Akko tells Mari to call her "Akko."
Though they've been in the same class for more than a term now, this is the first time they've spoken.
Mari is still thinking about how Akko calls her "Mari-chan"--all the other kids call her Kumakura-san. Akko asks her how she did on the test, and Mari says she answered all the questions and that she thinks she mostly got them right. Akko is shocked--she thought that since Mari sighed after the test, she might be bad at English too. Mari wonders to herself if that's why Akko approached her. Akko adds that Mari's only problem was that she missed a day of English classes, whereas Akko is always taking make-up tests.
She asks why Mari missed that day--did she have a cold? Mari tells her that she had a problem in the bath the night before the class. Akko asks if she collapsed from anemia, but it turns out that Mari just fell asleep naked in the bathroom after her bath and had a stomachache when she woke up the next morning. Akko thinks this is hilarious... Mari isn't amused.
Akko's thirsty from all that laughing, so the two of them end up getting drinks and a snack (coke and chicken nuggets). Akko comments that using her brain makes her hungry... Mari wonders why she's saying that when she just said she was thirsty.
Mari's a little nervous that a teacher will catch them taking a detour on the way home from school.
Akko suddenly asks Mari if she straightens her hair herself.
Akko's question shocks Mari. Akko apologizes, and explains that she asked that because Mari's hair is so pretty, silky, and straight. She adds that she's been wondering about that for a long time now. Mari points out that Akko's (though she's still calling her "Oohashi-san") hair is straight and pretty, too. Akko confides in her that she gets her hair straightened,
and asks her to keep it a secret. Mari thinks to herself that Akko ("Oohashi-san") is weird. Akko says that her hair's really curly, so she irons it every morning. Akko pets Mari's hair, remarking again on how pretty it is.
Wondering to herself why she's having her head petted by a classmate, Mari says that her hair just sort of hangs there, and Akko agrees that it's untreated.
Akko asks her why she doesn't get her hair done at a beauty parlor. She always thinks about what a waste it is for Mari to waste her hair's potential like that. She asks Mari where she gets her hair cut. Mari says she just goes to the same neighborhood place as her mom.
As Mari's standing up to leave, fed up, Akko suggests they go get their hair cut together. She asks if Mari is free the next day.
Mari--whose full name, we found out on the previous page, is Mariko--tells her mom she wants to go get her hair cut the next day. Her mom assumes she's planning to go to the usual place, but Mariko tells her she's planning to go to a new place, and asks for money. Her mom asks if she's going alone, and she says that she's going with a friend.
Exasperated, Mariko flops on her bed. She's upset that Akko ("Oohashi-san") just decides things for both of them on her own. Her mom made a weird face at her, plus for the first time in her life, she didn't go straight home from school (which is against school rules). The chicken nuggets were good, though.
Mari suddenly realizes she has another problem--she doesn't know what to wear tomorrow! Akko's so stylish, and Mariko still has her mom buy her clothes for her.
Mariko hits upon a solution--she can just tell Akko that something came up and she can't go after all. Since Akko made her exchange email addresses with her, she can just drop her a note that way. After all, it's not like they're friends anyway. Then she remembers Akko's words about how pretty her hair is and how its potential is going to waste.
Akko's surprised (but not displeased) to see that Mariko dresses casually when not at school. Mariko thinks to herself that it's the same sort of stuff that she wore back in elementary school.
Akko giggles. When Mariko asks her why, she says that she's happy. When they're in class, Mariko usually hangs out with the other smart kids, but Akko's loud and unintelligent, so she was a little worried that Mariko wouldn't like being around her. Mariko starts to deny the assumption that she wouldn't like being around Akko, and Akko agrees, saying that's why she's happy.
Mariko remarks to herself--again--that Akko's weird. Akko's popular with the guys, so she must have a boyfriend. And yet she's wasting a Sunday on this.
The hairstylist remarks that this girl must be close to Akko, if she's bringing her to get her hair cut with her. Akko says they're super-good friends, to which Mariko thinks, "Hey, hey..."
The stylist remarks on how pretty Mariko's hair is and asks her how she wants it done. Mariko just stutters, "U-...uh..." Akko peeks in the door and says that there's a cut she wants him to try on Mariko, but Mariko likes her hair long, right? The stylists scold Akko, and she apologizes.
Mariko thinks to herself that Akko is being awfully presumptuous and overfamiliar with her, and she doesn't like it. But still...
Mariko asks Akko what sort of style she thinks would suit her. She doesn't really know much about that sort of stuff, so she asks the stylist to just cut her hair per Akko's instructions. Akko can't believe it.
Ta-da! Transformation into Nana: complete.
The stylist shows Mariko her new cut and asks her what she thinks of it. She wonders to herself if it's too short, and why Akko suggested that style when she said she liked silky, straight hair before. Suddenly, she has a horrifying thought: Could this be Akko's way of bullying her? Maybe Akko is the one who doesn't like her.
Thankfully, we immediately find out that's not the case as Akko, her own haircut finished, comes over and exclaims over how cute Mariko's new cut is and how well it suits her.
She says it's silky and short. Akko has to keep her own hair long so that the weight will help keep it straight. Now it's the stylist's turn to be impressed by how well the new haircut suits Mariko.
Akko has yet another compliment for Mariko: only cute girls can pull off short hair. Confused, Mariko blushes. Akko asks Mariko to keep that a secret, since a lot of girls in their class have short hair and she'll lose friends if they find out she just said that. lol
Mariko bursts out laughing. She says Akko has too much stuff she wants to keep strictly confidential. They leave the salon--named Spanky *snort*--and Akko says she's thirsty and suggests they go out for tea somewhere. Mariko agrees, then says they should get something to eat while they're at it, since that's bound to happen anyway. "Seeing right through me already?" Akko asks, then suggests they hit McDonald's again. Mariko isn't surprised.
Akko wonders if it's the reduced weight of her hair that's making her feel like she's walking on air.
Mariko's mother asks her how long she's going to spend fixing her hair, and if she's going to be late. Mariko says she'll be right out.
Just two days ago, Mariko was down in the dumps because of her exams.
And she couldn't sleep last night.
Akko greets her, and another girl asks if she got her hair cut.
Today is Monday.
The wind feels good as it caresses her neck.
She's made a new friend.
Mariko bids Akko hello, calling her "Akko-chan" for the very first time.
And that's the end of chapter 1!