A year has passed since Tsukasa Domyouji left for New York, and he has not spoken to Tsukushi Makino during that entire time. Determined to understand his silence, Tsukushi travels to New York to find him, but the boy she meets is not the same person who left Japan. He is cold, distant, and seemingly indifferent to her. Confused and heartbroken, she returns home, only to have her emotions further complicated when Domyouji comes back to Japan for his birthday. Tsukushi is initially overjoyed, but her happiness is shattered when Domyouji’s mother, Kaede, announces his engagement to Shigeru Okawahara, the bubbly and headstrong daughter of an oil magnate. As if the situation were not difficult enough, the usually reserved Rui Hanazawa confesses that he has developed feelings for Tsukushi, leaving her torn between her lingering love for Domyouji and her close bond with Rui.

The story is set primarily at the prestigious Eitoku Academy and the wealthy Domyouji household, with key scenes also taking place in New York City. The core group of characters includes the determined and resilient Tsukushi, the arrogant yet emotionally complex Tsukasa, the quiet and supportive Rui, and the other two members of F4, the flirtatious Soujiro Nishikado and the gentle Akira Mimasaka. Tsukushi’s loyal friend Yuki Matsuoka provides constant support, while Tsukasa’s formidable mother Kaede and his kind-hearted sister Tsubaki play pivotal roles in the family drama. The new character Shigeru enters as a seemingly spoiled rival, but she eventually reveals a more genuine and sympathetic side, forming an unlikely friendship with Tsukushi even as she remains engaged to Tsukasa.

Several notable narrative arcs drive the season. The initial episodes focus on the mystery of Tsukasa’s changed personality and the obstacles created by his forced engagement. A significant early subplot involves Oribe Junpei, a popular model who transfers to Eitoku and pretends to be Tsukushi’s ally while secretly plotting revenge against Tsukasa for a past injury. After this scheme is foiled, the central conflict shifts to the strained love triangle between Tsukasa, Tsukushi, and Rui. As Tsukushi’s family faces financial ruin, she is forced to move into a dilapidated building, only to discover that Tsukasa has purchased the entire property and lives in the unit next door. This proximity leads to a series of confrontations and moments of reconnection. Shigeru eventually realizes the depth of Tsukasa’s feelings for Tsukushi and breaks off the engagement, a decision that leads to Tsukasa being disinherited by his mother. In a desperate attempt to save the Domyouji company’s employees from the fallout, Tsukushi sacrifices her own happiness and breaks up with Tsukasa, moving to a remote fishing village with her family. Tsukasa follows her there, and after rescuing her brother Susumu from an accident, he suffers a head injury that gives him amnesia. In the hospital, a young woman named Umi tries to insert herself into Tsukasa’s memories, but his bond with Tsukushi proves impossible to erase. The season concludes with Tsukasa fully recovering his memories and reaffirming his love for Tsukushi.