Chapter 14

Akira and her friends attend New Year's Day ceremonies at the Shrine. But what a surprise! Mayu and Kengo are together, holding one another arm in arm, and looking like an intimate couple obviously in love!

## Features of This Chapter

### Story Setting

At home / at the Shrine / at school the next morning

### Time Line

New Year's Day, and the morning thereafter.

### Transition Milestones

After seeing a boy and girl walking arm in arm, Akira begins to meditate on if she will become interested in romance. But with who ?

### Relationship Evolution

Akira's friends invite her to accompany them to the Shrine on New Year's Day, even though Akira had caught a mild cold.

### Lessons Learned

After seeing a boy and girl couple walking arm in arm, and a group of girls wanting to talk to them about their shipping, Akira learns that she doesn't always have to 'run with the crowd', but can decide on her actions all by herself.

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

CHAPTER 14 OF THE MANGA (Revised English Translation)

## Previously

Throughout Akira's time in the fifth grade, she has had her ups and downs, as far as her personal circumstances and situations go. On the upside, she was given a pretty dress from Dr. Kubota, and has decided to include the wearing of skirts and dresses in her wardrobe. Grandmother seems to continue to be okay with Akira presenting as a typical teen/tween girl, and has invited Akira to stay at her house at least until Akira enters Jr. High. On the downside, grandma fell at home and broke several bones in her leg. This meant a lengthy hospital stay for emergency care, surgery, and physical therapy. On the nights that Mom has to work the midnight shift, Akira is allowed to stay with Rumi's family. However, stress and personal troubles many times not only keep Akira from sleeping soundly, but cause her to unexpectedly burst out in tears. But what will the New Year bring ?

## This Chapter's Story

***" ACHOOO !!! "***

Akira is in the front room of grandmother's home. Grandma asks her is she is okay ? After violently sneezing, Akira adjusts her face mask and says that ***I*** (lit. *Ore* {masculine}) have caught a cold. Grandma, nevertheless, wishes Akira a Happy New Year. It is the morning of January 1st. Soon, the doorbell rings. It is Rumi, Michiru, and Erika, wishing Akira, Mom, and Grandmother a Happy New Year, and wanting to know of Akira can go with them to the Shrine for New Year's Day ceremonies ? They also ask if Akira's fever has gone down ? It has! After bundling up in a warm coat, and readjusting her face mask, Akira is off to the Shrine with her friends. Mom and grandma see her off with a 'take care'.

Outside the Shrine, the group of four friends meet three more classmates from school. Shouma Sahara, a boy with brown hair in tiny spikes, Chika Fukuhara, a girl with her dark hair in short twin tails, and Yuto Kikuchi, a rough & tough looking boy with short black hair. They also are here for the celebrations. Erika asks Chika if she is keeping the boys as bodyguards ? Chika answers that he just happen to run into Shouma and Yuto, and invited them to go with her to the shrine. Erika also asks if Mayu is coming ? No, she said that she had something else to do. Just then, Akira violently sneezes, again ! Rumi offers her a tissue to blow her nose. Erika loudly comments that the two of them sure look like a loving Yuri couple ! Rumi retorts that A-chan is 'like a little sister' to me !

Inside the Shrine's sanctuary, the friends and schoolmates take turns saying their prayers and best wishes for the coming New Year. After saying her prayers, Akira thinks to herself that she has always relied on Rumi's friendship. And being in a typical girl-with-girl relationship, she has never shown any masculinity toward Rumi, none at all ! Akira silently asks herself, " Do ***I*** (lit. *Ore* {masculine}) no longer have any masculinity left in me anymore ? "

" ......rumi......akira...... ", whispers Erika. "What ?" " shhhhh......... , look over there ........ " It is Mayu and a boy named Kengo Nakasone, walking together arm in arm, just like two lovers ! So she was dating Kengo after all ! Erika gives up all pretense of secrecy, and loudly runs after the two saying that she wants to know all the juicy details of their romance ! In a real surprise, Rumi chases after Erika, wanting to know all the gossip, too. " How long have you been dating ? When did he do a Love Confession to you ? " Mayu says that he merely asked her if he could begin dating her. Soon, there is a gaggle of girls surrounding the couple, with only Akira by herself, asking herself why all the girls are interested in romance ? Kengo soon exits the crowd, and is offered a bite of takoyaki (octopus meat shaped into meatballs) from another boy. Eventually, Erika sees the meatballs, and wants some, too ! Akira sneezes again. Gradually, the crowd around Mayu breaks up, as the topic of conversation shifts to takoyaki. Mayu comes over to where Akira is, potentially scaring Akira, as Akira is not good with intimate one-on-one girl talk. Akira does, however, congratulate Mayu on her girlfriend status. Mayu states that she really does not like talking about her romantic feelings, as it makes her look like she is bragging. Akira tells herself---

" ***I*** (lit. *Ore* {masculine}) don't really understand couples romance. But I can see that Mayu seems really, really happy right now. " And with that, the conversation with Mayu comes to an end with Akira glad that it is over so soon.

Next morning at school, Mayu greets Akria with a hearty 'Good Morning' ! She then comments favorably on the cute hairpin that Akira is wearing (a gift from Nurse Okabe). Akira asks Mayu where her boyfriend is ? Mayu says that they are not always together all the time. Then Mayu asks Akira nicely not to tell anyone else that she is dating a boy. It's a secret ! Akira agrees. Little do the two girls know that another boy has taken it upon himself to draw graffiti on the blackboard, boldly advertising that Mayu and Kengo are girlfriend and boyfriend, as well as (supposedly) lovers !

## What Manga Fan's Are Saying About This Chapter

**semo\_demo / 2 days ago**

Cool to see these earlier chapters in higher quality. Thanks.

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(Click on Chapter 15 to be taken to the next chapter.)

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