章 5: Chapter 5: The King of Flavour

<Ethan's House - Ethan's POV>

"We need to talk, Ethan."

Claire's voice was sharp, and I could feel her eyes practically burning holes into the back of my head. I turned around slowly, blinking like I had no idea what this was about. Honestly, I didn't.

"Sure," I said, stretching lazily. "What's up?"

She crossed her arms, her brow furrowed, and then, out of nowhere, she pulled out a small sachet of white powder from behind her back. Her face was serious, almost scared. "This," she said, holding it up like it was contraband. "I know your aunt is alive. Is the past she's talking about... drugs?"

It took everything in me not to burst out laughing.

Claire, though? Not so much. She launched into a full-on mom rant, pacing the room like she was building up to an intervention. "I mean, Ethan, this isn't the kind of thing a kid should be around! What kind of example does this set? First your aunt's strange disappearance, and now I find this—this powder in your room? How long has this been going on? And don't even get me started on what happens if Luke finds out! I just—this is—"

I didn't think it was possible, but she looked even more stressed out now than when she thought the house was haunted last year.

Finally, she stopped, breathing heavily, arms flailing in dramatic frustration. "Do you even realize how serious this is?"

I waited a beat, then cleared my throat, trying to keep a straight face. "Uh, Claire?"

"What?"

"That's MSG."

She blinked, her arms still half-raised. "MSG?"

"Yeah. The king of flavour." I grinned, waving my hand like I was some master chef presenting a masterpiece. "Haiya, so weak, Auntie Claire. MSG is harmless. You should put it on everything. It makes it taste better."

Her eyes widened slightly, clearly baffled. I continued before she could recover.

"Look, I get it, it looks bad," I said, trying to ease her off the metaphorical cliff. "But I'm not doing drugs. Sometimes, I just… cook in bed when I'm too lazy to go to the kitchen."

Now her confusion was replaced with disbelief. "Cook in bed?"

"Follow me" I motion for her to follow me to my room.

"See for yourself." I bent down, reaching under my bed, and pulled out my trusty portable burner and a small pot. "I've got the basics—spices, chopsticks, some noodles."

Claire stared, open-mouthed. "You cook… in bed."

I nodded, proud. "Convenient, right?"

For a moment, she just stood there, eyes darting between me, the burner, and the sachet of MSG in her hand. Then, finally, her shoulders slumped, and she let out a long sigh. "Ethan, I swear, you're going to be the death of me."

I shrugged. "Better than being the death of your cooking. Just kidding! Your cooking is amazing. But seriously, try adding MSG to your dishes. It's life-changing."

She shot me a look that was somewhere between exasperation and exhaustion, clearly not sure whether to laugh or ground me for life. "Just… no more secret cooking in your room, okay?"

"Deal." While my finger is crossed behind my back.

She turned to leave, but paused at the doorway, glancing over her shoulder with that suspicious-mom look again. "Ethan?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't know what's going on with you," she said, softer this time. "But whatever it is, just… don't shut us out, okay?"

Her words hit a little harder than I expected. For a second, I considered telling her about the Dreaming, about Aunt Fay, about everything. But instead, I just nodded. "Sure thing, Claire."

With that, she left the room, and I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. Drama over MSG? Only in this house.

*timeskip* -in the Spongebob Narrator Voice- One Month Later

<General POV>

Ethan sat quietly in the backseat of the Dunphy's car, feeling the familiar hum of the engine beneath him. The family was excited, all buzzing with energy, mostly about Alex. She was going to play the cello with her bandmates, and Claire and Phil had been hyping her up for weeks.

"Ethan, you're not nervous, right? I mean, you've been practicing for this talent show thing, right?" Claire asked from the passenger seat, turning around to give him a half-nervous, half-motherly look.

Ethan shrugged casually. "I'll be fine."

Haley, nose deep in her phone, glanced up. "Wait… do we even know what he's doing?"

Phil perked up from the driver's seat. "That's right! Ethan's been a bit of a mystery, hasn't he? We're all here for Alex, but I'm sure you'll wow us too, bud!"

Luke leaned over, nudging Ethan with a grin. "Hope you don't bomb."

"Luke!" Claire shot him a sharp look, while Ethan only smirked in amusement.

"Just don't trip on stage, Alex," Haley teased, causing Alex to roll her eyes.

As they pulled into the school auditorium parking lot, Alex's nerves started to show. It didn't help that there was a massive crowd. The entire lot was packed, and a local TV channel had even set up cameras outside.

"Oh God," Alex muttered, fiddling with her cello case. "They're showing this on TV?!"

Ethan noticed the anxiety starting to creep into her expression. "Hey, it's alright. Everyone gets nervous. Just focus on the people who matter to you. It helps." He gave her a confident smile, and after a moment, Alex nodded, her shoulders relaxing slightly.

The Dunphy family spilled out of the car and made their way into the packed auditorium. As they entered, they spotted Mitch, Cam, Jay, Manny, and Gloria waving enthusiastically from the second row. Phil grinned, waving back like an excited kid. "Over here! They saved us seats!"

They made their way over, squeezing through the bustling crowd. Gloria gave Ethan a curious look as the families greeted each other. "You must be the famous Ethan I've been hearing about."

Manny, sipping from a soda, chimed in, "Yeah, Alex talks about you a lot."

Cam beamed. "Are you in the talent show too? Can't wait to see what you've got!"

Ethan smiled politely, trying to dodge the attention. "Just doing my thing."

Jay gave him a once-over, typical Jay style. "Let's hope your thing doesn't involve embarrassing yourself."

Phil quickly jumped in. "Oh, don't worry, Jay. Ethan's a pro! Right, buddy?" He gave Ethan a thumbs-up. Ethan returned it, holding back a laugh. The family settled in, and soon, it was time for Alex and Ethan to head backstage.

Backstage, the energy was electric. Students were bustling around, some practicing their routines, others trying to calm their nerves. Alex adjusted her cello, giving Ethan a quick glance. "Good luck."

"You too. You'll do great," Ethan replied, spotting Zoey nearby.

Zoey Deutch waved him over, her outfit a little more dramatic than usual, fitting her monologue performance. "Can you believe it? They're showing this on TV!" she said, her voice a mix of excitement and nerves.

"You'll be fine," Ethan said. "Besides, you'll finally get recognized for something other than being Lea Thompson's daughter." He nodded toward the crowd, where her mom sat, flashing a proud smile in their direction.

Zoey smirked. "Let's hope so. Break a leg out there, okay?"

The show began with Zoey's monologue. The audience was captivated by her performance, and even though her mom was in the crowd, Zoey's skill on stage made it clear she was a star in her own right. The applause was deafening.

Then came a mix of performances—dance routines, magic tricks, and a few covers of popular songs. The energy was building as Alex's group took the stage.

The crowd quieted as Alex and her bandmates began playing. The familiar sounds of pop songs filled the room, but with a classical twist. Their instruments flowed together, and soon enough, the audience was tapping along to the beat. During the performance, Alex glanced toward the second row, locking eyes with her family and then with Ethan. She mouthed a quick "thank you" before diving back into the music, her nervousness all but forgotten.

Finally, it was Ethan's turn. As he stepped onto the stage, the crowd buzzed with curiosity. The lights dimmed, casting a spotlight on him. A hush fell over the audience as the first notes of Billie Jean played, the familiar beat pulsing through the speakers.

In the second row, the Dunphys exchanged puzzled glances.

"He's… dancing?" Haley raised an eyebrow, half-interested.

Phil leaned forward, squinting. "He's not just dancing—he's got a mic. He's going to sing too."

Ethan began moving with perfect precision, every step and spin executed as if Michael Jackson himself were performing. Then, with his voice clear and crisp, he sang:

"She was more like a beauty queen, from a movie scene…"

His voice filled the auditorium, matching Jackson's iconic pitch and cadence. The crowd sat stunned, murmurs rippling as people tried to figure out if he was lip-syncing. But his movements never faltered, and neither did his voice.

"I said don't mind, but what do you mean, I am the one…"

Ethan spun into a smooth moonwalk, gliding across the stage effortlessly.

The audience was captivated, but then, as he sang, "People always told me, be careful what you do…" the music suddenly cut out. A glitch. For a moment, there was nothing but silence, a brief moment of awkwardness.

Ethan didn't miss a beat.

He grinned slightly, chuckling under his breath into the mic, "Well, that's live for you."

Without hesitation, he kept singing, his voice carrying the melody on its own:

"Don't go around breaking young girls' hearts…"

The crowd gasped, realizing this was no lip-sync. Ethan was doing this all live, and flawlessly. As the tech team scrambled to fix the music, Ethan's voice was the only sound in the packed auditorium. Slowly, the audience began to clap along, their energy feeding off his effortless charm.

When the track finally kicked back in, the crowd erupted in applause, cheering as Ethan powered through the rest of the song with ease.

"She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son…"

By the time he reached the final chorus, everyone was on their feet, the room alive with excitement. Ethan finished with a sharp spin and froze in the iconic Jackson pose. The auditorium exploded into cheers.

"Encore! Encore!" The shouts came from every corner of the room, students and parents alike chanting for more.

Ethan, grinning ear to ear, waved to quiet the crowd. "Alright, alright," he called into the mic, still catching his breath. "I'll do one more for you, but I'm gonna need a little help this time."

He looked over to the side of the stage where Alex and her bandmates were waiting. Beckoning them over, he whispered something in Alex's ear. She nodded, eyes widening in excitement. Her bandmates quickly gathered, and after a brief huddle, they took their positions with their instruments.

The crowd, curious about what was going to happen next, hushed in anticipation.

"This one's different," Ethan said, turning back to the audience. "Let's take it back to the classics. Hope you like Rock Around the Clock."

Alex started the rhythm on her cello, her bandmates joining in with a unique classical twist on the old rock 'n' roll tune. Then Ethan began to sing, but this time, it wasn't in imitation. This time, it was his voice—rich, smooth, and soulful. He made the song his own, no longer mirroring anyone else, just performing as Ethan.

"One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock, rock… Five, six, seven o'clock, eight o'clock, rock…"

The crowd was immediately swept up by the upbeat tempo, clapping along as Ethan and the bandmates played off each other's energy. He moved across the stage with ease, dancing to the rhythm and engaging the audience with every note.

As he reached the chorus, his voice soared, powerful yet effortless, stunning everyone in the room who hadn't expected him to be such a natural.

"We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight…"

The combination of the classical instruments and Ethan's fresh take on the classic song left the audience mesmerized. Even those watching on local TV could feel the magic. By the time he belted out the final line, the whole auditorium was on its feet once again, applause and cheers roaring through the space.

Ethan bowed deeply, signaling the end of the encore. The cheers grew louder, even more passionate than before. He looked back at Alex and her bandmates, who gave him proud smiles.

Phil and Claire were left speechless. Haley had dropped her phone, and Luke was slack-jawed. The entire extended family was on their feet, clapping and cheering.

<Phil and Claire Commentary>

Claire looks slightly stunned, speaking directly to the camera.

Claire: "I—I mean, who knew? Ethan can do that? And he didn't even tell us!"

Phil jumps in, excited, already mimicking some dance moves.

Phil: "Forget telling us, I'm thinking—what if he taught me? I could moonwalk through our next open house!"

Claire gives Phil a look.

Claire: "Please don't."

<Mitch and Cam Commentary>

Mitch has his arms crossed, nodding thoughtfully. Cam, wide-eyed with excitement, is already gushing.

Mitch: "We barely know the kid, but I have to admit, that was impressive."

Cam: "More than impressive! He's like...a superstar! And think of the possibilities, Mitchell—he's close with the Dunphys, which means we could be friends with him, too! Can you imagine? Parties, performances, a whole new level of social connections!"

Mitch shakes his head, amused.

Mitch: "It's like you're recruiting."

<Jay and Gloria Commentary>

Gloria smiles broadly, gesturing with her hands as she talks.

Gloria: "Ay, it was like watching a real concert! He moved, he sang...I was ready to buy a ticket, verdad, Jay?"

Jay nods, looking impressed.

Jay: "I gotta say, I loved Rock Around the Clock when I was a kid. Never thought I'd hear a version like that again. That kid's got chops."

Gloria grins.

Gloria: "It's like his own song."

Jay smirks.

Jay: "Maybe I should get him to perform at my next birthday."

<Commentaries End>

The moment had been a triumph—not just for Ethan, but for Alex and the band as well. Backstage, the teachers exchanged impressed glances, already imagining what this performance would do for the school's reputation. Little did anyone know, within hours, the video of Ethan's two performances would be up on YouTube, gaining more views by the second. By the end of the next day, Ethan would be trending—his name on the lips of thousands who had just witnessed the birth of something extraordinary.