It's winter break, and the Art Squad is helping a local children's center put on a holiday puppet show. No classes means the squad can spend loads of time preparing, but all that togetherness is torture for poor heartsore Ranmaru. And just when he thinks he's accepted that Ruka only has eyes for Goda, he finds out she's agreed to an arranged marriage after college!