THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 31: Agreement.
Clouds above the Royal Palace gathered ominously. The morning weather forecast on the main television channel predicted scattered thunderstorms today, causing the morning horse-riding lesson for Khanin to be canceled. It was because the butler feared that the Young Prince might be in a foul mood due to the stormy weather.
Though the competition schedule was approaching steadily, the Young Prince Khanin still had much to learn , and the young prince’s timetable was quite packed, especially on Saturday afternoons like this.
Chakri stated that Emmaly did not travel by horse, and that is indeed true. However, horseback riding is an activity that a royal-descendant must learn in order to be prepared for the time when he needs to participate in the activity known as ‘playing together’ for the royal family.
Charan arrived here since morning, the most recent addition to the royal guard responsible for protecting individuals of noble lineage. They had hardly had time to talk until the Young Prince’s break came.
When the afternoon schedule was changed, Khanin had time to stand at the window, hugging his chest and expressing his lingering thoughts before making a decision.
“I think he looks genuinely sad.” A voice from the person who had been standing quietly for a long time called Charan’s attention back.
Nobody else is here besides them. Charan sat casually on the large creamcolored sofa. His worried eyes glanced at the conversing pair, waiting, eagerly anticipating the other person’s response.
“Jae-Jirat.”
“He’s an actor.” Charan commented before taking a breath once, but it was only one time that made the person standing forward toboggan to the ground and sit on the same sofa.
“Well, yeah, but it’s interesting enough.”
“We don’t know which side he is on. He might be a spy for another family.” Charan looked at the young man with pale pink lips who sometimes looked thoughtful, with a small, pensive gesture, indicating that he agreed with what the older man had warned about staying conscious of everything.
“He speaks the truth again; his skills are extraordinary. When we were competing he moved quickly, and his eyes and ears were sharp.” Khanin leaned closer to the young man, tall and slim, extending his slender hand to pick up the iPad placed on the table in front of his intimate friend. This caused Charan to unintentionally hold his breath due to the closeness, a closeness he couldn’t keep up with.
The scent of pink conditioner wafted in, disturbing his sense of touch. Charan frowned and hinted at something that seemed to align with Jirat’s opinion.
“Unreliable.”
Only the speaker himself knows that it is unrelated. Charan fully understood that the words spoken just now weren’t solely directed at the third person, but included himself as well…
“Who is unreliable, Khun Jae?” Both beautiful eyes narrowed as he tilted his head slightly to ask. Those charming gestures were in line with their nature. They became closer to each other, and that made the young nobleman lower the walls of distance.
Especially when facing the person in their team. Charan analyzed everything Khanin did. He didn’t want anyone to know about his true abilities, even though he had tried to play a drama to hide secrets from others.
Khanin caused others to understand that the two of them had a relationship as reported in the news, which was good for keeping prying questions at bay, but it didn’t bode well for Charan’s heart.
“Oops…”
“Unreliable, but interesting.” The person who was immersed in pressing the iPad took a deep breath and looked up at the tall figure. Khanin handed the device, a rectangle in his hand, towards Jae-Jirat, provoking a smile that seemed to have many thoughts in his mind. However, he still refused to reveal anything.
“…”
“Keep friends close, but keep enemies closer.”
“What if he’s the worm in the apple?” Khanin’s words were intriguing, but Charan’s noble spirit also rose. He slightly moved away from the Young Prince, trying to maintain a stable distance. However, the other person did not cooperate, and he even stepped closer until his face was almost touching Charan, waiting silently.
“Then we’ll sign a confidentiality agreement and keep a close eye. We don’t have to reveal much at this point. Let’s test each other’s hearts and if something leaks, we’ll let others know who the worm is. By that time, we can file a legal complaint and let the truth be revealed. Better to have the monkey look at the chicken than to keep it far away.”
“…”
“If we’re lucky, we’ll get someone who is ready to join our team, but if we’re unlucky, we’ll lose just one worm. At least we’ll know the movements of our opponents.”
“…”
“His background isn’t hard to investigate. After yesterday’s competition, I asked Chakri to help find some background information. We can try to give a general idea… but what Chakri found. After we separated yesterday, he immediately returned to his hometown in another province. Look, his home is a homestay.” Khanin spoke while stuffing an iPad into the hands of the older man, as if praising and analyzing the actions of the young nobleman from the Phitakthewa family.
“…” Charan accepted the iPad and looked at Jae-Jirat’s brief history, which Chakri, the butler, had collected, and he pondered.
Chakri has performed well in terms of providing information, and the Young Prince’s trusted butler, he narrates the detailed biography of the young actor in a structured order to make it easily understandable for the audience. However, Jirat’s biography doesn’t seem to have anything remarkable. Besides his acting achievements, there’s nothing outstanding, and his swordsmanship history is just ordinary.
“His biography doesn’t have anything remarkable.” Charan’s expression seemed like a storytelling sentence, but in reality, it was more of a questioning statement. Furrowing his brows slightly, the curiosity surged suddenly within him.
The movements of the other party, the organization of his body… That’s really interesting.
“Isn’t it strange that his biography isn’t outstanding, but his skills are interesting? Maybe he’s concealing his swordsmanship. Maybe he’s playing underground.” Khanin’s opinion echoed what Charan was already pondering.
The young man paused before finally agreeing to embark on the hunting boat together.
“You can try. I’ll have Vathit check Jirat’s biography again.”
“But Nin wants to go find him personally… Uh… I mean… I wants to go find him right now, today.”
The pronouns kept changing from third person to first person, causing a slight twitch in Charan’s thick eyebrows. He lowered his gaze to the thin line of the slightly swollen lips before asking the lingering question.
And, of course, it had nothing to do with the work they were currently discussing.
“Strange, why didn’t you refer to yourself as Nin like before?”
“Well… It’s tiring.” With dark brown eyes avoiding eye contact, Khanin glanced at his iPad, while Charan didn’t intend to let it pass.
“We told each other we would call ourselves by our names normally.” Reminding him of the agreement they previously had, the heat made Khanin quickly avert his gaze and rub his temples.
“I mean… I mean using ordinary words to talk, not referring to ourselves with pronouns.”
Unaware, Charan brushed it off, a hint of a smile forming, feeling an itch in his heart as he noticed Khanin’s diverted gaze. The more he saw Khanin pursing his lips and looking elsewhere, the more he felt an inexplicable itch in his heart.
It was inappropriate to say that everything had started feeling strange at some point. Previously, he didn’t like anyone getting too close or acting intimate.
But now he thought. If Khanin replaced use his name instead of pronoun and called him ‘Phii’… that would be lovely.
“…”
“Also… the reason for calling him back then was so that others would understand that we’re close, like… courting or something.”
The quieter Charan became, the more various phrases popped up, and his unusual postures and gestures made the older people burst into gentle laughter in their throats.
“Hehe.”
Hmm… adorable.
“Why are you laughing, what’s funny?” Khanin furrowed his brows, his catlike eyes slanted, unintentionally reflecting Charan’s previous thoughts.
“And I don’t want it to be like that.” Charan asked softly, the charming smile adorning his handsome face enticing the blush on Khanin’s cheeks that inadvertently turned to make eye contact.
“Well… I want it to be like that.”
“So should we make it smooth, call me and you. If anyone hears, they might think we’re… flirting.”
Khanin thinks he’s not naive. In those deep black eyes, there is a flicker of curiosity, looking at enchanting strangeness.
“Oh… by now they’re probably suspecting something. No need to suspect, to sum it up, I’ll take the lead. If you don’t take me, I’ll go myself.” Returning to the original topic, Khanin’s unexpected change of plans forced Charan to let go of the little kitten for now.
The kitten woke up just in time…
“If we go, promise in advance not to be stubborn, not to resist, and to believe everything. Even though the turbulent atmosphere outside makes Charan feel uneasy in some ways, allowing Khanin to stray or travel on his own is even more dangerous.
If you refuse again, there’s no escape but to leave on your own, adding more chaos than before. This time’s decision on what to do and how to do it will be difficult, but it’s probably best to stay close by and try to control behavior.
“Okay, I promise, I won’t be stubborn or resist, I’ll stay within sight, take me. Please. Please. Please…”
“Oh… if we’re going, we need to hurry and get ready, driving from here to Jirat’s house won’t take long, but if it rains, the journey might be difficult.” Not sure if that’s the case. Maybe because of the spoiled child, now Charan is more easily persuaded.
The young man with a plain face looked outside the window, gazing at the sky outside the palace for a moment, calculating distances and time, all in his mind.
Actually, Charan doesn’t like to take risks on days when the weather is likely to rain, but the desires of the young lord are more important. If it doesn’t rain when driving, there shouldn’t be a problem.
As soon as the dark gray Mercedes-Benz van came to a stop, the prince in pilot attire jumped down and stood with arms wide, embracing the cool breeze. Khanin took a deep breath and turned to gaze at the surrounding scenery with his piercing eyes.
In front was a towering mountain, followed by a row of villages. Along the road, there were small homestay signs indicating the correct direction.
“The weather is so nice… different from downtown Daveen.” The young man of tender age, still with outstretched arms, gently closed them to block the warm sound and immediately approached the person of royal blood, following their spiritual connection.
“Be careful, there’s danger outside. Don’t open the door by yourself next time, wait first, you know.” The older person spoke in a harsh tone, but the listener turned and smiled sweetly, playing with the almost fading eyes.
“I told you we’re just here for a casual visit. Don’t be angry, okay?” Khanin reminded himself of the agreement they had discussed and decided to stick to the original plan.
“No matter what, we shouldn’t argue.”
“Understood!” The young prince struck a pose, straightened his body, and raised his hand to tap his chest in imitation of the reaction when receiving orders. Seeing his older brother merely sigh, he didn’t complain any further and made a change of topic. “Let’s go.”
“Oh, this way.” The older person gestured towards the front, symbolizing that the person accompanying him should walk ahead to show respect.
However, Khanin’s response went against the grain.
“Couples don’t do this… we have to do something different.” In addition to not walking ahead, Khanin chose the opposite approach. He reached out and grabbed Charan’s hand, tightly clasping it and intertwining their fingers, sending warmth through their touch, creating a gentle turmoil for the tall figure who now seemed to have lost consciousness.
“…”
“Look, remember that we have to play our roles convincingly this time. I’ll say whatever you want, I’ll do it. I have the responsibility to play my part, but no matter how I act, I still have to follow what I want. Let’s take the bird as a bird, the woodcarver as wood, and… Khun Charan as I please. Khanin, the ultimate one in the world, like this.” Charan sarcastically suggested that Charan stop looking puzzled.
The head of the Phitakthewa family couldn’t help but burst into laughter, but ultimately he conceded defeat and let his bewildered expression fade away.
It’s not about fulfilling duties; it’s purely a personal feeling.
Understood. Let’s go.” They responded to the words before heading straight towards the sign that read ‘Nirand Homestay’. It stood out, with a slightly obscured entrance, intricate decorations, and a modest space that invited newcomers to feel the warmth and scent of the local community.
Charan swept his gaze around the small hallway. After passing through the entrance gate, there was an area designated for welcoming tourists. Inside the homestay was quiet, with a blend of cottage-style decorations featuring white and brown furniture that contrasted with the lush greenery of nature, creating a refreshing ambiance.
In front of them was a long wooden counter unattended, and on the table was a small golden bell, accompanied by a sign explaining its use.
‘Ring for service.’
*Ding, ding.*
The bell rang out almost immediately after Charan finished reading the message. When he turned to look for the source of the jingling sound, he discovered that it was held by someone younger than him.
“We’re here to meet Jae-Jirat… Is he available?”
“Um… Is there something wrong? Just tell me. Because Jae… he doesn’t want to see anyone right now.” The middle-aged woman’s expression was filled with concern, as she was undoubtedly worried about unexpected highranking individuals barging into her house without prior notice.
“Hello, Khun Charan… Hello… Uh, Young Prince Khanin.” No introductions were needed as they were already familiar with each other, saving time.
“Hello, no need to be so formal, feel free and at ease.” A relaxed manner encouraged a relaxed conversation, but it couldn’t completely conceal the confusion that naturally appeared on human faces.
“Did you reserve a room?” Both of them cautiously looked at the homestay owner, trying to understand who would be the one to engage in conversation.
Charan read the companion’s gaze before taking a slight step back, realizing that it would be Khanin who would take the lead.
“We came to see Jae-Jirat… Is he here?”
“Um… Is there something I can help with? Just let me know because Jae… he doesn’t want to see anyone at the moment.” As a mother, her anxious demeanor showed her deep concern, as unexpected visits from high-ranking individuals without any prior notice were undoubtedly worrisome.
“I have an important matter to discuss with him, something he specifically asked me to bring. If we don’t meet today, I’m afraid he might miss an important opportunity.” Khanin’s eloquent speech was intriguing, but now Charan felt that the young man had crossed another level of development.
Besides learning how to speak well, he had also mastered the art of maintaining composure in all situations. Khanin could choose a new tone that exhibited both authority and respect towards the elderly.
Straight to the main point without deference, but subtly hinting at the purpose of their meeting today… it was to negotiate an important matter.
And if the other party became excessively obstinate, he wouldn’t hesitate to refuse wasting more time.
“So…”
“Wait a moment!!” It seemed like the timing and luck were aligning, Jirat, who had just stepped out of his wide-eyed room, had wasted time sinking into the sadness of missed opportunities.
“…”
“You-Highness… I’m here… Apologies for the wait.” He hurriedly descended the stairs, replying to Khanin’s request.
The young theater actor gasped for breath. He almost collapsed, taking less than a minute for his tall, luminous figure to run and stop behind his own mother.
I’m ready to talk, let’s talk, I’m thrilled.” Jirat’s face was filled with hope.
Khanin looked out and could clearly see a glimpse of Mira’s presence reflected in the eyes of the new team member.
“Alright… If that’s the case, let’s find a quiet place to sit and talk.” Khanin lifted a smile, helping to ease the previously tense atmosphere.
Jirat hardened his face and quickly gestured to the other side to walk straight into the reception room.
The leading actor took the lead, while the prince followed quietly, his stern expression tinged with annoyance, causing Charan to struggle to keep his lips tightly pressed.
The title certainly suited Khanin, there was no one else.
“I won’t mince my words.” After the owner of the place arrived at the reception room not long after. Khanin began to set the scene, placing the tea cup prepared by Jirat’s mother on the small table before addressing the important topic.
Feeling somewhat proud of himself for using his grandfather’s recorded conversation, he thought, ‘I won’t hesitate’, helping him easily bring the other into the conversation like slipping a banana into his mouth.
“Your-Highness.” Jirat appeared more eager than before. His widened eyes showed his anticipation, making Khanin feel a stronger sense of enthusiasm.
Having talented people in the team is good, but if they are both talented and dedicated, that’s what makes them formidable opponents.
“What brings me here today is because I want to invite you to join the team. I wonder if you, Jirat, are interested in being part of my team.” In the end of the sentence, the young man glanced discreetly at the person beside him. Charan didn’t utter a word, simply sat quietly, hugging himself, keeping his face as agreed.
Um… Your-Highness… Yes, Your-Highness, I’m very pleased.” Jirat’s eyes teared up as he accepted the invitation. He quickly responded, clearly showing his excitement and excitement.
“But if you want to join the team, you must abide by our conditions.” The voice from the leader of the Phitakthewa clan shattered the smile that had adorned his face, gradually fading away.
“What conditions, Your Highness?” The person on the receiving end asked timidly. In his widened eyes, traces of anxiety appeared, but soon disappeared.
Jirat was an actor. He knew how to manage his emotions properly.
“You must sign a confidentiality agreement, not disclose any information related to Young Prince Khanin or matters within the Atsawathewathin Palace. Additionally, you must allow Phitakthewa personnel to follow you and watch over your house for the entire twenty-four hours until the competition ends. No one is allowed to enter or leave without reporting to me or without my permission. Everything you do after signing the contract must be transparent and can be checked…”
“…”
“And if you break anything or stray from the agreement, you must agree to leave the team immediately, after which we will sue and file a claim according to the contract you signed.” The intimidating tone Khanin had never heard Charan use on himself sounded ominous.
Jirat swallowed hard, not because there was something to hide, but because Charan’s scary message had left him speechless, leaving the younger one in a state of uncertainty, prompting Khanin to step in.
“What do you think, Jirat?”
The young man refrained from questioning the agreement as he knew that careful consideration had been given to every detail. Charan added specific regulations to mitigate risks, which turned out to be beneficial for himself.
Your Highness, there’s nothing to worry about, and I’m confident that I am transparent enough for inspection.” Clarity in expression affirmed Young Prince Khanin’s satisfaction with the new member.
“Then I will have the lawyer draft the contract and send it online. Whenever you sign, you can come to the palace immediately. I will inform my butler. You are welcome…” A courteous smile accompanied the extended formal offer.
Jirat clenched hands with the opposing party, giving a slight shake, and with some hesitation, he swiftly withdrew upon feeling a strange energy when their hands touched. It was from the young prince beside him.
Khun Charan’s gaze was somewhat intimidating. Merely touching Young Prince Khanin’s hand caused the other party to emit an aura resembling dispersing clouds in the house.
“I understand everything, but I have a small request… if it’s possible.” The tall figure hesitated, realizing that the atmosphere was becoming tense once again.
“Certainly.”
“You mentioned having someone to attend to my parents. Can I… may I kindly ask for a good-hearted person to be entrusted with the responsibility? I don’t want them to feel worried. Because… because they are already of advanced age.”
“Of course.” Charan immediately responded, filtering friendly faces in his mind and selecting them to fulfill the duty.
“Actually, we don’t have many daily obligations. Mostly, we stay in the homestay. But we go to the market every day to buy ingredients for breakfast and dinner since our culinary reputation lies in our evening meals. We will serve beef noodle soup and tom yum with rice…”
As the leader of the Phitakthewa clan spoke, Jirat promptly described the lifestyle of his parents, providing the conversation partners with a better understanding. However, it seemed that Khanin’s attention was focused elsewhere.
“Beef noodle soup?”
“Your Highness… it’s our version of beef noodle soup.”
“Ah, interesting indeed. True, we have concluded our business talk. As agreed, I will see you at the palace. Let’s go, Phii Ran.” The conversation ended abruptly. Khanin rose from the large sofa, intending to go home, but he became fixated on a distinct sound that pierced through the silence.
Clank…
A fair-skinned young man blushed, and with a mischievous smile, he greedily rubbed his stomach with one hand, causing the aroma of beef noodle soup to waft in the air, intensifying the hunger of some.
“Um… would it be excessive to invite Young Prince and Khun Charan to have dinner at Your Highness’ residence before they leave?”
“…”
“The beef noodle soup for dinner should be ready soon. It would take several hours to drive into town from here. If the Young Prince doesn’t mind…”
“No, I don’t hold any noble titles or ranks. I simply enjoy. But… what should
I do?”
Charan looked at the young people engaged in a friendly banter, but his thoughts drifted towards the taste of the food.
“Are you very hungry?”
“No… I’m not hungry at all.”
“But your stomach is growling.” The older guy couldn’t hide his smirk. Charan understood Khanin’s silliness, and that made the young man enjoy teasing.
“…”
“You have to decide. If you’re not hungry, you can go back and practice…”
“I am hungry. Let’s stay and have some beef noodle soup first.”
…
As the afternoon sun retreated and hid behind the curtain of clouds, Kalavin Li cast his gaze towards the street below with a sense of boredom. Luckily, he didn’t have to rush and abide by a schedule at this moment, allowing him some time to waste on trivial matters.
For instance, standing here sipping hot tea and watching the sun slowly changing direction from the tall building in the city center of the neighboring country. It was an activity that rarely occurred in his life.
Kalavin raised his teacup and took a sip, admitting that there was nothing to do at the moment, though it sounded somewhat exaggerating as he still had a responsibility to find the team he wanted to sponsor.
And to be straightforward, the young prince shouldn’t wait any longer.
“The participants’ information for each team, Your Highness, I have sent the file to you.” The voice of Ben, the secretary, echoed in the quiet afternoon air, reaching Kalavin’s ears. He gently raised the white handkerchief placed on the table to cover his mouth briefly before reaching out his hand to take the iPad handed over.
“Thank you.” With a flick of his finger, Kalavin opened the information prepared by Ben, and everything was as his father had mentioned. Puchongpisut was undoubtedly an interesting team, each fencer being a champion in Meenakarin.
The potential of the fencer Atsawathewathin is equally interesting, although it may not be as outstanding as the other family. There seems to be a discrepancy.
“Is there no information about the Atsawathewathin fencers?” Not only are they inferior, but the Atsawathewathin family, which is a royal clan, doesn’t even have a single fencer in their team, despite Khanin being the mainstay in the association while residing in England. However, there doesn’t seem to be much enthusiasm for selecting people to join the team.
Strange…
“Atsawathewathin has not reported the selection of any fencers, my lord. There are only rumors that, well… Young Prince Khanin might buy the entire club.”
“…” The information provided by Ben leads Kalavin to contemplate upon the newly received news about Kalavin. Among the three families, Atsawathewathin seems to be the least likely candidate, and the rumor of buying individuals in the club is something that is difficult to believe and may have deeper implications.
“But there is another matter that Your Highness should be aware of.”
“Go on.”
“Jae-Jirat, the stage actor, reports that. Yesterday, Jirat traveled to the residence of Khun Charan, and this morning, both Young Prince Khanin and
Khun Charan traveled to Jirat’s residence in the urban area.”
The names of some individuals that should no longer appear in his life cause Kalavin to pause his reading of the biography of one of the fencers in Ramil’s team. He raises his eyebrows and squints at the person who is both the judge and the guard with searching eyes.
If he remembers correctly, according to the biography, Jirat has another small homestay in the urban area. Khanin went there with his close friend. It may just seem like an ordinary sightseeing trip. Unless there is information that the stage actor has visited the home of someone named Charan before.
The stage actor and the close friend of the young prince of the Atsawathewathin family…?
Could it be related to the rumor of buying individuals in the club…?
“Check Jae’s fencing history for me, please.” He ordered it to be checked according to the instinct, Kalavin was not sure. He merely skims through the available information and connects everything together.
At this level, Jirat is not likely to desire any benefit from Kalavin in terms of wealth or power, and the truth is these two people would not have casually met. Everything may have a deeper meaning.
“Your Highness, attached is the second file.” Ben remains a reliable person who consistently performs his duties, and on the other side, there must be a reason why he prepared the second file, the information he needed.
Kalavin reads through the information before exhaling softly. When he does not find anything interesting, Jirat has a good fencing education, but that’s it, nothing outstanding or different. So why did the other party become involved with these two people?
Perhaps there is other information that he does not know or cannot investigate. Maybe he needs to take some risks and try something.
“…”
“Contact the Atsawathewathin family and tell them that we want to see the list of their team members to make a decision regarding collaboration with support.”
“Oh okay.”
“If Jae-Jirat is on their sword fencers list, we will sponsor Atsawathewathin this year.”
…
Rachata’s office is currently devoid of the true owner’s shadow. Ramil has settled himself on a big green chair, clasping his hands on the desk, resting his sleepy eyes, waiting for the arrival of his father.
Rachata deliberately avoids the other party, as the other party has a long meeting with the ministers, lasting for hours. It stretches into the next day, until now.
Ramil is no different from a dormant volcano, waiting for the right time to erupt.
“So, what’s your opinion? How do you feel about it?”
The calm voice clashes with the restless flicker hidden within. Petai has been like this all along, collecting every emotion that cannot be guessed. Ramil has to make a great effort to make him show any emotion.
It hasn’t been easy to come to where they are today, it has never been easy from the beginning…
“Since when?” Finally, the waiting pays off. The powerful voice of Rachata calls attention to the person who is suppressing their emotions, making them return to the present situation. Ramil rises, gazing towards the father figure, reflecting the emotions of someone older.
Rachata seems to see the image of his younger self reflected in his son’s eyes, but what sets them apart is the solitude. Ramil has more of it than he does.
“What did you do?” The young boy opens the scene, watching the father figure walk past him towards the expensive chair behind the table. He works in silence. His eyes narrowed, without any other feeling as he provides the answer.
“Instructed him.” Rachata does not have an impatient posture, not even pretending to not understand what his son wants to communicate. With his big hand, he slides and picks up the files placed in front, opening them to read. Ignoring the powerful substance that keeps the son’s agitated emotions subdued
“You don’t have that right, father.” Ramil didn’t intend to come and listen to his father’s words from the beginning, he walked straight to the expensive desk before pouring out what’s inside his heart, and of course, it made the listener stop and be trapped inside.
“What are you saying?”
“We have canceled that ridiculous punishment a long time ago, so you, father, have no right to do this.” Clearly and firmly stated in a sentence. Ramil means the old rules of the Puchongpisut family and not anything else.
The rules that he had been taught to understand as right all along.
“That’s his duty.”
“No. Petai’s duty is not to suffer another person’s punishment.”
“…”
“Don’t meddle with Petai anymore. I warn you, or else I can’t guarantee what will happen, father.”A son who is rarely stern, with the already intimidating narrow gaze, this time he gives off even more of that, making the young man look more intimidating than before.
Ramil had intended to step out after fulfilling all his own needs for communication, the simmering anger still lingers in his chest, harder to find relief.
“What are you going to do, Ramil? Use your brain to think about who you are, what tasks you have!” Rachata tried hard not to establish authority over his son, different from what he used to be subjected to. But the highest lesson of the lineage has to reawaken something new, after receiving an unexpected response that goes beyond expectations.
Ramil is not like him…
“I don’t care! If you, father meddles with Petai again…”
“You…”
“I will knock down this family completely to show you.”
Not even a bit like it…
The cool atmosphere spread and enveloped. Ramil turned and walked out of his father’s office without expecting to hear anything else.
Inside the top floor bedroom. Petai continued to wait for the tall figure to return, the son of the Minister of Defense with tightly pressed lips, reflecting on the conversation they had yesterday.
‘If you speak, what will you do?’
‘I can do more than you think.’
The last sentence which he head before Ramil rushed to the other side of the palace, leaving Petai speechless, as if there was a restless reaction in his left chest, trying to suppress every feeling.
Ramil insisted on speaking to Rachata, as time passed and one night, he refused to give up, not allowing him to escape and go home again.
“How can you return home with a wounded mouth?”
The reason doesn’t make sense. Petai raised his white-gloved hand with frustration, pacing back and forth in deep thought.
Petai frustrated himself, frustrated that he could not… handle someone so stubborn.
Kreek-Kreek.
The tremor from the communication device in his pants pocket shook the person who was lost in thought to pay attention. Petai took out the small mobile phone, initially intending to cut the call, but after seeing the displayed number, he changed his mind.
“How are things?”
[Nothing abnormal, seems like a casual vacation.]
The report of the person he supposedly hired had no additional clues. The young man sighed before cutting the call because he didn’t want to stretch and wait for anyone else to see it.
“So…continue watching, don’t let your gaze wander.”
Petai no longer wanted to risk following Charan himself. So he had to resort to this method instead.
Creek.
The sound of the door opening from behind accompanied the tall figure that Petai had been waiting for. They stared at each other quietly, and tension filled the air. They hesitated for a moment before the person of higher rank gradually moved closer.
“Are you still in pain?”
Warm fingertips touched the side of the face, but the warmth reached the heart. Petai blinked, lowered his gaze, and sighed softly to change the subject.
“It’s okay now… What about the competition? I heard that Asawathewathin is planning to buy solid players by getting a whole club the club.”
“That’s impossible. No one is crazy enough to do that.” Ramil shrugged and returned with a chuckle in his throat. Most people prefer renting rather than buying players, for one thing, it saves money, and secondly, no one wants to take responsibility for binding athletes.
“…”
“Except that it will have a sponsored endorsement.” Petai’s silence implies agreement with Ramil’s thoughts, and they should move on from this topic.
Unless someone unexpectedly receives a message from Sivakorn, causing a noticeable change in Ramil’s demeanor, including his facial expression, which makes Petai sense something is amiss.
“What is it?”
“Sivakorn reports that Prince Kalavin is interested in sponsoring Khanin’s team.” The atmosphere becomes tense. Ramil can’t help but feel that what he once thought was impossible now seems plausible.
“What will you do?” The white-bodied house owner pleads for attention as Ramil hurriedly gets up from his chair, pressing the phone in his hand to contact someone.
“Contact Sivakorn to arrange the purchase of players in the rented club.” Atsawathewathin’s boy must be playing the defensive game. From Ramil’s perspective, even though he looks at Khanin indifferently, he now needs to reconsider this character.
If the opposing side has a sponsor and can actually choose to buy players from the club, highly ranked fencers, whom he specifically chose, would be at a significantly higher risk of being bought.
“It might not be true, Atsawathewathin still doesn’t have any fencers in the team, so why does Prince Kalavin want to sponsor them?”
“Because they are Atsawathewathins.” Almost a single sentence that can explain it all, the lineage that once ranked number one is always more interesting than the team that came to compete.
“But we still don’t know if Prince Kalavin will actually sponsor
Atsawathewathin.”
“Sivakorn never makes a wrong suggestion.” The information given by the other side is almost flawless, and because of that, Ramil starts to get heated up, just like Petai.
“Sometimes, this matter might be more complex than that. Charan won’t let Khanin do this.” It seems that this sentence bothers Petai more than needing to communicate with the conversation partner. The intensity of both parties is no different.
But because he knows Charan’s temperament well, Petai feels that something is strange…
“You know each other well. That doctor is only there to perform the same duty as you. Has he ever held a sword in his life?” Charan is not involved in fencing, and everyone knows this fact. Ultimately, Petai can’t argue against it.
“…”
“Regardless, we have to deal with this matter. The rented fencer is the club’s prerogative. If they really intend to buy, we will lose all the players that we have chosen. It’s better to find the best athletes within the club.”
“And what about the budget?”
“Financial management is as important as winning. If we don’t hold onto it, how can we be sure they won’t take those players and fight against us?”
“But Charan…” The mention of someone’s name causes Ramil’s eyebrows to twitch, he looks directly at the person in front of him and asks calmly.
“Agreed, you want someone to win for sure.”
The two sides exchange glances, the pause is longer before Petai finally yields and responds to the person in front of him.
“Ass you wish.” I can’t deny that Khanin is really scary, and Ramil’s approach seems to be the best option right now.
The tall figure reached out to Sivakorn, conveying the desired order, but the new information he had just received left him somewhat confused.
[Young Prince you don’t have to buy the club, Your Highness. The sword athlete that Your Highness wants to buy belonged to
Puchongpisut from the beginning.]
“What’s going on…”
…
In the outskirts of the city, before the sun sets, the atmosphere is colder than the normal temperature of the capital. The grass sways in the wind, and because the beef noodle soup is not ready yet, Jirat suggests that Khanin and Charan come out to enjoy the scenery around the homes stay before the meal.
They didn’t plan to stay, but because they were persuaded to have dinner together, they didn’t refuse. Another reason was that Khanin wanted to take this opportunity to drink, as such opportunities were rare.
The feet of the two individuals stepped lightly along the path. Khanin took a deep breath, feeling more relaxed than before when there was no one else in this particular area, except for a small community nearby.
The beautiful pair of eyes glanced at each other, and now Charan followed behind. Actually, Khanin noticed that if it wasn’t a crowded spot or an unexpected time, the other party would not have moved closer to him.
It seemed like Charan was used to letting Khanin take the lead, and he always remained vigilant. Whenever he slowed down, the other would slow down too, so the two of them couldn’t walk side by side.
“Here.” The disguised person pretended to rest and called out, which resulted in no difference from what was expected. The distance remained the same, and the other person didn’t seem to move any closer.
“Huh?”
It’s a relief that they are not using royal terms as a barrier between them.
Khanin must be having a headache over this.
“Why are you walking slowly?”
“?”
“You’re walking slowly.”
“Do you want me to walk next to you?” Charan asked straightforwardly, and in less than a second, he stepped closer to match his pace.
“Yes.” Khanin didn’t say much other than responding with a nod, then took a deep breath of fresh air into his lungs. It felt warmer just because someone moved closer instead of walking behind like before.
Charan used to be used to letting Khanin take the lead, but now they’ve learned to follow each other’s desires… and that’s considered an advantage.
“Do you like beef noodle soup?” Seeing that the surrounding atmosphere was too quiet, Charan initiated a conversation. In truth, the young man hoped to see the other side’s excited face, but Khanin did the opposite.
“No… not at all. Noodle dishes are the most detested.” Khanin shook his head, accompanied by a faint smile and deep brown eyes gazing into the distance. In a direction without purpose, “but I ate very little for breakfast, and… this dish reminds me of my father.”
“Tanattai?”
“Uhh… Back in London, my father cooked for me often. Sometimes it was just plain rice, and other times it was stewed meat… But I really liked the stewed meat style. It was easy to eat with a fork, and it was delicious. My father said he made this dish to practice using chopsticks. In the past, I only used a fork to eat, that’s all.”
The changing atmosphere made Charan more cautious. It seemed like he was reaching out to touch deep memories without intending to. So he chose to be silent, giving young people the opportunity to immerse themselves in the past.
“I haven’t had this dish in a long time, since the first night I came here. I’m not just hungry, but I miss it too.”
“It’s nothing. He’s very talented.” Charan listened like it was a joke, but he knew the other party didn’t want to communicate in that way. Because he understood the hidden meaning in Khanin’s sentence, the young man shrugged it off.
“I hope so. It hasn’t been good between us. I haven’t had the chance to apologize, to say I love him. I only blamed others, blamed you. Now I understand what my father did for me…”
“No need to smile if you’re feeling sad.” He patted the shoulder gently, looking at the young people who were trying to appear strong in front of him.
“…”
“If you want to vent, you can.”
“I… really. I used to wonder why I was born. If I didn’t exist, others wouldn’t have to suffer, wouldn’t have to sacrifice themselves, and you would have your own life, and my father would probably be in the palace, living the life everyone wants. I couldn’t answer myself, so I ended up saying that the fact that I’m still alive now is already good, isn’t it?”
The young man murmured, revealing what was in his mind. Khanin reluctantly smiled, as if saying something continuously, but he couldn’t avoid the observant gaze of Charan.
Charan patted his small shoulder to let the other party know that he was still here, that it was the third time he had seen the tears of the royal prince, and each time it felt different.
He said frankly that Ranya was glad to listen, glad that Khanin was willing to be vulnerable, but if he could choose for him…
This person wasn’t suited to even cry a hint of tears; it should be a beautiful smile adorning that lovely face.
“It’s good to still be here…”
“…”
“It’s good that we met.” Swift as a thought. Charan reached out and touched the clear cheek with his thick hand, using his thumb to wipe away the tears before letting the symbol of vulnerability flow out.
Khanin pondered and concluded for himself. At least, it was good that he still had Charan.
Although it started off rough, this person has been by his side all along, from being in London to now. Even though there are things they don’t understand about each other, Charan is the only person he wants to open up to…
With their eyes locked, Khanin inadvertently leaned his face closer to the thick hand, and the owner of the thick hand changed from using his thumb to wiping tears to using his palm to cradle his cheek. The gentle touch aroused a faint sense of tenderness as Khanin closed his eyes gradually.
Maybe it was because of the pleasant atmosphere; neither of them cared whether they seemed strange. Charan gently held the clear cheek like that for a long time until he felt that Khanin had stopped crying, then he slowly withdrew his hand.
“You don’t mind even though I’ve been stubborn with you all along.” The young man lifted his forgotten eyes before asking with a curious desire to know. The dried tears left traces, and Charan’s red nose summoned a smile from the person looking at him.
“Oh, I can’t handle it anymore.” It took some time to think, but in the end, he replied to soothe the listener’s heart.
Khanin had a slight smile when they locked eyes.
“Next time, I’ll be less stubborn, promise.”
“Don’t be too stubborn, but don’t be more stubborn than this.”
“I know, right?” The younger person made Charan burst into laughter. The tense atmosphere gradually eased after the intense conversation passed.
“Do you still want to cry again?”
“Who will cry? It’s just dust in my eyes.” The young person declined, pretending to wipe their face, which made people laugh. It’s impossible to find another interesting topic to divert the attention of everyone in the large circle.
“Okay, the dust must be thick and noticeable.”
“Another diversion again, I just realized you’re like this. Well… it’s better to look at the scenery there.” The royal prince spoke objectively as he walked straight towards the path of the village. He pointed with his little finger to a house located far away. In that area, there were people waiting in line to buy something, seemingly more like a pastry shop than a viewpoint.
“Go ahead.” However, Charan didn’t mind and let Khanin do as he pleased. Amidst the people in the countryside, Charan’s little finger moved to intertwine with the ring finger of his left hand.
Charan discreetly glanced at the insignificant but heart-threatening action.
He turned his attention back to the surroundings to regain his focus.
They continued walking in the direction pointed out by the mysterious person; the area was crowded with people. Charan shouldn’t provoke anything. The young man intended to call the white figure to come closer, but at that moment, an unexpected event occurred…
Thump!
“Oh…”
At the intersection, someone hastily rushed towards Khanin, while the other side approached Charan at a faster speed, aiming to collide with the young person and make them fall. However, they bumped into Charan, who reacted faster.
He swiftly protected Khanin’s body while catching a glimpse of something in the left hand of the mysterious person. The shadow of the sharp object played with the sunlight. Charan widened his eyes, and in that split second, fear gripped his heart like never before.
“Watch out!”
“Look out!”
Leave a Reply