Chapter 56

Akira turned down Shouma's Love Confession because she does not yet know if she is romantically attracted to boys or girls. So why is she having troubling 'feelings' when a sexy new girl begins showing attention to Shouma ?

## Features of This Chapter

### Transition Milestones

Akira feels comfortable enought, more or less, to undress with other girls around, including Rumi.

### Relationship Evolution

Akira can't figure out her current relationship with Shouma, after she turned down his Love Confession. Why is she troubled that another girl, a sexy one at that, is showing interest in Shouma ?

### Lessons Learned

Can one trust their innermost feelings, and the affairs of the heart ?

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

CHAPTER 56 OF THE MANGA

## Previously

Akira has decided that she has gained too much weight during the summer break. Therefore, she is going on a diet. As part of her diet routine, she pledges to become more active physically. Thus, Rumi and herself request Aoi to allow them to partake of the volleyball club's warm-up exercises, even though they are not part of any school club. This they do. Yet at the volleyball games later, Akira and Rumi are invited to play, but Akira becomes self-conscience when she feels that the boys in the club are ogling her. Is she really that cute and attractive ? Akira gets another emotional jolt when she sees the boy who she turned down his Love Confession, Shouma. A very sexy and likeable girl is hanging around Shouma ? Why ? What gives, worries Akira ?

## This Chapter's Story

One day at school, Akira is daydreaming. She is in the auditorium, along with other classmates, as they do some sort of setup for an activity. Resting, Akira thinks back to the time when she was a boy, and he was in the auditorium at school. It was an extremely hot day back then, and inside the auditorium it was stiflingly hot. Male Akira was there with a male classmate. Not thinking of the consequences or the rudeness of it, Akira removes his shirt, now showing a bare chest with only his school pants. The other boy does the same thing. Soon, Nana comes into the auditorium. She is shocked and embarrassed to see two boys going around shirtless. She screams at them, "You idiots ! Don't wander around half naked !" Callous and unconcerned, Akira says that she has seen us like this at the school's swimming pool. What's the big deal...? The other boy adds that Nana is a girl. You have no idea how girl's minds work...!

Rumi comes by, and suddenly Akira snaps back to reality. Both girls approach the student in charge of the project, and thank them for being allowed to be part of it. The student project director remarks that you two did a great job, and please join us tomorrow afternoon for more work. Both girls agree to be here tomorrow.

In a few moments, Akira sees Shouma and that pretty girl that has been hanging with him recently, both carrying a folded up table together. Shouma throws Akira a sour look. Falling into daydreaming again, Akira silently thinks to herself that it has been a month or more since she declined Shouma's Love Confession toward her. Yet he is already flirting with another girl who is infatuated with him. Just how much did **I** (lit. *Watashi* {feminine}) think I could get away with......No matter how you look at it, **I** (lit. *Ore* {masculine}) am taller than her, and probably cuter and more attractive than her......no, No, *No,* **NO**......It makes no sense at all for **me** (lit. *Ore* {masculine}) to get annoyed at Shouma, when *I am the one who rejected him.....!*

**"FUJIMIYA"**

Akira's name being called out by the student director snaps her, once again, back to reality. Pointing to a corner of the auditorium, the student director mentions that all here that are wearing work clothes need to change back into their school uniforms, before returning to class. Rumi and Akira are in their work clothes, however, Rumi says that she would be embarrassed by changing out in the open, and can Akira and herself go to the girl's restroom and change ? The director says that is okay, but tells the two, supposedly humorously, for them to beware of the ghosts that haunt that particular gym restroom ! A couple of other girls join Rumi and Akira in going to the restroom. On the way, Akira in a soft tone, thanks Rumi for her consideration. Akira goes on to say to Rumi, " **I** (lit. *Watashi* {feminine}) think that I will be okay. I can't be afraid of every little thing told to me and then run away."

In the gym restroom and bathroom, the girls are undressing. It is hot and dank in the restroom, and Akira tells herself that she is sweating like crazy. One of the other girls makes a rude, unpleasant comment to her schoolmate. Akira feels that this is going to get awkward, real fast. The schoolmate bites back, saying that you are greatly annoying today ! By now, all of the girls are down to wearing only their bra and panties. The rude comment girl turns to Akira, and coyly asks her if she is annoying to the others, or not ? Becoming rapidly embarrassed, Akira only squeaks out that you are not annoying. Boof ! You put Akira up to that, didn't you, is barked out for all to hear ! The rude girl suddenly notices that Akria and herself are wearing the same plaid color and style of matched bra and panties. Rumi notices it for the first time, too. Becoming emotionally panicky, Akira speaks to no one in particular, saying that having the others now staring at her bra and panties is really stressful. The rude girl apologizes, and tells the others for all of us to hurry up and get dressed.

Akira is first out of the restroom, but comes upon a distressing sight ! Yuto (the former male school bully) is in the hallway, naked from the waist up, and just now pulling on his dress school pants over his boy briefs. Akira screeches, and turns to bury her face into Rumi's chest. Yuto gets a rebuke, plus a kick to his behind from Aoi. He didn't think anyone was in the gym restroom. Akira wonders to herself; what is she getting excited and embarrassed for ? She knows what the unclothed male body looks like, *she used to have one herself !* Soothing herself, she tells herself that what she did was an appropriate reaction, *for a girl to do under the circumstances.* Rumi asks Akira if she is okay ? Yeah, that just took her by surprise ! Now frustrated with herself, Akira remembers that she had the same reaction when Shouma looked at her while he was with his (supposedly) new girlfriend.

The student director steps into the hallway and yells at the ones already there. She says to hurry up, and to quit staring at half-dressed Yuto. Such a shameful attitude ! Akira gives the director a silent 'if looks could kill' glance, as the others say that they were just leaving anyway. Later, walking home in a group, one of the girls comments on how annoying the director was. Another girl says that the director had good reason to yell. She goes on to say that if she ever gets to be as cavalier and carefree as Akira, that would not be a bad accomplishment. Akira counters by saying that she is not really like that.

A comparison comes to Akira's mind. Her reaction to seeing Yuto with his bare chest, is exactly the same reaction that Nana had when she saw male Akria with a bare chest, way so long ago ! That is what she was daydreaming of earlier in the auditorium. She continues to argue with herself. She aledges about herself---

"If all **I** (lit. *Ore* {masculine}) did today was to blindly copy the reactions and behaviors of other girls, then as for this feeling of uneasiness and trepidation, whose fault is that .... ?"

## Chapter Lookback, Commentary, and Opinion

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