Starting tomorrow, Mariko will have a new classroom and a new shoe locker (the students wear outdoor shoes to school and then change into their school shoes).
Sugi grumbles about being stuck with Tamazou as her homeroom teacher again. Tamamin doesn't seem much happier about hers. Akiko and Mariko ended up in the same group--Class 1. Akiko is worried that she'll forget where her new shoe locker is, but Mariko says, "Don't worry, ours are together."
This is the last time the group of 4 friends will report to the same classroom. Though she knew they'd still be friends even if they were in different classes, Mariko was still apprehensive about the class change... up until yesterday, that is. Now she's looking forward to tomorrow. She wonders if that's a little too naive.
Sugi, the poor dear, whines some more about being stuck with Tamazou until graduation. Tamamin envies Akiko and Mariko because they're in the same class. Akiko tells Sugi and Tamamin that they're welcome to come visit Class 1 anytime.
As the teacher is concluding her announcements, one of the students asks her about seating. The teacher suggests seating them by their marks, then when the students protest, laughs and says that they can keep their current seats. Akiko comments to Mariko that their new teacher, Naru-chan, is interesting.
The girl in front of them turns around and asks them what group they were in before, addressing Akiko as "Oohashi-san." Akiko tells the girl that she can call her "Akko," which prompts Mariko to remember that she herself has only been addressing Akiko that way for a short while.
Akiko asks Mariko to confirm something, but Mariko has no idea what she's talking about, since she hasn't been paying attention. She hastily agrees.
The girl then addresses Mariko (as "Kumakura-san"), asking if her name is "Mari" and what character(s) she writes it with. Mariko replies that it's "Mariko," and the girl asks if she can call her "Mari," which catches her off guard. Mariko hesitantly says yes, but Akiko jumps in and says that people called her "Mariko-chin" in their old class. The other girl seems to think this nickname really suits Mariko, and that it's cute.
Then another girl points out that the first girl's name is cute, too: Urara. Urara hates her name, of course. The teacher asks them to keep it down, since homeroom isn't over yet. One of the girls apologizes but addresses her as "Naru-chan," and the teacher scolds her and tells her to address her as "Sensei." This, of course, leads the girl to call her "Naru-chan-sensei." lol
Mariko thinks to herself that their new friends are different from Sugi and Tamamin, but they're cheerful and interesting. Every day is fun with them.
Akiko and Mariko's new friends invite them to stop by MOS Burger with them after school. Akiko eagerly accepts, but Mariko declines, saying she has to stop by a bookstore in another part of town to pick up a book she ordered. The girls say it's a shame Mariko can't come, and Mariko apologizes. Mariko bids the others goodbye and sets off.
As she's paying for the book, she runs into someone unexpected--Tamamin(who, of course, is buying manga)! Tamamin feels like she hasn't talked to Mariko in forever. It's only been a week, but the girls hardly see each other since they're on different floors. Mariko asks after Sugi, since she's on the same floor as Tamamin. Tamamin has just seen her in the corridors, but she's looking well. Mariko asks if the two girls have been riding the train home together, but Tamamin says she's been using this station more often and that Sugi's classes end at a different time. But mainly, it's because she's made some friends in her new class who are kind of otaku, and Sugi's prejudiced against otaku. She promises to introduce Mariko to her new friends sometime, though.
Mariko remembers the girls' certainty that they'd stay friends this year.
Tamamin asks Mariko how her new class is. Mariko says it's fun and she's made some interesting new friends. She adds that Akiko mixed in with the new girls right away, to which Tamamin replies that she can totally picture it. Mariko says she herself isn't really mixing in as well yet, since she's so shy. Last year, it took a while before she could talk to anyone but the kids who sat right next to her. This reminds Tamamin that back before they were friends with Mariko, Akiko was always talking about her at lunch--since Mariko always sat alone for lunch, Akiko always wondered whether they should invite her over, or if they'd just be bothering her. Plus Akiko thought Mariko was cute. Tamamin comments that Akiko was just like a junior high boy. rofl
Tamamin says she was glad to hear Mariko made friends right off the bat this time.
Thinking back, Mariko remembers that she was always reading back then. She never knew what to say to the other kids, so she read during lunch and breaks. It's always been like that for her--she hadn't the slightest idea what groups of girls like Akiko and her friends talked about. She envied them a little, though.
Since she became friends with Akiko, she's enjoyed changing her hairstyle and dressing stylishly.
Mariko understands why it bothers her when their new friends call Akiko "Akko," and why she wasn't sure whether she should let them call her "Mari" (Akiko's the only one who calls her that)--she wants Akiko all to herself. Mariko's embarrassed--she's behaving like a child. She never knew how petty she could be.
She remembers Sugi and Tamamin telling her that the amount of time two people have been friends doesn't matter.
Mariko knows how lucky she was to end up in the same class as Akiko this year, and how significant it is that she's changed with Akiko's help. She knows she's got to get it together and be an adult about things with her new friends.
Akiko and Mariko bid one of their new friends hello. The new girl asks if they have Classical Literature today. Akiko doesn't know, but Mariko confirms that they do. The girl confesses that she brought the wrong books today because she based it on last year's schedule instead of this year's. Akiko razzes her for it, so Mariko points out that Akiko always leaves her books at school anyway, and doesn't bother to look at the schedule. The other girl can't believe it, and is ticked off that Akiko had the nerve to make fun of her (given the fact that Akiko's even worse).
Another friend turns up and bids them good morning. Mariko thinks to herself that everything's going to be all right--she's doing okay with this.
One of the other girls asks Akiko and Mariko if they have boyfriends. Akiko and Mariko are surprised by the question, and Akiko tells the girl that they don't have any. The other girl seems pleased by Akiko's answer; Mariko is shocked. Mariko's reaction surprises both of the other girls. Lots of surprises today, huh? lol
Akiko points out that she wouldn't have participated in a Valentine's Day chocolate exchange with Mariko, Sugi, and Tamamin if she did have a boyfriend. The other girl comments that girls exchanging chocolate with each other like that is a waste. Akiko does not take kindly to that remark... lol
Akiko tells the new girls that one of her friends (Sugi, perhaps?) has a boyfriend but thinks she should get stuff from him on Valentine's Day. So the girls did the exchange to show her how the day is really supposed to work. The other girls don't seem convinced, but understand that the girls wanted to participate in the holiday. Then one of the girl comments that she's surprised Akiko doesn't have a boyfriend.
Mariko thought from the beginning that Akiko had a boyfriend--she never knew that she didn't. She'd intended to ask her many times, but never did. She'd meant to ask her if there was someone she liked, but ultimately just couldn't do it... even though they're best friends.
Akiko asks the others to just let it drop (since they're rubbing in the fact that she isn't popular with guys). Poor thing.
One of the girls confirms that Mariko doesn't have one, and Mariko says that's correct. We then find out why the girl was pleased that Akiko and Mariko don't have boyfriends--there's a mixer on the upcoming Saturday, and she promised she'd get some cute girls to come. Akiko asks what guys are coming, and the girl says that some of hte older guys from Taguchi's work are.
The girl asks Mariko if she can come, but Mariko is hesitant--she's never been to one before. Akiko says she'll go if Mariko will. The other girls are unhappy--they expected Akiko to be more amenable. They try to convince her by asking if she wants to have a boyfriend to give chocolate to next year, but she points out that it's still a long way off. She thinks mixers are a pain.
Mariko, with her new cooperative attitude, agrees to go.
