16. Big brother Ethan

16. BIG BROTHER ETHAN

On an early Sunday morning, a man in his late twenties arrived home with his luggage and bags in tow. As he unlocked the front door, a small smile graced his lips. "I wonder how she managed these three days," he muttered to himself.

"I'm back," he announced upon entering, but his cheerful demeanor quickly faded as he took in the state of the house. Trash strewn across the floor, dishes piled high in the sink, and leftovers scattered on the dining table greeted him.

With a heavy sigh, he made his way into the living room, where he found Amy peacefully asleep on the couch. The TV blared in the background, its paused screen indicating she had been playing a game before drifting off to sleep.

Disappointment clouded his expression as he observed the scene. "No one would believe she's a professor at a top university," he murmured to himself, shaking his head in disbelief.

He approached her, gently nudging her shoulder. "Hey, Amy, I'm back. Time to wake up," he said softly, but Amy remained oblivious, sleeping soundly like a baby.

With no other options left, he resorted to a little white lie. "Amy, Mom came by to check on us," he called out, hoping to startle her awake.

Amy jolted awake at the mention of their mom. "Mom? Where?" she exclaimed, still half in a state of fear from her dream-induced sleep.

As Amy turned to look at him, her expression shifted from fear to delight upon seeing her older brother. "Ethan!" she exclaimed, jumping up to hug him. "I missed you so much!"

"Did you miss me or just my house chores?" Ethan teased, gesturing to the messy surroundings. "I was only gone for three days."

Amy grinned sheepishly. "You know I'm hopeless at this stuff," she admitted, rubbing the back of her head.

"Well, you're never going to find a partner if you keep this up," Ethan remarked with a hint of disappointment, already resigned to cleaning up the mess himself.

After an hour of diligent cleaning, Ethan had transformed the messy house into a spotless haven. He then set about cooking breakfast for both of them, while Amy lounged at the dining table, sipping her coffee and scrolling through her phone.

"Oh, I forgot to ask, how was your business trip, Ethan?" Amy inquired, curious about his recent travels.

"Nothing exciting, just office work as usual. Didn't even get to enjoy any downtime," he replied from the kitchen, a hint of disappointment in his tone.

"Sounds rough," Amy teased, a playful smile dancing on her lips.

"Well, at least I got treated to a meal at a fancy 5-star restaurant on the last day," Ethan revealed, prompting a surprised reaction from Amy.

"A 5-star restaurant? And here I was, left to fend for myself," she said in mock disappointment.

"Such is life," Ethan chuckled as he served up Amy's favorite breakfast, French toast. "Consider this your compensation."

"Thanks," Amy replied gratefully, digging into her meal. "I have missed your cooking these past three days."

Ethan couldn't help but tease her about her behavior. "I wonder what your future boyfriend will think if you're still like this."

"Well, I'll find a nice guy who'll cook and clean for me," Amy replied confidently.

"Sounds like you're just looking for a servant," Ethan joked, laughing at her response.

Amy shot back, unfazed. "Keep joking, and I'll bring my guy over one day."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? So you have someone in mind?"

Amy hesitated, caught off guard. "N-no, not really," she stammered, feeling flustered.

"Oh, I forgot about that. What happened to the student who proposed to you? Did you report him?" Ethan remembered the incident when Amy had shared about a student proposing to her on her first day of work.

Amy paused, her cheeks flushing red as she recalled Billy.

"Ethan's voice snapped her out of her reverie. "Hey," he called, bringing her back to reality.

"Oh, that kid? I let it go," Amy replied casually, trying to brush off the topic.

"You let it go? I hope you're not too forgiving. You need to be careful," Ethan cautioned, concerned about the intentions of the guy who had proposed to Amy.

"Don't worry about it," Amy replied dismissively, returning her focus to her breakfast.

"I still can't believe it. You've transformed into this strict persona, and yet a student proposed to you," Ethan remarked, a smile playing on his lips.

After the breakfast Amy was started her gaming again on her console in the living room. While Ethan's sits beside her.

"Amy, don't you any college work? You always gaming these days, especially night time," Ethan remarked her gaming addiction.

"I have nothing much left, I complete my most work at university itself," Amy replied stick to the gaming.

"Anyways you have to stop these games, you are 26 now," ethan complained while Amy was nonchalant about it and Ethan gave up about it.

After an hour of gaming, Amy grew bored and paused the game, slouching back on the couch in a wave of boredom. As she reached for her phone, she was jolted by a sudden realization.

"Oh, shoot! I totally forgot about this," Amy exclaimed, jumping up from her spot, startling Ethan.

"Forget what? A date with your guy?" Ethan quipped, amused by her sudden outburst.

"No, I forgot about the comic-con event happening on the other side of the city today," Amy explained, showing Ethan her phone with the reminder displayed prominently.

With a sense of urgency, Amy dashed off to her room to get ready, leaving Ethan perplexed by the sudden turn of events.

Amy arrived at the comic con after a journey across the city, dressed in her signature pink hoodie and white cap, opting to forgo her glasses as a disguise. The convention was a colorful spectacle, with numerous stalls and cosplayers representing various anime, games, comics, and shows, much to Amy's delight.

As an avid gamer and anime enthusiast, Amy found herself thoroughly enjoying the event. Her excitement peaked when she stumbled upon the mascot of her favorite magical girl anime near one of the stalls. This particular series had been a beloved part of Amy's childhood, and she couldn't resist the opportunity for a photo with the character.

With a beaming smile, Amy approached the mascot and politely asked for a picture, which the mascot enthusiastically accepted, gesturing with exaggerated movements. Amy eagerly snapped a few photos, her excitement evident as she removed her cap for a clearer shot.

As she turned to thank the mascot, her expression froze in shock. The costume's top suddenly opened, revealing the face of Billy underneath. Amy's mouth hung open in disbelief as she stared at him, caught off guard by the unexpected revelation.