Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming! - Chapter 344: Do you even realize what you’re asking?

Chapter 344: Do you even realize what you’re asking?

Since Lila and Vanessa went to the same school, it was only natural for them to walk together.

But just as Vanessa took her first step, her expression suddenly froze.

Ethan noticed this and realized that something was wrong with her left knee—it looked like she was hurt.

So, he asked Vanessa to stand still, and while she looked at him in confusion, he crouched down.

Ethan checked her injury first. It wasn’t serious, just a minor scrape. Then, he started rummaging through his backpack.

He remembered seeing some band-aids when he packed his bag that morning, and it turned out they were just what he needed.

After quickly patching up the scrape on her knee, he looked up and asked, “Can you still walk? Do you need help?”

But what he saw was Vanessa’s face, a bit dazed, as if she was lost in thought. It wasn’t until she heard his question that she snapped back to reality and quickly shook her head.

“I’m fine.”

Vanessa seemed eager to prove she wasn’t hurt, so she took a couple of steps. But it was clear she couldn’t walk normally, and she was struggling.

Ethan sighed when he saw this and said, “Alright, stop trying to tough it out.”

With that, he firmly took her backpack and, with his other hand, gently supported her arm. The two of them slowly made their way toward the school.

“Sorry, I’m really causing you trouble,” Vanessa said.

Ethan shook his head and flashed a bright smile. “Helping each other out is what classmates do, right? Besides, if the roles were reversed, I’m sure you’d help me without hesitation.”

Hearing this, even someone as proud as Vanessa couldn’t argue anymore. But soon, she froze again, looking at the girl walking beside her with surprise.

“Wait, do you know me?”

“Uh…” Ethan realized he might’ve said something wrong, so he just went with it. “Of course, I’m a fan of yours.”

“Huh? A fan?” Vanessa was first shocked, but then she fell silent.

If there was anything about her that could attract fans, it had to be from back then—the time that held her most cherished memories, a place she could never return to.

A sharp pain tugged at the softest part of her heart.

Ethan had no idea that Vanessa was once again trying to bury her vulnerable self. He just suddenly felt like his steps were getting heavier, as if some invisible weight was dragging him down.

After that, neither of them spoke again, and they quietly made their way to school.

Once they changed into their indoor shoes, Vanessa tried to get her backpack back, but Ethan, ever the gentleman, insisted on walking her to her classroom.

Even someone as strong-willed as Vanessa couldn’t refuse such a firm gesture of kindness. She sighed inwardly and gave him directions.

After Ethan dropped her off at her desk, he didn’t linger. Before leaving, he reminded her, “Vanessa, don’t forget to see the school nurse later.”

Then, he left the classroom.

His confident and cool demeanor left a deep impression on Vanessa. But the next second, she froze again.

“Wait, did I seriously not even ask for that nice guy’s name? That’s so rude!”

Just as Vanessa was feeling frustrated with herself, she noticed that the kind classmate had come back.

Before she could say anything, he scratched his cheek awkwardly and said, “Uh, I just realized this is my class too.”

Vanessa was stunned. “Wait, you’re a transfer student?”

“No,” Ethan shook his head. “I sit right behind you.”

“Huh?” Vanessa was completely confused.

It wasn’t until Ethan placed his backpack on the desk behind hers that she finally realized what was going on.

The next second, she shot up from her seat, her face full of disbelief.

“Wait, you—you’re Lila?!”

…

Meanwhile, let’s take a look at what’s happening on the other side, where Lila is filling in for Ethan after their body swap.

A little earlier…

After Lila and Ethan came to an agreement, she felt herself relax, and a wave of excitement filled her.

She wasn’t confused at all about what was coming next.

That’s because her reliable partner, Ethan, had already written out a detailed plan for her. All she had to do was follow it.

With that in mind, Lila had plenty of time to take in her surroundings.

Even with her limited experience, she could tell this was a pretty fancy apartment. Could it be that Ethan came from a wealthy family?

As she pondered this, she followed the plan and headed to the bathroom for a quick wash-up, then went to the bedroom to find Ethan’s school uniform.

It was her first time wearing a boy’s uniform, and even though she was in a boy’s body now, it still felt a little weird.

Of course, she didn’t wear her own school uniform much either—she preferred the comfort of her sportswear.

“Maybe I should just wear sports clothes to school?”

It seemed like Private Lila was about to make a decision that went against her commanding officer’s orders.

But just then, she got a new message from Ethan.

“Absolutely no sports clothes at school.”

‘No way… he predicted that?!’ Lila was stunned.

Having her thoughts completely seen through, she had no choice but to obediently put on the uniform. This made her feel a bit shy—after all, she’d never seen a boy’s body up close before.

As she was pulling up the pants, she suddenly froze, realizing something.

Wait, if I’m changing clothes, doesn’t that mean Ethan is also changing my clothes on the other side?

Panicking, Lila quickly pulled up her pants and grabbed her phone to send Ethan a message.

[Please, just go to school in pajamas!]

The reply came almost instantly.

[…]

[Do you even realize what you’re asking?]

That’s when she found out that Ethan had already changed into her uniform. The deed was done, and she had no choice but to drop the idea.

Once Lila finished changing into the uniform and left the bedroom, she caught a glimpse of herself in a full-length mirror as she passed by. The sight in the mirror practically blinded her.

It was only then that she realized just how striking her partner’s body was.

“The guy in the mirror is so dazzling… and, wow, that part is really big…” Lila couldn’t help but cover her eyes.

Of course, she was just overwhelmed by the sight and hadn’t yet grasped the full gravity of the situation.

At this point, Lila was ready to head out.

But before leaving, she stopped by a cabinet in the living room. On top of it was a framed photo of a stunningly beautiful woman.

She clasped her hands together in front of the photo and said, “I—I’m heading out now.”

This wasn’t part of Ethan’s plan, but it was something he had asked her to do.

Lila guessed that the woman in the photo was Ethan’s mother, especially since there was a child in the picture too, clearly a younger version of the body she was now in.

Given that Ethan had asked her to do this, it was obvious what had happened to the woman in the photo.

But then, Lila suddenly let out a small “huh.”

She felt like the woman in the picture looked familiar, as if she’d seen her somewhere before.

But after thinking about it for a while, she couldn’t come up with anything.

So, Lila chalked it up to her imagination and didn’t dwell on it.

Realizing she was running late, she quickly grabbed her bag and rushed out the door.