Silken Temptations
"Does this look right?"
The fabric felt incredibly soft against my skin. Whether it was silk or not, it rustled gently and tickled my flesh. It resembled a plain robe at first glance, but the subtle patterns woven into it complemented the elegant simplicity beautifully.
She must wear clothes like this all the time.
Up close, the bread lady's hanbok looked nothing like the ones my sister Cheong or Mother used to wear. The way it caught the light with a faint sheen kept drawing my eyes.
I kind of want to take this home and wear it again.
The thought of stealing it crossed my mind, but I decided against it. Giving her that kind of leverage over our household would be far too dangerous.
"Oh my, it suits you perfectly."
"The size fits so well. Is this just a coincidence?"
I had no idea how she managed it, but the sleeves, legs, and waist all hugged me as if the garment had been made for me.
"A happy accident, I'm sure. Come closer, Sihyun."
"Here?"
"No, even closer."
I slid over until our hips were nearly touching. Through the thin silk I could feel the warmth of her soft skin and catch the faint, dizzying scent of her perfume. I forced myself to breathe slowly and calm my racing heart.
Sitting like this makes me feel like I'm working as a prostitute.
I'd actually done that before, but the feeling was completely different now that the world and circumstances had changed.
"It feels strange, sitting like this. When you were little you used to follow me around calling me 'auntie.'"
"So you really did know me back then."
I had no memory of it, but apparently the bread lady had met me long ago. I wondered when exactly that had been. She couldn't have felt lust toward a child, so when had the teasing started?
"Now you're all grown up and only call me 'ma'am' or 'madam.' I hate hearing those words."
"You didn't like it?"
"Mm. I'm still in my thirties, so 'madam' feels a bit much."
By Joseon standards, that's already quite old.
Because we lived in the Joseon era, my sister and I were already considered adults. Mother, Shim Bongsa, had only just turned forty, and the bread lady was a little younger than her.
From this era's perspective, she was practically an old woman whose marriage prospects had long since expired. That didn't mean she was unattractive, though. Her skin was plump and fair, probably thanks to expensive care, and her full breasts and figure were more than enough to stir desire.
"Then… should I call you Auntie again?"
"Calling me 'big sister' would be asking too much, but 'auntie' sounds nice."
"Auntie Bread. Is that all right?"
She smiled, her red lips curving upward in satisfaction. If I kept playing along like this, she might even give me a bonus.
"Sihyun, haven't you reached marriageable age yet?"
Thump.
As expected, Auntie's hand began to wander over my shoulder. Before I could refuse, she pulled me closer, pressing her body against mine. I felt the heavy weight of her breasts against my arm and quickly lowered my head, placing both hands over my lap.
If she noticed I was hard, she might just take me right here.
Being honest about lust was one thing, but getting involved with this woman felt like it would only end badly.
"Our family is poor, so I thought I'd marry a little later."
"No, no, Sihyun. A cute boy like you should marry early. That's when you're most valuable."
"Still, it feels too soon."
Her hand was no longer just resting on my shoulder; she had started kneading it. Whether intentional or not, a faint, pleasant sensation kept spreading through me, and I could feel my face growing hot.
"Then, would you tell me your ideal type? Auntie can help you find someone."
"My ideal type is… a rich, kind woman."
"Rich?"
Because we were poor, I hoped my sister and mother would be happy if I married into money. Still, marrying out would mean less time with my family, so I kept that part to myself. Besides, my sister didn't seem eager to send me off to another woman anyway.
"Hmm! A rich and kind woman, you said. You might be able to find someone like that very close by."
"Is that so? By the way, Auntie… your breath has been on my neck for a while now."
The heavy warmth of her breath sliding down my collar made my skin crawl. If it had just been air it would have been fine, but this deliberate, teasing breeze tickling my chest raised goosebumps.
She seemed to take my hint and adjusted her breathing.
"Then, Sihyun, may I make one more suggestion?"
Her hand slid down to stroke my thigh.
"I haven't been able to meet any men lately. If you could comfort me like this once in a while, I'll add a bonus to your daily wage."
That's not comfort. That's sexual harassment.
"A bonus?"
"Yes. If you're worried your family might get suspicious, I can give you meat or rice instead of money."
I thought it over seriously. All I had to do was keep her company and maybe give a little, and she'd take care of everything. No matter how I looked at it, agreeing seemed like the most profitable choice.
I'm going to get teased anyway. Might as well get something out of it.
"I just have to 'comfort' you, right?"
"That's all. If you say no, I'll stop. Ahem!"
She couldn't hide her excitement at all.
I stayed still as her hand pulled me closer by the shoulder. Her other hand kneaded my thigh, then traced my collarbone before drifting toward my chest.
"Just stay still, dear."
—Smack♡
Soft lips pressed against mine, followed by the insistent push of her tongue trying to claim me.
[Acting] trait activated.
I pretended this was my first time so she wouldn't grow suspicious. If she realized I had experience with women, this arrangement might fall apart.
I almost laughed at how eagerly she tried to lead with her tongue. After enduring the lust-filled kiss and tangling our tongues together—
Tap.
I turned my head when I saw the thread spool fall to the floor.
"I'm sorry. This is my first time, so I don't really know how to move."
"It's all right. You can learn little by little."
After she finished groping me, I was finally released.
I hung the white robe in the room and changed back into my original clothes. The difference felt extreme. These were heavier, rougher. Still, I adapted to the change quickly enough.
"Thank you. This is today's pay, and some meat for you to take home."
"Thank you… Is it really all right to give me this much?"
Auntie Bread patted my head affectionately.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure you eat like this for the rest of your life."
"Thank you… very much."
Her gentle smile looked completely different from earlier—almost beautiful. The pleasant sensation of her large hand stroking my hair made me close my eyes and savor it.
Feels nice.
***
The next morning, when I handed the gift to my sister, she reacted with shock. As expected, she immediately demanded to know where I'd gotten it, so I had to come up with an excuse.
If I told the truth, she would definitely get angry.
I tried to think of the most natural lie possible while dodging her questions.
"Yesterday… Auntie Bread gave it to me as a present."
"A present? Why would that woman give you anything? What did you do for her?"
Now that I'd said it, I realized I hadn't prepared a reason.
"She just said I was cute and gave it to me…"
"Ha— Let's return it right now. She might get upset if we just use it like this."
Convincing my worried sister was difficult. I held her hand, hugged her, and kept insisting it was fine and that there really was no reason behind the gift. Eventually she relented.
We decided to eat the ingredients since they would spoil, and hid the money just in case she asked for it back.
I guess this worked out.
Since the result was good, I decided to let it go.
After a cheerful breakfast, we headed out to the market hand in hand. The warmth of her palm felt comforting, so I squeezed it tightly to keep drawing in that heat.
When we arrived at the market, I couldn't help but marvel at the lively scene. Countless goods were spread out, and merchants from foreign lands had set up stalls as well.
"Sihyun, hold your sister's hand tight. If we get separated here, it could be dangerous."
"Okay…"
I knew that if we lost each other, the crowd would sweep me away and make it hard to meet again.
"Did you hear? The sea has been acting strange lately. They're looking for offerings."
"Offerings? You mean offerings for the Dragon King?"
"That's right. They say they're looking for young women or men. They even offer three hundred seok of rice as payment."
My sister must have heard the voices too, because she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, and her eyes held a strange, expectant light.
"Should I do it? Then you and Mother could—"
"Shut up."
The cold tone in Cheong's voice was something I'd never heard before. Startled, I looked up at her. Her eyes had lost their light, and she was gripping my hand so tightly it hurt. Then she pulled me into a fierce embrace and whispered into my ear.
"Don't even think about it. If you're gone, I'll die too."
"I'm sorry, Sister…"
Overwhelmed with guilt, I couldn't say another word. We finished our shopping in silence and returned home.
***
Late at night, while everyone else was asleep, I slipped out and headed to a certain place.
"You're here. Let's talk in the bedroom tonight."
"Huh? All right…"
I felt Auntie's hand kneading my shoulder. A pinkish mist seemed to fill the room, making me feel languid and strangely pleasant.
"I changed the incense. You seem to like it. Let's get you changed first."
She handed me an even shorter silk robe than yesterday's and quietly watched me pick it up.
This is an image of Sihyun wearing the white silk robe. I drew it focusing more on a woman's appeal than a man's because it looks more arousing that way…