chapter 10 : I hate you, Ethan

The loud alarm was buzzing insistently, disrupting my desire to stay asleep. Even though I felt the pull of sleepiness, I eventually surrendered to the persistent ringing.

With a groggy effort, I pried my eyes open and hauled myself out of bed. Glancing at the clock, I saw it was 4:30 am. Letting out a tired yawn, I managed to utter, "What a splendid morning."

  I felt happy because it was the day Mr. Lee was coming back. I missed his warm smile, his kind eyes, and his sweet conversations. In every possible way, I missed him a lot.

After taking a longer-than-usual shower today, I stepped outside. Since I was nearly done with my revision, I decided to take a break from studying.

I went outside.  As I looked around, I couldn't help but admire the beautiful garden surrounding me. This place had a special spot in my heart, and I often spent my free moments here.

Out of the blue, I heard a voice from behind. I turned and saw Ethan, who was busy working out. He had no shirt on, and  To be honest, I didn't mind the view as much as I disliked him. Strangely, I found myself sort of liking it. It's okay to appreciate a good physique, right? After all, Ethan was undeniably good-looking.

In the end, there's nothing wrong with admiring attractive bodies, and I couldn't deny that Ethan fit that description perfectly.

At times, my own foolishness managed to get the better of me. I ended up staring at Ethan for a bit too long and got caught in the act. In response, he gave me a smile, or perhaps it was more of a sly grin?

He walked over, shirtless, and I couldn't help but notice his well-defined abs. No wonder he had a fan following at school – he fit the image of someone everyone would be drawn to. Yet, they didn't know the two sides of him like I did.

"Enjoying the view?" he quipped, his body glistening with sweat. In hindsight, I thought I should have taken a picture of him, maybe even print a million copies – they would've sold out in no time.

Then he playfully poked my head. Startled, I took two steps back while rubbing my forehead. Yes, he had poked me on my forehead. I almost thought he put a hole in it, but thankfully, my head was alright.

He chuckled, saying, "I'm not some kind of monster, I won't eat you,"  while grabbing the water bottle from my hand and taking a sip.

I gazed at him and had a thought: "You're right, you're not a monster."  I managed a smile and quietly added, "You're something worse than that. Calling you a monster would be an insult to actual monsters."

Even as I spoke, I couldn't help but notice the way he was drinking from the bottle – it was quite appealing. His strong jawline was captivating. I couldn't help but wonder why God had to make him so irresistibly good-looking.

"Why are you here?"  he asked.

I responded, "Just hanging around." 

He gave me an "oh" look. Curiously, I inquired, "When will Mr. Lee  arrive?" I wasn't exactly trying to start a conversation; I just wanted to know the time he'd get here.

He responded, "Probably around 8:00 pm. Anyway, I've got to get going now." 

He headed back to his workout, leaving me with the information I needed. "8:00 PM" I repeated to myself before making my way back to my room.

My younger brother, Ray, was still asleep. I settled onto the bed and mused, "Today feels really good. Mr. Lee is returning, I didn't have that strange dream, and Ethan hasn't caused me any trouble – at least not yet. It's like he's treating me like a normal person today, maybe because Mr. Lee is on his way back."

I stretched out on my bed, casually scrolling through my phone. The idea of calling Isa crossed my mind, but I figured she was likely still sleeping soundly like a baby. It was only 6:00 AM after all.

Picking up a book from the nearby stack, I began to read. Reading was a passion of mine, especially when it came to fantasy novels. Little did I know that my own life would soon take on elements of a fantasy tale.

I woke up and glanced around. The book I had been reading was still open on my lap. I rubbed my eyes and sat up, wondering, "Did I doze off?" 

When I checked the clock, I was taken aback. It was already 11 AM. I rushed to brush my teeth and then headed downstairs.

A strong urge to murder Ethan began to consume me. I was fed up with his bullshits. Spotting a pillow on the sofa, I grabbed it and hurled it towards his face. He managed to dodge it skillfully.

Not giving up, I grabbed two more pillows and threw them at him. He dodged one but couldn't avoid the other – it hit him square in the face. He exclaimed, "What the hell?" and retaliated by tossing pillows back at me.

Annoyed, I shouted,  "are you a kid?" and snatched a slipper, ready to throw it as well. Just as I was about to launch the slipper, he abruptly yelled...

"Wait, you're not actually planning to throw that too, are you?"  he questioned.

"Well, what if I am?"  I retorted.

"I'll seriously kill you if you do."

"You won't stay alive either."

Before I could even throw the slipper, he beat me to it and flung it at me, hitting my head.  I glared at the slipper for a moment before turning my angry gaze back to him.

My anger was boiling over, making my head feel like it was on fire. "Are you out of your mind?"  I shouted, my frustration clear.

In a fit of rage, I dashed toward him. He leaped onto the sofa, raising the stakes by threatening, "One more step, and I swear I'll really make you regret it!"

  His shout only fueled my determination. I jumped onto the sofa as well and began to pummel him with a pillow. He retaliated with equal fervor. Suddenly, Ray made his way downstairs, rubbing his eyes. Clearly, he had just woken up from his sleep, which was most likely interrupted by our ruckus. Despite that,

I didn't feel an ounce of remorse for waking him. I looked at him and urgently requested, "Help me out here!"  A smile crossed his face, and he seized a slipper, joining the battle and aiming for Ethan too.

in the middle of the chaos, Mr. Lee stood there, silently observing our ridiculous fight.

at the dinning room...

The four of us were gathered around the dining room table. Both Ray and Mr. Lee were having a good laugh. Ethan, on the other hand, was sporting a pouty expression."You two, stop laughing,"  he complained.

Ray responded, still chuckling,  "How can we stop? It's too funny!" His laughter was so contagious that it got to me too, although I managed to keep a straight face.

Then, Mr. Lee chimed in, "So, you hit Ethan just because he mentioned I'd be back after 8:00?" He was still amused, his laughter evident.

I couldn't help but pout a bit, defending myself, "I didn't exactly hit him. I threw a pillow at him – it was as light as a feather,"  I glanced down at the ground, trying not to crack a smile.

Ethan protested, "Well, you did hit me, so don't act like you're suddenly full of guilt"  And he was right – I wasn't feeling guilty in the slightest.

Sensing the mood, I tried to mend things, saying, "I'm sorry for losing my temper. I actually wanted to go with you to the airport." 

Trying to highlight my maturity, Mr. Lee chimed in, "See, Zoe knows how to be responsible and apologize."  He looked like a proud father, and it made me feel good.

Ethan, however, brushed it off, saying with an eye roll, "Yeah, a half-assed apology, whatever."

Yes, I didn't really mean the sorry I said earlier. Honestly, someone like Ethan didn't deserve an apology from me.

Unexpectedly, Ethan stood up and addressed Ray, "Hey, let's go. I'll help you with your homework."  He guided Ray away, leaving us alone in the room. I remained silent, not really sure what to say.

Mr. Lee also got up from his seat and suggested, "I made some blueberry pancakes for breakfast – your favorite. wanna have some?"

  I glanced up, perplexed. "How did you know I like blueberry pancakes?"  I questioned.

He grinned and lightly pinched my cheek, replying, "I know everything."  His words made me smile, and I responded, "Yes, I'd love to! I'm actually quite hungry." 

The prospect of enjoying breakfast together felt heartwarming.

Sharing breakfast with Mr. Lee felt like stepping into a dream. After all, I practically idolized him; he was like a god in my eyes.

Sitting at the dining table, I watched Mr. Lee skillfully prepare pancakes for me. Before long, he brought over a plate, serving me the breakfast he had made. The sight of it was simply mouthwatering. With a cheerful expression, I couldn't help but exclaim, "Are you a chef?" 

I was practically dying to taste it – it looked unbelievably delicious, and I couldn't stop drooling.

Mr. Lee returned my smile and took a seat beside me. He advised, "Remember to eat slowly." 

I nodded, eager to try it. I took my first bite, and it was as if my heart melted. The flavor was beyond amazing. Unable to contain my excitement, I said, "It's delicious!"

I quickly took another bite, then another. Mr. Lee chuckled at my enthusiasm and affectionately patted my head.

On August 7th, 2013, Mr. Lee prepared a special treat for me – blueberry pancakes. This day will forever be etched in my memory because of the happiness it brought me.

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