Volume 4 Chapter 7 Today’s Maa-kun
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
A fresh start. I landed a new job through a connection with my best friend’s husband, and my workplace officially changed this spring. My new company is what you’d call a tech startup – a small outfit with about thirty employees. While the scale isn’t massive, the business is thriving, and the salaries are remarkably high for the industry.
Between steady orders from local businesses and our flagship system packages performing well lately, both our net profit and profit margins are trending upward. The company isn’t public, so you can’t buy shares yet, but they’re considering an employee stock ownership plan soon. In fact, there’s even been talk of me taking the lead on that, utilizing my background as a former banker.
The average age of the employees is young – about thirty-three – and since both the company and the staff have plenty of energy, they’re always experimenting with new things. Mitsuhisa-san¹ working from home is one of them.
It was the same back during Suu-chan’s time, but originally he planned to take childcare leave to match Mio’s pregnancy. However, since it’s a small company, losing even one person causes a massive headache for manpower. This is especially true for someone in a leadership position like Mitsuhisa-san, as opposed to a fresh recruit.
Therefore, instead of a complete leave of absence, the company lets him work from home and manage his own schedule. This way, the company secures its labor force while Mitsuhisa-san also prioritizes childcare without losing a cent of his salary. The current consensus is that it works, provided the environment is right. There are hurdles, like needing a quiet place to focus and the self-restraint of the family, but I think it’s a great system if it keeps both work and home life on track. Mio also seems happy just being around Mitsuhisa-san.
Although the company is supportive of family and childcare, the actual utilization rate of those benefits is unfortunately low. Most of the employees are total workaholics – actually, that might be everyone. Single people don’t really have a reason to use those perks, but I still think it’s good to have options. I’d love to say that I want to work from home to spend more time with Maa-kun, but that’s a tall order when I’ve only been here a week. I have a lot to learn, and since my work is mainly administrative, there are a lot of things I simply can’t take home with me.
Then there’s the issue of trust. Mitsuhisa-san was headhunted directly by the President and has been through thick and thin with him for over ten years – basically since the company’s second year. That’s why he’s granted this much freedom. I’ve likely gained a fair amount of credit already by being his referral and Mio’s best friend, but still…
Even so, they’ve been quite flexible with my commute. They’ve adopted a flex-time system where ten to three is the core time. It’s a huge help that I can make it to the office even after seeing Maa-kun and the others off to kindergarten in the morning. I can even adjust my hours if I put in a request, though for now, I’m sticking to a regular schedule to see how things go. I want to be home when Maa-kun gets back, but since there’s almost no overtime, I’m already getting home earlier and more consistently than at my old job. Besides, I wouldn’t want to crash the private time he spends with Suu-chan.
By the way, the dress code is casual. I’d be fine in a suit since I hate picking out outfits every day, but Mio made it my goal for the year to ‘get used to regular clothes.’ It feels like I’m back in college. Honestly, I feel more focused in a suit when I’m working, but I’d get a look of pure disappointment from Mio if I said that out loud, so I keep it to myself. As for the work itself – the part I was most worried about – my existing skills are actually coming in handy. It wasn’t as difficult to grasp as I’d feared, so I think I’ll be fine.
This is the kind of place it is. Compared to my last job, it’s so free that it’s actually a bit disorienting, but it’s a great environment. The motivation is high and the atmosphere is solid. My immediate salary will take a small hit, but I’m told that’ll only last until the first promotion cycle. There’s no cutthroat competition for titles, and it’s easy to protect my personal time. I’m actually more worried about gaining weight now that my stress levels have plummeted. Maybe I should start bike commuting like Mitsuhisa-san. Anyway, I’m going to give it my all as a member of this team. (Time to work hard for Maa-kun’s sake!)
* * *
”–Mornin’!”
Clocking in with a sharp ping of her phone right at the ten o’clock deadline was a charming woman with a bright short bob. Her name is Takanashi Misato-san. She can be a bit of a klutz, but she’s frank and easy to talk to – the resident mood-maker of the office. She’s also the only other person in my department and is currently training me. She’s two years younger, but she treats me with a friendly, casual vibe even though I’m her senior. I’m grateful for it; it saves me from having to be weirdly stiff.
I thought her vibe was similar to Mio’s, and it turns out Mio looked after her during her first year. Apparently, she admired Mio so much she started imitating her. We’re close in age, have mutual friends, and we sit next to each other, so it didn’t take long for us to hit it off.
”Phew… made it…” Misato said.
”Good morning. That was a close one,” Akari replied.
”Mondays are the worst. Why is the core time at ten? They should at least push it to ten-thirty…”
Her easygoing attitude is just like Mio’s, too. (Even if they changed the time, she’d just show up right at the new deadline and complain again. Just like Mio would.)
”Akari-san, let’s have ‘Today’s Maa-kun’!” Misato said.
”Alright, here you go,” said Akari.
”Thank you! My day doesn’t really start until I see this…”
I pulled up a video and handed my phone to Misato-san, who was already waiting with her earbuds ready. It’s only been a week, but this has already become her morning ritual.
’Today’s Maa-kun.’
Just like the name suggests, it’s a Maa-kun version of that famous morning show segment. Of course, the filming dates vary for ‘adult reasons,’ but that’s a minor detail. There’s Maa-kun, hesitating for a split second before a vegetable he hates, only to put on a brave face and eat it so no one notices. There’s Maa-kun, skillfully folding the laundry while helping out. There’s Maa-kun, being all lovey-dovey with Suu-chan.
And then there’s the bike ride. He stops at the line, looks right, left, and right again. He confirms it’s safe and tries to pedal off, but his foot slips and he whacks his shin. He looks like he wants to curl into a ball and scream, but he acts tough and maintains that ‘I’m fine’ poker face.
It’s a collection of heartwarming, healing, and flat-out funny moments. Misato-san apparently knew about Maa-kun through her messages with Mio, and Mitsuhisa-san is always bragging about him and Suu-chan anyway. But once I showed her a video, she was instantly hooked on his child-atypical behavior. Maa-kun really is a dangerous little heartbreaker.
The video I showed her today was peak Maa-kun. He has his usual sleepy eyes, looking adorable as always. He’s sitting with perfect posture on the floor, but instead of toys, he has a financial paper spread out in front of him. He gazes at each page before carefully turning them. If he accidentally flips two pages at once, he firmly goes back and scans his eyes from the top-right to the bottom-left of the missed page.
He had no idea I was filming. I had peeked in while getting ready and saw him like that. Naturally, I grabbed my phone as quietly and quickly as possible. The video cuts off right before he notices me. I’m curious what face he’d make if I caught him, but I don’t want to make him self-conscious. (Though, I wouldn’t mind seeing a flustered Maa-kun looking around warily…)
He even put the newspaper back exactly where he found it. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I never would have known it was moved.
”Maa-kun…” Misato-san whispered, closing her eyes as she soaked in the afterglow of the video.
You’d think she should get to work, but this company is pretty lax about that. The culture is about working in bursts; as long as you get your results, no one breathes down your neck. On the flip side, it means you have zero freedom if you aren’t competent.
”Phew… I wonder if he actually understands what’s written? He can’t possibly read kanji at that age, right?” Misato said.
”Hmm, who knows…” Akari replied.
He might just be imitating me. He might just be following the lines of text. But…
”It’s Maa-kun. It wouldn’t surprise me if he could read it,” Akari said.
”Between you and Mio-senpai, I’m starting to think your doting parent bias has completely nuked your common sense,” Misato replied.
I gave her an honest answer and got a look of pure exasperation in return. Fine, then. Tomorrow, I’ll show her the video of Maa-kun speaking English. Since there’s no point in him studying it if he doesn’t use it, I’ve started having him tell me about his day in English only. It’s become our little routine.
As a side note, his English is so good it’s actually starting to make me nervous; I might have to start studying again just to keep up. Once Misato-san sees that, she’ll realize that common sense doesn’t apply to raising a kid like him. I’m already looking forward to tomorrow.
”Alright! Let’s work as hard as Maa-kun today!” Misato said, slapping her cheeks to psych herself up.
Our new daily ritual, born with the start of the fiscal year, was over. I handed her the stack of papers I’d been holding.
”Oh, the President asked me to give these to you,” Akari said.
”Ugh…” Misato groaned.
The sight of the documents made her energy evaporate instantly. With the end-of-month settlements and everything else, April is a nightmare even here. She grumbled and complained, but once she started, she was a total pro. She really is Mio’s protege.
”Good luck, Senior,” Akari said.
”Coming from you, Akari-san, that ‘Senior’ feels like you’re just mocking me,” Misato replied.
”Not at all.”
”Mio-senpai warned me about you! She said to watch out for your provocations because you’ll calmly push people to their absolute limit!” Misato said.
”That’s… not true at all… is it?” Akari asked.
(I wonder if she’s still holding a grudge about what happened during the high school entrance exams…)
—
Summary:
Akari begins her new life at a small IT company, adjusting to a flexible culture that contrasts sharply with her previous banking career. She introduces her coworker and trainer, Takanashi Misato, who quickly becomes a fan of ‘Today’s Maa-kun,’ a video series of Maa-kun’s daily antics. The chapter highlights Maa-kun’s eerie maturity, including reading financial papers and speaking English.
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Trivia:
- Akari’s bank knowledge: The President wants her to lead the stock ownership plan, indicating her skills will be central to the company’s growth.
- Maa-kun’s ‘Old Man’ behavior: His ritual of reading the financial paper from top-right to bottom-left suggests he isn’t just looking at pictures but potentially processing data like an adult.
- Mio’s warning: The mention of Akari’s ‘provocations’ and a high school grudge suggests Akari has a hidden, more aggressive side when pushed.
- Misato’s mimicry: Misato imitating Mio’s style suggests Mio’s lingering influence on the company culture even while she’s away
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Character Insight:
Akari and Misato establish a mentor-junior relationship that is quickly bypassed by mutual interest in Maa-kun. Misato calls Akari ‘Akari-san’ but treats her with ‘frank’ energy, while Akari uses the ‘Senior’ title to playfully poke at Misato’s workload, showing a burgeoning playful camaraderie.
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Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The company operates on a high-trust, results-oriented ‘IT startup’ culture which is rare in traditional Japanese settings. The mention of ‘Core Time’ and ‘Childcare Leave’ for men like Mitsuhisa illustrates a modern, progressive workplace in this setting.
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TL Notes:
The ‘Today’s Maa-kun’ title is a localized play on ‘Kyou no Wanko’ (Today’s Doggie), a long-running segment on Japanese morning TV. The transition of Akari’s mindset from ‘suit-wearing banker’ to ‘casual startup worker’ mirrors her internal softening toward Maa-kun.
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Glossary:
Notes:
• Mitsuhisa – Mitsuhisa, 33, 184 cm, 71 kg, toned and reserved, is a husband to Mio and father of three (Suu‑chan, Fuu‑chan, Kyo‑chan). On modified childcare leave from his IT firm — invited by the President — he works from home to aid childcare. Protective and doting, he quietly cherishes his children’s growth, maintains a distant rapport with Akari, shares dark banter with former teammate Makoto, and feels unsettled by his own influence.
• Suu-chan – A refined young girl with soft skin, embodying ‘lady’s grace’ and strict etiquette, lives in the household where she is close to Maa‑kun. She holds Makoto to a high standard of grooming, blending elegance with a child’s warmth.
• Mio – Mio-P, 28, 164 cm, 57 kg, pregnant, gray‑clad Totsuka resident with a baby‑faced charm and G‑cup curves. Former athlete turned teacher, cook, photographer; tech‑savvy “Love Guru” guiding Makoto, Suu‑chan, Fuu‑chan, Kyo‑chan. Also Akari’s best friend, Mitsuhisa’s wife, mother, ex‑IT firm colleague who mentored Misato.
• Suu – A female student in the Rose Class. Very close to Makoto (Maa-kun). Has mud on her cheeks and makes high-quality dorodango.
• Takanashi Misato – A woman with a bright short bob and a cheerful personality. Akari’s junior and trainer at the new company. Admirer of Mio.
• Akari – 28‑year‑old single mother, long dark‑brown hair, subtle makeup, poised and observant. Lives beside best friend Mio, drives a black light‑compact car, cares for newborn son Maa‑kun and raises Makoto. After childcare leave she works in IT for balance, prefers quiet home, feels guilty missing the party. Strict yet loving, polite, estranged from her own parents, mischievous, monitors Makoto’s health via a ‘status report’ network.
• Kyo – One of the twins, approximately four months old. Shared traits with Fuu-chan.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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