Sōta Murakami resides in a small village as a close friend of Ichiro, living with his mother Miyoko after his father's death, with his paternal aunt Sachiko in his life. He visibly rejoices upon learning of Miyoko's arranged date with Kei's father and eagerly shares the news among peers. Kei interprets this openness as insensitive gossip, reacting with remarks that Sōta misconstrues as criticism of his mother. To shield Miyoko from distress, Sōta withdraws his support for the potential marriage without explanation. Miyoko and acquaintance Satsuki consequently assume Sōta dislikes Kei's father, a misconception Kei shares until Sōta later clarifies his opposition stemmed from misunderstanding Kei's comments about Miyoko. The conflict resolves during a scavenger hunt where participants seek an item symbolizing "dad," aided assistance helping Sōta mend the tension.