Daeho
Daeho was the same age as Jinwoo and had been his classmate and closest friend since they were toddlers.
He was the son of Gyuri, Jinwoo's mother's best friend. Their mothers, along with another friend named Haeju, had been an inseparable trio for decades.
Even after marriage and kids, their bond remained ironclad, leading to frequent family gatherings.
Before Jinwoo's father passed away, the families would travel together almost every quarter, creating a deep, brother-like bond between the boys.
Daeho's primary hobby was photography, though his lens rarely focused on landscapes.
He had a particular talent for capturing the women in his life, neighbors, family friends, and acquaintances.
His obsession began years ago while he was photographing Jinwoo's sister, Sohee, during her track competitions.
In fact, Daeho was the one who lamented her retirement from sports the most; he felt he had lost his "official" excuse to capture her in motion.
Beyond his camera, Daeho was the school's premier supplier of "rare" adult content. He possessed an uncanny ability to source videos so obscure and bizarre that people wondered if he had access to a different internet entirely. Despite being an unrepentant pervert, he was slick, quick-witted, and genuinely smart, which kept his reputation among his peers surprisingly high.
"You wouldn't even appreciate the nuance, yet here you are, running your mouth. I seriously hate it when you guys act all high and mighty like you're above it! I bet nine out of ten people wouldn't have even noticed if I hadn't pointed it out."
As Jinwoo entered the classroom, he found Daeho in the middle of a heated debate. A girl's sharp, mocking voice cut through his rant immediately.
"That's as ridiculous as asking to remove the onions and carrots from a dish after it's already been cooked! You should at least have the decency to ask, even if you know the answer is no!"
The owner of the voice was Seul-gi. She had a striking face and a figure so well-proportioned that men couldn't help but stare even when she was just standing still.
Within their circle, she was known to be just as "enlightened" in the world of perversion as Daeho, though people usually added the prefix "Beautiful" before calling her a pervert.
Daeho and Seul-gi were like two sides of the same coin; they would often get so defensive about their specific "tastes" that they became a public nuisance.
They seemed like sworn enemies, but their ability to argue for hours over trivial, degenerate topics suggested they might actually be perfect for each other.
"What's the drama this time?" Jinwoo asked, leaning against a desk.
"Oh, Jinwoo, you're here?" Daeho turned to him, looking scandalized. "This ungrateful brat... after all the 'research' I've shared with her, she stabs me in the back like this!"
"Jinwoo, I swear," Seul-gi countered, grabbing Jinwoo's arm in frustration. "I've seen some creeps in my life, but this guy? If I spent one more second trying to understand his logic, I wouldn't even recognize my own parents anymore!"
"Shouldn't you be grateful I picked something that fits your exact palate?" Daeho smirked.
"Who said that was my taste? You've finally lost it, haven't you?"
"You might deny it, but deep down, it's all the same world, Seul-gi."
Jinwoo listened to them bicker in circles until his head started to throb. "I have no idea what either of you is talking about."
"She's just ungrateful vermin!" Daeho yelled as the bell rang.
"Hmph!! Look who's talking!" Seul-gi retorted, spinning on her heel.
The argument settled as they headed to their seats for homeroom. Such outbursts were common, so Jinwoo didn't think much of it. He had no way of knowing that this specific conversation was a crucial clue to an event that would soon shake the very foundation of his life.
At lunchtime, Daeho leaned over Jinwoo's desk. "Everything good at home?"
"Huh? Yeah, why?" Jinwoo answered nonchalantly.
"Come over to my place after school," Daeho said, his eyes gleaming with a familiar mischief.
"Your house? Why? Did you get a new 'special' video?"
"Better. I've got something to show you in person."
"What is it?"
"You'll see. Trust me, it's good."
After school, they headed to Daeho's house. His mother, Gyuri, was home alone. Daeho's father was a frequent traveler, often away on business for months at a time.
Gyuri was a legendary beauty among the neighborhood moms. She had porcelain skin, warm eyes, and a youthful aura that made strangers mistake her for someone in her late twenties. Unlike Jinwoo's mother, Haemi, who was more assertive, Gyuri was gentle and soft-spoken. However, her dedication to yoga had given her a sensual, toned physique with a surprising amount of volume.
"Hello, Auntie," Jinwoo greeted her as they walked in.
"Oh... Jinwoo! You're here?" Gyuri seemed a bit flustered, perhaps caught off guard by the sudden company, but Daeho just breezed past her into his room.
"So, what's the big secret?" Jinwoo asked as they sat down.
"Hold on, put your bag down. I'm parched. I'll get us something to drink first." Daeho turned and shouted toward the kitchen, "Mom! Do we have any juice or soda?"
"Just a second!" Gyuri called back. "I was just about to bring some snacks and drinks in anyway."
"Sweet." Daeho turned back to Jinwoo, his voice dropping to a confidential whisper. "What do you think of my mom?"
Jinwoo blinked. "What kind of question is that?"
"Doesn't she seem... kind of sexy to you?"
"What is wrong with you, you freak? That's your mother."
Daeho just chuckled darkly. "Just don't be shocked by what happens next, hehe."
Before Jinwoo could process the weirdness, Gyuri entered the room carrying a tray with cold juice and slices of cake. She looked at Daeho with a slightly guarded expression as she set the tray on the desk.
"Enjoy, boys," she said with a kind smile for Jinwoo.
"Wow, Mom," Daeho joked, "you don't usually fuss this much over my other friends. Is it because it's Jinwoo?"
"What are you talking about?" she asked, smoothing her apron.
"Well, the 'good' snacks only seem to come out when he's around."
"That's because he's Haemi's son, so I want to take extra care of him," she explained, though she seemed a bit flustered.
"Oh, is that really it? I thought maybe..."
"You really say the strangest things, Daeho." She turned to leave, but Daeho wasn't finished.
"But Mom, you've been keeping up with your yoga, right?"
"Yes, I practice every day. You see me doing it, don't you?"
"Yeah, I definitely have."
As Gyuri rolled her eyes and turned to walk out, a loud 'SMACK' echoed through the room. Daeho had reached out and slapped his mother's rear with his open palm.
Jinwoo's jaw dropped. Gyuri froze in her tracks, her face turning a deep shade of crimson.
"You're putting on some weight back here, Mom," Daeho teased playfully. "Isn't that a bit too tempting for the younger guys?"
"Hey!" Gyuri shouted, spinning around, her voice trembling with embarrassment. "I told you not to do that! And in front of Jinwoo?! What are you thinking?!"
She marched over and pressed her fist hard against Daeho's temple, grinding it in.
"Ow, ow! Okay, I surrender! Jeez, Mom, you're too strong! Ow!" Daeho yelped, though he didn't look particularly sorry.
Jinwoo had never seen the gentle Gyuri raise her voice or look so genuinely rattled. Seeing her flushed and flustered like this stirred a strange, unfamiliar sensation deep within him.
"Honestly, this boy is getting weirder every day," Gyuri muttered, clutching her tray and hurrying out of the room.
Once the door clicked shut, Daeho turned to Jinwoo with a knowing grin. "So... how was it?"
"What... what the hell was that?" Jinwoo stammered, his heart racing.
"When I hit her like that... didn't you find it arousing? Don't lie to me, Jinwoo. You felt it, didn't you?"
The question hit Jinwoo like a physical weight. He couldn't find the words to deny it, so he just gave a small, reluctant nod.
"But isn't that... dangerous?" Jinwoo whispered. "She looked actually angry. Do you really do that when it's just the two of you?"
"It's fine," Daeho said dismissively. "When we're alone, she doesn't really scold me like that. She only acted out because you were here and she felt embarrassed."
"What?"
"Normally, she just stands there while I do it three or four times. If it starts to hurt, she'll just try to change the subject—asking if I've done my laundry or homework. But she never actually tells me to stop."
Daeho leaned back, a look of pure satisfaction on his face. "Isn't it kind of cute? How she tries to deflect when she's being hit? Her body is so fit from the yoga, and her butt has gotten so plump lately... I just can't help myself. And honestly? It doesn't feel like she hates it. It feels like she's... responding."
Jinwoo sat in stunned silence, his mind reeling.
"You look shocked," Daeho noted, his eyes narrowing. "Don't tell me you aren't curious about how this all started?"
Jinwoo swallowed hard, his curiosity finally outweighing his common sense. He nodded slowly.
"How... how did it start?"