Confession(chapter)

Confession (告白, Kokuhaku) is the first chapter of the School Days manga.

Summary
Makoto Itou rides a train to school just as a girl boards it. As she reads her book, this gives Makoto a chance to glance at her while reviewing what he knows about her: her surname, Katsura; that she attends the class next to his; she rides the same train to school as he does. He really likes her and wishes to know more, but quickly averts his gaze when the girl seems to sense being watched. As she returns to reading her book, he uses the opportunity to take a picture of her on his cellphone without her knowing.

This alone makes him happy enough to watch her from afar day after day until a fellow classmate eagerly asks about the picture and wonders if she is his girlfriend. He realizes that he is in class and the girl, Sekai, swipes his phone to look. She then realizes he was doing the cellphone charm, which involves taking a picture of a crush, and setting it as the wallpaper. If nobody sees it in three weeks, the owner's wish will come true.

Makoto tries to get his phone back only to be humiliated by Setsuna in front of Hikari, Nanami, and Taisuke. Sekai returns his phone as Nanami observes how close they are. Setsuna considers their playful behavior to be a "couple's skin-ship", which Makoto vehemently denies. When Nanami notices the teacher, is arriving they all return to their seats and Sekai tells Makoto about the name of the girl in his phone before telling him that they should work together. Makoto is suspicious at first, but invites her to the rooftop, intrigued by what she may have in mind.

After class, Makoto initially refuses the offer until Sekai insists that he likes Kotonoha and she wants to make up for disrupting the charm. He continues to refuse until she tells him that taking a picture and hoping for the best isn't enough. He reconsiders and agrees.

The next day, the duo spy on Kotonoha to get to know her, learning her given name, hobbies, and what she eats in the cafeteria. Sekai also shares P.E. class with her and learns that she doesn't have any friends at the time, so Sekai offers to befriend her for Makoto's sake. During P.E., Taisuke muses that Makoto is looking at the girls lecherously, mainly Sekai. Makoto denies this and tells him that he isn't, witnessing the two girls meet up.

At the rooftop, Sekai tells Makoto that she invited Kotonoha to join them for lunch. He is quick to protest, but she arrives not too shortly afterwards. They have a proper introduction and sit down for lunch. Since then, Makoto and Kotonoha have been spending their time together with Sekai.

After school, Hikari, Setsuna, and Nanami bid Sekai a farewell, leaving her alone with Makoto. She asks if he has confessed to Kotonoha yet, but when he tells her that he thinks she might already have a boyfriend, she reveals that Kotonoha actually doesn't, although there is someone she has had her eye on for a while. Makoto starts to lose hope hearing this and regrets getting to know her, causing Seika to slap him. She scolds him and runs off while calling him a coward, allowing Makoto to have a moment of thought and remember that she is trying to help him.

He chases after her and thanks Sekai for what she has been doing, then asks what her motivation is for helping them. Sekai tells him that it's more interesting to see love blossom between two other people and looks forward to see Makoto fulfilling his dream. With that, they share a fist bump as a sign of resolution.

At the rooftop, Makoto hesitantly makes his move and invites Kotonoha to go to Sakakino-cho with him, to which she agrees. She realizes it is a date invite and asks if that is okay, and he confesses his love for her, and asks if she wants to go out with him. She cheerfully accepts.

At Gakuenmae, Makoto tells Sekai about his success with Kotonoha and thanks Sekai for getting them together. Before the train for Sekai arrives, he tells her that he would do anything she asks for in return. Sekai initially refuses, but Makoto insists upon it, so she kisses him after her train arrives and wishes him luck for his first date before taking off.

Characters in order of Appearance

 * Makoto Itou
 * Kotonoha Katsura
 * Sekai Saionji
 * Hikari Kuroda
 * Nanami Kanroji
 * Setsuna Kiyoura
 * Taisuke Sawanaga