“Ooh, already defending him? It’s only been a
few weeks, and you’re already picking him over
me?” Sarah fake–cried, clinging to me
dramatically.
く
“Okay, okay, your BBQ is getting cold.” I
pushed her away. “But seriously, Sarah, Ethan
and I, this is just a marriage of convenience.” There weren’t any real feelings there, just a
childhood friendship, at best.
“Fake marriage, real love. It’s a classic trope. Read some romance novels, take notes.”
وو
One evening, I ran into Mr. Davis at work. “Good evening, Mr. Davis,” I said politely.
“Lisa, dear, when are you and Ethan coming
over for dinner again? Your mother and I miss you terribly.” He spoke as if he hadn’t heard my
greeting or noticed anyone else around.
“Uh… we’ll come over when we have time.” I
stammered, noticing my supervisor’s face
turning an interesting shade of green.
GGY A A
1
“.
“Well, how about tonight? We haven’t had a
proper dinner together since you and Ethan got
married.”
My supervisor’s face went even greener, and he
practically sprinted away. I was so fired.
That night, Ethan was unusually cheerful on the
way to his parents‘ house. I raised an eyebrow.
“Is my cooking that bad? You’re acting like this
is some special occasion.”
“Of course not. After tonight, you’ll officially be
a cherished member of the Davis family. Mom,
Dad, Sarah, and me–we’re all your protectors
now.” He adjusted his tie. “Hey, I matched my
tie to your dress. Looks good, right?”
“Looks great, sir.”
“Does my name shock you or something? Are
you afraid you’ll get electrocuted if you say it?”
He sighed. “It’s okay, take your time.”
<
“You don’t have to call them Mom and Dad
tonight if you’re not ready. Whenever you’re
comfortable.”
I nodded thoughtfully. As we pulled up to the
house, Sarah spotted us from the balcony. She
dropped her comic book and rushed
downstairs, putting on a cutesy voice. “Sister-
in–law! Long time no see!”
I clamped my hand over her mouth and glared
at her.
“Sister–in–law, you shouldn’t be so touchy-
feely with your little sister–in–law. Ethan might get jealous.” She winked at Ethan, who rolled
his eyes and pulled us apart. “Sarah, stop
teasing my wife.”
“Oh, so protective! What about your poor
sister’s feelings? Lisa hasn’t come to see me in
two weeks. She’s always at home with you…”
<
Sarah said with a dramatic sniffle.
Ethan: “…
Me: ”
…
11
Dinner went smoothly. Mrs. Davis even shared
stories about Ethan’s childhood. She said he
used to have a terrible temper, stubborn as a
mule. He’d had a fight with his dad, who, in exasperation, shipped him off to summer camp
as punishment. He came back a changed boy,
much calmer. He wrote letters constantly,
having the housekeeper take him to the post office every week. Later, the letters stopped,
but he still went to the post office every week.
He’d even asked his mother, “If I make Dad mad again, can I go back to that village?” He
never did make his dad mad again, because,
apparently, the little girl from the village told
him she liked him better when he was gentle
and smiled more.
<
“Ethan still has a picture of that little girl. He
took it to work with him when he first started at
the company. She looks a bit like you, Lisa. Is
that you?” Mr. Davis chimed in.
Sarah nodded knowingly, a mischievous glint in
her eyes.
“Mom, Dad, that is me.” I said, exchanging a
knowing smile with Ethan.
The moonlight was especially bright that night
as we sat on the porch swing. It was romantic,
but I felt like crying. This was what it felt like to
have parents, to be loved, to love someone.
“You said you don’t know how to love. It’s
okay. I can wait. I can teach you, because you
have a natural talent for it.” Ethan took my
hand, his grip reminding me of the way he’d
clutched the wilted flower crown all those years
ago.
“Because even as a little girl, you taught a boy
how to love.”
“Ethan, the moon is so bright, so round. Just
like your head used to be.” I pointed at the
moon. “I’m trying to love you too.”
Our story, which began with three roasted
sweet potatoes and an ear of corn, was just
beginning.
Bonus: Ethan’s Perspective
What kind of girl was Lisa?
I heard Sarah talk about her best friend
endlessly. The one who chased down her ex for
five blocks after he scammed her out of five
thousand dollars. A loyal friend, and a fellow
small–town girl.
But during summer breaks, I never saw this best
<
friend come to visit. Sarah said she was busy
with internships, never came home.
After graduation, Sarah came back,
disappointed. Her best friend had moved to the
big city. Sarah tried to fit in with the other rich
socialites, but it never quite worked. Sarah
loved street food, while they favored fancy
afternoon teas.
Then, one day, Sarah excitedly announced she
was going to pick someone up from the city
her dear best friend.
–
I returned from a business trip and saw her best
friend at the company entrance. I froze, thinking
I was imagining things. Like a dream, I’d found
her again. My bright–eyed girl.
Even after all these years, I recognized her
instantly. I didn’t dare say much, just mumbled
a greeting and hurried back to my office. I
picked up our picture, the only one we had, and
く
What a strange twist of fate. Sarah’s best
friend, the one she talked about for years, was
also my friend. The friend I had a crush on.
But I didn’t know how to face her, so my mind
would go blank whenever she was near. Making
her deliver documents to me was a calculated
move. I wanted her to see the picture, because
she didn’t seem to recognize me.
But then Ashley stole the picture! Lisa never
saw it. I was secretly heartbroken. I told myself
it was okay, she was here now, even if it was at the cost of that picture. It was a worthy trade.
My family was pressuring me to settle down, and I was struggling to find a way to approach Lisa. Then Ashley showed up, and on impulse, I asked her to pretend to be my girlfriend. Then, I
asked her to pretend to be my wife.
And she agreed.
Loouldn’t cloon that night
mixture of olation
<
I couldn’t sleep that night, a mixture of elation
and nerves.
The first night we moved in together, we barely
spoke. I fiddled with a figurine, trying to think of
something to say, but the words wouldn’t come.
She seemed to be texting Sarah. I couldn’t join
in, so I kept playing with my toy. Then I looked
up and realized she was staring at me.
My heart skipped a beat. She seemed lost in
thought, not even noticing I’d moved closer.
After we got married, the best part of my day was coming home from work. Coming home to
her.
The first day, I’d planned to go grocery
shopping with her after work, but she wasn’t
there when I left the office, and she wasn’t home either.
It was late, and she still hadn’t returned. I
missed her, so I called, only to find out she was
at Sarah’s, and that she’d met my parents.
Lisa, despite her easygoing nature, had a
sensitive side. Maybe it was because of her
upbringing. But that didn’t stop her from
teasing me relentlessly, especially about
shaving my head.
One night, I came home drunk after a work
dinner. I leaned on her and rambled on and on,
confessing everything, my hopes and fears. I
don’t remember exactly what I said, but I
remember her gentle embrace. And I remember
her saying, “We’re falling in love, slowly.”
Lisa said she’d try to love me. And she did.
She started spending more time at home than
with Sarah.
<
She started spending more time at home than
with Sarah.
We’d have dinner out and walk home hand in
hand. She’d initiated it.
She stopped calling me “sir,” occasionally calling me “Baldy,” sometimes “Ethan,” and
other times, just “E.”
“Mr. Davis, I want noodles for a late–night
snack.”
Well, she could call me whatever she wanted.
I’d answer to anything.
I’ll stop here. She wants her snack. Time to
make some noodles.
