During Kaede Akamatsu’s time at Hope’s Peak Academy, she loved to spread positivity to all of her classmates and friends, whether that would be playing the piano or just being there to listen. She was able to make many friends that way, most notably, Shuichi Saihara.

Kaede has come to learn that Shuichi was quite anxious around others, always wearing a cap from the fear of making eye contact with anyone, and overall showing signs of pessimism. Kaede would of course help him, convincing him to become more assertive and confident; it eventually worked since Shuichi took his cap off.

But that didn’t last for long, Shuichi returned to wearing that cursed cap the next day, but it proved to Kaede that it was possible. The next time Kaede came across Shuichi when the school lessons were over for the day, she used a trick that Kokichi had taught her.

“I’ll be taking that!” Kaede snatched Shuichi’s cap straight off his head in one swift movement and held it out of his reach with a bright smile on her face, feeling proud and satisfied with what she had done.