Chapter 27

A cheerleader grabs Akira from behind to wish her well in her competition, but that only frightens Akira by her surprise action.

## Features of This Chapter

### Story Setting

At school---in the classroom, and out on the athletic fields

### Time Line

One school day, plus the day of the athletic festival

### Transition Milestones

Akira is accepted into the girls only division of the athletic festival, and competes only with other girls.

### Relationship Evolution

Akira learns valuable lessons in self-scrutiny, empathy, humility, and forgiveness

### Lessons Learned

The social circle of female friends can become fragmented, but can also come back together to heal and grow in friendship.

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

CHAPTER 27 OF THE MANGA (REVISED ENGLISH TRANSLATION)

## Previously

It was a long and painful uphill battle for Akira to try and regain her friendship and trust with Rumi. And she could not do it alone. Others helped, including Erika and Shouma. It took a while before conditions were favorable for Akira to engage with Rumi, and talk to her privately and intimately. They met in an unused classroom, after school with nobody around, just the two of them. With a humble attitude, and a sorrowful demeanor, Akira apologized for any and all the trouble she may or may not have caused. Surprisingly, Rumi took some of the responsibility for the crack in their relationship because of her own emotional and spiritual deficiencies. Both girls 'bared their very souls' to one another. Not only was the friendship restored, albeit with a few readjustments, but the intimacy was deepened when Akira did a girl-with-girl Love Confession (her very first!) to Rumi. This was the climax to this faithful meeting of the two. Thus a Yuri relationship was brought into play, with this girl-with-girl understanding cementing together the two girls emotionally, socially, and spiritually.

## This Chapter's Story

The next day, from when Akira and Rumi met in the unused classroom and settled their differences, Aoi is crying her heart out in the girl's restroom. Akira and Rumi are with her, but this is not a smackdown like last time, but a 'clearing of the air' and a repairing of the damage regarding the friendships of the three girls. Through her tears, and with emotionally broken speech, Aoi confesses that she, when she was in primary school, caused several of her girlfriends to cry, and break up with her due to her own social clumsiness and ineptitude. Rumi empathizes with her, and asks Aoi if she would like to become Rumi's friend, beginning today ? Of course Aoi would like to !

    Rumi had decided to reach out, aside from Akira, to the two girls who she hurt and vexed so much recently. Aoi was taken care of, so it is one down, one to go. Later that day, Shion is approached privately by Akira, Rumi, and Erika, and soon begins crying her heart out. Rumi apologizes for misleading Shion into helping with the smackdown. Shion tearfully says that she never intended the smackdown to end up the way that it did, hurting so many of the friends. She was, after all, only looking out for Rumi. Rumi asks Akira if she thinks that all is atoned for ? Akira says that what has been done is sufficient. However, one of the girls secretly tells herself that she does not believe Akira will let go of, and forgive, for what happened to her, not for one second ! After this monumental day of reconciliation, then for a while at school, time when by without any troubles or incidents.

The next semester brought with it the planning and execution of the Sports Festival. To begin the activities, everyone who would be participating was required to join a sports or culture club. Akira worries if it would be fair for her to enter the girl's athletic events, seeing as she was born a boy? Both Rumi and Akira did not see any club that they would be interested in, so they would just go home together. They tell everyone that they belong to the "Go Home" club (\*)! The other classmates picked their own clubs to join; Shouma, the Table Tennis Club / Aoi and Yuto, the Badminton Club / Erika, the Calligraphy Club / Chika, the twin tail girl, the Art Club. All of the new after school club activities did not allow the friends to get together for Golden Week. However, Akira got a new bed to sleep on during Golden Week!

ON YOUR MARK / GET SET / GO !!!

It is the day of the Sports Festival. In the 100M dash, Aoi Fujiki easily won the Gold Medal with a fast getaway and a strong finish. One of the girls on the all female cheerleader team, Natsumi, wearing a revealing bare-midriff cheer costume, comes up to Akira from behind. She then grabs Akira, and fondles her breasts, saying that is a good way to get them to grow. Akira is not impressed, not in the least! Rumi tells Akira that next year, the two of them should try out to be cheerleaders at the Athletic Festival. Akira only gives Rumi a silent look of disapproval. Thinking to herself, Akira ponders that she can't talk so freely to Rumi like she used to. But at least they are friends again.

Several of the boys on the bench, waiting for their turn at their athletic event, spend the time among themselves looking at the girls, and giving out scores regarding the size of the various girls' bust. Typical teen boy's moronic and juvenile behavior. An 'A' cup is considered a low score (only one notch above a flat chest), with letters in ascending order being larger boobs, with 'E' being the largest. So-and-so is declared to be an 'A'. A girl (Tsuda) walks by and is given a 'C'. Akira overhears what is going on, and becomes depressed when the boys only give her an 'A', with the comment that she looks like she still has a skinny, little girl's undeveloped body. Shion turns to Akira and observes, "Aren't boys **simply revolting** ?! All they care about regarding girls are their boobs!"

Soon, it is announced that the three-legged race is soon to begin. Akira and Rumi have been chosen to run together. As the two friends are tying their feet together, Akira tries to be congenial with Rumi. Akira mentions that Miu said that she is going to be taken to the beach this summer, and she wants Akira to go with her. Akira is going to the beach, and she asks Rumi to please come with her and Miu to the beach. Rumi hesitates, causing consternation to Akira, but finally says yes (will everyone get new swimsuits?). Rumi and Akira line up for the race, with the starting gun going off with a bang.

Akira and Rumi have always done so many things together, so doing a three-legged race is no big deal. Sure enough, as the race progressed, Akira and Rumi overtake the other couples, one by one, so that at the three quarters post of the race, they found themselves in first place. If they can just keep up the pace, the Gold Medal will be theirs. Unfortunately, Akira one time places her free foot down, and it twists sideways, causing an immediate sprain of her ankle. Rumi shouts if Akira is okay, and Akira responds that she is fine. However, as soon as the two girls try and resume, Akira's foot and ankle is struck with pain like a lightening bolt. Rumi again asks if she can go on ? Akira says that she can, but then acknowledges that she lied. She actually can't go on. While the two girls wait on the track for the medical pros to attend to them, Akira thinks to herself that she is not yet up to talking to Rumi with total abject familiarity and kinship like she used to, but at least she is better at expressing her innermost feelings and concerns to Rumi.

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(Click on Chapter 28 to be taken to the next chapter. Click on Omake (Extra) 27.5 to be taken to the Omake between Chapters 27 & 28.)

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