He is Enchanted

Make You Feel Better

Roman took a deep breath until no more air could fit in his lungs, then he exhaled until it felt like there was no more air left in his lungs. 

He smiled. He forced himself to smile because he once heard that a smile could make you feel better even in the worst situation. He walked towards everyone who waited for him, even if he brought his heart with heavy feeling within. 

Ethan is the first person to greet him, and then Miles gets off Odette’s arm to hug his father tightly. It’s made Odette and Liana turn their heads. Roman’s smile appears when he sees everyone’s smile.

“I have an idea,” said Liana. 

“Odette and I are going to the fast-food restaurant with Miles, and you guys are going to the rice bowl restaurant with Niall.” 

The twins nodded excitedly. They all agreed with that. They also decided to meet at the reptile enclosure. After Roman explained the ways to the restaurant and from the restaurant to the reptile enclosure, they split into two groups consisting of three people. 

***

Roman didn’t say anything after the six of them decided to split into two groups, while Ethan carried Niall, who realized something was wrong. Although he still smiled and his voice was friendly, there was still something wrong within himself. 

Niall was quiet, and he even leaned his head on Ethan’s shoulder while looking at the animals he had seen before going to The Talking Parrots’ show. Ethan sometimes saw Roman trunks his head around looking for the restaurant. Based on the map, the restaurant they were going to should be not far from the giraffe enclosure. 

After finding the restaurant, Ethan followed Roman’s steps towards the entrance of the restaurant. But when he had taken place for the queue, he turned his gaze to Ethan standing beside him. 

“What would you like to order? You should find a seat with Niall and let me queue and bring the food.” 

Ethan looked at the menu while gently patting Niall’s back, who was almost asleep. Niall looked at the menu, and his finger pointed to a menu with fried chicken that looked crispy.

“I wanted a beef rice bowl with soup, and I want that blue drink too,’ said Ethan. 

Roman smiled at Niall, who was looking at him. Roman grabbed Ethan’s shoulder, then brought himself closer toward Ethan. Ethan held his breath, and he was surprised. The closer they were, then Roman kissed Niall on the cheek, making the boy laugh. 

“Are you tired? We still have a long way to go. There are so many animals we haven’t seen,” said Roman, with a smile that almost sunk his eyes. 

Niall shook his head, even crossing his arms in front of his face, then puffed his chubby cheeks. Then Roman laughed, ruffling his son’s hair.

Before finally, with a gentler smile, he glanced at Ethan. “Go find a seat.” 

Ethan took a deep breath, leaving Roman without even saying anything or even a nod. 

***

Ethan was surprised that Niall sat peacefully beside him, something he was swinging his legs to kill bored or looking around. Maybe he searched Roman and wanted to greet him while he came with their lunch. 

While Ethan, because he didn't know how to build a conversation with Niall, ended up playing with his phone, he just swiped his home screen, and he didn't feel like he wanted to play his phone with this kind of feeling. 

But one message caught his attention, and it was from Liana. 

Ethan. How’s dad?

It took a moment for Ethan to think, and he just left the chatroom opened in front of him. 

“How is he?” 

His smile was still as warm as usual. The touch of his hand on Ethan’s shoulder was heavy as if he was carrying something painful, and he asked Ethan to lend his shoulder for a second. 

We didn’t talk about anything along the way, but I think he looked sad. 

Liana immediately saw his message, and it didn’t take long for Ethan to get the reply. 

I see. 

Ethan nodded his head as if Liana could see it, then stared blankly at the three dots coming and going as Liana typed her text. 

My mother and your parents have something in common. No wonder they get along pretty quickly. They are like twin statues carved by different artists, similar but not the same. 

Ethan sent a laughing emoji even though the three dots were still coming and going on his screen. 

Can you make him feel better for us, Ethan? 

Ethan was silent for a moment, and he looked at people passing by then stared at Niall, who was still sitting quietly beside him. He might feel he had no friend to play with because he was separate from Miles and his sister. 

I'm sorry for asking for such a hard thing to do, you should have gone with me, and Odette would have tried to cheer up dad. 

Ethan typed the reply when the three dots no longer appeared on the screen. 

I’ll try my best, Liana. 

Ethan saw Roman walking toward them when Liana sent a photo of her with Odette giving him a thumbs up and smiling at him. Ethan sent a laughing emoticon with tears and a thumbs-up emoticon before helping Roman put the tray on the table. 

Roman, Ethan, and Niall prayed before starting to eat.

Roman’s mood is taking over them, or maybe the three of them feeling the same thing as Roman. Ethan just realized that the three of them saw how Mrs. Pearson leaves Roman with their own eyes. In contrast, Liana, Odette, and Miles didn’t see that. Either they decided not to look at that, or their attention caught on something else before they got a chance to turn their head. 

They accidentally split into a group that saw it and a group that didn’t see it. 

“Roman.”

Roman raised his head to find Ethan staring at him with overwhelming eyes. They stared at each other for a moment before finally, Ethan lowered his head. 

“I think I’ve come up with the right words to say, but I still feel that something is wrong with my words.” 

Roman continued eating, which was interrupted by Ethan. Ethan screamed in his heart for making him feel worse, but Ethan suddenly felt something small touch his thigh, and then he saw Niall looking up at him, with rice stuck to the corner of his lips. 

“What’s wrong, Niall?” 

Niall looked doubtful, “Is it true that plants can burn if watered?”

Roman laugh. Ethan narrows his eyes, clenching his jaw. Then Ethan kicked Roman leg, making Roman rub his legs. Roman feels a pain in his legs, Ethan isn’t joking, but Roman still can’t stop his laugh. 

Fortunately, the restaurant was full of people, and even his laugh was quite loud and very annoying. Nobody looked at him strangely. The noise of the crowd obscured his laugh. 

Ethan curled his lips. “Your father is annoying! Don’t listen to him, never!” 

His breath became noisy, and he chewed his food using unnecessary force because Roman’s laugh hadn’t stopped.

“Hey, listen, you old man. There’s no one perfect. It's a normal thing if I don’t know about it. On that day, the gardener was sick, and because I was the only one at home, my parents asked me to water the plants, and I just woke up when I read their message and immediately rushed without even looking at the clock!"

His parents asked Ethan to tell their maid or their driver to do it. One of them was already watering the plants this morning, and in the afternoon, someone who was doing nothing will water the plants. But there is no correlation between that incident and the appearance of Ethan's stupid idea, but if their gardener was at home, he might have stopped Ethan even before he entered the barn to get the hose.

Roman nodded. With a mocking face, he chewed his food, making Ethan feel like throwing that face with his shoe.

“But I made your job easier, didn't it? You don't have to knock on my door to meet me and take me to the zoo."

With his tongue, Roman poked his cheek, and maybe there was food stuck between his teeth. "Not really," he said casually. “Your parents already know, and they will tell you when they get home.”

“But still, you wanted to meet me, right? And I happened to be outside."

"Weren't you the one who wanted to meet me? Then find excuses."

Ethan laughed. "Why did I want to meet you?"

Roman put the tip of the plastic spoon to his lips before finally scraping the leftover rice with the spoon. "Because you miss me."

Then innocently, he eats his food, then wipes his mouth with a tissue while turning his gaze in another direction.

Ethan stabbed his spoon into his remaining rice. By the way, Roman finished his food very quickly.

"If you mean I miss calling you an old man, then the answer is yes, I miss you."

When finally, Liana, Odette, and Miles came with five animal-shaped cotton candy in their hands. Roman immediately grumbled. He talks like a train lost its brake. He still complained when Odette gave Ethan and Niall two cotton candies wrapped in plastic and when Liana explained that they were on vacation to eat whatever they wanted.

In the middle of an argument between Liana and Roman, Odette gently nudged Ethan's arm.

"You did it, thank you," she said as she gave a thumbs up and smiled, almost like the photo sent by Liana earlier.

Ethan laughed. "You should be thanking him," said Ethan while rubbing Niall's head, busy with his cotton candy while talking with Miles.

Odette laughed. "Thank you both!"

Ethan nodded, a satisfied smile dancing on his lips.

"I wonder what you guys did to make dad so happy."

Ethan smiled while looking at Roman, who was starting to lose his argument with Liana.

"You'd better not know. Otherwise, I'll be in a bad mood."