The story centers on Minato Tanaka, an ordinary high school boy who finds himself caught in an unusual romantic misunderstanding. He becomes friends with Rena Saito, the school’s most beautiful girl who is known for her cold, “salty” attitude toward everyone, after they bond over their shared love of reading. What begins as a quiet friendship through borrowing books gradually deepens as the distance between them shrinks.

Unbeknownst to Minato, the plain, glasses-wearing upperclassman named Hiiragi at his part-time job is actually Rena in disguise. Awkward and inexperienced in love, Minato begins seeking advice from this trusted senpai about his growing feelings for the most beautiful girl at school—completely unaware that he is confessing his feelings directly to Rena herself. As he pours out his heart about how much he cares for “Rena,” the disguised Hiiragi listens with a bright red face, embarrassed yet secretly delighted that the boy she likes feels so strongly about her.

From Rena’s perspective, she realizes immediately that Minato’s crush is none other than herself. Despite her embarrassment, she becomes increasingly attracted to his sincere and earnest nature, especially since he treats her like a normal person rather than fawning over her beauty like other boys do. While Minato remains completely oblivious to the fact that his love advisor and his crush are the same person, Rena begins to actively encourage his efforts to win “her” over, creating a delightfully ironic situation where she essentially acts as her own wingwoman.

The story unfolds through alternating viewpoints, allowing readers to see both Minato’s earnest but clueless pursuit and Rena’s flustered but affectionate responses as she receives his compliments secondhand. Key narrative arcs include their growing friendship through shared reading sessions, Minato seeking advice about a birthday present for Rena, the two growing closer during winter break and Christmas Eve, their first date, and the eventual revelation where Minato finally discovers that Hiiragi and Rena are the same person. The series culminates with the two officially becoming a couple and navigating the early stages of their relationship, including gaming center dates and being in the same class for the new school year.