Volume 4 Chapter 61 Apron
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Labor Thanksgiving Day. In other words, the day to thank Mother.
Gratitude was something you were supposed to practice every single day, so making a big deal about it now felt a bit late. Still, it was nice that Mother had the day off and could finally relax.
The real question was how I should pamper her today. A massage? I already did that every day. A trip or spa day? Not something an unemployed guy like me could swing, and it wasn’t really her thing anyway. A handwritten letter would get lost in the shadow of the surprise already coming…
Hmm. The options for spoiling Mother were surprisingly limited. How did other sons show their appreciation? In my previous life, I honestly couldn’t remember ever doing it properly. And dying before my parents hadn’t given me any useful examples.
While I lay groaning in Mother’s arms with no good ideas coming to mind, I headed over to the Totsuka house as usual.
Which meant I was about to bake a cake right now.
You might wonder why. Yeah, I was wondering the same thing.
Among everyone here, my birthday was the next one coming up, but it was still more than two weeks away. Way too early to start hyping it.
”Why a cake?” I asked.
”Hmm~? Well, a friend from Mom’s company has a birthday today and really wants to celebrate. They insisted on coming over to our place…” Mother replied.
I see. So that was the story.
Since it was Mother’s coworker, that also made them Mitsuhisa-san’s coworker and possibly Mio-san’s former colleague. Basically a mutual friend for the parents.
A possibility suddenly flashed through my mind.
”…Is it a guy?” I asked.
”Fufu. What’s this, Maa-kun? Are you getting jealous for me?” Mother said with a light laugh.
Of course it bothered me. Statistically it was fifty-fifty. If it was a man, they must already be close enough to celebrate a birthday together. I couldn’t completely rule out reluctant social obligation, but inviting someone to a house with small children made that unlikely.
Mother was beautiful and kind yet still single. There couldn’t be a shortage of men trying to approach her. Right now I was small and she couldn’t take her eyes off me, so she might not be interested in dating. But Mother must get lonely without a partner. Today could easily spark something more.
If that happened, I would have to run a thorough background and behavior check to make sure he would truly cherish her. Wasn’t that the duty of a son who cared?
”…I plead the Fifth,” I said.
”It’s a woman, so it’s fine~” Mother replied.
”…Oh. Good.”
I could breathe easier then. Honestly, I did want Mother to find a good person… but a son’s heart was complicated. (Actually, I’m more worried about Maa-kun… Though I think it’ll be okay since Suu-chan is here.)
”Huh?” I asked.
”Never mind. Come on, let’s get baking,” Mother said.
Mother convinced herself and beckoned Suu-chan and me into the kitchen.
”Mio-san isn’t joining?” I asked.
”Nope. This time it’s just the three of us—Maa-kun, Suu-chan, and Mom,” Mother answered.
”Aww, Akari-san, what kind of cake are we making? Strawberry?” Suu-chan asked.
”No, chocolate cake this time,” Mother replied.
”I like chocolate too♪” Suu-chan said happily.
Suu-chan was already thinking about eating it before we had even started. I had better do my best for her sake.
First things first—proper attire.
I grabbed my apron from the hook right beside the door between the living-dining area and the kitchen.
It was one Mio-san had made by hand.
It was a present from Totsuka Husband on my third birthday.
I wore it whenever I helped in the kitchen or played house.
The design was a full bib style that covered from the neck down to near the knees with one piece of fabric.
The base color was a practical light gray that hid stains well, accented with navy blue on the neck strap, waist ties, and both side pockets.
It had a calm, understated look.
It was made with growth in mind—the hem could be adjusted by changing the fold.
No risk of me turning into axe-wielding Kintaro.
And there were three nearly identical aprons total so helping didn’t stop when one was in the wash.
”Suu will tie it for you!” Suu-chan declared.
”Yeah, please,” I said.
I slipped my head through the neck strap and started reaching behind for the waist ties when Suu-chan piped up.
After nearly two years I could tie it behind my back without thinking, but if she wanted to do it, I wasn’t going to refuse.
I turned to give her my back… except Suu-chan followed and stayed in front of me.
”…Then left I think~ right, left, right, right, down, left——” Suu-chan murmured while playing.
”——Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu! Mu? Mu! ——” Suu-chan continued.
This wasn’t the time to be spinning around playing.
”Suu-chan?” I asked.
”Maa-kun, don’t move,” Suu-chan said firmly.
”Why…?” I muttered.
My considerate plan apparently wasn’t what she wanted. I stood straight and still as instructed.
Suu-chan hugged me from the front and reached around to my back. Since she had to bend down to reach my waist, the top of her head—Suu-chan was taller than me—pressed right under my chin. We were completely pressed together.
”…Mmm~” Suu-chan hummed contentedly.
”Who taught you this way?” I asked.
”Mama had Papa do it for her,” Suu-chan replied.
”…I see.”
She hadn’t been taught—she had copied what she saw. Seeing once really was worth a hundred explanations. That couple really never changed. If Mitsuhisa-san did it, that head must be… enviably blissful.
”……Done,” Suu-chan announced.
”Thanks.”
”N!” Suu-chan replied brightly.
Suu-chan had taken her sweet time. I adjusted the apron slightly and discreetly checked the knot.
”Stare…” Suu-chan looked up expectantly. She was wearing the same design but with pink accents. The shoulder straps were on, but the waist ties dangled loose. She spread her arms as if saying “Come on!”
”Suu-chan, that’s the kind of thing you don’t say out loud,” I reminded her.
”Mama says it too,” Suu-chan replied.
”…I see.”
No comeback possible after that. She was clearly growing up strong by watching her parents closely.
”I know, I know,” I said.
”N♪” Suu-chan replied happily.
After reaSuuring her like that…
”Got an opening!” I said.
”Mu!?” Suu-chan yelped.
I tried to slip behind her quickly, but she foiled me.
”Maa-kun!” Suu-chan protested.
”Aisa~” I teased.
I just wanted to see that adorable puffed-up angry face. This time I hugged her properly, pressing my face into her young chest. Luckily I wasn’t at lolicon levels yet, so there was no excitement. Suu-chan was cute, but it would be a while before I could look at her that way.
”…Mufu,” Suu-chan hummed.
I took my time tying it just like she did. She seemed satisfied—good.
Now we could finally start the cake—
”That looks nice, Suu-chan. Maa-kun, I want you to tie Mom’s too~” Mother said.
”…”
Mother unexpectedly spread her arms lightly, appealing to me. Matching Suu-chan’s boldness…
…Calm down, Makoto. It’s your mother.
This is normal parent-child skinship.
Memories of that pitch-dark bath were resurfacing, but it was fine this time.
That wasn’t necessarily from sexual excitement.
After observing plenty of boys at kindergarten lately, I was sure of it.
…Saying that probably already made me sound suspicious, but I had no choice.
Of course I hadn’t awakened to little boys or anything.
What I learned was that even kindergarteners got erections.
There were tent-pitching comrades! During naps, straddling the vaulting box, being hugged by the female teacher! It probably stood up even without sexual excitement.
Even in a toddler’s body.
The drive to reproduce was a fundamental biological instinct, present even in young children.
Blood flowed, so it was possible.
I had zero medical evidence, but sampling didn’t lie.
Well, I couldn’t swear I felt nothing in the bath, but that was just mental disturbance from the sudden situation.
Fact was, it only happened when I was alone with Mother.
If Suu-chan was there, it didn’t!
”Maa-kun, is it no good?” Mother asked, tilting her head.
She even begged… The usually dignified Mother showing this kind of gap was unfairly heart-fluttering.
”…Can’t be helped,” I muttered.
”Fufu, then please,” Mother said with a smile.
I wrapped my arms around Mother’s waist as she knelt. Unlike Suu-chan, Mother was an adult.
Her waist was seductively slim with no extra flesh, but comparing it to a five-year-old’s was unfair.
I had to hug a little tighter to reach.
No choice in the matter.
”Fufu, how is it, Maa-kun? Can you tie it?” Mother asked cheerfully while stroking my head in the perfect position.
”…Yeah, it’s fine,” I replied.
The soft swelling enveloping my head felt different from her hand. We used the same body soap, yet the scent was distinctly hers.
I breathed it in deeply. Come to think of it, hugging Mother like this felt fresh.
Maybe she was craving this kind of contact too. She was a mother, but also a woman with her own needs.
Sexual desire… she must have some. Unlike Mio-san, Mother had no partner.
She was probably taking care of it herself.
I had never walked in on her or seen any signs, so maybe while bathing alone or when I was asleep.
Or perhaps outside, but she came straight home on weekdays and was always with me on days off.
Imagining Mother doing it somewhere in this same house made me restless.
Even at this age, sexual urges still won sometimes.
I fully mobilized the Colonel I had trained daily since birth and stayed vigilant.
Especially since Mio-san had been filming us for a while now…
”There, done,” I said.
”Thanks,” Mother replied.
”You’re welcome.”
I finished tying it safely. Mother’s smile made it all worth it. It was Labor Thanksgiving Day, after all.
”Fuu…” I sighed in relief.
”Maa-kun, the apron came untied,” Mother said.
”Aww, then one more time with Maa-kun,” Suu-chan requested.
”N!” I agreed.
Suu-chan must have gotten jealous watching me be lovey-dovey with Mother.
She asked again.
Still, I wondered why she never got jealous during these moments with Mother.
Ever since she started kindergarten—especially after moving up a year—her jealousy toward other girls had grown stronger.
She hid behind my back and stared at any girl who approached me, applying silent preSuure.
She was especially territorial with Jun, who was often around me.
…Though it was just cute hissing.
But during skinship with Mother she only looked envious or tried to join in, never truly jealous.
Maybe family was in a different category… I could speculate all I wanted, but it stayed speculation.
Asking directly might reduce my time with Mother, so I hesitated.
It seemed I still lacked the experience to understand a young maiden’s heart…
Notes:
• Totsuka – Totsuka Mio is the wife of Mitsuhisa Totsuka and mother of Suu-chan. She is a hardcore gamer, part of the neighbor family that supplies hand‑me‑down consoles to the protagonist’s household. Mio attends parent‑teacher conferences and worries about her daughter’s growing dependence on Makoto.
• 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.
• Mitsuhisa – 33‑year‑old, 184 cm, 71 kg, toned and reserved, Mitsuhisa is a devoted father of three daughters—Suu‑chan, Fuu‑chan, Kyo‑chan—on modified childcare leave, working from home as a family photographer for his household and the Imais. He grills Mio‑san’s meals, play‑acts with his girls, favors the twins, feels neglected by Suu‑chan and distant toward Akari, unsettled by former teammate Makoto yet joins ball‑toss competitions, fiercely competitive yet quietly protective. Suzuki’s father, a doting parent who loves documenting his daughters’ growth.
• 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.
• 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.’
• 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.
• Akari – Makoto’s mother, named “light,” is a 28‑year‑old single parent of Makoto and newborn Maa‑kun. She has long dark‑brown hair, subtle makeup, and a poised, observant look. Estranged from her parents, she’s loving yet strict, works full‑time IT, lives beside friend Mio, mentors Suzuki with candid photos, and navigates parent circles with bank‑service finesse. Outwardly shy but a secret shogi player with a mischievous streak, she’s now more ready for Sports Day after switching jobs for stability. Calm, modest, kind, supportive, affectionate, she often teases Makoto, though she admits she’s not as dexterous as her son.
• Ai – Dark-brown short bob frames a fit former long-distance runner now teaching Middle Kids’ Rabbit Group at Hinomori Kindergarten, beloved as “Mom” by her students. Cheerful yet blunt, she uses regional dialects when stressed, adores muscles, and praises Makoto-kun’s leadership. Single and fiercely protective, she’s wary of parents but devoted to her farming family. Enthusiastic fan of children’s relay videos, she leads excursions with energy and joins girls’ nights, always putting her kids first.
• 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 as the kindergarten’s “Boss”. Calm, logical, he mediates fights, hands out hand‑cream, protects Suu‑chan, runs Jun, earns respect. Nicknamed Maa‑kun, mistaken for Akari’s son, uses coin tricks and adult wisdom; Suzuki‑chan’s affection, teased by Mitsuhisa, his hidden ace is his transmigrated mind, plus preternatural running, coordination and tactical awareness as part of the “old married couple” with Suzuki‑chan.
• Fuu – One of the twins, approximately four months old. Currently learning to swivel their head and grab objects.
• Jun – Tanned, hyperactive middle‑kid in a track suit, she’s the fastest runner with a huge appetite and loud, unfiltered energy—often mistaken for a boy. She leads peers with wild enthusiasm but tires quickly, gets moody when games stall, idolizes her calm brother Makoto (who quietly reins in her chaos), and sees Suzuki as a rival yet respects him. A core Rabbit Group member, she trains weekends on Mt. Hiou, leaks secrets, and strives to match Makoto’s restraint.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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