Volume 3 Chapter 75 Girls’ Night Out ⑤
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Cheers to a job well done!”
And so, our girls’ night officially began.
Spring break was finally here, that brief, heart-fluttering window after surviving a long year and before the new one kicked off. While the senior staff were already buried in administrative nightmares and planning committees, for us younger teachers, it was a much-needed sanctuary.
”Ahhh, that’s the stuff!”
My two colleagues drained their glasses in record time. We had decamped to a karaoke box for the evening. Since it was a private room, we could afford to let our professional veneers slip just a little.
”Alright, I’m up first!” said Sayanagi. “Sayanagi Ai for ‘Palms to the Sun’. Listen and weep!”
”Woo! That’s what I’m talking about!” Miku cheered, punctuating the air with a makeshift drumroll. “Ba-dum-pish! Let’s go!”
(I swear, these two lost their minds the moment we stepped inside. Is it the sweet scent of freedom? Or is the pollen count just doing weird things to their brains?)
”-I am alive! Because I am alive-!”
For the record, Sayanagi was actually a fantastic singer. Most kindergarten teachers were, but she had this incredible lung capacity. Her voice was powerful, her rhythm was dead-on, and she never missed a note. It was honestly captivating.
”-What is the heat of our blood-!”
Miku started throwing out hype-calls, so I grabbed the maracas and joined the fray. It was a lifesaver; as long as you shook them with enough conviction, you looked like you knew what you were doing.
”-Phew. Thank you, thank you,” said Sayanagi, catching her breath.
”Hey, don’t you think starting with that much energy is going to kill us?” Miku asked.
”Yeah,” Sayanagi replied.
”Let’s dial it back a notch,” I suggested.
”Yeah,” Sayanagi agreed.
Having finished the first song, they both regained a shred of sanity. It was a wise move. After we had all taken a turn at the mic, we felt a strange sense of fulfillment. We sang with the kids almost every single day, so we weren’t exactly starved for musical expression.
”Sigh… Hey, what do you think the assignments look like for next year?” Sayanagi asked, looking toward the ceiling. “Do you think the homeroom teachers are just moving up with their classes?”
”Probably, right? That’s the standard procedure,” Miku replied.
”Ugh… kill me,” said Sayanagi.
At Miku’s blunt response, Sayanagi slumped back. At Hinomori Kindergarten¹, the homeroom and assistant teachers usually stayed with their youngsters for a full three-year cycle. That meant that starting this fiscal year², both Sayanagi and I would likely be moving up to the mid-level classes as lead homeroom teachers.
”Was being a lead teacher really that traumatizing for you?” I asked.
”I mean… it wasn’t that I hated it,” Sayanagi replied. “It’s just… well, there were definitely times I wanted to just walk out and never look back.”
Sayanagi closed her eyes, lost in the war stories of the previous year. It had been her first time as a lead teacher, and the Chrysanthemum Class she had inherited was a constant battlefield of toddler drama. The mental toll must have been staggering. Between the kids and the constant barrage of parental complaints, the fact that she survived the year was a testament to her grit. (If it had been me, I probably would’ve tapped out and taken a mental health leave by October.)
It was a high-stakes, high-pressure role, but it did have its perks. For starters, there was the lead teacher stipend-an extra 50,000 yen a month. It might sound shallow, but having a tangible, cold-cash reward for your suffering made a world of difference for your morale. Most other three-year preschool programs don’t offer anything close to that, so I counted my blessings every day that I landed a job at Hinomori.
And of course, it wasn’t just about the money. Having your own class meant you developed a fierce bond with those kids. Finishing a full year gave you a sense of accomplishment that was hard to put into words. Last year, the lead teacher of the legendary Rose Class-the strongest group in the school’s history-was none other than me, Nagata Riko!
(Okay, I get it. The Rose Class was only the strongest because Makoto-kun³ was in it. But still, I think I’ve earned the right to be a little proud!)
I had learned things you could only learn in the driver’s seat, and it gave me the confidence to keep doing this job. But that was just my perspective. I had it easy because I had Makoto-kun as my secret weapon. Sayanagi didn’t have that luxury.
”I just want to be an assistant again…” Sayanagi moaned.
I knew exactly what she meant. The assistant stipend was lower, but the drop in soul-crushing responsibility was massive. You still got to bond with the kids, but you weren’t the one in the line of fire. It was, quite frankly, the ‘Goldilocks’ position of the teaching world. Everyone wanted it. I had spent part of last year as an assistant for the older kids, and it was the most fun I had ever had.
”Well, look on the bright side. There’s a class shuffle this year, right?” Miku said. “Don’t you already have an idea of where everyone’s going?”
”Yeah,” I replied. “It’s not final yet, but the unofficial list is out. They’re just doing the final check for any major red flags.”
”That’s right,” Sayanagi said, her eyes suddenly sharpening. “As long as I know I’ve got Makoto-kun in my class, I can handle anything the world throws at me.”
”Wait, Sayanagi… there’s no guarantee Makoto-kun will be in your class,” I countered.
”Excuse me?” Sayanagi asked.
”I’m sorry?” I replied.
”Whoa! Hey, don’t glare at each other!” Miku shouted, stepping between us.
(I couldn’t help it. I had just heard something I couldn’t let slide…)
”Riko! You had him all last year! It’s my turn to catch a break!” Sayanagi cried. “I’m the one who needs the Makoto-kun Miracle right now!”
”Absolutely not!” I argued. “For the sake of Makoto-kun’s development-and the sanity of the parents and the entire school-it’s only logical that he stays with a teacher who already knows how to work with him! That’s me!”
Every day of this spring break, my heart had been racing, wondering where I’ll be assigned. Everything hinges on whether or not I get Makoto-kun. He was the miracle child for classroom chaos. A literal guarantor of peace.
”Don’t you two have any professional pride?” Miku asked, looking disappointed. “Relying on a five-year-old to do your job for you is just pathetic.”
”Miku, you just don’t get it,” Sayanagi groaned.
”Yeah, you’re speaking from a place of total ignorance,” I added.
”Wait, seriously?” Miku asked.
”Pride? I don’t need pride,” I said firmly.
”Exactly,” Sayanagi added. “If I can be guaranteed a smooth-sailing year, I will tie my professional pride to a bunch of helium balloons and watch them float away with a smile!”
Sayanagi was making a lot of sense. The pressure of being a lead teacher was so intense that Makoto-kun wasn’t just a student; he was a divine intervention.
”Fine. New rule,” Sayanagi challenged. “Whoever gets the highest score on the next song gets Makoto-kun in their class next year. You game, Nagata?”
”You’re on,” I replied. “Don’t expect me to hold back just because you’re my senior.”
”Hey! You can’t just decide that!” Miku protested.
”I’ll let you go first, Riko,” Sayanagi said confidently.
”Are you sure? Someone with your performance anxiety might want to go first so you don’t have to see my winning score,” I teased.
”Wait, I-” Sayanagi started.
”Too late! I already picked my song and hit start!” I shouted.
”What?! You snake! You’re way too thirsty for this!” Sayanagi yelled.
”I’m not listening!” I replied.
And so, our relaxed girls’ night transformed into a brutal, high-stakes vocal war.
* * *
”No… way… Miku… won…!?” Sayanagi gasped.
”Miku, what have you done?!” I cried.
”Oops! My bad~!” Miku teased, practically glowing. “Gosh, I wonder what that means? Maybe I’m the one getting Makoto-kun this year? How does it feel, girls? Knowing you’re both headed for a Makoto-less wasteland while I cruise through the year? Tell me, I want to hear all about your feelings!”
”I… I don’t know what you’re talking about!” I stuttered. “Karaoke scores have zero impact on official personnel decisions! And saying that a class without him is a ‘wasteland’ is incredibly unprofessional!”
”Yeah, Miku, that’s actually a huge problem,” Sayanagi added, sounding serious. “You’ve crossed a line. You should probably start preparing your public apology and resignation for that comment.”
”Oh, now you two decide to have professional pride?!” Miku shouted.
—
Summary:
During a spring break karaoke outing, kindergarten teachers Nagata Riko and Sayanagi Ai reflect on the extreme stress of being homeroom leads. Their conversation turns into a fierce rivalry over which class ‘Makoto-kun’—a miraculously well-behaved student—will be assigned to next year. They attempt to settle the matter through a karaoke score battle, only for their colleague Miku to unintentionally win, leading to a comedic breakdown of professional pride.
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Trivia:
- The mention of unofficial class lists being ‘checked for red flags’ suggests that administration is already aware of the potential volatility in teacher assignments.
- Makoto-kun is described as a ‘miracle child’ and ‘guarantor of peace,’ reinforcing his status as a central, albeit unseen, pillar of the story’s school life.
- The high financial stipend for homeroom teachers (50,000 yen) highlights the actual systemic pressure and difficulty of the job at Hinomori Kindergarten
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Character Insight:
The dynamic shifts from mutual commiseration over work stress to a cutthroat rivalry. Riko and Ai’s willingness to ‘throw their pride away’ for an easy year with Makoto-kun shows how much they value personal sanity over professional image. Miku acts as the ‘straight man’ until she accidentally triggers their combined ire by winning the contest they excluded her from.
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Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The story expands on the internal hierarchy and compensation of Hinomori Kindergarten. Teachers stay with the same group of children for a three-year cycle, creating high-stakes transitions during class shuffles. The term ‘Strongest Rose Class’ implies that classes can develop reputations based on specific students.
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TL Notes:
The Japanese pun on ‘Madoka’ (meaning peaceful/smooth) was localized to ‘smooth-sailing year’ to preserve the intent without requiring a literal explanation of the wordplay. Names follow Japanese order as per constraints.
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Glossary:
Notes:
• Ai – Dark‑brown short bob hair, former long‑distance track star turned homeroom teacher of Chrysanthemum Class and Riko’s senior, athletic yet unrefined, drives a car and never drinks. When stressed she slips into regional dialects and a frantic voice pierces drills in the next room. Now a kindergarten teacher, she vents bluntly during off‑duty parent‑teacher conferences, single and frustrated with her job.
• 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.
• 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.
• Madoka – A character or peer mentioned as the person for whom the ‘Rose Rangers’ stay quiet.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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