Chapter 45

Akira is introduced by Aoi to the troubling and controversial world of B.L. and Yaoi, when she sees a picture in a manga of two boys kissing one another.

## Features of This Chapter

### Story Setting

At school, at the manga store, at home in Akira's bedroom

### Transition Milestones

Akira is puzzled and scared of seeing manga that features boy-with-boy romantic relationships.

### Relationship Evolution

Akira doesn't know what to make of Kokoa and Daichi opening dating one another.

### Lessons Learned

Akira is scared by the implications of reading Yaoi manga.

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

CHAPTER 45 OF THE MANGA

## Previously

Akira is slowly becoming ever more popular in school among her classmates. A new girl, Kokoa, wants to become close friends with Akira. This naturally would include exchanging social media information. This Akira does with Kokoa. Kokoa is also dating a boy, something that Akira has never done, although Rumi and her go out together quite a lot, as one would say, girl-with-girl dates. Aoi once again invited Akira over to her house and bedroom to play video games. Akira seems to enjoy doing that. While in Aoi's bedroom and on her video program, Akira is invited to use the program to put together her ideal avatar. Akira does so, and now has a male avatar that seemingly reveals what kind of boy would make her ideal boyfriend.

## This Chapter's Story

This morning, Akira might be late for school. Therefore, she is running all the way to the campus. She makes it into the classroom with little time to spare before classes begin, yet huffing and puffing. Thankfully, the attention of the students are all on Aoi, as she is explaining an exercise that supposedly only girls can do. Boys are not flexible enough to accomplish the task. Shouma approaches Akira to tell her that she has a Sakura (cherry blossom) petal stuck to her head ! (Shouma did a Love Confession to Akira, but she turned him down.) Shouma tries to tell Akira where it is in her hair, but Akira can't locate it with her hand. Shouma ends up removing the petal from her hair (and keeping it!), looking all the more romantic for doing so. Rumi approaches Akira, and comments that it is rare for her, Akira, to oversleep. Akira explains that she stayed up too late binge-watching the anime DVD that Aoi had given to her. Erika asks Akira when her birthday is ? Akira reveals that it is July 21st.

Suddenly, an announcement comes over the PA system, for all the students to head for the gym, and be in attendence for an all-school assembly. Akira and her friends head on out. Aoi asks Akira if she watched the anime ? She did, and liked the surprise ending. In the hallway, Akira is greeted by Hana, still continuing to wear a mini-skirt with her school uniform. Rumi wants to know who the new friend is ? Akira says that the two of them became friends not too long ago. Filing into the gym, a male teacher confronts Hana, and tells her to change out of her mini-skirt later, as it is against school regulations. Hana lets the admonition 'go in one ear and out the other' ! Kokoa whispers to Akira that Oka-sensei is so annoying. Don't you think that he, a teacher, has all the earmarks of a secret Lolicon? As the speech at the assembly drones on and on, Akira ponders to herself. She takes note that depending on one's sex or Gender Identity, there are things that one can or can not do, according to modern society. ***I*** (lit. *Ore* {masculine}) don't think....... (Akira never finishes her thought).....

After school classes have ended on this day, Akira is in an office supply store. Surprisingly, the store has a large selection of anime DVD's and manga. Akira wants to find the manga that the anime series was based upon that Aoi had recommended to her. Akira finds it and makes her selection of that manga, pays for it, and heads toward the exit. However, she runs into Kokoa and Daichi coming into the store. Both are dating as girlfriend and boyfriend. Akria hurries around them, thinking that the two romantic teens would not want her to see them together on a date. However, Kokoa doesn't seem to mind Akira's presence, and even asks about what kind of manga did she buy ? Akira takes the manga out of the paper bag, and shows it to the two friends. It is a manga called, "Akane no Tachi"(\*). Kokoa is a little puzzled as to why Akira would want to read a manga geared toward teenage boys (shonen manga)? Daichi comments that many girls read boy's manga. Akira explains that Aoi introduced her to this particular anime story. Aoi is a tomboy, after all ! Kokoa then makes a cryptic comment, saying that of course, Akira can't be together with Rumi all the time. What's that supposed to mean, wonders Akira, as she asks Kokoa to explain ? But Kokoa is being dragged away by Daichi, who apparently has become tired of the girl talk. Kokoa leaves Akira with one last piece of advice---Don't you think, Akira, that you should back away from Rumi, and get yourself a real boyfriend ?

Late that evening, Akira drops into her bed like a ton of bricks. She is so tired, but her mind is still going a 'hundred miles an hour'. She recoils over the comment that Kokoa made to her. I didn't like the tone and implication that Kokoa was presenting to me. Oh well, maybe Rumi and myself will not be together for very long, that is, if Rumi decides that she wants a boyfriend. But Rumi likes girls, what about that ? Akira shakes her head, telling herself not to think anymore about that conundrum. She reaches for the paper bag with her new manga in it, telling herself that she will begin reading it to take her mind off of all this other stuff.

Several pages into the manga, Akira begins to realize that she is unacquainted with this style of manga. It is a romance manga, but that happens *between two teenage boys*! She turns a page of the manga, and her eyes practically pop out of her head. The two boys in the story *are passionately kissing one another*! Akira is quite shocked and surprised. She tosses the manga across the room, with it landing on the floor. This manga story is completely different from the story that was shown in the anime ! Romance between boys ? That scares me ! Akira gets out her iphone, and looks up the terms that were on the cover of the manga, "B.L." and "Yaoi"(#). Terms that she had never heard of until now. So, Akira muses to herself, boys can like other boys *in that way ?* Not my 'cup of tea' !

## Chapter Lookback, Commentary, and Opinion

(\*) **Akane no Tachi**

"Akane no Tachi" roughly translates into English as "Akane's sword" for simplicity's sake. If we want to be more specific, then it would be "Akane's Tachi". Tachi is a type of sword similar to a katana, which was also used in the feudal times of Japan by samurais.

(#) **B.L. and Yaoi**

B.L. / Boys Love, primarily known as Shounen Ai, in Japan, is a Japanese genre of fictional media, mostly Anime and Manga, focusing on romantic relationships between male characters. If the male relationships contain sexual depictions, then it is known as Yaoi. B.L. and Yaoi are typically marketed for a female audience, and are usually created by female authors. Outside of a very narrow fan base, most people dislike B.L. and Yaoi.

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(Click on Chapter 46 to be taken to the next chapter.)

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