Excommunication 1
Her lost hands brushed my narrow waist, swaying side to side. "Aiiiing~ Son~ What's up, what's up~?" An Hyeonmi poked her head out. Sweet breath tickled at such close range. Violet eyes flecked with brown, brimming with mystery. An Hyeonmi's long lashes fluttered ever so slowly. Cute. This wasn't the first time I'd thought my stepmom was cute.
"I'll tell you later. But first… what should we have for lunch?" I changed the subject. My mind was consumed with the duty to save An Hyeonmi and thoughts of the Incubus's Duty curse.
48 hours until a creampie...
[피… 피… 피… 피…]
And the incessant ticking of the Blood Raven Ring, like a patient with syphilis. Any normal person would be neurotic by now.
An Hyeonmi tilted her head with a smile. "Hmm… lunch, huh. Should we order Chinese? Mom's fine with anything."
"Chinese sounds good. But aren't you tired of delivery?"
"Yeah… it is kinda pricey."
"Plus, Mom and I need to use some energy today."
"What energy?" An Hyeonmi blinked her big eyes.
"Mom."
"Yes? What is it, son?"
"I'll make lunch for you today."
"Really? Getting a taste of our Dojin’s cooking? Amazing~!" Her fingers snapped crisply in the air. An Hyeonmi's habit when she was in a good mood.
"I've got some beef that's been aging for three days. How about steak?"
"Steak? Really? I love steak!"
"Should we close the shop for a bit?"
An Hyeonmi hesitated for a moment, then beamed at me. "Yeah, let's do that. It's lunchtime anyway. If my Dojin’s cooking it, I wanna eat it relaxed."
Without a second thought, An Hyeonmi hung a [Lunchtime] sign on the door. I headed upstairs with her.
The flower shop's second floor was a living space. Flowers arrived mostly at dawn, so a rest area was needed. A small kitchen, bed, and a tiny window for watching the sunrise. It was a cozy little haven straight out of a fairy tale.
An Hyeonmi sometimes slept here, and I'd crash occasionally too, inhaling the floral scent.
I pulled thick sirloin from the fridge. Simple marinade with olive oil, salt, and pepper. As a pro boxer in my past life, I'd cooked a lot for diet management. Especially steak for protein—I was a pro at that.
"Oh my, that's quite the stance?" An Hyeonmi watched from a chair, chin propped, admiration in her voice.
I heated the pan scorching hot, added butter, and laid the meat on. Sizzle— The kitchen filled with the cheerful sound of cooking meat. Asparagus and mushrooms too, prepped ahead.
I plated the medium-rare steak—An Hyeonmi's favorite—with a red wine sauce.
"Ta-da~! All done~♥"
Staring at the steak before her, An Hyeonmi couldn't close her mouth. "Wow… You really made this? It looks like restaurant quality."
"Try it first."
She carefully cut a piece and brought it to her lips. Eyes closed in savoring, then she lit up. "…Delicious! So delicious, Dojin!"
"Heh."
Her genuine joy warmed a corner of my heart. I vowed again: I would protect this woman, no matter what.
The only way to save stepmom An Hyeonmi. Once trained as the Cult Leader's cumdump, abandonment meant death. I had to retrain her into my exclusive cumdump to keep her alive.
That's why I'd removed the hidden cameras and recorders. Stealing the Cult Leader's cumdump was dangerous for me too. My fist clenched, nails digging into my palm.
How could he discard such a beautiful, elegant woman like disposable trash? Disgust surged for the Cult Leader.
"I'm so happy. It feels like Dojin's grown up all of a sudden. You used to be such a baby… Now you feel like a man."
"I'm twenty now."
An Hyeonmi's mission was raising me as the new Cult Leader. She wanted me to love flowers, cherish beauty—a gentle leader.
Sorry, An Hyeonmi… but your choice was wrong.
Thinking of her choosing death in three days made my eyes burn. Oops. Tears already streamed down.
…Yeah. Still crying easily proved egennam blood lingered. I shook my head.
I'd planned her retraining for a fortnight. This was the first step. And awakening Incubus Power was a godsend.
"Mom, that was great. Gonna hit the bathroom."
Her radiant smile, polished like an airline attendant's. Beautiful. Heart-stopping. Her sauntering sway to the bathroom. Tight blue jeans straining. Prominent lower back. Plump thighs tapering to slender ankles. Strict with Harina's clothes, but lenient with her own.
Ah… fuck.
First time I saw her, I wanted to fuck her. But a month later, 'mom' and 'cumdump' clashed in my head. I shook it off.
Mom, sorry. I can't let you die.
Uncomfortable, but she had to forget the Cult Leader's cock.
An Hyeonmi returned from the bathroom to the counter. Her long legs and firm ass danced in those jeans.
"Dojin. Like the lilies? They came in yesterday." She stroked the flowers I'd been eyeing and sidled up. Perfume? Flowers? Her faint scent teased my nose.
"Yeah. Pretty. But Mom…"
She stood beaming beside me. Close enough for her breath. Rustle of her blouse. Imagining what hid beneath dried my mouth.
"Yes? What's wrong, my son?"
Before I spoke, her expression stiffened. She'd caught my unusual gaze. Her eyes clouded. She knew me after ten years—couldn't miss my shift.
I cleared my throat with a sharp hup! and met her eyes squarely.
"Mom… I know everything now."
Her face paled. Lips quivered faintly. Pupils shook in those big eyes.
"Wh-what are you saying, Dojin?" Her voice pitched up.
Perfect timing. Shop empty, just us.
"I'm twenty now. Time to enter the Academy."
"R-right. You're at that age for the Academy."
"You've raised me well. To love flowers… cherish beauty, a good man."
"Huh?"
Her darkened face brightened.
"Our Dojin turned out great… You were always kind-hearted. Takes after Mom."
"You're not my real mom."
My cold words flipped the mood.
"I know your mission: raise me as the Cult Leader's successor."
Gasp! An Hyeonmi covered her mouth. Trembling in those big eyes—pitiful.
"H-how… do you know that?"
I had to stab her fragile bird-like heart.
"…Truth is, Mom's upbringing? The Cult Leader hates it."
My icy tone cornered her. She staggered, lashes fluttering in disbelief.
"Wh-what? Dojin. The Leader… hates it?"
"Yes. He hates it."
Despair bloomed on her face. As his saintess, she clutched my arm desperately.
"Dojin. What do you mean he hates it?"
"I was branded egennam and tetoman reject. Kicked from successor spot."
She screamed at my calm words.
"Kyaaak!!!"
She collapsed, soul seemingly gone.
'Kicked from successor' was her death sentence.
I sighed down at her.
"Kicked…? From successor?"
Hands and feet shaking, eyes wandering. I'd expected shock, but this pity gnawed.
"Successor… kicked… successor… kicked? No way."
Mentally crumbling, she gnawed nails, trembling. Pupils quaking.
Did I ruin the Leader's successor? Regret and despair etched her face.
"Calm down, Mom."
I hung a 'closed' sign and dropped the shutter. Sunlit shop darkened to pitch black until fluorescents flickered on, brighter than before.
An Hyeonmi sobbed, legs limp, staring at the floor. Tears darkened it. Flickering light whitened her skin ghostly.
Her lips moved faintly. "It can't be true… You getting kicked… can't be."
She propped on one arm, struggling up. Unfocused eyes sought her phone, staggering. Dialing some hotline, probably.
Wrong numbers repeatedly; hung up, redialed. Bit lower lip bloody—huge shock.
Phone to ear, her voice rose. "Why… not picking up? Why!! Why???"
Panicking, her eyes darted wildly—me? Phone? Flowers?
"Mom. He said a feminine guy like me can't be successor… It's already to the elders. And today, they pulled all the hidden cameras and bugs observing me."
A small gasp escaped. Hand clutched chest.
"Th-then… you're…"
"Kicked out. But the problem is your sin: raising me as egennam…"
I couldn't finish.
Tears poured from her big eyes.
"N-no way… Me? An Hyeonmi… excommunicated from the cult?"
I nodded faintly. Now she sat in a chair, body shuddering grotesquely.