Volume 4 Chapter 29 Child’s Growth
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
While exchanging information under the guise of small talk with my mom-friends, I watched over Maa-kun. It felt more accurate to describe him as looking “busy” rather than “having fun.” Five minutes before the morning free time ended, a girl gave the signal to start cleaning up. Although many children looked reluctant to stop playing, the “Cleanup Commando Unit” began mercilessly collecting the building blocks.
”I wonder if catching up to the Rose Class is still a pipe dream?” one mother asked.
”You’re telling me…” another replied.
Parents of former Rose Class kids, myself included, gave wry smiles at that comparison. The way the Rose Class handled the transition to cleaning up was nothing short of magnificent.
”Those Rose Class kids really do love a clean room, don’t they?”
”They really do. Even Yuma groans and frets over how to put the toys away perfectly.”
”Our Kotarou too,” another added. “If he can’t get them in neatly, he starts crying for help.”
”Even though being sloppy would be fine,” I chimed in. “They’re just going to pull them out again later anyway. Still, I’m grateful they’re so proactive about it.”
”Exactly.”
Incidentally, Maa-kun’s cleaning skills were quite good; he was the type to pack up quickly and move straight to the next task. Suu-chan was the same. I suppose anyone would get desperate if they were told, (If the cleaning isn’t finished, your time to play with Maa-kun will keep disappearing, you know?) But because she prioritized speed, she’d been a bit messy lately. I hoped she wouldn’t regret it.
Although it took more time compared to the Rose Class, the cleanup was finished before the chime rang. If Middle-class kids could do this much, it was a passing grade. It lived up to Hinomori Kindergartenⁿ‘s reputation for discipline.
-Bong-bong-bong-bong-
The chime rang, and we fell silent so as not to disturb the Youngsters.
”Good morning, everyone!”
”””””Good morning!”””””
The energetic greetings of the Youngsters echoed through the classroom, making the glass windows vibrate. Unfortunately, I couldn’t pick out Maa-kun’s voice.
(I’ve never seen Maa-kun raise his voice or throw a tantrum…) It wasn’t that he was too quiet, but I felt a stark difference between him and the others. During roll call, his response was crisp-not too loud, not too soft. He sang along with the others, but he lacked that boisterousness typical of young children.
Maa-kun was actually quite good at singing. At home, he often practiced with a bucket or a futon over his head. I had no idea where he learned that trick, but that was just like him. He even knew songs from before he was born, likely from the TV. He seemed to prefer soulful ballads over high-energy tracks.
Once the morning assembly ended, the lessons began immediately. The first subject was math. After preparing their tools, the children counted numbers aloud. Worksheets were handed out-a game where they connected disorganized numbers in ascending order.
Afterward, they reviewed addition with the Teacher and solved calculation worksheets. While they were allowed to use counting marbles, nearly half the class could already do mental arithmetic. The children showed off their progress to their parents, who responded with thumbs-ups and applause.
Maa-kun, however, looked bored. Addition was a piece of cake for him. He’d already finished workbooks up to second grade at home and mastered multiplication and long addition. Fractions are next.
And since he’s even adjusting his pace so Suu-chan can keep up, I suppose addition is old news by now. (That’s my Maa-kun! You’re number one in the Rabbit Group!)
The next lesson was Arts and Crafts. White paper clay was distributed, and the children immediately began pressing their handprints into it. The theme was “My Favorite Thing.”
It was a vague, difficult prompt, but the children started without hesitation-except for Maa-kun. He showed no interest in characters or specific toys. He had so little fixation on things that it actually made me worry. While Jun-chan shouted that she was finished, Maa-kun just sat there kneading his clay, lost in thought.
I wanted to watch him forever, but I had another mission. I slipped out of the room, bowing to the other parents so I didn’t block their view. I headed to an empty classroom where photos from recent school events were displayed. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume, but I began filling out the order sheet for every shot featuring Maa-kun.
Maa-kun looking sleepy at the Promotion Ceremony. Maa-kun climbing a mountain with friends. Maa-kun stuffing his face with a bento. Maa-kun resting on a bench. Maa-kun actually initiating a hug with Suu-chan. Maa-kun descending the mountain while encouraging a tired friend. Maa-kun covered in dirt in the field. Maa-kun looking expressionlessly disgusted after being shown a bug.
At only fifty yen per photo, the low price was practically an assault on my wallet. I ended up filling two entire order sheets. I finished my business and hurried back to the Rabbit Group classroom.
Now, what did Maa-kun make?
…
…A Haniwaⁿ?
(Does Maa-kun like Haniwa clay figures? Did he ever show signs of that? Mom is losing track of what you like…)
Taking a deep breath to reset.
The final lesson of the Sunday Visit was Physical Education. The children were buzzing with energy since the rain had kept them inside. Maa-kun wasn’t shouting like the others, but he looked like he was having a rough time for a different reason.
”Alright! Makoto! Let’s go!”
”Ow! Wait, Jun, hold on! Calm down! Wait!!”
He was desperately trying to restrain Imai Jun, who was more fired up for PE than anyone.
”That girl, I swear… I’m so sorry,” Imai Sanae sighed.
”She’s just energetic,” I replied. “It’s very Jun-chan.”
”I guess I should be glad she’s grown enough to remember to take Makoto-kun with her,” Imai said.
(Does she think Maa-kun is one of her belongings?) Since they always seem to hold hands on field trips, she’d probably convinced herself that moving required holding onto Maa-kun. Maa-kun whispered something I couldn’t hear, and Jun-chan calmed down instantly. Imai looked impressed. He really was the Jun-chan Master.
(It’s no wonder Suu-chan gets worried and comes to peek…)
”We’re putting Makoto-kun through so much trouble…” Imai murmured.
”No, it’s fine,” I said. (As long as he doesn’t get hurt. And as long as Suu-chan doesn’t explode with jealousy. Hang in there, Maa-kun!)
Afterward, Maa-kun lined up with the now-docile Jun-chan, and the Rabbit Group Youngsters began moving toward the gym. We adults followed in a swarm behind them. It felt like the Youngsters were more impressive for being able to line up properly.
Upon reaching the gym, we moved to the walls to watch the Youngsters. After a thorough warm-up, they began running toward the Reuther boardⁿ and mats.
”Everyone looks like they’re having fun.”
”They really do.”
The children’s athletic abilities varied, but even the ones who struggled were reaching with all their might for the paper plates the Teacher was dangling. When they landed, they would roll over with smiles, looking either happy or frustrated.
”Yuma looks so happy,” Nanami whispered. Her son was an April Fool’s baby, making him the youngest in the class. He trailed behind in studies and sports, but seeing him smile and cheer for his friends-making the girls swoon in the process-was heartening.
Then, the vaulting boxes were brought out. The six-tier box was nearly as tall as the children.
”That looks dangerous,” one parent whispered.
”Heh… Three of them are doing the six-tier this year? Impressive,” Imai said. She and Nanami, both mothers of older graduates, were genuinely surprised.
”Is that unusual?” I asked.
”In my older kids’ day, if one kid jumped that, the whole room went wild,” Imai explained.
”It was the same for Miyu’s class,” Nanami added. “The one boy who could do it was the most popular kid in school.”
I hadn’t realized how impressive it was because Maa-kun and Suu-chan had both been jumping six tiers for months. Maa-kun talks about it like it’s no big deal. (Maa-kun, you’ve been working so hard… I’m sorry I didn’t notice. I’ll have to praise you a lot when we get home.)
”Miyu jumped ten tiers at the festival,” Nanami mentioned. “They stopped her at eleven for safety. Even for Aoi-chan, twelve tiers was…”
I recalled the older girl group-Miyu and Aoi-chan-who often play at the estate. Shiho-chan’s sister Hina-chan reached eight tiers.
”What about Jun-chan’s older brother?”
”The oldest and third both hit twelve,” Imai replied modestly.
”And the second?”
”He stopped at eleven. He was a late bloomer, height-wise. He was devastated.”
”Wait, isn’t he on the prefectural volleyball team now?”
”Yeah…”
”””T-that’s incredible…”””
It seems he used that frustration as a springboard.
”Did you do anything special for their education?” Nanami asked.
”Not really,” Imai said. “If anything, I just didn’t interfere. My husband says that adults are the ones who stunt a child’s growth. He says we should just provide the knowledge and the money and keep our mouths shut.”
(That’s a pretty hands-off approach…) I knew the Imai father was laissez-faire, but that’s a significant amount of leaving them be. But the family bond is good.
”But looking at high-pressure families now, I think we were right,” Imai continued. “Those kids can do a lot, but they can’t decide anything for themselves. My boys might be rough, but they have grit. They decide their own path.”
I thought of what Mio always said: (If there were a ‘correct’ answer to parenting, no one would struggle. People who push a ‘right way’ on you are usually landmines.)
”Well, no one would ever raise my Jun and Makoto-kun the same way,” Imai joked.
””Ah, certainly…””
”In fact, leaving Jun’s education to Makoto-kun might be the correct answer.”
”Wait, what…?”
”Can he take Yuma too?”
”And our Kotarou…”
”Uh, um…”
”Fufu, I’m joking.”
”Right…”
”In our case, it’s relatively…”
(Am I the only one who thinks that didn’t sound like a joke? Imai Sanae…?)
”We won’t get in Makoto-kun’s way…”
”We just want to hitch a ride on his success…”
”If that’s the case, it might be a bit tough for Jun…”
—
Summary:
The narrator attends a Sunday school visit at Hinomori Kindergarten to observe her son, Maa-kun. She witnesses his academic superiority in math and his quiet social influence as a ‘handler’ for the rowdy Jun-chan. The chapter concludes with a discussion among mothers about the merits of laissez-faire parenting versus structured education.
—
Trivia:
- Maa-kun is already studying second-grade level math including multiplication and long addition.
- The Rose Class is a tier above the current Rabbit Group in terms of discipline and organization.
- Hinomori Kindergarten has a high reputation for discipline and ‘shitsuke’ (upbringing).
- Yuma-kun is an April 1st baby, making him the youngest in the grade due to the Japanese school year cut-off.
- The Imai brothers are all high achievers in sports (volleyball) despite a hands-off parenting style
—
Character Insight:
Maa-kun shows a lack of interest in typical childhood hobbies, opting to create a Haniwa instead of a character toy, highlighting his ‘old soul’ or eccentric nature. Meanwhile, Jun-chan’s reliance on him shows he has become a foundational social pillar for his peers.
—
Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The author uses the vaulting box (tobi-bako) as a common trope to measure a child’s physical growth and status in Japanese school settings.
—
Glossary:
Notes:
• Maa-kun – A young boy in the Rabbit Group at Hinomori Kindergarten. He is highly intelligent, capable of second-grade math and multiplication. He is described as calm, stoic, and helpful, often acting as a ‘handler’ for more energetic children. Akari’s son, nearly five years old. An extreme polyglot and polymath who secretly studies news, martial arts, and multiple languages. Highly sensitive to his parents’ moods. Also referred to as Makoto-kun. Narrator’s son in the Rabbit Group. Popular with other girls but maintains distance. Previously protected Suu-chan during the ‘April Incident.’
• Yuma – Yuma Yoshikura, a frail four‑year‑old with an idol‑like face and quiet charm, is the eldest son of a wealthy family and Miyu’s younger brother. In Rose Class he draws many girls, is close to Makoto, leads the ‘train’ line with excitement over acorns and nature, struggles slightly with math and has low stamina, yet loves exploring, building blocks, folding paper, making clay models of his father’s car, and playing husband in Moe’s house‑play. Born April 1, he’s the youngest and smallest in the Rabbit Group, cheerful and popular with the girls.
• Kotarou – Slender, quiet boy with a focused gaze, often hunched over delicate origami or crouched gathering acorns; his precise care earns quiet respect. A Middle Kids classmate and close friend of Makoto, he takes the game seriously but is easily distracted by social drama, sharing a playful bond with Yuma and the core group. In house‑play he assumes the role of father/grandfather.
• Kotaro – Quiet, slender kindergartner in Rose Class, friend of Makoto and member of his sandbox crew. He shares typical childhood interests— toys and games— helps Makoto with building projects, loves Kamen Rider, and often follows Makoto’s lead and social cues.
• Kota – Makoto’s biological father. Met Akari while working as a cram school tutor during their second year of university. He disappeared suddenly after six years of dating upon learning of the pregnancy.
• Suu-chan – A refined young girl with soft skin who values etiquette and ‘lady’s grace.’ She holds Makoto to a high standard of grooming.
• Suu – A female student in the Rose Class. Very close to Makoto (Maa-kun). Has mud on her cheeks and makes high-quality dorodango.
• Jun-chan – Daughter of Imai Sanae. Plays roughly with blocks and is often mistaken for a boy due to her tomboyish energy.
• Jun – A hyperactive track‑suit‑clad kindergartner from the Imai family, pure‑hearted yet easily tricked, idolizes her mother and playfully clashes with brother Makoto (same class). Trained on weekends at Mt. Hiou, she has top‑tier stamina and speed, a blunt speaking style, a large appetite, leads energetic preschoolers, leaks secrets, and balances her wild energy with Makoto’s calm restraint.
• Mom – A 30‑year‑old mother who recently switched jobs for more time with her son, Maa‑kun. She’s supportive, manages household shopping together with Mio‑san, and balances family life with her new career.
• Makoto – Four‑year‑old Rose‑class student, 93 cm, 13 kg, in a white shirt, blue vest and cap—actually a 30‑year‑old salaryman reborn. Calm “Boss” who hands out hand cream, mediates fights, protects Suu‑chan and earns respect. Dry narrator in the Rabbit Group, using logic and coin tricks. Also known as Akari’s son, nicknamed Maa‑kun, a highly observant, popular Middle Kids student at Hinomori Kindergarten.
• Imai Jun – A lively girl, member of Rose Class and the Rabbit Group, known for her high energy, athleticism—excelling at footraces and jump rope—and love of attention. She earned perfect‑attendance honors, often grabs Maa‑kun’s hand and follows his lead, and is the daughter of Imai Sanae.
• Imai Sanae – Middle‑aged woman, mother of Jun and three older sons, experienced parent with a laissez‑faire style. Patient yet often exasperated, she skillfully reins in her son’s rowdy energy. Friend of the narrator and of Makoto’s mother, she values Makoto’s positive influence on her daughter.
• Sanae – Middle‑aged woman, mother of Jun and three older sons, experienced parent with a laissez‑faire style. Patient yet often exasperated, she skillfully reins in her son’s rowdy energy. Friend of the narrator and of Makoto’s mother, she values Makoto’s positive influence on her daughter.
• Nanami – Yoshikura Nanami, a humble, polite mother of Yuma and Miyu, runs an elegant upscale home that doubles as a showroom. A dedicated Makoto Fan Club member, she thanks Makoto for shaping her son’s habits, coordinates his birthday, hosts tea parties, and manages his high energy while offering gracious hospitality. She worries about his flirtatious behavior with classmates and his slower physical development, and is a close friend of the narrator.
• Miyu – Yoshikura Miyu is Yuma’s elegant elder sister, known for her poise while hosting Makoto and her speed as a runner in the Older Class. As the leader of the “Big Sister Squad,” she typically presents herself in a grey dress. Recently, she experienced a brief period of “baby regression,” though she is currently napping quietly.
• Aoi – An older girl with a short, boyish haircut in denim shorts and a T‑shirt, she anchors District 3’s relay team and is part of the Big Sister Squad, famed for her fierce competitive racing skills that constantly challenge teammates and earn their respect. She often visits or is visited by Makoto, treating him affectionately, which sparks Suu’s jealousy.
• Shiho-chan – An early‑arriving student, this child is often seen waiting with Suu‑chan at school. As Suu‑chan’s close friend, he/she tries to act as a ‘stopper’ for her mischief, and is close enough to Yuma’s family to stay over at their home.
• Shiho – A four-year-old Rose-Class girl with a side-up ponytail, Hina’s younger sister and close friend of Makoto, Suu-chan, Yuma and Suzuka. She wears a kitten-themed hair clip and placemat, uses training chopsticks, loves picture books and Hiragana, swims, makes mud dumplings with Makoto’s tips, and quietly competes with Suu for Makoto’s attention, often following Suu-chan to meet Makoto.
• Hina – Shiho’s older sister presents a gentle aura with long hair and a flowing dress. Though typically quiet, she lights up with excitement whenever she wins.
• Mio – Akari’s longtime best friend and Shiho’s mother, she’s a pregnant Totsuka resident with baby-faced charm, G-cup curves, and a gray-clad, stylishly dressed “little devil” persona—playfully mischievous yet grounded and perceptive. A former athlete turned teacher, cook, and photographer, she’s tech-savvy, financially astute, and quietly guides Makoto, Suu-chan, Fuu-chan, and Kyo-chan as the family’s nurturing femme-fatale matriarch, driving them to parties, baking with them, and encouraging Shiho’s hobbies to keep her occupied—all while serving as Akari’s trusted sounding board for parenting anxieties.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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