I visited the countryside alone to meet a relative who had been hard to see. My two nieces greeted me energetically with, "Long time no see, big brother!" "Hina" is a lively and active older sister, and "Hikaru" is a quiet but intelligent younger sister. The two nieces, pushing their small bodies against me, competed for my attention, saying, "I love big brother the most" and "I like him more." "...Big brother... who do you like better... Hina or Hikaru...?" I, who had thought of my nieces as children, was...
