Mizuno Shino was a divorced woman.
Young and impulsive, she chose a mismatched partner.
Years of marriage exposed irreparable cracks, and Shino, unable to endure, divorced.
Later, she met her current husband—Mizuno.
Mizuno, also divorced, was less handsome, shorter, and less fit than her ex.
But he was honest, had a stable job, and a good salary.
At thirty, Shino prioritized stability over looks and married Mizuno.
Life was happy; Mizuno was gentle and treated her well.
Her only headache was Mizuno's son from his previous marriage, Ren-kun.
Shino didn't dislike Ren-kun.
She tried countless times to bond with him, but he rejected her coldly.
His taut face seemed to accuse her of stealing his father.
Shino wanted to give Ren-kun maternal love but didn't know how.
Recently, Ren-kun avoided her more.
Yet, strangely, when she cleaned, she felt his gaze watching her.
Shino sensed Ren-kun secretly observing her.
Ren-kun didn't like Shino, despite her taking the "Mizuno" surname like him and his father.
He knew Shino treated him well but couldn't like her.
Since his parents' divorce, Ren-kun grew reclusive, lost in boring comics and novels, speaking less, with fewer friends.
Until a classmate with a three-centimeter buzz cut gave him a magazine.
"Meishuzhi," it read.
"Good stuff, look at it at home," the classmate whispered.
Ren-kun locked his room, opened the magazine, and a golden light flashed.
A new world opened.
He didn't understand why the aunties and women in the book were unclothed, covered in milkshake, making peace signs with tongues out.
But… it was good to look at!
Really good!
Ren-kun watched, throat dry, face red, neck thick.
He watched hungrily, forgetting food and sleep, drilling a hole in the wall to steal light!!
The magazine was a sponge full of water, and he wanted to squeeze it dry.
He squeezed and squeezed.
Finally, he lay empty on the bed, staring at the ceiling, pondering the universe's mysteries.
As he thought he'd become a great sage, the buzz-cut kid gave him a new one.
Ren-kun: !!
He continued hungrily, forgetting food and sleep, drilling holes for light—
After three to five times, the buzz-cut kid ran out of stock.
Ren-kun was anxious; the kid knew but said anxiety was useless.
Dejected, Ren-kun went home and noticed Shino cleaning.
He never called her "Mom" or even "Auntie" much; he detested her.
But now, she seemed bright, charming, her figure outstanding.
No comparison to flat schoolgirls or even female teachers!
That day, Ren-kun swallowed for Shino for the first time.
He spied on her daily: washing dishes, cooking, squatting to wipe the floor, tiptoeing to hang things.
The downside? Unlike the magazine women, Shino always wore clothes.
How could she wear clothes!
When would she not!?
Ren-kun didn't know but waited for that moment.
Today, Shino took him out.
Ren-kun didn't want to go; she wouldn't undress outside.
Boring.
But without her, no food at home, so he followed listlessly.
At the boring Chinese restaurant, Shino talked about meaningless things, and Ren-kun nodded perfunctorily or ignored her.
During that time, he met a rather good-looking older sister, who was probably even prettier than Shino.
However, Ren-kun had no interest in her, because an older sister, no matter how old, was still just a sister; he only liked aunts or older women.
Just as they were leaving, an accident occurred.
"Ren-kun—"
A pot of hot water rushed towards him, and Ren-kun only heard Shino's call.
He wanted to run, but his legs were like lead, shaking like a sieve, yet he couldn't move at all.
Immediately after, he was kicked and landed on the floor.
It hurt.
But fortunately, he wasn't injured.
However, there is no such thing as peace and quiet in this world; someone else is always bearing the hardships for you.
The older brother who saved him took a pot of boiling water head-on with his bare body!!
Even at Ren-kun's elementary school age, he knew what would happen if his body touched boiling water!!
It would hurt him to death!!
Yet, that older brother acted as if nothing had happened, merely calmly wringing out his clothes, squeezing out a stream of water.
After he finished thanking him, the older brother, holding a sword, performed a flashy flourish before putting it away.
In fact, Ren-kun had seen this older brother fighting with the blond-haired man earlier, but it was just one move, and he hadn't seen it very clearly.
Also, he had all sorts of messy thoughts in his head, so he hadn't paid much attention.
But after seeing it up close again, just that single sword flourish made Ren-kun exclaim in his heart, "So cool!"
The older brother was handsome and equally cool, possessing the demeanor of an ancient knight from a novel.
Ren-kun looked at the older brother's departing back, and an aspiration rose in his heart; he couldn't suppress the stirring.
Before the older brother completely left the restaurant, he loudly asked, "How can I become as strong as you!?"
The older brother lazily gave his answer.
"Eat more vegetables."
"Exercise regularly."
"Go to bed early and wake up early every day."
"At the same time, maintain physical health and mental well-being…"
Ren-kun muttered to himself, thinking, 'Oh no,' he could accomplish the first few things, but 'mental well-being'… this…
He looked at Shino again, and he knew that reading something like "Beautiful Aunt's Chronicles" was definitely not considered mentally sound, otherwise he wouldn't have to read it secretly.
Then, the scene of the older brother blocking the hot water for him flashed through his mind; that moment was as cool as it could get!
Are aunts and older women still appealing? Is Shino still appealing?
Heh, they're nothing special now.
Ren-kun recalled the older brother's wooden sword that spun out flourishes, and then he made up his mind.
Only useless people are interested in women! A real man should fence!!
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