Volume 2 Chapter 10 Wonderful Japanese Culture
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The sun begins to set.
Mother usually gets home just before 19:00.
Until then, I’m being looked after by the Totsuka family. This is where the real challenge begins for me.
Technically, it’s nothing special.
It’s just… painful.
Not physically, but mentally.
Not for a two-year-old’s psyche, but for a man in his late twenties.
Honestly, I wonder if this qualifies as some kind of abuse.
Maybe I’m being tested.
If you’re quick on the uptake, you’ve probably realized what I’m talking about by now.
What happens when night falls?
Dinner.
I’m a growing boy, so that’s a must.
They provide a proper meal for me.
It’s not that I’m suffering from hunger.
I haven’t missed a single dinner since my reincarnation. In my previous life, I skipped meals all the time, but this is different.
No, I’m talking about something essential to the Japanese soul.
I don’t dislike it.
In fact, I love it. I’m the type of person who wants to soak every single day.
Even back when I was a Corporate Slave¹, I didn’t just shower on the weekends; I made sure to take a proper soak.
I’m so glad I was reborn in modern Japan, where water is plentiful and the habit is ingrained. Thank you, Megami-sama².
”Su-chan, Ma-kun, bath time!” Mio-san called out.
”Nn!” Su-chan chirped.
”Okay,” I replied.
That’s right. It’s time for the bath.
Did you think that sounded normal?
Well, it is.
It’s a familiar routine for any Japanese person.
But for a two-year-old, it’s also normal not to bathe alone.
It doesn’t matter if the guy inside is pushing thirty. I don’t get a solo session.
Usually, I go in with Mother.
But lately, her work seems to be taking a toll on her.
She’s pushing herself to get home early and ends up exhausted, so I want her to be able to soak and relax by herself.
Because of that, I end up heading in a bit ahead of her.
With Su-chan. And with Mio-san.
First, the clothes come off.
I can already handle buttons by myself. I could even take off my own undershirt, but I let them do it for the sake of skinship³.
”Su-chan, hands up! Banzai⁴!” Mio-san said.
”Zai!” Su-chan cheered.
I have zero shame at this point. I’m stark naked.
It’s the natural thing to do when you’re getting in the tub. I’m a two-year-old, after all.
Then, Mio-san undresses too. …Actually, I should probably call her Mio-san. It feels disrespectful otherwise.
It seems she plans to finish her own bath at the same time today.
Naturally, she doesn’t wrap herself in a towel.
There probably isn’t a single commoner in the country who wears a towel into their own home bath.
Rich people might wear bathrobes, but even then, that’s only for after the soak.
So, naturally, Mio-san is stark naked too.
I am a man, for the sake of the record.
It’s not like I don’t feel anything.
Sure, not long ago I was lost, questioning my own existence, and I did some pretty frantic, questionable things. The follies of youth, let’s call them.
But I’m not lost anymore.
I will make Mother happy.
I will protect Su-chan’s smile.
I will become a man they can both be proud of!
That is my resolve.
…And yet, despite that resolve, here I am in a bath with the “well-endowed” Mio-san.
Ugh, I can’t look away…
From those large, firm breasts, to her slender waist, and the curve of her hips leading down to those thick thighs…
If not for the faint stretch marks, I might never have believed she’d actually given birth.
Unlike Mother, she has no pubic hair. Because of that, the vertical line is clearly visible, and between it, a small bud peeks out now and then…
…
Calm down.
I am a two-year-old.
I’ve seen this plenty of times by now, haven’t I?
My mind is looking with perverted eyes, but my body isn’t reacting.
It’s not… reacting?
Is this okay?
Is it some kind of dysfunction? Or is the body just too immature?
…It’s the latter, right?
It’ll eventually become as magnificent as Mitsuhisa-san’s, right…?
…
Once I’ve regained my composure, we dive into the bath.
We all wash each other’s heads and bodies. Every nook and cranny.
…That was close.
I’m seriously glad I have a two-year-old’s body. If the heart reacts, the body doesn’t.
If I were ten years older, I’d be in deep trouble. …Right?
”Whoa, Su-chan! Don’t cling to me while you’re covered in bubbles!” I yelled.
”It’s slippery! You’re gonna fall!”
…This is genuinely dangerous.
The three of us soak in the tub together.
Since Su-chan and I would drown if we sat down, we either stand or sit on Mio-san’s lap.
Su-chan seems to be having a blast pushing floating balls under the water and watching them bob back up.
I’ve heard that bathing babies at this age is supposed to be a nightmare, but she’s perfectly fine.
”Su-chan, you really love the bath when Ma-kun is here, don’t you?” Mio-san asked with a smile.
”Nn! Su loves Ma-kun the most!” Su-chan replied.
”Is that so~?” Mio-san cooed.
SHE’S TOO DAMN CUTE!!
I dunked my face into the water and screamed internally.
Wait, Su-chan is trying to copy me… I-is she okay?
My worries were for nothing. She pulled her face out just fine, wiped the water away with both hands, and gave me a massive grin.
SHE’S TOO DAMN CUTE!!
”Su-chan, you’ve gotten so good at putting your face in the water!” Mio-san praised her. “You’ll be ready for the pool in no time.”
We eventually got out and dried off.
Which brings us to the present. Mio-san is currently using a hair dryer on Su-chan while combing her hair.
Su-chan has her eyes narrowed, looking completely blissed out.
Now that she’s changed into her pajamas, she’s even more adorable.
Pale pink pajamas. They match Mio-san’s.
And Mio-san looks incredibly s*xy in her pajamas. …Maybe it’s just that “fresh out of the bath” glow.
”There, all done,” Mio-san said.
”Mama, sank you!” Su-chan chirped.
”You’re very welcome.”
What a heartwarming mother and daughter…
As I watched this precious scene, Su-chan suddenly came over and hugged me.
The sweet scent of shampoo wafted through the air.
Japanese bath culture is… the absolute… worst. (In a painful, wonderful way).
—
Summary:
Ma-kun navigates the psychological hurdle of communal bathing with Mio-san and Su-chan. While his adult mind struggles with the visual stimulation of a beautiful woman, he finds comfort in his toddler body’s lack of reaction. The chapter concludes with a heartwarming display of affection between the two children.
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Trivia:
- Ma-kun was a ‘Corporate Slave’ in his previous life.
- Mio-san has faint stretch marks, a realistic detail of motherhood.
- The protagonist purposefully acts like a toddler for ‘skinship’ despite being able to dress himself.
- Mitsuhisa-san is established as a benchmark for male maturity in this world
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Character Insight:
Ma-kun shows significant self-restraint and a shift in motivation, moving from an identity crisis to a firm resolve to protect the happiness of his new family figures.
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Behind the Scenes:
The author uses the ‘bath culture’ trope to highlight the dissonance between the protagonist’s past and present lives.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Mio – A 25-year-old fashionable and kind young mother, she is Akari’s (Makoto’s mother’s) best friend and Ma-kun’s godmother. Known for her playful and teasing personality, she enjoys babysitting Ma-kun and encourages a future marriage between her daughter, Su-chan, and him. She’s skilled in cooking and photography, admired for her beauty—even in casual, unpolished moments—and is married to Mitsuhisa.
• Mitsuhisa – A tall, handsome man with a deep voice who works as the breadwinner for the Totsuka family. He is Su-chan’s father. Su-chan’s father. An IT professional over thirty years old. Described as a doting husband who is hardworking and somewhat reserved toward Akari.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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