Chased by an old woman for stealing food, Kakeru is rescued by a university student and elite runner named Haiji, who persuades Kakeru to live with him in an old apartment alongside eight other fellow residents. Unbeknownst to them, Haiji has been planning to form a team and enter the Hakone Ekiden Marathon – one of Japan’s most prominent university relay races – and Kakeru is the tenth and final member.