Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 379: I’m the Guitar Queen!

Julia had been the star of her middle school, serving as the student council president.

She was also the type of girl who cared a little too much about appearances.

So, in order to maintain her image as the perfect, top-tier student, she had told everyone back then that she planned to study abroad. This earned her even more praise, but it was like honey hiding poison.

Because of her struggles with speaking English, she couldn’t keep up with normal conversations. By the time she had to introduce herself in her first class, she was already completely overwhelmed.

That’s when she realized the heavy price she had to pay.

By choosing to study abroad and leave behind her old life, she lost most of the admiration and attention she had once thrived on.

The small sense of superiority she felt when thinking about how her friends back home might talk about her was insignificant in the face of her harsh reality.

And the worst part? She knew this miserable life would last for the next three years.

She had thought about toughing it out, hoping that with time, she might overcome these challenges. But was her goal in going abroad just to become an ordinary person?

That sense of disappointment was something she couldn’t accept.

So, Julia ran away.

When she returned to Japan, she was so embarrassed by her failure that she chose a remote school where none of her middle school classmates would ever show up.

Because if anyone found out she had run away, the image of the perfect, beautiful, top-student president she had built in middle school would be destroyed by her own hands!

But then…

Why is Lila here?! She’s my middle school classmate!

Julia was so ashamed she wanted to bang her head against the wall in frustration.

But instead of hitting a hard wall, her forehead met a soft hand.

“There’s no need to be so hard on yourself, Julia. I’ll keep your secret,” Ethan said gently, trying to calm her down.

He was a bit confused by Julia’s extreme reaction. Was she really that worried about people finding out?

“Lila…”

Julia turned to look at the girl standing next to her.

Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming urge to confess. This secret had been weighing on her for so long, and she hadn’t been able to talk to anyone about it. The pressure had been building up inside her.

After hesitating for a while, she finally spoke, her voice soft: “I did go abroad, but I couldn’t adjust to life there, so I ran back. Lila, don’t you think running away is shameful?”

Seeing how visibly down Julia was, Ethan shook his head firmly and said, “Not at all.”

Before she could respond, he placed his hands on her shoulders, looking at her with the most sincere expression, and continued, “Julia, this isn’t running away. This is a strategic retreat! A lot of people don’t have the courage you do. They’re too scared to admit their mistakes and end up stuck in a life with no hope, just because they’ve already invested so much in it.

But you had the guts to come back and reclaim your life, to enjoy the bright future ahead of you. That’s what really matters. Julia, you made the smartest, most rational decision of your life. Shouldn’t you be proud of that?”

Ethan’s words, while a bit of a stretch at first glance, weren’t about the logic—they were about who was saying them.

When he spoke with such conviction, even Julia, who had been doubting herself, couldn’t help but feel swayed by his emotions. Was she really that amazing?

She started to feel a little embarrassed by all the praise.

Julia felt like the girl in front of her was glowing, dissolving all the negativity that had been weighing her down.

And then, in the next moment, she suddenly reached out and hugged him.

Ethan, completely caught off guard, froze. His body stiffened, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. What’s going on? Why is she hugging me out of nowhere?

“Thank you,” Julia said sincerely.

“Julia, I—”

Just as Ethan was about to say something, she cut him off.

“We’re friends, right? Just call me Jules.”

Yes, she really wanted to be friends with him—good friends, in fact!

Ethan, on the other hand, wanted to ask when exactly that happened, and maybe even joke about whether Julia Blake had secretly turned into a succubus.

But of course, he wasn’t going to refuse such a request. He accepted it easily and said, “Alright, Jules.”

After that, when Julia finally let go of Ethan, she found herself holding her slightly flushed cheeks, only now realizing that her actions might have been a bit too… bold?

However, Ethan didn’t seem to mind, so she quickly adjusted her mood.

Then, looking at him, Julia said, “Actually, I’ve been thinking about starting a band.”

Ethan wasn’t surprised by this. He just raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, “Are you inviting me?”

“No, no, no,” Julia waved her hands quickly, explaining, “Inviting someone like Lil Bunny, who can headline among the stars? I’m not worthy!”

She twirled a strand of hair around her finger, a bit shy, and added, “I’m planning to be the lead singer and guitarist, but… I’m not that great at guitar yet…”

Ethan immediately understood what she was getting at. If her guitar skills weren’t up to par, it could definitely be a problem, especially with the pressure from the drummer.

So, he smiled and nodded.

“Sure, if it’s you, Jules, I can help guide your band a bit.”

“Really?”

Julia was over the moon. He had said he’d help guide the whole band, and if someone of his caliber was willing to lend a hand, didn’t that mean her band had a bright future ahead?

And the best part? He was doing it because of her.

This made Julia feel all warm inside, and without thinking, she was about to give Ethan another hug.

But this time, Ethan was ready. Like a cat, he gently pressed his palm against her face, stopping her in her tracks.

“Mmff…”

When the two of them returned to the cafeteria table, Vanessa looked at them in surprise.

“You two…?”

Because they had come back hand in hand, their relationship seemed to have leveled up several notches.

Oh no, had that pink-haired fox stolen him away?

Luckily, it was Julia holding onto Lil Bunny, so in Vanessa’s eyes, it was just Julia trying to get closer to him.

Vanessa, therefore, remained calm and composed. She didn’t even bother to compete with Julia anymore, which made Julia feel incredibly awkward.

After the three of them finished their lunch, Julia was the first to stand up with her tray. She turned to Ethan and said, “Alright, Lil Bunny, we’re set. See you after school.”

Once she left, Vanessa turned to Ethan and asked, “So, what are you two doing after school?”

“Jules said she’s starting a band,” Ethan replied honestly.

Vanessa frowned. “She invited you?”

Ethan shook his head. “Not exactly, but I agreed to help guide her band.”

“Guide?”

Vanessa was clearly surprised by this unexpected answer.

She then gave her best friend a curious look.

Ethan, noticing her gaze, proudly put his hands on his hips, puffed out his chest, and said with a smug grin, “Hmph, don’t underestimate me, Nessa.”

“I’m the Guitar Queen!”