Chapter 121: Ch 121: Shared Room

The room Ethan gave them was fairly spacious, with 4 beds. It looked more like a dormitory than a bedroom, but somehow, having such a room seemed out of the ordinary for such a big house.

Was it ever even used with so many unused rooms still available in the house?

"Don’t worry. I know what it looks like, and I can assure you that this place is perfectly clear. My cousins sometimes use this room when they are over...although, not that I get along with them, so I don’t see them much during their stay. They are a little too old for me to get along with."

Ethan tried to divert the subject after he had already opened the can of worms that was his family relations.

"Oh! You don’t get along with your extended family?"

Daniel asked in a curious voice, causing Ethan to let out a sigh.

"It’s not that I don’t get along with my extended family, it’s just that I don’t see them often enough. It’s...a little hard to explain for me. What about you? Do you get along with your families?"

Ethan looked uncomfortable, and he quickly changed the topic back to his guests as the awkward silence continued.

Noah sighed and decided to go first.

"Well, I am an orphan and was raised in a charity fund of sorts. Professor Erin is from the same charity fund, and that is how we know each other. What a coincidence, right?"

He tried to lighten the mood, but both Alan and Daniel did not look amused. Noah felt a little nervous at their lacklustre reaction, but thankfully, Ethan showed a reaction.

"I see. I did think you and that professor were awfully close, but if you are from the same place, then it makes sense. What about you two?"

Ethan turned to look at Alan and Daniel, who looked reluctant to speak up.

But perhaps it was because the other two had already aired their laundry that made it difficult for the other two to keep quiet.

Sigh

"Not getting along with relatives must be a trend in wealthy families because I have a strained relationship with my family as well. They are not rude or anything, just indifferent. But I do prefer it if my parents keep their distance and just throw their money at me."

Alan waved his hand around to show that it was not a big deal, but Noah felt sorry for him.

It seemed like Alan did not recall a single thing of what happened during his time at the labs, so he had no memory of ever not living with his parents.

And yet, he still seemed to not be able to forget the labs. The reactions and knowledge from there were etched into his subconsciousness, making it hard for Alan to get close to anyone else.

Well, now that three of them had spoken about their past, they all turned to look at Daniel. But the other guide looked pressed, not wanting to open his mouth.

But he caved under the pressure and decided to spill his own secrets.

"I...am adopted into my family. The couple that took me in is a rather ambitious one, which took in a lot of espers and guides. Officially, I have over 15 siblings, and I still get more on a yearly basis. But I am not close with any of them."

Daniel tried not to make a big deal out of it, but Noah could tell that this exhausted Daniel.

He was not one to complain unnecessarily, but it must not have been easy to grow up between 15 siblings and get the equal affection that a kid needed.

Still, it was better than the alternative of staying at the labs. So Noah could not feel sorry for Daniel at all.

"Somehow, I don’t have a hard time believing that you don’t get along with other kids in your family. You just have a difficult personality-"

"Isn’t it just you that thinks that? Noah liked my personality. Right, Noah? You like me, right?"

"There is no need to cater to him, Noah. This kid needs to learn that his personality is flawed-"

"Shut up! Do you want to die?"

And....just like that, Daniel and Alan went back to their normal bickering, even forgetting that they had an audience.

Moments like these made Noah believe that these two were made for each other. Heck, they were not even noticing other people around at the moment, like him and Ethan.

"Alan and Daniel look rather close to each other, right? Do you think they might start dating each other soon?"

Noah asked Ethan, who gave him a look like he had lost his mind.

"Date and those two? I feel like hell would freeze over before that happened. Please watch what you say, Noah."

Ethan warned him, which surprised Noah. Were he and Ethan even looking at the same thing? Why was Ethan so defensive about Daniel and Alan’s budding relationship?

Sigh

"I know you mean well, Noah, but sometimes, you need to let things like these be. Don’t try and push them together because that will only backfire."

Noah frowned slightly at Ethan’s words, but before he could respond, Alan finally seemed to notice that their conversation had shifted away from them.

"What are you two talking about?"

Alan asked while looking between Noah and Ethan with suspicion.

"Nothing important. We were just talking about you and Daniel."

Noah answered honestly, which immediately made Alan narrow his eyes.

"About us?"

"Yeah. I was saying that you two seem rather close."

Alan glanced at Daniel before scoffing.

"Close? With him? I would rather spend my time with Noah."

Daniel’s expression darkened immediately.

"And I would rather spend my time anywhere else."

"You say that now, but you are still standing right next to me."

"Because this is a shared room!"

Their argument started all over again, leaving Ethan to sigh helplessly.

Noah watched them for a moment before smiling faintly.

’Perhaps Ethan is right. Maybe I should stop trying to push these two together.’

Still, there was something strange about the way Ethan had reacted. He had sounded far too certain that Alan and Daniel would never become a couple.

But unfortunately, Noah will have to make the impossible possible.