Chapter 342: It’s obvious, isn’t it?

Chapter 342: It’s obvious, isn’t it?

Chapter 342: It’s obvious, isn’t it?

In the kitchen of Lila’s house, Ethan was preparing breakfast while chatting with Lila on his phone.

Given how complicated things were at his place, there were always a lot of questions she needed to ask him.

But even while multitasking, Ethan handled everything smoothly. His cooking was as effortless as a flowing stream.

He scooped a bit of soup into a small dish, tasted it, and nodded in satisfaction. In no time, he had whipped up breakfast for four.

Just then, Ethan’s sharp ears picked up the sound of footsteps. A small figure appeared in the living room—it was Lila’s younger sister, Ivy.

Still in her pajamas, her eyes barely open, Ivy’s nose twitched slightly, as if she had been drawn in by the delicious smell.

Ethan chuckled and called out to her, “Ivy, breakfast is ready! But you’ve gotta brush your teeth first.”

His voice snapped Ivy out of her sleepy daze. She blinked, suddenly realizing that the person in the kitchen wasn’t her mom—it was her sister.

Wait, her sister!?

Ivy rubbed her eyes hard and even tugged at her cheeks, as if trying to figure out whether she was still dreaming.

“What’s wrong?” Ethan walked over to her, crouching down to gently ruffle her hair. He couldn’t help but think how adorable Lila’s little sister was.

But Ivy, seeing this unusually cheerful version of her sister, took a step back, her expression quickly turning to one of visible panic.

The next second, she let out a loud “Waaah!” and bolted from the room, shouting, “Mom! Something’s wrong with Lila! She’s acting really weird!”

“Uh...”

Ethan froze for a moment, then realized what had happened.

He had underestimated the impression Lila had left on her family.

And honestly, he had gotten a bit too comfortable, acting completely like himself. Considering how socially anxious Lila usually was, it wasn’t surprising that Ivy would freak out at such a drastic change in her sister’s behavior.

But after thinking it over, Ethan decided to just let it go. He had no intention of pretending to be Lila, just like he wouldn’t expect Lila to pretend to be him. That would be way too exhausting.

He’d just come up with an excuse to explain things to Lila’s mom later.

Soon enough, Lila’s mother, Margaret, was dragged into the living room by Ivy.

At first, Margaret was a bit confused, thinking her younger daughter was probably overreacting. After all, she knew Lila well.

At that moment, the Harper couple exchanged a glance, as if they had come to some sort of decision. Finally, Margaret spoke up, “Lila, sweetie, I know a very talented medium.”

Wait, do they think their daughter’s possessed by a ghost? Ethan couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. Well, technically, they weren’t entirely wrong.

But to avoid further complications, Ethan decided to come up with an excuse. He leaned his elbows on the table, interlaced his fingers under his chin, and spoke in a deep, serious tone, “I know you’re both confused by my sudden change. That’s because you don’t know what I’ve been through.”

“Been through?” The Harpers swallowed nervously, waiting for their daughter to continue.

“It all happened last night, in a dream,” Ethan began, spinning a dramatic tale. “It was an epic adventure in another world, where I was on a quest to find the Dragon Balls. After countless trials with my friends from that world, we finally gathered all seven Dragon Balls and summoned the mighty dragon. I made a wish to change myself.”

Both the Harper couple and Ivy were completely engrossed in Ethan’s theatrical storytelling.

Thomas, wide-eyed, exclaimed, “So, Lila, your transformation is because of the dragon’s power!?”

But then he saw his daughter shake her head, looking a bit indignant. “No, after I made my wish, the dragon told me that through the journey, I had already changed on my own. Then, it just sent me back to the real world. Sure, the dragon cheated me out of a wish, but your daughter was reborn!”

As ridiculous as the story sounded, the Harper couple seemed to buy it completely. They were even clapping, clearly moved by the tale.

Ethan hadn’t expected them to believe such an outlandish explanation. Maybe it was just a testament to how much the Harpers adored Lila.

He couldn’t help but feel a bit touched. The Harper family really was the picture of a loving, model family.

After that, Ethan’s time with the Harper family went smoothly. He even volunteered to wash the dishes. Once everything was cleaned up, he checked the time and realized it was about time to head to school.

As he left, the Harper couple stood in the living room, watching the door.

Suddenly, Thomas spoke up, sounding a bit nostalgic, “Hey, do you think we should write a thank-you letter to Akira Toriyama?”

Margaret turned to him, shocked. “You don’t actually believe that Dragon Ball story, do you?”

“Of course not,” Thomas laughed, shaking his head. “I was just joking.”

“Are you sure Lila’s really okay?” Margaret still seemed a bit worried about her daughter.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? Lila’s growing up.”

Thomas gently hugged his wife, reassuring her. “She’s a teenager now. It’s not unusual for her to change. You see it all the time in manga—shy kids suddenly become outgoing when they start high school. Maybe this is just her late-blooming high school debut.”

Why does it feel more like a late-blooming case of chūnibyō? Margaret thought to herself, but then quickly recalled the maturity her daughter had shown that morning.

Whatever the reason, it was clearly a positive change. It seemed like their daughter didn’t need too much worrying after all... though, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to book an appointment with a therapist, just in case?