Volume 4 Chapter 63 Serious Preparations
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Labor Thanksgiving Day¹.
In other words, my birthday.
On a normal day off, I wouldn’t even think about rolling out of bed until noon.
Even if it’s my birthday, that rule usually holds firm.
But today is different.
At 8:30 AM-the same time I’d be dragging myself to the office-I let my alarm clock do the heavy lifting and forced my eyes open.
Still half-conscious, I fumbled for my phone as it rattled on the bedside shelf.
I killed the alarm, swiped past the lock screen, and squinted at my calendar widget to confirm the date and the mission for the day.
”…Hehe.”
My brain, still buffering the visual input, decided to let go of the phone and let gravity take over while my eyelids staged a protest.
I’d been so wired with anticipation last night that sleep had been a distant memory.
My rational side was begging for an extra hour, but my instincts slammed the brakes on that idea.
Today is a big day.
A “meticulous preparation” kind of day.
If I chose to sleep in now, I’d be haunted by the regret for the rest of my life.
”Morning. You’re up early for once,” Mom said.
”Mornin’! Big day today! I can’t afford to spend it being a couch potato!” I replied.
Still in my pajamas, I padded down from my second-floor room to the living room, where Mom was already camped out on the sofa, half-watching some morning talk show.
”Oh, right. It’s your birthday, isn’t it? Happy birthday,” Mom said.
”Thanks!”
”You’re very welcome.”
And just like that, I-Takanashi Misato-officially entered my twenty-eighth year.
I’ve finally planted both feet in “around-thirty”² territory, but honestly, the future looks so bright I couldn’t care less about the number.
”…”
”What?” Mom asked.
”No present?”
”Wait, you actually expected one?”
”Mom! That’s cold! How can you say that to your one and only adorable daughter on her birthday?”
”You’re really saying that with a straight face? Besides, you’re twenty-eight. Hurry up and find a boyfriend-or a husband-and pester him for gifts,” said Mom.
”Boo! You’re such a cheapskate!”
”I prefer the term ‘frugal,’” Mom replied.
”I prefer the term ‘stingy-saurus’!”
Whatever.
It’s not like I’ve actually gotten a gift since high school anyway.
We’ve been running this same routine for a decade.
”So, where’s Dad?”
”Him? He was out the door for golf before the sun was up,” Mom said.
”No way! He just abandoned his darling daughter-the apple of his eye-on her birthday?”
”You’re twenty-eight, Misato. Your father is busy worrying about when you’re finally going to bring a guy home. He’s not thinking about birthday candles,” said Mom.
”Isn’t that the part where he’s supposed to act like a protective dad? ‘I’m never giving my daughter away! I’ll take care of her forever!’ Something manly like that?”
”This is the real world. If anything, he said don’t bother coming back until you’ve found a plus-one,” Mom replied.
”He did not!”
”Okay, maybe he didn’t go that far,” she admitted.
”See?”
”That was just what I was thinking,” Mom said.
Her eyes weren’t laughing.
Look, give me a break.
Most of the people at my company are “Single Aristocrats”³ who live for their hobbies.
Marriage isn’t even on the radar for most of them, especially the older crowd.
And sure, I have the desire to get married-I’d like to pick someone while I’m still the one doing the choosing-but seeing them makes me feel like I’ve still got plenty of time.
Then again, my former colleague and my current work friend both have kids now, regardless of the wedding ring situation.
I keep getting pings from my old school friends, like Chika-news of weddings, babies, and even the occasional divorce.
I’ll admit, the clock is starting to tick a little louder in my head.
When you’re buried in a hobby, time just evaporates.
I need someone who actually understands that…
”I really wonder what happened to all that energy you had back in school,” Mom sighed, looking wistfully into the distance.
”Splutter!”
The hot water I was sipping went down the wrong pipe.
Even I had a “youthful” phase.
In middle school, a guy confessed to me and I had my first boyfriend.
From then until high school graduation, I was popular enough that I was rarely ever single.
I brought guys home all the time; Mom had seen plenty of them back in the day.
But since university, I’ve been so deep into my hobbies that my love life has been a total desert.
”That’s… look, it’s because I’m an adult now. I’ve graduated from that childish ‘playing house’ romance,” I said.
I can’t exactly act like a teenager anymore.
I’ve been through enough that my heart and body are fully grown-up.
”I see. So… you’re saying today isn’t just playing house?” Mom asked.
”Pffft! What makes you think that?”
”Oh, I can tell. You’ve been different since what, late May?”
She wasn’t wrong.
That was the turning point.
My “quick rinses” turned into hour-long therapeutic baths, and my skincare budget tripled.
I’ve been hogging the bathroom so much that Mom’s been non-stop complaining.
I started drinking hot water every morning and slashed my junk food intake.
Even when I get a craving and run to the convenience store, I’m walking out with chicken breast or cheese instead of chips.
Honestly, I’m working harder on this “glow-up” than I ever have in my life.
”A mother knows everything,” Mom said.
”Mom, you’re terrifying. I’m out of here,” I replied.
I polished off my cereal and beat a hasty retreat to my room to start the real prep.
After a quick once-over, I borrowed Mom’s car and drove to the spa run by my former colleague’s sister.
I had the full-body massage package-the works.
I needed every bit of puffiness drained from my face, arms, and legs.
I had to be the absolute peak version of myself.
Back home, I had a light, early lunch.
I didn’t skip the breath and body odor countermeasures either; I hit the shower right after brushing my teeth.
”Alright, time for the transformation~”
I pulled my “victory outfit”⁴ from the closet.
I’d been planning this for over a month, and it had just come back from the dry cleaners yesterday.
For the top, I chose a tight, black rib-knit sweater to highlight the silhouette I’d worked so hard to sculpt.
If I wanted to go full offensive, I’d have gone with a deep neckline, but I didn’t want any “complaints” or “red flags” about overexposure, so I went with a high neck.
I did keep it sleeveless, though-a little bit of tactical rebellion.
Since it’s the season where the temperature drops after sunset, I have a layer to throw on.
Honestly, I’d rather have him warm me up, but that depends on how the vibe goes.
I could have gone with a short body-con skirt for maximum adult appeal, but again, I was worried about being “banned from the venue.” If I push too hard, he might not even realize I’m trying to seduce him.
No point in a high-risk play that doesn’t land.
So, I settled on light gray checkered wide-leg pants.
They’re classy, and if we end up going out somewhere, I won’t be held back.
I think I’m on the right track, but I won’t know for sure until I see his reaction.
I’ve only ever seen the guy through pictures and videos.
He’s quite a bit younger, and if I try to judge his personality by “normal” standards, nothing adds up.
The info I have is scarce and totally chaotic.
The best I can do right now is try to channel the same “vibe” as my current colleague-the one he’s clearly into.
I finished my makeup-natural, nothing too heavy-and did a final check in the mirror.
Perfect.
”Is that… for work?” Mom asked, her suspicious gaze piercing me as I grabbed a glass of water.
”Nope! This is a 100% certified victory outfit. Well? Thoughts?”
”I mean, it looks good on you, but…” Mom trailed off.
She’s definitely leaving something unsaid.
But I know how this looks from the outside.
”So, what’s he like?” Mom asked.
”I’m taking the Fifth.”
”Come on, just a hint. Older? Younger?”
”I’m taking the Fifth.”
”Is he the ‘cool’ type or the ‘cute’ type?”
”I’m taking the Fifth.”
”What does he do for a living?”
”I’m taking the Fifth.”
”How old are you again?”
”I’m taking the Fifth.”
”…Cheapskate.”
”I’m the daughter of a woman who doesn’t give birthday presents, after all,” I replied.
I kept parrying her questions.
Look, I’m a functional member of society.
If I weren’t, I’d probably be behind bars by now.
Let me be clear: I am obsessed with this, that’s true.
But this isn’t some date where I’m trying to bag a guy; it’s more like the hype you feel before a top-tier idol’s private handshake event.
I am not actively hunting a boy two whole cycles⁵ younger than me.
…But, if there’s even a one-in-a-billion, “one-shot” opening, I’m obviously not going to let it slide.
You have to make your own luck, after all.
”Well, if you say so. You don’t need dinner tonight, right?”
”Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’ll eat out,” I replied.
”Will you be back tomorrow?”
”No, I should be home around ten tonight,” I replied.
”…Tonight?”
”Yeah.”
”Honey, don’t you think you should be a bit more aggressive? Even high schoolers these days stay out later than that,” Mom sighed.
”I need to play this one safe, okay?” I said.
Today is our first time meeting face-to-face.
His parents will be there.
I cannot afford to fail, so it’s Safety First.
”…Well, if that’s how you want to play it,” Mom said.
I’m an adult.
I make my own choices.
I did a final check for my stuff, made sure I had the gift, and saw that time was running out.
”Whew. Well then, Mother, I shall take my leave!”
”Have fun. Good luck out there,” Mom said.
”I shall~ desuwa!”
”…”
I left the house and made my final stop at the hair salon.
I had them do a “casual-but-classy” long ponytail.
I chose this specific style because his mother wears her hair like that a lot.
I got my nails done, too-kept them short and buffed to a high shine.
I didn’t want even the slightest chance of scratching his soft, delicate skin.
The preparations-the serious ones-were finally complete.
Wait for me, Maa-kun! Big Sister is coming to see you right now!
—
Summary:
It’s Misato’s 28th birthday, a milestone that brings teasing from her mother and a minor existential crisis about her single status. Despite the pressure to find a husband, she is laser-focused on preparing for a meeting with ‘Maa-kun,’ a younger boy she has only seen online. She spends the day at a spa and carefully selects a ‘victory outfit’ to maximize her appeal while remaining ‘safe’ enough for a meeting involving his parents.
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Trivia:
- Misato’s company is full of ‘Single Aristocrats’ (lifelong singles with hobbies).
- She hasn’t received a birthday gift since high school.
- She’s been following a strict diet/skincare routine since May specifically for this goal.
- She is deliberately copying the hairstyle of Maa-kun’s mother.
- The ‘two cycles’ age gap means the boy is likely 4 years old (28 – 24)
—
Character Insight:
Misato’s motives are a mix of ‘stan’ devotion and dormant romantic instinct. She claims it’s like meeting an idol, but her physical preparations and ‘one-shot chance’ mentality suggest she is hunting for a deeper connection, even if she hides it behind jokes about ‘taking the Fifth.’
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Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The term ‘Victory Outfit’ (Shoubufuku) is a common trope in Japanese media for the clothes one wears to confess or go on a life-changing date.
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Glossary:
Notes:
• 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.
• Misato – A 28-year-old woman working in a company dominated by ‘Single Aristocrats,’ she’s a dedicated hobbyist pouring intense effort into a personal ‘glow-up’ for her first meeting with a boy she admires—quietly observant, polished in appearance with carefully curated style, she listens intently to the protagonist’s birthday morning story, her own quiet longing mirroring the protagonist’s vulnerability, bound by shared unspoken dreams beneath the surface of corporate polish.
• Chika – A young girl in the Rose Class at Hinomori Kindergarten who gives Makoto Valentine’s chocolate. She has a mother who accompanies her.
• 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.’
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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