Changing the Beginning 3: Have You Ever Felt That Thrill?
Have you ever felt that thrill? I don't think I had, not even after turning thirty. Who would've thought I'd get it from some smut story? Fuck.
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Stepmom An Hyeonmi. Mid-forties, but she looks late twenties. For real. Not a single wrinkle around her eyes when she smiles, smooth skin, and she loves showing off her long legs with her fashion choices. She adores compliments like "You look so young," and hates it when anyone says she looks "dull." She makes killer doenjang jjigae and loves steak. She's 175cm tall but lies and says 169cm when she's out. Boasting H-cup tits that perfectly fit the words "perky and stacked"—an absolute stunner. Her beaming smile has the neighborhood elders asking, "Why hasn't a beauty like you gotten married yet?" She grins ear to ear but quickly covers her mouth with both palms while laughing. Jeans suit her perfectly, and when working, she ties her hair back to expose her forehead or does a neat bun for a tidy look. Her forehead isn't too narrow or wide, with a pretty shadowed profile. Especially those big eyes and intellectual beauty—they draw everyone's gaze. She's the epitome of refinement and grace.
"Rina, isn't that skirt too short? Your thighs are showing—go change."
An Hyeonmi made the comment about Harina's outfit before heading to work.
"Mom, this is the trend right now. It's so hot out."
"You want guys hitting on you all day? That's why that middle-aged creep stalks you."
"Mom! Am I a kid? Hey, Hadojin! How's my outfit? Looks good, right?"
Harina suddenly roped me in for backup. Permission granted to give her a thorough once-over. Slim waist, firm and plump ass... short skirt flashing thigh, long sleek legs... Gulp.
"Yeah, it's fine. Not sure about the flirting, but you'll get plenty of business cards."
I pulled off a Solomon-level dodge with that neutral response.
An Hyeonmi still wasn't thrilled with Rina's clothes.
"Rina, listen to Mom, okay?"
Lips pursed, she pointed to Harina's room with her index finger. One hand on her hip—a commanding pose.
"Ugh... not like we're Confucian or anything."
Harina grumbled as she shuffled to her room. Her heels clicked out her displeasure on the way, but she's a good girl who obeys Mom like clockwork. A bit later, she emerged in shorts and sandals, lips pouted.
"See? Isn't this cute?"
"Dressed like that, guys won't know if you're a boy or girl—no tits and all. Ow...!"
I pinched my thigh hard to stifle the laugh bubbling up my throat. A month ago, Harina had envied my gynecomastia chest. Sadly, she didn't inherit An Hyeonmi's curves. But her slim waist and apple hips outdid Mom's.
"Confucian, Confucian..."
Harina kept muttering as she headed out first. I followed Stepmom to the flower shop for work. It was a ten-minute drive in her car. She loves flowers so much she volunteered for the part-time gig herself. Me, Hadojin!!
"Only Dojin takes care of Mom. Thanks for playing the daughter role, Dojin."
Daughter role? Don't thank me for that shit!
"......"
"It's getting so hot lately—worries me."
I knew what An Hyeonmi meant, sorting flowers on the shelf and muttering to herself. She had a fairy phobia.
"That's good for the flowers, though. Border guards are on it, and we're coordinating with other kingdoms—no need to worry about fairies."
"Right? Fairies scare me more than demons."
"They'd have to cross the Takla Desert and the Death Forest to get here. And if they somehow did..."
"I'll protect you for sure."
My sincere vow. An Hyeonmi beamed at me.
"Yeah. Thanks, son."
Fairies were monsters from the southern continent, evolved with their own culture. As smart as humans, wielding magic. Like the Gray Walkers beyond the Wall from Game of Thrones Season 6, but a warming-climate version. Called fairies, but not fantasy pixies—these were plant-based beasts born from fruit. The novel vaguely set their origins to a corrupted world tree discarded by elves. Weird high temps were spiking public fear of them right now. In fact, five years later, fairies would kick off the "Ten Years' War"—a continental conflict. An Hyeonmi's worry would come true, pitting fairies against the human & inhuman alliance. And ten years on, the Republic of Korea Holy Church would fall completely.
No smug "I knew it" powers here, though. In the novel, Hadojin gets swept into the war and grows stronger...
"Wait... when's the ability awakening again?"
I reviewed the novel's key timeline in my head.
"First awakening right after entering the Academy, second in the Death Forest, right?"
Hadojin currently had zero awakenings. The cult leader's heirs were born with insane power from forbidden arts, magic, inhuman hybrids, human experiments—total unethical overkill. The seven sons of the leader were made that way. So strong at birth, their powers got sealed immediately. Hadojin too. Raised in normal homes, they got human education. Me living as An Hyeonmi's son fit that. Truth is, my real mom is a high-rank succubus queen. Emotional reunion, fuck her, then kill her... all revealed in the family-taboo chapter.
"Phew..."
I already knew every detail of this trash novel. Hadojin's first awakening: Incubus Power, post-Academy entry. The rest unsealed dramatically in crises.
"What a hassle."
Any way to speed it up? Mornings, exercising, I could feel mana in my punches already. But I'm not the old Hadojin.
"Fuck it. Let's try."
"Dojin, can you bring up some seedlings from the storeroom?"
"Sure~♥"
Damn, that sweet voice slipped out again. Working at the flower shop made my stomach flip at first, but a month in, I was used to it. Tidying the storeroom, I confirmed all the hidden cams and mics were gone.
"Cult cleanup's thorough, as expected."
Grabbed the seedlings and came up—Stepmom was greeting a customer with a bright smile. Her customer service was impressive. Measured speech, a bit slow but hitting the point, wise and beautiful.
After the customer left, "Dojin, Mom's gotta sort the storeroom all afternoon—mind the counter?"
Her calling me "Mom" piled guilt on my already fuzzy conscience. She'd treated me like a real son, showing me family.
What I had to do to save her...
"Sigh..."
A month wasn't long, but for an orphan like me, she was like a sun-warmed blanket in midsummer yard. With a mom like An Hyeonmi, what kind of man would I have become? She filled my head with perfect-mom fantasies.
"Dojin, why no answer? Got it?"
"Sure~♥"
Shit. Again! I clenched my fist. Thought I'd fixed the egirl vibes, but panic brings 'em out.
The shop's open layout showed off the flowers starkly. Big glass walls meant frequent eye contact with passersby.
"It really is warming up."
More short sleeves, shorts. Harina in her ass-cheek skirt proved it—people shedding winter layers for lazy summer sun. Skimpier outfits everywhere. Like the nipple-see-through top on the woman knocking now.
"Oh, come on in~♥"
Fuck, sweet voice again. I'd stab my thigh with a dagger if I had one. She smirked at me, then, "How much for one rose?"
I choked back the sweet tone rising in my throat. "Ahem, a thousand won!"
She glanced up, surprised by the sudden shift. Long straight hair, pretty cute. Outfit too slutty, gave off easy vibes.
"Make me a 30,000-won rose bouquet, please."
"Yep!"
Familiar hands picked fresh roses, lined 'em up. I'd watched An Hyeonmi over my shoulder—bouquets were easy. Added fragrant cedar branches for a rose-garden vibe.
"Wow, you made it so pretty."
Praise and paying, she turned to leave—then a big lug burst in, yelling at her.
"What? Babe, you're buying here?"
The intruder grinned cheerfully.
"Buying here means free—hey, Hadojin? Cancel the card. She's my girlfriend."
I stared at the beefy guy, racking my brain for who he was.
"What the fuck, asshole?"
Bought it already and demands cancel? Shameless prick.
"Who're you??"
"What? This gay fuck doesn't recognize hyungnim? Last beating not enough?"
He raised a fist threateningly—ridiculous. Beyond mana, a mid-tier pro boxer like me is superhuman. Egenam or not...
"Oppa~ let's just go. Why fuss over 30k??"
She begged him, bouquet in arms. I finished sharpening the cedar branch like a knife, slammed it down.
"You don't know boxing? Oh, right—no boxing in this world. I wouldn't bet on beating you."
"No, fuck—this bastard threatening me? Wanna die today?"
Sin Jaeyul stripped off his shirt. I grabbed the branch, vaulted the counter. Swung at him—thwack!!
A strangled "Huh???" from Sin Jaeyul.
I'd stabbed the branch into his girlfriend's heart. Boxing jab speed applied.