Volume 4 Chapter 19 Acorn Mountain Climbing
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Catch you later, Suu-chan.”
”Mm…”
We’ve officially arrived at the trailhead. Our game of ‘Playing Train’ has reached its final station. I offer a parting high-five to Suu-chan, who looks absolutely heartbroken to let go.
In truth, she looks like she’s dying for a hug or a kiss, but she’s practicing her ‘public decorum’—which is to say, she’s holding back. Probably for the best; we don’t need the other kids trying to copy her.
Aside from Suu-chan, I swap high-fives with Shiho-chan, the rest of the old Rose Class crew, and even a few new faces who just got swept up in the moment.
”Hey! Don’t dodge me!”
Jun tries to sneak into the high-five line, but I give him the slip. By the time the last child passes and the feeling in my palm has gone completely numb, the line finally ends.
We take a quick breather to use the restrooms and pull our water bottles out of our knapsacks to stay hydrated. Since the ‘Train Game’ kept Jun on his best behavior, I’ve got way more energy left in the tank than I did last year. Plus, I’ve been doing some growing of my own.
But of course, if I’m growing, that means everyone else is too. Some kids are even doing their own ‘Special Training.’ I can’t afford to slack off.
Break time is over, and it’s finally time to hit the mountain trail. After Ai-sensei drills the safety rules into our heads for the umpteenth time, we pass through the entrance gate.
”Yuma, the most basic rule of hiking is not to rush.”
”Yeah, got it!”
I offer this bit of motherly—err, older-brotherly—advice to Yuma, who loves sports but isn’t exactly ‘stamina-efficient.’ Watching him bounce around like that, I have a gut feeling he’s going to run out of gas before we even reach the halfway point.
As we start our ascent, we offer energetic greetings to the hikers we pass along the way.
”By the way, Kotarou… what are you doing?”
”…Collecting acorns.”
In stark contrast to the boisterous Jun and Yuma, the quiet Kotarou is walking with his eyes glued to the ground. Whenever he spots an acorn peeking out from behind a stone or a fallen leaf, he brushes off the dirt and stuffs it into his trouser pocket.
”I wanna look too!” Yuma immediately joins the fray, fascinated by the little brown nuts.
”Huuuh? I don’t see any!”
Well, naturally. Acorn¹ season is in the autumn. It’s easier to understand if you think of them as cousins to the chestnut—both are part of the beech family. Any acorns you find this late in the year are just leftovers that the local wildlife happened to miss.
For the record, this mountain has a few different types of acorn-bearing trees. There’s the round Kunugi oak, the slender Konara, and the dark-hued Matebashii. And then there’s everyone’s favorite, ‘Old Man Sudajii’—the Castanopsis² oak.
”Aha! Found one!” Yuma lets out a cry of triumph. “It’s got something on it!”
”Whoa, nice. It’s still got the cap on. That’s a rare one.”
”Really?! Sweet!”
The two look like they’re having the time of their lives. Seeing them, a few other kids start stooping over to join the acorn hunt.
What? Am I going to join them? Not a chance. It’s not like I’m a child…
Besides, acorns are notorious for having insect eggs laid inside them. Sometimes the whole nut is basically a bug’s studio apartment. The horror…
”Yuma, Kotarou. If an acorn has a tiny hole in it, leave it where you found it.”
”Why?”
”Because that’s where Mr. Insect lives. If his house suddenly started moving around, he’d be pretty shocked, wouldn’t he?”
”Oh, true!”
”I get it…”
Thankfully, the two of them listen to reason. They start checking their haul one by one, moving the ‘safe’ ones from their right pockets to their left.
”This one’s okay!”
”Mine too.”
Crisis averted. Depending on the season, the eggs might have already hatched, but you can never be too careful with ‘what-ifs.’ With this, the washing machines of the Yoshikura and Morihashi households have been successfully defended.
I continue up the mountain, calling out to my friends to make sure they don’t fall behind while they’re busy staring at their feet.
”Makoto! I found a ton of pill bugs!”
”Oh, wow. Good for you.”
My friends feel the need to report every single discovery to me as we go.
”Did you know pill bugs are actually related to c**kroaches?”
The ‘Knowledgeable Doctor,’ Hironari-kun, decides to flex his intellectual muscles. I have my doubts about the scientific accuracy of that one, though…
”I caught one!”
”Put it back, please.”
Some kids are literally kidnapping the poor bugs, while others just want to show them off.
”Look, look!”
”!? Don’t you dare come any closer!”
Seriously, stop. Boys are such brats… what goes through their heads, trying to drop bugs down each other’s collars?
”Do you hate bugs, Makoto-kun?”
”…Let’s just say I’m not exactly ‘skilled’ at handling them.”
”Mihoshi is bad with them too…”
”Aya hates them too! They’re so gross!”
Tell me about it. In times like these, hanging out with the girls’ group is much easier on my mental health.
But I can’t let my guard down just yet.
”Makoto-kun, I’m tiiiired.”
”Me tooooo.”
I quickly sidestep my friends as they try to lean their weight on me. Physical contact like that is a total ‘No-Go’ for me.
We’re supposed to be keeping our distance from the Rabbit Group, but you never know who’s watching. Case in point: Ryu-hei Teacher from the camera crew is currently aiming his lens at the middle-schoolers.
In less than an hour, we reach the clearing halfway up the mountain where we had our picnic last year. We take a ten-minute bathroom break before setting off again. Our pace is much faster than it was when we were in the Youngsters Class.
Last year, the observatory was the finish line, but this year, we have to hike up, come back down, and return to the kindergarten. Since the distance has effectively doubled, it only makes sense that we’re moving quicker.
Well, it’s less about walking faster and more about the fact that we aren’t stopping to dawdle as much. Last year, we moved as one giant lump. This year, the ‘fast’ group has surged ahead, and we’re stopping at wider points on the trail to wait for the slower kids to catch up.
As for Jun, he’s as restless as ever, sprinting between the front and the back of the line. Whether it’s the result of our secret ‘Special Training’ or not, he doesn’t look even the slightest bit winded.
Hiromasa-kun, on the other hand, is practically radiating a ‘rival consciousness’ toward Jun. Back in the Chrysanthemum Class, he was the undisputed king of PE, but Jun’s arrival has unfortunately put him in the shadows.
Hiromasa-kun is trying his hardest to keep up on the hike, but he’s picked the wrong opponent. If you want to deal with Jun, you have to use your brain, not just your legs.
”Phew…”
When I finally catch up to the lead group, I find Jun standing Jin-oh-dachi³ atop a rock about knee-high.
”You’re slow, Makoto!”
”…Jun, hiking isn’t a race. It’s about enjoying a dialogue with the mountain…”
”What the heck does that even mean?!”
Sigh. Just you wait, Jun. You’ll grow up to be a cynical, clever adult who avoids head-on battles too.
”…Are you okay, Hiromasa-kun?”
”Huff… huff… I’m… totally fine!”
He is completely out of breath from trying to keep pace with Jun. I try to ask him if he’s alright, but he just turns his face away, looking disgruntled.
I’m starting to feel a little sorry for the guy. But telling Jun to ‘go easy’ on him feels wrong too. Jun probably couldn’t do it even if I asked, and besides, that would be a different kind of humiliation for Hiromasa.
”Just… don’t overdo it, okay?”
”Hmph…!”
—
Summary:
The Rabbit Group arrives at the trailhead, where Makoto bids a disciplined farewell to Suu-chan. As the hike begins, Kotarou and Yuma become preoccupied with collecting acorns, prompting a lecture from Makoto on the dangers of hidden insect larvae. The group’s pace is notably faster than the previous year, with the faster children pulling ahead of the pack. Jun’s relentless energy, bolstered by his secret training, creates a visible rift between him and the competitive Hiromasa. Makoto eventually catches up to the lead group, witnessing Jun’s dominance and Hiromasa’s stubborn refusal to admit his exhaustion.
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Trivia:
- Makoto mentions his own growth alongside the others, suggesting that the physical gap between him and a ‘normal’ child might be narrowing or widening in unexpected ways.
- The mention of ‘Special Training’ for other kids hints that Makoto and Jun aren’t the only ones taking their development seriously.
- The camera crew’s presence suggests this trip might be documented for parents, adding pressure to maintain ‘public decorum’
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Character Insight:
Hiromasa’s rivalry with Jun is deepening; he feels threatened by Jun’s natural athleticism which has surpassed his former status as the PE king. Makoto’s dynamic with the girls remains grounded in shared boundaries regarding bugs and personal space.
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Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The transition from Youngsters Class to Rabbit Group involves a significant increase in physical expectations, doubling the previous year’s hiking distance.
—
TL Notes:
The botanical names for acorns (Kunugi, Konara, Matebashii) were preserved to maintain the specific Japanese forest setting. ‘Jin-oh-dachi’ is a culturally specific pose that conveys heroic dominance.
—
Glossary:
Notes:
• 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.
• Shiho-chan – A member of the friend group who arrived early and is close enough to Yuma’s family to stay over.
• 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.
• Jun – Hyperactive, track‑suit‑clad kindergartner from the Imai family, pure‑hearted yet easily tricked, idolizes her mother and clashes playfully with brother Makoto, who shares her class. Trained at Mt. Hiou, she’s physically robust, simple‑minded, ringleader of energetic preschoolers, often leaks secrets, and balances wild energy with Makoto’s calm restraint.
• 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 and never drinks. When stressed she slips into regional dialects, voice frantic over drills. Now a kindergarten teacher, blunt in parent‑teacher talks, single and job‑frustrated. Rabbit Group sensei, “Mom” figure, ensures safety.
• Yuma – Yuma Yoshikura, a frail yet spirited four-year-old from a wealthy land-owning family, is the eldest son and Miyu’s younger brother, known for his idol-like face and quiet charm. Though physically small and stamina-deficient due to past illness, he’s eagerly curious, easily swept up in Jun’s enthusiasm, and leads the ‘train’ line with infectious excitement—especially for acorns and nature. A Rose Class member, he deeply admires Makoto and excels at block-building and paper-folding, balancing his delicate health with a bold, adventurous spirit.
• Kotarou – A slender, quiet boy with a focused gaze, often hunched over delicate origami folds or crouched to gather acorns; he moves with careful precision, keeps to himself but earns quiet respect from classmates for his patience and skill.
• Kotaro – Quiet, slender kindergartner in Rose Class, friend of Makoto and member of his sandbox crew. He shares typical childhood interests— toys and games— helps Makoto with building projects, loves Kamen Rider, and often follows Makoto’s lead and social cues.
• 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.
• Makoto – A 4‑year‑old Rose Class student (93 cm, 13 kg) who is actually a 30‑year‑old salaryman reincarnated in a child’s body. He wears a white shirt, blue vest and cap, and serves as the calm, analytical “Boss” and caregiver—handing out hand cream, mediating fights, protecting Suu‑chan, and earning peers’ respect as a mature, athletic leader despite his father’s gender confusion.
• 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.
• Hiromasa – A competitive boy who views Jun as a rival. He is stubborn and refuses to admit exhaustion. Known as ‘The Commander.’ A rowdy problem child who frequently defies the teacher and bickers with Himeno.
• Jin – Hitomi’s younger son — originally a six‑month‑old who stayed in a stroller — is now a 1‑year‑old boy (81 cm, 11 kg) in the ‘Terrible Twos’ (No‑no phase), and also Yuna’s younger brother.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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