Kenkichi, a young student, shoulders intense academic pressure to secure admission to the prestigious Ichiko school, viewing this success as vital for his future prospects and social standing. His life revolves around a rigorous study routine fueled by duty and a desire to impress others, not personal ambition, highlighting his focus on conformity and external validation.

Amidst this stress, romantic feelings for Sumiko, his sister's friend, blossom. Her presence offers crucial emotional encouragement, intertwining his academic goals with personal stakes. Sumiko's initial positive attention further fuels Kenkichi's academic determination.

The dynamic fractures when Kenkichi's younger brother, Kenji, returns home. Kenji also intends to take the Ichiko entrance exam but approaches it casually, treating it as a trial run. His relaxed attitude starkly contrasts Kenkichi's intense preoccupation.

Kenji forms a friendly bond with Sumiko, who begins favoring him. This shift ignites Kenkichi's jealousy, complicating his emotional state and fracturing his academic focus. Resentment towards his brother surfaces as Sumiko's attention divides.

Kenkichi's interactions with peers underscore his mindset: one friend chooses an easier school, another squanders family resources without serious effort. These social contrasts amplify Kenkichi's fixation on Ichiko as his singular path to validation. His rigid adherence to this goal, despite alternatives, reveals an internal conflict between societal expectations and personal desires.

The culmination of academic pressure, romantic interest, and fraternal rivalry plunges Kenkichi into significant emotional turmoil. His jealousy towards Kenji and possessiveness over Sumiko's attention expose vulnerabilities beneath his disciplined exterior, prompting him to question his original motivations as his blind ambition for social conformity unravels under personal strain.

Kenkichi's character arc explores the consequences of defining self-worth through external achievements within Japan's high-pressure college entrance examination context. His unresolved jealousy and shifting relationship with Sumiko illustrate the personal costs of his academic obsession.