Nada so so 2006 8 year old Yotaro gains a 3 year old step sister, Kaoru, when his mother marries a jazz musician who plays in a club in Naha, Okinawa where they live Before long Kaorus father deserts them, and not long afterward Yotas mother becomes terminally ill Her dying wish is for him to watch out for Kaoru at his grandmothers place on a small island off the coast of Okinawa He fulfills her wish and becomes very protective of his younger sister who calls him nee nee Thirteen years later Kaoru returns to Naha and comes to live with him as she starts high school Yota works hard making deliveries of vegetables from an open air market by day, and in a restaurant he is a licensed chef by night to save money to fulfill his dream of having his own restaurant He also assumes the role of pushing for Kaorus entrance to a university This allows less time for his beautiful girlfriend Keiko, the daughter of a doctor and a medical student at Ryukyu University It seems that Yotas dreams start to come together when Mr Kameoka sells him a place for a restaurant Yota works hard constructing the place, but just as he is to open, the real owner appears Being swindled, Yota is left with a large outstanding loan Keikos fathers plans do not include a working class son in law as he explains when he offers to pay Yotas debt Although he refuses, Yota concludes he is not best for Keikos future Years later he continues to overwork even after the debt is paid and Kaoru starts university study With her feelings of love for Yota growing deeper, they mutually decide to live apart