Chitose Is in the Ramune Bottle

Saku Chitose seems to have everything going for him in high school: natural charm, unshakable confidence, and an easy warmth that draws people in. Yet that spotlight comes with a price. Not everyone is happy to see him shine, and the more admired he becomes, the more suspicion and resentment trail behind. For Saku, the idea of living “ugly” is unbearable—so keeping up a flawless image feels like a matter of survival.

As his second year begins, his homeroom teacher asks him to help coax a classmate back to school. What Saku expects to be a quick errand turns complicated when he meets Kenta Yamazaki, a shut-in who openly despises him and what his popularity represents. The request forces Saku to confront the gap between those who thrive in the social center and those pushed to the margins, all while he navigates the thin line between genuine kindness and the performance everyone expects.