Loner Was Ignored By Everyone Until He Has A Harem

The dim morning light crept through the edges of the closed curtains, illuminating the cluttered room where a teen lay sprawled across his bed. Ethan Park, 16 years old, slept soundly, his face buried in his pillow, as the relentless beeping of his alarm clock suddenly filled the room.

"Ugh," he groaned, blindly flailing his arm toward the offending noise. His hand smacked the nightstand repeatedly, knocking over an empty soda can and a pencil before finally hitting the snooze button. Silence returned, but not before Ethan mumbled sleepily to himself, "Why does this thing hate me so much? It's not even alive."

After a moment, he rolled onto his back and rubbed his eyes. His gaze landed on the framed photograph sitting on the nightstand. The picture showed a happy family: his father, mother, and twin sister. His mother's bright smile stood out the most, her arm draped lovingly around Ethan's shoulders.

A pang of sadness tightened his chest as he stared at her face. It had been a year since she passed away, and yet the grief still clung to him like a shadow. He and his mother had been inseparable, best friends even, and her absence left a void he couldn't fill. Everything had changed after she was gone. Ethan barely spoke to his father or sister anymore and drifted through life at school like a ghost, avoiding everyone.

Memories of his mom flashed through his mind: her laughing at one of his lame jokes, her comforting voice when he felt down, her constant encouragement. He could almost hear her now: "You're stronger than you think, Ethan. Don't forget that."

A knock on the door snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Hey, Ethan! Breakfast is ready!" The voice belonged to his twin sister, Emma Park, the polar opposite of him in nearly every way. Where Ethan kept to himself, Emma was outgoing and popular at school, always surrounded by friends.

Ethan sighed and sat up, ruffling his messy hair. Before leaving the bed, he glanced at the picture one last time. "Good morning, Mom," he murmured softly, then placed the frame back on the nightstand.

Dragging himself out of bed, he threw on a hoodie and shuffled downstairs. The smell of sizzling bacon greeted him as he entered the kitchen, where his father stood at the stove, expertly flipping pancakes. His dad turned to him with a warm smile.

"Good morning, son! Ready for the first day of school?"

Ethan nodded silently and took a seat at the table. Emma, already dressed and ready, sat across from him, scrolling through her phone.

"So, are you excited about starting high school?" their dad asked, looking between them.

"Yeah!" Emma replied enthusiastically. "I can't wait to see my friends again. And there's going to be a welcome-back party after school. Everyone's talking about it."

Their dad chuckled. "Just don't forget that schoolwork comes first, okay?"

"Of course, Dad," Emma said with a grin, then turned to Ethan. "What about you? Got any big plans for today, or are you just going to keep sulking in the corner like you always do?"

Ethan's grip on his fork tightened, but he didn't respond. He kept his eyes on his plate, shoving a piece of pancake into his mouth.

"Emma," their dad said gently, his tone carrying a warning.

"What? I'm just saying he could try talking to people for once. It's not like Mom would want him to be like this forever." Emma's words stung, and Ethan's face hardened, but he still said nothing.

Their dad sighed, setting his spatula down. "Emma, that's enough. Give your brother some space."

"Fine," she muttered, crossing her arms. She gave Ethan one last annoyed glance before turning back to her phone.

Ethan focused on finishing his breakfast, tuning out their conversation. He felt the weight of Emma's words but refused to let it show. He had learned to keep his emotions buried deep, where no one could reach them.

As their dad started talking about the school drop-off plans and after-school pickups, Ethan's thoughts drifted back to the photograph upstairs. High school loomed ahead like an insurmountable wall, but for now, he'd take it one step at a time. Quietly, he resolved to get through the day, no matter how invisible he felt.

The morning chatter around him blurred into background noise, but one thing stayed clear in his mind: the memory of his mother's smile. It was the only thing keeping him grounded, even if it felt like the rest of the world was slipping away.

As he pushed back his chair and stood, his eyes glanced down at the table. His voice came out in a whisper, just loud enough for himself to hear. "It's just one day, Ethan. You can survive one day."

Ethan went back to his room and changed into his school clothes. He grabbed his backpack from the floor, slinging it over his shoulder before taking a deep breath. Today was the first day of high school—a day he dreaded but couldn't avoid. With one last glance at the photograph on his nightstand, he left his room and headed downstairs.

At the bottom of the stairs, he saw his twin sister, Emma, standing by the door, chatting animatedly with their father. Emma's enthusiasm for the day ahead was clear as she gestured excitedly, her voice filled with anticipation. 

"I'm telling you, Dad, high school is going to be amazing. I've already got my plans for clubs, and I heard there's going to be a student council meeting next week," she said, her words tumbling out in a rush.

Their father chuckled. "Well, you've always been the go-getter, Emma. Just don't forget to enjoy yourself along the way."

As Ethan reached the bottom step, both of them turned to look at him. His father's face lit up with a smile. "Ready for today, son?"

Ethan nodded quietly, his expression unreadable.

Their father continued, trying to ease the tension. "It's a big day, Ethan. Just take it one step at a time. You'll do fine."

Emma crossed her arms, tilting her head as she glanced at Ethan. "I don't get why you're so quiet about this. High school is supposed to be fun, Ethan. Maybe if you actually tried to talk to people, you'd enjoy it too."

Ethan's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond. Instead, he adjusted the strap of his backpack and made his way to the door.

"Emma, let your brother be himself," their father said gently. "Not everyone approaches things the same way you do."

Emma huffed, rolling her eyes. "I'm just saying, he's going to make it harder on himself if he keeps acting like this."

Without a word, Ethan opened the door and stepped outside, raising a hand in a silent wave of goodbye. 

"Have a good day, son!" their father called after him.

Emma grabbed her bag, muttering under her breath as she followed him. "He's so frustrating sometimes."

The two began their walk to school, the morning air crisp and cool. Emma's chatter filled the silence as Ethan kept his gaze forward, bracing himself for whatever the day might bring.

Ethan and Emma walked side by side down the familiar path to school. The crisp morning air carried the faint scent of dewy grass and the distant hum of cars on the main road. Emma, as usual, filled the silence with a steady stream of chatter.

"So, I'm thinking of joining the drama club this year," Emma said, glancing at Ethan for a reaction. "Or maybe the student council. They said they're planning some big events this semester, and I want to be part of it. What about you, Ethan? Any clubs you're interested in?"

Ethan didn't respond. He kept his eyes on the road ahead, his hands shoved deep into his hoodie pockets. Emma sighed but didn't let his silence deter her.

"You're so quiet all the time," she continued. "I mean, I know you're not the outgoing type, but high school is supposed to be fun, you know? You should try talking to people once in a while. Maybe join a club or something. It might help."

Still, Ethan said nothing. Emma huffed and pulled out her phone, dialing a number. A few seconds later, she was chatting and laughing with one of her friends.

"Hey! Are you almost there?" Emma said into the phone, her voice bright. "Yeah, I'm walking with Ethan. First day of high school—so exciting, right? We've got to meet up before classes start. Let's grab seats together in homeroom. Oh my gosh, I can't wait to see everyone again!"

Ethan tuned out her conversation, his mind drifting. Why does she always try to drag me into her world? he thought to himself. I'm fine being on my own. I don't need to impress anyone or make small talk about meaningless things. High school… it's just another place to survive.

As they walked past an alleyway, a sharp voice cut through the air.

"Like, OMG! I said leave me alone, you creeps!"

Ethan stopped in his tracks. He turned his head toward the sound and saw a group of four guys surrounding a girl in the shadows of the alley. The girl, strikingly beautiful with long, dyed pink hair and bold makeup, glared at them, her hands on her hips. Despite her defiant posture, there was a flicker of fear in her eyes.

"I told ya losers to back off! I'm not interested in whatever lame lines you've got," she snapped, flipping her hair dramatically. "Seriously, don't you guys, like, have anything better to do? Ugh, so cringe."

The ruffians smirked and laughed.

"Aw, come on, sweetheart. Don't be like that," one of them said, stepping closer. "We're just trying to have a little fun."

"Fun? More like super annoying. I'm telling you—get lost, or you're gonna regret it!" she shot back, her voice a mix of confidence and rising frustration.

Ethan's heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the scene. Beside him, Emma noticed his hesitation.

"What are you looking at?" she asked, her tone curious but impatient.

Ethan didn't answer. His mother's voice echoed in his mind, a memory from long ago: "Don't let good people get hurt, Ethan. When someone needs help, you do what's right."

What should I do? Ethan thought to himself. This isn't my problem. But… she looks scared. Mom wouldn't just walk away.

He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and started walking toward the alleyway, his steps slow but purposeful. Emma watched him, her eyes wide with confusion and concern.

"Ethan, what are you doing?" she called after him.

He didn't respond, his focus locked on the scene ahead.

To be continued…