The Couple's Distance

The Couple's Distance (二人の距離, Futari no Kyori) is the second chapter of School Days manga.

Summary
During class, Makoto recalls Sekai 's kiss yesterday until his musing was interrupted by his teacher, causing him to spring to attention and get scolded for not paying attention. Class ends and Sekai calls Makoto a class dunce before guessing that he spent his time thinking about his first date, but Makoto replies that he's actually thinking about yesterday when Sekai kissed him. Instead of responding to it, she tries to change the subject by saying he and Kotonoha are a new couple and she thought she would try to do something funny. Makoto apologizes and tries to determine why he was so shocked about it.

He makes an attempt to keep discussing it, but Sekai asks him if he is still going out with Kotonoha instead. He is insistent until she tells him to stop being so distant. She claims it's fine since she got the two of them together. With sarcasm, Makoto thanks Sekai with a "-sama" honorific for getting him with Kotonoha and they head into the hallway.

There, Sekai asks how the date went. Makoto admits that he gets nervous every time he sees Kotonoha, and he wants to address her by her first name, which he likes. Sekai seems to realize his distance with Kotonoha and tells him how he can go further if he remains indecisive. Makoto expresses confusion until he realizes that "getting further with Kotonoha" goes beyond kissing. Kotonoha approaches him to ask if he wishes to have lunch with her. Sekai then quietly whispers to Kotonoha about her message regarding the date, causing Makoto to yell at her, allowing her to push him along with Kotonoha to have lunch together. She leaves after Setsuna comes by to invite her to join her and their other friends in the cafeteria.

On the rooftop, Makoto and Kotonoha chat about their date and how he and Sekai get along so well. Kotonoha attempts to tell Makoto something, but is interrupted by Makoto's phone. He looks to see that he got a text from Sekai and gets flustered after reading the suggestion that they were "get funky".

The school bell rings before Makoto isn't able to hear what Kotonoha has to say to him, and they separate to go to class. Once class ends, he starts to think about Kotonoha and tries to determine what she wanted to say to him, so he waits for her to finish in Student Council. When his MP3 battery runs out, he decides to spend the time chatting with Sekai, who is at Pure Burger with Hikari and Nanami. Sekai gives him advice on how to speak to Kotonoha in hopes of ending the distance between them.

Makoto runs back to school to meet with Kotonoha, who expresses surprise that he ran back for her, just to walk home together. As they walk home together, Makoto explains everything to Kotonoha, about how what she had planned to say during lunch and how he was unable to hear her. She reveals to him that she wants to call him by his first name and he agrees, commenting that he would like to use her first name as well. She agrees as well and they resume walking home together.

Character in order of appearance

 * Makoto Itou
 * Sekai Saionji (flashback)
 * Kotonoha Katsura
 * Setsuna Kiyoura
 * Nanami Kanroji
 * Hikari Kuroda