SuperStar!

A day after signing the biggest contract of his life, Ethan found himself on a plane back to the States. First class, of course, courtesy of the label. Flying with him were his agent, Bill, and Jessica, who had been transferred to the U.S. branch to better work with him.

"So, we have a car waiting for us in the morning when we land to escort you guys back home," Jessica said, addressing both Ethan and Bill.

"There's no need for that. My dad is coming to pick me up," Ethan said.

"I'll take you up on your offer, Jessica. That will give us more time to wrap things up," Bill added.

"Okay then," Jessica said with a nod.

Ethan spent the flight bored. Thank God it was a night flight, so he mostly slept.

"Ethan. Ethan!" he heard as he woke up. He opened his eyes to see Bill standing over him.

"We're landing soon," Bill said.

"Okay, thanks," Ethan replied, buckling his seatbelt.

After landing, Ethan collected his luggage and made his way through the airport in search of his dad. As he scanned the crowd, he heard a small, childish voice call out to him.

"Hello, are you Ethan Jones?" Turning, he saw a little girl, no more than eight years old, looking up at him.

"Yes, that's me," Ethan said with a smile.

"Can I get a picture?" the girl asked eagerly.

"I'm sorry about that," said a more mature voice. Ethan looked up to see a woman approaching—likely the girl's mother, he thought.

"Sorry she disturbed you," the mother said, attempting to pull the girl away.

"No, Mom! I want a picture!" the little girl protested, flailing her arms.

"It's fine, ma'am. I'm more than happy to take the picture," Ethan reassured her, crouching down to the girl's level.

The mother's eyes lit up with recognition.

"Oh, you're that YouTube boy! No wonder, little Emma loves your songs. She'll be so happy to get a picture with you," the mom said, pulling out her phone.

After the picture was taken, Ethan was all smiles as he waved goodbye to the girl and her mother. Nearby, Bill and Jessica watched the scene unfold.

"Just wait. This is only the tip of the iceberg," Jessica said with a grin. "Soon, you'll be getting stopped everywhere."

"I don't think I'll like that very much," Ethan said, but the smile on his face suggested otherwise.

"Ethan! Son, over here!" Ethan heard his father's voice and turned to see him standing by a Toyota RAV4, waving enthusiastically. Ethan approached, luggage in hand, and the two shared a warm smile.

"How was it?" his dad asked as they embraced.

"It was great, Dad. You're looking at the newest artist under Universal Music Group," Ethan said, pride evident in his voice.

"Congrats, son," his dad said, his face beaming with pride.

Ethan's dad turned to Bill and Jessica.

"Hey, Bill, how are you? Hope he didn't cause any trouble," he said jokingly.

"No, Adam, your son was a model client," Bill replied with a laugh.

"Hello, sir. My name is Jessica," she said, extending a hand. "I'll be heading your son's team from the label."

Adam shook her hand firmly. "Thanks, Jessica. Please take care of him."

"No problem, sir. Might I add, you have a very talented son," Jessica said.

"Yes, yes I do," Adam said, his pride unmistakable.

During the car ride home, Ethan excitedly told his dad about the label's state-of-the-art equipment and their plans to release his first album soon.

"That's great, son. Just remember, don't let it go to your head. You're still your mom's and my son," Adam said, his tone gentle but firm.

"Yes, Dad, I know," Ethan replied before diving back into stories about his trip.

When they arrived home, Ethan saw his mom waiting on the front porch. As soon as they parked, she rushed to hug him tightly.

"Oh, Ethan, I've missed you so much!" she exclaimed, holding him close.

"I missed you too, Mom," Ethan said, his voice full of warmth.

As they walked inside, Ethan looked around and asked, "Where's Precious?"

"She's at a friend's house. She said she's had enough family time, thanks to the lockdown," his mom explained with a chuckle.

"Oh, and I made your favorite meal," she added, beaming.

Ethan's face lit up. "Thanks, Mom. It's good to be home."

As the day unfolded, the family settled into their familiar rhythm. Over dinner, Ethan shared more stories about his trip, the label, and his excitement for the future. The pride in his parents' eyes and the warmth of their home made Ethan realize that no matter how big he got, he'd always have this place to ground him.