Chapter 3: The First step

Kaito wasn't sure what counted as "normal" when it came to making friends. Years of detaching himself from classmates had left him with a vague idea-be polite, don't overshare, avoid awkward silences, self doubt, and be useful. 

Now, sitting at his desk within his room filled with an awful eerie silence with a manga placed in front of him, he was aware of how little he actually knew about Mio beyond the pages of the manga he'd read. 

Within the manga Mio is the shy type, but is rather talkative when Hiroshi is around showing a new personality to everyone around. Even with her "friends" she was pretty closed off unlike she was with Hiroshi, but I guess in a way it makes sense, since their childhood friends. Besides being shy shes also very smart, where in the manga she placed within the top five for test scores. There was an entire plot in the story where she helped Hiroshi study. 

Kaito flips through the pages until he stops on the pages that causes him to pause. He narrows his eyes as he begins to focus on the dialouge between Mio and Hiroshi the Mc. 

(Within the Manga) 

Hiroshi sighs and slumps back into a chair completely drained and defeated. 

"Mio I don't know how you do it.  Just looking at a number is enough to completely exhaust me at this point." 

Mio just giggles into her hand. "Well you've never been the type to think. Seems like your brain is truly just there for decoration."

"Well that's why I surround myself with smart people. So I won't have to think for myself. It's genius really." Hiroshi poses dramatically as if he just said something that's revolutionary. 

Mio puts a hand up and covers her mouth while she looks at him with a very mischievous look. "In other words, you're on the same level of intelligence as an animal." She looks away from him fake giggling. "You're really fitting into the nickname everyone has given you."

"That's right I-" Hiroshi turns to shoot a look at Mio clearly shocked and hurt. "Same level as an animal?!"

Mio claps her hands together still keeping the mischievous look on her face. "That's right it's very disrespectful to put animals on the same level as you. You're even lower than that." 

Hiroshi sits straight up in a flash now confused and shocked. "Why is it even lower?!" 

Mio giggles and once she stops she sits there in silence before turning towards Hiroshi. "If your intelligence is below that of an animal, then I guess that would make my personality that of a terrified bunny." 

Mio looks Hiroshi in the eyes. 

"So just like you I'm nothing but below human standards as well," she says in a hurt tone. 

Hiroshi attempts to speak up but before any words could be formed out of his mouth Mio cuts him off. 

"But with you I'm able to be more than those standards. The same goes for you as well Hiroshi. Countless of times you used that empty head of yours to help me when I needed you the most. In the end when we are together we're both able to shine.  

Hiroshi eyes open widely and his jaw drops ever so slightly at the sight before him.

Mio gives off the most radiant smile ever that causes everything to fall silent besides the words that come from her mouth. 

"Thank you Hiroshi, for always being by my side."

(End of manga scene)

"Must be great to have someone like that to stick around you," kaito says flatly. 

Kaito shuts the manga and leans back in his chair thinking in silence while he stares at the ceiling above. 

I remember fans going crazy about this chapter on forums after Mio's confession chapter finally released. Many fans of the manga were outraged by how butchered Mio's confession was compared to this chapter. The complaints were mostly about how rushed her confession was and that it felt so sloppy compared to this chapter where everything was built up across two chapters until the study session. 

Kaito stares at the cover of the manga which has Hiroshi right on the front. 

The reason Hiroshi was able to get Mio to open up to him was because his personality to get along with everyone. But I'm the complete opposite of that. I can't just make friends with someone as simple as he could I mean.... is that something even realistic to even try to achieve... for myself that is. 

Kaito sits in silence for a while until his eyes drift towards a comedy and tragedy poster collecting dust on his wall. His eyes just linger on it for a while examining it until an answer comes forth into his mind.

"If it's unrealistic for me to achieve then I simply have to be someone else," Kaito says flatly.

He walks over to the shelf and pulls out the first volume of Cherry Days: Our Secret Spring. 

"If my logic doesn't apply then the opposite would."

He opens to the fourth page of the manga which begins in class where the teacher is making an announcement. 

"To understand another's logical reasoning you would need to see through their eyes. So Hiroshi please help me understand others."

Once the new day arrived, sitting next to Mio during a quiet study period, Kaito was preparing to talk to her. 

Okay, he told himself. Just start small.

He cleared his throat and pulled out his textbook. "Hey, Mio."

She looked up, blinking in mild surprise at being addressed directly.

"I, uh... need some help with my grades."

I know I said this method is pretty cliche but this is the only possible way to progress, Kaito thought. 

She raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"I heard you're one of the top students around here." Kaito tried to sound casual. "Top five, right? That's... impressive." 

Mio's eyes softened just a bit. "I try. It's nothing special."

"Maybe not, but it's enough to make me want to try to and learn....somewhat," he said, surprising himself. "Would you... help me with some of the material? I'm not exactly an expert in math."

Hesitation crossed her face, but she nodded. "Sure. we can start after school, if you want."

Kaito barely stopped to think before agreeing. "That'd be great." 

Mio looks away. "Uh...lets meet in the library."

Kaito just nods. 

Mio doesn't respond and just turns around in silence to focus back on her work. 

Kaito turns away after she does and he slumps back into his chair like he usually does, although he's a bit uncomfortable to be out of his usual spot in the back. 

I surprised myself there...It felt like I wasn't even the one talking. Luckily Mio isn't as shy as she was in the manga. Though I have Hiroshi to thank for that since he's the one who helped her be able to speak to people besides stutter and jumble over her words like she used to. 

As the day came to an end Kaito made his way to the library passing by everyone in the hallways who were chatting with friends. He pushed open the door to the library and looked for the emptiest corner with a table he could sit at while he waited for Mio.

Maybe I should've went to fetch her. That's what Hiroshi would've done.

Soon Mio approached the table carrying her bag and her textbook clutched to her chest. "I-I'm here."

Any reasonable person who saw this would thinking I'm bullying her. Kaito thought. 

"Thank you once again for agreeing to help me with this. I really mean it," Kaito said softly. 

Mio places her stuff down softly and sits down. "I'm glad to help." 

If its truly the same then this should work out just the same like it did in the manga with Hiroshi. In elementary Hiroshi was doing a project but he of course didn't understand it and had to get help. So he chose the smartest student in class which happened to be Mio. And that's where their long friendship began. 

 Kaito opens up his textbook while rubbing his head. "So I wanted to ask for your help with this. I can get started on it but after that point I get confused and lost."

Mio stayed silent for a while before finally speaking up. "Well it's pretty tricky to remember, but it's pretty easy to get the hang of once you get the hang of it."

Kaito eyes widened a bit in shock. 

I know in the manga it states that Mio is a different person when helping someone study but, this is a bit of a drastic change isn't it? In the manga we never really saw Mio actually help someone study but only given descriptions about what it was like from Hiroshi. All of his descriptions described her as a monster though. I mean it's a manga so he was most likely being dramatic when he said something like that right?

After the study session for the day was over Kaito was slumped into the chair and completely defeated. 

Mio breaks the silence of his while she packs her stuff away. "I hope I was helpful."

Kaito finally regains his composure and looks at her while standing up himself. "No you were very helpful to me. Without you I would've just decided to sleep it off instead of actually trying." Kaito rubs his head while looking off to the side. "If it's not too much trouble can I ask for you to continue to help me study tomorrow. I'm not really good at other subjects either." Kaito said sheepishly. 

Hesitation was displayed over her face as she clutched her bag, but she agreed. "It's no trouble."

"You're the best. Then let's meet back here tomorrow after school," Kaito said a bit surprised. 

Mio nods, then walks away hurriedly through the library doors. 

As Kaito watches her leave he slumps back down into the chair and lets out a long sigh. That went smoother than I expected. I didn't really think this method would get me this far. Hiroshi described her as a monster but she was more like the devil.

Kaito sat in silence for while still processing the act he displayed.

I wonder just how much of Hiroshi can I copy.

I wonder just how far I need to take this act before I go too far.

Kaito touches his face as eyes turn dull.

I wonder...just what kind of face was I making.