CHAPTER 320: YOU’RE DEFINITELY GETTING PUNISHED LATER!!!

A few hours passed, and Ethan and the twins did not feel like getting out of bed. It was still warm.

Ethan stayed still a little longer, arms loosely wrapped around the girls beside him. Their breathing was soft and steady.

Evelyn’s head rested against his chest, while Everly was curled into his side, one hand lightly gripping the edge of his shirt.

The room was quiet. Dim sunlight was starting to come through the tall windows, casting a soft glow across the floor.

He didn’t move right away. There wasn’t any need to. This was one of those rare mornings where nothing felt urgent. No alarms. No stress. Just peace.

But his stomach had other plans.

So he slowly eased his arm out from under Evelyn and sat up carefully, making sure not to wake either of them.

Everly mumbled something but didn’t open her eyes. He smiled to himself, swung his legs over the side of the bed, and stood up.

His hair was still a mess. His skin was warm from the covers. He wore nothing but a pair of dark lounge pants. The air wasn’t cold, just cool enough to notice.

He stretched once, then headed for the kitchen.

The suite was quiet. No noise from outside. No messages. No voices. Just the quiet hum of the temperature controls and the soft pad of his bare feet on the floor.

He filled the kettle and set it to boil. Then pulled out a pan, a few eggs, slices of bread, and a small box of fruit from the fridge.

He didn’t rush. He moved by feel. Cracked the eggs into the pan, listened to the soft sizzle as the oil hit heat, and let the smell of breakfast start to spread.

While the eggs cooked, he dropped the bread into the toaster and started slicing the fruit on a small board.

Strawberries, apple slices, and a few pieces of citrus. He split them onto two plates—one with a light sprinkle of sugar, the other plain.

Evelyn liked hers plain. Everly didn’t.

He didn’t even need to think about it.

The kettle clicked. He poured the water into two ceramic cups, dropped in the tea leaves, and let it steep.

Then a quiet chime sounded from the wall console.

Ethan glanced over. A notification hovered just above the screen.

[Astralis University Notification]

Your personal tutor has been selected. Arrival expected this afternoon.Click to view profile.

He wiped his hands and walked toward the console, ready to check the message.

Then he heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

Barefoot. Slow.

He turned.

Both Evelyn and Everly stood near the top, half-asleep. Each wore one of his oversized white shirts.

The sleeves hung past their wrists, and the top buttons were undone. Their hair was messy, still falling into place from sleep.

The fabric swayed around their thighs as they walked. He didn’t see anything underneath—and he didn’t need to.

Evelyn rubbed one eye, a sleepy smile on her face. "Mmm... you started without us?"

Everly stretched her arms overhead, let out a quiet yawn, then grinned. "You’re definitely getting punished later."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "For making breakfast?"

"For not letting us help," Evelyn said as she stepped off the last stair. "We’re supposed to do mornings together."

They walked into the kitchen and passed him to grab the fruit plates. Everly leaned against him for a second, bumping his hip with hers as she reached for a strawberry.

He glanced back at the console but let the message disappear for now.

The tea had cooled just enough. He handed them each a cup. They took it without saying anything, just smiling.

He finished the eggs, added toast to the plates, and grabbed a third set of utensils. The table wasn’t fully set, but none of them cared.

The kitchen was bright now, sunlight slipping in through the windows, making everything feel warmer.

Evelyn climbed onto one of the chairs but didn’t sit properly. She tugged Ethan toward her, pulled him into the seat, and settled sideways across his lap.

Everly didn’t hesitate. She took the other side and mirrored her sister’s move.

Ethan looked down at both of them on his legs. "Isn’t this a bit much?"

Evelyn rested her head on his shoulder. "Nope. Just right."

Everly took a bite of toast, then held up a forkful of egg for him. "Open."

He chuckled, leaned forward, and took it. Then, he cut a slice of apple and offered it to Evelyn. She accepted it with a quiet hum and a tiny smirk.

The food was simple. Nothing fancy. But it tasted good. Fresh. Warm. Balanced.

More than anything, it was easy.

No stress. No pressure. Just a morning where everything felt calm.

The twins took turns feeding him and each other. Sometimes they chatted. Sometimes they didn’t.

The room was filled with the smell of eggs, fruit, and a hint of citrus. The only sounds were quiet chewing and the occasional clink of forks against plates.

At one point, Ethan reached up and brushed a crumb off Evelyn’s cheek. She blinked, then leaned in and kissed his jaw.

Everly flicked a piece of strawberry at them. It missed—barely.

He didn’t even sigh. Just smiled.

This was always how it was with them. A little teasing. Soft touches. Small, quiet things that made everything feel normal in the middle of a world that wasn’t.

He wasn’t thinking about tutors, stats, or the system right now.

Just this.

He leaned back a little, letting the girls relax into him again. His arms rested gently around them. Their hair brushed against his neck. Their legs tangled softly over his own.

The plates were almost empty now. A few pieces of fruit left. Nothing worth rushing.

He didn’t move to clean up. Didn’t check the message again.

Didn’t speak.

Just sat there, feeling the warmth of them against him, listening to the quiet.

It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t even supposed to mean anything.

But it was real.

And for now, that was enough.