THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 15: By His Side.
By: CEO. Ft Ennice.
The scent of various roses filled the air, and the image before him slowly became clear behind the foggy curtain. This atmosphere was familiar to Charan, as he had grown accustomed to it for a long time.
Flower garden in the Phitakthewa’s Mansion.
This place was a glass dome greenhouse specifically designed for breeding roses. The beauty of the colorful petals was mesmerizing, indicating that someone took great care of this place.
Charan knew that this was his dream come true… ever since his mother passed away, he had never stepped foot in this greenhouse again. Perhaps because he wasn’t emotionally strong enough.
The distinct smell of roses mixed with the unique fragrance of tea, something that reminded Charan of someone specific who he could remember so well.
The more he inhaled, the more he remembered the past that had long disappeared…
“Today we have scone with cranberry sauce that you; my son loves. Charan… come closer, I’ll feed you.” The young woman’s smile was so charming that it made the little heart inside Charan’s chest swell up.
Amidst the sunlight streaming through the rose trellis, the little boy smiled widely and opened his mouth like a baby bird waiting for food. His mother didn’t hold back, and it was a very happy day for Charan at that moment. But happiness was fleeting, and he never got to prepare himself…
His long legs carried him towards the dream, letting himself walk closer to the image before him. Seeing himself as a child and the people who were gone made the burning lump in his chest throb.
The eyes that were once filled with confidence now trembled when he looked at the person he missed, causing his heart to tighten. Charan looked sad, realizing that the woman who was still playing with the child in front of him had no idea of his existence at this moment.
“Can you stay with me a little longer?” Charan, as a child, pleaded with a childish voice, calling for the mother to lend a helping hand and guide him. The dark-haired man looked at him with affection.
“I want to stay with you a little longer… but we all have our own responsibilities. As for you, you have to study, learn how to enter society, while I have to go work…”
“But mom; your job keeps us from seeing each other… is it possible that if mother stops working and comes back to live with me at home?” The child spoke with a sad voice. Charan remembered how he felt back when he was a child.
Every time the mother went to work, the young child would sit and count down the days until her next day off, feeling both sad and lonely. Each day seemed to stretch on forever in his heart.
“It’s not like that, my child. We all have our own responsibilities…” The mother’s voice sounded gentle, and she placed her palm lightly on the little one’s head, spreading warmth throughout his heart and mind.
“But none of my friends have to deal with their mothers having to work.”
“Well, that’s because I work as a governess… no matter what they do or where they go, I must always be there to take care of them.”
“But can’t they take care of themselves?” Charan asked, causing the mother to pause before gently laughing and pulling the child to sit beside her on the bench.
“Of course they can take care of themselves, my dear. But ensuring safety and keeping them protected is my job as a mother.”
“But why do we have to keep them safe?”
The young child furrowed his brow, not quite understanding. He had yet to find an answer to why his mother had to sacrifice her time with him to care for others.
“If Atsawathewathin is not safe, then we and other people will also be in danger.”
“But why is it dangerous?”
“Because Atsawathewathin is a royal family… if anything were to happen, our country, including Emmaly, would be shaken.”
As the conversation progressed, the once gentle and sweet voice of the mother became more serious and stern. Charan couldn’t quite understand the meaning behind her words, perhaps because he was still too young and inexperienced to fully comprehend.
“Mom, I don’t understand.” he said, looking down at himself as a child who still sat on the bench. He slowly lowered himself until he was eye level with his mother’s face. The image before him was from the past, but it was clear in the strong and determined look on the young woman’s face.
The mother remained silent for several minutes before finally uttering a few more words.
“Charan, you see that bee over there, right?” She pointed to a small flying insect hovering around a nearby flower.
“Yes, I do.”
“Do you know that bees are animals with a very clear hierarchy? In one hive, they divide their work into three important jobs. One is the worker bee, they may be the smallest but they have the largest quantity. Worker bees have the hardest job, finding food to bring back to the hive and sometimes having to protect their home.”
“… “
“The second is the drone bees, they will mate and be one of the sources of offspring, they will be larger than worker bees. Male bees do not have to do anything except receive food, but they are important for the population in the hive.”
“…”
“And finally, the queen bee… In one hive, there is only one queen bee. She is the largest, and she doesn’t have to do anything like the male bees. But the queen’s important duty is to take care and control the survival of her hive. The queen has the power to manage all the bees in the hive and will be the one who produces the next generation of bees. Worker bees must take care of and protect the queen the best. Because if the queen dies before her time, the bee colony will collapse, and there will be immediate separation in the bee colony.”
The little boy blinked his eyes, imagining as if his mother was reading him a bedtime story. In his mind, he only knew how many types of bees there were, and what their roles were.
“Is that why you’re a worker bee, Mom?”
“Very clever. Yes, I am a worker bee and a soldier bee of the hive.” Her hand patted softly on the round cheek of her son, and the smile on her face at that moment stole the heart of the young boy.
“You’re amazing, Mom.”
“Thank you, my dear.”
“I understand why you have to spend so much time on this job, right?”
“…” At this point, Charan, even as a child, seemed to understand something more. Though he felt sad every time he had to be away from his mother, he was strong enough not to make his mother worry too much. So he did not act like a child, as he did this time.
“Charan, you will understand more than just that… Because Charan you are the next leader of the Pithakthewa family.” Charan was impressed with the last sentence that his ancestor had left them before they could never meet again.
“…”
“Anyhow, we cannot escape our duty… Because our duty is to protect and take care honestly and lovingly of Atsawathewathin lineage. This is what our ancestors’ spirits wanted us to do…”
“…”
It was the last time they saw each other and talked like this. The young man blamed himself many times for not understanding the world enough back then, even though he understood the sacrifice of worker bees when they released their stingers to protect their hive.
If only he knew… things might not have turned out like this.
Every dream image slowly faded away like a haze of smoke. Some people had said that the more joyful a memory was, the sadder it would become when that person was gone.
Charan agreed that it was true.
The hot and restless movement of the person next to him woke Khanin up in the middle of the night. The small-bodied owner rose and reached for the lamp near the bed before widening his eyes slightly to see the paler face of Charan.
“Are you…?”
The end of the sentence was swallowed up in the palm of Khanin’s hand, which touched the sleeping man’s arm, then felt the higher-than-normal temperature.
Khanin’s gaze turned to the bottle in his hand, lost in thought as he pondered why the other person had fallen ill before his eyes could even shift to the Aztec-patterned cloth on the sturdy armrest, which seemed like an answer to his question.
Or was it that the wound had become infected?
“Are you…not feeling well?” he asked, but it was meaningless. Charan still seemed trapped in his own thoughts, not even waking from a doze. The other person didn’t respond at all, leaving the boy to look around worriedly. The sweat seeping out of his pores mingled with the rush of hot wind, revealing that another person was suffering. Khanin fiddled with the light switches until the entire room was brightly lit, then turned back to survey the others once more.
The young boy released a soft sigh when he saw the grimace on the face of the sick person. Khanin used his forefinger to gently brush the other person’s forehead before deciding to get up, but as he made up his mind, some people refused to let him go. They wouldn’t even step aside and let him through.
“Don’t go…”
“Hmm…” The small, slender wrist was held by the larger one, and the voice that had once been soft now sounded hoarse, adding a layer of intense anxiety to the situation.
“….”
What did you say?” Khanin wasn’t sure if Charan was fully conscious or just delirious from the fever. The younger person hesitated to move away while the other person refused to budge.
“Don’t leave.” The request made the corners of Khanin’s mouth turn down even further. The boy swept his eyes over the other person’s entire body before finally nodding.
“You’re so hot, you need a wipe down. I’ll go find a cloth for that.” Khanin mumbled, trying to pull his hand out, but the other person seemed more determined to hold on than ever before.
“No need to go.” Charan whispered, slowly opening his tightly shut eyes and locking gazes with Khanin. In those dark pupils were tears that threatened to spill out at any moment. His breaths were shallow and filled with hot air that seemed to linger inside his body.
“But…”
“Can’t you stay here?”
“Uh…”
“I want you to stay here…together.”
After finishing his sentence, the sick person pulled Khanin’s hand towards himself and pressed it against his own cheekbone. The pitch-black gaze of the two people interlocked for a moment before slowly closing again. The rhythm of their breathing was in sync and steady.
Khanin felt like he had been hit by a strong electric shock as he stood there motionless. He didn’t even think about doing anything wrong, just let himself stand there holding onto the other person’s cheek. That was all.
This was a situation where he was better off than others because the other person had once come to comfort him on a day when no one else was around…just being together like this, taking care of each other during times of sickness and fever. Why would Khanin not do the same?
Though he didn’t think much about it, the truth was that he would have to stand by someone else’s side while thinking about the meaning of life every day… The pain in his back began to manifest itself.
But that was still better than having no one.
The young boy waited until Charan fell back into a deep sleep before finally hesitantly pulling his hand away from the other person’s grasp. He twisted and turned, trying to dispel the fatigue before he could find something suitable to use as a container for water.
“You, move a little.” Khanin called out to Charan again after pouring water from a glass into a fake fruit bowl placed in one corner of the room.
The young boy dipped a clean cloth into the basin and then gently nudged the sleeping figure. However, Charan did not even budge, his older body remaining motionless like before.
“Well then, I apologize.” I said.
“…”
“May I help you take off your shirt…?” Seeing that the other party did not respond well, Khanin immediately took off Charan’s shirt.
Taut abdominal muscles were the first thing that caught the eye. In Charan’s navel, there was a slight tremor as hairs stood up due to the sudden influx of cool air rushing against his skin.
Khanin hastily used a clean cloth to wipe the body of the older man because he felt embarrassed and wanted to quickly finish his task.
The two-layered eyes avoided each other and instead looked at the handsome face. Khanin tried to make Charan more comfortable by adjusting his blankets, but the person still shifted slightly probably because of the cold temperature.
“Do you need me to wipe down there?”
If you want me to wipe, you’ll have to take it off…”
“Take it off? No way, leave it like that.”
Khanin scolded himself inwardly – he knew he shouldn’t be getting too close to the other party’s lower body. He quickly dressed the sleeping person before stealthily sneaking out a breath.
Charan continued to shift around uncomfortably. Khanin knew what kind of situation this was from previous experiences. Whenever he was sick, he always wanted his father nearby, especially when he was half asleep and half awake.
The young boy thought that Charan probably felt the same way. Otherwise, why would he hold hands and lean on each other’s cheeks like before?
“Ah…” A low groan erupted due to feverish illness calling for Khanin to extend his hand and gently touch the sleeping man who seemed to have been needing this all along. He immediately grabbed the thin wrist of the person, afraid that if he hesitated any longer, someone else might change their mind.
Charan leaned his warm cheek against the gentle touch of the young boy. The effect of the fever caused Khanin to moisten his lips as they came closer together.
“Go to sleep, I’m right here.”
“…”
“You can fight again tomorrow morning.” It seemed like the other party heard the words. At least, the big figure that used to be restless in the past looked calm and quiet now. As if Khanin’s words had some kind of magic power.
Breathing that used to be shallow and rapid slowly eased up. When a person is more relaxed, those watching feel relieved too. Yes, it’s over now.
The other party was protected to the point where Khanin himself was injured as well. They had to sit and support the other person until morning…Khanin didn’t think it would be so difficult…or was it really?
It took less than 20 minutes for Khanin to reach the second floor of the building. He did everything in a hurry, feeling like this was the most rushed thing he had ever done in his life. After all, the young boy didn’t want to appear rude and let his host wait for him while eating. Especially with someone who was the owner of the place.
The young man hurriedly said that when he arrived and met Khanin again, the dining table was still empty, and his friend Charan’s companion, who was the owner of the pub, was standing behind the counter assuming the role of a Japanese food chef with smooth skill.
“Perfect timing. Please wait for a moment.” Itthi said softly to Khanin, while the pub owner who had transformed himself into a chef was busy using a sharp knife to expertly fillet fish, demonstrating his dexterity and agility.
“I’m sorry I’m late.” the youngest person in the room apologized, rising to maintain decorum. Itthi responded with a smile on his face, friendly as ever, while at the same time preparing all the dishes.
“Don’t worry, the food isn’t ready yet. And oh, by the way, A’Ran (Charan) said he had a fever last night, so you’re helping take care of him must have been quite exhausting.” Itthi said, directing Khanin’s gaze towards the tall figure standing not far away, who was currently fussing over utensils and not paying much attention to their conversation.
“He told you?”
“Yes.” Khanin admitted that he was slightly surprised by the answer he received, glancing once again at the tall man before redirecting the conversation back to the topic of this morning’s breakfast instead.
“You look very skilled with a knife.”
“It’s not just knives, I’m good with swords too.” Charan replied confidently. Some other people who had been walking back noticed the conversation and joined in, Charan’s words earning him praise and recognition from Khanin himself.
You already said that.”
“I’m just complimenting myself. I left sword fighting a long time ago. Now, all I have is cooking and sitting here waiting to serve you.” the pub owner said, taking on his role as a Japanese food chef once again with a bit of a laugh.
“Come on, let’s eat.”
“Itthi… did you make all of this yourself?” Khanin asked, somewhat surprised, unable to determine just how skilled the other man was with a knife.
“Yes, I did it all myself. Do you like it?” Itthi responded, with Charan having already gone off to seat the young man at the table. Within five minutes, they were all enjoying a Japanese-style breakfast together, complete with grilled fish, hot rice, miso soup, pickled vegetables, and what appeared to be tofu in sauce, rounded off with an egg roll.
“I like to study Japanese cooking.”
“Wow, you’re really good.” The owner of the place said sincerely and called forth a smile from Khanin.
“If Khun Khanin likes…”
“Just call me Nin.” The young boy said naturally.
“Then call me Phii.”
“Khrap, Phii itt.”Charan looked back and forth between the two, the young man didn’t say anything but half-spoken words and thoughts swirled in his head.
These two…are they getting too close too soon?
“Do you like Japanese food, Nin?”
“Yes, I like raw fish.”
“I’ll make it for you when I have the chance.” The young boy was enthusiastic beyond his duty.
Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Usually, I don’t cook for anyone else. I prefer to cook for myself. It would be nice if someone came to eat with me and gave me feedback on the taste.”
“Just by looking, you get full marks. Actually, I think It could open a Japanese restaurant with the pub.” The younger one spoke his mind. Charan thought Khanin had good manners but those traits weren’t meant for him.
“That’s an interesting idea.”
“Influence.”
“Hm?” The person who was talking to Khanin was distracted by the small friend when he was interrupted. Charan paused for a moment before quickly finding a reason to support that he called the other party again.
“You forgot your tea.”
“Really, then let’s eat first. I’ll be back.” The third person got up and left, leaving only Khanin and Charan. The young boy took out his phone to take a picture of the food tray and then focused his attention on the grilled meat dish.
“Try the cold tofu first, it helps with digestion.” Charan’s advice floated over to Khanin who was looking at the appetizer.
“I don’t like cold tofu.”
“Don’t be picky. Tofu has benefits.”
“Ugh, are you my dad?” Khanin grumbled with the intention of making the tall man hear him.
“Tofu is made from yellow beans, and the protein in yellow beans is twice as much as some types of animal meat in the same amount. Plus, it contains lecithin which helps reduce fat, helps with memory and protects against hardening of the arteries. Tofu has benefits…”
You know a lot about this.” Khanin looked up at the lengthy explanation of the person next to him, barely believing it…was Charan trying to lecture him because he wasn’t eating tofu?
“I know, so eat it.”
“I know, but I don’t like to eat. If you want me to, I’ll eat the nutritious stuff.” He picked up the serving spoon in the middle of the plate of cold tofu and poured sauce over it before placing it down for the older person next to him. That was all it took for the younger person’s antics to disappear and the problem with the tofu to be resolved. Charan waited.
“…”
“Eat a lot, please.” The young man smiled brightly, creating a different feeling among the group. For Charan, who knew the young man’s intentions, he saw Khanin as a charming old wizard.
As for the influence that had just returned to the table with hot tea, they looked like two people taking care of each other’s food to eat like that.
“So cute together.” The third person called out. Both Khanin and Charan turned to look. The young man raised his eyebrows while Charan himself looked confused.
“Hmm, what’s so cute?”
“You guys are so cute together. When I first met you, you said you were coming to Thailand. I thought you were looking for someone here to take care of you again. Same story, right?” The implication sent a smiley glance, different from the best friend who still didn’t understand.
“What’s the matter?”
“You told me you were coming to stay with your brother. I’ve been your friend for years, Charn. How could I not know you have only one guy… I can tell that he is your boyfriend.” This person misunderstood them, making Charan feel anxious that he had to quickly defend himself.
He is just a little brother; just that.”
“I can tell that he’s not just an ordinary younger generation.” This sentence made Mr. Khanin swallow his saliva secretly. Mr. Charan himself was worried that Mr. Itthi might know too much. However, the following sentence clearly expanded the owner the bar’s thoughts.
“…”
“Even good couples still argue.” Khanin blinked his eyes, glancing discreetly at the person next to him who seemed shocked for a moment. The young mind calculate the possibilities of the upcoming situation before seeking an immediate exit to conceal their troubled state.
How can we lose by following the water ahead? It may be the best way out.
“Our secret is out… We get along so well, don’t we?” the young man in the play slapped his forehead, pretending to laugh and quickly turned his attention to the audience. With strong arms, he leaned his head on wide shoulders in a familiar gesture. Playing it off, Charan couldn’t catch up and ended up being left behind.
Another setback. This doctor enjoys acting as if they’ve never touched flesh, having to deal with other people.
“Hmm, you get along well… How did you meet?”
“We… met in England.”
“Oh, Across oceans and seas. Nin, do you know that during the time we were studying, Ai’Ran never had a boyfriend that friends knew about? He seemed very quiet.” Itthi said with with good intentions. Meanwhile, on the other side, Charan seemed to have lost himself in this conversation. The other person sat still, his hand hugged tightly, looking unnatural until Khanin thought of teasing him.
“Because I’m so cute, right? That’s why I want to introduce myself to his friends. It wouldn’t be fair to leave me hanging when you’re there to hug me.”
“Um.” One person hesitated while the other just stood there, unable to refuse the greeting. Charan knew that if he said that Khanin wasn’t his boyfriend, their close friend would be even more suspicious. Finally, the person had no choice but to reluctantly act in a play.
“My darling Ungang is the cutest, isn’t he?” However, the pronoun sounded strange and made the listener raise their eyebrows. Charan frowned and turned to look at the person beside him just as they asked instead of what he was thinking.
“Ungang? What does that mean?”
“What do you call me, Phii Itthi, right? As boyfriends one needs to have a special name different from others.” The cheeky boy spoke with a sweet smile, but looked cruel in Charan’s eyes.
“So, what does ‘Ungang’ mean?”
“’UngAng’… It means ‘Bullfrog’ because he likes to mock me. He complains about me being a bullfrog, so calling me like this is cute, right?” The explanation sounded like a sweet couple in love to outsiders who couldn’t help but stare at Charan. Khanin intentionally found ways to indirectly tease him, making it clear that he still didn’t understand his feelings.
The person exploded into laughter until it hurt, which pleased Charan, but he kept the resentment towards the young troublemaker in his heart.
“What do you call each other, ‘bullfrog’ and what else?” The closest friend asked curiously. It made Itthi laugh until tears came out. The bar owner used his back hand to wipe away his tears while waiting for an answer from Charan’s mouth.
For a split second, the tall silent man turned to look at the young man beside him. Khanin arched his eyebrows and winked his eye flirtatiously. Their actions made Charan think of some other definition… “Stubborn.”
“What?”
This question didn’t come from Itthi but from the youngest person at the table. Charan smiled slightly and turned to look at the white-haired person, trying to figure out how to find a way to get back at Khanin.
“Call me stubborn because I’m really stubborn. I argue well and tell others what to do. A stubborn personality doesn’t have anyone who can beat them.”
He just bluffed… bluffing back wasn’t cheating. Charan’s smile widened as he realized that Khanin probably had a fire burning inside him. You could see it in the way the young man sent a glowing gaze and even posed a challenge.
Something had to be done quickly.
“Um…”
“But he is so cute.” The young man reluctantly ended with a sentence that increased the sweetness of the moment. Khanin gritted his teeth and closed his lips.
“Uh, he is so cute, where did you get a boyfriend this cute, Ai’Ran? I feel so bad for myself.”
“I’m also wondering how he found me.” Khanin smiled. His mouth was forming a couple’s drama in front of Itthi, but in his heart, he was thinking of ways to get back at someone older than him.
“If Nin ever needs help, just let me know. As Charan’s boyfriend, I am like your big brother. Don’t worry.”
“Thank you, Big Brother Itthi.” said the boy playing the role of the cute boyfriend with a sweet smile. Khanin paid attention to eating breakfast, thinking about how he could get back at the other person and regain his dominance.
They secretly exchanged glances until someone’s words raised tensions. One person choked on their food, while the other’s face turned red from sipping soup.
“I guess us calling each other ‘Um’ and ‘Stubborn’ won’t really match well.” “…”.
“Being called stubborn is better than being called Unganng aka the bullfrog.”
TBC.
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