Chapter 59: A Cozy Home (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 59: A Cozy Home (2)
I step into the room that remains in my memories.
Even though it’s been a year since I started living on my own, my things are still here.
No, to be precise, they aren't my things, but the things belonging to the original owner of this body.
They haven't been used in a long time, yet there isn't a speck of dust on them.
Everything is well-organized, but there’s a lived-in feel to the place, as if my younger sister uses the room occasionally.
... ...
I’m definitely glad I brought my own clothes.
I open the closet, only to see clothes I could never bring myself to wear with my sensibilities, and promptly shut it again.
The original owner was a pitiful guy, so I try to take his side whenever possible, but I absolutely cannot get behind his sense of fashion.
I sit on the bed and look around the room, leafing through the body owner's memories.
His father passed away quite a while ago, leaving only his mother and younger sister.
His mother is Jeong Yeon-a, and his younger sister is Jeong So-yul.
Since this is a matriarchal society where men are the ones under the thumb, they naturally carry their mother’s surname.
To me, they’re practically strangers, but to the owner of this body, they were family.
Since I’m living a second life thanks to him, I should at least show them the filial piety he couldn't.
I finish my thoughts and stand up.
Jeong Yeon-a runs an auto repair shop near the house.
Even though only a year has passed, I walk through streets that feel quite different from the memories as I head toward her shop.
"Oh? Are you perhaps the hero Jeong Yeon-woo?"
Yes, that would be me.
As I walk by, people recognize my face and start asking for autographs or photos.
I don't have a specific signature, so I just take photos with them. As I approach the repair shop, a woman with a short haircut smoking a cigarette near the entrance stares at me intently.
Unbothered by the attention, the woman—wearing grease-stained coveralls with her hair slightly covering one eye—smiles at me.
"Yo—look who’s still kicking. You’ve gotten famous."
This person, who feels like a friendly neighborhood bro, is the body owner’s mother, Jeong Yeon-a.
No matter how I look at it, she has the vibe of someone who played hard during her school days.
The memories left by the body owner aren't always perfect.
Memories are inaccurate; they’re often distorted by personal emotions and represent the owner's perspective.
In the body owner's memory, Jeong Yeon-a is an incredibly cool person.
Like one of those cool guys in foreign movies who fixes cars with his shirt off.
Exuding a slightly rugged and cool aura, Jeong Yeon-a casually smokes her cigarette despite seeing her son for the first time in a while, speaking to me as if we had just seen each other yesterday.
"Yeah. You’re doing well too, Mom."
"It’s a huge pain now that my son is famous. Customers don't come, only your fans. Don't your fans drive? Tell them if they want to get on their future mother-in-law's good side, they should bring some expensive cars in for repairs."
Why does the word 'Mom' feel so awkward?
I tried my best to imitate the body owner, but Jeong Yeon-a doesn't seem to notice anything strange. She answers nonchalantly, puts out her cigarette, and tosses it into a square tin can used as a trash bin.
"To think you’d visit even after getting famous. What a good lad."
Jeong Yeon-a puts her arm around my shoulder and ruffles my hair haphazardly.
The scent of a woman mixed with the smell of grease creates a strange sensation.
However, the smell of cigarettes followed immediately after, so it wasn't entirely pleasant.
"O-Owa... Owa... Is it really the hero Jeong Yeon-woo? Is he really the boss's son?"
"I told you he was. Why don't you believe me?"
An employee wearing the same coveralls as Jeong Yeon-a looks at me with sparkling eyes.
"Can I take a picture with you?"
"Yes, that’s fine."
Jeong Yeon-a watches with a satisfied expression as I pose for a photo with the employee.
She might talk tough, but she must be happy to see her son becoming famous.
After parting with the employee, we enter the office, and she places a paper cup filled with soda in front of me.
"Are you staying the night? It’s been a while; So-yul will be happy."
"Uh—I did see her face earlier, but she didn't seem very happy."
"Hahaha, it’s just puberty. Puberty."
She’s only a year younger than me; calling it puberty is a bit of a stretch.
Jeong Yeon-a laughs heartily.
"I got some time off since I’m joining Square Garden. I’ll be here for a few days."
"Ooh—my son in a major clan. My shoulders have been held high lately thanks to you."
Biting down on a paper cup filled with instant mix coffee, Jeong Yeon-a playfully shrugs her shoulders in an exaggerated way.
She probably doesn't mean anything by it, but the way she narrows one eye while joking looks strangely suggestive.
After a brief pause while watching me, Jeong Yeon-a asks cautiously.
"Is that business with your old clan leader settled?"
"Yeah, it’s over."
I'm the one who ended it, after all.
Having only seen the news, Jeong Yeon-a thinks I was just a victim of the clan leader.
Part of it is because the reporters are friendly toward me, and since my face is the most marketable right now, they intentionally write with that nuance because highlighting Park Sung-jun’s villainy sells better.
Some yellow journalism outlets even spread conspiracy theories that Park Sung-jun used me for "casting couch" services, but they were quickly shut down after being struck by Lee Ru-da’s mace.
"I saw on the internet that the guy was a total piece of shit. Glad it worked out. Square Garden is a great place, isn't it? A commoner like me wouldn't know much, though."
"You’re the mother of the hero who’s going to be the most successful in Korea, so you should get to know it."
"Oho~ Your confidence has skyrocketed after not seeing you for a few days! The little kid who used to say he’d always sleep in his daddy’s arms has grown up a lot."
Jeong Yeon-a giggles while tapping my shoulder.
After exchanging a few more words, I stand up, and she asks me what I want for dinner.
"You can't cook."
"I might not be able to cook like young women these days, but I have money. What do you want? I’ll order anything."
"Forget it, I’ll cook. Just make sure you aren't late."
"Huh? You can't cook either."
"I got better while living on my own."
Since this is a world where men often take on the role of full-time househusbands, no one in this house could properly cook.
Most of the time they ordered in or bought side dishes, so memories of a proper home-cooked meal were scarce.
Jeong Yeon-a looks at me skeptically when I say I can cook, but she soon smiles and nods.
"Alright, let’s see if I can finally get a taste of my son’s cooking."
After parting with her, I head to the local mart.
I buy ingredients for tonight’s meal and for side dishes I can leave behind.
Being like this, it feels like I’m adapting well to the gender roles here.
In my previous world, being good at cooking added to a man’s charm, but here, it’s expected of a man.
It really is like an 80s or 90s mindset.
When I return home with my hands full, Jeong So-yul, who was watching TV in the living room, sees me and scurries back into her room.
Hey, kid. Can't you see the bags in my hands? Help me out a bit.
I stare at the firmly closed door for a moment before heading into the kitchen to prep the ingredients.
It’s a good thing I checked the kitchen before I left; otherwise, I would have had to go back out to buy basic seasonings.
As I prepare food in a kitchen that clearly shows it’s never used for cooking, Jeong So-yul secretly watches me from behind.
You seem to have forgotten the fact that your brother is a hero.
She probably thinks she’s being stealthy, but I can feel her presence even without looking.
"So-yul, want to help? I bought eggs, so just crack four of them and whisk... them..."
I was going to ask, but she ran away already.
She’s cute, like an animal wary of a stranger, but isn't it a bit much not to say a single word even though I’ve been home for a while?
It seems like it’ll take some time to get close to the body owner’s family.
After finishing the prep for the main dishes, I use the remaining time to make side dishes for them to keep in the fridge. Then, with a cheap electronic beep, Jeong Yeon-a enters the house.
"Oh—that smells amazing. You really know how to cook?"
Jeong Yeon-a, smelling of the cigarette she must have smoked before coming in, looks at the food behind me in wonder.
"Wow—this looks delicious."
"Don't eat with dirty hands. Go wash up."
"Yes, sir. Feels like I’ve got a husband now."
Jeong Yeon-a laughs and heads into her room.
I turn up the heat on the main dishes I’ve prepared and move the food to the table one by one.
After a quick shower, Jeong Yeon-a returns in comfortable clothes with a towel draped over her shoulders and watches me cook.
... ...
"Aren't those clothes a bit too comfortable?"
"What’s it matter? We’re mother and son."
Jeong Yeon-a is standing there wearing nothing but a pair of panties, showing off her damp hair.
Her hair is short, reaching mid-neck, but the way it’s wet and clinging to her skin is sexy.
Above all, the combination of those plain, unappealing panties and the towel barely covering her breasts has a powerful impact.
Ugh, no. Stay down.
After telling my rising cock to calm down, I pick up the pan and plate the food.
In the meantime, Jeong Yeon-a takes a cold beer out of the fridge, gulps it down, and lets out a satisfied, middle-aged-man-like "Kaaaah."
Standing with her hands on her slim waist, boasting a toned body and protruding breasts while boldly drinking beer—I find myself swallowing hard.
"Oh? What? Have you finally realized the charm of alcohol? Want a sip?"
Misinterpreting my swallowing, Jeong Yeon-a approaches and hands me the beer she was drinking.
I take it naturally, take a sip while admiring her physique, and hand it back. She smirks.
"You drink so politely. Well, they do say that’s the trendy way to drink these days."
Jeong Yeon-a flaunts her bare lower back and the crack of her ass barely covered by a sliver of fabric as she returns to the table.
That’s my mom. That’s my mom. Get down. I said get down.
What the hell is wrong with this body? It’s getting hard and reacting to its own mother.
When I was entering the passcode, it remembered and moved on its own, so why can't it overcome its lust at a time like this?
Once all the prepared dishes are on the table, Jeong So-yul crawls out of her room, seemingly unable to defy her mother’s command.
Still trying her best not to make eye contact with me, Jeong So-yul sits at the far end of the table while I eat with Jeong Yeon-a sitting next to me.
"Wow... I was surprised when I tasted it earlier, but this is seriously unreal... Do they teach cooking in the clan too?"
"I put in some effort."
It’s a skill backed by twenty years of effort, after all.
Jeong Yeon-a keeps commenting on how delicious it is as she eats, and although Jeong So-yul doesn't say anything, her chopsticks don't stop moving.
"So-yul, the food your brother made is good, right?"
"Yeah... it’s good."
Admitting it with difficulty as if she didn't want to, Jeong So-yul nods slightly and brings the bowl of stew to her lips as if she’s going to drink it.
Jeong So-yul hardly spoke, but Jeong Yeon-a and I filled most of the conversation, making for a harmonious meal.
Afterward, Jeong So-yul goes back to her room, and I continue catching up with Jeong Yeon-a over drinks.
The conversation mostly revolved around the past, but since the body owner’s memories remained and Jeong Yeon-a spoke as if reminiscing, there were no hiccups.
Eventually, she gets quite drunk and starts leaning against me. I support her and tuck her into bed.
She had put on a t-shirt during the meal, but since she still wasn't wearing pants, her panties are in full view as she lies on the bed.
After looking at her vulnerable, disheveled state from the alcohol, I turn away, return to my room, place my tablet on the desk, and put on my headset.
"Yo, Sabu—how’s your vacation going?"
Even though we’re scattered for the break, we agreed to contact each other at set times to plan training schedules and hold tactical meetings.
Kwon Ye-jin, who was the first to join the video call, smiles brightly and shoves her face toward the camera as soon as I enter.
"Is that Sabu’s room? It’s less 'boyish' than I thought."
"You’ve been to my place. I don't have those kinds of tastes."
"True, your place felt clean and sleek like a hotel."
While Kwon Ye-jin is nodding, a young-looking girl pokes her head into the frame.
"Is that Jeong Yeon-woo?"
"It’s Mr. Jeong Yeon-woo to you, brat."
While Kwon Ye-jin lightly bonks the girl on the head, other voices can be heard from off-screen.
"Jeong Yeon-woo?"
"Me too, I want to see too!"
Suddenly, the sound of thundering footsteps erupts, and a bunch of kids crowd their faces into the screen.
"Hello, I’m Ye-jin unnie’s sister, Seong-a. Do you have a girlfriend?"
"It’s the hero Jeong Yeon-woo! Take a picture with me!"
"Ah, you’re making my head spin! I have to work, so get out!"
Kwon Ye-jin gets angry at the people pushing her aside and filling the screen.
They all seem to be her siblings; she has a huge family.
Wait, isn't that lady in the right corner your mother?
Her mother, who has eyes just like Kwon Ye-jin’s, didn't say anything, but she looked the most excited of them all.
The screen briefly shows the ceiling and shakes before Kwon Ye-jin appears alone, having presumably gone into her room.
"Sorry, Sabu. Everyone wanted to see you."
"It’s fine. Are you resting well?"
"Yeah, it was nice to have a home-cooked meal after a long time. Oh? Senior is here. Hi, Senior~"
Yoon A-young, the last to arrive, joins the video call while lying on her bed in light clothing.
"I’m nearby, do we really have to meet like this?"
Being in the 'childhood friend' position, Yoon A-young, whose family home is also near mine, speaks with a pout as if she’s unhappy about meeting online.
"No way, no way. Don't leave me out, Senior."
I continue the meeting with the boisterous Kwon Ye-jin and the calm Yoon A-young.
In a week, we have to return to our duties as heroes and face a grueling schedule of climbing the ranks one step at a time.
No matter how much of a break this is, we can't afford to get too lazy.
Time flies as I discuss several tactical plans and set up individual training schedules.
"Got it, Sabu. I don't fully understand it yet, but I’ll try training the way you said."
"Let me know when you go to train. It’ll be better if we coordinate at least once."
"No way, Senior. You’re leaving me out again."
After over an hour of meeting, we say our goodbyes and leave the chat.
My body feels stiff from sitting at the desk for so long.
Since I had dinner and drinks with Jeong Yeon-a, it was already late.
With the meeting on top of that, it was past midnight.
Thinking I should grab some water before bed, I quietly step outside.
"Haah... ahh..."
... ...
Though the sound is muffled, my enhanced hearing picks up a woman’s moans.
I don't even need to guess where it’s coming from.
I look toward Jeong So-yul’s room.
Right, in a world where sexual desires are reversed—or rather, even more intense—Jeong So-yul is at an age where her brain is dominated by lust.
A daily session is probably a given.
Then I turn my head and look toward Jeong Yeon-a’s room.
But why are you doing it too?
Besides, you were drunk until just a moment ago.
Of course, it’s not like the head of the household isn't allowed to masturbate, but it’s awkward to have a mother and daughter each masturbating with only a door between them.
Has everyone forgotten that I’m a hero?
... ... I want to peek, but I’ll get caught if I open the door, right?
I let out a small sigh at this world I just can't get used to and head off to get some water.