[Music Recommendation: "A Sweet Smile" by Yu-Peng Chen (Genshin Impact OST) - available in Youtube or Spotify] ~ Please listen to it in a loop while you read this part to experience the utmost beauty of this chapter ~

The next morning, I got up early and spent a sweet time in the huge bathroom with a huge bathtub, thinking of how I should apologize to the Ma twins. I took my phone, too, and texted my family, telling them we arrived safely. I should have done that yesterday but I ended up crying myself to sleep.

"So… how should I apologize?" I asked myself as I soaked my body into the warm, scented waters. "I should buy them gifts—oh! I should give them the present from mom and dad, too."

Remembering mom and dad, it just hit me that we have been so rude and didn't even greet Mr. and Mrs. Ma—Kaiden and Crystal's parents! I felt my face pale up.

"What have I done? Is it considered extremely rude behaviour in their culture? Oh my goodness…"

As that thought continued circling in my brain, an hour had passed. Next thing I knew, the maids were fetching us, telling us to go to the dining area for breakfast. Hora was given a room beside mine but she slept in my room last night trying to console me. I'm so blessed to have her as my best friend. I couldn't imagine surviving anything without her help.

In the dining room, Crystal waved her pretty hands towards us and told us to sit in front of her. She was at the left side of the host's seat. It was a rectangular dining table, good for six people—Mr. and Mrs. Ma should be sitting on the host's seats, the twins on the right side, and us, the guests, on the left side. Amazing, they were even following such etiquettes. It was only familiar to me since I read lots of books even in my previous life.

"Father and Kaiden are not morning people so they'll probably be late," she kindly explained to us. "I'm not sure if mother is arriving so feel free to start eating."

Oh no. We're meeting their parents that early in the morning. I wasn't ready yet. My heart thumped wildly in my chest. I glanced at Hora to see if she's doing fine and to my surprise, she was. I hope she could rub some of that confidence in me.

"It's alright, we can wait."

While waiting, we chatted a bit. Crystal mostly asked us questions about our friendship, what major we're taking, our dreams, likes and dislikes. They were all random questions and we somehow ended up jumping from one topic to another. It was fun talking to her. Hora and Crystal got along pretty well, too. I guess that's what being a "social butterfly" meant.

A few moments later, Mr. Ma and Kaiden arrived, and lastly, was Mrs. Ma.

"Oh my, is this Ms. Senara and Ms. Hora?" Mr. Ma asked, smiling towards us.

"Yes," I bowed my head, "thank you for accepting us in your home. And I apologize for not being able to properly introduce ourselves yesterday." Okay, you're doing great Sena, keep it up.

"It's alright," he chuckled. "And no need for such formalities. Be at ease and consider this your home."

Wow. Kaiden was right. His father was such a nice person. And really handsome, too! No wonder the twins ended up having such incomparable features. I glanced at Kaiden and he was rubbing his eyes, trying his best to stay awake. I ended up chuckling at the sight of him, which everyone noticed.

"Hmm… uhmm…" Mrs. Ma hummed and nodded to herself for some reason. She was staring at me, looking at me from head to toe, as if sizing me up. My throbbing heart thumped harder.

I wondered if she's like one of those snob mothers who despised friends from a lower background for their sons and daughters? Like the rich mother I watched in "Meteor Shower"—the one who offered the female lead a suitcase of money asking her to leave her son alone.

'Am I going to experience the same thing? But I'm just a friend. I'm not guilty of anything. I won't even try since I don't stand a chance. I mean, just look at how perfect he is! I'm just a mere grass on the side road compared to him. Please be merciful to me.'

"Great," finally, Mrs. Ma talked. Her voice sounded strict and confident.

We all looked towards her direction. She sat in front of Mr. Ma, on the other side of the table like a gorgeous queen, with her perfect chin resting at the back of her hands.

Great? What's great though?

"Kaiden, Senara," she called us, "you're both pretty. I'm sure your future sons and daughters will be really beautiful creatures enough to blind anyone who'll see."

I instinctively looked at Kaiden with my eyes wide open. He did the same, probably from shock. All his sleepiness was gone in an instant. Who wouldn't be? I, for instance, who had been trying to keep my cool since the beginning, ended up stiff.

"H-honey," Mr. Ma called her nervously, "I… I don't think you should—"

"Should what?" she interrupted.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha!" Crystal burst out laughing. "They will surely look cute and pretty."

"B-b-but we're not…" I tried to explain but my embarrassment was to the maximum level.

"Ugh. Mother, please," Kaiden snapped. "I told you many times, she is NOT my girlfriend. And it's rude to say things like that."

Ouch. It's true though.

"You'll eventually end up there, anyway," Mrs. Ma shrugged. "Don't worry dearie, he's just being shy. It's not like he doesn't want you as his girlfriend, okay?" she turned to me, trying to console me.

"U-uhm… thanks? He-he-he."

I could hear Hora giggling beside me. Come on, Hora, don't laugh at me. I wish the ground would swallow me up. I need somewhere to hide.

"Mother…" Kaiden was furious. He shot daggers through his eyes towards his own mother. While her mother, in return, simply smirked, obviously enjoying teasing her son.

"Please forgive his attitude, dearie. It seems I need to teach my son some manners. And teach him how to please a woman as well."

"Teach him how to court a girl, too, mother," Crystal added.

"Yes, I should do that. Come to my office later, my dear son."

"No!"

"Oh. Pity. I guess I'll just show Senara your cute childhood pictures."

Kaiden's eyes lit up like that of a devil. He's definitely pissed now.

"Right. And I should stop helping father so he spends the next three months away from home." Kaiden said all that in a menacing tone.

"A-ah!" Mrs. Ma looked agitated. She coughed and cleared her throat. "W-well, I won't do it if you just come and talk to me. How dare you decline your mother's invitation? Is that how I raised you?"

"I'd rather do something worthwhile than being pestered with ridiculous nonsense."

"Oh honey, our son is becoming a brat. This is all your fault. You spoiled him too much."

"No, father. Your wife is becoming too much—invading your son's private life. I may still be a teenager right now but I'm entitled to my own privacy, right?"

Unable to decide which side to go with, Mr. Ma simply ordered the servants to serve breakfast. While we ate, Kaiden and his mother continued arguing while Crystal kept on either laughing, or adding fuel to the fire.

Oh well, it all ended up good. What started as a nerve-wracking breakfast, became a funny one instead. They're really close to each other. What a nice family Kaiden and Crystal had. They're hilarious argument helped me and Hora feel relaxed. I'm really thankful for them.