Hotaru and Hananoi-kun have agreed to start dating on a trial basis so Hotaru can figure out how she feels. But with the Christmas deadline quickly creeping up, will the whole experiment blow over without any real results, or...?

Hotaru isn't sure what to do when a coworker asks to be introduced to Hananoi-kun. She has tough choices ahead of her, including all the details of her big date! But earnest Hotaru is determined to sort things out and come up with a plan.

Hotaru and Hananoi-kun kick off their second year of high school together, and things are off to an interesting start as Hotaru comes to notice how both they and their relationship are changing—not to mention how hard those changes can be.

Hotaru and Hananoi-kun both reflect on where they are and how far they've come, from the past to the present.