He is Enchanted

No. He didn't know

More specifically, he wasn’t ready to say it in front of Roman tonight.

They even didn’t ask Ethan if the answer was ready or one of them wanted to offer a hand and help him find the answer. When Ethan and his father come home after work, his mom pulls him to Pearson’s house. Meanwhile, his father explains that Mrs. Pearson prepared a “homely” dinner for the three of them.

As the wise old man says, experienced is the best teacher. His mom and Mrs. Pearson decided to hold this “homely” dinner at the Pearson’s home, at their expensive dining room. Then about the food, his mom and Mrs. Pearson decided to hire a chef from a five-star restaurant at a prohibitive price for just one night.

So, here’s Ethan. Sit on the Pearson’s dining table with a dish that is way too expansive to be called a “homely” dinner.

But Roman hasn’t come home yet, and based on Mrs. Pearson’s explanation, that old man usually goes to his friend’s cafe and eats dinner together. He would go home early if his children wanted to have dinner with him.

After thinking about it more, isn't it a bit fishy that he goes to his friend's cafe almost every day? Some of his friends have a cafe, but Ethan doesn’t come to their cafe nearly every day.

And when Mrs. Pearson called him, telling him that dinner was ready at home, that old man just said yeah and hung up the phone. Ethan didn’t know whether he would come home soon or the dinner would continue without him.

Ethan hopes he can’t join the dinner. There’s must be something important, that’s why he came to his friend’s cafe almost every day.

While Liana had just come out in a navy knee-length dress with no sleeves, similar to her mother’s dress, only the dress that Mrs. Pearson was wearing was longer at the knee and the sleeves.

Liana’s twin brothers also look cute with white suits, and the girl that Ethan thought was older than Liana actually was younger than Liana. Still, they are just one year apart, and she’s more old-fashioned compared to Liana.

It seems that all Roman’s children inherited his characters. Including the twins even on their age. Ethan could feel intimidating by that sharp yet charming eyes without them saying anything to Ethan.

Liana sits in front of Ethan, while the twin Miles and Niall sit on the right side, while her sister, Odette, sits on her left side. Mrs. Pearson is still on her phone, maybe trying to make that old man get home faster.

Before the food gets cold, maybe that's what Anette said to Roman.

His dad tries to get attention from the twins while his mother talks to Liana and Odette. But honestly, their conversation more looks like a question-and-answer session.

Ethan is the only one who sits on his chair, with a straight and stiff back.

Everyone seems to forget about the question from Roman to Ethan; should Ethan remind them?

As if she knew what her son was thinking, Mrs. Oakland slightly tapped Ethan’s shoulder. “You don’t have to worry about his question. You don’t need to answer that, right Ane?”

That definitely makes Liana shocked, followed by her sister Odette who seems to know what kind of question they’re talking about from her sister and her dad. The two sisters, who definitely inherit their father’s thinking code, disagree with his mother’s sentence and a nod from their mother.

Mr.s Pearson giggle. “ I asked Roman not to talk about that question ever again.”

Roman doesn’t seem to care considering his gesture, but he’s actually watching Ethan from the corner of his eyes. He’s the person who carelessly says anything to anyone and also the same person who leaves the dining table without feeling guilty.

“Really?” asked Ethan doubtfully.

“You don’t have to worry about it. I will speak for you.”

If Mrs. Pearson wanted to answer that old man’s question on behalf of Ethan, of course, Ethan would refuse her help without even thinking. Ethan will never let a woman who’s like his mother’s twin to answer such a serious question.

“Thank you, Mrs. Pearson. I really appreciate your invaluable help, but I’ve already prepared my answer.”

Mrs. Pearson was about to answer Ethan’s question when she stopped because of the sound from the front gate that opened, Liana and Odette staring at each other, the twins running towards the main door, yelling cheerfully.

"It's great. Daddy’s home!"

While Ethan froze in his seat.

***

Roman dropped the bag he was carrying onto the floor when Miles and Niall raised their arms, asking to be lifted. Luckily he sometimes does a workout. At his age, that is no longer young. He still can carry his two sons, who are now five years old.

His wife Anette smile, but Roman stare emotionlessly at his wife. “Why telling me so suddenly?”

Anette smiled while holding his hand. “It's just a homely dinner and my friend offering a chef's services for free, so I invite the Oakland family to enjoy it with us.”

She definitely lied to Roman. Roman knew about that, but he just nodded. Acting like he believed his wife.

Even though she can give the offer to someone else, right? Instead of accepting the offer and even inviting a family to join the dinner.

Then, how’s that kid can found the answer in just two days? That’s impossible. Is he using a search engine to help him find the answer?

Roman arrives at the dining table. He finds Liana and Odette, who smile at him, and Roman nods while he smiles back at his daughter. Then put down the twins who looked unwilling to be put down from his arm. Roman shook Mr. and Mrs. Oakland’s hands.

Roman takes a sits, followed by Mr. and Mrs. Oakland and her wife that look confused.

Roman sits right next to Ethan. There should be no one sitting on that chair. Annette purposely told her maids not to put anything there because Roman should have sat opposite Mr. Oakland.

Roman seems not to care despite being stared at by his wife, who tried to tell him that was not his sits.

But Roman ignored his wife. While Ethan stays on his sits, with a straight back, he doesn’t even greet him. Roman didn’t count a nodded head, and an awkward smile is a greet from Ethan. Moreover, his eyes don't even look directly at Roman.

It clearly tells Roman that Ethan wasn’t ready to answer his question. But he might be didn’t know about the dinner, same as him, he might just return home after work before his parents bring Ethan to his house.

Roman just ordered a green tea latte, and he was about to ask the barista if his beloved friend, Guendolen, was already in her office. Roman just had an idea about a new drink, similar to what Liana ordered while looking at Oakland’s house.

That's when Anette told him the dinner with the Oaklands was ready, everyone had also been at their house and were currently chatting, and she also asked him if Roman could come home soon because it would be rude to let our guest wait for him so long.

Isn't holding a sudden dinner considered rude too? Roman ended up the phone call by just saying yeah. He’s not in the mood for fighting with Anette.

When Guen great him in front of the cashier, Roman explains that he was urgently needed at his house, so the discussion about this new flavored drink would be postponed until tomorrow. Also, he will take home the Green tea latte he just ordered.

Guen just nodded his head and said that it didn't matter to her or if Roman wanted to return to her cafe after that “urgent” thing was over, even if he didn't order the Green tea latte.

Roman rarely went out after he got home, so it was unlikely that what his best friend had just said would happen.

After his green tea latte was ready, he quickly returned to his car, then finished the drink on the way home.

“How about his answer?” asked Roman.

This, of course, made some of them surprised, some of them got excited, and some of them who didn't know anything just stared at him.

Liana knows that question is meant for her. He smiles confidently while looking at Ethan with the corner of her eyes. “He hasn't said anything yet,” said Liana that stared directly at Roman.

“Oh great!” exclaimed Roman. “I can hear it with you guys, not a spoiler. You always give me a spoiler when we watch a movie, right? But you can’t do it now,” he continued with a laugh.

Even Odette, who’s not in their conversation, laughs, even her laugh louder than Liana.

“But let’s eat something first,” said Anette while grabbing Roman hand on the table.

The reason why he left their first dinner was that he felt the dinner was boring. It’s only about showing off his daughter and the son of the Oakland family achievement. That’s absolutely useless.

This time, Roman gave them a second chance. Who knows, this time it will get better. This time he planned to sit on his chair until he finished his dessert. Or he will stay a bit longer if the conversation is fun.

So Roman just kept quiet as the waiters set new cutlery in front of him while serving his food.

Besides, he hadn't eaten either and was about to take Guen to order Korean fried chicken or roasted beef while discussing the idea in her office.

The appetizer is being served. Artisan bread with dipping oil. The twins are the first and second people that grab and eat the bread. It was followed by Liana, who had a conversation with Odette; she says she likes the dipping oil because it tastes salty, a perfect match for the crispy bread.

Odette nodded. While Roman grabs a slice of that bread and eats it without dipping the bread into the oil.

“Didn't you just eat the dipping oil when you were little? You even gave the bread to Odette. I had to take the bread you gave Odette and feed you,” joked Roman. Liana burst to laugh.

In his laugh, Roman glanced at Ethan. He hadn’t moved even an inch from his position. Roman giggled. He looked like a rabbit ready to be eaten if he stayed like that.

“Why don't you eat?”

Ethan shook his head.

“It's nice to see that you two have gotten to know each other, so we can talk about the wedding date soon, right?”

Roman turned his glance to Mrs. Oakland, who turned out to be smiling at him. Even though Roman didn’t see Liana, Roman knew Liana and Odette were putting on a lazy face because of that statement.

Roman smile is a thin, evil smile. “Ethan needs a lot of energy to answer my question later, and food is a source of energy.”

Odette almost spits a piece of bread that she chewed. Thanks to Liana’s hand movement, which quickly grabbed a napkin, it saved Odette from that embarrassing moment.

Usually, Liana would laugh first. Luckily this time, she decided to help her first. Only then laugh with Odette. Followed by Roman that sees those moments from the corner of his eyes. Even Ethan giggle without a voice.

What was Mrs. Oakland thinking before saying such a thing? Was it just because Roman asked why he wasn't eating his food? A person like Roman who doesn’t stop until he gets what he wants? Roman will definitely refute that statement.

When the main dish is being served, a useless conversation on the first dinner happens again. Roman sigh in numerous times while Liana and Odette pretended to be busy with their food, of course, so that the two of them wouldn't be included in the stupid conversation.