Shinba is an unemployed young man who has no talent, no money, no education, and a consistent record of failure in everyday life. He oversleeps, forgets things, and fumbles nearly every attempt to do something right. Despite all this, he is in a relationship with Hizumi, a strikingly beautiful and composed woman who works at a café. The reason for this unlikely pairing is at the heart of the story: Hizumi does not love Shinba despite his flaws but appears to love him because of them. She takes visible pleasure in his failures, his embarrassment, his shame, and his fumbling efforts to improve himself. Her affection takes the form of ridicule and veiled mockery, but she also whispers possessive endearments and never leaves his side.

Shinba, deeply in love with Hizumi, constantly tries to break free from his label of a useless person, hoping to become someone worthy of her. Every effort backfires, and each failure only seems to make Hizumi more content. Their early relationship unfolds through a series of everyday episodes: a disastrous first date where he arrives late and falls asleep during the movie, a visit to her apartment when he is sick, a trip to an arcade where his one skill is immediately surpassed by hers, and a karaoke outing where he sings only obscure songs. Through each, Hizumi's reactions oscillate between cold mockery and unsettling warmth.

The story expands when Shinba gets a part-time job at a café whose owner, Orochi, turns out to be a long-time acquaintance of Hizumi. Orochi is one of the few people who seems to know about Hizumi's past and the origins of her twisted worldview, though he remains a quiet observer. A beach trip deepens the physical and emotional intimacy between the couple, as they share a room and later share a kiss for the first time.

A significant turning point arrives with the return of Miyabi, a childhood friend of Shinba who is now a famous actress. She represents a lost past and a conventional idea of happiness, and she tries to reclaim Shinba, believing she can restore the brightness he once had. This creates a direct conflict between the two women: Miyabi offers a path toward becoming a better version of himself, while Hizumi wants to keep him as he is, failures and all. The tension escalates into open antagonism, with Hizumi fiercely defending her territory.

By the fourth volume, Shinba and Hizumi decide to move in together. This plan is threatened by the arrival of Shinba's older sister, who exhibits an obsessive possessiveness toward him and tries to prevent the couple from living together. The conflict becomes a competition between familial bonds and romantic ties, with Hizumi determined to prove that her bond with Shinba can override even blood. The story continues to unfold in the ongoing serialization, with the central dynamic intact: the question of what happens to their relationship if Shinba ever does succeed in becoming a more capable person.