New Normal

In the near future, a devastating pandemic has swept across the globe, fundamentally altering human behavior and social interaction. As a direct consequence of the outbreak, concealing one’s face behind a mask has transitioned from a temporary precaution into an unquestioned societal standard. This masked existence defines the era known as the “new normal,” a reality where the simple act of showing one’s mouth is considered a relic of a forgotten past. Amidst this transformed world lives Natsuki, a young girl who quietly harbors a deep sense of nostalgia for the days before the pandemic reshaped humanity. While she navigates her daily life conforming to the strict expectations around her, an unexpected connection forms with Hata, one of her classmates. What begins as a sudden friendship quickly evolves into something more intimate when the two begin sharing a small, closely guarded secret that defies the conventions of their heavily regulated society. Together, Natsuki and Hata navigate the quiet tension between conformity and personal longing. Their shared bond becomes a subtle rebellion against the sterile reality they inhabit, forging what they consider their own “new abnormal.” It is a poignant story of two individuals seeking genuine human connection in a world defined by distance and concealment.