Volume 3 Chapter 36 Sports Meet (Pre-K) ①
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The day of the sports meet arrived with perfect weather. Adults crowded around the field, squeezing into every available inch to catch a glimpse of their children’s big moment. In the back, several fathers stood perched on stepladders, cameras at the ready, while others occupied the school rooftop with binoculars in hand.
I looked for my family and… ah, there. Mitsuhisa-san was easy to spot since he stood a head taller than the rest of the crowd. It looked like Shiho-chan and Yuma’s parents were with them, too. But Mio-san was nowhere to be seen. Since she was so close to her due date, everyone agreed it was too risky for her to be in such a dense crowd, so she stayed home with Grandma Haruko. Mitsuhisa-san had clearly wanted to stay by her side, but she’d talked him into coming by entrusting him with the video camera. “Show me Suu-chan and Maa-kun doing their best for me,” she’d told him.
Under the collective gaze of the parents, we marched onto the field to the tune of a certain famous mouse’s march. We’d practiced this countless times, and now we were showing it off. Since it was the first sports meet for the preschool kids, most of them couldn’t hide their nerves. Hiro-kun – the leader of the Rose Rangers, known as Rose Red – was leading the way with the placard, his movements stiff and robotic.
Despite the nerves, the Rose Class was perfectly disciplined thanks to our “Heroes,” so I wasn’t worried. The ever-energetic Jun was swinging his arms with ridiculous intensity. (Actually, I’m the one making him do that. If he doesn’t keep a tight rhythm, our whole marching speed drops.) The real struggle was with the neighboring Chrysanthemum and Sunflower Classes, but thanks to the Secret Service¹ (the teachers), everyone managed to make it into formation.
The opening ceremony began. A boy and a girl chosen from the older kids marched to the markers on the field with perfect form before climbing onto the assembly stage.
””Teacher!””
”We,”
”And us -“
After the athlete’s oath, we finished our warm-up stretches and sang the school song before clearing the field. The first event of the morning was the sprint for the Pre-K kids. We stood in three rows outside the gate, waiting for our heat.
Suu-chan, standing next to me, was more fired up than usual. Her expression didn’t change much, but I’ve been with her since the day we were born – I could tell. I want to say something encouraging, but the right words wouldn’t come. Instead, I just reached out and gently held her hand. (Then again, I’m technically her competition, so anything I say would probably just feel weird. Suu-chan already told me she wants me to go all out. I mean, I am. I just can’t actually catch her.)
Based on our practice runs, Jun was the heavy favorite. However, Suu-chan managed to beat him in the final stretch during our very last rehearsal, so their skill gap was basically non-existent. Then there was me – the ultimate dark horse. I didn’t think I had zero chance, though. I’d watched them run from behind enough times to know their habits. They both tended to swing wide on the curves. If I could just nail the inside line²…
We passed through the gate, following the tail end of the Chrysanthemum Class onto the track, and sat down to wait for our turn. I might have underestimated a kindergarten sports meet. As our turn drew closer, my heart started thumping in my chest. (Is it because Mother is watching? Or am I just the type who chokes during the real deal?)
Once the final group of the Chrysanthemum Class was called, it was finally our turn. I let out a short breath and stepped up to the starting line as the teacher directed us. From the inside lane out, it was Jun, then Suu-chan, then me.
Jun looked like he was vibrating with excitement, not a hint of nerves on him. He seemed like the type who just didn’t get anxious. He challenged me to a “duel” every chance he got, so he was probably just used to the pressure. Then there was Suu-chan. She usually did things at her own pace, but her face looked tight. In this situation – surrounded by people, a final showdown with no do-overs, and the weight of wanting to win for someone else – it would be weirder if she weren’t nervous. Mio-san didn’t care about her being number one, but I guess this is the age where kids start learning what it means to compete.
’Next up, the Rose Class runners!’
The last three from the Chrysanthemum Class crossed the line. At the announcer’s booth, Riko-sensei took the mic. As our names were called, we raised our hands and answered.
’Imai Jun-chan’
”Here!”
’Totsuka Suzuki-chan’
”Here!”
’Yashiro Makoto-kun’
”Here”
Despite my mental age, my heart was racing.
’On your marks… Get set…’
- Bang!
The pistol cracked, and a puff of smoke rose. Jun bolted first, but he was too eager – a near-false start that made him stumble for a fraction of a second. The teacher didn’t call it, though, so the race stayed live. He fell into second place.
Taking the lead at the start was Suu-chan. Her timing was nearly perfect. She cut Jun off and took the top spot. And then there was me, trailing in third, calmly analyzing the scene. (The outside lane is closest to the starter pistol. Maybe the distance isn’t that different, but the sound was way louder than I expected and it jumped me…)
While I was making excuses in my head, we hit the curve. This was it – time for my inside-line maneuver –
…but I couldn’t do it.
As expected, Suu-chan swung wide toward the outside, but Jun was right behind her, blocking the inner path. Since Jun had never entered a curve in any position other than first place, he didn’t know how to adjust. Because Suu-chan was in front of him, he was stuck running wide too.
I was effectively boxed in. With my path blocked, I had to stay on their heels. I couldn’t give up yet. This was where my specialty – patience – comes in. I’d save my strength for one final opening. By pure luck, Jun was forced back toward the inside as they exited the curve, and he was nearly neck-and-neck with Suu-chan.
Now for the final straight. Whoever won the scramble over these last ten yards took it all. The crowd erupted at the sight of the dead heat. It wasn’t just the other kids; the older students and all the parents were screaming. Among the cries of “Go for it!”, I thought I heard someone yell “Close the gap!” but that might have been an oxygen-deprived hallucination.
The final spurt was between Suu-chan and Jun. I wasn’t going to be part of it. I’d just have to pray for Suu-chan’s victory from the back. Sometimes, acceptance is the most important part of life. The two of them were clenching their teeth, pouring every ounce of strength from their tiny bodies into the run.
In that instant, a collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
”Suu-chan!?”
The finish line was right there. She had less than ten steps to go. But her desire to win was too strong; her upper body leaned too far ahead of her feet –
”Oof – !”
Suu-chan’s legs tangled, and she tumbled face-first into the dirt. Faced with the sudden accident, my instinct to help her and my logic telling me to dodge clashed. My reaction was a mess.
”- Jump!”
As I hesitated, I heard Mitsuhisa-san’s voice booming from the sidelines. Thanks to him, I managed to leap and avoid crashing into her, but I lost my balance in the process. I went rolling across the ground, tumbling right over the finish line before I stopped.
I scrambled to look back. She was still down, lying on her stomach.
”Suu-chan!”
”……”
At my voice, she slowly pushed herself up. Her knees were scraped raw, and her uniform was stained with dirt. Looking at her face through her messy bangs, I could tell she was desperately trying to swallow her emotions. I wanted to run to her, but I forced myself to stay put.
”Suu-chan, just a little more.”
When I said that, she bit her lip and gave a small nod. As she started to run again, all that power from before was gone. She was tottering – the way a child runs when they’re crying and looking for their parents.
”You can do it ssu!”
”Suu-chan, you can do it!”
Cheers started rising from the parents’ section and soon the whole field joined in. Bolstered by the voices, Suu-chan crossed the finish line to a wave of applause. She immediately reached out and threw her arms around me.
”…Maa-gun”
”You did it. You did so good”
She buried her face in my shoulder, sobbing. I could feel her frustration vibrating through her. My own eyes started stinging, but I saw a teacher approaching.
”Let’s go get you fixed up,” I told her. I wanted to give her a moment, but if we stayed here, the next race couldn’t start. Sports meets are on a tight schedule, and since kids trip all the time, the teachers were already moving in to help.
”Please take care of Suu-chan”
”Makoto-kun too”
”Eh?”
”You fell and got hurt, too”
I looked down at my right palm. The skin was peeled back and raw. A dull throb started to set in… (No, compared to Suu-chan’s pain, this is nothing… but damn, it hurts…)
—
Summary:
The Rose Class participates in their first sports meet. Makoto, Suu-chan, and Jun compete in a footrace heat. In the final stretch, Suu-chan trips and falls while leading, leading to an emotional finish where the crowd cheers her on.
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Trivia:
- Makoto’s adult mind is calculating racing lines while his toddler body chokes under pressure.
- Mio is at home due to being near her delivery date.
- Jun has a habit of challenging others to duels.
- Mitsuhisa is filming the event on Mio’s behalf
—
Character Insight:
Suu-chan’s competitive nature is revealed; she isn’t just running for fun but feels the weight of performing for her family. Makoto shows deep empathy, ignoring his own injury to comfort her.
—
Behind the Scenes:
The ‘Rose Ranger’ theme highlights the class’s cohesive identity through play.
—
TL Notes:
Notes:
• Mitsuhisa – 184 cm, 71 kg, 33‑year‑old IT specialist; slick‑back hair, deep voice, often scowling. Breadwinner of the Totsuka family, doting husband of Mio and father of Su‑chan. Reserved with Akari, family photographer with a DSLR and tripod. Close to former college‑athlete Makoto, sharing playful‑sometimes‑sinister humor and gaming lag. Desk‑working salaryman, surprisingly toned, protective yet occasionally lonely as kids grow independent. Now works from home to care for pregnant Mio and manage household duties.
• Haruko – An elderly grandmother with silver hair and sharp eyes, dressed in a bold‑patterned kimono, is the eccentric mother of Mio and grandmother of Suu‑chan. She stays at the Yashiro house on weekdays to aid Mio’s pregnancy, helping Mitsuhisa with housework and childcare.
• Shiho – Shiho‑chan, a three‑year‑old Rose‑Class girl with shoulder‑length hair in a side‑up ponytail, uses training chopsticks and a white kitten‑themed placemat. Sleepy, she leans on Makoto’s “secret” advice and makes mud dumplings. Neighbor of the Yoshikura family, classmate and peer of Makoto, younger sister of Hina, and friend of Suu‑chan and Yuma. Older sister in the senior group, she quietly competes with Suu for Makoto’s attention, wishes happiness for the Tanabata deities, and, despite a childhood fear of water, now eagerly embraces swimming.
• Yuma – Frail, sickly kindergarten boy from a wealthy land‑owning family, he has an idol‑like face, admires his father, and his parents work in real estate. Member of Rose Class and Rose Group, he folds paper airplanes taught by his dad and offers technical insight on the Skytree’s triangular base. Energetic friend of Makoto (Makoto’s classmate, younger brother of Miyu) and neighbor of Shiho‑chan.
• Mio – 28‑year‑old pregnant mother of Suu‑chan, round belly, bed‑resting for health; wife of Mitsuhisa (164 cm, 57 kg, baby‑faced, G‑cup curves, elegant in gray). Former relay runner and badminton star turned teacher, cook, photographer who bakes strawberry shortcake and chirashi‑zushi, adores babysitting Ma‑kun, subtly pushes his marriage to Suu‑chan, avoids crowds, captures family chaos, dresses the protagonist’s mother, devotes herself to her daughter’s education, playful, theatrical, neighbor/family friend in a joint‑destiny child‑rearing unit.
• Hiro – Rose Red, a boy in the Rose Class and leader of the Rose Rangers, gets bored easily, runs around the classroom, and accidentally breaks Suu’s paper.
• Jun – Energetic, restless boy in Rose Class, youngest of the Imai brothers and member of the Naughty Five. He chases anything strong or cool after his siblings’ tales, idolizes his mother, while older brother Ko‑san warns about germs and Makoto reins him in. Possesses a heroic, physically gifted, ultra‑competitive nature.
• Riko – Lead teacher of Rose Class at Hinomori Kindergarten, she wears a rash guard and athletic shorts for pool duties and also serves as school nurse. Initially stiff, she becomes cheerful in lessons, practices autonomy‑based supervision, lets kids resolve conflicts, tends flowerbeds, leads excursions, performs magic tricks, reads picture‑story shows, and is mildly cynical about being single.
• Totsuka – The neighbor family consisting of a husband (Mitsuhisa), wife (Mio), and daughter (Suu-chan). They are hardcore gamers who provide hand-me-down consoles to the protagonist’s household.
• Suzuki – Suu‑chan, 4, daughter of Mio and Mitsuhisa, sports a topknot, braided pigtails, sleepy eyes that sparkle, pink rain boots and a tiny umbrella. Competitive yet nervous, she is Makoto’s Queen of the Jungle Gym, giving hugs, pouts, and coordinating his things. Close friend Maa‑kun, sandbox leader, sings, uses chopsticks skillfully. In Hinomori Kindergarten’s Younger Class she is shy, socially anxious, sits in a booster seat, and clings possessively to Makoto.
• Makoto – 93 cm, 13 kg three‑year‑old boy in a neat shirt and cap, short hair, backpack, booster seat in Hinomori’s Rose Group. He is a reincarnated 30‑year‑old salaryman with architectural know‑how, social‑management skill, hidden English and analytical mind, living with the Totsuka family (mother works) and protecting Suzuka‑chan; called Maa‑kun by Suu‑chan and leader of Rose Class. Secretly possesses high‑level social and gaming abilities, mediating among the children.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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