Volume 3 Chapter 8 Birthday
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Kindergarten was finally becoming a routine, and today I managed to pull off another successful on-time departure. As we sat together reading a picture book, I stole a look at Suu-chan. She was fidgeting restlessly, her gaze darting around.
(Ding-dong!)
When the doorbell rang, Suu-chan’s shoulders gave a sharp twitch. Her tension was practically vibrating off her.
”Coming in!” a voice called out. “We’re here!”
The visitors were the Goto mother and daughter-Mayumi-san and Shiho-chan. With their arrival, Suu-chan’s birthday party finally began. The Totsuka living room looked nothing like its usual self. Balloons and colorful rings of origami chains dangled from the ceiling and walls, and right in the center was a big “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” banner.
Suu-chan and I had spent the last few days steadily crafting those decorations. I’d even woken up early this morning, canceling my usual “morning routine” to help Mitsuhisa-san put everything up. Mitsuhisa-san had actually gone so far as to take a day of paid leave for this. I imagine the two of them spent the afternoon flirting while they had the house to themselves… but well, I suppose that’s fine for now.
”Whoa, amazing!” Shiho-chan cried, her sparkling eyes growing even wider as she stepped into the room.
”All that hard work really paid off,” I said.
”Mm-hmm!” Suu-chan chirped.
We had actually made a formal “invitation” just for Shiho-chan. Suu-chan can read hiragana, but writing is still a struggle for her, so she’d worked incredibly hard to copy the sample Mio-san wrote out. I’m sure the mothers had already coordinated everything behind the scenes, but that was the unspoken secret. A child’s social world is built on these little gestures, after all.
Shiho-chan was the only friend invited. It’s not that Suu-chan has no friends… well, actually, she doesn’t have many, but it had only been three weeks since we started kindergarten. That’s just how it goes. Besides, a big crowd would have been a nightmare. Squeezing a dozen people into this tiny apartment would have been suffocating. Plus, in this world, an invitation is a debt; if you invite them, you’re obligated to go to their parties, and then you have to worry about the burden of return-gifts and social etiquette. Our narrow social circle was suddenly exploding thanks to kindergarten. Entering “society” is a lot of work.
”Everyone line up! I’m taking a picture,” Mio-san prompted. We stood in a row in front of Mitsuhisa-san and his camera. “Say cheese!”
Then came the main event. Mio-san pulled a strawberry shortcake from the fridge. Bright red strawberries sat atop clouds of pure white whipped cream. The quality was so high I honestly wouldn’t have believed it was handmade.
”Mio-san, did you really make this yourself?” Mayumi-san asked, looking stunned.
”I did! I might have overdone it a little,” Mio-san replied with a smile. Her shock was justified; even as someone used to her cooking, I would have bet money it was store-bought.
We drew the curtains to darken the room and lit the four candles on the cake. The orange glow flickered, illuminating Suu-chan’s face. She looked a little stiff. (Is she… nervous?)
”Happy birthday to you…”
I made sure my pronunciation wasn’t too perfect-didn’t want to sound like a native English speaker. Shiho-chan clapped along with the song, and Suu-chan squirmed happily, leaning her weight against me.
”Phew…!”
As the song ended, Suu-chan puffed out her cheeks and blew them all out in one go. The curtains were thrown open to cheers and applause.
”Happy birthday, Suu-chan!”
”Thank you very much!” said Suzuki, giving a polite little bow. Since she’d hit four years old a bit before Shiho-chan and me, she seemed to be trying to act like the “big sister” of the group.
Mio-san sliced the cake into eight pieces, though the two girls were already leaning over the table. Rushed by the atmosphere, we dug in.
”Let’s eat!”
They both took a big bite.
”So yummy!”
”Mmm, it’s great!”
They held their cheeks with expressions of pure bliss. The flavor was a total hit. But halfway through, Suu-chan’s fork stopped. Her eyes were fixed on the single strawberry remaining on her plate. A visible, adorable struggle played out across her face.
(Ah, she ate it.)
She couldn’t help herself. Seeing that, I nudged my plate toward her.
”Suu-chan, say ‘ahh’.”
”Ahh,” she obeyed.
”Is it good?”
”Mm! …Mufufu.”
I let her have my strawberry. Just seeing her look that happy was enough to make me feel full.
Afterward, we played cards-Concentration and Old Maid, which the girls had just learned. Watching them groan and stare intensely at their hands was incredibly healing. Unlike “adult” card games that involve stakes or penalties, this was just pure, wholesome peace. While the kids were obsessed with the game, Mitsuhisa-san faded into the background as the cameraman, and the mothers lost themselves in “mom-talk.” Since Shiho-chan has an older sister, it seemed like she was a goldmine of school info for Mio-san.
Time flew, and soon it was dinner: “Chirashi-zushi Cake¹.” Pink salmon, tuna, cucumber, and mounds of salmon roe sat atop vinegared rice mixed with carrots and bamboo shoots. It was a feast. We had clam soup on the side-a perfect spread of Suu-chan’s favorites.
”Mom, look! It’s like a real cake!” Shiho-chan cried.
”It really is,” Mayumi-san said, clearly impressed. I’m sure Mio-san’s “Mom-friend rank” hit an all-time high today. The two hungry kids were stuffing their faces even more aggressively than they had with the dessert.
By the time the fun ended, it was past 6:00 PM.
”Shi-chan, Mayumi-san, thank you for coming to my birthday today,” Suu-chan said as they reached the door. She nailed the line exactly as we’d practiced.
After seeing the Gotos off and finishing a bath with Mitsuhisa-san and Suu-chan, my mother finally made it home.
”Suu-chan, happy birthday! I’m so sorry I missed the party,” Mother said, looking genuinely dejected as she stroked Suu-chan’s hair.
”It’s okay,” Suu-chan replied.
”Did you have fun?”
”Yeah! It was the best!”
My mother had clearly wanted to be there, but a client’s schedule had been inflexible. She quickly transitioned to the final event: the gifts.
”Here, a present for you,” Mother said. “Thank you for always playing with Ma-kun.”
”Thank you!” said Suzuki.
It was a hiragana puzzle. Suu-chan can read, but she hasn’t mastered the alphabetical order yet. A very practical, “Mother-like” choice. From Mio-san and Mitsuhisa-san, she received a massive teddy bear, nearly two feet tall.
”Suu-chan, what should we name him?” Mio-san asked.
Suu-chan stared into the bear’s glossy eyes for a long, silent ten seconds.
”…Chashibu,” she declared.
”……”
I suppose he did look a bit distinguished in a dusty sort of way. Her naming sense was certainly unique. Finally, it was my turn.
”Suu-chan, happy birthday again.”
”Thanks!”
She carefully tore off the wrapping to find a pale pink barrette.
”Lucky you, Suu-chan!” Mio-san chirped. “That’s the hair clip you were looking at!”
To be honest, it was a rigged choice. I hadn’t a clue what to get, so I’d basically let Mio-san and my Mother pick it out for me.
”Mufufu!”
Overcome with excitement, Suu-chan lunged at me, knocking me flat onto the floor. She pressed her cheek against mine, and then I felt the soft sensation of a little peck on the cheek.
”Ma-kun, I love you best! …Mufufu!”
The allowance I’d saved up from doing chores was officially gone, but I had zero regrets. I’d just have to work twice as hard to save up for the next one.
—
Summary:
Totsuka Suzuki celebrates her 4th birthday with a small party involving her family and her first friend from kindergarten, Shiho-chan. The narrator, Ma-kun, observes the warmth of the occasion while reflecting on the growing social complexities of childhood. The chapter concludes with heartfelt gift-giving and a show of affection from Suu-chan to Ma-kun.
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Trivia:
- The narrator intentionally mispronounces English to hide his past-life proficiency.
- Mio-san’s cooking skills are compared to professional/store-bought quality, hinting at her high competence as a housewife.
- The ‘Mom-friend rank’ is a meta-commentary by the narrator on Japanese social hierarchies among parents.
- Suu-chan’s bear name ‘Chashibu’ is likely a portmanteau of Brown (Cha) and Refined/Astringent (Shibu)
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Character Insight:
Suu-chan shows growth by trying to act like a ‘big sister’ now that she is four. Ma-kun demonstrates selflessness by giving up his favorite treat for her happiness.
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Behind the Scenes:
The chapter highlights the ‘Paid Leave’ culture in Japan, where a father taking a day off for a birthday is seen as a significant act of devotion.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Mayumi – Shiho-chan’s mother, an elegant, beautiful woman with a refined aura, also serves as a ‘mom-friend’ to Mio-san.
• Shiho – A three-year-old girl in the Rose Class, friend of Makoto and Suu, with shoulder-length hair in a side-up ponytail; soft-spoken yet easily excited by decorations and food, she uses training chopsticks and a white kitten-themed placemat, struggles to wake up, and relies on Makoto’s “secret” advice. She attends extended childcare monthly and shares a quiet, competitive bond with Suu over Makoto’s attention, having been his first kindergarten friend.
• Mitsuhisa – Tall, handsome, 184 cm, 71 kg, slick‑back hair, deep voice, 33‑year‑old IT specialist and Totsuka family breadwinner. Doting husband of Mio, father of Su‑chan (Suzuka), reserved with Akari, meticulous in grooming, often scowls, family photographer with pricey DSLR and tripod, close to Makoto. In flashback he gave the protagonist “high‑highs” that caused distress; takes paid leave to decorate and prep the car for a Golden Week trip to his parents.
• Mio – 28‑year‑old mother of Su‑chan, wife of Mitsuhisa, 164 cm, 57 kg, baby face, G‑cup, gentle rounded elegance; wears gray casual suit and skirt, prominent chest. Teacher, skilled cook and photographer who bakes professional strawberry shortcake and chirashi‑zushi, loves babysitting Ma‑kun and pushes his marriage with Su‑chan. Exceptionally beautiful but avoids crowds.
• Suzuki – Su-chan, a bright, energetic four-year-old from the Totsuka family and kindergarten classmate of Makoto, is a small, cute girl with straight hair in a topknot and braided pigtails, standing 104 cm tall and weighing 16 kg. She wears a ceremonial uniform, has a high body temperature, and habitually fixes a deadpan stare while making a soft “mufu” sound when excited. Deeply attached to Makoto—whom adults joke is her future husband—she initiates passionate embraces, pouts when apart, and diligently coordinates her belongings with his. She loves strawberries, salmon roe, and clams, uses chopsticks skillfully, enjoys snuggling during nap time, singing, and paper-tearing games, and is observant, affectionate, and a close friend to both Makoto and Shiho.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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