'Aunt Effie,' he muttered under his breath.
After his parents died, he shut everything out. School, friends, even the sun.
He locked himself in his room and escaped into anime and games—that was the only place he felt normal.
Most of his relatives thought he was just being lazy and wasting his life. Even when he tried to explain, they called him weak minded.
Nobody wanted to deal with him. He bounced between homes until his youngest uncle took him in. That's when he met her.
She was different. She never judged his hobbies.
Instead, she supported him in her own way.
Thinking back, he realized he'd never truly said thanks. Never found a way to show it.
But now?
"Aunt Effie, thanks for bringing me food again." He smiled, his eyes almost closing.
She was taken aback by his words. It was the first time he ever thanked her, and his smile looked so genuine.
"Are you sick?" she asked, her face filled with concern.
She set the tray outside his room and lightly touched his forehead, checking his temperature with her palm.
The gesture caught him off guard, but he didn't pull away. Something this small couldn't shake someone who'd spent his life battling monsters.
Still, having her so close made him feel self-conscious, especially with the subtle scent of her cologne blending with the warm trace of sweat from cooking.
And it did not help that she was wearing a loose white tank top that showed off her side boob and a hint of her armpit, giving her a casual yet provocative look.
Now that he thought about it, why did it feel like she was trying to tempt him?
"You don't have a fever, but..." She still looked unconvinced.
Sensing her concern, he decided to step in and handle the situation.
"Aunt Effie, I'm not sick. I just been thinking a lot, and I realized you've been taking care of me so much." He paused, knowing that such a vague response would still bother her.
"I feel much better now." He added.
"Oh, please—don't do something drastic. You still have so much ahead of you." She blinked back her tears and pulled him into a tight hug, her voice filled with care.
"What do you need, Terence? If there's anything more I can do, just say the word."
'Wait, what's going on?' He couldn't understand why she was reacting like this.
'Is she thinking I want to end it all?' He chuckled awkwardly, unsure whether to laugh or explain himself.
The comforting press of her soft chest felt so good, he didn't mind being held a little longer.
Seconds passed, and she still didn't let go.
Then, without warning, she stepped back and looked down.
His boxers gave everything away, and there was no hiding it, not even with divine help.
Effie's cheeks flushed red. "I'm sorry I got carried away. I was just..."
She wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to look away, but it was clear she couldn't tear her gaze from his 'Blessed Body Part'
'Hold on... No way, does my aunt actually have feelings for me?'
But why?
Compared to him, his uncle was miles ahead. He held a high position in a billion-dollar company, drove a sports car, could buy anything she wanted.
If there was any flaw about him, it was that he rarely came home due to all the business trips he had to take.
'Is she's sexually frustrated?'
Right now, it was the only thing he could think of.
"Aunt Effie, I'm fine. I promise you, it's not what you think."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure," he nodded, picking up the tray. "Just... gonna eat and watch some anime."
She finally sighed in relief. This was the Terence she was used to seeing.
When the door closed, she didn't walk away immediately. She looked at her palm for a few seconds.
If he could see the look on her face right now, he would curse himself for being the most oblivious person on the planet.
The problem with going back in time? His teenage brain still lingered.
He was still unaware of the changes that came with it.
Whether this would turn out to be a good or bad thing… well, only time could tell.