Volume 3 Chapter 44 Tough Youngsters
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Mommy, it’s time.”
”Wait, is it that time already!?”
Suu-chan, fully prepared with her backpack on, gave my shoulder a steady poke. I had missed my chance to tell her that Maa-kun was taking the day off, and now the time to leave had finally arrived.
I exchanged a look with Mii-kun, who was busy soothing the babies, Fuu-chan and Kyo-chan. Neither of us seemed able to come up with a last-minute miracle.
It wasn’t that she had never spent a day without Maa-kun before. While it hadn’t happened recently, there were times she had stayed home with a cold, and we obviously didn’t bring him along on family-only outings. Every time it happened, there were massive meltdowns, but we always managed because either I or Mii-kun were right there with her.
This time, however, Suu-chan would truly be alone. I’d heard she sticks to Maa-kun like glue at school, and this would be her first time navigating that world without any family by her side. (This is going to be rough…)
(Deep breath. Time to be brave.) I knelt down to match her height.
”Mama?”
”So, the thing is… it looks like Maa-kun caught a fever today…”
”…”
”He has to stay home from school.”
”……”
”What do you want to do, Suu-chan?”
Suu-chan scowled. She looked like she was wrestling with a world of internal conflict. Since I became pregnant, her selfish streaks have practically vanished. Even without using Maa-kun as an excuse, she’s started acting like a proper big sister-someone who takes care of others.
Should she be selfish and demand to stay with him? Or should she be selfish and refuse to go to school at all? Being selfish isn’t always a bad thing, but there’s a lot to be gained from learning to endure. I’d decide how to handle it based on her answer. People like Akari or Maa-kun would probably know how to manipulate her into the right choice, but I’m not that clever. I can only face her head-on.
”……Okay. I get it.”
I was braced for a fight, but Suu-chan just nodded and marched toward the front door.
”…Huh? Wait, what?”
”Mama, hurry up,” said Suzuki.
I stood there, totally floored, as she hurried me along. She looked sad, maybe even a little sulky, but her resolve to go to school didn’t waver even when the shuttle bus arrived.
”I’m leaving,” said Suzuki.
”Yeah… have a good day,” I replied.
Suzuki gave a polite bow to the teacher and climbed onto the bus. I waved as she watched me from the window, and she waved back. The usual spark she had when Maa-kun was around was completely gone, but she had headed off to school with a calmness that was almost a letdown.
For now, I could breathe a sigh of relief. But as I watched the bus disappear, the truth started to sink in. (I see… so that’s it.) Should I be happy she’s growing up, or-
* * *
Until Makoto-kun actually walks through the door, it’s normal for him not to be in the classroom. That’s just how it goes every morning. But today, he isn’t coming at all!
My heart won’t stop pounding because I have no idea how these kids are going to react when they realize he’s absent. On top of that, Suzuki-chan is here. Do you understand what that means? Suzuki-chan is Makoto-kun’s girlfriend… essentially. I’ve never heard an official confession, but they flirt so much that I’d refuse to believe otherwise even if the world ended. It’s a known fact that she’s head-over-heels for him. She’s bound to be lonely today, searching for a boy who isn’t there. She’s going to need serious emotional support.
And while her devotion is more obvious, Makoto-kun is just as obsessed with her. He goes to ridiculous lengths to keep her smiling, and he’ll personally crush any “sparks” that threaten to ruin her day. He’s a boy who puts her above everything else. If something were to happen to her, Makoto-kun would never forgive it. Whoever caused it-or even helped it happen-might not be allowed to attend this school anymore.
(Am I overreacting to a toddler? No. Absolutely not.) I haven’t forgotten the Newspaper Incident¹. The look in his eyes that day gave me actual cold sweats. If that stare had been aimed at me, I might have quit teaching on the spot. I’m not even joking about Ai-sensei anymore. It was a miracle that Hiro-kun and Yoshitsugu-kun didn’t notice. I think an angry Seiko-sensei would actually be kinder.
I’m convinced the so-called Rose Rangers were formed because of that incident. They look like playground heroes protecting the Rose Class, but that’s just the public face. In reality, they’re a group that Makoto-kun marked and “re-educated.” That’s why I tell the other kids not to wish they could join!
(God, my head hurts. But it’s my job to protect these kids.)
”……Morning,” said Suzuki.
Just as I was psyching myself up, she walked in. She’s so well-behaved, greeting me like that. It’s rare for a kid her age to remember manners at the door; even in the Rose Class, where they all try to copy Makoto-kun, only about half of them actually do it. But I could tell from her voice that she had zero energy.
Predictably, the other kids swarmed her. But the “Boss” they were looking for wasn’t there.
”Wait, where’s Makoto?”
”Is he not here?”
The kids were blunt, as always. Suzuki-chan’s face darkened as the reality hit her again.
”Maa-kun is… staying home,” said Suzuki.
She didn’t say it loudly, but the words felt strangely heavy. The room went dead silent. The teachers, especially, were frozen. We knew, of course; the morning meeting had already confirmed he was out. We wanted to break the news gently to avoid an emotional meltdown, but…
Contrary to our fears, the kids started moving.
”Jun! Let’s play tag!”
”Wait, what?”
”Hurry up!”
”Huh?”
”No complaining! It’s an order from the Boss! Let’s go!”
”O-Okay!”
”Rock, paper, scissors… SHOOT!”
”I lost!?”
”Jun’s ‘it’!”
”Just like the Boss said it’d happen…”
”Darn it… One… two… three…”
While the Rose Rangers were sprinting outside-
”Yuma, what are we making?”
”Well… since Makoto is gone… we’re building the Tower of Babel²!”
”Got it!”
”This way! Move the blocks!”
”I’ll get more wood!”
Inside the classroom, the kids huddled together, stacking blocks and competing for height.
(Wait… what?)
The teachers were left standing there, completely caught off guard. And that was how the day without Makoto-kun began-in a way none of us ever expected.
—
Summary:
Suzuki (Suu-chan) must face her first day at kindergarten without her ‘boyfriend’ Makoto, who is sick. Despite her mother’s worries of a tantrum, Suu-chan stoically accepts the situation. At school, the teacher fears a collective breakdown among the children, but the class surprisingly remains energetic and focused.
—
Trivia:
- The ‘Rose Rangers’ were actually formed as a result of Makoto ‘re-educating’ children who crossed him.
- Suu-chan’s personality shift is directly linked to her mother’s pregnancy and her desire to be a big sister.
- The teachers at the kindergarten are genuinely intimidated by Makoto, a toddler.
- The children are remarkably organized and disciplined in their play when following Makoto’s established ‘boss’ hierarchy
—
Character Insight:
Suu-chan shows significant maturity by suppressing her desire to stay home, choosing instead to fulfill her role as an older sister-in-training. Makoto’s influence is felt even in his absence, as the kids continue to follow his ‘rules’ and hierarchy.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The ‘Tower of Babel’ joke is a common trope to show children acting with uncanny or ominous ambition.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Akari – 28‑year‑old single banker, 168 cm, 56 kg, dark‑brown hair, slender, melancholic smile, in a gray casual pantsuit after childcare leave; lives beside best friend Mio, drives a black light‑compact car, cares for newborn son, prefers quiet home, feels guilty missing the party. Mother of Maa‑kun and Makoto, poised in high‑class settings, observant and mischievous, uncovered Makoto’s secret English study. Also Suu‑chan’s mother monitors Makoto’s health via a ‘status report’ network with other parents.
• Suzuki – Suu‑chan, 4, daughter of Mio and Mitsuhisa, sports a topknot, braided pigtails, sleepy sparkling eyes, pink rain boots and a tiny umbrella. She’s competitive yet nervous, hugs and pouts, coordinates Makoto’s things, and is his “girlfriend.” Close friend of sandbox‑leader Maa‑kun. In Hinomori’s Younger Class she’s shy, sits in a booster seat, clings to Makoto, and once had seaweed on a tooth after tripping in the Rose‑Class footrace. Now pregnant‑mother’s older sister, she’s energetic, follows Makoto and shows a sad but resolute demeanor as she steps into a big‑sister role.
• Makoto – Maa‑kun, a 93 cm, 13 kg three‑year‑old in a neat shirt, cap and backpack, sits in a booster seat in Hinomori’s Rose Class. Reincarnated 30‑year‑old salaryman living with the Totsuka family, he hides architectural skill, social savvy and English fluency. Quiet leader, Suzuka‑chan’s protector, mediates, cool‑detached yet athletic (recently injured palm); his mother calls him Maa‑kun.
• Yoshitsugu – A ‘heavyweight’ student in the Rose Class. Member of the Rose Rangers (Rose Crimson). Initially blunt and accusatory, but easily swayed by hero logic.
• Seiko – Veteran educator and kindergarten principal, she leads Rose Class with a steely, battle‑hardened aura. Her sharp, icy gaze and realistic outlook make her polite yet intimidating when serious; Miku calls her an ogre when angry.
• Hiro – Rose Red, a boy in the Rose Class and leader of the Rose Rangers, gets bored easily, runs around the classroom, and accidentally breaks Suu’s paper.
• Ai – She is the homeroom teacher of the Chrysanthemum Class and Riko’s senior—dark‑brown short bob hair, former long‑distance track star known as a stamina beast. Athletic and unrefined, she speaks in regional dialects when stressed, drives a car and never drinks. Her frantic voice often cuts through drills in the room next to the narrator.
• Jun – Energetic, restless youngest of the Imai family, a Rose Class kindergartner and Rose Ranger, fast from mountain life with a huge appetite and ultra‑competitive spirit. He idolizes his mother, while his older brother warns of germs and Makoto reins him in. Heroic, physically gifted, and forced to be ‘it’ in tag.
• Yuma – Frail, sickly kindergarten boy with an idol-like face from a wealthy land-owning family; his real-estate parents shape his quiet, observant nature. Member of Rose Class and Rose Group, younger brother of Miyu-oneesan, close friend of Makoto and neighbor of Shiho-chan. Learns paper-airplane folding from his father, offers technical insights on the Skytree’s triangular base, and now leads the block-building activity.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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