Chapter 86: Side Story - Mother (7)
Chapter 86: Side Story - Mother (7)
My mother said she would look into a way, but that didn't mean there was anything specific I could do about it.
In fact, it was quite the opposite.
Setting aside the fact that I couldn't act recklessly since I didn't know what she was preparing, the uncertainty of whether anything I did would even matter made me hesitate.
Of course, there was a possibility that her prepared method wouldn't work, but it felt awkward for me to prepare something else as if I didn't trust her.
Since I couldn't help her either, all that was left for me was to pass the time.
It was better when she gave me something to do, but when she didn't, I truly had nothing to occupy myself with.
It was only natural, then, that I ended up helping her with the housework.
"I'm heading out~!"
"Yeah, have fun."
"Take care, dear."
After Yu-ri left to hang out with her friend, I stayed behind with Mother and started cleaning the house.
Even though it felt a bit guilt-inducing to start helping with the chores she had been doing alone all this time...
"It’s fine. It was more efficient to do it by myself."
"Oh, really?"
I looked at her, wondering if my attempt to help was actually just getting in her way, but Mother seemed surprised when she read the expression on my face.
"That’s not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
"It’s not that you’re a distraction, Yu-jin. What I meant was..."
Mother wasn't particularly gifted with words. She stopped moving the mop she was holding and quietly rolled her eyes, taking a long moment to choose her next words.
"Since this is my job, I thought it was more efficient for you, Yu-ri, Yu-min, and Yu-dam to focus on your studies... or your work."
"Ah..."
Fortunately, I understood the gist of what she was saying.
To Lee Seon-mi, who no longer danced ballet, housework was her sole purpose—or at least, that was likely how she intended it to sound.
She clearly believed it was right for her children to pour their passion into studies or careers, while she handled the trivial household matters since she had nothing else to do.
The fact that she tacked the word "efficiency" onto the end was likely just a habit of speech.
Hiding my bittersweet expression, I moved the broom to sweep up the dust, clearing a path for her mop.
"And since I don't have anything to do right now, it's also efficient for me to help with the cleaning, right?"
When she saw that I hadn't misinterpreted her words and had grasped her meaning perfectly, Mother’s eyes widened in surprise.
"Yes."
Then, she nodded with a clear, radiant smile that made it impossible to look away.
It was a smile so beautiful it startled even me, her son. Truly, she still possessed the grace of the world-renowned ballerina she once was.
Just as in the sudden flashes of memory I had, she used to perform dances on stage so beautiful that even I, her family, would stare in a daze.
If it hadn't been for her ankle, she would surely still be performing ballet all over the world.
"Well, if it's efficient, I guess I have no choice. I'll work hard."
I had a vague idea of what she was thinking, so I could clearly see what she was worried about.
Mother had always been that way. Noble, haughty, and elegant.
But she was also someone who often caused friction because her social skills couldn't be called good, even as a compliment.
The reason she hadn't done anything related to ballet since her injury forced her to quit was undoubtedly because of that.
The "notoriety" she had gained during her days as a ballerina, the lack of goodwill she had failed to build, and the social life she herself had grown sick of.
Mother had chosen to escape. Thus, the ballerina Lee Seon-mi became the housewife Lee Seon-mi, and after Father passed away, she remained simply as the mother, Lee Seon-mi.
"You don't have to worry so much. I won't get hurt or misunderstand for no reason."
"...But still."
Oops, I was the one being insensitive this time. She was clearly thinking of my eldest sister.
The time when Mother had raised her voice and shed tears for the first time.
The moment Kang Yu-dam, the promising ballerina, became Kang Yu-dam, the businesswoman. I tentatively checked Mother's reaction, and she took a moment to compose herself under my gaze.
It was something I felt a lingering sense of guilt about. After all, I was the one who had encouraged my eldest sister to quit ballet.
I didn't regret it, but I often wondered if there might have been a better way.
I tried to push those thoughts aside as I cleaned alongside the now-silent Mother. After she made a similar effort, we were finally able to have a normal conversation again.
"Is there anything you want for lunch?"
"Uh... I haven't really thought about it. A hamburger?"
"That's not good for your health. I'll make you a sandwich instead."
"Won't that be tiring for you?"
Mother shook her head with a faint trace of pride on her face.
"It's fine. It was much harder than this back when I was working."
I wondered if that really made it "fine," but I figured she wouldn't be careless about such things, so I let it go.
"It's still a bit early for lunch, so what should we do until then?"
"It'll be just right after we clean the bathroom. Let's go."
Mom really does have a plan for everything, I thought as I followed her into the bathroom.
This was also why I wasn't looking for other ways to avoid the military or preparing anything else.
With a mother as thorough as her taking the lead, I felt there was no reason for me to do anything.
I had that kind of trust in her.
So, I quietly helped her clean.
In terms of difficulty, cleaning the bathroom wasn't much different.
It just involved using a bit of water.
The problem came from an entirely different direction.
"Should I scrub the shower booth?"
"Please do. I'll scrub the bathtub."
We divided the roles, picked up sponges, and began the repetitive process of spraying citric acid water and scrubbing.
Since she cleaned regularly, it didn't require a massive amount of effort to get it spotless. The fact that the cleaning wasn't that difficult showed me just how hard she worked on a daily basis.
Still, I couldn't afford to be lazy, so I helped as best as I could.
Perhaps because the door was closed, the bathroom quickly filled with steam from the hot water, and the humidity rose.
Even though I wasn't lacking in physical fitness, my breathing naturally grew heavy.
The thick mist clung to my skin until I could feel it turning into droplets of water.
And that was where the problem started.
By the time my clothes were damp and the fabric began to turn slightly translucent, a certain worry finally crossed my mind.
The sight that had enchanted me not long ago. Mother's naked body.
A situation not much different from that was waiting for me.
"Mother, I'm done with the shower booth—"
I stopped mid-sentence. I was staring at her with wide eyes.
Perhaps she had dressed with the expectation of getting wet, but she was wearing very thin clothing.
It was a sort of one-piece dress that looked like an oversized T-shirt.
A white garment that was both functional and breathable.
At the same time, it was a garment that became vividly revealing when wet.
Because of that, I reflexively swallowed hard.
As my eyes traced the fabric clinging to the curves of her slender waist, I saw her cleavage.
The deep, plunging line was clearly visible, and even that cleavage possessed a magical quality that made it impossible to look away.
But that wasn't all. The black fabric covering her breasts caught my eye.
Something that shouldn't have been visible was revealing its shape in sharp contours and lines through her soaked clothes.
And it didn't stop there. The black fabric made her skin stand out even more, and I could even see the shape of her navel where the fabric clung to her lower abdomen.
I froze, forgetting what I was about to say or do.
As I stood there dazed, looking at the matching black lingerie beneath the pure white dress and her strikingly pale skin, Mother looked at me.
"Yu-jin?"
"Ah, yes."
"Are you okay?"
Was I okay? There was no way I was okay. I hurriedly looked away to avoid her gaze and took a deep breath.
"Yes, I'm fine. It's just a bit sweltering in here..."
It was a plausible excuse, but an excuse nonetheless. The price for lying, even while knowing she couldn't possibly be unaware, was devastating.
"Liar."
Mother's cool voice struck my ears, and I reflexively gasped, my eyes snapping wide.
"Look at me. Are you hiding something?"
There was a strange tone in her voice. I couldn't tell exactly what it was, but unable to disobey her, I turned my head to look at her.
Because she had moved closer, her cleavage and skin were even more prominent, and I felt a distinct change coming over my body.
I was becoming aroused. Part of that excitement sent blood rushing to my lower body, and that heat immediately caused my member to swell.
I'm screwed. I hoped she wouldn't notice, but...
"...Ah."
Mother's gaze was already fixed on my crotch.
The bulge in my pants. A clear sign of arousal that anyone could recognize. I gritted my teeth in agonizing shame, and Mother, after studying my expression, closed her eyes and then opened them again.
"Yu-jin."
"...Yes."
"It's okay."
"What?"
"It's hot, so it can happen. And because of that... if the cleaning is delayed, the efficiency drops."
I remained standing there, still lost for words, as Mother looked up at me from close range.
That gaze, that expression. Though different from usual, she spoke with an air of trying to act as if everything were normal.
"Let's continue. We have to scrub the floor."
I barely managed to nod at those words and began scrubbing the floor and the bathroom walls with her.
As expected of Mother. I didn't know if she simply couldn't imagine that I had become like that from looking at her, or if she was just trying to ignore it.
Either way, it was a huge relief. I let out a sigh of relief and tried to make the bulge in my pants subside.
"...This is getting in the way."
Whether she knew of my struggle or not, Mother reached for her clothes without hesitation.
"M-Mother?"
Logically, I understood, but I was momentarily panicked by this unwanted development.
I watched as the soaked dress that had been dragging below her legs pooled onto the floor.
What appeared vividly before my eyes was her semi-nude form, which made one forget her age.
She was wearing the same ornate black lingerie that overlapped with my memory of seeing her naked—the memory I had been trying so hard to forget.
The massive, maternal breasts above and below her slender waist, and the wide hips that proved she had given birth to four children.
The thick thighs beneath them and her long, beautiful legs.
Down to her toes, where her big toenails shone black with the pedicure Yu-ri had given her.
In that moment, as I reflexively swallowed, something exploded inside my pants.
That familiar yet foreign explosion.
I couldn't help but frown and let out a ragged breath.
Even in that situation, there was nothing I could do.
I could only pray that Mother wouldn't notice.
I tried to endure the uncomfortable dampness as I continued cleaning.
What made it even more maddening was that my member remained just as enlarged as before. I struggled to hide it, desperately turning my body away.
*
[Kang Yu-jin]
[Age: 20]
[Gender: Male]
...
......
[Number of erections caused by Mother: 62]
[Number of ejaculations caused by Mother: 17]
The window reflected in Lee Seon-mi's eyes flickered and changed.
[Number of ejaculations caused by Mother: 18]
Contrary to Kang Yu-jin's hopes, Lee Seon-mi had noticed exactly what her son was trying to hide, and the corners of her mouth trembled ever so slightly.