Shōya Ishida and his friends bully Shōko Nishimiya, a transfer student who was born deaf. When the principal learns of the bullying, Shōya's friends frame him as the sole perpetrator. Shōya blames Shōko when she tries to help him, and they get into a physical altercation. The latter is subsequently transferred to another school, with Shōya keeping her notebook. With his reputation as a bully following him through middle school, Shōya becomes a depressed loner in high school who believes suicide is his only absolution. However, he makes amends with those he has wronged before ending his life. Shōya reconciles with Shōko when returning her notebook at the sign language center she attends, realizing she is still lonely due to her shyness. Shōya is also befriended by Tomohiro Nagatsuka, a similarly friendless classmate who feels indebted to Shōya for saving him from a bully.