Chapter 4

Chapter 4 is the fourth chapter of the Girl Friends manga.
==Chapter Information==
The chapter opens with the girls receiving the results of their winter exams. Though Akko has barely passed her exams, she is thrilled that she does not need to take any make-up exams. While at home in her room, Mari reflects that she dislikes the end-of-term tests, but that she has fun studying with her friends and tutoring Akko; she hopes to herself that she will get to see her friends during winter break. She begins browsing the photo booth pictures she took with Akko, eventually musing that Akko has pretty legs, but quickly becomes self-conscious of her own legs and thinks they're "short and fat." 
The next day, Akko calls herself fat, reporting that she gained two kilos. Tamamin points out that Akko constantly eats fast food at Mr. Donut and McDonalds, but Akko protests that she is growing; meanwhile, Sugiyama coyly asks if Akko's scale is broken, as she should be weighing herself every morning and evening. Akko blames her weight gain on the fact that she isn't in any clubs and doesn't get much exercise, leading Tamamin to suggest she get a winter break job where she works. However, Akko refuses, arguing that the Anna Millers uniform is "erotic" and attracts weird guys. Instead, she decides to go on a diet. 
On the way home, Mari says that maybe she should go on a diet too. Her friends disagree, saying that she has not gained any weight at all, but Mari responds that she does not think she is overweight—she just wants to wear cute clothes. Akko, hearing her friend's reasoning, decides the two should diet together. 
On the first day of their diet, Akko and Mari chat on the phone, discussing the calories in Mr. Donut's foods and their plans to go to the New Years' sales. Mari briefly thinks to herself that she is surprised winter break would be fun, as she expected it to be boring, and wonders if dieting should be so much fun. However, the next day proves more challenging, with Mari's mother upset that her daughter is dieting. Meanwhile, Akko sends Mari a message sharing her progress in the diet, strengthening Mari's resolve. On New Year's Eve, Mari goes to take a bath. Her mother, seeing her carrying her phone, tells her she should not take her phone in the bath with her, but Mari tells her that she is waiting for a call from a friend. Mari then receives a text from Akko, also in the bath, and sends her a selfie from the tub. The two begin exchanging pictures, but Akko's pictures grow more explicit, leading Mari to wonder whether Akko is trying to be funny or seductive. The two become so caught up in taking pictures that they faint from the heat of the bath. When the two recover, Akko texts Mari that they should go and shop the day after. 
The girls' shopping trip proves expensive: Akko says that she spent almost half her money, and Mari (who had never gone to a New Years' sale before) spent all of hers. Though they suggest that they view it as an early reward for their diet efforts, Akko reveals that despite her best efforts, she has hit a diet plateau and hasn't lost weight since Christmas. She initially decides to go to Mr. Donut for some tea, reasoning that she may not lose any more weight before school resumes, and says Mari doesn't have to go with her. Mari, however, tells Akko that they have worked hard for the last two weeks, and suggests they go to Mr. Donut together. Surprisingly, this pushes Akko to commit to her diet. She tells Mari that she is glad the two are friends, and Mari thinks the same. When school resumes, Akko tells Mari during their morning commute that she was able to lose more weight after New Year's and that she is glad she didn't go to Mr. Donut. She notices Mari is groggy; Mari explains that she stayed up to finish her winter break homework, much to Akko's alarm (as Akko did not realize they had homework). Mari says she'll let Akko copy her homework, and the girls begin running to school. However, Akko warns Mari not to run too quickly: Mari (like Akko and her friends) has begun shortening her skirt by rolling it at the waist, and running means her panties may show. An embarrassed Mari says she needs to lengthen her skirt, but Akko suggests carrying her bag behind her instead, which will keep her skirt down. 
The chapter ends with Akko and Mari meeting Sugiyama and Tamamin in the classroom. Tamamin, who has gained a significant amount of weight over the break, asks the girls for diet tips.
Category:Chapters