I was on FaceTime with my brother late at night. Suddenly, he said he had to take care of something and left his phone on the desk. I went to grab a glass of water. When I came back, I noticed the video call was still connected and was just about to hang up. Suddenly, a deep, magnetic voice came through the speaker, carrying a hint of breathless exhaustion. "Stop kissing." ?!? That voice... It was Ethan Wilder. The guy I’d been secretly crushing on for three whole months. Then, I heard Ethan’s voice get even closer. "I said, stop kissing." My brother let out a low chuckle. "Can't help it. It's been too long." My brother... and Ethan Wilder? Alright then. That night, with tears in my eyes, I changed Ethan's contact name in my phone to "Future Brother-in-Law." You can't exactly sabotage your own brother's romance. 1 When my brother had first FaceTimed me, I was staring blankly at the three new photos Ethan had just posted on his Instagram. "What are you doing? You look totally spaced out," my brother, Austin, said, loudly crunching on an apple on his end. "Nothing," I said listlessly. "I just feel like some people are born to live up in the clouds." "Spring fever hitting you early?" "Screw off." We chatted aimlessly for about half an hour. He mentioned he had to go down and grab a DoorDash delivery and tossed his phone onto his desk. The camera was pointing straight up at the ceiling. I was just about to hit the red 'end call' button when I heard his dorm room door open. Then, footsteps. Next, a deep, husky voice drifted into my ears, carrying a helpless, amused tone: "Alright, stop kissing." My entire body went rigid. I knew that voice far too well; it was my crush, Ethan Wilder. The video feed stuttered for a second before focusing on Ethan’s shirtless upper half. Water droplets were sliding down the sharp, defined lines of his abs. I stared at the screen, my finger hovering over the end call button, but I physically couldn't press it. He was towel-drying his hair. A stray drop of water rolled past his Adam’s apple. He suddenly raised his eyes and looked directly toward the camera. I held my breath. "Austin," "Your camera is still on." The air froze for three agonizing seconds. Austin’s panicked face suddenly filled the screen, his eyes wide with horror: "Holy shit! Chloe, you're still there?!" Austin frantically fumbled with the phone. The image blurred wildly before finally going pitch black. Call Ended. I sat paralyzed on my bed, my phone slipping from my hand. Only one word echoed in my brain: Ruined. My phone screen lit up again. It was a text from Austin: [Bad connection just now. Let's talk another day.] I stared at the message, my fingers hovering over the keyboard, having absolutely no idea what to reply. Finally, I just sent back an "OK" hand emoji. 2 "Chloe, are you alright?" my roommate, Sarah, poked her head over from her desk. "I'm going through a breakup," I mumbled, burying my face in my knees. "It ended before it even started." "What's going on?" my other roommate, Madison, pulled off her headphones. I shook my head, unable to speak. My mind was playing that snippet on an infinite loop: Ethan's deep voice, Austin's panicked expression, and that familiar, long-fingered hand. Suddenly, everything made perfect sense. Why Ethan had given me such a subtle, weird look the very first time we met. Why Austin always claimed his roommate was an "insanely busy guy" and never let me visit his dorm. Why Austin always looked like he was biting his tongue whenever I brought up Ethan’s name. Three days. I lay in bed for three whole days. Other than going to class, I just stared at the ceiling in a daze. I deleted every single photo of Ethan from my phone's camera roll, only to sneakily recover them all from my iCloud trash later. 3 The very first time I saw Ethan was on Austin's Twitch stream. He was wearing a gaming headset, his side profile facing the camera. His fingers were flying across the mechanical keyboard, his character racking up kill streaks on the screen. "This is my roommate, Ethan," Austin introduced him, casually leaning back in his chair. "Student Body President and Varsity Basketball Captain. Handsome, right?" Ethan turned his head and gave the camera a brief, polite nod. In that exact second, I clutched my iPad and literally rolled across my bed. "Who are you getting so hyped over?" my best friend, Lily, peeked over from her side of the room. I turned the screen toward her. "Damn," Lily squinted. "That's your brother's friend? Is he single?" "I don't know." "Well, what are you waiting for? Get his Snapchat!" I retreated to my bunk and opened my text thread with Austin. I typed and deleted, deleted and typed. Finally, I sent: [Hey Austin, about your roommate...] Austin instantly replied with Ethan's contact card. After I added him, my chat history for the first three months was entirely composed of academic questions I had frantically brainstormed just to have an excuse to talk to him. "Hey Ethan, how do you solve this coding problem?" "Hey Ethan, do you know how to use this statistical software?" He always replied with incredible patience. Looking back now, he was probably only doing it out of courtesy to my brother. 4 One weekend, I used the excuse of delivering a batch of our mom’s famous homemade lasagna to Austin’s apartment, secretly planning to gather some firsthand intel. Ethan opened the door. He was wearing a loose grey t-shirt, his hair slightly damp. He was even better-looking in person than on video. "Is Austin here?" I asked, trying to keep my eyes looking straight ahead. "He's in the shower. Come on in," Ethan said, stepping aside. Hearing the water running in the bathroom, I sat anxiously on the sofa and placed the container on the table: "This is for... you guys." "Thanks." Ethan smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Damn it. Why was my brother so lucky? "Do you two... get along well?" I couldn't help but ask. Ethan paused. "Hmm?" "Austin can be careless. Don't let it bother you." "If he ever bullies you, tell me." Just then, Austin walked out, drying his hair with a towel. "What are you doing here?" "Dropping off Mom's lasagna." "I won't interrupt you two anymore. I'm leaving," I said, flashing them both a quick "I totally get it" look before bolting. I had to. For my brother’s happiness. My secret crush was buried alive by an unexpected, accidental revelation before it ever saw the light of day. But that was okay. At least all that handsome goodness was staying in the family. I sniffled. From that day on, I switched from "Crush Mode" to "Fiercely Protective Sister-in-Law Mode." 5 The weather was crisp and clear on the day of the university's Fall Festival. As Student Body President, Ethan arrived at the event plaza early. Austin had something else to take care of, so he asked me to go down and help out first. Alumni forums, academic showcases, club fairs... I diligently played the role of tour guide, explaining layouts and handing out water bottles. Suddenly, an incredibly gorgeous girl—probably the queen bee of some sorority—walked right up to Ethan with a dazzling smile, her phone out with her Snapchat QR code ready. I moved fast, wedging myself right between them. "I am so sorry, but Ethan is incredibly busy right now! If you have any specific student union questions, you can shoot an email to the public affairs inbox!" The girl froze, looked at me, then looked at Ethan's expressionless face. Her face turned a mix of red and white before she awkwardly walked away. I breathed a sigh of relief. When I turned around, I found him looking down at me. "You..." He opened his mouth, then stopped. "What is it, Ethan?" I blinked, the picture of innocent naivety. "I was just helping you out! In a setting like this, it’s not convenient to go around adding random people, right?" I said with hidden meaning. I thought to myself: My brother might have a big heart, but I'm going to make sure to weed out all these wandering flowers trying to get near his 'wife.' Ethan gave me a long, deep look. He didn't say anything else, just gave a nearly imperceptible shake of his head and turned to walk forward. Late that afternoon, Austin finally showed up and found us backstage at the auditorium. The moment he arrived, he threw his arm around Ethan’s shoulders, giving him a hard pat. "My bad, man. Got held up over there. My sister wasn't annoying you, was she?" Ethan swayed slightly from the slap and gave him a cool glance: "No." "Awesome!" Austin laughed boisterously. I watched them standing there, arms slung over each other's shoulders. One was pure, golden-retriever sunshine, the other was cool and reserved. Honestly... they really did look good together. That little pang of sourness bubbled up in my heart again. I quickly forced it down and flashed a bright smile: "Of course I wasn't! Austin, are you hungry? Let's go eat! I know this new Bar & Grill just off-campus, the food is amazing!" 6 Austin loved insanely spicy food, while Ethan seemed to prefer milder flavors. I grabbed the menu and ordered a massive plate of atomic buffalo wings for Austin, but I specifically pushed the mild garlic parmesan wings and a grilled chicken salad toward Ethan. "Ethan, you should try this salad. It's really good and not greasy at all." Austin reached his fork out to grab a mild wing. I kicked him hard under the table, glaring at him and mouthing the words: "Give. Him. Some. Food!" Austin looked utterly confused, but he still grabbed a piece of grilled chicken and dropped it onto Ethan’s plate: "Here man, eat up." Ethan stared at the chicken that had suddenly appeared on his plate. He paused, then looked up, his gaze shifting back and forth between me and Austin. "Thanks." I breathed a sigh of relief, mentally giving myself a pat on the back. During dinner, Austin talked about the funny things happening in his engineering projects. Ethan occasionally added a word or two, and the atmosphere seemed pretty good. I ate my fries while secretly observing them. Ethan didn't talk much, but he was incredibly focused when Austin was speaking. When Austin got excited and started gesturing wildly, Ethan just tilted his head slightly, a very faint, fond smile playing on his lips. See? What perfect harmony. The fire in my heart to "protect my brother's romance" burned even brighter. I even started plotting. Should I find a moment to subtly tell Austin to be a bit more attentive and public about his affection? Ethan was so amazing; there were definitely a ton of people eyeing him. After dinner, it was completely dark. The festival's evening gala was about to start in the main auditorium. We followed the massive crowd, shoulder to shoulder. A guy was walking backward while talking on his phone, and it looked like he was about to crash right into Ethan, who was looking down at a text. "Watch out!" I didn't even think. I stepped sideways, placing myself right in front of him. The guy collided hard with my shoulder. The impact sent me stumbling backward. The pain of hitting the ground I expected never came. A firm hand caught me squarely by the lower back. A crisp, clean scent instantly enveloped me. It was the distinct, refreshing smell of Ethan—like sunshine and cold spring water. My spine went rigid. In that moment, my heartbeat completely lost control, hammering frantically against my ribs. "You okay?" His voice sounded from right above me, his breath brushing past my hair. "I-I-I'm fine!" I bounced away like I'd been electrocuted. My face felt like it was on fire, and I didn't dare look up at him. "Watch where you're going," Ethan said to the guy who was apologizing profusely. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable, chilling authority. The guy hurried away. Ethan's gaze returned to me. He paused. "You don't need to block for me next time." "I-I was afraid he’d hit you..." I argued weakly in a small voice, my heart still racing. He didn't say anything, just gave me another look. Under the sweeping event lights, his expression was unreadable. Austin walked over and threw an arm around me: "Look at you, Chloe! Already knowing how to protect your buddy Ethan! I raised you well!" I let out a few dry, awkward laughs, used the excuse of needing the restroom, and practically fled the scene. I splashed freezing water on my face to bring down the heat. Looking at my flushed cheeks and panicked eyes in the mirror, I squeezed my eyes shut fiercely. Chloe Miller, get a grip. That is your 'Sister-in-Law.' Just now was an accident. Your job is to protect them, not to swoon. The gala was amazing—bands, comedy sketches, alumni interviews... but I couldn't focus on any of it. Ethan was sitting diagonally in front of me, two seats away. In the dim light, I could only see his sharp profile and his long eyelashes whenever the stage lights swept past him. He was wearing a grey button-down shirt. Under the occasional flash of light, the fabric had a soft, pearl-like sheen. I suddenly remembered Austin had a shirt in almost the exact same color... My brain uncontrollably replayed the moment he caught me earlier. The temperature of his palm, pressing against my waist through the fabric, was terrifyingly vivid. I pinched my own thigh hard. Stop thinking about it. During the second half of the event, there was an interactive segment. The host suddenly called out Ethan, who was sitting in the front row, to come up on stage and share his experience as an outstanding student leader. The spotlight hit him. He stood tall and straight, his features clean and striking. A wave of suppressed gasps and whispers instantly rippled through the audience. He took the microphone. His voice, amplified by the speakers, sounded even more grounded and magnetic than usual. His logic was sharp, every word impactful. The crowd erupted in thunderous applause. The excitement from the girls in the room could have lifted the roof. I looked at the radiant guy on stage, feeling both proud and incredibly sour. Look at how amazing my "Sister-in-Law" is. My brother seriously... how did he get so lucky? 7 I kept myself busy with this mindset for a whole week. On the weekend, my mom asked me to come home for dinner. When I opened the front door, I was stunned. Ethan Wilder was sitting right there in my living room. My brain scrambled. They were already at the "meet the parents" stage?! During dinner, I intentionally left the seat next to Austin empty and squeezed myself onto the far end of the dining table. "Chloe, why are you sitting all the way over there?" my mom asked, looking at me weirdly, since I usually loved sticking close to my brother. "There's better ventilation here," I said with a straight face. For the entire meal, I acted like a dedicated fan club president for their ship: "Austin, this garlic shrimp is amazing. You should try it." "Austin, don't just eat by yourself. Put some food on Ethan's plate." "Austin, Ethan seems to like this soup. Serve him another bowl." Austin finally noticed something was wrong. He kicked me under the table: "Chloe Miller, did you take the wrong medication today?" Ethan set down his fork, his gaze lingering on my face for a moment: "I'm going to use the restroom." After he left the table, Austin leaned in and lowered his voice: "What is your problem? Why are you sucking up to Ethan so hard?" "Austin," I looked at him seriously. "I will support you guys. Forever." Austin looked completely bewildered. I was so frustrated by his cluelessness. This guy. Why wasn't he putting more effort into his own partner? With a "Sister-in-Law" as amazing as Ethan, my brother really hit the jackpot. 8 That night, my mom warmly insisted Ethan stay over. I lay in bed, tossing and turning. Finally, I accepted my fate and got up, wanting to go to the kitchen for a glass of water. As I passed the guest room, a faint sliver of light peeked out from under the door. He wasn't asleep yet? Driven by some ghostly impulse, I leaned close, wanting to hear what was going on inside. Just as I pressed my ear against the wood— Click. The door opened. Caught completely off guard, I lunged forward. What welcomed me wasn't the cold, hard floor, but a warm, slightly damp, solid chest. The fresh scent of body wash instantly enveloped me. I froze, slowly tilting my head up. Ethan stood in the doorway. His hair was half-wet, falling messily over his forehead, water still dripping from the ends. He only had a towel wrapped around his waist; his upper body was completely bare. Water droplets slid down his defined collarbones, tracing the tight muscles of his chest and his sculpted, washboard abs, before disappearing into the edge of the towel. The hallway light cast a soft glow over him. The fluid lines of his muscles held a silent, incredibly impactful aesthetic power. My brain completely crashed. My eyes went wide, and I forgot how to breathe. He seemed surprised for a second too. Then, in those usually calm, unreadable eyes, a hint of a teasing, knowing amusement appeared. "Chloe," he spoke, his voice slightly low and husky from the steam. "What are you... doing out here?" "I-I-I-I..." my tongue was tied. My eyes had nowhere to look, darting around frantically, but inevitably snapping back to his body, only to bounce away again as if I'd been burned. "I came to return your phone! You... you left your phone on the living room sofa! I brought it to you!" 9 Right! The phone! I was actually holding his phone in my hand! Like I was holding a burning coal, I quickly shoved the phone into his hand, which was hanging loosely by his side. Our fingertips brushed. The cool water droplets on his skin rubbed onto me, sending a jolt of electricity straight to my fingertips. "I'm leaving! Goodnight!" I tried to run. "Wait." He stopped me. My back stiffened. "You're not even going to turn around?" The amusement in his voice was even more obvious now. "Were you planning to watch me change?" "!!!" With lightning speed, I whipped around, facing away from him, and clamped my hands tightly over my eyes. "I didn't see anything! I'm leaving!" I had barely taken a single step when the sound of flip-flops shuffling down the hall reached my ears, followed by Austin's voice: "Ethan! Have you seen my AirPods? Did I accidentally pack them in your bag—" My soul left my body! In the dead of night, wearing my pajamas, standing outside the door of a half-naked Ethan Wilder—even jumping into the Mississippi River wouldn't wash me clean of this scene! If Austin saw me, what if he misunderstood?! What if it affected their relationship?! Just as Austin's footsteps were about to round the corner, a warm, strong hand suddenly grabbed my wrist and yanked me backward! The world spun. I was pulled into the guest room, and the door clicked shut gently behind me. The next second, his arm wrapped around me, guiding me toward the desk. Then, without a word of explanation, he pressed me into the narrow gap between the desk and the wall. The space was too small. I was practically engulfed in his embrace. His chest was pressed against my back. Through my thin pajama shirt, I could feel his body temperature—slightly higher than mine—and the steady, powerful beating of his heart. The clean scent of his body wash, mixed with his own unique, refreshing aura, aggressively hijacked all my senses. He leaned one hand against the wall by my ear, while his other hand gently ruffled the top of my head. "Shh." His lowered voice sounded right next to my ear, his breath brushing against my skin, sending a wave of tiny, electric shivers down my spine. I was as stiff as a board. My heart was hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs, feeling like it was going to burst out of my chest. My cheeks were definitely burning right now. I must be flushed red enough to stop traffic. Outside the door, Austin's footsteps stopped. He knocked on the door: "Ethan? You asleep?" 10 "Just finished a shower. What's up?" Ethan's voice returned to its usual steady calm. "I can't find my AirPods. Did they get mixed up in your bag again?" "...Give me a second." He replied, then lowered his head to whisper in my ear again. "Don't make a sound." I bit my lower lip hard and nodded. Only then did he release me slightly, turning to rummage through his bag on the floor. I curled up in the shadows, keeping my breathing as shallow as possible. Soon, he found the AirPods, walked over to the door, opened it just a crack, and handed them out. "Thanks, man!" Austin's voice faded down the hall. The door shut and locked again. The soft click was exceptionally loud in the silent room. My tightly wound nerves instantly snapped. My legs went weak, and I almost collapsed onto the floor. Ethan turned around, leaned against the edge of the desk, and leisurely watched my traumatized, panic-stricken state. "Scared?" I shook my head, then nodded, my voice still a bit floaty: "Did Austin... did he see? He won't misunderstand, will he?" "Misunderstand what?" He raised an eyebrow. "Misunderstand me... and you..." I couldn't bring myself to say it. Even though I liked him, he was my "Sister-in-Law" now. Ethan looked at me for a few seconds, then suddenly chuckled. It sounded a bit helpless, and a little something else. "Relax, he didn't see." "That's good, that's good." I patted my chest to calm myself down. Only then did the realization hit me: we were currently in an incredibly intimate posture and space. He was shirtless, I was in my pajamas, it was late at night, in a closed room... Heat rushed to my face again. I frantically tried to squeeze my way out from between him and the wall. "T-then I won't disturb your rest anymore. I'm going to head back..." "What's the rush?" He didn't step aside. Instead, he leaned in closer, his gaze locking onto my flickering, evasive eyes. "Chloe, you've been acting very strange tonight." "No I haven't!" I denied it immediately, but my voice lacked any real conviction. "Starting from dinner," he stated, his finger unconsciously twirling a loose strand of my hair around and around. It tickled. "Giving me food, serving me soup, asking me all sorts of questions..." "That was me... playing the good host! Plus, you're a guest right now, and you're my brother's... his..." I stumbled over the words. "Your brother's what?" He pressed, his eyes narrowing slightly. "His best friend!" I said decisively. Ethan didn't say anything. He just looked at me, his gaze deep and penetrating. Just as I was about to crack under the pressure, ready to confess that I had overheard their video call and filled in the blanks with my own imagination, he suddenly changed the subject. "If you like someone, how do you think... you should pursue them?" 11 My head snapped up, my eyes crashing into his. The teasing and scrutiny from a moment ago were gone, replaced by a trace of... rare hesitation and... shyness? Why was he asking me this? Was he... asking for advice on how to pursue my brother? The empty space in my chest started leaking cold air again. It felt cold and painful. But I, Chloe Miller, am a professional when it comes to being a supportive wing-woman! I forced what I hoped was a dazzling smile, even leaning a little closer to him. Lowering my voice, I put on the air of a tactical mastermind: "Well, it depends on the person. Different people require different approaches." I paused, observing his expression. He was listening intently. "Uh, I'd say... being direct is best!" "How direct?" He followed up, his voice softening. In this small, quiet space, it sounded exceptionally clear, carrying a hint of coaxing persuasion. "Clean and decisive. Just go for it!" I made a fist, giving him a "trust me" look. "Be specific." "Like... create opportunities. Physical contact. Make eye contact, spark that chemistry. And then... find the right moment, and just go in for a kiss!" The more I spoke, the quieter my voice got, and the hotter my face burned. Here I was, coaching my crush on how to forcefully kiss my own brother? What kind of twisted reality was this?! Ethan fell silent, his expression difficult to describe. "What if... the other person resists?" "Then you have to use your natural advantages to your benefit!" Frustrated by his lack of confidence, I instinctively reached up and ruffled his slightly damp hair. "Like you, Ethan. Being this handsome is your biggest advantage! Give a little smile, act a little cute—who could possibly resist that?" The moment the words left my mouth, both he and I froze. I finally realized what I had just done, my hand stiffening in his hair. He slowly raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth curving upward. "Really... would that work?" he asked, his voice dropping incredibly low, his eyes locked onto mine. Under that intense gaze, I felt flustered. Plus, it wasn't like I had any actual combat experience with this question either. I braced myself, nodded emphatically, and cheered him on: "Of course it will! You have to be confident! You're Ethan Wilder!" He looked at me, and suddenly, he started to laugh softly. The laughter rumbled from deep within his throat, vibrating in his chest. It was musical and... inexplicably seductive. "Okay." His gaze dropped to my lips, lingering for a split second before moving away. "I'll remember that." "Thanks, Chloe." I awkwardly looked away and took a deep breath. Everything for my brother's happiness. 12 The next day, I bumped into them in the dining hall. Ethan was holding a tray. Austin was walking right behind him, casually picking a carrot off Ethan's plate. Ethan didn't stop him; he just shook his head slightly. That level of familiar intimacy stung my eyes. "Chloe?" Ethan saw me first. I forced a smile and walked over to them. "Hey, Brother-in-Law!" The air froze. Austin dropped his fork onto the floor. "What did you just call me?" Ethan narrowed his eyes. "Brother-in-law!" I threw caution to the wind and patted my chest. "Don't worry, my lips are sealed! If Austin ever bullies you in the future, I'll help you beat him up!" Austin looked like he wanted to say something, but Ethan just laughed. "Chloe," his voice dropped very low. "I think you've misunderstood something." "No misunderstanding! No misunderstanding at all!" I backed up rapidly. "I get it! True love transcends gender!" With that, I turned and bolted like a deserter. I couldn't sleep the entire night. At 4:00 AM, I sent Austin a text: "So, are you a top or a bottom?" Austin replied instantly: "???" "Someone like Ethan has to be a top, right?" I sent another text. The chat interface showed "Typing..." for three solid minutes. Finally, a voice memo came through. I tapped it, and Austin's teeth-grinding voice blasted out: "Chloe Miller, what kind of garbage is floating around in that head of yours?!" Then, he called me directly: "Chloe Miller! What the hell are you doing?!" "I'm trying to help you!" I felt incredibly wronged. "I'm literally heartbroken, and I'm still trying to help you, and you're yelling at me!" "Heartbroken from what? When did you even get a boyfriend?" "It was a crush!" I yelled back, frustrated tears spilling down my cheeks. "It's gone now. I already gave Ethan up for you, and you're still yelling at me..." He froze. His expression went from furious to stunned, and finally settled on incredibly bizarre. "You had a crush on Ethan?" "Past tense!" I wiped my face. "He's my brother-in-law now. I'll keep my distance, don't worry."
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