Girl Friends

at first glance, mari kumakura is a rather plain, ordinary looking girl who's grades are at the top of her class. she has very few friends, is normally rather shy, and eats lunch by herself. one day, she is approached by the super cute, super popular akko oohashi, who claims she wants to be friends. mari is at first very suspicious of her true intentions, but eventually comes to realize she's not a bad person. after a hair cut and some fashion tips, akko quickly transforms mari into one of the cutest girls in the school. in no time, mari and akko are best friends, but unbeknownst to akko, mari starts to develop feelings that are more than just “friends.” from baka-updates: mari is a shy, studious girl who has neither a boyfriend nor any friends. one day, akiko – one of the most fashion-conscious and sociable girls in the class – strikes up a conversation with her out of the blue! as the days go by the two become inseparable, with akiko often cheerily remarking on how they became best friends so easily. mari has a lot of fun with akiko and her group, slowly becoming more outgoing despite still being timid and awkward. but she knows, deep down inside, that she doesn't want them to stay just friends forever…