From amberlovepj:
Living his life in rural Japan, Tamio is immediately intrigued by Takashi, the blond haired city boy who transfers into his elementary school. But Takashi is actually half Japanese, and despite his appearance he doesn't even know English and loves eating Japanese food even Tamio can't abide.

Tamio and Takashi become friends, and despite his perplexity with Takashi's foreign appearance, Tamio quickly develops a strong attachment to the other boy. Tamio earnestly hopes that he and Takashi can stay friends forever. But Takashi remains dissatisfied with life out in the boonies, insisting that someday he's going to leave all this behind.

Yet Tamio continues to hope and to do anything he can to ensure that Takashi will stay with him–or take him along–no matter where he goes in life, with an intense, endearing, wistful sincerity perhaps telling of sentiments more complicated than Tamio might think.