Chapter 30

After Rumi lovingly encouraged Akira to remove her sunburn protection garment that she had on solely to hid the fact that she was wearing a bikini, Akira begins to see that her friends are not offended that she is on the beach, wearing the bikini that she selected, this for the first time.

## Features of This Chapter

### Story Setting

At the department story, at home, at the beach

### Transition Milestones

Akira wears a bikini swimsuit for the first time, and goes swimming at the beach as an attractive, pleasingly shapely teenage girl, this for the first time.

### Relationship Evolution

Akira trusts Rumi's judgement, instead of her own, in a very personal set of circumstances.

### Lessons Learned

Rather than getting wrapped up in her own apprehension over wearing a bikini to the beach, Akira learns to trust the opinion of her intimate best friend, Rumi.

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

CHAPTER 30 OF THE MANGA (REVISED ENGLISH TRANSLATION)

## Previously

After the rift between Akira and the girl that she loves, Rumi, was healed, Akira notices that socially speaking, not much trouble has occurred between the female friends. Plus Erika is still chasing after Shouma, the boy she has a crush on, although he has ambivalence about any shipping with her. Akira went through a day of special sex and gender education that the school had sponsored. However, not much was new to Akira about the physical developments of the sexes, as she used to be a boy after all, herself. Then again a thorny problem was presented to her; is she romantically and socially attracted to boys, girls, both, or neither? All she can say so far is that she did a Love Confession to Rumi, seemingly indicating that she is leaning towards preferring a Yuri (girl-with-girl) romantic relationship.

During a recent cooking class at school, Akira made the acquaintance of a seemingly rough and rugged boy, named Tsukumo. But he is, in some undiscernable way, different from the typical teenage boy. This Akira sorta picked up on. Now it is near the end of summer, and the friends had all promised one another that they would spend a day at the beach. Akira, with the help of Okabe-san, selected a pretty, yet revealing, bikini swimsuit to wear for her first time swimming at the beach as a girl.

## This Chapter's Story

When invited to do so, Akira had agreed to spend a day at the beach this summer with her friends. That day is soon to be here, tomorrow in fact, so Akira is shopping for a girl's swimsuit. This will be the first time she will wear a female swimsuit, and this out in public, to boot. She is with her adult friend, Nurse Okabe, in a department store, in the swimsuit section. Akira looks at the many types and styles of girl's swimsuits, but can't make up her mind as to which one would look good on her. However, Okabe-san selects a pretty, attractive bikini swimsuit, and suggests that this style will fit Akira well, as she has the agreeable teenage body shape to do so. Okabe-san asks if Akira wants to try this swimsuit on? This she does. The bikini has the normal triangular bikini bottom, but the top has a small ruffled panel across the bust area, to hide the size of one's bust. It is of a dark blue color. Akira ends up buying the bikini.

However, as she leaves the store, she begins to have slight regrets about wearing a bikini that shows so much skin. Akira tells herself that it will be okay, because Rumi probably will be wearing a bikini, too. On the way out of the store, Okabe-san shows the 'child still in her' by playing a crane game, and obtaining a plushie animal toy, wherein she gives it to Akira. As Akira is dropped off at her house, Okabe-san, sitting in her mini-van, tells Akira to call her if she needs help with anything else. Okabe goes on to remark that Akira has turned into quite the remarkable teenage girl, at least according to her. Okabe-san then grins and drives off.

At home, Akira announces that she is back. She tells Mom that she is going to the beach tomorrow. Mom (obtusely) asks if she is going swimming in a swimsuit? And is she forcing herself to go? Does she even have a proper swimsuit? Mom states that she will go out and buy one for Akira right now. Akira flatly states that she has already bought a swimsuit for herself. Mom asks how is Akira going to get to the beach ? Does she have to drive Akira there ? Annoyed, Akira rushes upstairs to her bedroom. As she trudges upstairs, Akira tells herself that this troublesome inquiry is definitely bad timing. She had been looking forward to the day at the beach, now she had to open her big mouth and cause Mom to become nosy. Upstairs in her bedroom, Akira is sitting on the floor, propped up by the door to her room, and hugging her new animal plushie toy. She tells herself over and over again, that she what she does, and what she likes, is solely up to her. *Definately up to me!*

Early the next morning, Akira is already up and dressed, She will be wearing her new bikini under her casual clothes. Right now, she has only the bikini on, and is critically staring at herself in the mirror. As she pulls on a t-shirt, she tells herself that she will be okay, as Okabe-san told her yesterday in the store that she looked so cute and attractive wearing this particular style bikini swimsuit. After she is fully dressed in shirt and shorts, she quietly tries to leave the house, so as not to attract any more unwanted attention. Akira thinks to herself that Mom is the only one who still treats ***me*** (lit. *Ore* {masculine}) as a boy, and thinks that I have to be watched over because of that. Unfortunately, Akira runs into Grandmother. Grandma gives Akira a plastic bag from Mom, saying that a sunscreen garment is in it, to protect her from sunburn. Akira is puzzled, but accepts the bag and hurries out the door.

It is a perfect weather for a day at the beach. Everyone is here, Akira, Rumi, Kanae, two of the adult women who chaperone the first grade schoolkids, and several of the school kids themselves, including Miu Goto. The one boy is very rambunctious, and has to be corrected by one of the adults. Miu points out how immature that kind of attitude is. The kids all scatter, as Rumi and Miu begin removing their casual clothes, showing their swimsuits underneath. Miu is wearing a pretty child's swimdress. In a real surprise, Rumi is wearing a little girl's style tank one-piece swimsuit, making her look like she is only 9 or 10 years old. Both Rumi and Miu state that they are looking forward to a swim with Akira. As Akira asks Rumi about her little girl's swimsuit, Rumi offers the comment that she believes that it sure was cute, at least she thinks so herself, so she bought it! Akira now realizes that she is the only girl in the group that will be wearing a revealing bikini swimsuit. She quickly pulls up her shorts, and announces that she is going to the girl's bathroom first.

In the restroom, Akira's self-confidence sinks like an anvil thrown in a swimming pool. She wonders if she will get embarrassed in front of the friends if she goes out and shows that she is wearing a bikini? She tells herself that she can't swim under those conditions, and that maybe she can buy another swimsuit at the beach souvenir shop. Besides, where is her iphone now? As Akira reaches into the plastic bag given to her earlier, she comes upon the sunscreen garment. Again, Akira repeats to herself that Mom treats ***me*** (lit. *Ore* {masculine}) as if I were still a boy. Damn!

In a while, Akira is back on the beach. Rumi, Miu, and the others are already in the water, playing and having fun. Rumi sees Akira on the beach, wearing the sun-guard garment. It looks like a life-jacket worn over her swimsuit. Rumi asks her if she is going to swim like that? Akira responds that, Yes! She is going to do so, because (as she is intimate with Rumi and confides in her quite a lot) she tells Rumi that she is embarrassed with the swimsuit that she is wearing underneath. Rumi slowly walks from the water onto the sandy beach, and approaches Akira, then she carefully unzips the sun-guard and takes a critical look at Akira's swimsuit. Miu comes to take a look, too, and splashes Akira with water just to get her wet for the first time. Rumi deftly and tactfully puts her arm around Akira, and speaks to her in an intimate and romantic tone. Rumi tells Akira that she, Akira, has nothing to worry about by wearing a bikini swimsuit, as Akira looks 'right at home' in that style, and has the physical prowess and fashion style to 'pull it off' without any regrets. Slowly, and ever so tenderly, Rumi removes the sun-guard, and stands next to Akira ever so close, as now the other friends, as well as everyone on that section of the beach, can now see the swimsuit that Akira has selected for herself, and is wearing for the first time. Several looks of awe, admiration, and approval are flashed to Akira, as she slowly makes her way into the water. These actions from others immediately lifts her spirits, as well as making her begin to really enjoy herself, on this important first time of swimming as a girl, and unabashedly wearing a girl's bikini.

That evening, after a day of fun and friendship, Akira is back home. She announces her presence to Mom, who welcomes her back and tells her that a hot bath has already been prepared for her. A very tired Akira approaches Mom, and leans her head on Mom's backside. The two just stand there like that for a brief while. Mom asks if Akira is really tired from the day's activities? "Yeah!" Akira then makes a very profound statement to Mom---

"Please, for just a little while longer, let me stay like I am right now ....... [a happy teenage girl]!"

Mom's face screws up into a frown, but she says nothing.

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