Chapter 31

The homeroom teacher suggests that the Class Play for the Autumn Cultural Festival be one of gender reversal; boys play girls and girls play boys.

## Features of This Chapter

### Story Setting

Erika's bedroom, at school after the exams are done with.

### Time Line

One day of studying / one day of homeroom discussion about the Class Play

### Transition Milestones

Many of the other classmates, boy and girl alike, see Akira as exceedingly cute and attractive, even covertly sexy.

### Relationship Evolution

Akira reluctantly becomes involved with a beefy, burly boy who wants to transition from male to female.

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

CHAPTER 31 OF THE MANGA (REVISED ENGLISH TRANSLATION)

(Part 1 of the Class Play for the Autumn Culture Festival Story Arc)

## Previously

Akira had a fun and enjoyable summer, doing lots of things, and experiencing good times with her friends, especially Rumi. She even got to go shopping with Okabe-san for a new swimsuit. She liked a bikini swimsuit, and with Okabe's recommendation, purchased it. Next day, Akira became embarrassed about being the only girl in the group wearing a bikini, but with Rumi's loving encouragement, Akira was able to put aside her trepidation, and enjoy the sand and sea for the whole day in her new swimsuit. On Akira's first day back to school, Shion did a makeover on her, turning her into a Gyaru Girl, at least for one day. Later in the school year, with the first of the midterm exams coming up, Akira and her female classmate friends organized a study and cram session. That was good, as each girl passed her midterms. With the exams done with for now, the homeroom teacher wants the class to begin preparations for the class play that will be produced and performed at the Autumn Cultural Festival.

## This Chapter's Story

It is well into the new school year, in fact, it is the week just before the first of the mid-term exams. The social circle of female friends at school have all gathered at Erika's house for a study and cram session, to get ready for the exams. Mayu and another girl have now arrived, and are just entering the lavish and spacious bedroom where the study session is to be held. Mayu announces that she has brought candy and sweets. She is roundly thanked for her favors. The other girls are already here---Erika, the hostess, Chika, the twin tailed girl, and of course, the two girls who are romantically involved with one another, Rumi and Akira.

    Naturally, intimate teenage girl talk and gossip must precede any real study time. And so it goes; Rumi is showing a selfie of herself and Akira, both wearing their new swimsuits on the day that they went to the beach, to Mayu and Chika. Mayu wishes that she could have gone with the group to the beach. Both girls are enamored and impressed that Akira would boldly wear a revealing bikini to the beach. However, as Rumi goes on to try and show many more intimate pictures of Akira, and of Akira and herself together, Akira comes up from behind and gets Rumi in a playful wrestling headlock, telling her to 'knock it off' with the Akira reality show. But that only backfires, as Mayu comments on the subtle and provocative romantic aura that is actually surrounding Rumi and Akira right now.

Akira releases Rumi, as Mayu tactfully asks Erika how things are going with her romantic interest in Shouma? Blushing profusely, and throwing off rainbows and unicorns, Erika whips out her iphone, to show the group that Shouma took her on a date, and they went to the Summer Festival together. Erika even wore a pretty, yet covertly sexy, yukata for her date. Why, they almost held hands together when they were walking through the crowds! However, Erika was too embarrassed to cling to his hand for any length of time. Mayu tells Ekira to hurry up and commit to regular dating of Shouma, before another girl does. Erika states that she can't be pushy, or force the relationship. Akira is nonplussed by the gossip, not knowing what to think of herself, as if she would actually want to be romantically involved with a boy. Erika goes on to show pictures of when school started, she and Shouma had done their homework together. What else does Erika have to show ? She presents a picture of when Yuto Kikuchi caught the two of them together, and resulting in Erika backing away from Shouma, with a look of embarrassment and shamefulness on her face. Mayu recognizes Yuto in the picture, and with a dark and menacing look on her face loudly proclaims---

*"HE HAS NOT CHANGED AT ALL....I DON'T KNOW WHY SOMEONE LIKE HIM IS STILL ALIVE !!!"*

Just as quick, Mayu recognizes the guffaw that she just did, and covers by smiling and saying that she was 'just kidding'. Rumi clings to Akira, and announces that you, Mayu, scared all of us. Mayu apologizes to everyone, as another girl says just to 'cut it out' with the nasty opinions ! Yet Akira quietly and silently thinks to herself that wasn't just a joke. Akira is absolutely sure that Mayu was, in all honesty, revealing the somber and steadfast proclamation of her heart (see Chapter 15).

ONE WEEK LATER---

Akira is at her desk in homeroom class, looking at the results sheet of her various exams. She actually did very well---

Japanese 92%

Math 87%

Science 72%

Culture Studies 95%

English 89%

All in the girl's social circle of school friends did well on their exams. When the first class begins, Sensai Iizuka, the homeroom teacher, announces that preparations for the Class Play for the Autumn Cultural Festival will now begin. All of the First Years will have to create, produce, and act out an entire stage play, in time for the Cultural Festival. Akira thinks to herself that she will do anything asked of her, as long as she is not made to stand out (don't hold your breath!). Each class can decide just what they are going to do. However, Sensai Iizuka says that she has a suggestion for what kind of play her class would want to consider to be produced. She offers the thought of how about a gender reversal play? The boys will play girls, and the girls will play boys! There will be a variety of roles to fulfill.

Chatter and opinions break out in the classroom. Most of the boys are against such a play, but a lot of the girls think it would be a lot of fun. Yeah, says the boys, the audience will only laugh at all of us. You call that fun ? Rumi leans over to Akira, and expresses the thought that men have played women's roles all throughout Japanese theater for a long, long time. If all commit to doing a serious presentation of the play, people will not laugh.
Akira silently thinks to herself that she would be equally adapt at either role, since she used to be a boy.
Yet, Akira is nonplussed. The teacher remarks to the whole class to consider what it would be like to act out as the opposite sex? It would be a good opportunity to learn about gender roles and gender differences. Opposition to the whole idea is still prevalent, until Erika stands up in front of the entire class and speaks, saying that it sounds like a lot of fun, and it is such a rare occasion that ones can take part in something like this. Erika then points to Shouma, and says that *he will make a fine girl!* Shouma, of course, barks out, "NO WAY!" Akira thinks to herself, it will be an excellent way for Erika to get closer to Shouma, what with having her teach him 'girl lessons' and all! The teacher now calls for a vote by the entire class. The results are then posted on the blackboard---

Yes 18 / No 12

In less than a quarter hour, two open minded boys have tried on female wigs that the teacher had brough with her to class. Another boy rudly yells that they look silly ! "You are not supposed to laugh !", is the forceful comeback. Rumi and Akira are by themselves in the corner of the classroom. Akira is called over by the other students, and a blonde, long hair style wig is fitted on her head. The proclamation is that Akira looks so, so cute as a blonde ! Rumi gets real creative and styles the blonde wig into twin tails. **" UBER CUTE!!!"**, shouts boys and girls alike! However, one boy in not at all pleased by the turn of events regarding the play. Kazuki, the boy that was Akira's cooking partner, shoves by her and Rumi, and callously barks out that they are in his way. "Getting all worked up over stuff like that ! Must be nice to be a girl !", scolds Kazuki. He then exits the classroom in a huff, as Rumi shouts after him that he did not need to talk like that (Kazuki is confused and conflicted over gender issues) ! Akira thinks to herself, " **I** (lit. *Ore* {masculine}) am actually enjoying myself with this whole concept." But maybe the boys just don't see it that way.

After the school day has come to an end, four of the friends are getting ready to leave, Akira, Rumi, Aoi, and Natsumi (the girl who got sick during the sex education classes). Rumi tells Akira that she just wanted her, Akira, to look fashionable and attractive in the blonde twin tailed wig. Aoi comments that anything would look fashionable on Akira! Akira quietly thinks to herself, wondering, "If they only knew that **I** (lit. *Ore* {masculine}) used to be a boy, would they still have complimented me on my twin tail hairstyle ?" Rumi tells Akira that she will send copies of all of the photos and selfies that she took during the summer, to her.

Outside on the sidewalk, the four friends are walking towards home. Akira decides to make a phone call, but when she looks in her book-bag for her iphone, it is not there! She announces that she probably forgot that she put it in her desk. The other three girls say that they will wait on her to return. Akira hurriedly returns to the school building, and once inside, to the classroom. The stairs and hallways of the school are all dark and silent. Akira hurries along. She has never been at school this late, and feels that this is kinda exciting ! As she enters the classroom wherein her desk is, she sees a shocking sight!!! In the corner, crouched down and hiding in the dark, next to the shopping bags of wigs that the teacher had brought to class, *is Kazuki, wearing a girl's long hair styled black wig, and researching something on his iphone.* **Something that he wants no one to ever know about! Information about transitioning from male to female!**

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