Chapter 26

Akira almost 'spills the beans' by referring to herself as Ore, a male gender designation.

## Features of This Chapter

### Transition Milestones

Akira tells herself that she will absolutely not go back to being uncaring to others, and ending up with whole groups of students hating her, as what happened when she was a bratty male.

### Relationship Evolution

Akira and Rumi are back to being friends again, but will their intimate relationship be the same as before?

### Lessons Learned

Friendship can be easily lost in the wink of an eye, but take a long time to restore.

ORE GA WATASHI NI NARU MADE ( UNTIL I BECOME ME )

CHAPTER 26 OF THE MANGA (REVISED ENGLISH TRANSLATION)

(Part 6, and the Conclusion, of the Friendship Lost to Friendship Regained Story Arc)

(Chapter Note---Most of the story line of this chapter is a private conversation between Akira and Rumi. Therefore, most of the chapter is made up of spoken and very emotional dialogue. This chapter contains Yuri (girl-with-girl) romantic overtones, so READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!)

## Previously

Erika and Akira cut a private deal between the two girls. Erika would help Akira regain her friendship with Rumi. In exchange, Akira had to pledge not to go after Shouma romantically, as Erika already has her ambitions and aspirations zeroed in on him. Not that Akira would do any such thing, as she is still conflicted and undecided if she is romantically/sexually attracted to girls, boys, or both. The battle plan begins the next day at school. Erika runs offense for Akira, while Shouma tries to keep Akira calm. Chika is the lookout. Finally, at the end of the school day, situations line up just right, so that Akira and Rumi are together. However, Rumi wants nothing to do with Akira, turns her back on Akria, and begins to leave in a huff. Is all lost ? Akira grabs onto Rumi's shirt sleeve and won't let go. How will Rumi react to such a bold and intense move ?

## This Chapter's Story

After school, on this special day of reconciliation, Rumi goes to leave, not wanting anything to do with Akira anymore. However, Akira grabs onto her long sleeve shirt, and will not let go. As classmate's attention is directed to the two girls, and rather than begin an altercation in front of everyone, Rumi agrees to follow Akira to somewhere where they can talk in private. Akira leads Rumi, still grasping her shirt sleeve, to an unused classroom, saying that nobody ever comes in here. Rumi wants to know if someone told Akira that ? As soon as Akira lets go of Rumi, she bows deeply and respectfully right in front of Rumi.

" **RUMI !** I'm sorry for breaking my promise about the iphone number. I need you, Rumi. Without you, ***I*** (lit. *Ore*{masculine}) keep making serious mistakes. Not talking to you was a really selfish thing to do, doing whatever I wanted as well. Just listen to what I have to say ............"

Rumi interrupts and barks out, " **What was that ?** *Do you really think that what you did was okay ?* " Rumi places her hand on Akira's shoulder, raises Akira up from her bowing position, and pushes her backwards against a windowpane. Rumi is now directly in front of Akira, blocking Akira from moving away by her outstretched arms. Outside, it is pouring down rain. Akira, in a frightened mood, and sweating profusely, cries out---

" This is because ......... because ***I*** (lit. *Ore*{masculine}) am useless by myself.......... It's because I can't do **"this(\*)"** alone.......... ! I can't ........ I can't go back to being hated ....... ! Why is it so hard for me to get along with other people ? "

Tensions and emotions are now running very high, with an emotional and spiritual exchange unfolding that has never before happened between the two girls who were such good friends. Suddenly, without warning, Rumi explodes in a display of extreme self-awareness and self-flagellation. The pain in her eyes was something fierce, as she rakes and shreds her soul in front of Akira. Tears burst forth from her eyes, and stream down her sullen, reddened cheeks. Still pinning Akira against the window, and looking into Akira's eyes like a searchlight, she screams at Akira---

" *YOU ARE NOT USELESS !* ***I'M THE ONE WHO IS AT FAULT HERE !!!*** EVER SINCE WE MET ! I never took Akira's feelings into consideration. I pushed you into doing things that only I liked. I though that I was protecting you .......... ! Always assuming that I knew everything about you. But when Fujiki-san was talking about something that I did not understand (Duel Oh!), and you got so excited, I realized right then and there that there were some things that I don't know about you. I WAS SCARED, VERY SCARED, AND IT ONLY GOT WORSE .......... I'M .........THE **WORST!** (Akira is still pressed against the window, but now Rumi looks down to her feet, tears dripping on the floor)......... I WAS.........I WAS JUST ........ **AKIRA** ........ I was just taking you away from the things that you liked........**I'M SO SORRY** ......... THIS SEPARATION ***WAS ALL MY FAULT ............. "*** (The rain is coming down in torrents now.)

*" You don't get to decide that. "*, interjects Akira, " This hairstyle of mine, and these clothes, too, it's all because I wanted to be like Rumi, just like you ! It's thanks to Rumi that ***I*** (lit. *Watashi*{feminine}) am where ***I*** (lit. *Watashi*{feminine}) am at right now ! Right ? But I .......... I never believed that any of what you did was wrong.......*STOP SAYING THAT IT WAS !!!* "

Rumi has released her confinement of Akira against the window, and has let her arms droop down to catching Akira at the waist. Akira lovingly wraps her arms around Rumi's shoulders, and gently pulling Rumi toward her, guides Rumi's downward face into the center of her bust. Akira's sailor shirt becomes wet with Rumi's tears.

" You okay ? "

" ......okay......"

Both passionate and explicitly intimate girls slowly descend downward to their knees, then still locked in that erotically charged reawakening, yet reverential embrace, end up sitting next to one another, both leaning on one another. After a long silence, filled with reflection and renewal, Rumi begins to speak---

" I wanted so much to be like my big sister. She's my ideal self---beautiful, reliable, and can do anything.........just like an adult. I've always pushed myself so hard to be like her, that I ended up imposing my wants and needs on you, Akira. (Both girls unlock from their embrace, and sit propped up by the wall, now romantically holding hands, like two Yuri lovers.) I'm sorry that I yelled at you before in the girl's restroom........I though that you would be mad at me for quite some time to come for what I did to you in the restroom..........."

" Don't worry about that, not one bit. "

"Thanks."

Akira silently thinks to herself that she always thought that Rumi was some sort of heroine.

Rumi continues, " By the way, my sister is now living alone on campus at university, and she misses you. We should go visit her." Akira agrees. " I also owe Fujiki-san an apology." Yeah!

After another long, silent pause, Akira speaks---

" Rumi! There is something else that I wanted to say. "

" What is it ?"

Akira takes one of Rumi's hands into both of hers, holding Rumi's hand like a valuable gemstone. Akira looks straight into Rumi's big, wide eyes, with an honest and an all-encompassing sincerity. Fervently and with supreme conviction, Akira loudly proclaims---

***" I LOVE YOU !!!!!!!*** So let's start all over from the beginning to be *real friends and lovers* ! (#) "

## Chapter Lookback, Commentary, and Opinion

**(\*) I can't do this alone.**

Rumi does not know that Akira was born a boy, then physically changed to an atomically correct girl. Since that change when Akira was seven years old, she has had trouble understanding what happened, and how she should address such monumental changes in her life. Because of the possibility of extreme prejudice and animosity toward male to female transgender children and teens, and transformed teens, very few people know about or are told about Akira's transformation. Akira is slowly over the years transitioning to being 100% female, but as she says, she can't do it alone. But there is responsibility placed on Akira herself, not to divulge such sensitive information about herself. Over time, Akira, by absentmindedly referring to herself with male gender designations ( Ore ), she is precariously close to reveling such a deep, personal secret. Just now, by referring to herself as an '*Ore* (masculine)', Akira has unwillingly hinted to Rumi a very important facet of her life. Will Rumi pick up on this subtle hint, and discern who Akira was, and is now ?

**(#) Love Confession**

This is when one character makes a declaration of love to another. How it's done, and the reactions to it, will vary. It usually happens with a sense of drama, particularly with shy characters, who are mortified at the thought that they could be rejected by the object of their affection. It carries extra weight if the confessor has been a longtime admirer or has been carrying a secret crush. It's generally seen as a big risk with a guy confessing to a girl, but when a girl confesses to a guy it is seen as a triumphant moment. [On rare occasions, a girl will confess her love to another girl.] With all significant declarations there is The "I Love You" Stigma that follows, it's meant to be a big moment. Crush Blush may occur for either person, or both.

Unresolved Sexual Tension is often at the core of the confession, especially if the two parties are known for being Vitriolic Best Buds or Like Brother and Sister. The reaction may either be to accept the confessor's affection and reciprocate, or acknowledge the affection but turn it down. If the person is a Jackass, expect it to be done in such a way for maximum humiliation.

In those harsh cases the end result is Did Not Get the Girl; yet the person being confessed to may say that they're Better as Friends or I Don't Want to Ruin Our Friendship, in order to spare the confessor's feelings. If the two parties have known each other since childhood and the confession is accepted and the love reciprocated, what you have is First Girl Wins and Victorious Childhood Friend.

Be careful, though—if the confession is refused (whether kindly or brutally) and the confessor is a bit unhinged, it may lead to an "If I Can't Have You……" situation.

As many of the examples listed below attest, a love confession does not require the actual utterance of the phrase "I love you," nor even the word "love".

Subtropes include:

Aborted Declaration of Love—A character plans to confess their love, but then chooses not to.

Anguished Declaration of Love—A character dramatically declares their love for another after much anguish.

Dying Declaration of Love—A character declares/confesses their love for another on either party's deathbed.

Interrupted Declaration of Love—A character begins to declare their love for another, but then there's an interruption.

Love Confessor—A lover confesses their love for someone to a third party ("I love Alice," rather than "I love you.")

Love You and Everybody—What initially sounds like a declaration of love, but is actually wide-reaching and fairly generic.

Platonic Declaration of Love—A character declares their platonic love for another.

(Taken from the TV Tropes website)

## What Manga Fans Are Saying About This Chapter

Z

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(Click on Chapter 27 to be taken to the next chapter.)

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_