Living with his mother, Shigeo is a tightly wound elementary school student with a sole focus on succeeding in his studies. He holds contempt for his father, Hanao, who is a carefree idealist separated from them and enamored with baseball. However, Shigeo's mother insists he visit his father, leading to lessons from the childlike Hanao that expose Shigeo to a broader worldview beyond academic accomplishments.