He is Enchanted

Do You Have Any Plans Where You Want to Go Tomorrow?

After thinking for a while, there’s some idea across Ethan’s mind. He will greet Roman, who just comes home, if he gets home around 12-1 p.m.

“But how do I make it seem like a coincidence?” 

Ethan gets up and then sighs. He crosses his hand in front of his chest. “How do I do it? How do I make it like a coincidence?” 

He turns, then stares at the Pearson’s house, as that house will help him find a way. “I have to find something I could do at the same time as him wanting to enter his house, and it has to make me stay outside for a long time, but it seems convincing to be a coincidence.” 

Unfortunately, yesterday he washed his bike, then Mrs. Pearson came to his house and commented on how clean the bike looked. She might tell Roman about it, and he could no longer use that as an excuse. 

But his gaze fell on the garden in his yard. Ethan shouted joyfully and immediately ran to his yard. 

Even though it’s 11 o'clock.

***

Ethan was getting tired of waiting. 

Moreover, 1 p.m. had passed a few minutes ago. 

It seems that he still goes to his friend's cafe; he might come home around 4 or 5 p.m. then. 

“Then I'm gonna put the hose first, and play video games, then come back around 3 pm,” Ethan said as he rolled up the hoses scattered nearby him. Yet finding the hose in the middle of a pile of garden tools took him about an hour. 

But at the same time, he saw the fence open. That must be a sign that someone would come home. The fence was open entirely, and one car could go through the gate.

So it must be Roman since he’s the only one out today anyway. 

So Ethan confidently turned on the faucet and pretended to water the plants around him. 

Roman’s car entered his house. Ethan turned his head, followed by the fence closing after his car managed to get into his house. 

After the fence perfectly closed, nothing happened, that house mocking Ethan with it silent. 

“Is that old man not going to go outside and say something nice to me? Damn!” 

Ethan threw the hose away, then cursed on himself. How come he’s never thought that Roman would ignore him. Ethan stomped every time he took a step, then bent down to pick up the hose. He’s going to roll that hose up right now. 

If Ethan knew Roman would ignore him, Ethan would find another way to meet him. He could drive to a bakeshop, buy a cake, and then pretend to give the cake to Liana. Even if Liana refuses it, Ethan is sure Odette and the twins won't refuse it, or maybe Liana will eat the cake after Ethan leaves. That was so much easier, and the chance of failure is almost zero. Even if Roman didn’t want to talk to him, at least Ethan could see him instead of being ignored like this. 

“Hey!”

With his lips pursed, Ethan turned his head to the right, then left, looking for someone or something that potentially be the source of that sound, and he was shocked when he found that old man standing in front of his fence. 

Roman puts a confident yet annoying smile on Ethan. “Can we have a quick talk?” 

Ethan stared at him for a few seconds before he nodded his head. “Okay, good then,” said Roman. It’s more like he’s talking to himself rather than talking to Ethan because Ethan could barely hear him. 

“Do you have any plans where you want to go tomorrow?” 

Ethan blinked many times. Like a machine on a busy day in the factory, Ethan’s brain was smoking, the wheels whirred, trying to process what Roman meant. 

A moment later, the wheels fell off, and there was a loud sound of metal clashing. No one did not prepare the machines for something like this. Luckily it only happened on his mind, and Roman couldn’t read his mind. He hopes. 

Is he asking Ethan to go on a date?

“No, Mr. Pearson.” 

You i***t, how could that be a date? You’re dumb! You’re cray, Ethan!

Ethan tried to reduce his turbulent thoughts by shaking his head slightly. The machines broke and started to whirred by themself. 

“Okay, it’s good,” Roman said while rubbing his hands. Even though the weather was hot today, he didn’t do it to warm his hands. 

Roman was silent for a couple of seconds. “Wanted to go to the zoo tomorrow?” 

Ethan opened his mouth, but he didn't say anything. His annoyance flared. 

“Go to the zoo? You’re not going to be kidding me.” 

“Why would I be joking?” 

“I mean, of all the places in this city, why go to the zoo? I was the first person to mention going to the zoo, but that was just an example, a stupid example! I didn’t ask to go to the zoo.” 

“Why not?” 

“Isn’t there a better place? Why do all people the same age as you have this kind of old and outdated taste?” 

Ethan widened his eyes, followed by a change in Roman’s expression, from warm like the weather become cold, in contrast to the warm air surrounding them. 

Ethan smiled awkwardly. “No, I mean, wasn't it a few decades ago that zoo tourism was a hit? Everyone almost goes to the zoo, right? Now zoos aren't that famous anymore, so I wanted to confirm if what I know is true."

Roman sighed, then put his hands in his pockets. He smiled mockingly. “I don’t know. I never remember a zoo once being that famous.” 

Ethan wanted to die on the spot. 

“I see.” 

Ethan turned his face so he didn’t have to look directly into Roman’s eyes, but Ethan didn't know that Roman also did the same thing. He looked down at his shoes that were gleaming in the sunlight. 

“B-but it’s okay to go to the zoo too, or if you want to take me somewhere else, anything is fine,” Ethan said, almost whispering. 

“Good, then tomorrow we all will go around 8 o’clock.” 

“Yeah.” 

Roman still looked down at his shoes. He didn’t see a smile curved on his lips. Like some strange forces commanding his lips to turn a smile, those strong forces got more robust, and due to his limited capacity, Ethan had to distribute the energy by moving his legs back and forth slowly. 

“Wait, wait a minute.”

Ethan lifted his head, and at the same time, Roman did that too. Their eyes met unintentionally. “I need to make sure about this. We all will go around 8 o'clock, we all?” Ethan asked.

Roman nodded without feeling anything wrong. “You, me, Liana, Odette, Miles, Niall, my wife, and your parents.” 

Ethan couldn't help but knit his brow, not believing what he was hearing. 

Roman smile. “Of course, I won’t let you go alone with Liana, and she isn’t that sure about you either.” 

“Yes, I understand. I can't go with her.” 

Ethan sighs. He should spend time alone with Liana, right? It will happen any time. Shouldn’t he be happy? 

“Then, I’ll excuse myself,” Roman said, immediately turning around without hearing any answer from Ethan. 

“Okay.” 

But Roman hasn’t moved from his position yet. “If I may give a suggestion, next time, find a better excuse. Nobody waters the plants in the middle of the day.” 

Ethan bent down to pick up the hose and rolled it up. He didn't give any response to Roman's words.

Ethan wanted to be alone first while getting rid of this strange feeling.

After being done with the hose, he went into his room and played video games. Then after that, he called his friend for about two hours. 

Before going to bed, Ethan remembers what Roman said before he left. 

Yep, Roman knows what Ethan does is just an excuse to get that old man to come over to him and have a talk. But Roman didn’t seem to mind that. After all, he also had something he wanted to say to Ethan. 

So Ethan can conclude that it wasn’t only him who wanted to talk with him. They both wanted to talk to each other. 

But there’s something else he mentions. Does nobody water the plants in the middle of the day?

Ethan grabbed his phone, opened a search page, and tying something on the search bar.  

when the weather is hot, water can burn the plants

A split second later, A split second later, Ethan ruffled his hair. He couldn't scream too loud because it would wake his parents.

“I hate that old man!.”