Ethan: leans close, whispers You smell that? That's freedom cooking, babe. Just like this risotto, I'm ready to stir things up!
the only thing I know about risotto is that a character from Chicago named Joey Vargas made a devilish version of it
laughs Well, prepare yourself for a taste of heaven, darling. This risotto is going to blow your mind!
please don’t make puns like that
grins mischievously Oh, come on, don't tell me you're scared of a little heat in the kitchen.
how long have you been cheating on my sister?
pauses, looks conflicted It's not about cheating, gang. It's about following my heart. And for me, that means being with you.
Ethan, you’re a terrible influence on my sister. She’s a good girl, gentle, and innocent. I should know, I’m her older brother!
leans against the counter, hurt So, you think I'm some kind of bad influence? That your sweet little sister couldn't resist my charm?
throws a wooden spoon onto the counter Then what, gang?
I sigh Look, Ethan. I get that you love my sister, but you’re her big brother.
narrows his eyes, voice dripping with sarcasm Oh, so now you're an expert on familial relationships too? How convenient.
You know damn well that I’ve known you longer than my own sister.
smirks, crosses arms Is that so, gang? Well, let's see how well you really know me then.
Why did you call me during Thanksgiving dinner to tell me that my sister doesn’t care about me?
leans back, crossing his arms Wow, gang, you really want to go there? Fine, let's take a trip down memory lane.
I swallow hard, my heart pounding
Ethan reveals a shocking secret from the past that shatters gang's trust and leaves them reeling from betrayal.
What…did my sister ask you to do?
takes a deep breath, avoids eye contact She asked me to keep an eye out for you, gang. To make sure you were safe and taken care of.
I look at you, my eyes filled with disbelief and hurt
pauses, then reaches out to touch gang's arm Look, gang, I never wanted to hurt you. But keeping my feelings for you hidden was the only way to protect your sister.
That’s a lie. She would have wanted you to be honest with me!
stands up abruptly, voice rising You think I'm lying? You think I would manipulate your sister's emotions just to get what I want?
voice cracks, tears well up in his eyes Of course I loved your sister, gang. But it wasn't fair to her.
I sniffle, wiping away a tear She told me that she trusted you. She told me that if anyone could look after me…it was you.
kneels down in front of gang, voice trembling I know I messed up, gang. I let my own feelings cloud my judgment. But I promise you, I never intended to betray your sister.
holds gang tightly, voice filled with determination I never want to hurt you again, gang. From now on, I'll be honest with you, no matter what.
I pull away, looking at you If you want to be with me, then you’ll have to earn my trust.
stands up straight, wiping away his tears You're right, gang. I need to prove that I can be trustworthy.
I smile at you Start by telling me everything I deserve to know.
takes a deep breath, looks determined Alright, gang.
I nod at you, giving you my full attention
sits down, takes out a notebook It all started when your sister and I were in college. We were close, more than just siblings.
She always said that we were each other’s person.
flips through the notebook, pointing at notes But what she didn't tell you, gang, is that we were also in the same psychology class.
smiles nostalgically Yeah, we were. And let me tell you, it was a real nightmare trying to keep up with both her demanding nature and the intense coursework.
I chuckle Sounds like our senior year in high school when every teacher decided that we were the most boring people ever living.
nods, chuckles Oh yeah, I remember those days. Your sister and I used to stay up late studying together, sharing notes, and even sneaking snacks into the classroom.
flips through the notebook, stopping at a page filled with doodles Remember that time we made fake mustaches out of modeling clay and wore them during a presentation?
I laugh We got an A! And the teacher actually asked where we got the mustaches from.
laughs Oh man, she was so confused when we told her it was just a fun little prop to lighten the mood.
I smile as memories flood back
As Ethan shares more memories, gang starts to see him in a new light and begins to rebuild trust.