The first time Romeo set foot in Garry and Farah's house, he was greeted by a sweet, warm smell: a mixture of pancake batter, coffee, and something simmering in the oven.
Farah, her smile as wide as a summer sun, appeared in the doorway. She was a golden, gentle woman with a singing voice. Her round, generous figure, with plump cheeks and full hips, exuded an almost maternal kindness, the kind that wanted everyone to have a full plate—or even two.

“So you're Romeo?” she said, shaking his hand. “Come in, come in!” Garry told me you wanted to gain weight. You're in luck, I've just made an ‘effective’ brunch.

‘Effective’ was an understatement.
On the table were mountains of pancakes, omelets puffed up like pillows, bowls of chocolate milk, and slices of bread buttered until they were transparent. Next to it, Garry was already pecking away, looking delighted, like a kid at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Farah, enthusiastic, took on a determined tone:
“So, rule number one is to never be hungry. If you feel your stomach empty, it's wasting time!”
She punctuated her sentence by pouring a drizzle of maple syrup over a stack of pancakes, before placing a monumental portion in front of Romeo.

“Rule number two,” she continued, “pleasure is the driving force. You have to love what you eat. If you don't like it, your body won't follow.”
“Um... I think I already like what I eat too much,” he murmured, looking at his enormous portion.
“Perfect! Then you're bound to succeed,” she concluded with a wink.

For the first few days, Romeo tried to follow her advice to the letter. Farah prepared “comfort” meals for him: rich dishes, desserts “for safety's sake,” and snacks “to tide him over between meals.”
He felt heavy and often bloated, but Farah encouraged him kindly.
“It's normal, your body is learning to be happy.”
“Happy... or full?” he grumbled, struggling to button his jeans.
“Both!” she replied, amused.

The weeks passed in a strange routine: training in the morning, a royal meal at noon, and a “digestive” nap imposed by Farah, who believed that “rest is also good for growth.”
As the days went by, Romeo felt his arms getting rounder and his stomach getting heavier. His belts were getting tighter, his shirts were pulling, and burping became a constant background noise.
“BWAARRRP!” Romeo caught his breath. ”Why am I the only one for whom bulking is such a pain in the ass?”

Three months later, the scale read 202 lbs.
Romeo stood in front of the mirror and looked at his reflection: his belly was slightly round, his cheeks were full, his arms were thick.
He smiled shyly. He felt awkward, a little lost in this new body... but Farah was right about one thing: he was never hungry anymore.

And, strangely enough, that almost gave him confidence.

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