In early 1900s London, Lili Ichijoin, a young Japanese exchange student, arrives to enroll at the prestigious Saint Thomas Art Academy. Determined to become a painter, she carries a heavy burden: her parents have given her only six months to rise to the top of her class or return to Japan to give up her dreams and take over the family's kimono business. Her fierce drive intensifies when she encounters Kit Church, a gifted aristocratic student whose talent and emotional detachment make him the academy's undisputed star. What begins as a rivalry between two ambitious artists gradually deepens as Lili's sincerity and resilience begin to chip away at Kit's isolated exterior, transforming their shared passion for art into an unexpected romance.

The story unfolds against the backdrop of Edwardian London and the grand estates of the English countryside. Lili struggles not only with the academy's demanding critique sessions led by the exacting Professor Charles Brant, but also with cultural and class differences. She finds an early friend and roommate in the cheerful Dorothy Brown, while also befriending Shinnosuke Shin Kobayakawa, another talented student from Japan, whose unrequited feelings for Lili add further emotional complexity. The students' world expands when they are invited to Kit's sprawling family estate, Drunnheim Hall, revealing the immense pressures Kit faces as the younger son of a duke.

Key narrative arcs include Lili's persistent efforts to capture the "artist's vision" rather than just technical precision, a lesson she learns through her growing bond with Kit. A significant turn occurs when Kit's aristocratic fiancée, Catherine Astor, initially views Lili as a threat. However, Lili's kindness and dedication lead Catherine to discover her own passion for dressmaking, and she ultimately chooses to break off her engagement, becoming an unexpected ally to both Lili and Kit. As World War I looms, Kit decides to abandon his artistic dreams to serve as a diplomat, leaving the academy and a heartbroken Lili behind. The series jumps forward five years to follow the aftermath of the war, exploring whether the two artists can reunite and reconcile their ambitions with the lives they have built in the intervening time.