Chapter 8: Leonard, Trapped by Love
The video played for a solid hour.
Hawking's synthesized voice finally ceased, and the living room fell into reverent silence.
Three PhDs plus one Master's degree holder wore expressions of solemn contemplation, as if they'd just received scientific enlightenment.
Sheldon spoke first. "This is the apex of human intellect, Leonard. Can you feel that... tremor coursing through your entire being?"
Leonard rubbed his stiff neck. "What I feel is lower back pain."
When he turned his head, his attention was immediately drawn to one end of the couch—
Ethan Rayne and Penny were sitting side by side.
They sat close together, the atmosphere relaxed and natural.
Penny was laughing while saying something, her laughter light and effervescent, like champagne bubbles popping.
Ethan responded by tapping his fingers on his knee, his tone warm and easy.
Leonard's smile instantly froze. He inexplicably felt a vague "threat level" radiating from that corner of the room.
He coughed, walked over casually, and placed his hand on Ethan's shoulder, pretending to listen in on their conversation.
Ethan looked oddly at the hand on his shoulder. "Leonard, don't you think you're being a little touchy-feely right now?"
"Oh! Sorry!" Leonard reacted, yanking his hand back at lightning speed. "I sat on the floor watching TV for too long. Just needed to stretch."
He raised his arms and executed a few awkward stretching movements that, given his complete lack of exercise routine, looked more like he was having a mild seizure.
Ethan glanced helplessly at Penny, finding her looking back at him with a knowing expression.
They exchanged a look—that wordless understanding instantly established.
See? This is how normal guys react when they see me.
Yeah, Penny. Your charm is genuinely dangerous.
Neither spoke aloud, but with just a flash of their eyes, the message was perfectly conveyed.
Leonard stood there, completely oblivious to the silent exchange.
"Hey, you two seem like you're having fun. What'd I miss?" he asked with a strained smile.
Ethan turned his head and couldn't resist teasing. "You missed Penny's chest."
"...What?"
Howard immediately shot up like he'd been electrocuted. "Who just said—'chest'?!"
Following Howard, Raj also shuffled over, his face radiating gossip-hungry curiosity.
Ethan looked around at the guys who had instantly swarmed them. "Yeah, she mentioned her chest felt a bit tight, so I gave her a quick examination."
Howard's eyes went wide. "She took off her shirt just now?!"
"Of course. Have you ever seen a doctor use a stethoscope through clothing?"
The three guys looked like they'd just missed out on winning the lottery. Penny couldn't suppress her laughter and said, "You were all so absorbed in the video. When I mentioned taking off my shirt, not one of you even looked up."
Hearing Penny confirm it, the three men looked absolutely devastated.
Howard couldn't help himself. "Regular checkups are recommended, right? When's the next one scheduled? Can we observe for educational purposes?"
Ethan deadpanned. "Of course... absolutely not."
Howard sighed dramatically. "Man, I should've gone to med school."
It was getting late. Howard and Raj left the apartment, Sheldon had already retreated to his room, and Leonard was still hovering around the two of them like a nervous satellite. Ethan stood up, preparing to head back to his own room and give Leonard some space with Penny.
Leonard suddenly called out to Ethan, let out an awkward laugh, and tried desperately to establish some presence. "I was just thinking—where's Penny going to sleep tonight? It's freezing out there, so she could—uh, take my room. Ethan and I can just bunk together."
The moment those words left his mouth, the air went deathly quiet.
Penny looked surprised and said politely, "Thanks, Leonard, but won't that be a huge inconvenience?"
"No! Not at all!" Leonard shot Ethan an almost pleading look. "Right, Ethan?"
Ethan just shrugged. Penny could only manage an awkward but polite smile.
Early the next morning, before his alarm went off, Ethan was roused by his internal clock.
The moment he opened his eyes, he sensed something wasn't quite right—
A... hairy leg was draped across his waist?
He instinctively turned his head—and in the next second, his entire body went rigid.
"—LEONARD!"
Leonard, who never woke up this early, jolted awake. After a moment of disorientation, he reflexively threw off the blanket.
Ethan laughed in exasperation. "If you're not wearing underwear, I swear I'll perform an impromptu gender reassignment surgery right now. From this day forward, you'll be known as—Lenora!"
Leonard felt a chill run through his nether regions, quickly covered himself with his hands, and stared at Ethan in horror.
Ignoring the trembling Leonard, Ethan changed into running gear, popped in his earbuds, and headed out for his morning jog.
Pasadena in the early morning was still shrouded in light fog, and the breeze carried a faint scent of jasmine from nearby gardens.
Ethan jogged while replaying his conversation with Penny from the night before.
He smiled—she truly lived up to her role as the female lead in The Big Bang Theory. High emotional intelligence and explosive charisma.
Penny's appeal to straight men wasn't just about her looks and figure; it was her refreshingly genuine personality that made people instinctively want to be around her.
"She really is a natural at social interaction."
As for Leonard pursuing Penny, he'd probably only succeed through sheer persistence and what Sheldon might describe as "relentless, boundary-pushing perseverance."
And his own presence—he wondered if it would create a butterfly effect that altered their eventual outcome.
"Forget it. I'm not going to overthink this. I'll just let things unfold naturally."
Pasadena wasn't luxurious, but it was comfortable—middle-class and quietly pleasant.
There weren't many early-morning runners on the street, and they rarely acknowledged each other when passing.
SoCal's pace was more relaxed than New York, but everyone still had somewhere to be.
"At least people in LA smile," Ethan thought as he ran. "Jogging there, you might make seven or eight new friends, talk about the Lakers, talk about the weather. But in New York—if you greet someone, they assume you're trying to sell them a gym membership."
After running for over an hour, he was drenched in sweat, his body fully energized.
Back at the apartment, Ethan took a hot shower, changed into a crisp dress shirt and slacks, and prepared to start his day.
Leonard, who'd gone back to sleep, was roused again. He rubbed his bleary face, fumbled for his glasses, and watched Ethan adjusting his tie in front of the mirror.
"You're up way too early," Leonard yawned. "Is running a clinic really that demanding?"
"The early bird gets the worm," Ethan replied smoothly. "And the late worm—doesn't get eaten."
Leonard smiled weakly, but his expression quickly turned hesitant.
He adjusted his glasses and asked cautiously, "Ethan, can I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
"Do you—uh—like Penny?"
Ethan paused what he was doing and looked at Leonard's anxious reflection in the mirror.
"Why do you ask?"
"Because... I can tell," Leonard said quietly. "She really likes you—you two clicked so easily last night. I don't know how you do it. No girl has ever smiled at me like that."
Ethan's expression softened, though he didn't answer immediately.
Adjusting his collar, he said, "Penny's great, and yeah, I'm interested in her."
"So you do like her?" Leonard's voice was tight with nerves.
"I do like her," Ethan shrugged. "But I'm not going to force anything. I'll just let things happen organically."
Leonard stared at him for two seconds, his mouth twitching.
"Your answer... I don't understand it."
"That's because feelings are never black and white," Ethan smiled. "I'll treat her like a friend. But if she asks me out and the vibe is right, I'll say yes."
"So basically—you won't make the first move, but if she comes onto you, you won't turn her down."
"BINGO."
Ethan snapped his fingers with a self-satisfied grin.
"That's—!" Leonard pointed at him accusingly. "That's completely unfair!"
"Life's inherently unfair," Ethan chuckled. "Besides, don't you think Penny's feelings are what really matter? Her happiness is the most important thing."
"Fine." Leonard looked deflated.
Ethan finished straightening his clothes, then ran his fingers briefly through his hair.
"Good luck, buddy—trapped by love and all that. Uncle Ethan's off to work and make some money!"
"Get lost!"
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