Volume 3 Chapter 15 The First Field Trip
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Just behind the Hinomori Kindergarten¹ we attend, there is a small mountain about two hundred and fifty meters high called Mount Hiou. The curriculum is set up so that the students head out to this mountain almost every week to build up their physical strength. The week after Golden Week ended, it was finally time for us first-year “Youngsters” to take on the mountain.
Suu-chan read aloud the packing list from the field trip guidebook while we checked our things together.
”Wucksack!” she chirped.
The backpacks were the ones designated by the school. I used to think they were a bit large for a toddler to use every day, but learning they were also used for field trips made it strangely make sense. They were unexpectedly high-performance with expandable gussets; they had some gaps, but they were water-repellent, so a little rain wouldn’t be a problem.
”Shoes,” she continued.
Comfortable, easy-to-move-in shoes that you’re used to wearing. Apparently, getting brand-new ones is generally forbidden. Still, the fact that they bothered to write it in the guidebook makes me wonder – are there actually kids who forget them? The same goes for the backpacks.
”Floor mat!”
Suu-chan spread out a leisure sheet that didn’t have any dirt on it yet. The pastel colors were quite cute. She lay down on the sheet and started rolling around just like that. She was like a little Suu-chan sushi roll. (Wait, now I have to join in too…?)
”Mmph…”
The size of the mat was sixty centimeters by ninety centimeters. It wasn’t that big, so it didn’t wrap around us very well with two people, but Suu-chan looked happy, so it wasn’t a problem. By the way, mine was a navy check pattern I picked up at a flea market. Leisure sheets are really durable, aren’t they? Even though this one is over ten years old, it’s in surprisingly good shape. After practicing folding and putting away the mat with Suu-chan, we moved to the next item.
”Waincoat!”
Apparently, we’re supposed to bring one just in case, even though the trip will be postponed if it rains. They say mountain weather is fickle, though I don’t know if that applies to a hill only two hundred and fifty meters high. Since mountain climbing is a habit at Hinomori Kindergarten, there are school-designated raincoats. They are a yellowish color with a slight reddish tint, featuring the school logo on the back.
”Hinomori really likes oranges and yellows, don’t they?” I remarked. “Look, the gym uniforms are orange too. I feel like it’s rare for boys to wear orange.”
”I think it’s probably a color that’s easy to find even in the mountains,” Suu-chan replied. “I’m sure it also comes from the kindergarten’s brand colors.”
(There might actually be a logical reason for it… maybe.)
We continued checking off the rest: change of clothes, two towels, handkerchief, tissues, and plastic bags. The lunch box and water bottle would be prepared on the day of the trip. And then, the most important part: snacks. When you talk about field trips, you really can’t leave this out. I was expecting the usual arguments about a three-hundred-yen budget, or the classic “Do bananas count as snacks?” debate. But no matter how long I waited, the word “Snacks” never came up. Suu-chan was happily packing her things into her backpack. I checked the guidebook over and over, but I couldn’t find even the “S” in the word. Even holding it up to the light revealed nothing.
(It seems there is a glaring defect in this guidebook.)
”Maa-kun, why are you staring at the paper so hard?” Suu-chan asked.
”What about… the snacks?”
”There aren’t any!”
”…”
”Oh, Maa-kun froze up!”
It wasn’t an oversight or a printing error; apparently, they really didn’t exist. What a disaster. How are we supposed to think up the most satisfying combination within a limited budget? How are we supposed to deepen friendships by exchanging treats? This was the perfect opportunity to learn cost-performance and social skills!
”They say there’s no time to eat snacks. Teacher Meguro said the schedule is pretty tight,” Suu-chan explained.
”Heh… Good luck to you both,” Mio said, seeing us off.
”Nn! I’ll do my best!”
* * *
On the day of the field trip, we climbed into the shuttle bus as usual. Perhaps sensing the special atmosphere, the children on board were in high spirits, and the cautionary voices from the teachers were constant. When we arrived at the kindergarten, we went straight to the field to gather by class.
The “Older” kids were waiting in anticipation, while the “Middle” kids were fired up to show how much they had grown. We “Youngsters,” being on our first field trip, were being swallowed up by the atmosphere. Some were frolicking while others looked anxious. As for Suu-chan… well, maybe because I was with her, she was in a nearly invincible state. Quite reliable.
”Shiho-chan, morning!” I said.
”Morning!”
”Morning, Makoto-kun! Suu-chan!”
We’ve started hanging out with Shiho-chan quite a bit. It seems she’s heard all sorts of things from her older sister who is an “Older” kid, so instead of being nervous, her eyes were sparkling. Having older siblings really makes you prepared for this stuff.
And then there was this guy.
”Makoto! Yo!”
”Morning, Jun. You’re energetic today too. Why don’t you calm down a bit? You’ll run out of steam.”
”Impossible!”
”At least try to look like you’re making an effort,” I replied.
”Got it!”
Imai Jun was the most restless kid in the Rose Class. He acted as if he would die if he wasn’t moving, and as expected, he had been looking forward to this trip.
”Makoto, have you climbed Mount Hiou before?” Jun asked.
”No, it’s my first time.”
”I see! I’ve been there a ton of times!”
”That’s amazing, Jun,” I said.
”Right!?” He puffed out his chest with a smug face. Since his house is in this neighborhood, it seems he has already climbed Mount Hiou many times. “My big bro Masu even does five round trips!”
”Was it Masumi-san? Your oldest brother. That’s impressive.”
Apparently, he has three much older brothers – Masumi, Mizuki, and Koki – all of whom are graduates of Hinomori. The eldest is a high school freshman; the Imai parents are certainly working hard.
”You bet! My bros Mizu and Ko are awesome too!”
”Heh, wow, amazing.”
(For now, it seems the Imai family is a clan with overflowing energy. I guess the youngest can’t escape his genes.)
”Maa-kun is more amazing!” Suu-chan interjected.
”Really!?” Jun asked.
”Nn! Of course! He’s better than Jun’s brothers.”
Suu-chan suddenly started competing with Jun. I wanted her to calm down because even if I challenged those older brothers, I’d likely just be pulverized by their overwhelming strength.
”Suu-chan, easy now.”
”Muu, Maa-kun is more amazing.”
”Thanks, Suu-chan. But you see, I want to keep it a secret. I want my ‘amazingness’ to be a secret just for Suu-chan…”
”…Nn, okay.”
”It’s a secret between just the two of us, okay?”
”A secret… m-he-he!”
”Makoto! Suzuki! What are you talking about!?” Jun shouted.
”Mmm, a secret!”
”What?! Tell me!”
”Shiho wants to know too!”
”It’s a secret!”
While I was managing the noisy children, a teacher stepped up onto the assembly platform. We zipped our lips. These three actually listen quite well when told. Jun is restless, but he obeys if you tell him to. Well, only for the ten seconds immediately after you say it. We heard words of encouragement from the Principal, and then cautionary points from a well-built, tanned male teacher – Teacher Kamata, if I recall correctly.
When the general talk was over, each class had a meeting with their homeroom teacher. After that, the “Older” kids were led out by their teachers to begin the march. The “Older” kids were impressive; their two-column march was orderly and didn’t break. We’ve been practicing this for the past month, but it’s quite a task. Kids sit down in the middle or try to wander off. Their concentration just doesn’t last.
I reflexively gave a salute.
(Even though it’s a small mountain, they will tread upon the earth step by step with those tiny feet to reach the summit. Today’s field trip will surely help these children grow even more robust. Good luck out there. We’ll be able to become like our seniors… right?)
Seeing my salute, Suu-chan imitated me. Since Suu-chan and I were doing it, Shiho-chan imitated us while tilting her head. Since the three of us were doing it, Jun joined in with a “Me too!”
It spread to the whole class. There were kids who didn’t know who they were saluting, and some looking like they were trying way too hard to look serious. Oops, I feel a burning gaze from Teacher Riko. She’s giving me a look that’s hard to describe.
(I don’t think showing respect to others is a bad thing… but I wonder if this is going to turn into another headache for me…)
—
Summary:
The chapter follows Makoto and his classmates as they prepare for their first kindergarten field trip to Mount Hiou. Makoto is shocked to find that snacks are not allowed due to a tight schedule, missing a core childhood experience. On the day of the trip, he inadvertently starts a trend by saluting the older students, leading to a confusing moment for his teacher.
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Trivia:
- The ‘shiori’ (guidebook) mentioned is a standard part of Japanese school trips.
- Makoto’s mat is over ten years old, suggesting he uses second-hand goods.
- The kindergarten has very specific safety-colored uniforms (orange/yellow).
- Imai Jun’s family has a long history with the school; his eldest brother is already in high school
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Character Insight:
Makoto’s adult side struggles with the loss of the ‘snack exchange’ ritual, showing his attachment to the social structures of his past life. Suu-chan shows growing possessiveness and pride in Makoto.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The ‘Is a banana a snack?’ question is a famous recurring joke in Japanese school culture (Bananas wa oyatsu ni hairimasu ka?).
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Meguro – Living below the Totsukas, a 28‑29‑year‑old single man on the first floor (179‑180 cm, 67 kg) works as a kindergarten office clerk. He is an amateur prize‑winning photographer and avid road‑bike rider who cycles regularly.
• Mio – 28-year-old mother of Suu-chan and wife of Mitsuhisa, 164 cm, 57 kg, baby-faced with G-cup curves, exuding gentle, rounded elegance in a gray casual suit and skirt; former star relay runner and badminton player, now a gifted teacher, cook, and photographer who bakes professional strawberry shortcake and chirashi-zushi, adores babysitting Ma-kun, subtly pushes his marriage to Suu-chan, avoids crowds, observes family chaos through her camera, selects fashionable clothes for the protagonist’s mother, dominates motion-control bowling, and dedicates herself to her daughter’s education and household management.
• Shiho – A three-year-old girl in the Rose Class, friend of Makoto and Suu, with shoulder-length hair in a side-up ponytail; soft-spoken yet easily excited by decorations and food, she uses training chopsticks and a white kitten-themed placemat, struggles to wake up, and relies on Makoto’s “secret” advice. She has an older sister in the senior group, attends extended childcare monthly, and shares a quiet, competitive bond with Suu over Makoto’s attention—having been his first kindergarten friend.
• Makoto – A 3‑year‑old boy (93 cm, 13 kg) in a neat shirt and cap, gentle‑looking, is actually a 30‑year‑old man reincarnated. He lives with the Totsuka family, his mother works, and protects Suzuka‑chan. He retains adult memories, analytical skill, high dexterity, knows stock tricks and magic, and uses a booster seat. A ‘Youngster’ student at Hinomori Kindergarten.
• Jun – The most restless child in the Rose Class. Comes from a family of three older brothers who all attended the same kindergarten. Male student in the Rose Class. Known for extreme curiosity and physical strength. Often needs to be reined in by Makoto.
• Masumi – Makoto’s older brother. Mentioned as currently undergoing ‘secret training’ (chuunibyou phase).
• Suzuki – Four‑year‑old Suu‑chan, daughter of Mitsuhisa and Mio, wears a uniform with a topknot and braided pigtails; sleepy eyes sparkle when excited. Energetic, loyal to Makoto, she’s his ‘Queen of the Jungle Gym’, giving embraces, pouting, and coordinating his things. Loves strawberries, salmon roe, clams, uses chopsticks skillfully, enjoys snuggling, singing and paper‑tearing games. Close friend and playmate of Maa‑kun, Rose Classmate, toddler lisp.
• Riko – A first‑time lead teacher of the Rose Class, she looks stiff and nervous during her stage introduction but becomes cheerful and energetic in class; known as Teacher or Hospital Doctor in corrupted sources, she serves as the homeroom teacher for the Rose Group and leads the class on the kindergarten excursion.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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