Volume 2 Chapter 12 Peaceful Holiday
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Today is the long-awaited holiday!
It’s not like I have to go to school or an office; I’m a two-year-old who plays all day. So, what exactly am I waiting for?
The answer to that is obvious.
Mother is off today!
It’s a day where I can be with her from morning until night!
Yay, yay!
You might think I have a mother complex.
But honestly, a two-year-old without a mother complex probably couldn’t survive, right?
Besides, to me, Mother is a woman before she is a mother…
It’s only a law of nature to feel affection for a woman who works this hard for my sake.
Life never quite goes as planned, does it…
Anyway, today’s day off is all about playing with Mother.¹
She seems to be looking forward to it too, so let’s give it everything we’ve got!
”Good morning,”
”Ah, Yashiro-san, good morning. Makoto-kun also good morning.”
”G’morning.”
As we left the apartment, we ran into a man living on the first floor of the same apartment.
His name is Meguro Ryuhei-san. He wears glasses and is tall, standing about 180 cm – roughly the same as Mitsuhisa-san. Regarding his job, he is an office clerk at a kindergarten. His age is certainly twenty-eight years old.
By the way, he is apparently from the same university as Mitsuhisa-san. He started living in this apartment because it was reasonably close during Mitsuhisa-san’s university days, and it has been that way ever since.
Meguro-san is knowledgeable about cameras, and his skill is such that he has won prizes in contests held by the city. Su-chan and I also often have him take photos of us. And he is also the parents’ photography teacher.
”Where are you off to today?”
”Hmm~, nothing’s set in stone, but I was thinking of taking a trip around the peninsula with a friend.”
”Heh~. Are you gonna run a lot?”
”Yeah, I’m gonna go run~”
And his other hobby is road biking.²
Mitsuhisa-san’s bicycle was also given to him by his friend, and he has it maintained occasionally.
On his days off, he often goes for a casual ride carrying his camera.
Today he is apparently going a bit far; the peninsula means at least 50 km one way… Incredible…
Since he lives for his hobbies like this, Meguro-san is still single.
…No, I won’t give you Mother, okay? He might be a good person, though!
”Well then, I’m off!”
”Please be careful.”
”Have a safe trip.”
Putting on supporters, donning a helmet, and putting on sunglasses, Meguro-san departs gallantly.
…The exchange just now had a bit of a married couple feel, so I have my doubts.
I want him to hurry up and find a marriage partner at his workplace. For the sake of my peace of mind too!
After seeing off Meguro-san, we headed to a park three minutes’ walk from the apartment at my pace.
In that park, which is large only in terms of area, there is basic play equipment like a slide, swings, a seesaw, and horizontal bars in the corner.
What’s characteristic is that, unusually, there are two tennis courts, and neighborhood elementary and middle schoolers or grandpas and grandmas often use them. Since there is no tall fence, I often see the figures of elementary and middle schoolers heading out to search for balls they’ve sent flying.
And currently, with the sight of grandpas and grandmas doing a loose rally in the distance, I am swaying on a swing together while being held by Mother.
”Ma-kun, are you interested in tennis~?”
”Hmm… normal?”
”Fufu, normal, huh…”
”Does Oka-san³ like it?”
”Hmm…, normal, I guess…. I didn’t do tennis, but I did play badminton.”
”Badminton?”
”That’s right, badminton. It’s similar to tennis, but instead of a ball, you hit a feather thing called a shuttlec**k.”
”Heh~, I want to try doing that.”
”Then let’s do it. We have to prepare the equipment, so it’ll have to be another time, though.”
”Yeah!”
Mother doing badminton is news to me.
I wonder if she did it in a high school club? I wanted to see Mother’s uniform appearance…
While immersed in such delusions –
”-Ma-kun!”
As she entered the park grounds, she let go of Mio-san’s hand and I caught Su-chan as she ran straight toward me. …She’s powerful as usual today.
”Morning~”
”Good morning, you’re late.”
”It just took a little time with her hair.”
I stepped back a bit to check out Su-chan’s outfit.
A pale pink T-shirt, black seven-quarter length bottoms made of jersey fabric with two lines on the sides. Her hair is in a bun so that it doesn’t get messy easily.
This mother and daughter have a high fashion level, don’t they?
Compared to the me of my previous life, who wore suits on weekdays, loungewear on holidays, and had one set of everyday clothes, it’s a different world…
Mio-san is in a loose white T-shirt, a cardigan, and a long skirt – refined but easy-to-move-in clothing. There is no eye-catching flashiness, but she is well-versed in how to bring out her own charm gracefully to the maximum.
Compared to such a Mio-san, Mother is ignorant of fashion. I suppose it’s “like parent, like child.”
However, the clothes Mother is wearing now are also stylish. That’s because our parent-child clothes are chosen under Mio-san’s supervision.
When going to buy clothes, we are always together with the Totsuka mother and daughter.
Or rather, we go to buy them while being led by Mio-san.
She says, “If I leave choosing clothes to Akari, she’ll buy several of the same plain clothes.”
When Mio-san chooses clothes, Mother and I are just spacing out.
I’m fine, but I feel like Mother should take a little more interest, but it seems there has been such a tendency since her student days.
Therefore, Mio-san grasps everything inside the Yashiro family’s closet. Of course, including the innerwear.
Today’s Mother is in a long T-shirt and wide pants. An outfit that leaves a trace of a career woman somewhere. There are various other things, but perhaps pulled by her personality, she often chooses a calm pants look.
The clothes I am wearing are naturally things Mio-san chose.
It is also inevitable that they match with Su-chan’s. Though the T-shirt is a different color, gray instead of pink.
”Ma-kun, how is it? How is Su-chan today?”
Mio-san asks me with a smirking face.
I understand. Even as a child, she’s a woman, right? I understand very well.
”Su-chan, cute.”
”…Myufuu.”
Suzuka, who is blushing, is super cute. But is her breathing through her nose different from usual?
”Su-chan, cute!”
”Myufuu, myufuu, myufuu.”
”Su-chan, very cute.”
”Myufuu, myufuu, fuu, myufuu, myufuu, fuu, myufuu, mihyuu”
”Su-cha-“
”Ma-kun, don’t play with Su-chan.”
”…Yes.”
I got scolded by Mio-san.
It’s Su-chan’s fault for being cute while she’s huffing and puffing.
Anyway, from now we join up with the Totsuka family and play in the park.
Mother is chatting with Mio-san on a bench while keeping an eye on us. Mitsuhisa-san is the one watching over us nearby. Bodyguard, I’m counting on you.
”Ma-kun, this way.”
”Aye-sir.”
While being pulled by the hand by Su-chan, I wander to the corner of the park and pluck dandelions that have become fluff.
And when I blow with a “fuu,” the fluff flies away flutteringly. And Su-chan, who turned this way, grins.
…
Really, she’s so cute I can’t help it.
I can’t hand over this position to anyone.
While playing like that, the figures of a new parent and child appeared by Mother and the others. I pull Su-chan’s hand and go to greet them.
”Good morning.”
”G’morning.”
”Ma-kun, Su-chan, good morning.”
The one who returned the greeting is the so-called other set of neighbors, living on the second floor of a different building of the apartment from our house.
This woman with a gentle atmosphere is the Mama-san, Hagiri Hitomi-san. She’s twenty-five years old now, two school years below Mother and the others.
And the name of the daughter being held by Hitomi-san is Yuna-chan. In the generation one school year below us, she’ll be two years old soon.
And finally, the name of the younger brother who is flapping his arms and legs in the stroller is Jin-kun. He’ll be half a year old soon.
Being neighbors and having babies of the same age, we often play together with them for one reason or another. Mainly in the park on holidays.
”Look, Yuna-chan too, say good morning~”
”…”
After taking one look this way, Yuna-chan clings to Hitomi-san and buries her face.⁴
Well, it can’t be helped. She’s a shy person by nature, and right now she’s in the middle of baby regression⁵ because her brother was born.
In addition, because both the Hagiri family’s husband Koji-san and the wife are city hall employees and a dual-income couple, I think Yuna-chan, who has already made her daycare debut, wants to spoil her mother.
”Yuna-chan, want to do the slide?”
”No.”
”How about the swings then?”
”…No!”
It looks like Yuna-chan is also in the no-no phase⁶. She just clings to Hitomi-san and shakes her head.
Hitomi-san also looks troubled, but there’s nothing we can do. We just have to wait for Yuna-chan’s heart to grow.
I want her to become Su-chan’s friend, but the person herself doesn’t seem very interested…
Well, let’s go slowly without rushing.
”How were Su-chan and Ma-kun?”
”Hmm, even if you ask how…. Su-chan had a little bit, but it went well when I used Ma-kun as bait…”
”Ma-kun didn’t really have a no-no phase…”
”…Is it different with boys, I wonder?”
”I wonder? Ma-kun is a bit strange, after all~”
Oops, the direction of the mothers’ conversation is getting suspicious…
Su-chan, let’s go to the slide!
It’s a total coincidence that the slide is as far away from that bench as possible!
And so, our peaceful holiday passes by.
—
Summary:
Makoto enjoys a rare day off with his mother, Akari, at the local park. They meet their neighbors, the Totsuka and Hagiri families, for a group playdate. The chapter highlights the social dynamics between the mothers and the differing developmental stages of the toddlers.
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Trivia:
- Meguro Ryuhei is a kindergarten clerk, explaining his comfort around kids.
- Mio-san effectively controls the Yashiro family’s fashion and knows their ‘innerwear’ inventory.
- Makoto consciously uses his toddler cuteness to avoid difficult questions from the mothers.
- The apartment layout suggests a close-knit community where everyone knows each other’s schedules
—
Character Insight:
Makoto’s internal adult perspective makes him wary of other men around his mother, showing a protective (and slightly jealous) streak. Meanwhile, Su-chan shows signs of a ‘crush’ on Makoto, indicated by her heavy breathing when complimented.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The author uses the ‘reincarnated child’ trope to contrast the struggles of actual parenting (Yuna-chan’s tantrums) with Makoto’s suspiciously easy upbringing.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Makoto – The protagonist. He is the son of Akari and currently stays with the Totsuka family while his mother works.
• Mitsuhisa – A tall, handsome man with a deep voice who works as the breadwinner for the Totsuka family. He is Su-chan’s father. Su-chan’s father. An IT professional over thirty years old. Described as a doting husband who is hardworking and somewhat reserved toward Akari.
• Meguro – A neighbor living on the floor below. Works as an office clerk at a kindergarten. A 28-year-old single man living on the first floor of the apartment. He is a tall (180cm) kindergarten office clerk, an amateur prize-winning photographer, and a road bike enthusiast.
• Mio – A 25-year-old fashionable and kind young mother, she is Akari’s (Makoto’s mother’s) best friend and Ma-kun’s godmother. Known for her playful and teasing personality, she enjoys babysitting Ma-kun and encourages a future marriage between her daughter, Su-chan, and him. She’s skilled in cooking and photography, admired for her beauty—even in casual, unpolished moments—and is married to Mitsuhisa.
• Akari – Ma-kun’s mother. A single parent and banker returning to work after childcare leave. Described as a natural beauty who values efficiency. She has a warm smile and is described by her son as beautiful. She is currently caring for her newborn son, Ma-kun. Now, Sse is a high school teacher’s daughter and currently lives next to her best friend Mio to raise her son as a single parent.
• Hitomi – A 25-year-old neighbor from Building B. She works at the city hall and is currently dealing with her daughter’s toddler rebellion.
• Yuna – Hitomi’s daughter, nearly two years old. She is currently in a ‘no-no’ phase and experiencing baby regression.
• Jin – Hitomi’s six-month-old son who stays in a stroller.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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