Chapter 6: Let it Snow?

<Ethan's POV>

As we pull up to the Dunphy house after the talent show, I can feel the excitement still buzzing in the car. Alex is still glowing from her performance, while Haley is half-heartedly scrolling through her phone, probably still processing the shock of seeing her younger sister on stage. Claire and Phil are chatting animatedly in the front about how we should celebrate. A small after-party at the house is the plan, with Mitch, Cam, Jay, Gloria, and Manny joining us soon.

We all head inside, and I notice Luke bouncing with excitement beside me. "Dude, you were amazing! Seriously! You gotta teach me some of those moves, Ethan!" He grins, patting me on the back as if we've known each other forever.

"I'll show you what I know," I reply with a smile. "Maybe next time, we can try out something new."

Just then, Manny walks up, clearly trying to join in but looking a little uncertain. Luke, being Luke, doesn't notice Manny's hesitation. "Manny, isn't Ethan awesome? He likes all the cool stuff I do—video games, action movies, you know, the good stuff."

Manny looks at me, raising an eyebrow. "Well, I think that's nice, but I prefer more refined things like poetry, classical music, and... jazz composition." He says it in that serious way he has, like he's way older than his age.

I nod thoughtfully. "Actually, I think poetry's great. I've been trying to get more into it. There's something about capturing feelings in just a few words. Music-making too—there's so much you can do when you blend the two."

Manny's eyes widen in surprise, and I can see the apprehension fading. "Really? You're interested in poetry?" he asks, clearly not expecting me to share that interest.

"Definitely," I reply. "And if you're into jazz, I'd love to hear what kind of music you've been working on sometime. I don't know a lot about jazz, but I'm always open to learning."

Manny smiles for the first time since he walked up, clearly feeling more comfortable now. "I'd like that," he says, his tone friendlier. Gloria, who has been watching us from the doorway, smiles warmly at the sight. "You're a good boy, Ethan," she says in her thick Colombian accent. "Manny needs friends who appreciate the things he does."

"Thanks," I reply, feeling like I've passed some kind of test.

Suddenly, Jay approaches, his usual gruff demeanor in full force as he walks over. "Kid, we need to talk."

I look up, ready for anything. "Sure, Mr. Pritchett."

At first, Jay looks like he's going to grumble about something, but when he starts talking, it's about music. "That 'Rock Around the Clock' you did back there... that's the kind of stuff we used to listen to when I was your age. Got any more like that?"

I can't help but smile. "I've got plenty more. There's a lot of great music from that era."

Jay's face lights up as he nods approvingly. "Good. I'm thinking about something. My company's anniversary is coming up this summer—big event. How'd you feel about performing a few songs for the crowd?"

"Yeah, I'd be happy to," I reply, feeling both surprised and honored. "Just let me know when and where."

"Good. We'll talk more when the time comes," Jay says, and before I can ask more, he adds, "Now, don't get me started on closets, unless you want a full tour of my empire." He's about to go off on a tangent, but we're interrupted.

"Jay, Ethan, come on! It's time to eat!" Claire's voice calls from the dining room, and we all move toward the table where everyone has gathered.

As I sit down, I can feel the warmth of the family around me. The table is filled with laughter and light chatter, and Claire stands up to make a toast.

"To Alex and Ethan," she says with pride. "You both were incredible tonight. We're so proud of you!"

Everyone claps, and I catch Alex's eye from across the table. She's smiling at me, and I mouth, "You did great," to her. She nods, silently saying, "Thank you."

For the first time in a long time, I feel like I'm truly part of something, and it is a good feeling! 

*time skip to the next day*

The morning light filters through the window, gently pulling me out of sleep. It's the weekend, so I don't feel any urgency to rush. I take my time doing my usual routine—shower, brush my teeth, throw on some comfortable clothes, and head to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Nothing fancy, just some toast, eggs, and a bit of bacon.

Just as I'm about to take a bite, my door bursts open. Phil stands there, beaming like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Ethan! You gotta come with me right now!" He's practically vibrating with excitement, not even bothering to explain.

Before I can say a word, he's already dragging me out of the house and into theirs. I barely have time to think about my unfinished breakfast as he pulls me into the kitchen. The rest of the family is sitting around the counter, all looking at me with these weird, knowing smiles.

I look at them, completely clueless. "Uh, what's going on?"

Phil doesn't answer, just gestures dramatically at the laptop sitting on the kitchen counter. The thing is, it's still locked.

Claire sighs and rolls her eyes. "Phil, you forgot to unlock the laptop again."

Phil scratches the back of his head sheepishly. "Right, right! My bad." He quickly unlocks it and turns the screen towards me.

On the screen is a video of my performance from last night. My 'Billie Jean' routine. But what catches my attention isn't the video itself—it's the number of views. It's already in the millions.

"You're trending, Ethan!" Phil practically shouts, his voice booming like a certain half-giant wizard. "Like... 'You're a wizard, Harry!'"

I can't help but laugh at that. "Wow, that's... a lot of views." I stare at the number for a second, trying to process it. "But this will probably fizzle out after a bit," I say with a shrug, though part of me isn't so sure.

Claire, being Claire, asks, "Have you had breakfast yet?"

I give her a half-smile. "I was about to... until Phil kidnapped me."

Claire chuckles, rolling her eyes at Phil again. "You might as well stay here and eat. No point in wasting time."

"Thanks, but I've already made something," I reply. "Don't wanna let it go cold."

I head back to the my house to finish my breakfast, still thinking about the video and how quickly everything's moving. As I sit back down to eat, my telephone rings. Strange. it's not often someone calls this early.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is this Ethan?" The voice on the other end is calm, professional. "I'm a concert promoter, and I've got a bit of an offer for you."

"Uh, yeah, this is Ethan. What's this about?" I ask, curious.

"Well, we saw your performance online and we were wondering if you'd be interested in being an opening act for one of our upcoming events. It's a pretty big deal, and with your sudden popularity, we think it could help boost ticket sales."

I blink, caught off guard. "Wow, uh... that sounds amazing. When is the concert?"

The promoter's tone remains cool and businesslike. "We're looking at a date in the next few weeks. You'd just need to perform two songs, and then do one song with one of the main acts—Coldplay, in fact. They requested to perform Viva La Vida with you. How does that sound?"

Coldplay. Did they just say Coldplay?

"That sounds... incredible," I manage to say, still trying to process everything. "I'd love to do it."

"Fantastic. You'll need to let us know what two songs you plan to perform in advance so we can arrange everything, get the legal clearances. Any ideas?"

I think for a moment, then say, "How about Helena and Famous Last Words by My Chemical Romance?"

"Actually, that's perfect. My Chemical Romance was originally supposed to be part of the concert, but they had to cancel. We can work with their team to get permission to use the songs as a favor."

"Great!" I say, feeling a strange mix of excitement and nervousness.

"Also," the promoter adds, "there's a pretty impressive lineup for the concert. Aside from Coldplay, we've got OneRepublic, Maroon 5, Beyoncé, Paramore... and Taylor Swift."

I freeze for a moment. Did they just say Taylor Swift? I knew she was becoming big, but hearing her name in this lineup, especially when I've admired her work for so long, makes my heart race a little faster.

"Taylor Swift?" I ask, trying to sound casual.

"Yep, she'll be performing too," the promoter confirms. "Looking forward to seeing you there."

After we finish the conversation, I hang up the phone and sit in stunned silence for a moment. I've just been asked to perform with Coldplay... and Taylor Swift is going to be there.

'I wonder what would happen that day. I hope it's something exciting!'

Before I even delve into my imagination even more, I stop myself to avoid some accidents with my "Dream to Reality" powers. I know I'm not that strong yet, but I don't want some accidents with that. I then remembered that I need to go to the farmer's market to buy some food as my fridge is almost empty.

<General POV - at the Farmer's Market>

The farmer's market was bustling, and Ethan enjoyed the simple pleasure of browsing through the fresh produce. It was a calm, bright day, and after the whirlwind of events surrounding the talent show, he was happy to have a moment of normalcy. He picked up some apples, inspecting them before placing them in his basket. As he moved through the stalls, his thoughts drifted to the viral video and the upcoming concert. Everything seemed to be happening so fast.

Lost in thought, Ethan turned a corner, and before he could react, he bumped into someone—hard enough to almost knock the basket from his hand.

"Oh, sorry about that," the girl said quickly, looking a bit flustered.

Ethan blinked, immediately drawn to her appearance. She looked around his age, maybe a bit younger, and distinctly Korean. But what really caught his attention was her hair. One side of it was jet black, while the other had a stark streak of white running through it. And then there were her eyes—one brown, the other an icy blue. Ethan froze for a moment, his mind racing.

'Luna Snow?' he thought, recognizing her distinct features from the comics. Could it really be her?

"I'm so sorry," she said again, clearly embarrassed. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

Ethan smiled, shaking off the surprise. "No worries! You seem like you're in a rush."

The girl nodded, her face still flushed from the bump. "Yeah, actually... I got separated from my grandmother. I was heading to the parking lot to wait for her at our car."

Ethan chuckled lightly. "I see. Sounds like something I'd do. I'm Ethan, by the way."

She blinked in recognition, her eyes widening as she studied his face. "Wait... you're Ethan? The one from the talent show last night?"

"That's me," he said, giving a small smile. "Did you catch it?"

"Yeah! My grandma and I watched it!" she said excitedly, her previous nervousness melting away. "It was amazing! I'm Seol Hee, by the way. But I guess my friends here calls me Luna."

Ethan's smile grew wider. 'Seol Hee, huh? I thought you looked familiar.' He thought to himself, So it really is Luna Snow.

Seol Hee grinned, clearly thrilled to meet him. "You were incredible on stage. I want to be an idol one day, and watching you perform made me feel like I could really do it!"

Ethan laughed, appreciating her enthusiasm. "That's awesome! You should totally go for it."

Suddenly, remembering her situation, he said, "Hey, why don't I walk you to the parking lot? It's better than wandering around alone."

Seol Hee smiled gratefully. "I'd appreciate that."

They walked side by side through the bustling market, chatting about music, the talent show, and her dreams of becoming an idol. Seol Hee's passion reminded Ethan of how he felt when he performed—free, alive, and connected to something bigger than himself.

When they arrived at the parking lot, her grandmother hadn't arrived yet. Ethan and Seol Hee continued to chat, the conversation flowing easily.

"Thanks for walking with me," Seol Hee said, reaching into her bag. She pulled out a small piece of paper and a pen, quickly scribbling something down. "Here, in case you want to talk again or... maybe we could hang out sometime?"

Ethan smiled, accepting the paper. "Sounds good."

As he pocketed the note, Ethan caught a glimpse of Seol Hee's grandmother watching them from a distance, a knowing smile on her face. He could only imagine the teasing Seol Hee was about to endure once they got home.

<Ethan's POV>

"Wow... that really was Luna Snow," Ethan thought as he made his way back through the market. "She's even more beautiful than she looked in the comics."

He spent the rest of the afternoon finishing his grocery shopping, trying to wrap his head around everything that had happened. First, the viral video. Then, a concert invitation. Now, running into Luna Snow herself—well, Seol Hee, before she'd even gotten her powers.

By the time he returned home and started putting his groceries away, his mind was still buzzing from the excitement of the day. As he was placing a carton of milk into the fridge, a flash of green light sparked behind him.

Ethan turned sharply, instinctively expecting trouble.

And there she was. His aunt, Morgan Le Fay, stood in the middle of his kitchen, her regal presence impossible to ignore. She was dressed in her usual flowing dark robes, her eyes gleaming with an otherworldly power.

"I was just gone for a little more than a week," Morgan said, her voice dripping with amusement, "and already, my dear nephew, you're making a name for yourself."

Ethan chuckled, trying to play it cool despite the shock. "What can I say? Time flies."

Morgan stepped closer, her eyes scanning the room as if she could see through everything—past his walls, past his carefully constructed life. "You've been busy," she said, her tone laced with both pride and a hint of warning.

Ethan shrugged, leaning against the counter. "Well, you did say I should experience this life. I'm just... living it."

Morgan's lips curled into a smirk. "Good. But remember, dear Ethan, the world you're playing in is much bigger than you think. Keep your wits about you." She paused, her gaze softening just a bit. "I'm watching over you, always."

Before Ethan could respond, another flash of green light enveloped her, and just as quickly as she appeared, she was gone.

Ethan stood there for a moment, letting the silence fill the room. "Well," he muttered to himself, "guess it's not just the internet keeping an eye on me."

He finished putting the rest of the groceries away, his mind racing once again.

*to be continued*