On a Saturday, not long after Itsuki’s release from the confinement room, he joined Kazuko and Sora on a trip to the Hashima family home. After Sora was born, it had become a custom for the two families to have dinner together on Saturday nights.
“Oh, hello there.”
Chihiro greeted the three of them at the door. At twenty-two years old, she was now a senior in college and slated to begin grad school next year. Her hair was long now, her facial features more mature, and there was no sign of the years she spent cross-dressing as a man…except for her breasts.
“Hee-hee! Good to see you, Sora.”
She greeted Sora in Itsuki’s arms. “Chi-sis! Chi-sis!” the boy replied, reaching out and smiling at her. They were technically aunt and nephew, but Chihiro insisted on being referred to as his big sister.
“Here.”
Itsuki gave Sora to Chihiro and headed inside with Kazuko. Then:
“Bro-bro!! Bro-bro’s here!!”
With a shout, Shiori Hashima—Itsuki and Chihiro’s little sister—ran down the hallway.
“Yep! Bro-bro’s here!”
“Whoaaa! Bro-bro!!”
She leaped up from the hall, Itsuki grabbing her out of the air and lifting her up.
“Yahhh! Aieeee!”
Shiori let out guttural screams of joy. She was currently three years and nine months old, and she absolutely loved the big brother who came to visit every few days. Every time he showed up, she always let him spoil her like this. She had gotten pretty big in recent months, and Itsuki had grown too sedentary to put up with a lot of her demands for uppies and horsey rides, but one smile from her made it all seem worth it.
So Shiori took him to the living room, and once they had played enough for her satisfaction:
“Bro-bro!” Her eyes gleaming, Shiori grabbed Itsuki’s sleeve.
“Hmm?”
“Boobies!”
“Boobies again? You sure like it, don’t you, Shi?”
Shiori nodded, seeming a little proud of it. “Yeah! I love boobies!”
“Well, all right…”
Itsuki rolled up the sweater he was wearing, revealing a nipple that he put in front of his little sister’s eyes.
“Nya-hah!” Overjoyed, Shiori latched on to it.
“Aphh…!”
Nursing his little sister gave Itsuki a weird sort of thrill that ran across his body, and he couldn’t help making a small noise.
“Slrrp…slrrp…”
“Ahhh! Fwoooo…!”
After a while of happily ministering to Itsuki’s teat, she removed her mouth, satisfied.
“Phewww!”
“Huff huff… You happy now…?”
Shiori smiled and nodded at the question, asked in a panting, trance-like voice.
“Yeah! Yours is the best, bro-bro! It has a rich and complex flavor, but the lingering succulence gives it a delicate accent!”
“…Where did you learn all those words?” asked Itsuki, grinning.
Shiori Hashima loved boobs. She was weaned off breast milk long ago; apparently she just liked the feeling of her tongue and teeth against a good nipple and areola, and she wanted to nurse on anybody she ran into. Men, women, babies, adults, triple-Ds, single-As—all were fair game. When she was a baby crying her hardest, she’d stop whenever she had something to suckle on, but even after she moved on from breastfeeding, her love for the human bosom not only failed to dissipate; she was starting to develop weird preferences, defined by her own terminology.
“Are boobs really that different from each other, Shi?” Kazuko asked, laughing.
“Oh, totally,” Shiori avowed. “I’ll show you, Kazu-sis!”
“Okay, sure.”
“All right!”
Shiori sat between the seated Kazuko’s legs, crossing her arms as the back of her head went against her sister-in-law’s breasts.
“Boobies, you know… They have life in them,” Shiori declared.
“This is suddenly getting very high concept.” Kazuko smiled, while Itsuki gave it a slightly awkward laugh.
“So, um, bro-bro’s boobies have body, you know?”
“What kind of ‘body’ would a nipple have…?” Itsuki muttered.
Shiori pointed at Chihiro, who was currently entertaining Sora. “Sis-sis’s boobies taste more full and refreshing! It’s smooth, and it feels really good. Mom’s remind me of being a baby. They’re meant more for little kids, so they’re kind of lacking to me. Sora’s are, um…velvety! I can’t really say yet, but I think they have potential! And Dad’s… They’re so bitter!”
Her face scrunched up at this, making Kazuko burst out in laughter.
Keisuke, setting the living-room table, looked a little crestfallen. “Wow, Dad’s are bitter, huh?”
“Yeah. I think I’m too little. I bet grownups would like them better.”
“I wonder what the appropriate age is for your father’s boobs,” Kazuko commented. “What about mine, then?”
“Kazu-sis, yours are really mellow, but so much depth to them, too!”
“Did you hear that, Itsuki?” Kazuko crowed. “My boobs are mellow, but with so much depth to them, apparently!”
“I can’t really comment on that.” Itsuki chuckled. He certainly knew how they felt against his fingers and tongue, but he had never taken note of their taste.
“Also, Nadeko’s are immature and lack depth. They’re average, the kind you see anywhere. And Athley’s are really tasty and ripe! They seem sour at first, but they would appeal to anyone, I think!”
“…Have you been watching cooking shows or something?” Itsuki began to sweat. “And don’t use words like average and ripe around those two, all right?”
“Nadeko” referred to Nadeshiko Kiso, who’d occasionally stop by the Hashima house (even though she didn’t live nearby) and play with Shiori. Athley, meanwhile, was Ashley Yasaka (née Ono), Itsuki’s tax accountant; she had a child at almost the same time Kazuko did, so she and the Hashima house shared in a lot of family stuff.
“Hee-hee! Well, great job, Shi. Are you gonna be a boobie critic when you grow up?” Kazuko asked.
“Don’t give her any weird ideas,” warned Itsuki—but this seemed to pique Shiori’s curiosity.
“Bro-bro, what’s a critic?”
“Well, a critic’s someone who knows more about something than other people, but mainly, they have knowledge and feelings for something that run really deep. They can discover new viewpoints and things to like that regular people and even the author themselves don’t pick up on, and they tell people about them and help expand the work’s potential. They’re really good at research and expression. The world’s crawling with idiots posing as critics, constantly complaining and acting like they said something remotely interesting, but a real critic is rare, especially in the world of light novels!”
Shiori froze for a moment. Then she shouted, “Oh, okay!”
“What, you get it?!” asked a surprised Itsuki.
“Bro-bro, you’re tired!”
Kazuko and Chihiro both guffawed.
“…You’re right. Bro-bro has been kinda tired lately.” Itsuki grinned and patted Shiori’s head.
Shiori happily smiled back. “And also, I see why critics are so great! I’m gonna be a boobie critic!”
“Good luck with that,” Kazuko said, irresponsibly encouraging her.
“Oh? Weren’t you going to become a PreCure, Shi?” Chihiro interjected with a smile.
“Oh, right!” shouted Shiori, eyes wide open. After a few moments of internal debate: “I’m gonna be a boobie critic PreCure!”
“That’s an innovative new turn for the series!” Itsuki exclaimed at his little sister’s announcement. Then he smiled. “But you’re free to try for whatever you want, so…”
And so, through twists and turns, a young girl’s life was irrevocably changed…maybe.