Chapter 35

Akira, dressed as the Prince, attracts a lot of attention, admiration, and awe.

### Transition Milestones

Akira is able to play the male role in the school play without calling up bad memories regarding when she was a bratty boy.

### Relationship Evolution

Despite some rough social incidents involving others, Akira and Kazuki are able to maintain their good standing with one another, and are able to help one another despite criticism and gossip about them.

### Lessons Learned

Even though Kazuki is though of as a bully and not a nice guy, Akira, nevertheless, sees the good inside of him, and tries to bring that out for others to see.

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

CHAPTER 35 OF THE MANGA (REVISED ENGLISH TRANSLATION)

(Part 5 of the Class Play for the Autumn Culture Festival Story Arc)

## Previously

As practice for the school play progresses, Rumi's older sister suggests that not only should Rumi and Akira begin to wear makeup as a daily custom, but to also wear makeup for the school play. After a makeup buying spree by Rumi, and some soul-searching by Akira whether or not she should wear makeup herself, Rumi and Akira practice applying makeup on themselves. They are so successful, that it is recommended that the two friends do all the makeup for all the players in the school play. This is agreed upon by everyone.

During the next practice day for the play, one by one, Rumi and Akria do the makeup for the other players. Erika remarks that the makeup really looks great ! When all the makeup is done, the students want to resume the practice for the play. This they do. Akira, playing the Prince, and Kazuki, playing Cinderella, run through their parts when they are at the ball together. However, the one boy who has been in a prankster and teasing mood so far, says that the play is too predictable. He wants to 'add some excitement' to the play.........like what ?

## This Chapter's Story

In the gender reversal style school play of *Cinderella*, Akira, a female student, will play the Prince, and Kazuki, a male student, will play Cinderella. A boy known for being a prankster, named Daichi, makes a sweeping announcement to the cast of players at practice, supposedly to add some excitement to the play ! Like what ? Let's have Cinderella and the Prince do a lengthy kiss at the end !!! After all, the two of you are secretly dating. So that should be a 'piece of cake' for you two, right ? Akira thinks to herself, "not that bullsh\*t again", and bluntly states that you are wrong. The two of us do not have that kind of romantic relationship. Not at all ! Daichi adds 'fuel to the fire' by proclaiming that it must be an unrequited love on Kazuki's part. Yuuto speaks up, ordering Daichi to stop with the spoof and satire. Daichi ignores the warning, and announces that it must be some sort of love triangle. However, Kazuki (Cinderella) becomes incensed, savagely pounds his fist upon a desk top, and lunges at Daichi with his eyes on fire. Shouma is between the two soon to be combatants, and steps in between the two, hooking his arm around Kazuki's neck to restrain him. Kikuchi gets behind Kazuki, and slaps a headlock hold on him, as Kazuki rages on and on. Shouma releases his hold, and scoots in front of Kazuki to further block his approach to Daichi.

"CALM DOWN !", screams Shouma !

"LET GO OF ME !", retorts Kazuki, also screaming !

"STOP THIS RIGHT NOW !", retorts Shouma !

Kazuki, again screaming, "I'M GONNA KILL HIM (DAICHI)!"

"KAZUKI ! Punching him won't solve anything ! So just calm down.....", belts out Kikuchi !

Kazuki, still in the headlock, manages to look to the side, and sees Akira watching him with a frightened and upset look on her face. Akira, in a low voice, says, "Stop.....just stop.....please stop."

Seeing Akira in distress at his actions, Kazuki begins to calm down. He gradually relaxes his tense and ridged body, and undoes his fisted hands. "I get it, Akira, I'm sorry.......", pleads Kazuki. Both Shouma and Kikuchi release their holds on Kazuki. Kikuchi then turns his attention to Daichi, and a couple of others. Kikuchi loudly tells them that they need to say something to Kazuki and Akira. Like right now, in front of everyone ! Kokoa mumbles that she is sorry......it was only (supposedly) meant to be a joke. Daichi only nods, not showing any remorse. Kazuki says nothing, and stamps out of the classroom. Akira calls out to him, but he doesn't respond. So Akira, with genuine concern, follows him out of the classroom, to the surprise of all the other classmates who have been watching the drama unfold.

Eventually, Akira, Shouma, and Kikuchi find Kazuki in the boy's restroom washing the makeup off of his face at the sink. They call out to him from the open doorway to the restroom, but Kazuki doesn't respond. Instead, he mournfully bewails the fact that he thought he could change his personality and be able to control his temper. He wanted to fix his rough and aggressive male traits, and be more like Akira, mild-mannered and likeable (Kazuki secretly wants to be a girl). But all that seems so impossible now. Akira thinks to herself how to offer consolation and encouragement, but she almost says that she suffered from the same negative male traits herself when she was a boy. But she stops herself at the last possible second, lest she give away her secret---that she was changed from male to female. However, Kikuchi says the right words to Kazuki, telling him that it is no good if you want to change, but end up believing that you can't. Far better that if you always think that you can change, things will go easier. Kikuchi goes on to say that he doesn't know what happened to Kazuki in the past, but this time around, he did manage to stop himself from doing any real harm. Kazuki looks up from the sink with a wet face, and says, "Yeah."

ONE WEEK LATER, THE DAY OF THE CULTURAL FESTIVAL

Prior to the opening of the school play, *Cinderella*, Rumi is helping Akira dress and groom for the role of being the Prince. Finally, Rumi announces that she is done with Akira's wig and makeup. What a cool and debonair Prince ! Akira silently thinks to herself that it has been quite a while since she dressed in male attire. Natsumi, Kazuki's childhood friend, calls out to the Prince, saying that Cinderella has arrived. Kazuki, dressed as Cinderella, is led into the room where Akira and Rumi are. Natsumi asks what does one think of the star of the play, Cinderella ? We made her really, really pretty ! Cinderella herself comments that wearing the opera gloves as part of the costume, doesn't that make her arms look too big ? The Prince says not to worry. You, Cinderella, look absolutely beautiful ! A tone of hilarity ripples through the group in the room, causing the Prince to be taken aback. Yet, the Cinderella and the Prince are satisfied that the both of them look fantastic to each other, and that's all that counts. However, the play will have Cinderella vanish from before the Prince. This thought causes the Prince to begin to pout.

Soon, Erika approaches Akira as the Prince, and Rumi as a refined nobleman. Erika is not in the play, so she is dressed in an adorable, very feminine girl's formal teenage outfit, befitting the attendance of the play. Erica is greatly agitated, and wants to know what she should do ? She tells the two friends what she had told Shouma earlier. That after the play today, when the school festival is wrapping up for the day, she was going to find Shouma, and tell him how she feels regarding her heartfelt romantic desires. And so Erika, the cute blonde blue-eyed girl, and wearing her long blonde hair in a sexy ponytail, is going to do a ***Love Confession** to Shouma, and ask to be his girlfriend !*

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