Promise (chapter)

''This article is about the chapter Promise, the first chapter of the series. For other uses of the words, see Promise (disambiguation)''.

is the first chapter of the Nisekoi manga series written and illustrated by Naoshi Komi, published weekly in the magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump.

Overview
Raku is a boy who made a promise with a girl 10 years ago with the girl holding the key and Raku holding the pendant. Once they grow up and meet each other again, they will get married. 10 years later, Raku is going to school, and meets a girl named Chitoge Kirisaki that accidentally knees him causing him to lose his pendant. After seeing that Chitoge and Raku are in the same class and noticing that his pendant has gone missing, he forces Chitoge to help him search for it. After Chitoge finds Raku's pendant, Raku wants to give up the promise he made with the girl 10 years ago, which Kosaki tells him not to. Back home, Raku's father forces him to date a girl of an old friend of him to prevent the impact of war between the Yakuza and Bee Hive Gang, which turns out to be Chitoge. The two must date with each other for three years although they make a bad start at the beginning.

Plot
10 years ago, Raku makes a promise with a girl to marry her once they reunite.

10 years later, Raku is seen cooking for other members of the Yakuza and compliment him for the food he cooks for them. His father appears telling Raku that he has news for, but sees that he is about to come late at school. At school, everyone looks at Raku becomes ashamed for being around the group. Ryū explains to Raku that there are gangsters in their territory and explains that they had a gunfight last night, which makes Raku worry.

Raku walks towards school until he gets kneed in the head by an unknown female, who apologizes and runs off in a hurry. Raku enters the classroom and is greeted by Shū and Kosaki and sees his injury. She puts a bandage on after Raku explains to them what has happened. Shū tells Raku that there is a new transfer student coming in their class. Their teacher appears and introduces Chitoge. Raku remembers her, and the two begin to argue. Chitoge hits him after calling her a "monkey-girl".

Moments later, Raku discovers that he has lost his pendant, and blames Chitoge for losing it. He forces her to look for the pendant with him because it was her fault for losing it. Their teacher tells Raku and Chitoge that they will be farm caretakers, however, they do not agree on things at all. Back home, the yakuza reports to Ryū that the gangsters have appeared again in the third district and that it's been the third time this week. On the sixth day, Raku asks Chitoge why she has been transferred to Japan. Chitoge tells him that her parents dragged her here and asks what Raku's parents does, but cuts it off.

On the seventh day, Chitoge is approached by two students, which shocks her due to what they ask her. At the place where Raku was still looking for his pendant, Chitoge tells Raku about what two classmates that approached and asked her if she was going out with Raku. Kosaki finished her committee work early, and decides to search with Raku for his pendant, but sees that Raku and Chitoge both arguing. After Chitoge went to far with her words, Raku yells at her and tells her that she does not have to look for his pendant anymore and that she must stay away from him. Chitoge leaves, but Raku feels sorry for her because she did help him to look for his pendant. On the eleventh day, Raku still couldn't find his pendant and keeps reminding himself what Chitoge told her. Kosaki appears telling him what Chitoge told her. Raku looks in a different direction to which he sees a shadow, Chitoge, throwing his pendant to him with a letter. After getting his pendant, Raku thinks about giving up his promise he made, which Kosaki tells him not to. Raku thanks Kosaki, and decides to keep the promise he made.

Back home, his father tells Raku that he knows about the battle of the yakuza against the gangsters, and that there is only one way to prevent the war and he believes that Raku is the only one that can do it. His father tells Raku that the boss of the gangsters is actually an old friend of his and he happens to have a daughter at Raku's age. He tells Raku that he has to date with her, which surprises Raku. Raku's father opens the curtains and Raku sees Chitoge. Raku's father tells them that they have to date for three years, which shocks the two of them.

Debut

 * Raku Ichijō
 * "The Promise Girl" (flashback)
 * Ryunosuke Sasaki/Ryū
 * Members of the Shūei Clan
 * Issei Ichijō
 * Chitoge Kirisaki
 * Shū Maiko
 * Kosaki Onodera
 * Kyoko Nichihara
 * Adelt Wogner Kirisaki

Mentioned

 * Hana Kirisaki

Character revelations

 * The pendant Raku has is from an unknown girl whom he met 10 years ago.
 * Raku is the son of the Yakuza leader, but he doesn't want to follow his father's footsteps.
 * Raku claimed that he has a weak body so he is not suitable to participate in fights.
 * Chitoge is extremely good in athletics, which is shown when she leaps over a high wall.
 * It is shown that Chitoge gives a little care of many things that are not of her.
 * It is known that Raku is a person who does everything with precision, such as feeding birds according to the book or else he is not satisfied.
 * Even though Chitoge speaks Japanese perfectly well, she is not very good in Japanese.
 * Raku is an extremely kind person, even if he has a fight with someone, he still helps him or her out if he or she has any problems.
 * Raku is an extremely soft person as he feels sorry for yelling at Chitoge since she did help him to look for his pendant.
 * Kosaki appears to have feelings for Raku and she has a key that might open Raku's pendant.
 * Chitoge is the daughter of the boss of gangsters, which is opposing gang the yakuza are dealing with.
 * According to Raku, Chitoge smells of gunpowder, which he thinks is a nostalgic scent.

Trivia

 * The chapter title "Promise" is written in katakana while it actually originated from kanji, which is "約束" which also means "Promise".
 * This chapter was adapted into an episode for Promise (episode).