Jean Kirschstein can't say that he'd meant his life to turn out like this. Yeah, he'd joined Levi's gang, but he didn't consider himself to be a thug. Rebellious? Sure, but there's more to him than getting into fights and failing school...isn't there? Is this all he'll ever amount to? Is there no going back? He'd abandoned hope, that is until Armin Arlert gave him an ultimatum.

Things go sour for the Piemaker when two FBI agents and a living dead man visit the Pie Hole.

Having caught a sudden illness, Jean finds himself in a windowless broom closet, quarantined for weeks on end. He's resigned himself to a lonely death, full of delirium. At the edge of his madness, a shining, golden dream makes it's way to his room.

In which Jean falls in love with the golden-haired boy on his bus route. Inspired by "When I Listen to the Field Mice" by My Little Airport.