Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

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.

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.

Sure, Lila was a bit introverted, but she was a good kid. She wouldn’t do anything strange.

But as soon as Margaret stepped into the living room, she saw the dining table already set with a lavish breakfast, and standing beside it, wearing an apron, was her eldest daughter. It was clear that all this food had been made by her.

“Ah.”

Margaret hadn’t expected this at all.

And who was this dazzling person!?

The next second, Margaret instinctively raised her hand to shield her eyes. Her daughter was so radiant in that moment that she could hardly bear to look directly at her.

Seeing her exaggerated reaction, Ethan tilted his head and asked, “What’s wrong, Mom?”

Margaret’s expression immediately shifted to one of visible panic.

Without missing a beat, she scooped Ivy up, tucked her under her arm, and turned to run, shouting, “Thomas! Something’s wrong with Lila! She’s acting really strange!”

Why is even her mom reacting like this? Ethan thought to himself, feeling a bit exasperated. He could only hope that Lila’s dad would be a bit more level-headed.

Soon, Lila’s father, Thomas Harper, arrived on the scene. At first, his reaction was just like Margaret’s—confused and unconcerned. But when he saw the scene in the living room, there was no doubt he was just as stunned.

Margaret and Ivy hid behind him, sneaking glances at “Lila.”

To his credit, Thomas, as the head of the Harper family, didn’t panic. He just looked completely bewildered, as if he was still processing the situation.

And so, the room fell into an awkward silence.

Do they think I’m some kind of monster? Ethan muttered to himself, before finally breaking the tension. “How about we just eat first?”

At the dining table, Ethan calmly ate his portion of breakfast, while the other three were clearly struggling to keep their composure.

The food was so delicious that it exceeded their expectations, and for a moment, they all forgot about Lila’s strange behavior. Their eyes lit up as they focused entirely on devouring the meal.

It wasn’t until they finished breakfast that the Harper family finally snapped back to reality.

“Ah…”

Ethan didn’t think much of it. After all, his cooking skills were more than good enough to land him a head chef position at a Michelin-starred restaurant.

But even though breakfast was over, the Harper couple remained silent. Meanwhile, Ethan was busy playing with Ivy. Being just a kid, she quickly warmed up to her “new” sister’s personality.

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?