The Beginning of Relations 1
And so they arrived at a meat restaurant in Gangnam that Han Pan particularly liked. It was a well-known spot, so the wait was already considerable.
"Figures..."
Han Pan muttered under his breath, as if he had expected exactly that.
While parking, Miho spoke up.
"It's the place you like, after all... Not like this is the first or second time. Hahaha."
She said it lightly, glancing sideways at her son. The thought of spending more time with him like this from now on filled her with quiet pleasure. She loved her daughters, of course, but the emotional steadiness that came from having a son was something entirely different. And seeing him return as such a solid, handsome man filled her with pride.
Once they finished parking and stepped out of the car, they gave their names and phone numbers to the restaurant manager. As Miho entered the waiting area, several men turned to look at her—their gazes anything but casual. At the same time, an inexplicable sense of pride swelled in Han Pan's chest. It was the kind of satisfaction that came from standing beside a beautiful woman. He found himself wondering whether those men had any idea that the woman next to him was his mother.
"It'll be about twenty or thirty minutes... Would you mind waiting outside for a bit?"
"Ah, sure. That's fine."
They stepped out and sat on the chairs set up under the simple tent outside the building.
"Well, twenty or thirty minutes means Seo-a and So-jo should be here soon too."
With that, they began chatting about this and that—catching up on everything that had happened.
"Han Pan!"
Hearing his name called from a distance, he looked up and saw his second older sister, So-jo, walking toward them. Fresh from a shoot and in full makeup, she looked even more striking than usual today. She had become fairly well-known while doing shopping mall shoots during college; after being scouted, she had joined an entertainment agency and was now training as an actress. He remembered how, like Miho the year before, she had only taken second place in a beauty pageant rather than first—but the grade that judged pure beauty had left her thoroughly satisfied. Her exceptional looks had earned recognition at the pageant and drawn the attention of the entertainment industry. She had been making a name for herself with occasional supporting roles in dramas.
Standing over 170 centimeters, she had the longest, leanest figure among them. Her distinctive small head made one wonder how such a face could fit—large eyes, a high nose, and full lips that seemed almost too perfect in proportion. A few people waiting nearby stared, momentarily dazed by her superior visuals. Han Pan watched them with a wry smile. Today she looked especially captivating.
"Noona."
Han Pan stood and opened his arms toward his little sister as she approached in a loose tee and jeans. So-jo spread her arms as well and came straight into his embrace.
"Han Pan! Congratulations!!"
"Thanks, Noona."
He held his second older sister tightly after so long apart. The feeling was wonderful. They faced each other almost like long-separated lovers. Han Pan sensed something different about So-jo as well—something that felt quite similar to his mother.
After holding him for a moment, So-jo released him and spoke.
"But you've bulked up so much! You're not that skinny little Han Pan from before."
"Hehe... Worked out a bit."
Han Pan flexed his arm, proudly showing off the bicep he made with a squeeze of effort.
Miho chimed in with agreement.
"So-jo, you can see it too, right? Han Pan's changed a lot."
So-jo nodded.
"Yeah, for real... His build's amazing—! Super sexy. Just my type."
"Haha, Noona and her jokes..."
"How have you been, Noona?"
"Me? So-so, hehe."
"I see... We're waiting for a table... Might have to wait a little longer..."
The three of them sat and chatted quietly about their recent lives. A short while later Miho's phone buzzed with the news that their table was ready. Just as they were about to head inside, another voice called Han Pan's name from behind. It was Seo-a. She approached with her characteristic elegant expression. A broad smile spread across Han Pan's face.
The next morning, the moment six o'clock arrived, Han Pan's eyes opened on their own as if by appointment. He looked around, registered that he was in his own room, and let out a breath. Waking alone in his bed felt somehow strange. Still, he rose slowly the way he always did and stepped outside.
Outside, the sun was already climbing, wrapping everything in orange light. He stretched big once and looked out at the pool. It felt a little like being at a resort cut off from the world, and he thought he was beginning to understand why his mother had installed it. The shimmering water looked rather alluring. He turned toward the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and gulped down cold water. As the chill filled him, his senses gradually came alive. He decided he needed to move his body and headed for the home gym he had seen the day before.
He stepped onto the treadmill and began walking slowly. Once heat rose in his body, he increased the speed and started to run. A military cadence almost wanted to leave his mouth on its own. Moving as if on a unit run, he gradually picked up the pace until sweat beaded on his skin. He stripped off his T-shirt, tossed it aside, and ran harder. Every cell in his body woke up; he focused and ran. Vitality surged through him—energy seemed to pour out of nowhere.
After several minutes he slowed, then dropped to a walk. That was when he felt someone's gaze on his back. He turned his head and found Park Miho leaning against the doorframe, smiling as she watched him. She must have come to work out as well—her tight sports bra and short leggings stood out. He hadn't expected her to be up this early and felt a little flustered.
"Oh—Mom..."
Park Miho smiled.
"Good morning! My son's up early..."
"Yeah, good morning. I always wake up around this time..."
She came over beside him as he walked.
"Mom works out before heading to the office too. Having a partner like this is nice... Haha."
Han Pan realized she was waiting for the treadmill he was using. He hit the stop button and stepped back.
"I'm done..."
"Oh? Really?"
Miho climbed on as if she had been waiting and began jogging at an easy pace. Her form looked practiced—this was no one- or two-month hobby. He hadn't noticed it yesterday, but her hip line was anything but ordinary. Han Pan enjoyed watching her run for a moment, then moved to the bench press nearby and began lifting the barbell in slow, controlled reps.
They each focused on their own workout. Twenty or thirty minutes later Han Pan stood, wiping sweat. Miho saw him and spoke.
"Finished?"
"Yeah. You, Mom?"
"Whew—I'm done too."
Miho smiled and walked over to him. Her eyes traced the veins standing out clearly on his arm muscles, his shoulders, his chest, and the sweat sliding between his defined abs. The faint masculine scent that rose from him struck her nose. It had been so long since she had smelled a fresh male scent like this; the female instinct deep inside her stirred to life and stoked her excitement. The thought that her son was truly sexy, that she wanted to be held in his arms, rose in her—but she held it back and stepped closer.
"Mm... But my son really has... such a good body..."
Han Pan laughed.
"I told you... Plenty of guys were jealous. Hahaha."
"You must've been popular with the girls too? Were there any women on base?"
Han Pan looked a little embarrassed.
"Your son was pretty popular with the ladies, yeah. Hahaha."
"Oh, really?"
Han Pan looked at the abs visible between her sports bra and pants.
"Well, Mom's probably pretty popular with guys too, right? Finding a new boyfriend shouldn't be hard..."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Turn around."
"Huh?"
"Turn around for me."
Caught off guard by his words, Miho turned her back to him. Han Pan took in the perfect S-line of her figure. The body he hadn't properly seen when she changed clothes yesterday was even better than he had imagined. That narrow waist and firm ass were pure art.
"Mom's hip line is really something."
Miho glanced back at him over her shoulder.
"Son, touch Mom's hips once."
"Huh?"
"Put your hands on my hips."