Hana & Alice 2003

In a quiet winter town, two friends, Alice Yu Aoi and Hana Anne Suzuki, become tangled in a delicate web of attraction and deception after Alice develops a crush on a stranger she meets at the train station. To complicate matters, she nudges Hana toward the stranger’s supposed “half brother,” Masashi Kaku Tomohiro, who she imagines might be a match. Hana initially resists, but soon finds herself drawn to Masashi as she observes him from a distance, letting a growing fixation creep into the winter days.

Come spring, Hana and Alice enroll in Masashi’s high school, where Hana learns that Masashi is a member of the story-telling club and decides to join as well. As she continues to shadow him, a careless moment—Masashi crashing into a garage door and slipping into unconsciousness—becomes a turning point. When Masashi awakens, Hana reveals that she is his girlfriend and claims a blow to the head has given him amnesia. She uses the lie to shape their relationship, while Masashi remains unaware of the truth. Hana’s ongoing deception ushers in a precarious balance as she and Masashi start spending time together as a couple.

Meanwhile, Alice becomes entangled in Hana’s ruse by pretending to be Masashi’s ex-girlfriend, a role she plays to keep the charade alive. The situation grows increasingly complicated as Alice also pursues her own path, landing a modeling opportunity and stepping into the world of fashion. At the same time, she makes efforts to reconnect with her father, seeking support and a sense of belonging that has long eluded her.

A real and unexpected love triangle forms as Masashi begins to fall for Alice, who remains convinced she is interacting with his ex. The emotional tension intensifies when Masashi eventually uncovers Hana’s lie about his amnesia, an awakening that strains Hana and Alice’s friendship and forces painful choices. The dynamic shifts as Masashi’s affections tilt toward Alice, challenging everyone’s loyalties and forcing them to confront the consequences of deception.

To prove her own worth in the modeling world, Alice auditions for a front-page magazine cover. Her dedication shines through in a ballet performance that captivates the casting director, demonstrating both grace and tenacity under pressure. The narrative resolves with a quiet, revealing moment: Hana and Alice share a light, conspiratorial giggle as they behold Alice’s front-cover photograph, a small but hopeful victory that underscores their complicated bond and the resilience of their friendship.