Volume 1[]
Kashima meets Chiyo Sakura and Umetarou Nozaki through her best friend Mikoto Mikoshiba. As the school’s “prince” and drama club member, several girls talk to her as all three of them watch her confident performance. Kashima then turns her attention to Sakura—she states that she thought she was pretty famous and is surprised that Sakura doesn’t know her. A bewildered Sakura, in order to save her “heart”, Sakura safely decides to settle on Mikorin’s side, much to his chagrin. Kashima also asks what the three of them do together since they are all in different classes. Nozaki easily explains that they get together at his house to do all kinds of stuff together, embarrassing both Sakura and Mikoshiba. Kashima then realizes that it is late, and she should leave before he comes to get her. Sakura then watches spellbound as Masayuki Hori, the drama club president drags Kashima away. [1]
Kashima asks Sakura to help her paint the sets for the play. Sakura then accompanies her to the set where she formally meets Hori-senpai. He tells her he is the club president, director, and in charge of set decoration. Sakura asks why he is not in the play; he responds that he used to act, but he doesn’t anymore. Clueless, Kashima adds that because of Hori-senpai’s short height, he doesn’t participate anymore. After a little more discussion, which causes Hori unnecessary aggravation and results in more bruises for Kashima, Sakura manages to get her under control. Once Kashima starts working on the sets, she overhears Sakura and Hori’s discussion about briefs which confuses Kashima even more because she thinks that they are discussing dirty jokes. As a result, when she tries to participate, Hori ends up hitting her with the prop once again. [2]
After observing her senpai and Umetarou Nozaki frequently conversing, she asks Sakura what kind of relationship they have. Because Sakura is unable to provide a suitable answer, Kashima desperately begins to think that her “beloved kouhai” position is in danger—Hori-senpai may favor Nozaki over her. When she asks Hori about it outright, he bluntly tells her that he prefers Nozaki over her. Brokenhearted, Kashima hugs Sakura. However, instead of comforting her, Sakura happily tells her that she would choose Nozaki as well. A desolate Kashima then decides to skip club practice and heads out with Sakura to eat parfait. Sakura then asks her what kind of relationship she would like to have with Hori-senpai. Kashima straightforwardly tells Sakura that she would like to perform at his wedding. [3]