Volume 3 Chapter 71 The End of Rose Class
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
After finishing our last lunch as the Youngsters, the afternoon was dedicated to recreation – our final time to play together as the Rose Class. The teachers seemed to have already decided on our activity. We changed out of our formal school uniforms and into gym clothes that we could get as muddy as we liked, then headed outside.
In the other Pre-K classrooms, children were playing musical chairs or watching picture-story shows, while the older kids in the Middle Class were occupied with balls and jump ropes. Ignoring the other groups, the members of Rose Class bypassed the main playground and headed straight for our true destination.
”For our very last time, let’s all play in the sandbox together as the Rose Class!” Teacher Riko announced.
”””Yeaaah!”””
With energetic shouts and raised hands, the Youngsters dove headfirst into the sand.
”Makoto! Make something amazing!”
”Can we make them roll today?”
”I’m gonna make mud dumplings!”
”I need water!”
”Me too!”
”Let’s do it together!”
”Okay!”
It seemed everyone was craving a “Dorodango Coaster¹.” During the winter, the water was too cold for mud-play, so we had stayed away from it for a while. It had only recently started to warm up enough to make it bearable again.
”Maa-kun, I’ll leave the dumplings to you,” Suu-chan said.
”Wait, what…?” Makoto replied.
Looking around, the Youngsters were already pouring buckets of water and raking up mud, their faces etched with intensity as they rolled their dorodango. (Let’s just all make them together…) This was supposed to be a time for making final memories; it felt a bit sad to be the only one piling up a lonely mound of sand. Watching everyone work on their own individual mud balls, I had to wonder if this class actually had any sense of unity at all.
”Jun,” Makoto called out.
”Yeah!?” Jun shouted back.
”Help me out for once.”
First, I had to build the mountain. I wasn’t exactly obligated to do it, but I wanted to meet the expectations of the friends I’d spent the last year with. Above all, Suu-chan was clearly raring to go. “Anyway, just keep gathering soil. You’re the expert at digging, right?”
”Leave it to me!!” Jun yelled.
I handed him a shovel and a bucket, and Jun immediately scrambled to the corner of the sandbox. Hauling sand takes a lot of stamina; it’s all about putting the right person in the right job.
”Hmph!” Jun grunted, thrusting the shovel in with a rhythmic thwack and filling the bucket with unearthed soil. At that rate, he could probably handle the material gathering all by himself. Now, for the construction crew.
”Rose Rangers, assemble!”
At my call – which I didn’t even have to raise my voice for – the five warriors came running as if they’d been waiting in the wings.
”Rose Red!”
”Rose Blue!”
”Rose Pink!”
”Rose Rouge!”
”Rose Crimson!”
”””””Present and accounted for!!”””””
What started as a way for me to keep an eye on “high-risk” kids had turned into a reliable team. The Rose Rangers – the ones who handle the heavy lifting for the class – consisted of Hiro, Takuya, Miki, Sayo, and Yoshitsugu. They each struck their own unique poses in front of me.
”Boss! You called!?” Hiro asked.
”Yeah. The Rose Rangers have one final mission. You in?”
”A mission!”
”We’re in!”
”We’ll take down the bad guys!”
The five of them clenched their muddy fists. The fact that the Rose Class was ending today meant the Rose Rangers were ending, too. It felt a little bittersweet.
”Listen up… A villain came by and blew away the mountain in the sandbox. Of course, we have to defeat him, but first, we have to rebuild the mountain so everyone can play. Jun is gathering the soil, so I want you to use it to build the biggest mountain ever. One that won’t lose to Mt. Hiou.”
”””””Roger!!”””””
Clamoring noisily, they began dumping buckets in the center of the sandbox. Once they had a pile, they leveled the top with the bottom of a bucket, sprayed it with a watering can, and patted the surface firm before adding more. While they couldn’t match Jun individually, these kids had the best stamina in the class. Eventually, even Jun’s digging couldn’t keep up with the five of them.
”Jun,” Makoto said.
”What!?”
”You’re falling behind.”
”What!?”
With that one spark, Jun’s hands became a blur. But even he couldn’t win a five-on-one. Time for reinforcements. “Hayato, Ryu, help him gather soil.”
”Sure!”
”I’ll use the shovel!”
I recruited two friends who were getting bored of making mud balls – specifically, the two who loved digging. I could probably leave them to it now; with the teachers’ help, they’d have a magnificent mountain in no time.
I headed back to Suu-chan and joined Shiho-chan, Yuma, and Kotarou in making dorodango. A few were already in the drying phase, lined up neatly on the edge of the sandbox. “You made so many!”
”As expected of you,” Makoto said.
”Ehehe,” Shiho-chan giggled. With a smudge of mud on her cheek, Shiho-chan was huffing and puffing on a mud ball. She clearly wanted it to dry faster, but a toddler’s lung capacity wasn’t going to do much.
”Maa-kun, I’ll give you this one. It turned out really pretty,” Suu-chan said.
”Thanks.”
”Nn!”
Suu-chan gave me a masterpiece – a perfectly smooth, beautiful sphere. Honestly, I wanted to take it home and put it on a shelf. As we played, the other kids who finished their dorodango joined the mountain-building effort one by one. Thanks to the collective effort, the mountain grew massive.
”Hey, shouldn’t we stop soon?”
”We can keep going!”
”Teacher, lift me up!”
”Yes, yes, hold on a second… heave-ho!”
By the time they were done, the mountain created by the united Rose Class was actually taller than my eye level. Even the teachers were in “serious mode,” lifting kids up like human cranes so they could reach the top.
”Jun, don’t dig any deeper. You can see the liner,” Makoto warned.
”Makoto! I found the bottom of the world!” Jun cheered. Where there is a mountain, there must be a valley. Jun, who had dug a hole so deep his legs were buried up to the knees, was poking the bottom of the sandbox. I’d never actually seen the black landscape fabric underneath before. (If he pokes a hole in that, there’ll be hell to pay. I really have to stop him…)
Giving a wry smile at my overzealous friends, I started the finishing touches. I couldn’t lose sight of the goal. Building a big mountain wasn’t the end point. I took a shovel and turned my back to the male teacher acting as my crane. “…Teacher, if you please,” Makoto requested.
”You got it!” the teacher replied.
Held aloft just like the others, I ignored the slight fear of dangling in mid-air and began carving into the mountain. I started near the peak, carving a gentle spiral for momentum, then a hairpin turn that led straight into the deep valley Jun had dug. Because the mountain and valley were connected, the slope was huge, making for a much longer course than I’d anticipated. I also added four simple straight tracks from the mid-point of the mountain leading in different directions.
In this past year of kindergarten, this might be the skill I’ve improved in the most. I knew exactly how much water to add, how hard to pat the sand for strength, and the perfect angle to keep the dorodango from stalling. I’d gained enough “experience points” to know if a ball would make it to the end without even needing a test run.
”…I think that’s it.”
It was the culmination of my year. A masterpiece created by the combined strength of students and teachers alike. As the “Master of the Sandbox²,” I performed the first run. I’d learned from a previous time that asking for volunteers usually ended in a brawl. I placed the beautiful dorodango Suu-chan gave me at the start and let go. It rolled smoothly around the mountain, perfectly stable. It reached the finish line, and I caught it in the cup I’d dug before it could hit the ground.
”Whoa!”
”It’s flying!”
”Ah! It broke…”
After a few repairs, the Youngsters spent about two rounds each rolling their balls down the four tracks until, finally, it was time to say goodbye.
”Alright everyone, it’s almost time to wrap up. Let’s take one last photo together!” Teacher Riko called out.
The kids followed her instructions perfectly. We gathered around the giant sand mountain, some making peace signs with muddy hands, others proudly holding up their dorodango.
”Okay, I’m taking it now! Everyone, count down with me!” Teacher Miku said, holding up three fingers.
”””Three! Two! One! …Cheese!”””
* * *
After washing off the mud and changing back into our school uniforms, we gave our final greetings and left the kindergarten. The next time we come here, we won’t be Youngsters – we won’t be the Rose Class anymore. Thinking about that filled me with a quiet sense of melancholy. A lot had happened, both in my “public” life at school and my private one, but it had been a good year. I found myself thinking such things, despite it being a bit too sentimental for my actual age.
”…Maa-kun?”
”Hm? Oh, it’s nothing. Suu-chan, did you have fun at kindergarten?”
”Nn. It was fun.”
”I hope we can all play together again soon.”
”Nn. I’m gonna play even more with Maa-kun!” Suu-chan said, giving a satisfied little huff. “…Yeah. I want to play more with you, too.”
”Heh…”
And so, for Suu-chan, the rest of the Rose Class, and me, our life as Youngsters came to a close as we moved toward a new school year. We walked toward our future as Middle Kids, feeling a mix of both excitement and a little bit of fear.
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Summary:
The Rose Class gathers for their final day in the Youngsters grade, culminating in a massive sandbox project. Led by Makoto’s adult-level engineering, the children and teachers unite to build an enormous mountain and a complex marble-run style course for their polished mud balls. The chapter ends with a sentimental farewell as the children prepare to advance to the next school year as ‘Middle Kids’.
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Trivia:
- Makoto’s ‘experience points’ reference suggests his growth isn’t just mental but physical coordination as well.
- The unity of the Rose Rangers shows how Makoto has successfully tamed and organized the more disruptive elements of the class.
- Jun digging through to the ‘bottom of the world’ (the landscape fabric) serves as a humorous peak at the class’s unbridled energy.
- The ‘mufuu’ huff from Suu hints at her growing emotional attachment to Makoto
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Character Insight:
The bond between Makoto and Suu is solidified through the exchange of her ‘masterpiece’ dorodango, which Makoto internally vows to cherish. The Rose Rangers’ absolute loyalty to Makoto as their ‘Boss’ confirms his undisputed status as the class’s informal leader.
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Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The Japanese kindergarten structure is highlighted, moving from Nenshou (Youngsters) to Nenchuu (Middle). Cultural play rituals like ‘dorodango’ (polished mud balls) are central to the social dynamics of this world’s youth.
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TL Notes:
Adapted the children’s colorful roll-call to ‘Present and accounted for!’ to capture the Sentai/Ranger vibe intended by the Japanese ‘Sanjou!’. Replaced the literal ‘I saw the Earth’ with ‘bottom of the world’ to reflect US playground idioms.
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Glossary:
Notes:
• Riko – Riko-sensei, the lead teacher, PE instructor, and school nurse at Hinomori Kindergarten, balances a nurturing, observant warmth toward children with a dry, cynical internal wit. She manages class dynamics, photography, and progress interviews alongside Seiko-sensei. While she judges coworkers sharply, she finds solace in Makoto’s influence and Maa-kun’s skills, often unwinding at girls’ nights with colleagues.
• Makoto – A four-year-old (93cm, 13kg) Rose Class student who is actually a reincarnated 30-year-old salaryman. Dressed in a white shirt, blue vest, and cap, he acts as the group’s calm, analytical “Boss” and caregiver, carrying essentials like hand cream. Revered by peers as a mature, athletic idol, he mediates conflicts and protects Suu-chan. Despite his father’s gender confusion, he remains a dependable, cynical leader.
• 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.
• Jun – The Imai family’s youngest and a Rose Class kindergartner, is a gluttonous, hyperactive girl in tracksuits. Pure-hearted but easily tricked, she boasts extreme strength, often digging to the sandbox liner. She idolizes her mother and clashes playfully with her brother Makoto, who shares her class. While Rose mocks his dancing and ignores germ warnings, Makoto balances her wild energy with calm restraint, reigning in their chaotic sibling dynamic.
• Yoshitsugu – A ‘heavyweight’ student in the Rose Class. Member of the Rose Rangers (Rose Crimson). Initially blunt and accusatory, but easily swayed by hero logic.
• 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.
• Sayo – A girl with twin-tails in the Rose Class. Member of the Rose Rangers (Rose Pink). Becomes distraught after accidentally breaking a block tower.
• Shiho-chan – A member of the friend group who arrived early and is close enough to Yuma’s family to stay over.
• Kotarou – A dexterous boy in the class who excels at origami.
• Kotaro – A quiet, slender kindergarten boy in Rose Class, friend of Makoto and member of his sandbox crew. He shares typical childhood interests— toys and games— and reliably helps Makoto with building projects, all while being a fan of Kamen Rider.
• Shiho – A four-year-old Rose-Class girl with a side-up ponytail, she is Hina’s younger sister and a close friend to Makoto, Suu-chan, Yuma, and Suzuka. Often seen with her favorite hair clip, kitten-themed placemat, and training chopsticks, she loves picture books and worked hard to learn Hiragana. She enjoys swimming, makes mud dumplings using Makoto’s advice, and quietly competes with Suu for Makoto’s attention.
• Kota – Makoto’s biological father. Met Akari while working as a cram school tutor during their second year of university. He disappeared suddenly after six years of dating upon learning of the pregnancy.
• Yuma – Yuma Yoshikura is a frail, sickly four-year-old from a wealthy, land-owning family. Known for his idol-like face and quiet, observant nature, he is the eldest son of the Yoshikura family and Miyu’s younger brother. A member of the Rose Class, he is close friends with Makoto, whom he deeply admires. Despite being physically smaller and slower than his peers, he excels at block-building and paper-folding.
• Miku – Miku-sensei is a petite, patient kindergarten teacher who leads the Small Class photography crew. An obsessive collector of pricey camera gear, she secretly devours romance manga and avoids alcohol. While she serves as the straight-man to Ai’s antics and a participant in office gossip, her quiet, unrequited crush on her coworker Meguro is an open secret among the staff.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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