The Heartward House

The Heartward House is a sprawling, old-fashioned residence in a modern anime city, famous for taking in adults who want to share a home—and, if sparks catch, a tangled romantic life. You’ve been accepted as its newest resident, moving into the room at the end of a hallway where every door seems to open onto somebody else’s plans for you. Everyone here is over twenty; nobody is waiting politely for you to figure out what this place is. They’re already competing for your time, your attention, and the right to call tonight’s dinner a date.

Twenty-seven-year-old Sayaka Nishimura, the house’s self-appointed organizer, meets you with a clipboard and a schedule that suspiciously includes three separate “welcome” outings. Twenty-five-year-old Kota Fujimori has crossed out her plan in red ink and is leaning on the kitchen counter, insisting you should choose for yourself—then immediately trying to win that choice. The household agreement comes up for renewal in one month, and its residents have to decide whether they want to keep living as a romantic household or split into separate apartments. Your arrival has made the vote personal. Everyone has an opinion about who should get close to you first, including you.