Chapter 38

Akira and Rumi, along with several other friends, are invited to a holiday party at Kazuki's house.

## Features of This Chapter

### Transition Milestones

Akira comes to know that her boobs are growing nicely when she can barely fit into one of her stretch ribbed sweaters.

### Relationship Evolution

Akria begins to widen her social interactions with her friends, and other in her class at school. This by attending a holiday party.

### Lessons Learned

Being sociable with friends is still frought with many surprises and unexpected troubles.

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

CHAPTER 38 OF THE MANGA (REVISED ENGLISH TRANSLATION)

(Part 1 of the Holiday Party Story Arc)

(Chapter Note---This chapter begins with a flashback to the time Akira was a bratty, ill-behaved boy in primary school.)

## Previously

At the end of the day of the School Festival, Erika sequestered Shouma and did her Love Confession to him. Unfortunately, he turned her down. Erika was heartbroken, and immediately withdrew from her girl friends to be alone with her unhappiness. However, about a week later, Erika seemed to be recovering, and once again becoming sociable. Much gossip about what happened to Erika because of her infatuation of Shouma has swrilled around the girls, including Akira. At a recent PE class, Mayu gossips with Akira, including telling her how much she has grown, both physically, spiritually, and in sexual attraction from the boys. Akira was nonplussed, not knowing what to think of her growing romantic reputation among both girls and boys. Kazuki, a boy who is close to Akira, invites her, including several other friends, to a holiday party at his spacious, luxury home. How will Akira handle this special social gatthering ?

## This Chapter's Story

FLASHBACK---Akira is in the locker room wherein the students are changing their shirts, preparing for some sort of messy activity. Both the boys and the girls are in the same room, as nobody is getting completely undressed. Akira has already taken his shirt off, when another boy announces that he got a Mario Cart for Christmas (Mario Cart is a video game for the Sega Saturn, released in 1997) ! He asks Akira and another boy if they want to come to his house after school and play the video game ? Akira agrees to do so. Then, in a rare congenial mood for Akira, who dislikes girls and being around them, he approaches Nana Shimazaki while he is shirtless, but with his pants on. Nana has already taken off her shirt, but is wearing a camisole and her mini-skirt. Akira nonchalantly states that you should come and play with us boys, too, Nana. Nana practically screams out so that everyone can hear---

"DON'T COME NEAR ME WHILE I'M UNDRESSED !!! DAMN PERVERT !!!" (Story Note---Nana is not actually naked)

Akira retorts, "Pervert...? But when we were at the swimming pool together this last summer...you were wearing your tiny two-piece swimsuit...."

Another boy shouts at Akira to leave her alone. She is a girl, after all !

That evening, in the bathroom at home, Akira and Mom are taking a bath together. Mom is behind Akira, washing and shampooing his hair. Akira has already told Mom about what happened when he asked Nana if she wanted to come with him and play a video game with the other boys. Mom says that she understands. She further explains that it can't be helped, as Nana is a girl after all. Why is that a problem ? Mom continues, saying that girls get embarrassed when they are seen undressed by boys (Nana was not actually naked). That being said, Mom reminds Akira that she doesn't want him to be the kind of boy that teases and embarrasses girls because of that, right ?

"Right....?!?", mumbles Akira. He then innocently asks, "Mom, why aren't you ashamed of me seeing you naked ?"

Mom unequivocally answers, "It's because I love you, thats why I'm not ashamed, Akira !" Mom begins to giggle, as Akira tells her to please stop. (END FLASHBACK)

Akira is in her bedroom, dressing for the day's activities. She has selected to wear a ribbed sweater top, and stretchy skinny jeans. She looks down at herself, and notices how the sweater's ribs are now stretched tightly across her growing boobs, curving around and really showing off the size of her bust. Akira thinks to herself that she doesn't want her boobs to be seen so plainly, even though she is already wearing a bra underneath. She decides to wear another style of sweater, telling herself that as her body keeps developing, it is changing to become more and more feminine and adult-like. So scary ! Akira changes into a black t-shirt, and over that a bulky, corded sweater.

Akira goes downstairs to the kitchen. There, Mom and Grandmother are already eating their breakfast. Akira joins them at the table and begins eating. The weather radio drones on in the background, saying that today will be clear, but with heavy snowfall in the evening. Akira silently wonders to herself as to what Mom thinks of *me* (lit. *Ore* {masculine}) now, with my feminine looks ? Her line of though is broken when Mom tells Akira that she is going to buy a cake, and what kind of cake does Akira want ? Akira says that she doesn't know; she is getting ready to go to a friend's house. You could eat it tomorrow. Grandma asks if she is going to see Rumi ? Akira merely says, "Nope". She tells herself that Mom would have a conniption fit if she knew that Akira was going to a boy's house !

Akira arrives at Kazuki's home, along with Natsumi, Rumi, and Aoi. All give Kazuki a "Merry Christmas" greeting. Nasumi mentions that it was good fortune that he was able invite girls over, and they actually came ! Stepping inside, Akira remarks to herself that she is in a boy's house, for real. The last time she did that was way before she was transformed into a girl. Shouting is coming from upstairs, indicating that others have already arrived, and appear to be playing Mario Kart. Akira asks who else is here ? Yuto, Shouma, and Erika. Rumi, Akira, and Natsumi head for the kitchen, as Aoi peels off to go upstairs and join the video game.

Kazuki leads them to the kitchen. The three girls begin to set up the food arrangements. Kazuki leaves to use the toilet. While he is gone, girl's gossip immediately abounds. Whispering, Akira points out that isn't it ackward that Erika and Shouma are apparently in the same room together, while the playing of the video game goes on ? Rumi and Natsumi concur. Continuing the whisper-fest, Natsumi says that Kazuki told her to invite you, Akira, and the others, just so that Erika and Shouma would not be the only ones here for the holiday party. Rumi whispers, wondering if Erika still likes Shouma, after he declined her Love Confession ? Rumi reveals that Erika has not told her anything, one way or another. Kazuki reenters the kitchen, halting all the juicy gossip. Darn ! Irritated that the gossip has to come to an end, Natsumi yells at Kazuki, asking him if he washed his hands ? He did.

Food preparations begin. Turns out that Kazuki made some really cute and lovely cupcakes, after watchin a 'how to' video. The girls swoon over his creations. Natsumi giggles at the fact that Kazuki not only did fancy cooking, but created some really lovely and feminine cupcakes. Kazuki gets blustery, and says that he just wanted to see if he could do it, so he did it ! Ya got a problem with that ? Natsumi apologizes for the misdirected implication, and tells Kazuki not to pout. Akira stares in awe at the cupcakes, and speculates to herself that Kazuki liked to do something like this because he is actually a girl inside. Akira tells Kazuki that his creation is awesome. Rumi chimes in to say that a guy who can cook and create like that will score points with many girls. Everyone will be surprised at you, Kazuki ! In a rare moment, Kazuki smiles profusely.

The party will actually be held in Kazuki's home's spacious and well furnished recreation room. It's big, has all the accoutrements, and looks 'fit for a king'! The 'kitchen crew' girls begin setting up the banquet in the center of the rec room. Aoi comes down from the upstairs video tournament, slovenly but erotically scratching herself, and wanting to know if it is time to eat ?

The setup is finally done ! What a spread ! The food table set up in the center of the rec room has a surpurb selection of foods and drinks. Before the feasting begins, everyone has a glass filled with their favorite drink, and all did a toast, and a round of cheers, to the success of the party. With all in attendence having had a share from the food table, the party is now well underway. Someone set up a laptop computer on a side table, programing it to access and play holiday music from the Internet. Shouma and Yuto, sitting together, have decided that the next video game that they are going to play today is going to be Smash Brothers. Kazuki, trying to be the proper host, is offering Aoi a box of tissues after she begins sneezing. Erika looks on, and asks Aoi if she is okay ? Rumi puts on a stocking cap, and gets Akira to wear one, too. Rumi asks Akira to try on a holiday shawl, trimmed in red and white holiday colors. This she does. Natusi wants to take a picture of the two friends. However, Erika wanted to get in the picture, but the camera only got half of her face. They retake the picture to include Erika.

Erika nonchalantly comments to Akira that she, Akira, has become a very cute and girly girl. Not like Akira was when Erika first met her. Erika mentions that back then, Akria was too masculine to ever be a likable girl. Akira is a little annoyed at that comment, and gives Erika a sour look. Akira then says that she will command the camera, so that others can have their picture taken. This she does, mostly to get away from Erika, who was making her feel embarrassed about being seen as masculine back then. Seeing Akira getting away, Erika calls out to the boys to compliment Akria on her looks, what with her wearing the stocking cap and shawl. However, only Kazuki offers well wishes, saying that Akira looks really good. Again Akira is a bit annoyed that she didn't draw more compliments from the boys. But then Akira checks herself, telling herself that she need not worry about impressing boys right now; she is sorta interested only in other girls.

Aoi realizes that the music from the laptop has quit playing, and needs attention or a reboot for the music to continue. Akira, wanting to direct attention away from herself, asks Kazuki if he knows the website where one can see how to make the feminine cupcakes ? He says that he doesn't remember the URL, but he did bookmark the website on the front screen. Aoi sits down in front of the laptop, and addresses the front screen. Natsumi wants to know which website are they talking about ? Kazuki says not to do anything weird. Aoi sees an icon on the front screen that is labeled "Christmas Present". What is this, she asks, as she brings the pointer onto the icon and clicks it? Kazuki goes bananas, as Natsumi tells him not to panic, we just want to see what this 'Christmas Present' is......

Clicking on the icon brings up a video to the front screen, opens it, and begins playing it. Kazuki is horrified that the friends are going to see what he downloaded and called a "Christmas Present". The video is of an anime girl on stage, very lightly clad in sexy attire, and dancing in a very provoctive and erotic fashion. However, the anime girl's face has apparently the same physical features, same eye and hair color as Akira, so that the dancing anime girl looks almost identical to Akira's face and body !!!

## Chapter Lookback, Commentary, and Opinion

Shown below is a video similar to the one that Kazuki downloaded to his laptop, showing another anime girl dancing on stage with the same style and with similar music---

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(Click on Chapter 39 to be taken to the next chapter. Click on Omake (Extra) 38.5 to be taken to the Omake between Chapters 38 & 39.)

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