The premise of Konya mo Kimi to Kōbutsu Dinner centers on a young man named Aoi Misono who has been fascinated since childhood by a peculiar classmate, Iori Karasuma. Iori is a “Kōbutsu-shoku” (Mineral Eater), a rare individual who subsists entirely on minerals and gemstones. The story follows the pair from their initial meeting in middle school through their lives as university students. Aoi, influenced by his mother who works in the gemstone sales business, has always found minerals visually “delicious,” making him naturally drawn to Iori rather than repulsed by his unusual diet.

The setting shifts between their shared past and their present-day living arrangement, where they reside in adjacent rooms. As they transition to university life, Aoi develops a specific ambition: to become a chef specializing in mineral cuisine, aiming to create delicious and appealing meals specifically for Iori. However, the narrative deepens beyond culinary aspirations as Aoi grapples with a growing, complex desire: he wishes not just to cook for Iori but to be “eaten” by him in a metaphorical sense.

The central conflict arises from Iori’s unique biology. As a Mineral Eater, his body functions differently from a standard human. He lacks typical reproductive instincts and is incapable of experiencing sexual arousal or desire. Furthermore, his saliva is harmful, making skin-to-skin contact that involves saliva, such as kissing, potentially dangerous for a non-mineral eater. These physical constraints create a seemingly insurmountable barrier, as Aoi’s romantic and physical longing for Iori clashes with Iori’s fundamental inability to reciprocate in a conventional manner. While Aoi nurses a quiet and seemingly hopeless love, the narrative suggests that Iori is not entirely indifferent, developing special feelings for Aoi that he may not yet fully understand due to his different nature.

Notable narrative arcs include the exploration of Aoi’s dedication to perfecting mineral-based recipes, transforming the act of preparing and consuming food into an intimate emotional exchange. Another significant arc involves Iori’s gradual education about human intimacy. In one instance, when confronted with the possibility of Aoi dating someone else, Iori experiences unfamiliar feelings of jealousy and possessiveness. This leads to poignant and awkwardly tender scenes where Aoi must explain basic concepts of human sexuality and desire to Iori, who approaches the topic with the innocent curiosity of a child learning a new subject, even attempting to assist Aoi with his physical needs while lacking the instinct for such acts himself. The story navigates these profound incompatibilities, focusing on whether their bond can transcend the boundaries set by Iori’s physiology.