In the fall of his first year of middle school, Arata Kouda meets Kujima, a strange, talkative creature that's neither bird nor human. What begins as a small act of kindness turns into an unexpected stay at the Kouda household. Meant to be only until spring, Kujima's clumsy warmth, soft cries, and gentle mystery quietly become part of the family's days, weaving tender, fleeting bonds.