Kindling the Spark
I knew Mother showered me with deep affection.
Why she did, I couldn't say.
Up until now, the warmth I had received from her was simply the unconditional downward love a parent bestows upon a child.
"Mother. Let's take a few more."
I wrapped my arms around her from behind. Tightening my hold, I drew my body flush against hers, gently pressing my groin into her back. Lowering my hands a fraction, I let my palms rest lightly over the upper swell of her chest.
"Jeongseo..."
Mother froze, her entire body going rigid. It was only after a drawn-out silence that she managed to part her lips.
"Yes?"
"Mom... You should call me Mom." She kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, murmuring in a barely audible voice.
I looked at her profile for a beat before answering with a soft smile. A vivid crimson flush had crept over her face.
"Yes, Mom."
Hearing my answer, a tender smile broke across her lips. Though the blush lingered, her expression looked far more natural than a moment ago. Before she could press the shutter button, I leaned in closer, pressing my cheek against hers.
"Your face is so small it makes mine look huge, sweetie."
"Not at all. Don't we look pretty similar, Mom?"
After snapping a few more photos, I stepped back from her.
"They came out so well. I'm definitely setting this as my wallpaper."
"Send them to me too, please. Ah, do you mind if I post one on Inbyeol?"
"Of course! Go right ahead."
Mother stroked the necklace I had given her once more. Watching her subtle gestures, I turned over the look in her eyes from moments ago. Though I had only caught it through the phone screen, it wasn't the first time I had seen an expression like that. I had seen it on Yeo-eun's face before.
The look had vanished now, but I was certain. For a fleeting second, Mother had looked at me as a man.
It's very similar to the face Noona used to make in the beginning... The face of someone holding back.
The debt of kindness I owed Mother was immense. Next to the monk who had raised me, she had bestowed the most upon me. I had always felt that everything she gave me was something I could never fully repay. Yet, perhaps a way was presenting itself after all. I had caught a hint of it in the expression she just wore.
"Speaking of Inbyeol..."
"Yes?"
"I noticed you've been wearing the same few outfits lately."
"Yeah, I was actually thinking about picking up some new clothes."
"I knew it. That's why on my way over yesterday, I made a quick stop and picked up a few spring outfits for you."
After texting me the photos we took, Mother rose from her seat. She disappeared into the master bedroom and returned carrying an armful of shopping bags. It seemed I wasn't the only one who had prepared a gift today. Once again, I felt that what I received vastly outweighed whatever little I gave.
"If there's anything you don't like, we can return it."
"I got paid recently, Mom... You really don't have to look after me like this every time."
"I wanted to buy them for you. Like I told you before, it brings me joy."
"Alright... Thank you, Mom."
Mother gazed at me with her usual benevolent warmth. I could accept that buying things for me made her happy. Even so, taking such generosity for granted was something I refused to do.
I looked down at the pile of shopping bags sitting before me.
"May I try them on?"
"Of course!"
I reached for the largest shopping bag. This was the only outerwear in the bunch. The brand name was familiar.
"Just as I thought—it looks wonderful on you. So handsome."
"Isn't it a bit too big?"
The sleeves of the jacket draped well over the backs of my hands. The overall silhouette was distinctly loose and baggy.
"Not at all! Apparently, the kids these days all wear them oversized like that. You look adorable."
"Do I?"
Mother beamed, her eyes sparkling as she looked at me. Before I knew it, she was holding her phone again. I smiled and struck a pose for her.
"By the way, Mom... isn't this a famous designer brand? This looks way too expensive."
A so-called luxury label. At a casual glance, you might not notice unless you inspected the garment closely, but the shopping bag couldn't hide it. It was a brand whose baseline price tag was far beyond what someone like me should be wearing on an everyday basis.
"Ah, no, no, it wasn't expensive at all. There was a big sale, and, well... it's last season's stock. Something like that."
Mother had explicitly said she stopped by the department store. I couldn't help but wonder if luxury department stores really sold off-season outlet stock like that.
"Feel free to wear it whenever. It really wasn't that pricey."
"Okay. Thank you so much."
I swallowed the question lingering on my tongue. From the fit down to the price tag, these weren't clothes I would have ever bought for myself, but I resolved to wear them anyway. Not when Mother was practically fidgeting with excitement, completely smitten by how cute I looked.
"These are shorts. Do you think they'll match if I wear them together?"
I pulled a pair of casual shorts out of another shopping bag. I recognized this brand as an expensive one too.
"Yes! Perfect. They'll look amazing on you."
Standing side by side before the full-length mirror in the living room, I held the shorts against my waist. Mother made another delighted fuss, showering me with praise. It seemed that no matter what I put on, her verdict would be that I looked gorgeous.
With a smooth, practiced rustle, my pants dropped.
"Huh? Jeongseo?"
"Yes?"
Mother had been standing right beside me, looking into the mirror with me. Without the slightest hint of hesitation, I had casually pushed my bottoms down to my ankles. Gathering the hem of my loose top under my chin, I exposed my briefs in full view. Turning toward her just like that, I met her gaze with an innocent, unbothered expression.
"Why are you pulling your pants down all of a sudden?!"
Blushing furiously, Mother spun around in a flash. In the blink of an eye, even the tips of her ears flushed a bright crimson.
"I was going to try these on too."
"A boy needs to be more careful! Especially when someone else is in the room!"
"It's just you, Mom. I don't mind in front of you."
"No... but still..."
"Really, Mom, it's fine."
Reaching out, I lightly caught Mother's waist as she stood facing away. Swaying her gently, I turned her back toward me.
"Mom. You have to tell me if they look good or not."
"A-alright, I get it! Just put your pants on first, quickly!"
Mother dug her heels in, trying to look away. Letting go of her waist, I stepped into the shorts.
"All done."
"Okay, let me see... Gasp."
In truth, I wasn't finished. Pinning my shirt hem beneath my chin, I called out to her with the shorts hitched only halfway up my thighs. My bare stomach and underwear were on full display right in her line of sight. And wrapped snug within the fabric of my briefs, the heavy bulge of my manhood rested right along the waistband.
Mother started to turn around, only to freeze dead in her tracks.
Moving deliberately so she couldn't miss a thing, I took my time. Arching my hips slightly forward, I smoothed the shorts upward so my package caught against the front fabric, lifting the heavy sack of my balls along with it in one slow, deliberate motion.
At last, I pulled the shorts all the way up, zipped them closed, and smoothed down the front.
"Mom? Mom?"
Mother's face had completely hardened. I couldn't tell whether she was flustered or upset. Had I been too overt with my little scheme? I thought it was a rather clever approach, but...
"Mom. How do they look?"
"Huh? Ah... Jeongseo. Well, you see..."
When she didn't answer, I gave her shoulder a light shake. Only then did she seem to snap out of her daze. The words tripped over her tongue, utterly disjointed. Her brain seemed to have short-circuited.
Heavy, frantic footsteps clattered down the stairs.
"Whoaaa~! This is insane! I love it so, so much!"
Yeo-eun came bounding into the living room with a deafening racket. She bolted straight toward me, hooked her hands under my armpits, and hoisted me clean into the air.
"Ehehehehe! Thank you so much! You're the absolute best!"
For a second, I thought I was on an amusement park ride. Laughing boisterously, Noona tossed me up and down like she was celebrating a championship victory.
She planted a rapid barrage of kisses on my cheek. "Thank you! Aish, my gorgeous little brother!"
After raising a joyful racket, Yeo-eun finally settled down. Did she have any idea? That right behind her, Mother was glaring at her with a look sharp enough to draw blood.
And did Mother have any idea? That I was taking in every single detail of that murderous glare.
Neither woman was paying the slightest bit of attention to their surroundings. Watching Mother's reaction, a quiet smile touched my lips.
My method hadn't been wrong after all.
Thanks to Noona's sudden interruption, the strange tension in the room dispersed. I ended up putting on a miniature fashion show in front of the two women, trying on one outfit after another.
Mother and Noona clapped and cheered competitively with every single change of clothes. They showered me with relentless compliments, swearing that every piece looked tailor-made for me. I had to wonder if I could really trust their objective taste.
"This one looks amazing too! It's so you, Jeongseo!"
Aside from the single jacket and the pair of shorts, the rest were all tops. After taking off the last outfit, I changed back into my original loungewear. Yet Noona started clapping all over again.
"Noona. This is what I was wearing before."
"Huh? Ah... Well, it looks great on you anyway. Point is, you rock it!"
Perhaps because I was wearing a plain white undershirt while changing tops, it hadn't crossed any boundaries. Mother hadn't averted her eyes even once this time. Then again, it might have been because Noona was standing right next to her. If she made a show of looking away when Yeo-eun was acting completely nonchalant, it would have looked far stranger. Or perhaps a subtle sense of competition had kicked in.
"Can I just keep everything without returning any of it?"
"Of course! That's why I bought them. Mom will buy you more next time, or maybe we can go shopping together."
"Yes, thank you, Mom."
Mother's voice was pitched a half-step higher than usual. A lingering trace of red still dusted her cheeks. Seeing that put my mind at ease. It seemed she had derived immense psychological satisfaction just from watching me.
"Then I'll go upstairs, put these away, and come back down."
For a moment, I considered changing out of the shorts in front of both of them, but decided against it. I wanted to leave Mother with the distinct impression that my underwear had been for her eyes only. I wondered if that intention had come across. Mother wore a deeply pleased smile as she helped me fold and tidy the shopping bags.
"Mom, by the way, why did you only buy clothes for Jeongseo? What about mine?"
"You have plenty of clothes. You hardly ever leave the house anyway."
"No, but still! You bought him this entire mountain of stuff and didn't get me a single thing?!"
As I headed up the stairs, I could hear Noona's playful whining from below. It sounded half-joking, half-genuine.
With the gift exchange wrapped up, the time came for Mother to take her leave. Noona had already said her goodbyes and was upstairs preparing for her stream. I walked Mother all the way out to the front gate.
"Jeongseo. Have a restful weekend, and hang in there this coming week."
"Yes. Drive safely, Mom."
Mother wasn't wearing any makeup today. Yet she boasted skin so taut and radiant it was hard to believe she was in her forties. Part of it was natural good genetics, but most of it came from diligent, meticulous care. The combined power of discipline and wealth.
"And about that card I gave you—you don't have to be so frugal with it, alright?"
"Yes, Mom."
"No, I mean it. Buy lots of delicious food. Only use the best ingredients."
Instead of getting into her car, Mother lingered, letting one piece of advice spill into the next. She mentioned that the household expenses, including groceries, were actually lower now than when Yeo-eun lived on her own. That was simply because Noona used to order an absurd amount of takeout back then.
"I will, Mom. I haven't been skimping on groceries at all."
"Good. If cooking ever gets tiring, just eat out."
I nodded along, assuring her I understood. Only after urging me once more to spend more money did she finally turn toward her car.
"Mom."
"Hm?"
When I called out to her, Mother turned back around, her face instantly brightening. Though she had to leave for her schedule tomorrow, it was obvious her feet didn't want to carry her away. For her sake, I decided to offer one last bit of fan service.