Volume 3 Chapter 62 And Then, One Boy Becomes a Legend
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Children fall in love with all sorts of things. It isn’t limited to their friends or their Teacher; they lose their hearts to animals, cartoon characters, and even food or inanimate objects. Because their minds are so pure and unblemished, they don’t see a reason to categorize the emotion we call “love.” To a small child, saying they “like” someone usually just means that person is a friend.
As they gain knowledge and their hearts mature, they eventually begin to perceive the opposite s*x, learning to draw lines between people and things. Whether that growth is a good thing or a bad thing is a conversation for another time. Even for a kindergarten child in the middle of that transition, they understand the magnitude of “love.” They have their favorite toy, their favorite character, their favorite friend, and their favorite Teacher. If they feel like someone might take that favorite thing away, jealousy is a perfectly natural reaction. For a young heart—well, even for an adult—that impulse is a difficult one to suppress.
Suu-chan was no exception. There may not have been a single spark that made her like me, but as we spent time together, her feelings grew larger by the day. She might still be hazy on the nuances of romantic attraction, but her affection is the real deal. When it comes to how much she likes me, she isn’t one bit behind my Mother.
Now, a line of girls had formed to give me chocolate. I wondered if Suu-chan could simply stand by and watch this situation, where girls who clearly held a flame for me were closing in. Even if they were just friends we played with every day…
”Makoto-kun, bye-bye!”
”Yeah, bye-bye,” I said.
”Ko-kko, bye-bye!”
”Suu-chan, bye-bye!”
Kotone-chan waved as we parted ways, and we both waved back. Suu-chan was glued to my back; one moment she rested her chin on my shoulder, the next she peeked out from under my arm, playing a restless game of peek-a-boo with our departing classmates. (It feels… nostalgic.)
It had been a while since she had done this. It was like we were playing a game of “Red Light, Green Light”¹ with me as the base. It was a common sight back between spring and early summer, but now it felt like she was specifically sizing up anyone who handed me chocolate. Honestly, I was overwhelmed. It was one thing to get “favor” chocolates from people I barely knew, but receiving them from a dozen girls while carrying another girl on my back—and giving them return gifts to boot—was a lot.
Strangely enough, Suu-chan’s mood seemed fine. Maybe she didn’t fully grasp the weight of Valentine’s Day yet, or maybe she just didn’t think my heart could be bought with a few sweets. I also wondered if the girls giving me the candy felt any jealousy toward her. (Yeah, I’ll never understand the female heart. As long as everyone is smiling, I guess it’s fine.)
After a while, the “customer count” hit double digits. Each interaction took less than a minute, but the sheer volume made the time fly. We had just finished the School Arts Festival, and I hadn’t even had lunch yet. Fatigue was setting in, and my hunger was becoming a roar.
A cute little gurgle escaped from behind me. I tried to turn around to check the source, but a pair of hands grabbed my head in a vice grip. “No peeking!” she squeaked, refusing to let me look.
I caught Mother’s eye, and she seemed to read my mind, pulling something out of her bag. “Suu-chan, want a snack?” Mother asked.
”Mm. I’ll eat,” said Suu.
It was Suu-chan’s favorite—the famous red-wrapped wafer bars that are a lucky staple for students. I had stocked up on them for my return gifts, too. Suu-chan thanked Mother and took the pack, snapping the wafer in half with practiced ease. She popped the smaller piece into her mouth and munched away. Then, she held the other half out. “…Maa-kun, say ahh.”
Since it was right in front of my face, I obediently opened my mouth. I could feel the weight of a dozen jealous eyes stinging like needles, but saying “no” wasn’t an option. It was obvious why these were her favorite; a snack tastes better when you share it with someone else.
”Thanks, Suu-chan. That was great,” I said.
”Mm!” she chirped.
With her hunger slightly appeased, we got back to the struggle of the snack exchange.
”Makoto! I’m starving!”
”I hear you,” I replied.
”What do I do!?”
”Why are you asking me…?”
”Because Makoto knows everything!”
”…”
”Makoto!”
”Okay, okay! Here, take this and settle down,” I said.
”I can eat this!?”
”Only if Sanae-san says it’s okay,” I told her.
”Mom! Makoto-kun gave me this! Can I eat it!?”
I handed out one of my spare snacks to an energetic classmate for free.
”Makoto-kun, this is for you,” said Aoi-oneechan.
”Thank you, Aoi-oneechan,” I replied.
”You’re very welcome,” Aoi said.
”Hm?” I wondered.
At a friend’s house I often visit, an older girl I see frequently patted my head. Immediately after, Suu-chan reached around from behind and ruffled my hair into a mess, as if trying to erase the other girl’s touch.
”Makoto-kun, here!”
”Thanks,” I said.
”One for Suu-chan too!”
”Mm, thanks Shi-chan. …Here’s yours!” Suu said.
”Thank you!”
Friends swapped treats with each other.
”Here, thank you for always playing with Yuma,” one of the mothers said.
”No, thank you for everything,” I replied.
Even the parents joined in, offering chocolates as a token of daily gratitude. After about thirty minutes, we finally cleared the line. We were free. I probably wouldn’t have to worry about snacks for a month. I owed a huge debt of gratitude to Mother, Suu-chan, and the Totsuka family for sticking through that gauntlet with me.
And to the mothers of the Goto, Yoshikura, and Sayanagi families, as well as Imai-father… if you could please refrain from spreading weird rumors about us, I would really appreciate it.
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Summary:
Following the School Arts Festival, Makoto is inundated with Valentine’s chocolates from his female classmates. His close companion, Suu, demonstrates intense possessiveness by clinging to him throughout the exchange. The chapter concludes with Makoto’s group successfully navigating the crowd, though he remains wary of the neighborhood gossip generated by the spectacle.
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Trivia:
- Suu’s ‘Red Light, Green Light’ movement: Highlights her hyper-vigilance toward potential rivals, suggesting she sees Makoto as her exclusive ‘territory’ even at a young age.
- Mothers’ involvement: The presence of other parents and their observations of Makoto’s ‘harem’ situation sets up social pressure and potential future rumors in the community.
- The snack sharing: Reinforces the exclusive bond between Makoto and Suu, establishing a pattern where she prioritizes his involvement in her favorite activities
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Character Insight:
Suu’s possessiveness has reached a peak; she literally acts as a physical barrier between Makoto and other girls. Makoto, while mature, shows a typical ‘dense’ protagonist trait by being unable to fully decipher the competitive ‘female heart’ surrounding him. His relationship with ‘Aoi-oneechan’ also serves as a catalyst for Suu’s territorial ruffling of his hair.
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Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The story takes place in a modern Japanese setting where Valentine’s Day traditions involve girls giving chocolates. The social dynamics of a Japanese kindergarten are portrayed as a microcosm of adult social hierarchies and rumor-milling.
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TL Notes:
The phrase ‘Daruma-san ga koronda’ was localized as ‘Red Light, Green Light’ to maintain the sense of a childhood game while keeping the imagery of a stop-and-start peeking motion. Honorifics were stripped from dialogue tags per strict instructions to ensure a natural US narrative flow while preserving them in direct speech.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Makoto – Four‑year‑old Maa‑kun (93 cm, 13 kg) wears a neat white shirt, light‑blue non‑woven vest, trousers and cap with a backpack in Rose Class. He is a reincarnated 30‑year‑old salaryman calling himself “Toilet Master”, male despite his father’s view, and is known as Boss by peers. Polite, short‑haired, he protects Suu‑chan, mediates fights, reads Kanji, speaks English, aids his mother and neighbors, and keeps distance from everyone except his “future bride” Suzuki.
• Sanae – Middle‑aged woman, mother of Jun and three older sons (in middle and high school), and friend of Makoto’s mother.
• Aoi – An older girl with a short, boyish haircut, wearing denim shorts and a T‑shirt, she’s the anchor of District 3’s relay team and a member of the Big Sister Squad. Competitive and skilled at racing games, she constantly challenges her teammates and earns their respect.
• Yuma – Frail, sickly kindergarten boy with an idol-like face from a wealthy land-owning family; his real-estate parents shaped his quiet, observant nature. Missed the entrance ceremony due to illness but attends the same kindergarten as Shiho-chan, his childhood friend. Member of Rose Class and Rose Group, younger brother of Miyu-oneesan, and close friend of Makoto. Learns paper-airplane folding from his father, offers technical insights on the Skytree’s triangular base, and now leads the block-building activity.
• Totsuka – The neighbor family consisting of a husband (Mitsuhisa), wife (Mio), and daughter (Suu-chan). They are hardcore gamers who provide hand-me-down consoles to the protagonist’s household.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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