Shuchiin Academy is a beacon for talented students with a bright future ahead of them. The vice-president of Student Council, Kaguya Shinomiya, and the president, Miyuki Shirogane, are attracted to each other, but they are both too proud to be honest about their feelings, so all they do is think about how to get the other person to confess their love. Six months pass without anything happening between them, but then one day, the secretary, Chika Fujiwara, comes in with news about how she won a pair of free tickets to see a movie, a movie that supposedly turns males and females who see it together into romantic couples. This is the trigger that kicks off the romantic game of wits...

The students at Shuchiin Academy are under the impression that Shirogane is a veteran when it comes to romantic affairs, and so it is that despite the fact that Shirogane actually has no romantic experience whatsoever, a male student comes to him seeking advice on a matter of the heart. But if the truth about Shirogane's lack of experience got out, he would lose his dignity as the president of student council. So he nervously takes on the student's request with false bravado: "If it's about love, leave it to me!" Kaguya finds herself in a position to surreptitiously eavesdrop and does so as a chance to hear Shirogane's views on love, but finds his advice off the wall...

When Fujiwara glances at an unwholesome magazine confiscated by the headmaster, she notices to her dismay a survey with the question, "When was your 'first time'?" The magazine claims 34% of high school students have had that experience. Fujiwara calms a startled Shirogane by doubting the veracity of the figure, believing it to be too high, while Kaguya posits, "This percentage seems about right to me," and freely admits that she has had that experience. Shirogane, who has never been in a romantic situation, is shocked by Kaguya's admission, but when she sees his reaction, she uses it as an opportunity to stir him up by asking, "Don't you have a girlfriend?"

For some reason, Kaguya and Shirogane indulge Fujiwara's idea of doing cosplay for the upcoming gathering with students from their sister school in Paris. Deep down, Kaguya thinks it's silly, but when she puts on cat ears, a subdued "meow" escapes her mouth. Moreover, that minor cosplay is an unexpected major hit with Shirogane, an avowed cat lover. He's so bowled over by her cuteness that he isn't able to maintain his usual presence of mind. The situation becomes more complicated when Shirogane follows suit and puts on cat ears, which secretly thrills Kaguya. Unable to hide their thoughts that each other looks cute, the two act weirder and weirder...

When it comes to studiousness, Shirogane is second to none, but as for athletics, he's hopeless, which is why he's training hard for volleyball in the gym after school. However, no matter what he does, Shirogane isn't showing any signs of progress. Playing volleyball for P.E. is only a week away, and at this rate, his image as the perfect president of Student Council will be crushed. Just as Shirogane gives in to despair, Fujiwara shows up. Swallowing his pride, he begs her to coach him, and so Shirogane's days of training under the enthusiastic tutelage of Fujiwara begin. Will he be able to deliver an average serve in time?

Yu Ishigami is the fourth member of the student council. Despite being a first-year, he was scouted out by Shirogane for his talent with numbers and appointed the council's treasurer. Owing to Yu's introverted personality, he normally doesn't stand out much, but the council would fall apart without him. But one day, Yu goes to Shirogane and confesses his desire to quit the group. In fact, his mind is made up, even though Shirogane desperately tries to persuade him to stay. Apparently, the situation is beyond Yu's control, but with a tear in his eye, he explains to the president that he thinks he's being targeted for murder...

Kashiwagi's boyfriend goes back to Shirogane for more romantic advice while Kaguya eavesdrops again. Thanks to Shirogane's advice the first time around, the boy has been dating Kashiwagi, but a month has passed and the two haven't even held hands yet. To Kaguya, the question of what to do in order to hold hands is so simple that she's disgusted by it, but for Shirogane, who doesn't actually have any experience when it comes to romantic relationships, it's a relief since he feels capable of addressing the problem. However, like the previous occasion, Shirogane's advice seems to go in an unexpected direction...

As term-end exams approach, the psychological war between Kaguya and Shirogane in the student council room ramps up. Kaguya is an all-around genius, but her pride is hurt because she hasn't yet beaten Shirogane when it comes to academics. Meanwhile, when it comes to making an effort, Shirogane is second to no one and as the president of student council, he refuses to let anyone else usurp his position at the head of the class. The two of them lie through their teeth and employ wiles worthy of Machiavelli in an attempt to get ahead of the other. At last, it's the day of finals, but which of them will the goddess of victory smile upon?

When Kaguya stays home from school with a cold, Shirogane tells the other council members that he's going to drop off handouts at her house, an announcement that stirs Fujiwara up as she volunteers to go in his stead. According to Fujiwara, Kaguya acts like a baby when she gets a cold. Shirogane's heart beats fast as he imagines a cute Kaguya who's upfront about what she wants, but he shoots down the idea of all the student council members barging in on Kaguya when she's sick. So, Fujiwara proposes playing a game of Concentration to decide on who will visit Kaguya. Even Ishigami gets dragged into what becomes a serious battle!

Kaguya and Shirogane had an argument over the "home visit incident" and as they're both unable to be honest about their feelings, a hostile mood pervades the student council room. Since Kashiwagi has a boyfriend, Kaguya goes to her for "romantic advice," although she lies, saying she's "asking for a friend." Meanwhile, when Shirogane asks romcom fan Ishigami how he can make up with the "person of the opposite sex" he had a fight with, the class treasurer goes off on a heated rant... After getting an earful of various advice, Kaguya and Shirogane begin to realize how they really feel about each other.

Half a month into their summer vacation, Kaguya spends her days moping around, unable to see Shirogane without the student council to throw them together. However, she does have plans to see a fireworks display with the other members of the student council toward the end of the break. Kaguya has never been able to make summer memories because of her strict upbringing as the daughter of the head of a financial conglomerate, so she is anticipating the day she can have fun with everyone. But the day before the event, Kaguya's father suddenly summons her home to Kyoto...

After being forced to bail out on seeing fireworks with her fellow student council members, Kaguya shuts herself up in her dark bedroom. Hayasaka, Kaguya's maid, is worried about her mistress's depressive state. She tries to cheer Kaguya up, and when that doesn't work, introduces a plan to sneak out of the family mansion. Kaguya manages to slip past a pair of vigilant butlers and reaches the venue, but the fireworks display is already over. Kaguya is in tears, since she really wanted to see the fireworks with the others, but then she hears a familiar voice: "Then, I'll show them to you."

The boy who has been dating Kashiwagi, thanks to Shirogane's help, comes back yet again for more relationship advice from Shirogane. But something seems different about him. With his return from summer vacation, he has completely transformed into a player. Getting advice was just an excuse to brag about his girlfriend to Shirogane and Ishigami, and the two suspect that he has "experienced nirvana." They decide to leave the couple alone and observe them from afar as the two lovebirds start to get into a romantic mood...

Kaguya finally gets to go window shopping and watches vigilantly for her chance to befriend Shirogane’s sister, Kei. While the Fujiwara sisters get in the way, she eventually manages to position herself next to Kei. But then, she can only see Shirogane’s resemblance in Kei’s profile, making her heart beat wildly out of control. Kaguya still decides to take the opportunity to figure out what she should give Shirogane for his birthday when Kei mutters that she isn’t very close to her brother. What secrets will Kei spill about Shirogane?

On their final day as the 67th Student Council at Shuchiin Academy, the four members clean out the Student Council Room where they find many memorable items, one after the other. From the banner used at the French exchange student welcome party, the deck of cards that was used to cheat during Concentration, the cards from the forbidden word game, the cosplay cat ears, the inappropriate magazine that was confiscated from a student, and the movie tickets for Mr. Birdson of Birdville, each of these items bring back fond memories and they can’t stop talking about their time together. And so, the four leave the empty Student Council Room behind...

Shirogane is at the top of the race for the student council elections according to the latest predictions, but he is concerned about Miko Iino, a first-year who is trailing close behind him in the race. His competitive streak flares up when he has a conversation with Miko during her election campaign and finds out that she has been at the top of her class as well as an eloquent speaker. Fujiwara plays the role of the peacemaker while tensions mount between the two rivals, but she is caught off guard when Miko asks, “Will you be my vice president if I’m elected as the student council president?”

No one surpasses Shirogane when it comes to academics, but he has never been very confident with his musical skills and always faked it by lip-synching whenever they had to sing the school anthem. Though Shirogane’s secret is soon discovered by Fujiwara, if the other students find out that he can’t carry a tune, his reputation as the perfect former student council president would be ruined. Since Fujiwara was able to help Shirogane overcome his lack of athletic skills in the past, she agrees to help him with singing lessons... However, little does she know that Shirogane’s level of tone deafness may be beyond hope!

The fateful day of the student council elections finally arrives, but Miko’s efforts are in vain, and it appears that Shirogane’s past experience as the president has given him the edge to be the projected winner. Kaguya gives a perfect endorsement speech showing that Shirogane and his team are leagues above Miko’s camp. However, for some reason Ishigami looks troubled. He is worried that Miko, who suffers from stage fright, will be unable to deliver her speech, and become the laughing-stock of the whole school. As Ishigami is visibly frustrated by this prospect, Shirogane utters “I just need to win in a way so that Miko Iino won’t be ridiculed by the other students, right?” as he heads for the stage…

Ishigami has a biased opinion that "Guys who wear boxers are all man whores." Kaguya takes his words to heart and is dying to know what kind of underwear Shirogane is wearing. She tries to come up with different strategies so that she can take a peek at his underwear without it seeming weird, but all her ideas are too naughty. She decides to ask him directly what kind of underwear he likes, but Shirogane misunderstands the question and thinks she is asking him what kind of lingerie he is into. Shirogane starts to imagine the kind of underwear that he wants Kaguya to wear.

The newly formed student council welcomes Miko as the auditor, but for some reason the student council room is full of tension. Miko is such a stickler for the rules that if she sees anything that appears remotely inappropriate she frequently ends up harshly berating them.

In an effort to break out of his shell and become a normie, Ishigami decides to join the cheerleading squad for the school sports festival, but much to his dismay, the team is essentially the “Tribe of Yay!” While Ishigami feels hesitant, the team meeting intensifies fueled by enthusiasm and zeal, where it is decided that all the boys will dress up in girls’ school uniforms while cheering. However, Ishigami, who is a loner, can’t think of any female friends that would casually lend him a uniform. As he begins to consider quitting the team, Kaguya appears…

Though no one surpasses Shirogane when it comes to academics, his lack of dancing skills finds him in his third intense training session with Fujiwara in preparation for the school sports festival. However, Shirogane is such a hopeless dancer that Fujiwara’s patience runs out and storms out of the room. As Shirogane proceeds to diligently practice on his own, Kaguya appears and starts giving him dance lessons. Fujiwara, who has returned to check on Shirogane, begins to argue with Kaguya about the best way to teach him and so a battle ensues! Who will end up victorious as the better dance teacher?

With the sports festival now in full swing, the performance of the cheerleading squad is a great success, and Ishigami is overcome with a sense of fulfillment that he has never experienced before. However, when a classmate from middle school, Kyoko Otomo, approaches Ishigami, his facial expression completely changes. While still being visibly rattled, he is chosen to replace the injured leader of the cheerleading squad as the anchor for the relay race. As a pale faced Ishigami steps up to the track, he begins to reflect on an incident he once caused in the past at school...

The student council is asked to model for the Shuchiin Academy brochure. However, Kaguya's family has a strict policy prohibiting her from being photographed for any forms of publicity, and as result, she is unable to participate. As Kaguya longingly observes the rooftop photo shoot, the student council members propose to take a final group photo, solely for private use, on their cell phone, which makes Kaguya very happy. Just then a gust of wind blows across the rooftop, causing her to drop her phone and sending it way down below to the school grounds. Kaguya picks up her shattered cell phone from the floor and begins to reflect on all the photos with everyone she has lost, and becomes overwhelmed with sadness.