2 — Dilemma

The stark difference between a trained body and this one was as clear as the morning sky. Dae Ho had never done a push-up in his life. My limbs felt like limp noodles. 'Ridiculous.' That was something I had to absolutely change.

Cha Mia's footfalls rang out behind me. She didn't say a single word.

So I quietly made my way into the kitchen. I had to evaluate the situation first, so I decided not to be particularly talkative, even though this body's old personality was the embodiment of a chatterbox. "Good morning." I said, glancing at my aunt, who was bent over… doing something.

Her wide, bubbly butt stood out in that staying-home dress she was wearing. God, I could even see the shadow of her panties.

'Ignore it. Ignore it.'

I heaved a deep sigh, swallowed back the flaring hormones, and sat at the table, next to my uncle. His name was Cha Yeong Gu, the one who welcomed me into his family with open arms. He looked like he might have been handsome in his heyday, but a luxurious and sedentary lifestyle made his cheeks chubby, and his belly protrude out.

He nodded at me behind his newspaper.

This body's gratitude towards him resonated with me. Cha Yeong Gu was the reason I had a warm home to live in, and the love of a family.

I nodded back at him, a smile tugging at the corners of my lip.

"Come, sit down." That same sexy voice that I woke up to, rang out next to me. "Eat up." It was not as loud as before, since she didn't have a reason to yell at the moment. Now it was soft, mellow, like honey.

I turned around and looked at her.

Now, that was the kind of face that could make any man do stupid things. Delicate like porcelain. Her willowy eyebrows fluttered above purple eyes. Purple. Not a blue shade that made it look purple.

Her full, crimson lips were curled into a smile. Her hair was tied into a bun, with caramel-brown tresses messily sticking out of that beautiful crown. It was the look of a mature woman who had no make-up on, who didn't spend time that morning primping herself up, yet she was simply otherworldly.

Jong Eun Ha. It was my aunt, or as Dae Ho would mentally address her as. 'My lovely aunt.'

Why did I never see a beauty like her before?

Jong Eun Ha walked up to the table with a container in her hands.

"Mom, let me help you." Cha Mia offered, and from my seat, I had an ample view of my step-sister's backside. 'If this goes on, I won't survive a day here.'

Aunt Eun Ha smiled and waved her off with a 'It's fine.' Her eyes roved around the table. "Has Su Ah not come down?" And then she looked at me. "Dae Ho, go wake up that sleepyhead."

I didn't want to do it. My admittedly limited experience with this new family so far told me that I was signing up to see an unhealthy amount of skin from Su Ah.

Still, I nodded and got up. "Okay." With barely a glance in Auntie's direction, I started to make my way upstairs.

"Dae Ho, are you okay?" Eun Ha asked, a concerned frown pulling at her exquisite face. "You look… so serious."

"What are you talking about, Auntie?" I chuckled, somehow dragging a smile to my lips. It was a fake one, it could be seen from how much it was twitching, eager to go back down. "I'm fine."

Eun Ha looked like she was about to say something, but I beat her to it.

"I'm going to wake Su Ah up."

And then I vanished in the shadow of the stairs.

Eun Ha and Mia traded a concerned look.

…

I already predicted that, at some point, Eun Ha would force an answer out of me. No, actually, Mia would probably approach me first. I stopped in my tracks, recalled the original Dae Ho's bright personality and smile, and tried to mimic it.

My lips went up a bit, teeth clenched. It was not like I didn't know how to smile, it was just that Dae Ho's smile was very unique and recognizable. The naivety and innocence of a child who saw the world through rose-tinted glasses. It couldn't be replicated with such a half-hearted attempt.

I wasn't even interested in becoming him. I knew who I was.

I was just wearing a different face, under a different name.

Forget it.

I stood in front of Su Ah's door. I curled my fingers, and tapped the knuckles against the wood. I waited twenty seconds for a reply, or a sound, which didn't come. So I knocked again, a bit harder, but not too much. I didn't want to be obnoxious.

Twenty seconds later, and I still didn't get an answer.

'Great.'

Now, what do I do? I didn't want to barge in without being acknowledged to do so. Su Ah was an introvert that liked her privacy, and was absolutely territorial of her space.

Nevertheless, something may have happened, or perhaps she was just sound asleep.

I twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open, watching as the gap widened until I saw Su Ah's back. She was hugging a pillow, knees curled up. As a result, her tight, white shorts were stretched to their limit. They encased those perfect mounds in a way that drew the eye to the crack of her butt.

She had long legs, just like her sister. Slender, creamy white, and definitely commercial material for pantyhose.

I knocked the wooden frame next to me one more time, to alert her of my presence. "Su Ah Noona, wake up, breakfast is ready. Everyone is waiting for you."

"I don't want to eat." She said, curtly.

"Are you sure? It's not healthy to skip breakfast."

"I said I don't want to eat." Su Ah repeated, this time with a heavy tone of finality. She didn't even bother to turn around. "And… you can't just barge into my room like that."

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again." As expected, she didn't take it well. "I'll ask Auntie to leave a plate for you in case you change your mind. Sleep well."

And then I closed the door.

Dae Ho's memories of Su Ah were mixed. She was difficult to talk to, always cooped up inside her room either reading or writing.

I walked back down with a thoughtful frown. "Auntie, Su Ah Noona said she doesn't want to eat."

"Doesn't want to… eat?" A flustered expression enthroned Eun Ha's face.

"Perhaps she's feeling unwell…" I amended with a sigh. Who was I to psychoanalyze the mind of a young woman anyway?

She cupped her chin, eyes aglow with concern. "I'm quite worried. She should really eat more."

"It's fine! She's smart. She can take care of herself." Cha Yeong Gu spoke up, chopsticks clamped around the neck of a fish. "Hm. Let's eat, everyone." The man of the house announced, and, naturally, everyone listened.

I reclaimed my spot, Mia parking her butt right next to me. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear before she started eating. Her table manners were flawless, as was Auntie Eun Ha's. My uncle was a bit more voracious, but he respected the proper etiquette… in his own way.

"Uncle…"

Cha Yeong Gu raised one eyebrow at me. "Hmm?"

It was so awkward speaking to him, knowing that for all intents and purposes, he was a stranger to me, memories notwithstanding. "Can I get a pull-up bar? And a set of weights if it's not too much trouble."

The worst I expected was a flat-out refusal. I was not his son. And even though we were quite well-off, he might not be willing to spend his money on me. Naturally, my memories told me otherwise, but that was Dae Ho's perception of him. I wanted to form my own opinion about this man.

Everyone stopped eating.

"Hmm?"

I looked around, drinking in their rather exaggerated reactions. Auntie Eun Ha had a curious expression on her face, while Mia had a playful smile.

She hit my shoulder. "Well, who are you trying to impress?"

"No one?" I returned with a question.

The genuineness of my tone threw her off.

"R-Really?"

She continued to stare at me, eyes narrowed with an air of suspicion.

"I just want to… change." Was that the correct way to ease them into this new Dae Ho that I had become?

Uncle Yeong Gu wore a look of pleasant surprise. "That would be no problem, son. A man should strive to become the best version of himself."

"Our little Dae Ho is growing." Eun Ha sighed, a hint of fondness in her eyes.

"I bet he's going to give up within three days." Mia said, chopsticks still tucked between her lips.

I smirked at that response. I decided to take that as a challenge to prove her wrong. Dae Ho may have quit soon, but I had been through that routine before.

Football practice was truly grueling, and I had learned to be disciplined enough to follow through with whatever training I had to do.

…

"Dae Ho…"

I regretted accepting that call.

"Have you ever seen a girl's underwear?" A nasal, lecherous laugh followed those words. Han Go Bong. Dae Ho's friend. Better yet, my friend. This guy was my age, but he looked older than my uncle.

Now, there were two roads that I could take here. I either told him the truth, that I had indeed seen a woman's underwear before… or lie. With the first option, there was a 10% chance that he'd shut up, a 30% chance that he wouldn't believe me, and a 60% chance that he'd ask even more weird questions.

The second option would… allow him to find a common ground with me, and thus start a whole diatribe about girls' underwear.

"Yes, I did." I said simply, without elaborating.

Steam came out of Go Bong's nose. "Hmhm. Didn't you say you have sisters? Did you see their underwear?"

Ah, of course he would tread into that topic.

"No, I haven't." Technically yes, but he didn't need to know that.

"Hehe." Go Bong laughed, and for some reason, that gave me the creeps. "Let me show you something amazing."

And, without waiting for my consent, he stuffed a hand into his pocket and pulled out… panties. Stained panties.

"Tada ~"

'Go Bong… why?'

"What the…"

"This…" He laughed, blushing. "This is my sister's underwear!"

"Why the hell did you steal it?" There was something wrong with this kid's head, and with Dae Ho's head too, for associating with him.

"You're probably not surprised since you've already seen panties, but…" He scratched his cheek. "I took it for you."

"No… I don't want it."

Go Bong insisted, even going as far as to push them into my hands. "It's fine. This is my gift to you. Take it." He said, smiling with eyes closed. "Because you… have always been nice to me."

I… was wrong. This kid is just lonely. I heaved a deep sigh and stuffed the panties back into his hands.

Go Bong looked at me as if I had betrayed him.

I stood up, and with a confident smile, I said. "Hey, do you want to see something 'truly' amazing?"

"Your sisters' panties?" He guessed eagerly.

"No." I mentally face-palmed as I jogged to a bush and retrieved an abandoned ball. Specifically, a volleyball. The weight was not what I was used to, but it was an acceptable alternative.

"A… ball?"

I didn't like the disappointment in his voice.

"Look carefully." I said, and with a gentle kick, the ball soared up. I waited until it fell on my head, where I expertly balanced it. "Amazing, right?" I chuckled, rolling the ball down to the back of my neck. I spread my arms open, and even went as far as going down on the ground to do push-ups.

"Woooah…"

I stood back up, letting the ball slide over my shoulder and back on my right foot.

And then I blew Go Bong's mind with some bona fide Brazilian freestyle.