Volume 4 Chapter 48 Typhoon
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The end of September was in full swing, and everyone was pouring their hearts into Sports Day practice. Looking up, the sky was a bruised expanse of black clouds, churning with an eerie speed that set a dark mood.
On the morning news, the weather girl said the typhoon would make its closest approach late tonight. Its projected path was a bullseye right over our neighborhood. Even so, the kindergarten was running as usual today. The school didn’t want to risk the kids having a hard time getting home, but they knew the reality of families who couldn’t manage without childcare. They probably couldn’t make the call to close the doors first thing in the morning. Consequently, the teachers were on high alert, constantly checking the latest weather updates to make sure they didn’t miss the window to send the kids home. Taking care of children really is a heavy lift.
We had the option to stay home just to be safe. It was a tempting thought—more time with Suu-chan¹—but I didn’t want to start a habit of skipping out, and the idea of losing a chance to exercise with all my might was a bummer. So, we went.
Luckily, even after noon, the weather didn’t turn catastrophic. The wind just kept steadily picking up. It wasn’t exactly safe, but it wasn’t quite “forced evacuation” territory yet. The Rabbit Group, whose last afternoon class was Sports Day practice, had planned to move to the gym if the skies opened up. In the end, they managed to stay outside right through their post-class free time.
”You guys sure look like you’re having the time of your lives…”
In stark contrast to the adults, who were bracing for the storm, the kids were frolicking with pure, reckless abandon. Maybe they were just fearless, or maybe they simply had a surplus of energy to throw at the coming hardships. Or perhaps it was just that the strengthening wind had finally chased away the lingering summer heat, making it comfortable to exercise outside for the first time in ages.
”Hey, Makoto! If I ride the typhoon, can I fly!?”
”…I mean, if you work hard enough, maybe?” Makoto replied.
”For real!?”
”Then I’m gonna try my best!”
”Me too!”
”Go for it!”
”I’m gonna fly too!”
”One shot!”
”I’m flying first!”
”Two shots!!”
”Hey! Did I fly? Did you see!?”
”Three shots!!!”
At my half-hearted response, the other boys—typical for their age—ran with the wind at their backs, hopping and flapping their arms like madmen, trying to reach the sky through sheer willpower. (Of course, they didn’t stand a chance. At most, they were clearing maybe a foot of air.) If they really wanted to fly, a headwind would have been easier for lift, but then you’d have to figure out how to create an airfoil shape with a human body…
”Humans can’t fly, duh,” one of the girls said.
”Typhoon²s are scary! They can blow away houses and even cows!”
”This is why boys are so hopeless…”
”Go for it, Yuma-kun!”
The girls watched their male classmates with looks of pure exasperation. It seems the gap in mental maturity between the genders is already a chasm—well, for most of them.
”It’s because you said something weird, Makoto-kun! What if they get hurt!?”
”…My apologies,” I said.
I was promptly scolded by the ever-reliable Himeno-chan. Well, at least this proves I’m successfully blending in as a boy my own age. Still, I should probably reel it in. If they actually went out in a gale and got hurt, I’d be the one in the hot seat. Being “The Boss” carries that kind of weight.
”Don’t do anything actually dangerous, guys,” I warned.
”We got it!”
”If we get hurt, we can’t play anymore!”
”And we can’t make Mom worry, right!?”
”I don’t want to miss school!”
”Safety first!”
”Good.”
I watched my friends continue their “flight trials,” wondering if they actually understood a word I’d said. Maybe it’s kids like these who will eventually break Japan out of its current stagnation. I looked back up at the sky. It felt like it could let go at any second. I just hoped it would hold out until we got home. I felt a little bad for Suu-chan, who was likely hoping for a romantic “sharing an umbrella” moment, but fighting a brolly in this wind is a nightmare. Plus, it’s hard on the parents. For women, wind and humidity are the twin enemies of a good hair day.
Perhaps my prayer for the mothers was heard. The rain didn’t start in earnest until we were safely home and done with our snacks.
”Whoa… it’s really coming down now,” Mio said.
”It’s incredible…”
Akari reacted to the sound of the rain lashing against the glass balcony door. Mom, who usually would have been at the office, had followed her company’s “if you can’t get home, don’t come in” policy. She’d narrowly avoided a disastrous commute. Mitsuhisa, of course, was working from home as usual, so he was already accounted for.
”Ah-ma!”
”Ma, buh!”
”Oh my, are you two not scared of the typhoon?” Akari asked.
”No going outside today, okay? It’s dangerous with things flying around.”
Fuu-chan and Kyo-chan, both less than a month away from their first birthday, weren’t scared at all. If anything, they were captivated. Held by Mio and Akari respectively, they patted the glass with their tiny hands. As for their older sister… she was continuing her stalwart journey down the path of a refined lady.
”Maa-kun, I’m scared… ♪”
”…”
(As if to say, if I can’t see it, it can’t hurt me, Suu-chan buried her face in my stomach.) Pointing out that she was obviously faking it would be amateur hour. I read the subtext and stroked her head; I could hear a satisfied little puff of air from her nose.
”Wouldn’t Papa be a better choice to cling to?” Mitsuhisa complained from his desk. “I’m much bigger and sturdier!”
”Papa has to protect Mama,” the girl replied.
”You’ve got an answer for everything, don’t you…”
She was getting better at rejecting Mitsuhisa’s advances by the day. It wasn’t that she disliked him—their relationship was great—it was just that the “Ideal Dynamics of a Married Couple” had been thoroughly hammered into her.
”Makoto, you’d better protect her with your life, okay?” Mitsuhisa said.
”Yeah, of course.”
”I’ll be sure to collect your bones.”
”Yeah… wait, what?”
(That was just a bit of manly, witty banter, right? He wasn’t being literal… right?)
As the night deepened, the typhoon grew more ferocious. After we all had dinner together, we headed back to our place, getting a bit damp from the sideways rain. Then, it was time for the bath. Naturally, I was with Akari. A four-year-old taking a bath alone isn’t really a thing yet. We had finished washing up and were just settling into the tub to relax when—
”Eek!?”
”!?”
Vision: gone. I heard Akari’s high-pitched, adorable shriek. A blackout. Not just the bathroom, but the hallway too. Likely the whole building.
”Maa-kun, are you okay!?” Akari asked.
”Yeah, I’m fine. You, Mom?”
”I’m… I’m okay…”
I responded immediately to her voice; she’d worried about me before herself.
”Um, what should we do…”
I felt her hand on my shoulder as she shifted, trying to figure out a plan in the dark. I’d prepared a flashlight for just such an occasion, but it wasn’t waterproof, so I’d left it by my clothes in the changing room. Trying to stumble out of a wet tub in pitch-blackness without my glasses was a recipe for a trip to the ER.
”Mom, we just got in. Let’s just stay warm for a bit? Our eyes might adjust soon,” I suggested.
”…You’re right. Wow, Maa-kun… you’re so calm.”
”Well, you know. Suu-chan and I play ‘blackout’ all the time.”
(By the way, “playing blackout” involves throwing a futon over our heads and flirting in the dark.)
”Besides, Mom is here.”
”Maa-kun…”
”I’ll protect you, Mom. Don’t worry.”
”Hehe, thank you. I’m counting on you then,” Akari said.
(The truth was, I was mostly just desperate not to look like a coward in front of her. My body might be a kid’s, but I’m still a man. And she’s a woman before she’s a mother. Thinking back on how cool I was trying to act made my face flush. Thank god she couldn’t see me…)
”Maa-kun, can I give you a hug?”
”…Charging me won’t make me glow in the dark, you know.”
”You never know! I might be able to light you up. My name is Akari, after all.”
”…Is the water getting cold?”
”It doesn’t cool down that fast! Meanie… But if you’re cold, I’ll just have to hug you until you’re toasty, right?”
”Mmph!?”
With my sight gone, my hearing and sense of touch were dialed up to eleven. I let out a muffled yelp as I was suddenly pulled into her embrace, enveloped by her warmth.
”How’s that?” Akari asked.
”…Yeah. Warm.”
”I see.”
(Good grief, Mom is way too bold. When she does stuff like this, the heat and the softness of her body pressing into me sends my…)
Wait. Is something actually happening down there!?
(The expansion rate isn’t huge, but the structural integrity is definitely… increasing. Why now!? I’ve been a total fortress of stoicism until this very moment! Why is my body betraying me!? Actually, wait. Thank god. I’m not broken. Everything works! No, no, no! This is not the time for a victory lap! What do I do? If Mom notices this, I’m dead! She’ll never let me in the tub again! I’ll be banned from Suu-chan’s side before I even hit seven!)
Actually, it might already be too late. Akari’s arm, which was wrapped around my midsection, was currently—and very specifically—grazing the tip of my sensitive “little soldier.” To think she hasn’t noticed would be the height of delusion. I can’t even think of a way to fake my way out of this.
”Maa-kun? Something wrong?” Akari asked.
”…Nope. Nothing at all.”
Mom didn’t sound suspicious. Maybe she’s just pretending not to notice? Which is it!? Calm down, Makoto. Stay frosty. Panicking is only going to make the “situation” worse. If she’s playing dumb, I’ll play dumber! The “it’s not scary if I can’t see it” theory! Purge the lust! Drive out the worldly desires! I have until the water cools down… how much time is that!? Hurry!
Begone, lust! Begone, lust! Begone, lust! Begone, lust! Begone, lust! Begone, lust! Begone, lust! Begone, lust! Begone, lust! Begone, lust! Begone, lust! Begone, lust! Begone, lust! General Lust! Begone, lust! General Lust! Begone—!!
And so, the bath in the dark turned into the most thrilling gauntlet of my life.
===
General: “Did somebody call me?”
—
Summary:
A typhoon approaches, causing high tension at the kindergarten and school closures for parents. Makoto and his family gather at home to wait out the storm. During a blackout while bathing with his mother Akari, Makoto experiences an awkward physiological reaction to her physical closeness.
—
Trivia:
- Makoto is the ‘Boss’ of his kindergarten social circle.
- Suu-chan frequently uses ‘scary’ situations to initiate physical contact with Makoto.
- Akari’s name pun ‘Light’ is used during the blackout dialogue.
- Makoto’s father Mitsuhisa has a dark sense of humor regarding ‘collecting bones’
—
Character Insight:
Makoto’s adult consciousness is increasingly struggling to maintain its ‘cool’ facade as his child body reaches physiological milestones. Akari’s boldness suggests she either completely trusts him or is subtly teasing his ‘mature’ behavior.
—
Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The author uses the ‘General Lust’ (Bonnou Taisa) gag as a phonetic pun on ‘Bonnou Taisan’ (Exorcising Desires).
—
Glossary:
Notes:
• 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.
• 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, earns respect. Dry narrator in the Rabbit Group, uses logic and coin tricks. Known as Akari’s son, nicknamed Maa‑kun, popular Middle Kids student; target of Suzuki’s affection and Mitsuhisa’s teasing. A reincarnated child with an adult mind, often called Maa‑kun or Boss.
• Yuma – Yuma Yoshikura, a frail four-year-old with an idol-like face and quiet charm, is the youngest and smallest in the Rabbit Group, eldest son of a wealthy realtor, and Makoto’s close friend. In Rose Class, he’s adored by many girls, leads the ‘train’ line with excitement over acorns and nature, struggles slightly with math and has low stamina, yet thrives in creative play—building blocks, folding paper, making clay models of his father’s car, and role-playing husband in Moe’s house-play. Born April 1, he’s cheerful, popular, and deeply beloved for his gentle, imaginative spirit.
• Himeno – A mature, highly intelligent girl of the Rabbit Group, wearing the neat uniform, a tidy bun and glasses. She radiates a justice‑driven, nosy older‑sister aura, often scolding Hiromasa with a motherly, bossy streak, yet remains a reliable classmate.
• 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.
• Mio – Mio, postpartum and stylish in gray, baby-faced with a G-cup silhouette, is mother to Suzuki and twins Fuuka and Kyouka, as well as an older kindergarten child; she’s Mitsuhisa’s wife, Akari’s childhood friend and neighbor, and Totsuka council chair. Playful yet grounded, she bakes with the kids, films and teases them, cooks, manages the household, mentors Maa-kun in UV-protected hair-drying, encourages Shiho, and confides in Akari—publicly affectionate with Mitsuhisa at the grill, though intensely dislikes crowds and keeps a quiet, close-knit presence at home.
• Mitsuhisa – Mitsuhisa, 33, 184 cm, 71 kg, toned and reserved, married giant‑physique father of three (Suu‑chan, Fuu‑chan, Kyo‑chan) on modified childcare leave. Works from home, handling photography for his family and the Imais, and is Makoto’s and Suzuki’s father. Protective and doting, he play‑acts with his daughters, feels neglected by the eldest but favors the twins, is distant toward Akari, cool toward former teammate Makoto, and is unsettled by his influence. Grills meals his wife Mio‑san prepares and enjoys playful competition when the girls prefer Makoto.
• Akari – Makoto’s mother, whose name means “light,” is a 28-year-old single parent to Makoto and newborn Maa-kun, with long dark-brown hair, subtle makeup, and a poised, observant demeanor. Estranged from her parents, she’s loving yet strict, balancing full-time IT work with quiet mornings and meticulous health monitoring of Makoto. She drives a black light-compact car, lives beside her best friend Mio, mentors Suzuki with candid photos, and navigates parent circles with bank-service finesse. Though outwardly shy, she’s secretly a proficient shogi player, hides a mischievous streak beneath her polished exterior, and is now more prepared for Sports Day chaos—having learned from experience. Quietly grieving missed moments, she recently switched jobs for stability, her calm modesty masking deep resilience.
• Fuu – One of the twins, approximately four months old. Currently learning to swivel their head and grab objects.
• Kyo – One of the twins, approximately four months old. Shared traits with Fuu-chan.
• 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.’
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply