Chapter 9. Bath with Mom (Joo Ji-hoon's POV)
Around 7 PM, I stepped into the bathhouse. I hadn't planned on bathing, but Ravisse had shown up out of nowhere and said:
I heard 7 PM baths were part of my routine. Wasting the prepared water felt criminal.
"Haaah~."
Soaking into the scalding water pulled a groan right out of me. Felt like an old man's body with a kid's voice—ridiculous.
The tub was massive for one person. Full-on bathhouse vibes. No denying this was a rich family's setup.
Figured I'd lounge for thirty minutes, then eyes shut.
That's when it hit.
"Son~ You in there~?"
A voice from outside the bathhouse. Joo Seol-hwa..? What's her deal all of a sudden?
"Yeah, I'm in here~."
"Good, you're there. Mom's coming in too~."
"…?"
Too stunned to respond. The door slid open while I sat there like an idiot.
Head whipped around, and there it was—couldn't unsee it. Joo Seol-hwa's body, upper half wrapped in a towel.
I slammed my eyes shut the second I caught sight of her, but that image was seared into my brain, refusing to fade.
"Wh-what's going on?"
"Came to wash together."
"Huh..?"
Parent-child or not, we were way past the age for shared baths.
"Does it bother you?"
Her voice dripped with hurt—I could hear it plain as day.
"Not bothered, exactly.."
"Then?"
"Just.. caught me off guard."
"I get it, honey. Everything must feel so strange and scary right now. But can't you open up to family, at least?"
That tone—too heartbreaking to shut down cold.
"My heart's always open to you. Come on in."
"Thank you, sweetie."
Splash, splash. She dipped both legs into the tub. I squeezed my eyes tighter, head bowed low.
Felt her settle right up against me.
"Why keep your eyes closed?"
"Dunno.. afraid it'll happen like yesterday.."
"No need to worry about that anymore."
"Huh?"
"Open your eyes, now."
"B-but.."
"Don't you even want to look at Mom?"
There it was again—that desperate, pleading lilt. Impossible to refuse.
"No way, that's not it at all."
"Then open them for me. Please."
"…."
Eyes cracked open cautiously, head turning sideways. There she was in my peripheral—towel clinging but failing to hide that killer figure. Wet hair framing her face, those sad purple eyes hitting me right in the gut.
Three seconds of staring and I'd be rock hard. Eyes darted away.
"Why dodge my gaze?"
"'Cause.. might react."
"Don't worry about it. Look at Mom."
Her hand cupped my cheek, gently turning my face. Those eyes gleamed with a bewitching purple glow.
Eyes only. Don't look down. Eyes only.
Desperate focus kept the erection at bay—barely.
"Hehe.. See? Nothing happened."
"Y-yeah.. guess not."
Mahaprajnaparamita Heart Sutra… I chanted sutras in my head. Only way to hold out.
Way tougher than with my sister. She wasn't quite my type—no major risk unless I pushed it. But this? Perfect strike zone. Long, lithe limbs. Plump tits and ass.
Self-diagnosis: parentless upbringing left me weak for maternal vibes.
"Son. It might be tough now, but you'll get used to it. Someday, even a naked hug won't faze you."
"…."
No shot. That body's unadaptable. And she's family by blood—step or not. If she weren't, I'd have pinned her down already. Type or no, incest draws the line.
"Son. Want to sit on Mom's lap?"
"…Huh? Why all of a sudden?"
Flustered didn't cover it. Eye contact was a battle—now lap-sitting?
"Not sudden at all. You always sat on my thighs for baths."
"…."
Joo Ji-hoon, you insane fuck. Brain's pure jizz. From here on, past-me's just "Joo Ji-hoon." Nickname fits better than his real name.
"Um.. Mother? Mind if I ask one thing?"
"Anything, dear. Speak your mind."
"Curious about the lap thing, but.. why's a 21-year-old guy still bathing with his mom?"
Normal kids go solo by elementary. Middle school shared baths? Rare as hell.
Why was this dude still at it at 21? Real incest freak?
"That was my doing."
"What?! Why??"
"You've been bullied since elementary. Took sister's curse instead—stunted your growth.."
Boys' code is simple: small and weak? Target practice.
"One day, I spotted a cut on your chin. Panicked, stripped you down—your whole body was black and blue."
"Middle school?"
"Yes."
Pubescent middleschoolers or not, he was kid-sized. Reincarnator getting jumped by brats? Pathetic.
"You took all that bullying without a word to family. Didn't want to worry us, I guess.."
He knew it was embarrassing. Diary showed he'd spilled the reincarnation beans young. Family knew his "adult" mind. Admitting middle-school beatdowns? Crushed manly pride.
"I was blind. Let it get that bad. Failed you as a parent."
"Why's that on you? I was the idiot taking hits from snot-nosed kids."
"…!"
Her eyes flew wide. Then a distant smile, gaze misting over.
"Why that look all of a sudden?"
"You're still the same boy."
"…?"
"You said the exact same thing back then. Word for word."
"Ah.."
"Anyway, after that, we made a rule."
"Daily baths together?"
"Right. Check for wounds every day."
Made sense now—pure maternal instinct. Way more believable than A-young's ass-smacking saga.
One nagging question left, though.
"Gets why it started, but you're not going out anymore. All good now, right?"
"True. We did separate after high school for a bit, but I insisted on together again."
"Why?"
"Bathing alone.. felt like my kids were all grown, so empty and lonely.."
She started it and kept it going. Joo Ji-hoon was death-row material, but maybe life sentence instead.
"All cleared up now?"
"Yeah. For starters."
"Then.. come here?"
Gulp. One hug from those arms? Instant erection.
"Might.. react. You sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Alright, then.."
Stood gingerly, shuffled over. Awkward stance, ass thrust back. Hesitated to the last second.
But I chose her lap. Plopped down.
Squish.. Bouncy, firm thighs. Glans buzzed like it'd been zapped.
New recruit style—fists clenched on knees.
"You're so tense. Uncomfortable in Mom's lap?"
"Not that.. just scared of an accident."
"Told you it's fine a dozen times."
"Still.."
"Truth is, I wanted to apologize for yesterday."
"You? Apologize for what?"
"Leaving you like that, fleeing the room. Like I turned away from my hurting child because the wounds creeped me out."
"…."
"You sacrificed everything for me.. If I hadn't been greedy, you wouldn't have lost your memories."
"Not your fault. Curses are unavoidable."
"No, it is. I knew the skill would shave years off my life."
"…."
"Young fool, thought living long as an ugly crone was pointless. But time passed, bonds formed—regrets piled up."
Squeeze. Back hug wrapped around me.
"Could've stopped you for real. Told Ravisse to hold you till my last breath. But I didn't."
Tremors in the hands circling my waist.
"Truth? I wanted to live. With my loved ones. Especially my kids. Didn't birth you, but raised you like my own."
Face buried in my nape. Hot breath prickling skin.
"From now on, my remaining life is yours—the boy who saved me."
Press.. Flesh met flesh. Her body burned hotter than the bathwater.
Squish. Soft tits mashed into my back, and twitch.. No resistance, full mast like a superconductor.
Fucked.