Rent-A-Boyfriend in A Reverse World

With a soft beep, the electronic lock released after Hana pressed her thumb on the square pad.

She then grabbed hold of the handle and opened the door.

Hana turned back to Andy.

"Welcome home, Andy."  Mama greeted with the same gentle smile she always shows me

"I'm home." I reply.

My chest felt inexplicably light. Like I'm in my comfort zone. 

'This feeling... it's warm and cozy. I haven't stepped inside, yet I already feel at home.'

To think the original Andy disliked all of this. He's an idiot.

Seeing me just stand there, mama gently took hold of my shoulder and pulled me inside.

"Come on. Come inside, Andy."  She said, guiding me inside.

'Woops. I got lost in thought again.' I thought to myself before going inside.

Mama then proceeded to close the door behind us.

The electronic door quietly locked itself immediately after.

(Image taken from Google images)

Once inside, I looked around, admiring the interior.

'Yeah. It's just like in my memories.'

 A sort of modern Japanese apartment. White walls, smooth wooden floorboards, equally as shiny wood furniture, and items on shelves that look like they'll fall off at the slightest earthquake.

'Fortunately, they're glued down.'

I move my foot, but go back in place. Feeling like I forgot something.

'Ah, almost forgot to change into my home slippers'  remembering the common courtesy, I quickly changed into home slippers. 

'Comfy.'  the soft footwear welcomed the arrival of my feet.

With that done, I moved further inside. Now standing in the middle of the living room.

'A wall-mounted flat screen TV. Checks out.'

I turn back around to mama. And immediately after, my eyes go wide and pupils dilating. I watch as my mother takes off her coat and hangs it over her arm.

I frantically shake my head side to side.

'Don't have weird thoughts! Don't have weird thoughts!'  I repeated to myself. 

"I-I'll be in my room!"  I announced while fleeing to my room. Forcing my mind to not think lewdly of my own mother. 

'It's just because i haven't jacked off in so long!'  I reasoned to myself.

After making it to my room, I shut the door behind me. "Should I lock the door?"  I considered going the extra mile.

Shortly after, my brain made me recall how I first died. A heart attack forced me to collapse to the floor below. How I called out for help, but nobody could hear me. The feeling of helplessness as my heart squeezed tighter and tighter. My body going numb and my vision slowly fading away.

The vivid recalling of my death caused cold sweat to form on my forehead.

"Hah! Haah!"  my breaths quickened. My hand grasping my chest, right over my beating heart.

I slam my back against the door and slowly slide down.

I close my eyes as I controlled my breathing. "I'm fine... I'm fine... I'll be okay..." 

Once my heart calmed down enough, I open my eyes. "Is this.. PTSD? Am I afraid of being alone in a closed room? Sort of like claustrophobia?"

I remained on the floor for a while. Leaning against the door, hand over my heart.

"...."

"Just a little.. I'll keep my door  ajar..."

I soon got on my feet and opened the door to my room. Keeping it slightly open.

"Yeah. That should do it... I hope."

With that over with, i turn back to my room.

The room is rather empty for a young man my age. Not a single poster in sight. Only a clock decorated the walls. 

'This room feels like the old Andy. Shallow.'

I approach my drawers and pull them open. Searching its contents.

"At least he was decently fashionable. Shirts, open shirts, long sleeves, sweaters, jeans, and joggers."

I close the first drawer and open the second one. 

"No tank tops or shorts, though. Just pajamas. I'll need to get some. I remember them being a little risqué for men in this world, but I'll only wear them at home, so it'll be fine."

It's not like mama will attack me, so I have nothing to worry.

After the drawers is the closet. I walk over and pull it wide open. Only to find more open shirts, long sleeves, and jeans.

"... I should have some, right?"

By "some" I mean lube. The clear sticky stuff.

"I just don't have a memory of old Andy jacking off, but surely even he did it... right..?"

I comb through my memories for where old Andy stashed his adult products. All while searching my own room.

. 

.

A while later...

"None.. how can there be none?! Not even lube..!"  I yelled quietly.

For the past 20 or so minutes, I have combed through my memories and this entire minimalist room. Yet I couldn't find even a small bottle of lube.

'Old Andy was a fucking monk! He really didn't masturbate!'

"What now..? How did I jack off as a teen without lube again?"

I grab my phone from my pocket and type like my life depended on it.

["Lube alternatives"]

"Vaseline? No, we don't buy that.. Literal oils? No way! Homemade lube made from mixing boiled water and cornstarch?"

"... Maybe.."

"I'll order some real lube for now. "

I open the shopping app and search for water-based lubricant. 

"Next day delivery? Absolutely!"

[Order Confirmed]

With that settled, it's time to try making homemade lube.

 .

A short while later. In the kitchen.

"T-There's no cornstarch left!" I stare in grief as I hold the empty jar with the label "Cornstarch."

"The store..? No it's too late for a guy to go out and I don't want to bother mama with this.."

I've truly run out of options.

'In my old world, I used vaseline before I started to use real lube.'

"... Okay. I'll just wait for tomorrow. It's just 24 hours at most, I can endure another day, surely."

I bend over and open a low cabinet. Inside I take a medium pan.

"I'll just cook dinner to keep my mind off it."

I proceeded to search through the cabinets and fridge for what I can use.

"There's not much I can use.. Most of the things in the cabinets are instant or pre-cooked meals. I'll need to consult mama later regarding our grocery situation. Since I'm unemployed, I'll do the chores and cook our meals."

The young househusband stay-at-home son then arranged the ingredients he can use to cook dinner on the kitchen counter.

"Cubed pork, soy sauce, vinegar, whole peppers, thyme leaves, salt, pepper, togarashi, and tonkatsu sauce."

Andy looked over the assortment of ingredients before him and pondered what he can make with them.

"... Can't I make pork adobo with these? Cubed pork, soy sauce, vinegar, and whole peppers."

"Would be great if we had brown sugar..." Andy trailed off as his eyes land on the bottle of tonkatsu sauce.

"Sweet, savory, and thick... Similar to oyster sauce. Yeah, I can use tonkatsu sauce to add a tinge of sweetness to the adobo!"

A smile formed on Andy's lips. Proud of himself for thinking of a dish he can make with the limited ingredients on hand.

=================

Hana's room

Hana typed at a moderate speed on her mechanical keyboard. Each key producing a clacking sound.

She continued to silently work until a knock on her door broke her focus. 

"Andy?"  Hana then glanced at her computer's clock and her eyes immediately widen.

"7:24..!! I forgot to order dinner!"  she quietly screamed while grasping her hair.

A second later, two more knocks could be heard.

Hana turned to her door. Her expression of disappointment in herself.

'Andy must be upset with me...'  Hana thought to herself before getting up from her chair.

She reluctantly opened the door. Expecting a disappointed or upset Andy.

Instead, she is met with a cheekily smiling Andy clad in a white apron with his hands behind his back.

Of course he's wearing it over a shirt and pajamas.

"Mama, dinner's ready!"  said Andy with a bright smile.

Hana's eyes widened in shock. "What? You cooked dinner, Andy?" Hana asked. She's aware that the ingredients were limited. 

When she became depressed after Andy's accident, she lost the drive to cook proper meals. Thus the plentiful instant and pre-cooked bentos.

So she can't help but wonder what Andy was able to cook with what they had.

"Mhm! Come on! Let's eat, mama!" Andy replied proudly.

With such enthusiasm from her son, Hana couldn't help but smile.

'Even if Andy just heated up the bentos in a pan, I'll still praise him.

Hana then followed Andy to their dining table where everything has been already set up. Of course by Andy.

The excited lad rushed forward and pulled back a chair for Hana.

"Sit here, mama!"

Hana couldn't resist but to smile again at this gesture from her son.

'Andy has truly changed. He's become so wonderful.'

"Fufu~ The lady is the one who's supposed to pull a chair out for the gentleman, Andy."  Hana replied, but still followed along and let Andy sit her down.

To that, Andy shook his head. "No. You spoil me so much already, mama. Let me at least do the chores, cook meals, and serve you like this." Andy replied.

'Serve you like this. Serve you like this..' the words echoed in Hana's head. 

A blush appearing on her cheeks.

Her mind flashed to erotic fantasies of Andy. To which Hana quickly shook her head to get rid of. But the blush remained.

'What am I thinking at this age?!' 

"Here we are!" Andy announced.

 Between his hands is a bowl filled with a black-brown soup and brown pork cubes.

"Andy, what.." Hana asked. A little uncertain of the dish before her.

"It's pork adobo. It's a popular dish from the Philippines. I first braised the pork before simmering it in water for 30 minutes. I then mixed in soy sauce, vinegar, and tonkatsu sauce and let it cook for another 10 minutes." Andy explained.

'The Philippines..'

Hana had never visited the Philippines. She learned a little bit about it in highschool. 

A tropical island archipelago country with more than 7,000 islands. Located not that far from Japan. 

However, she forgot about it soon after. She only remembered its existence at that brothel.

And Andy doesn't know the truth about his birth. Hana told 12 year old Andy that she was artificially inseminated with the sperm of a Filipino male. And she intends to take the truth to the grave.

The sound of porcelain being put down snapped Hana out of thought.

She then looked up at Andy, the son she lied to.

He smiled at her. Unaware of the truth.

"If you don't like it, mama, then you don't have to force yourself. I can heat up one of the bentos in the fridge."  Andy offered, yet his eyes are hoping Hana will eat his cooking.

Hana shook her head. "No need. I trust you, Andy."  She said with a forced smile.

Her eyes traveled down to her rice bowl. Andy had poured some of the soup onto the rice and placed a few pork cubes on top. 

Andy sat opposite of Hana, with his own adobo rice bowl.

"Thank you for the meal."  Andy clapped his palms together, performing pre-meal courtesy.

"Thank you for the meal." Hana followed.

The two reached for their chopsticks.

Hana took a bite of the pork.

'Savory and sweet...'

 .

.

After a pleasant dinner, Andy went to wash the dishes. The sound of flowing water dominated the room.

"I really should help..."  Hana muttered, still sat down at the table.

"No need, mama. It's just us two, so it's not much at all."  Andy declined her offer.

"...." Hana's eyes laid on her diligent son's back.

No more words were exchanged for a while after that. Just the sound of the faucet and occasional clink of the dishes.

.

"Done."  Andy had finished washing the dishes.

He then dried off his hands at a nearby towel and hang up his apron.

".. Is there anything you want, Andy?" Hana asked.

Andy turned around to face his mother.

"Why the sudden offer?" Andy asked back. His expression slightly puzzled.

"Think of it as a discharge gift."

"Hm.." Andy brought his hand to his chin and pondered on his "wish."

'Mama will give you anything, Andy. You only need to ask.'  Hana thought to herself. Watching over Andy's thinking figure.

"Ah!" 

Andy then looked back at his mother.

"Then let's go on a grocery shopping date!" Andy replied with a wide smile.

Hana blinked twice, taking a bit to process Andy's request.

"A... grocery shopping date?" A confused Hana asked.

Andy nodded. "Exactly how it sounds. Let's go grocery shopping together tomorrow, mama."

Andy tapped the back of his finger on one of the cabinets.

"We don't even have anything good for breakfast tomorrow. I'll have to get creative with the bentos in the fridge."

"...."  

"Or are you busy tomorrow? If so, then I'll go on my own-"

Hana abruptly slammed her palms on the table as she stood up.

"Absolutely not. We'll go tomorrow. Together."  Hana's tone not leaving any room for interjections.

'Heheh.. I knew that'd work.'  Andy mentally high-fived himself.

"Okay! Let's go after breakfast."

Hana gave a brief nod. "Alright."

Andy hopped over to Hana. Stopping right in front of her.

"I'll be going back to my room. Good night, mama."

*mwah*

Andy stood on his tip toes and kissed Hana on the cheek.

"Eh...?" the dumbfounded Hana froze in place. Rubbing her cheek where Andy's lips just were. The imprint still warm.

Meanwhile Andy went back to his room, as if nothing happened.

Hana slumped back down on her chair. Her face bright red and expression stupefied.

"This.. is normal... right?"

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