Takemoto, the main character, is a sophomore architecture student who is both amiable and a bit aimless. He lives in the same inexpensive apartment building as his friends Mayama and Morita. Mayama is a cool senior architecture student with his eye on graduation, while Morita is sixth-year senior, as legendary for his eccentricity as for his genius. When they aren't in class, Takemoto, Mayama, and Morita sometimes hang out in the office of Professor Hanamoto. This is how they meet Hagu, a talented freshman straight from the countryside; she's the daughter of Professor Hanamoto's cousin. Later, Umino introduces the last major member of the ensemble cast, beautiful ceramics student Yamada, who is nursing a one-sided crush on Mayama.