Chapter 33: Home Sweet Home
The world shifted in the blink of an eye.
Hyun-woo blinked against the sudden bright sunlight as his boots settled onto warm concrete. The familiar suburban street of Pearland, Texas, came into focus around them.
Euryale, however, let out a sharp, disgusted hiss the moment her tail touched the ground.
“Aggh… what the fuck is this?!” she snarled, recoiling like the air itself had insulted her.
Her emerald snake-hair flared wildly, dozens of vipers hissing and flattening against her head in protest. The thick, humid Texas summer heat wrapped around them like a steaming wet blanket. Sweat immediately beaded on her pale skin, making her green tunic cling uncomfortably to her curves.
Hyun-woo couldn’t help but grin, despite his own shirt already sticking to his back. “Welcome to Pearland, Texas. Summer edition.”
“It’s awful,” Euryale groaned, fanning herself with one hand while her tail lashed irritably. “The air is so wet. How do you humans even breathe this shit? It feels like I’m drowning on land.”
She looked genuinely miserable, squinting against the harsh sunlight with her slit-pupil eyes. Even her usually graceful movements were stiff as she shifted from side to side, clearly uncomfortable in the oppressive heat and humidity.
Hyun-woo, still a little pissed about the bite from earlier, couldn’t resist. “What, you can’t stand a little heat? Pathetic.”
“Fuck you,” Euryale snapped, flipping him the middle finger.
Instead of replying, Hyun-woo flipped her off right back.
They didn’t realize people on the street were starting to stare. Hyun-woo got embarrassed fast. Without another word, he turned and started walking toward his house.
“Hey! Where are you going?!” Euryale called out, quickly hurrying after him. “You just left me behind! And it’s this hot! Fucking summer…”
“It’ll get better once we’re inside. My house has air conditioning,” he replied, keeping his head down and walking quietly.
He didn’t want to make a scene in front of his neighbors. He was an army soldier, for God's sake. Or, former army.
Oh, right. I still need to formally submit my resignation, too, he thought.
Euryale grumbled but kept following him. “It’s hot…”
As they walked down the quiet, tree-lined street, Euryale slowly took in her surroundings. Her irritation faded slightly, replaced by genuine curiosity.
This Pearland place was surprisingly peaceful and alive. Children of all races played in front yards—human kids racing bikes alongside a young wolf-kin boy and giggling gnome twins. Further down the block, an orc family barbecued in their driveway while their elf neighbor watered a shared community garden full of colorful flowers and glowing mana-herbs.
A sleek mana-powered delivery drone hummed overhead, while classic pickup trucks and floating mana-cars shared the road. American flags waved gently beside wind chimes and colorful cultural banners.
It was a genuine melting pot—diverse, integrated, and calm.
“Strange…” Euryale murmured, watching a mixed group of teenagers laughing together on a porch.
“Strange?” Hyun-woo asked, glancing at her.
“Strange because no one is staring at us,” Euryale replied, looking around with wide eyes. “No one is trying to fight or run away. Is this really how the outside world looks? Your human world is… softer than I expected.”
“Not everywhere,” Hyun-woo admitted with a small shrug. “But here in Pearland? Yeah. It’s pretty good.”
They reached his house a few minutes later. It was a comfortable two-story suburban home with beige siding, a neat front lawn, and a small porch with a wooden swing. It wasn’t fancy, but it looked well-loved and cared for.
Hyun-woo grabbed the doorknob and turned it in a familiar pattern. After a few clicks, the lock opened.
Euryale perked up, staring at the strange mechanism with clear curiosity. She had never seen a normal human lock before.
“This is it,” Hyun-woo said, pushing the door open. “Home sweet home. Make yourself comfortable.”
But the moment they stepped inside, the heat hit them like a wall. The house was boiling.
Euryale stopped dead in her tracks and glared at him.
“What?” Hyun-woo asked, already knowing why she was making that face.
“Die, you piece of shit. The house is even hotter than outside,” Euryale growled.
“Hey, that’s because the AC isn’t on,” he replied calmly.
“And why the fuck isn’t the AC on?!” she demanded.
Hyun-woo looked at her like she had grown a second head. “How would the AC be on when no one’s been home? Are you stupid?”
Euryale grumbled but shot back, “Stop calling me stupid after every sentence.”
Hyun-woo just shook his head and quickly turned on the air conditioning unit. At first, only warm air blew out, but soon a beautiful, roaring blast of cool air filled the room.
Euryale let out a long, relieved sigh as the cold air washed over her. Her snakes perked up instantly, basking in the artificial breeze.
“Better?” Hyun-woo asked, smiling.
“Much,” she admitted, finally looking around the house with open curiosity.
The living room was tidy but personal. Framed photos on the walls showed a younger Hyun-woo with his parents, some military photos, and bookshelves filled with fantasy novels and military strategy guides.
“My mom’s been staying in Korea with my dad for the past year,” Hyun-woo explained as he headed toward the stairs. “I couldn’t visit much because of my deployment. Honestly… now that things have calmed down, I’m seriously thinking about going to see them soon. They’d lose their minds if they met you and the others.”
Euryale followed him upstairs. “They sound important to you.”
“They are.” He paused at the door to his bedroom, a faint wistful look crossing his face. “I was so focused on proving I wasn’t just a ‘pretty normie’ that I didn’t make much time for them. But after everything… I really want to see them again.”
Hyun-woo quickly gathered what he needed: his old smartphone, his wallet with credit cards, some clean civilian clothes that finally didn’t have bloodstains, and a small bag of daily necessities.
While he packed, Euryale explored his room with quiet fascination. She picked up a gaming controller, flipped through one of his books, and looked around curiously.
“You know, you have quite plain taste,” she said, pointing at the simple walls.
“Woman, that’s what a normal person’s room looks like,” Hyun-woo replied with a laugh, stuffing clothes into a duffel bag.
Euryale huffed but didn’t argue. She wandered over to the window and peered out at the quiet suburban street. The cool air conditioning continued to hum softly, and for the first time since arriving, she looked almost… relaxed.
Hyun-woo zipped up the bag and glanced at her. “We can grab some food on the way back if you want. There’s this Korean barbecue place nearby that my parents used to love. Or ice cream, since you hate the heat so much.”
Euryale turned, one of her smaller snakes curiously flicking its tongue toward him. A tiny, reluctant smile tugged at her lips.
“…Ice cream first. Then food,” she said. “And if you call me stupid one more time, I’m biting something more important than your hand.”
Hyun-woo grinned. “Huh? You pervert, what exactly are you trying to bite?”
“You…,” Euryale muttered, but she didn’t hate the teasing. She didn’t even pull away when he bumped her shoulder lightly on the way out.
As they stepped back into the Texas heat, leaving the AC running behind them, Hyun-woo locked the door. A strange mix of nostalgia and lightness filled his chest.
For the first time in a long while, coming “home” didn’t feel lonely. And with a grumpy, heat-hating Gorgon sister complaining beside him, it definitely wasn’t boring.
They had barely made it to the sidewalk when a warm, familiar voice called out.
“Well I'll be damned! Woo, is that you, you little shit?!”
An elderly Black man with silver hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and a wooden cane was waving enthusiastically from the neighboring porch. Mr. Elijah’s face lit up with pure joy as he slowly made his way down the steps, his cane tapping against the wood.
“Elijah!” Hyun-woo called back, grinning widely. He guided Euryale over. “It’s good to see you, you old crook. Didn’t you die from that hernia?”
Mr. Elijah let out a booming laugh, thick with a deep Texas drawl. “Die? Boy, I told yo’ ass last time that damn hernia ain’t takin’ me out ‘fore I perfect my barbecue ribs! One of my boys is still around keepin’ me company, so I ain’t goin’ nowhere yet.”
He stopped a few feet away, his eyes widening as they landed on Euryale. The old man gave a slow, appreciative whistle.
“Lord have mercy… Who’s this beautiful snake-haired queen you got with you?” He chuckled warmly. “Nice to meet ya, miss. Don’t tell me my favorite neighbor finally got himself a girlfriend! She is stunning. Those eyes could stop traffic!”
Euryale’s cheeks flushed a soft green. Her snakes peeked out curiously, a few even giving shy little hisses. “I… thank you,” she managed, clearly unused to such warm, grandfatherly compliments.
Hyun-woo laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. “This is Euryale. We’re… traveling together.”
“'Bout damn time!” Elijah boomed happily, clapping Hyun-woo on the shoulder. “I kept tellin’ you, boy—life’s too short to spend it all in the army. Y'all look good together. Real good. When’s the wedding? I want an invitation!”
“Hey, we just met six days ago, Elijah. It’s still a work in progress,” Hyun-woo replied.
“What? Ain't sealed the deal yet? Well, ain't that a damn disappointment,” the old man said bluntly.
Hyun-woo just stared at him. Euryale opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Before either of them could respond, two energetic children burst out of Elijah’s house—his grandchildren, bouncing with excitement.
“Grandpa! We want ice cream!” both kids shouted at the same time.
Then, their eyes landed on Hyun-woo.
“Ooh! It’s Uncle Woo!”
They ran straight toward him. Hyun-woo quickly scooped them up in his arms, spinning them around with a loud laugh.
“Hahaha! How are you two, my little potatoes?” he asked, making them squeal with delight.
The kids were Elijah’s grandchildren—a bouncy nine-year-old boy and his energetic seven-year-old sister.
While Hyun-woo played with them, Elijah grinned at Euryale. “Don’t mind this pretty boy, miss. He used to come 'round on his vacations and help this old man fix up the house, mow the lawn, and carry groceries like he was my personal soldier. Good kid, when he ain’t runnin’ his mouth.”
After spinning them for a while, Hyun-woo gently put the two dizzy kids back on the ground. They wobbled on their feet, laughing.
When they noticed Euryale, the little girl pointed curiously. “Grandpa! Who’s that lady with the snakes?!”
“Oh, that’s Uncle Woo’s girlfriend,” Elijah said with a big smile.
“Uncle Woo has a girlfriend now?” the boy gasped. “How is that possible? I thought it was impossible for him to get a girlfriend!”
Kids could be brutally honest sometimes.
“What are you saying? I can’t get a girlfriend?” Hyun-woo scoffed playfully, grabbing both of them gently by the head and ruffling their hair.
Euryale just watched the whole scene in quiet shock. She had thought Hyun-woo was some loner protagonist from a tragic web novel. But seeing him laugh and play with the kids so naturally… she was glad her sisters and Ebonara had truly found a good person.
Guess they lucked out, she thought, smiling softly to herself.
After some more playing around, the boy pointed straight at Hyun-woo. “Uncle Woo! You promised last time you’d buy us ice cream when you came back from the army!”
Hyun-woo laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Alright, alright. Y’all win. I’ll take everyone for ice cream.”
Elijah grinned, showing a flash of a gold tooth. “Now that’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout! You still owe me for mowin’ yo’ damn lawn last week, you cheap bastard. Don’t think I forgot just ‘cause you been playin’ soldier.”
“Language around the kids, old man,” Hyun-woo shot back with a smirk.
“These kids hear worse from the damn TV,” Elijah waved him off with a laugh. “C’mon then, ‘fore they start climbin’ all over Miss Snake Lady. She looks like she could turn us all to stone if they get too rowdy.”
Bro, you have no idea, Hyun-woo thought.
The short walk to the neighborhood ice cream truck was lively and fun. The kids bombarded Euryale with endless questions—“Do your snakes have names?” “Can they bite?” “Are you a princess?”—while Hyun-woo and Elijah caught up on old times.
“So where you been, boy?” Elijah asked curiously. “This time you didn’t even come back on vacation.”
“Nothing much,” Hyun-woo replied. “I just quit the military. Now I’m a free man.”
Elijah looked at him and could tell that there was something he wasn't saying. “Shut up, you bastard. I know you better than that. Somethin' happened. Spill it.”
Before Hyun-woo could answer, Euryale and the kids caught up to them. The children immediately surrounded Hyun-woo again, laughing as he played with them.
“He really helped you on his vacations?” Euryale asked Elijah.
“Yeah,” the old man said with a warm smile. “Whenever he had leave, he’d come home and help me with chores.”
“Hey, don’t let this sentimental old man fool you,” Hyun-woo called out. “Despite how he looks, he’s actually pretty healthy. And his son was overseas, so… it was the least I could do.”
“Damn right it was,” Elijah chuckled. “This boy fixed my fence, painted the porch, even helped me barbecue. Best damn vacation help I ever had.”
Elijah laughed, and before they knew it, they had already arrived in front of the ice cream truck.
Hyun-woo paid for everyone—two big chocolate-dipped cones for the kids, a classic vanilla cup for Mr. Elijah, and a large mango sorbet cup for Euryale after she quietly admitted she wanted something cold and fruity.
Euryale took her first spoonful and her eyes widened. The cold sweetness hit her instantly. Her snakes practically melted, draping lazily over her shoulders as she let out a tiny, involuntary happy sigh.
Finally, something cool.
Hyun-woo watched her with a soft smile. “Good?”
“…It’s acceptable,” she muttered, quickly taking another spoonful. Her cheeks had the faintest tint of green.
Mr. Elijah chuckled as he ate his vanilla. “Y’all look good together. Real good. Don’t let this boy mess it up, Euyatel. He’s stubborn as a mule, but he’s got a good heart.”
He kept getting her name slightly wrong, but no one corrected him.
They chatted and laughed for a while under the shade of a big oak tree. The kids ran around with sticky hands, showing off their cones to Euryale’s snakes, while Elijah teased Hyun-woo nonstop.
Eventually, Hyun-woo checked the time. “We gotta head back soon, Elijah. Duty calls. But I’ll be back properly before long. Promise.”
“You better, son,” the old man said, pulling him into a quick, firm hug. “And bring Euraley again. She seems like good people. Don’t be a stranger now.”
The kids waved goodbye enthusiastically, already covered in melted ice cream. “Bye, Uncle Woo! Bye, Snake Princess!”
As Elijah and the kids walked back toward the house, Euryale watched them go with a small, strangely soft smile.
“He seems… kind,” she said quietly.
“Yeah,” Hyun-woo replied, warmth blooming in his chest. “He really is.”
He glanced at Euryale, who was still fanning herself lightly. “Ready to escape this heat and hit the mall?”
And she nodded firmly.