It was a quiet Sunday afternoon, and Kazuki was sprawled on the couch, flipping through a manga. Aoi was sitting cross-legged on the floor, her face buried in a notebook as she scribbled away at her homework. Kazuki had been trying to focus on his manga, but every now and then, his gaze would drift toward his little sister. She seemed unusually pensive, almost as though there was something on her mind.
"Aoi," Kazuki finally called out, snapping the silence. "You okay?"
Aoi looked up, her face flushed slightly, and quickly went back to her notebook. "I-I'm fine!" she stammered, but Kazuki could see her usual confident demeanor was missing. He raised an eyebrow, sitting up and putting the manga aside.
"You sure? You've been awfully quiet today." Kazuki leaned forward, concerned. "Something bothering you?"
Aoi hesitated for a moment before speaking in a soft, almost embarrassed voice. "It's… um, about… well, my chest size," she muttered, avoiding his gaze and staring down at the notebook again, scribbling with a little too much force.
Kazuki blinked in confusion. "Huh? Your chest size?"
Aoi winced, clearly mortified that she had brought it up. "It's just that... all the girls in my class are, you know, bigger than me," she mumbled, looking down at herself, her cheeks bright red. "I... I feel like I'm the smallest one there. They all talk about stuff, and I don't really know what to say. So, I've been thinking… maybe something's wrong with me?"
Kazuki stared at her, utterly confused. "Wait, you're worried about… that?"
Aoi nodded shyly, avoiding his eyes. Kazuki rubbed his temples, trying to figure out what to say. He hadn't exactly expected his little sister to bring up something like this, and the idea of talking about such a topic made him uncomfortable.
"Ugh, Aoi, you're just... growing at your own pace, okay?" Kazuki said, trying his best to sound reassuring. "Everyone develops differently. Some people take longer, some people don't, but you're fine. You don't need to compare yourself to others."
Aoi wasn't convinced. "But what if I never catch up? I don't want to be the smallest forever…"
Kazuki, sensing that he was walking into a delicate situation, scratched his head awkwardly. "Look, Aoi, it's not something to worry about. You're still in middle school, for crying out loud! You'll be fine. Everyone matures differently."
Aoi, still looking unconvinced, sighed. "I guess…"
Kazuki paused, glancing around the room for anything that might help him out of this awkward situation. Then, his eyes fell on his phone on the coffee table. "Hey, look! Let's take a break from all this," he suggested, trying to change the topic. "How about we watch some anime? Something that'll distract you from thinking about… well, this."
Aoi seemed to brighten up at the idea. "Ooh! You know, that new anime with the catgirl is out! I heard it's hilarious!"
Kazuki grinned, relieved that she had shifted gears. "Alright, let's do that. No more worrying about your chest size for now."
They both grabbed some snacks, settled onto the couch, and started the anime. But just as Kazuki was about to relax, Aoi nudged him in the side, her face still a little red.
"Hey, Kazuki," she said, her voice a little sheepish, "You really think I'll be okay, right? That I'll... you know, grow up fine?"
Kazuki chuckled, turning to look at his little sister. "Of course, Aoi. You're just fine as you are. You don't need to rush anything. Trust me."
Aoi sighed contentedly, then threw herself back on the couch, her legs kicking up in excitement as the anime started. Kazuki couldn't help but laugh at how quickly the mood had shifted from serious to lighthearted.
As they watched the show, Aoi seemed to forget about her earlier worries and was soon laughing at the antics of the characters on screen. Kazuki felt a sense of relief. He'd handled the situation the best he could, even if it was a bit awkward. But knowing Aoi was back to her usual self made it all worth it.
"See?" Kazuki said, poking her in the ribs as the show played. "I told you, there's nothing to worry about. You've got plenty of time to grow into your own."
Aoi stuck her tongue out playfully. "I still think I should catch up with the others faster," she teased, but the smile on her face said it all: she was feeling much better now.
Kazuki just shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. "You're impossible, you know that?"
"I know!" Aoi grinned widely, now fully immersed in the show. "But I can always count on you for good advice, Onii-chan."
Kazuki sighed, but deep down, he was relieved. Aoi might be worrying about some odd things now and then, but she was his little sister. And no matter what, he'd always be there to help her through it. Even if it meant talking about embarrassing topics and offering clumsy advice.
And with that, the rest of the afternoon passed in peace, filled with laughter and the occasional remark about the characters' ridiculous antics. For now, Aoi was no longer worried about her chest size, and Kazuki was glad to have helped her see that she was perfectly fine just the way she was.