“Hmmm? I didn’t expect you to bring a… friend, I suppose?” A woman in her early thirties, with an amused expression playing on her lips, asked as she watched her daughter, Penelope, walk in with a rugged-looking boy—Aether.
Her voice held a mix of curiosity and playful teasing.
Penelope’s cheeks flushed a delicate pink, and she quickly averted her gaze, gently pulling Aether further into the warmth of the house. “He got a little hurt, Mother,” she explained, her voice laced with concern as she shot a glance at Aether’s bruised face.
“Oh dear~” The woman’s tone shifted to one of genuine worry as she approached Aether. Her sharp eyes immediately zeroed in on the bruises marring his face and the cuts on his knuckles.
She gently took his hand, inspecting the wounds with a mother’s care. “What happened, dear?” she asked, her voice softening as she looked into his eyes.
Aether hesitated, his gaze flickering to Penelope, who seemed slightly startled by her mother’s directness. Finally, She stammered, “W-Well, He… uh, fell down the stairs.”
The woman raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. Both she and Aether exchanged a look, and then turned their eyes to Penelope, who stood there, her face a deep shade of crimson.
She knew her mother wasn’t buying the excuse. Without another word, Penelope hurried off to fetch the first aid kit.
They moved to the living room, where Aether sank into the plush sofa, still feeling the lingering tension in the air. The woman sat across from him, her intense gaze making him shift uncomfortably.
After a few moments of silence, Aether couldn’t take it anymore. “Is… is something wrong?”
The mother shook her head, her lips curling into a sad smile. “No, nothing’s wrong… I was just thinking how much time can change everything,” she murmured, her voice tinged with a hint of nostalgia.
The boy sitting before her was a far cry from the one she had once known. “You’ve changed so much… you’re almost a different person now,” she added softly, her eyes studying his face with a mix of regret and sorrow.
Aether frowned.
The woman, sensing his discomfort, decided to shift the conversation. She began asking about his life—how he was doing, what he was up to these days. Aether’s answers were vague, almost dismissive, but it was enough for her. She could see through the cracks in his facade, reading between the lines, ‘He’s suffering’ she thought.
Just then, Penelope returned, cradling the first aid kit in her hands. She knelt beside Aether, her movements gentle as she tended to his wounds with the utmost care. Her mother watched her daughter with growing surprise, noting the tenderness in Penelope’s actions. ‘She really cares about him… maybe loves him more than I thought’ the mother mused, a knowing smile tugging at her lips.
“Tsk, I’ll get more tape. Don’t move, okay?” Penelope said, her voice filled with a mix of frustration and concern as she quickly stood up, leaving before Aether could even protest that it wasn’t necessary.
As soon as Penelope left the room, her mother leaned in slightly, “She loves you, you know,” she stated plainly, her eyes locking onto Aether’s with a seriousness that made him pause.
Aether blinked, taken aback. “She… she does?” he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.
The woman chuckled softly, “Haha… I don’t think any girl would bring a boy to her home and care for his wounds with such tenderness…. if she didn’t love him,” she replied, her voice gentle yet firm.
Aether blinked again, the realization slowly dawning on him, “I… I guess I never really thought about it that way,” he admitted. He began to rise, intent on leaving, but the woman’s next words stopped him in his tracks.
“At least let her finish treating your wounds before you reject her, dear. That’s the least you can do to acknowledge her feelings and the effort she’s putting in,” the woman said with a small, sad smile, her eyes filled with a mix of understanding and sadness.
Aether stared at her. Her gaze remained steady, silently urging him to sit back down. With a heavy sigh, Aether complied, sinking back onto the sofa.
The woman’s smile softened, a hint of relief visible in her expression, “You know, it’s good to see that you still care about not hurting others’ feelings,” she remarked, her tone gentle and warm.
Aether’s heart suddenly skipped a beat when hear heard that heart soothing tone…
The woman continued, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “You know… for people like us… Well, I’m not exactly famous, but I’ve been around the top circles enough to understand how they operate.” She leaned in closer, her eyes gleaming with a mix of knowledge and sadness.
“Your mother and your previous father… they were both incredibly ambitious. They wanted to reach the top, to be the best at whatever they did… just like anyone else,” she said, her voice growing more somber. “But staying at the top… well, that’s far more dangerous than reaching it in the first place.”
Aether frowned, “So?” he asked, his tone cautious, unsure of where she was going with this.
The woman’s smile returned, but this time it was tinged with a sadness that made Aether’s heart ache. He wondered why he felt this way—why her words were affecting him so deeply.
“Staying at the top comes with a heavy price. They need everything to be perfect… and I mean everything,” she explained.
Aether’s frown deepened, “I see… since I’m not perfect—”
“No, dear… It’s not about whether you’re perfect or not. It’s about them… it’s about society and the system that demands perfection from those who are at the top,” she interrupted gently, her eyes softening with sympathy.
Aether snorted, a bitter laugh escaping him, “Heh So, you all chose society over your own child?” he asked, his voice laced with a mixture of anger and hurt.
The woman’s face crumpled, “Well… that depends on the person who—” she began, but Aether cut her off, his patience wearing thin.
“What’s the point of talking about all this?” he asked, his tone sharp, his frustration evident.
The woman took a deep breath, her gaze steady as she met his eyes, “What I’m trying to say is… please, just be yourself. You don’t need to prove anything to anyone,” she implored, her voice soft and almost pleading. “You’re enough as you are.”
Aether shrugged, ‘What does she knows?’ he thought… When suddenly the woman noticed a dark stain on his pants. Without a second thought, she moved quickly, kneeling before him as she placed a gentle hand on his knee.
“Ouch!” Aether winced, pain shooting through his leg. As he looked down, his eyes accidentally fell on the woman’s cleavage.
His face flushed, and he quickly averted his gaze.
“Roll up your sleeve,” the woman instructed, her voice firm yet gentle.
Aether shook his head, “It’s fine—”
“Please…” she interrupted, her eyes softening into a pleading expression that was impossible to resist, almost like a puppy’s. Aether’s heart nearly skipped a beat at the sight.
‘W-What’s wrong with these people?!!’ Aether screamed inwardly, feeling trapped. With a resigned sigh, he rolled up his pant leg, revealing the bruises and cuts beneath.
The woman’s touch was tender as she began to treat the wounds on his knee, her fingers moving with practiced ease.
The pain subsided slightly under her care… but Aether’s heart was racing for a different reason altogether.
“You know…”
“Hmm?” Aether glanced at her but quickly looked away, unsure why he felt so unnerved. Something about her presence made him feel vulnerable, and he wasn’t sure he liked it.
“My daughter… she always talks about you, ever since that dance.”
“Huh?” Aether blinked in confusion.
The dance?
“Haha…” The woman laughed softly, a sound that sent a shiver down Aether’s spine, “Yes, you might not know or even have seen her much after that, but every day after school, she would come home and talk about you—the things you did, the way you moved, your expressions. I know everything about you… Your likes, your favorite food, your weaknesses… everything.”
Aether frowned, unease creeping into his heart. “What do you mean?” he asked, feeling a bit creeped out. He was sure he hadn’t seen Penelope after that dance… or had he?
Her mother let out a strange, almost eerie laugh, “Fu~Fu~Fu~,” and it sent another shiver down his spine. Her tone suddenly shifted, becoming more serious, almost stern. “And lately, she’s been taking the local transport. I wonder why?”
Aether flinched, startled by her knowledge, ‘I’ve been using the local transport too’ he realized, thinking it was part of his rebellious phase, trying to distance himself from his usual routine.
The woman’s voice took on a dangerous edge, “Then, yesterday, I heard she was nearly molested by some jerk.”
Aether’s heart raced as he recalled the incident. He had intervened to save a girl from being molested… Could it have been Penelope? ‘Is she… stalking me?’ he thought, a cold chill running down his spine.
“Ouch!” He winced when the woman applied more pressure to his knee, her touch no longer as gentle.
“How dare a filthy creature lay a hand on my lovely daughter…” she muttered, her voice filled with venom. Then she looked up, her eyes locking onto Aether’s with a dangerous intensity. “Don’t worry, I made sure that filth never sees another day~”
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‘Gulp’
Aether swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. Her eyes were filled with a dangerous glint, a dark thing that sent a thrill through him…. one he wasn’t sure he liked, but couldn’t deny.
He felt something stir within him, an attraction to the danger she exuded.
‘W-What the fuck…’ he thought, bewildered by his own reaction. He tried hard not to let his gaze drop again, struggling to keep his thoughts in check.
The tension in the room was thick, almost suffocating, and just as he was about to say something, Penelope reappeared.
“What are you two talking about?” she asked, her voice filled with curiosity as she sensed the strange tension between Aether and her mother.
“Nothing much,” her mother replied with a smile, her expression completely different from the one she had just shown Aether. She gracefully stepped back, allowing her daughter to take over the care of Aether’s wounds.
‘Something is definitely wrong… I need to get out of here’ Aether thought, his mind racing as he waited for Penelope to finish treating his injuries. As soon as she was done, he decided to make his escape, but then—
“W-Would you mind having dinner here?” Penelope asked hesitantly, her voice soft and unsure. Her fingers fidgeted nervously, a shy smile tugging at her lips. The sight was undeniably endearing.
Any other man might have been swayed by her charm, but, ‘Is she really stalked me?’ he wondered before “Nope!” he replied bluntly, already turning to leave when—
“Aether,” her mother’s voice called out to him, stopping him in his tracks. Her eyes were wide, almost pleading, and her voice carried an amused lilt, “I made your favorite dishes…”
Aether’s heart skipped a beat, recognizing the manipulation in her tone. He knew she was trying to play him, and yet… The memory of her earlier dangerous gaze lingered in his mind, ‘That was her real face…’ he thought, feeling a strange mix of fear and fascination.
“Well… If you’ve already gone through the trouble, there’s no point in refusing,” he said reluctantly, turning back toward the dining room.
Her mother’s grin widened in satisfaction, while Penelope pouted slightly, clearly disappointed by his initial refusal but quickly perking up at his agreement.