Tag: Novel Translation

  • THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 44: Broken

    THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 44: Broken

       THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 44: Broken.

    “Because Khanin survived, your mother had to die…this is the truth.”

    After the words of the Meenakarin ruler, the whole room fell into silence. Charan raised his eyes and froze, his body was still, and the hand holding the gun was still pointing at the slightly trembling speaker.

    The small and thin hands twitched. Khanin thought of screaming at the person who was a respected uncle in the royal family. The boy guessed that this was the plan… It was another way of Waseen’s provocation, but the deep seated questions contradicted him.

    When he swept his eyes and saw the horror on the old man’s face mixed with the panic of the person who used to be peaceful in Khanin’s mind, he felt both legs weaken.

    The suffocating pressure spread throughout his body. Khanin looked back at Waseen to find a blind spot to support the lie, but the only thing he found was the truth.

    The other side had no attitude of someone who was willing to lie just to survive, on the contrary, the person who should have been stable and calm in this situation had an angry tremble on their face.

    “Why are you doing this… why?” The old man’s angry voice echoed, since he stepped into this royal palace, Khanin had never heard Dhipabawon speak to anyone with such a tone. This was the first time the boy saw someone who often had a smiling face out of control like this.

    “Why am I doing this, because I want to see you all suffer and wither in front of me!” Waseen countered before bursting out into a loud laughter, his face that used to be a sweet smile distorted, and his laughter seemed to be mocking everyone present at this moment.

    Khanin couldn’t figure out what he was thinking right now. The story in front of him was even bigger than he could control. Even with Charan… the leader of Meenakarin, he was stunned by the person he trusted the most, grinning and smiling.

    The big figure gradually moved forward and stopped near the tip of Charan’s gun as if he was not afraid of being shot.

    Khanin believes that if it were a normal time, Charan would have handled it without hesitation, but now… even just breathing is becoming difficult.

    “…”

    “I want you guys to suffer like my life, there’s nothing left… not even dignity and the person I loved!”

    Screeching sound caused Charan to react, the grip on his gun tightening. However, his brain fails to command, contrary to his opponent. Waseen, on the other hand, still points his gun at the Sovereign King who stands not too far, not too close, seemingly undecided.

    The warmth that sneaks into Khanin’s hand that slips into his pants amidst all the tension prompts him to take out his phone and call the latest emergency contact… Chakri.

    The young man hopes that the other party will answer the call and bring others to join him. The situation ahead is not looking good. Here, Charan is the person he is most concerned with, seemingly the other party is being impacted by Waseen’s words to the extent that their happiness is almost nonexistent.

    “Why are you doing this to me, even though I have always been good to you?” The voice of the most prestigious man in Emmaly is filled with anger.  Waseen laughed and made faces as if he had heard a joke?

    “You have been doing good to me? It feels like I’m the one doing all the work, picking up after Atsawathewathin and doing everything for everyone, even though they ride my city so hard that there’s nothing left. Is that what it means to be considered good?” The response stung with a sharp retort making Charan unable to aim at Waseen. He couldn’t help but feel like he was there but not there.

    “You forgot to ask for help and now it seems like everything is failing because of Atsawathewathin.” The tension continued to escalate until someone who had been silent finally spoke up. Dhipabawon responded with a cool and collected tone, but there was no sign of the previous sense of relief.

    “It’s because you tricked Meenakarin that we ended up trapped here! You’re a master manipulator who knows exactly how to make people feel miserable. You only offer help when it benefits you. If you don’t plan on holding every state in your hands, will my life become like this, even though I used to respect you? Love yourself, let yourself be the sun, but you never…” Waseen’s voice trailed off.

    Khanin noticed a glint of revengeful resentment in the eyes of the opposite party.

    “…”

    “You’re the one who killed me, everything about me! Have you ever thought about who your orders hurt, who lost loved ones because of your greed… Have you ever thought to care about anyone but yourself?” At this moment, nobody could stop Waseen, whose explosive temper erupted in the midst of silence, even Dhipabawon himself couldn’t force himself to move.

    “…”

    The eyes overflowing with tears of someone who was filled with hatred looked towards the person they once considered superior. Waseen swallowed the lump in his throat before turning to look at Khanin, who was standing a little ways away.

    “You know what, it’s me. I’m the one who wants to kill you.”

    Khanin opens his wide eyes, takes a deep breath, then begins negotiating with the person in front of him with a cool head, with a flicker of vitality left that he has.

    “What did I do to upset you? What did I do…we didn’t even know each other before.”

    “Yes, you didn’t do anything wrong, but it was your grandfather who made me want to kill you.”

    “…”

    “He killed my wife.” The sentence that comes with a vengeance sparks the hairs on Khanin’s body. Dhipabawon remained silent, while Waseen vented out the suppression that had been in his heart for decades.

    “…”

    “Simply because she learned about Atsawathewathin’s smuggling goods from other cities and kept them, she was ordered to be killed… thrown into the muddy water with cement blocks, even though my child was inside her belly.” The heartbreaking words were accompanied by tears.

    Khanin raised his hand to cover his mouth, unable to believe that someone he once respected would be so cruel and wicked.

    “…”

    “I want you to die, to make him feel the loss I have gone through. I thought it would remind him… but no, that cruel person didn’t care at all. He even took you to hide and killed three innocent people, just to reassure himself that

    Atsawathewathin’s legacy will continue his evil deeds.”

    “Stop talking!” Dhipabawon was about to shout at Waseen like a furious madman, but he was blocked by Waseen laughing heartily.

    “Why? You can’t stand it anymore? What do you want me to say? I know everything, I know who you killed to allow your newborn child to survive until now. It’s time for you to know that the person who attacked you worked for me, but before… he was Atsawathewathin’s citizen, love you as much as I did but when his only son born a few months old was taken away and killed and then burned to conceal another child’s corpse, he decided that he would take revenge on all the Atsawathewathins.”

    “…” Khanin was stunned by what he had heard before. The more he hears about the cruelty, the more he becomes shocked. He didn’t know what was true or false, but from Waseen’s expression, he could tell that the story was more than half true.

    The feeling of despair was something that Khanin couldn’t avoid. The story he had heard made his heart clench, and Waseen’s words clearly stated that many innocent people died because of his existence.

    Khanin seemed to be exhausted, and Charan, who was older, didn’t look much different. His chest rose and fell as he struggled to control himself.

    “The person who took poison and committed suicide was the brother of the driver who died in that incident. He used to belong to Atsawathewathin, the older brother who worked in palace, but in the end, he was killed by Phitakthewa’s people on the orders of their boss, Phitakthewa, who belonged to Atsawathewathin, is treated like a dog on a leash…” Waseen revealed a sincere smile to all life that had to disappear from their family. From his beloved one.

    That smile was sent to Charan, the person who held the gun to himself… it was filled with mockery, humiliation, and contempt.

    “You know yourself, that you never want to reveal how capable you are, never want to accept your current Phitakthewa leader position, just want to keep it. Because you don’t want to be under anyone’s authority, don’t want to become like your mother. But now you are no different from us before. Being treated well by Dhipabawon made you feel more important.”

    “…”

    “Do you really not mind why only your mother was praised for that incident, and why does an old man like the planner Dhipabawon, treat you like a child born in the palace, like a  Young Prince? You think he did it out of goodwill for you, right?” The words pierced the listeners’ hearts and

    “Khanin… Charan, I didn’t intend for it to be like this.”

    “Not intending for it to be like this means… you did things without intending for them to turn out like this, or you did everything without clear intentions? If you’re going to deny it, please make it clear that these things are not true.” Khanin’s shaky voice and the use of impersonal pronouns showed the distance between them, making Dhipabawon even more agitated.

    “I’m sorry, but… but Khanin, you had to survive… I had no other choice.”

    “I would rather die… then survive just to find out that I have to be someone’s tool.” Khanin thinks it’s better to let his life go as it should be, rather than realizing that he is the cause of someone’s pain.

    The boy’s gaze followed the people affected by Dhipabawon’s actions, from the vengeful eyes of the man with deformed legs, to Waseen’s satisfied look as he exposed all the secrets of his own blood uncle, to Charan’s blank stare…

    A vacant look that was so terrifyingly empty, even he might not be able to reach out and touch the heart of the other person.

    “If my grandson dies… Atsawathewathin will have to…”

    “Stop making excuses! Don’t say that you did it for someone else when you didn’t do it for Atsawathewathin, or for anyone else… the reason you did this is for yourself, and nothing else!” Khanin couldn’t hold back his tears any longer, hot tears streaming down his cheeks.

    The true pain that Waseen felt today was palpable, and Khanin had already realized how heavy it was.

    Some games take a long time to play if this was a long term game. He himself was just one piece in the board game that was meant for Grandfather to be on top of everyone, and he kept him to cover up his own evil deeds.

    Family, loved ones, honor, or even life, nothing that Khanin had was gained by fair means, the happiness that once existed in the short amount of time, the joy of returning home and finding that there were still people in the family who cared for him.

    It was nothing but a myth that his grandfather cared and looked after him, nothing was true at all.

    Khanin himself had already realized how deep Waseen’s pain was.

    The questioning that he had asked himself before, as to why the enemy would strike at this time, had already become clear to Khanin as to why Waseen had taken action now.

    Because others would not have the right to come and go freely in the Royal Palace without an important ceremony. This was the only time that the other party could enter and exit without any rules governing them.

    Waseen had planned everything, and the leader of Meenakarin wanted everything to end here, without any thought of competing for the throne whatsoever.

    The only wanted thing of the other party was to make Dhipabawon suffer and become so desperate that he would want to eliminate them all, at this place, and leave them all dead.

    Like a bomb ready to explode at any moment. Waseen did not want anyone to escape from this incident.

    No one will be able to survive if they don’t make a decision of what to do right now.

    “You think keeping others out of the palace is now necessary for your safety. I need to tell you something about. The bird’s nest I sent you to eat was poisoned, which made you sick and had to hurriedly organize the ceremony for the Sovereign King position. It’s because you trusted someone like me. Mr. Dhipabawon, you are just a stupid person, you are no smarter than anyone else.” Waseen desires satisfaction, and the leader Meenakarin still looks towards the old man who stands still, with Mr. Dhipabawon’s eyes shaking, his hands trembling as they come closer together until his body trembles.

    Those who had thought they were smarter than anyone else had actually made a big mistake. Because they overlooked a small piece on the board game.

    “Let’s finish this. Dhipabawon…” The words of the leader of the Meenakarin family trailed off as the situation suddenly flipped on its head. It was a split second decision that impacted the fate of four important individuals in the country.

    Waseen signaled for the man with the limp who was holding the gun to give it back, while Khanin, gathering his last bit of consciousness, seized an opportunity and lunged at Waseen. He made a sudden decision and tackled Waseen to the ground, ordering Charan to turn the gun away from the man with the gun.

    Bang!

    The final showdown was imminent. Charan shot the gun out of the hand of the attacker and then aimed his gun at the man who had attacked Khanin. At the same time, several people emerged from their hiding places.

    “Stop this, Your Majesty.”

    “Father…”

    “Hand over your weapon.” Tanattai, who had been waiting for the right moment, raised his gun and aimed it at Waseen.

    Until now, the middle aged man had to wait for all of Waseen’s sins to be revealed and feared for Khanin’s safety.

    “So you are all on the same page, that’s great. You dogs.” Waseen chuckled, causing him to flinch and appear unconscious. It made Khanin tremble and step back, but it was because he underestimated Waseen too much and missed his mark.”

    “Ah!”

    “Nin!”

    “That’s enough! Drop the gun! If you don’t want Khanin to die!” The crazy man jumped up and unlocked Khanin’s chokehold before aiming a pistol at the boy’s head. Everything happened faster than Tanattai and Charan could react.

    Khanin struggled, but Waseen showed no sign of being affected. Being forgotten, a rejected family, made them forget one important thing. However, even though he was underestimated, Waseen was still the ruler of the state, with the ability to fight like no one else could.

    “I’m giving you a choice. This is your last chance.Either you will kill Dhipabawon…or I’ll kill Khanin, then you, and finally myself.” The negotiations only led to a heavier burden for Charan. He stood still, but his mind raced with anxiety. However, seeing Waseen holding the gun to the head of his beloved, Charan’s heart burned like being consumed by fire.

    “I…will do it.”

    There was no other option better than this. It was necessary for Charan to act to keep Khanin alive.

    Tanattai’s throat was dry. The gun in his hand was almost useless now. If he dared to counterattack, it meant accepting the risk that could mean Khanin’s life.

    “Good…aim at Dhipabawon.” Waseen grinned before issuing a final order that left those with no choice but to comply.

    “No, Phii Ran…no, don’t do it!”

    “Shut up!” Waseen tightened his grip around Khanin’s neck, but the small man didn’t pay any attention to the gun aimed at his head, and he looked back and forth, sending pleading glances toward his beloved.

    He wasn’t worried about Dhipabawon, but he knew that if Charan decided to do what Waseen told him, it would help him survive for this time. After this was over, there was a chance for him to survive. Charan would have no different penalty than a convicted criminal who intentionally killed someone.

    Beautiful eyes welled with teardrops. They stared at each other before one unforgettable moment rose clearly and the pain in their hearts expanded like a toxic that had a purpose to endanger life.

    “I…have always wondered why I was born. If not for me, others wouldn’t have to struggle and sacrifice themselves. You could have a life of your own, and my father could probably be living in the palace and living a life that everyone wants. I can’t even answer myself as to why I am still alive is a good thing, isn’t it?”

    “…”

    “It’s good that we’re still here…”

    “…”

    “It’s good that we met.”

    Hot tears streamed down as Khanin winced, too afraid to ask Charan what had happened up until this point. Amidst them, the words “It’s good that we met” were used.

    “I’m sorry… there’s nothing that I can do to make amends… everything

    Waseen said was true… I apologize.”

    No one knew if Dhipabawon’s apology was sincere or not, but the somber tone of his voice made the atmosphere even more tense. Dark eyes scanned those who he had nurtured with trembling hands. 

    Relationships, trust, respect, and love… are now shattered beyond repair. Charan gripped the gun in his hand so tightly that the overwhelming feeling in his chest almost made his brain explode. 

    “Come on, it’s time to take revenge for your mother, Charan, shoot him.”

    Waseen’s words were no different than a poisonous venom in a garden. Charan acknowledged his humanity and wanted to let go of everything, to try following the desires in his heart.

    Charan knew very well that he would have to face the consequences for his actions, but then again, is taking revenge really the highest thing in his life?

    The tip of his hot finger moved to prepare the gun barrel, the moment of decision making was imminent, but the heartfelt pleas of some people made Charan rethink his actions.

    “Phii Ran…”

    “Young Prince, you have misunderstood, he will not choose the winning party. Even though by status, he is the guardian of Phitakthewa’s leader, I will not be standing up to any other family again…”

    “…”

    “Because the sun in my life, at… is only Young Prince Khanin.”

    Some of the previously spoken sentences reverberated in his memory.

    Charan regained his composure, bending his gaze towards the person who was like the sun in his life, they looked at each other… before the answer to Charan’s true desires was crystal clear.

    It is not revenge that is the ultimate goal of life, but rather Charan’s aversion to making Khanin sad.

    The image that reminded him of Waseen’s sweet victory in the final moments of Dhipabawon was confusing, allowing Khanin to sneak a peek at Charan, causing him to seize an opportunity to turn the tide.

    “Ouch!” Khanin decided to twist the hand of the person behind him, causing Waseen’s pained voice to resonate, before the other side broke free of his grasp and violently turned Khanin away to another direction, causing the young man to break free from the control of the villain.

    Bang!

    A fleeting moment of chaos ensued as Dhipabawon dodged bullet while Charan reached Khanin, taking the young child and holding him safe, making a split second decision, they both fired their guns to send bullets flying towards the arm of the leader of the Meenakarin family to stop him.

    Khanin looked at the red blood seeping out of the arm of the uncle-like figure. Suddenly, gunshots echoed in quick succession as Waseen aimed to shoot back the garden. This caused the leader of Meenakarin to fall to the ground.

    Bang!

    This time it was not the skill of Tanattai, but rather the skill of one of the new guards who had just entered the room in a hurry. The arrival of the support team led by Chakri and Tarin, the trusted butler and father immediately led to Khanin’s attention.

    “Are you hurt anywhere… sorry for being late.”

    “No… it’s okay. Just surprised.” Everything happened so quickly that Khanin felt like his brain couldn’t keep up with it. He was flipped over and his body was checked for injuries, but when the newcomer was sure that he was not injured, the faces of both men relaxed.

    “Let’s leave this place first.” Prince Tarin spoke and turned to signal the guards to clear the area. One group dealt with the body of the enemy, while the other went to help the Sovereign King, who was sitting in a crouched position.

    “Hold a meeting, declare the news in front of all the states, anyone who is associated with Waseen will receive all the punishment.” The Sovereign King’s voice called, causing everyone to turn and look. This time, Dhipabawon looked very angry, but when his gaze met Khanin’s group, he immediately looked away.

    Khanin secretly looked at Tarin’s face, he saw his father also looked at the Sovereign King, but the other side’s coldness was only filled with disappointment, and there was no difference in Tanattai’s eyes.

    It’s over… everything is over.

    Even the feeling of respect and love has decayed without remaining.

    Khanin’s eyes turned to Charan, the loved one’s gloomy face was quiet, but the narrowed eyes were full of different vibrations than before.

    Charan must have many things to deal with, even himself also with it. Because today’s story is too heavy for anyone to bear, the truth is that Khanin is the cause of many people having to retreat from the person they love and cannot change.

    He avoided life to the side, not to mention with the mother of the person he loved the most in his heart…

    Khanin wanted to comfort him but couldn’t be brave enough to do what he said… he didn’t know what Charan had in mind.

    Can they still love each other like before… Khanin could not know.

    “Hey, be careful!” The voice of one of the guards called everyone back to the roots, but before they had time to sort out their thoughts, Waseen, who everyone thought did not have enough strength to stand up, suddenly collected his last bit of energy and lifted the gun he had hidden next to him to aim at the crouched Sovereign King and shot accurately.

    Bang!

    The crucial bullet flew through the air and hit Dhipabawon’s back precisely. The Sovereign King fell to the ground before he could stand, and the guards nearby rushed to catch him immediately.

    “Father!” Tarin shouted while every bullet was aimed towards the leader of the Meenakarin Family.

    Waseen smiled calmly. His eyes, filled with resentment and hatred, stared fiercely at the hated enemy.

    His trembling hands lifted the gray gun and held it towards his temple, uttering his last words before Waseen decided to do the unexpected.

    “…”

    “And see you in hell, Your Majesty… Uncle.”

    “Bang!”

     

    THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

  • THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 43: The Truth Revealed

    THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 43: The Truth Revealed

       THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 43: The Truth Revealed.

    “Protect the Sovereign King!”

    At the end of Tarin’s shout, a huge commotion broke out. Khanin was still unable to grasp the situation as Charan ran towards him to grab his arm, while simultaneously removing his mask and throwing it away with agility.

    “Keep low!”

    Caught in the corner of Khanin’s eye, he saw his cousin Ramil and Petai, rushing towards each other as if ordered. Itti, Mira, and Jae were joined by some of Kalavin’s guards who came to assist in defense.

    The majority of the royal guards were also supporting the offense, except for those in the middle of the field. Khanin was still unaware where the gunshot came from, and before he could say anything, he heard another gunshot resonating, followed by several more.

    Bang! Bang!

    Charan cursed under his breath, acknowledging that being in the open field was the most dangerous thing. Atsawathewathin’s guards immediately joined together, and the leader of the Phitakthewa family took hold of the young royals with her small hand tightly.

    “This way, Khun Charan.” One of the guards handed Charan a gun, and he held it just like Khanin did. Their eyes scanned their attackers, who were dressed no differently from the assassins they had once faced.

    Those sneaky bastards…

    “Divide the force into two groups, lead the way to clear the area with the other group shooting down.” Target, Ra, was to take Khanin out of the dome. He ordered quickly, raising his gun to shoot one of the ill intentioned people, causing him to fall down from the balcony.

    “Yes!”

    “Don’t stay in one place, stay close to me!” Standing still was not a smart thing to do.

    Khanin hesitated for a moment before following Charan. The young royals were separated, and the Shinkansen was the closest way out to the palace.

    Khanin analyzed the situation intently in his mind, realizing that something unexpected might happen today. However, what he did not foresee was the extent of the chaos that seemed beyond control.

    He had thought that Uncle Waseen would not dare to do anything that would jeopardize the trust of other countries, but he had to think again. Who would have thought that the people in the shadows would dare to cause such chaos in the city? It showed that its purpose was not just limited to the competition, but something much more…

    “After the end of the competition, during this time, the Sovereign King would be busy with changing positions. I’ll try to look for relevant documents.

    I think whoever sent the news about this must want me to do something.”

    “…”

    “For example, find evidence instead.”

    Are you trying to find evidence like that?

    “Phii Ran, documents!” Khanin burst out as soon as they crossed into the palace area. The group of criminals had been shot down and therefore, this area was considered temporarily safe.

    “Too risky.” Charan thought the same, but he didn’t want to take Khanin into danger. There were only two main options for now.

    One was to take Khanin into hiding from the palace, which Charan was certain Tarin and other members of the royal family not involved would have to do for safety. Option two was to go to the Sovereign King’s workspace.

    Dhipabawon was likely to be there.

    Sometimes it might include the ones who caused all of this.

    If they took Khanin into hiding, they might have to take risks to catch the criminals and find out the truth. But if they chose to face Charan, they had to take him with them. The leader of the Phitakthewa family had already made up his mind. No matter what, he wouldn’t leave his loved one behind.

    “Khun Charan, take the Young Prince to hide in the palace first. The left wing exit is still not safe.” One of the guards of Asawatewathins ran breathlessly following their report. The situation forced them to have no other options.

    Charan had to take Khanin back into hiding in the palace. They ran along the path. This area may still seem quiet because the group of criminals was blocked outside.

    “We will hide at…” Khanin’s question was incomplete when they stumbled upon another group of people rushing from the opposite direction. Ramil was present, exhausted and emotionally unstable. They kept their distance, cautiously looking around with their eyes.

    “Is there something wrong?” Ramil asked, his tall figure scanning around. On the other side was a set of white armored suits. Their faces twitched nervously, their complexion looked shriveled and tight. The reason was that Ramil himself had just escaped from the bullet that grazed him.

    “Almost died… but survived.” Khanin replied with a joking tone, his hands raised and sweating, but the listeners didn’t think like him. Suddenly, Ramil yelled with anger.

    “To sum it up, it’s Uncle Waseen or Uncle Chana… It’s Uncle Chana, right? I didn’t see Uncle Chana around when it happened… Damn, I didn’t think so.” Ramil’s confusion caused the listeners to pause for a moment. Clearly, he didn’t understand what was going on because the other side believed only in what they saw.

    But it wasn’t because Uncle Chana was the real culprit.

    That’s because…

    “The culprit is not Uncle Chana… Uncle Chana disappeared because he left to prepare his manpower to come help here…” What was said caused the newcomers to pause even more. It’s not surprising that Ramil doesn’t understand what’s going on because the other side only believed what they saw.

     

     

    It’s not because Evaa couldn’t fight… But Evaa lost because she was defeated by her own people, Ramil.” Khanin revealed, not expecting Ramil to understand immediately. Because the other side didn’t see the competition, they just wanted Ramil to calm down and listen.

    “What does that mean?”

    “During the competition with Evaa, I and the guys on the team noticed that Meenakarin’s guys intentionally lost one after another. When the race was over, I went to see Evaa.”

    “…”

    “Evaa was surprised too when things turned out like this, so I told her everything we talked about the day before. Chana happened to come and listen in, so he went out to prepare reinforcements. At first, I thought they wouldn’t do anything too extreme and would handle it after the competition, but I was wrong… I didn’t expect them to take action immediately like this.” Khanin answered all of Ramil’s questions until he had none left. The white man looked unhappy and misunderstood, as if he was lagging one step behind the others.

    “Because they thought I would lose… That’s why they did this. If the Sovereign King was still going to be an Atsawathewathin, the mastermind probably wouldn’t agree.” Ramil replied in a soft voice, his demeanor visibly deflating, reluctantly accepting the reality. Although it was always a tie, Khanin was still losing in terms of using its own budget compared to Ramil.

    There’s no way Puchongpisut’s side can win…

    “Because the mastermind didn’t want Atsawathewathin in power again, so he destroyed everything… Did you mean it like this?” Khanin was taken aback by the words of his younger siblings, the white man looking lost in thought and conjuring up something else in his mind.

    “Yes… because if it were me, I would also destroy everything and kill the people I hate.”

    Ramil was right, the villain didn’t intentionally harm only Khanin like before, but this time he intended to completely destroy everything, causing everything he had built to collapse like a house of cards.

    With two tiered eyes scanning the tense atmosphere that enveloped the people, a majority of which were important figures in the country, most of the crowd remained panicked and swarmed around the area outside the palace.

    Some were ordinary people, but still had remaining power in the country. They saw the various guardians, all of them including the leaders themselves, struggling to escape the chase so they were preparing themselves with a lot of help, everyone was still in a state of confusion critical to devising a worthwhile explanation.

    However, it seemed difficult to escape from the enclosed area in this situation. Khanin knew that Uncle Waseen was preparing, but he had no support left due to his slow pace, and he was waiting around without having any power to bring to the table.

    Khanin blamed himself for underestimating his royal uncle and making everyone fall into this situation. He didn’t expect the leader of the Meenakarin family to be so brave.

    However, one point that Khanin may have forgotten was that the definition of a stalled dog can explain the situation best. He hoped that the troops of Uncle Chana could handle this chaos. Because he himself had another important issue to deal with.

    “Everyone is safe.” The voice of the third person called both Khanin and Ramil’s attention. Evaa joined in with Prince Kalavin, Jirat, Itti, and lastly Miss Mira, who had the Thawetmetha’s guards to watch over them.

    “They’ve closed all the exits, now what are we going to do?” The foreign prince reported on what had happened. Kalavin was caught, but that was expected by the other side, leading them to prepare enough people to protect themselves, everyone was in a state of confusion, more than able to explain something.

    I contacted my father just ten minutes ago… My father told me that he is bringing some people with him and asked us to move away to a safe place and wait for him.” The daughter from Thawetmetha suggested something that everyone around here must do. However, it was necessary to find a way to hide and escape with no help.

    When some people on their side are still confused about the situation and the enemy knows how to chase, knows the vulnerabilities and intentionally creates a situation for real destruction, fighting face to face is not a smart option.

    “Agreed, sitting here together is like being a sitting target, we have to find a way to survive by ourselves.” Looks like Ramil has figured out the direction to exit, the team grabbed the chance, the arm of a close friend, before sending a signal to his guard group to head to the second floor of the palace to find a safe spot.

    “Prince Kalavin, please take some of your people with me.” Amid a sad face. Evaa turned to talk to her friends. When it was time to separate, having a lot of guardians like Kalavin is true, but it’s not enough to take care of everyone comprehensively.

    “…”

    “You better go with me, Mira.”

    “But…” The hesitant young bartender reluctantly swallowed her denial as the imposing woman’s stare and tone weighed heavily on her.”

    “Trust me, please. You’ve gone with too many people who are too dangerous… Come with me, Thawetmetha will protect you.”

    Charan hesitated for a moment before deciding to move under the care of Evaa, causing Itti to quickly interject with a worried look and expression.

    “Don’t worry, I’ll go with Prince Kalavin and Jae.” The owner of the famous bar understood the situation well and agreed that staying with Khanin now posed a risk, so they had to temporarily separate for safety reasons.

     

     

    Take care.” Khanin turned and bid farewell to Kalavin, before they all dispersed in different directions, with the internal exit of Daveen Palace now inaccessible.

    Charan and Khanin therefore saw eye to eye that the only place they should go now… was Dhipabawon’s office.

    The north side of the Royal Palace was in a small uproar, the highest official of Emmaly was extremely tense, but tried to keep his composure as he did every time there was a crisis to solve.

    Dhipabawon was using his brain to assess the situation, the old man scolded and cursed himself a thousand times in his mind, knowing that he was about to make a huge mistake.

    Holding power for so long had made him complacent and underestimated other families, some of whom thought they knew too much unnecessarily. The mistakes made from impulsive behavior because of being above anyone for too long were leading the crisis to the Ashwatthama Rintorn family.

    Dhipabawon still didn’t know who the figure lurking in the shadows was this time, but he was quite sure of his intention not just to sabotage the ceremony. This action was of great danger, madness, and fear beyond what the highest official of Emmaly could think and predict.

    “This way, Your Majesty.” Virun’s voice rushed more than usual. Tarin had left, he had ordered the guards to take him out of here, but Dhipabawon had more urgent matters to attend to.

    There were documents about transactions, and many other documents that should not be left behind when intruders like this occurred. It was too risky.

    “Wait, I have to go back to the office.” The announcement from the highest authority in the country created suspicion among the man, but the guards behind them went straight to the safe behind the corner bookcase and carefully moved some of the necessary documents to the lockable bag.

    “Wait outside the room.”

    Your Majesty.”

    The highest official didn’t explain anything to those around him, the old man walked into the office while ordering Virun to keep watch, and those who had been following went straight to the safe hidden behind the bookcase in the corner of the room. They carefully moved some of the necessary documents into a lockable bag.

    “Why haven’t you left yet, Grandpa?” Someone’s voice from behind made Dhipabawon pause for a moment, the old man stood still for almost a minute, pondering before turning to face his own blood relative.

    “Khanin…”

    “What are you doing?”

    “Why did you, my grandson, come here… Charan?” At first, Dhipabawon wasn’t sure how Khanin had entered, but seeing Charan following, he could understand. The other side probably had a way of speaking that made Virun comply.

    He knew… Charan was the type of person who was good at manipulating people’s emotions, and it was important because he had taught it to his own hands.

    “So what are you doing now?” The white bodied house owner gave Dhipabawon no choice, but because of the clear field advantage, the old man was able to combine posture and movement well.

    “There are some necessary documents that I have to deal with. Are you and Charan safe?” The tone used still feels familiar.

    Charan was silent, realizing one truth, perhaps because he had been raised by Dhipabawon since he was young, he never paid attention to the danger of people, and he was caught off guard by this person.

    Never felt suspicious or doubtful, even now. Charan may think that Dhipabawon is still the same person. Without linking all the evidence together, there is no way to trust him.

    Is it important to be too close to the point that you cannot escape? Or is it related to documents about trading with other clans?” Khanin is not ready even a little now, the younger person jumped straight to the point, and it made Charan able to observe abnormalities on the face of a person who kept their emotions well.

    “These documents… are these documents about you sending products to the warehouse in the garbage removal factory?” Khanin walked more skillfully and calmly than Charan imagined. In the eyes of the Phitakthewa family leader, confronting Dhipabawon in a tense situation should make it clear that what the other party is trying to hide is no longer just a secret.

    “Where did you learn about this?” The Sovereign King’s powerful voice was austere, the person who was skilled at keeping a poker face all the time emerged, and he planned many plans in his head to control and maintain the sand dunes that he herself had created, but it seemed difficult to solve.

    “It doesn’t matter where I learned it from. What’s important is what the truth is.” Although worried about the outside situation, now Khanin wants to access the final information that is in the hands of the Sovereign King.

    It is necessary to understand why his grandfather had to turn behind everyone, why he had to press Meenakarin until Meenakarin went crazy, and turned into this situation.

    Only because he wanted to keep everything good.

    Or is it because he was too greedy all along…

    “The truth is that I want to keep Atsawathewathin safe.” Dhipabawon took a deep breath, “Everything that grandfather did was for the sake of our

    Atsawathewathin.”

    “Everything for us? Does that mean you had to push others down, stab others in the back like this?” It is because Khanin has seen everything that he can say such things, he just understood the kindness that the other party gave, that trying to keep ‘Atsawathewathin’ safe.

     

     

    Everything for Atsawathewathin…

    It has nothing to do with him being a grandson…, he himself is probably just a tool for Dhipabawon to keep Atsawathewathin in power.

    “It’s something that you, grandfather, had to do. Grandfather, you didn’t want to let my father come to find me. That was probably something that must be done, right?” Khanin took the opportunity to ask what was on his mind all along, he turned to Charan who was standing beside him, the eyes of the tall man were shaking.

    It became quiet immediately. Even the sound of exhalation from the Sovereign King was so light that he almost couldn’t hear it. The two pairs’ eyes dodged when facing the elder.

    The issue of power struggle, the matter of various forms of coercion, they knew it was wrong, of course the disappointment and sadness it caused would only be heightened for the recent topic that Khanin raised.

    He admitted that he did not want the truth of the matter to come out, and deep down, there was still a small piece of him that wanted to trust the person who once told him that they were like family and could rely on each other.

    So please… 

    Please deny it.

    “There may be people who want to divide our Atsawathewathin, I will explain when we leave here.” Besides denying it, the fact that his Grandfather, who is of high rank in the country and in Khanin’s family, chose to avoid eye contact, made it clear that his words were not successful.

    Khanin took a deep breath, looking at the person who is like family and a high ranking official in the country with a feeling of overwhelming difficulty to manage.

    “You don’t need to explain later… because I’m tired of pretending to be concerned.”

    “…”

    “It’s not like you, grandfather planned everything, hiding Dad from the beginning, forcing you to lie that you haven’t found me to Dad, just so I can survive and compete for Tarin to keep Atsawathewathin’s Sovereign King position. Is that true?”

    “…”

    “It’s not like that, right?” Khanin asked softly. Although he knew he should end the conversation as soon as possible, he still hesitated to ask for compensation for everything he did not know clearly.

    At first, Khanin thought it might be just a bad plan of the person who intended to harm Dhipabawon, but today everything seems to be…

    Since the day he met his father at the factory, Khanin knew that Tanattai’s strange behavior was because he had become the person who controlled the warehouse for the Sovereign King, kept quiet because he was afraid of being harmed…

    It’s all to make him believe that he has no one left to depend on so the person he should rely on is therefore the Sovereign-King

    It’s just because they wanted to control… they wanted to make him the bird in the cage… that’s why they had to do it like this, right?

    The image that looks straight is blurred because the tear curtain that overflowed bombarded. Khanin stumbled forward. Because he didn’t know how to vent this frustration, the more the other side said nothing, the clearer was the answer for the entire story.

    Khanin wanted to scream and ask the other side if it was fun to betray like this, but he hadn’t had time to say anything, the door to the room that used to be intimate opened wide, revealing a new person who had a warm smile on his face.

    It seems like the other party has heard everything, his clenched fist came closer, knocking on the head pretending to be laughing in a cobra position, making the Sovereign King bite his teeth calling the other party’s name in pain.

    “I really was not wrong to fuck everything up, if it was to have a chance to see an impressive image like this.” Heavy footsteps approached. When he got there, the person in official attire with the Meenakarin city emblem on his chest smiled warmly, swept his eyes to greet everyone in this place, making the Sovereign King bite his tongue calling the other party’s name in pain.

    “Waseen.” Dhipabawon said the familiar name, the old man’s face that used to be calm and collected, this time showed signs of trembling, making the Meenakarin family leader very pleased.

    “Are you surprised, Your Majesty Uncle, how this nephew of yours came in?”

    “…”

    “Maybe the dog that stayed in front of the room has died? no one knows yet, it’s probably Your Majesty’s habit, right? Leaving everything and protecting your own things has made you tired of it, right, Your Majesty?”

    “You…”

    “Why didn’t you answer little Khanin, Your Majesty? Saying that you can abandon anyone for yourself, everything that Khanin thinks is true…”

    “…”

    “Even the death of Charan’s mother… You… the so-called Sovereign King ordered her to be killed by your own court order.”

    The Royal Palace below was bustling with people, but the large building was quiet, perhaps because the forces of those who did not wish well were spreading their power everywhere, the atmosphere inside was tense, looking out in any direction there were only unfamiliar men in black suits standing guard at the door, the unscratched small wonders guarding the door like normal.

    Therefore, some who were walking quietly down the hallway had to be more careful than ever before, a man in battle armor aimed at the man in the black suit closest to him.

    That side was turning to look outside the window, unaware as Tanattai hurriedly stepped behind the man, then attacked, aimed at the deadly point, his thick hand suffocated the man’s neck across from him before ordering the man following him to take care of it.

    All of this… was the command and assistance from PrinceTarin, a high ranking official who ordered the search for Young Prince and Charan to be the fastest. Tanattai volunteered to do the job himself.

    The long, thin legs strode forward towards the long hallway with a silent elegance. His eagle eyes swept along the surrounding area, and he and the forces PrinceTarin had provided were able to deal with more than half of the bad guys, but it seemed that the other side had so many people that they couldn’t choose to face them head on.

    The situation was still worrying, as long as it was still unknown who the bad guys were, and Young Prince Khanin and Charan were not found, the area in the palace was not safe enough to do anything rash.

    However, Tanattai had noticed something abnormal about Prince Waseen’s behavior, so he decided to secretly follow and observe those who had strange behavior. Hoping to learn something important.

    It happened when everyone was running around in chaos. In a crisis situation where everyone is running for their lives, humans tend to run away to survive. However, Prince Waseen’s reaction was calm.

    He did not show any fear about the situation, still walking towards the armed group in the area far from the sight of others with a calm face, and it seemed that the person Waseen went to find was the leader of all the chaos.

    That’s clear enough then…

    The situation was crystal clear. Tanattai quickly withdrew from the area and reported what he had seen to Prince Tarin. Linked what he saw with the information he had in hand. Along with the things Charan had previously recounted.

    The man with a limp, that guy who went to hurt Khanin. When they put all the pieces together, the atmosphere inside the palace was both pleading and warning that they should not hesitate any longer.

    When they received permission, Tanattai asked for troops from Prince Tarin’s guard unit, and he planned to clear the area comprehensively. Fortunately, the guard unit of the lord was flexible and they were able to take care of everything smoothly in a short time.

    Tanattai was able to help almost all of the prisoners, but he could not predict where Khanin and Charan were in the palace at this time, he only knew that the search had to continue.

    From experience, the first area Tanattai chose to go to was the central part of the palace… the office of the Sovereign King. He deduced from the whole story, and luckily, he calculated accurately…

    At the upper level hallway, where Sovereign King and Prince Waseen’s offices were located, Tanattai followed and witnessed the other side giving orders for their men to handle the close associates and soldiers of Sovereign King, who simply stood there defenseless.

    Many people, including Virun, were dragged out from the door of the Sovereign King’ office, leaving only the trembling man and Prince Waseen about to enter the room. It appeared that the other side had prepared well enough to overwhelm them.

    Tanattai patiently waited until he was sure that both sides did not notice his presence, then he seized the opportunity to order his men to contact Prince Tarin to identify the enemy, before sneaking into the room quietly.

    Inside the large room, it was divided into two zones. Tanattai knew exactly where to hide himself and kept vigilant to observe any person in the room, ready to prepare for possible actions. However, the familiar sound from the interior of the adjacent meeting room caused him to feel uneasy.

    “And about what you, grandfather told me, that we still can’t find my father, but in reality you, grandfather deliberately hid him and wouldn’t let him meet me, is that something necessary to do?”

    “Someone wants to divide our Atsawathewathin, I will explain it to you when we leave this place.”

    “It’s alright to explain it here too… because I’m already tired of this fake concern.”

    “…”

    “It’s not like you, grandfather planned everything, hiding Dad from the beginning, forcing you to lie that you haven’t found me to Dad, just so I can survive and compete for Tarin to keep Atsawathewathin’s Sovereign King position. Is that true?”

    “…”

    “It’s not like that, right?”

    What he heard shook Tanattai’s heart to an unbearable extent. He tightly held his gun in his hand until it trembled.

    Before he could receive an answer from the superior person whom Tanattai admired all his life, someone intervened and interrupted the conversation with a clapping sound.

    Followed by Prince Waseen’s speech, which gradually grew into something incomprehensible at the beginning. It took a while for him to regain his composure, and then he had to acknowledge the next sentence that was even more piercing than before.

    “Why didn’t you answer your grandson Khanin, Your Majesty? You abandoned everyone who trusted you, everything that Khanin thought was true…”

    “Even the death of Charan’s mother… You… the so-called Sovereign King ordered her to be killed by your own court order.”

    “…”

    “You commanded Tanattai to take Khanin away, then ordered

    Phitakthewa’s men to kill the driver and the lady who is his companion. You ordered to kill the father and child who were residents in that area, ordered to burn until not even the face left of the person he loved to remember…”

    “…”

    “You ordered to set the scene, it was such a good plan, but why didn’t you dare to accept your own masterpiece, Your Majesty?”

    Tanattai was stunned, every memory flowed back to the starting point, the picture that took the little child to flee from bullets with a woman. The innocent woman who was as pure as he was, one person was the driver he was familiar with, and the other person was the noble tall lady, the leader of the Phitakthewa family… Chita.

    Charan’s own mother…

    On that day, he received a message to escape in the middle of the journey, and Phitakthewa’s men received an order to bring him and the Young Prince to escape. Tanattai was given a ticket to immediately travel to England. Although he didn’t want to leave the two friends who shared both happiness and sorrows, he had to accept it in the end.

    Because he trusted part of Phitakthewa’s people who said they would go to support Lady Chita and the two drivers, but in the end no one helped anyone.

    In the past, Tanattai was suspicious of the ending of Miss Chita’s life, how much dignity she had left, as he had to bring the Young Prince to escape without dignity. Although both had to sacrifice their lives, it was to protect the heir of the royal family who had the right to contend for the throne. Their actions were more dignified than those who acted like mice, hiding and sneaking.

    But what he heard was not like that…

    If what Prince Waseen said was true, about what was done to him from being told to separate from Khanin, about being ordered to wait without purpose, about the lie that his son was in danger, as well as the driver and Chita, Charan’s mother who someone ordered to die… even though she was one of the few who had a chance to survive like him.

    If he wasn’t too foolish like he was all along… he would understand that everyone was used as tools all the same.

    The Sovereign King used the goodwill he offered, then turned around and attacked him cold bloodedly.

    Is it really like that…?

    “Waseen! Close your mouth!” The heavy and threatening voice echoed through the room, destroying the sudden happiness, as fast as thought. The gun barrel from the man following the leader of the Meenakarin family was pointed almost immediately at Dhipabawon.

    “That day was it raining, Charan, but even though it rained… even though the car was still burning, why did the people in the car burn so completely, and why did your mother crash into a tree even though she could only have flown to the front mirror, why did Tanattai and Khanin survive, even though the news said both were burned to ashes… this was the question you had been searching for an answer to all along, wasn’t it, Charan?”

    Waseen was no longer interested in that scolding from the Sovereign King, but the Meenakarin family leader remained nonchalant despite the tense atmosphere.

    The narrow eyes of the Phitakthewa family leader were dry. Charan couldn’t think, he felt like a stupid dog that would soon be eliminated.

    The reason Charan could not trust his own family members, the reason he could not accept the leadership position with justice, was because he felt that his mother’s death had only strange traces.

    The corner of the mouth of the Phitakthewa family leader was tight. Charan couldn’t hear Dhipabawon’s words anymore, he tried to gather his consciousness, heard the sound of gritted teeth, raised his gun at the conversing couple fearlessly, his handsome face tense but not frightened, unlike Waseen who twitched a corner of his mouth and smiled with satisfaction.

    He made a mistake… because he believed the words of the Sovereign King, believed the promises of the person who reached out to help each other during difficult times. In times when there was no one left, these people would lend a hand, support and raise the heroic mother of his…

    He stopped digging into the truth behind his mother’s death because he believed only the lies and deceits. Only big scenes and lenses that he had seen, his sharp eyes were shaking, just thinking about what would happen next, his body was shaking all over.

    “Charan… I…”

    “Prince Waseen, order your man to lower the gun, otherwise, I will shoot you.” Charan didn’t listen to Dhipabawon’s words anymore, he tried to collect himself, the sound of the wind brushing against the grass, raised the gun and pointed it at the couple who were talking fearlessly, his handsome face tense but not frightened, unlike Waseen who simply smirked.

    “Are you going to shoot me… why, just because I spoke the truth about your mother? Or maybe because the person who took care of you so well… was the one who killed your mother?”

    “Stop…” Charan sensed that Khanin was nearby, but his voice was not as steady as before. His previously strong heart was now unsteady, something was squeezing him, and the hand that held the gun was shaking uncontrollably like never before.

    No one in this generation knew what Waseen meant, only Dhipabawon became increasingly shocked when he heard the explanation that came from the mouth of someone he thought he was superior to.

    “…”

    “Dhipabawon killed your mother simply because he didn’t want anyone to know about Khanin’s existence. Uncle wanted someone as virtuous as your mother to die so that Khanin’s disappearance would become the ultimate reality… It’s just unbearable, isn’t it?”

    The Meenakarin Prince smiled slyly, the information that he had been quietly collecting for several months was now being announced, Nont saw the terrifying disappearance ahead, and now the young prince of Atsawathewathin realized that he had been wrong about his opponent for centuries.

    “…”

    “Finally…  he had to fake caring for the child whose mother he killed…”

    “…”

    “Because Khanin survived, your mother had to die… this is the truth.”

    Yes… Waseen didn’t want to be the Sovereign King, but the passion and pain of everyone involved, on the other hand, is what he really wants…

    .

    THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

  • THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 41: Plan/Strategy

    THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 41: Plan/Strategy

       THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 41: Plan/Strategy.

     The sky above the Royal Palace was covered in scattered clouds during the morning, while the outside air was hot and humid, unlike the secretive meeting room with its chilly air conditioning, having two machines. 

    Everyone in the room had a tense expression, except for Khanin, who was sitting as the chairman, with a calm and serene face. The reason for everyone’s abrupt gathering today was to strategize for an upcoming event that required their help in analysis. 

    Prince Kalavin finally spoke up after silently listening to everything that

    Ramil had to say, “If what Young Lord Ramil said is true, then is Puchongpisut just being the scapegoat for someone else, and this competition isn’t just about a regular position for the Sovereign Kingship, but rather it’s now a war within the city.”

    Mr-Ramil’s father did not have big plans, but they were interfered with, causing tension in the room. This happened when they realized that everything that was about to happen was bigger than they could handle. A man from a foreign country told a story that explained everything in an easyto-understand way, from beginning to end.

    Every member in the room was made fully aware of their current status thanks to Khanin’s analysis. At this point, they were not only just fencers competing for the Sovereign King position for Atsawathewathin, but also a team of defenders protecting against any unforeseen intruders.

    Khanin couldn’t predict how everyone would react to the situation, but they all knew that the incident at the recent banquet under the watchful eye of Puchongpisut was just as concerning as a black hole at the center of the city.

    It was widely known that Khanin hoped that everyone would understand that this wasn’t just a simple competition, as it could very well escalate into a full blown rebellion.

    However, Khanin didn’t want to waste any time and immediately asked, “Can your country provide any assistance if what you said turns out to be true?” The answer was exactly as he had expected.

    Kalavin replied with a somber expression, “I’m afraid I can’t help, it’s far too complicated. If anything goes wrong, it’ll affect my position in the country. But also, it would seem like I’m interfering within another country’s internal issues.”

    “…”

    “If we send someone to help with the preparations, it won’t benefit me regardless of who wins or loses. Plus, it’ll be bad if anything goes wrong if one country knows about another country’s internal affairs. Oh, and as for Phitakthewa’s people, why don’t they lend a hand? They’re an ancient and renowned family, but their leader isn’t very skilled. They probably just talk without any substance.” Ramil questioned Khanin while glaring at the man sitting next to him.

    The vulgar language of the Young Prince of the Puchongpisut family caused the tense atmosphere to shift to a moment of laughter, with even the leader of Phitakthewa’s family having to step in to ease the situation. Meanwhile, Khanin briefly smiled before returning to his serious expression.

    The way Ramil spoke confirmed that the other party didn’t have a deep understanding of his own team, someone who didn’t care about investigating other people’s stories, saw themselves as the center and dared to accuse their opponent’s father directly of their wrongdoing. Is this person overconfident or falsely trustworthy?

    At least there is no trickery, unlike some who appear calm but may secretly gather information on everyone for a future purpose.

    There are only two possible cities… Meenakarin and Thawetmetha.

    Thawetmetha’s motivation may sometimes come from when the father watched his only daughter not being able to lose and give up. Because Evaa seems to be trying very hard to prove herself as a representative of women, who can achieve anything just like men.

    Khanin does not know Chana. Every time they meet, there seem to be no issues, but he cannot trust him now.

    As for Meenakarin… if it is really Uncle Waseem, what is the motivation behind this?

    “I don’t want anyone from Phitakthewa involved in this, it wouldn’t help.” The older guy was deep in thought alone. The voice of Charan grew louder, causing his nerves to shake. Khanin furrowed his brow as he looked at how his cousin was shepherding the conversation.

    “Why is Phitakthewa so useless? Saying that the nation is like the sun of Phitakthewa is just a lie.” Ramil hugged his chest and smiled awkwardly, the atmosphere in the room becoming tense, but no one dared to say anything.

    Khanin approached the people around, looking at their faces that still showed fear of him.

    He began to recall the words he had heard from Chakri. At first, he didn’t believe it, but the butler had previously stated that he was the “sun” of the other party. Khanin thought that it was just a beautiful word that the other party used to impress him as a boss. However, when the memory overlapped with the encounter with Waseem, he became even more confident. 

    At this point, this sentence probably has a significant meaning for the people of Emmaly.

    Khanin is now more confident. 

    “If Charan is on the team, it will be comforting. He is smart like his mother. He will definitely help the nephew.”

    “…”

    “Atsawathewathin is also like a sun to Meena Nakharin. Therefore, if there is anything for me to help, I will surely tell even if it is the wrong ruler.”

    This is not just an admonition, but it implies that the speaker must be like a sunflower that only looks at himself as the sun and must love and care for the person who lifted him to be the boss.

    As a boss, Khanin became Chakri’s sun. It taught him that he needed to take care of his own sunflowers and honorably look after those who sought refuge with him.

    But what about Meenakarin? What practices did he have as Atsawathewathin’s sun?

    “It’s impossible… Phitakthewa is still a country noble like before, Your

    Highness. However, this matter is complex, and Phitakthewa is one of

    Emmaly’s training units. Therefore, they will all rise up to protect the Sovereign King, even if the person holding the position is not the right one.” Charan was silent for a moment before revealing what was on his mind.

    Simply put, Phitakthewa cannot be involved in internal matters. It is because no one knows who the next Sovereign King will be or how they will come to power, and regardless of the result, Phitakthewa must protect their boss.

    What is there to wonder? Phii Ran would prefer not to get involved with his own family if it’s not necessary.

    “So it seems like you don’t intend to take sides and only choose to win, right?”

    “Young Prince misunderstood, I did not choose a winning side. Although in my position I am the keeper of the leadership of Phitakthewa, I have no claim to any other family…” The corners of his mouth formed an unspoken grimace as he explained.

    Charan’s sharp eyes found Khanin and stopped looking, as if to convey the truth he had in mind to give to only one person.

    “…”

    “Because the sun of Charan… is only Young Prince Khanin, Your Highness.”

    Khanin’s eyes widened like quail eggs, the beating lump in his chest now evident. He knew it wasn’t supposed to be a sweet love talk, but his fair face immediately flushed upon hearing it from the person he liked.

    The non hurting side of the hand extended to hold hands beneath the table tightly, to show how much he was touched right now. Khanin smiled until his eyes narrowed. Although not responsive, because it is his job and the topic of conversation is serious.

    However, Khanin wanted Charan to know the surge of emotion in his heart, the atmosphere seemed to be sweet for a moment, but seconds later it dissipated.

    “Where is the tray, butler, bring it here.” In this place, the only person who seemed to have the most trouble was Ramil, the younger cousin, with an indignant face before turning left and right to call for Chakri.

    “Why do you need it, Your Highness?” Chakri asked like that, but still took the small leaf garbage bin he had found.

    “Hey! It’s going to overflow!”, Ramil took it quickly and looked annoyed, spoke loudly, gestured like the old expression really looked like he was winging it, looking back at Khanin.

    Now it’s serious and almost dying, yet they are still playing around.

    “Your Highness thinks that Young Prince probably knows about this best, no matter who it belongs to, Phitakthewa or anyone else, it cannot be used. Otherwise, today the Young Prince will probably bring Petai to participate too.” It seems that Charan’s words have commanded everyone’s attention. Ramil kept quiet immediately, his tall figure bowed first and then turned to the other side, apparently admitting defeat in this discussion, and the topic returned to the main issue again.

    “We don’t know who the culprit is, we only know that they infiltrated the event, anyway, there is a chance that they are someone inside.” The atmosphere in the room became tense again, but Khanin didn’t intend to release the strong grip of his thick hand even for a moment.

    Charan was no different, the older person used his index finger to feel his other hand under the table. Some moments, if the opportunity arises, he will send a gentle smile to subtly tell that they will stay close.

    “And Nong Nin, what is the motivation that makes the culprit harm you like that?” Itti asked instead of everyone in the room. That question made Khanin have to breathe out with exhaustion.

    “As we discussed, there are two families that are suspected… but as far as I can think, there is only the motive of Thawetmetha city alone.”

    “…”

    “I think it’s possible that Lord Chana wants to let Evaa win this competition.

    Because there was an issue before where Evaa was a woman and initially

    would not have the right to compete. Perhaps Your Highness wants Evaa to prove herself.”

    “But if Evaa wins. It means that Uncle Chana must ascend to Sovereign King. People like Uncle Chana want to be the Sovereign King.” Ramil really disagreed.

    “…”

    “It’s too complicated for the liking of a royal uncle who enjoys taking photos with film, spending days in the darkroom, and sometimes he disappears, traveling abroad for months, leaving his wife and children almost forgotten. royal uncle aka Chana, likes technology, is progressive, and doesn’t like to be confined. People who love freedom like this will take themselves to a prison called the royal palace, why?”

    Ramil is better at analysis because he knows these people better than Khanin. He briefly shares what information he knows, to lighten the burden of others’ analysis.

    “People can always change, and sometimes power can be sweet. Or is it possible that one likes technology so much that they use up their own funds, and might resist quietly when their golden money is taken away if they acquire a country, and might even have a larger budget than this?” Khanin ponders.

    The white person intentionally puts bias in their speech, to make others analyze it more naturally.

    “It’s impossible, Young Prince Khanin…” That’s right, the real knowledgeable person has arrived. Prince Kalavin Li explains, and as the chairman, Khanin gestures for the other party to speak what they know.

    “…”

    “I can speak because my country is one of those who hired Thawetmetha to take care of technology for data collection for our country, and my own company is a middleman that distributes airplanes which Thawetmetha created.”

    “…”

    “So the budget constraint issue could be easily resolved. Even though Thawetmetha’s wealth may not be as much as Atsawathewathin’s at this point, they have received research funding from many countries, they hardly have to use their own funds for research purposes, which leads to Thawetmetha having a reputation as a city that emphasizes research more than government work.” PrinceKalavin Li’s words carried a lot of weight.

    Khanin reluctantly looked at Ramil, as many heads nodded in agreement…

    It’s true. As Charan said, the Young Royal is grateful to the older man.

    If Charan didn’t give the idea for everyone to gather today, they all would have been thinking in different directions from small amounts of information by themselves.

    “You don’t know, and that’s not surprising. Because you just arrived here a few months ago, everything is true as PrinceKalavin said. I thought it couldn’t be, but the royal uncle disappeared, and another thing… I’ve told you before, my royal uncle doesn’t get along with my dad, there’s no way he can come and brainstorm ideas with my dad.” Ramil finished with a muffled voice.

    The young royal from the snake dynasty has a dangerous glint in his eyes, the thick hands clenching so hard that the nails threaten to cut into the flesh, after raising a fragile topic.

    Yes… we should not forget some people who can manipulate the Prince’s mind…

    “To be honest, your father didn’t like me at first.” Then Ramil brought up another topic that had led Khanin to think further.

    He remembered one day when he had a conversation with Rachata, it was a day he coincidentally met on the way to practice the dance, but the person who was older than him spoke negatively and unfriendly, thinking that he was worthless.

    “Yes, my father doesn’t like you. Because he thinks that your family played trickery before, my father thought your family was conspiring together, hiding you, letting you practice in advance to be better than others, and then accelerating to compete for the Sovereign King position, preventing others from getting ready.” What Ramil said wasn’t entirely wrong.

    If asked how long Khanin had prepared himself before anyone else had, he would probably say that he had spent almost his entire life in training.

    The question that he had always wondered about why he had to train more than others in terms of sword fighting, language, music, and economics.

    And all the questions were answered as his feet stepped on the land of the country of Emmaly.

    “Just like that… If your father is confident that his child is talented, why would he be afraid of me?” Khanin threw away those thoughts and immediately changed the subject, his cute face calm. His dark brown eyes turned to look at the children, both older and younger ones.

    “I don’t know about that. Because at first, I wasn’t afraid of you. I didn’t feel like there was anything to fear, but my father…” Ramil furrowed his small eyebrows, as if pondering something in his heart.

    Ramil’s hesitation in his response made Khanin think of something.

    “Normally, it’s possible that we may not like some people from the first time we meet them, with various reasons for the ‘dislike’. Either you don’t like them because they are a competitor, you don’t like them because they treated you poorly, you don’t like them because they remind you of something bad, you don’t like them because people around you don’t like them. Your dad may not like me for some reason.”

    “…”

    “Khun Jae, normally when actors perform, they need to have something that makes them believe that they are that character. They must have imagination, thoughts, feelings, link to that character, to make it believable that they are that character, right?” When Khanin saw that Ramil didn’t respond, he turned to ask a strange question to the only actor in the team.

    This action made everyone suspicious, not excluding Charan.

    “Environment, Your Highness… the environment helps you to immerse into the character.”

    “And if you don’t have that belief in the character at all, what can help?”

    In the midst of confusion about the young actor’s words, the representative of the Puchongpisut family spoke firmly.

    “Say what you want to say, no need to hesitate.”

    “It seems that your father does not like me because my appearance made him inferior. There must be someone who made him feel like that, not just for a short time, but for a long time.” Khanin summed it up, as in the proverb “The falling piece of wood doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

    “Huh?”

    “Just think, is there any reason that a person who holds himself highly and treats himself that high, would hate me so much that he would resort to hurting me? If the people of your household don’t firmly believe in dignity, then you probably won’t have that either.” Khanin shortened his thoughts.

    But at first, if Rachata was the type of person who liked to secretly undermine others. Ramil himself might have that personality, but the evidence speaks for everything.

    Rachata’s son holds respect and noble status. Rachata himself was probably no different unless there was an environment that made him think that he was inferior, to the point of being afraid of losing prestige and not being able to accept defeat.

    To the point of resorting to dirty tricks and of course, this manipulation should not just be for a short period of time…

    I guess this idea must have deep roots for a long time.

    “Are you going to tell me that someone has been whispering in my father’s ear for a long time, and that person planned to use my father as bait all along?”.

    “You are very smart, Ramil… Yes, what I want to say is, even if you, the one who competes with me, aren’t afraid of me, why should someone with as much power as your father have to be afraid of a little child like me?”.

    “…”

    “Someone like you who has a royal status, Rachata. If we compare me to what Evaa sees in me, then there is no need to lower yourself to do this, right?”.

    “…”

    “Unless someone whispered in his ear from the beginning… and that person must have permission to say what they wanted to say. So it must be someone with a comparable status.”.

    “Uncle Waseen came… it’s impossible, that person… is not smart.” Ramil immediately mentioned a name without having to think, the name of a person that made Khanin burst out laughing.

    From the information leaked by the heir of Puchongpisut, Khanin began to feel confident that he and Ramil were thinking in the same direction.

    The only person allowed to say anything that comes to mind… that would be Uncle Waseen.

    “Who said he’s not smart.” Khanin raised his eyebrows. His two layered gaze turned to Ramil, who seemed confused.

    “Dad always says Uncle Waseen is soft hearted.”

    “Soft hearted? Then tell me, which soft hearted person can tell someone that their child is stupid to their face.” Khanin brought up yesterday’s conversation, the words that Ramil said to him still lingered in his mind.

    “…”

    “Which soft hearted person can read the game that I played with you, and still know that you will lose.”

    “…”

    “You yourself know that a soft hearted person can’t possibly observe the game I was playing and decide who will win or lose.”

    “…”

    “Or, if he is really soft hearted, it means he must have experienced this before, which means he himself must have participated in this type of game, or maybe Uncle Waseen has never been a soft hearted person, but had to show it to everyone because the environment dictated it…” Khanin lowered his gaze, observing the interesting reactions of the older boys. Ramil seemed to have just remembered something, while the other was still bewildered.

    The competition between him and Ramil cannot be decided immediately. Outsiders think he has the right to lose throughout, although the rules emphasize the importance of the budget, the points are only worth thirty percent. 

    So why does Uncle Waseen seem so confident that he will defeat Ramil to such an extent… or maybe Uncle doesn’t have any confidence at all. He just wants Rachata and Ramil to think in a different direction. 

    “The environment is such that it’s possible… because in the past, Meenakarin was not like this. Dad often speaks of Meenakarin as once a prosperous city. It had both bubble tea and bird nests, and it had a coastal area, another important food source.” After a pause, Khanin revealed new information. In his eyes, there was a growing intensity and danger.

    “…”

    “But the Meenakarin declined due to natural disasters, and Royal Uncle

    Waseen’s poor decision making… When it declined, Grandpa lent a hand by restoring Meenakarin through the government, as well as providing financial aid, not long after, Meenakarin decided to build a high speed train…”

    “…”

    “At that time, everyone thought Meenakarin would have to join either Atsawathewathin or Thawetmetha, but ultimately Uncle Waseen teamed up with my dad. Meenakarin had problems with Atsawathewathin because Uncle Waseen pushed for it to be created, my dad said that he did it because he wanted his own trade routes, so that he wouldn’t have to rely on Atsawathewathin for transportation, and he could reduce the cost of transporting seafood throughout the country.”

    “But in the end, did he do it? Because I didn’t hear the teacher talk about this during class.” Khanin tried to recall, but no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t remember if Emmaly, the high speed train, was ever mentioned, which Ramil replied to.

    “Yes, he didn’t. Because Meenakarin didn’t have the money. Before building… the capital required signing an agreement specifying that if he were to build, it had to have five primary cities as both starting and ending points, the country would only allow the construction to be for twenty years, after which it had to become the property of the country… that’s why my dad didn’t want to do it.”

    “…”

    “And at that time, the Sovereign King himself lent the money to

    Meenakarin, not taking interest, but requesting for full repayment within five years…and then where would Meenakarin get the money to repay. If he were to borrow from foreign sources, he would need approval from the central bank first, and where would he get the additional funds to pay for the various lands?…”

    “…”

    “My father prepared money only to build the road connecting my city to the capital and Meenakarin, and it would be impossible to help Meenakarin pay off his debts as a shareholder.”

    “What happened after that?”

    “My father had said that in the end, Uncle Waseen went to plead with Prince Tarin about expanding the debt repayment, requesting to be seen again by the Sovereign King, but negotiations seemed to fall through, and you and my mother…were assassinated before anything could be resolved.”

    “Ah…” Actually, he had already read about this in old news, but when he heard it from Khanin his heart sank.

    People close by can detect emotions, and the grip on Khanin’s arm tightened until he had to turn and whisper softly, “What’s wrong?”

    But instead of calming down, his sharp eyes flipped down to observe himself. Khanin noticed the sadness in the glimmer of those pairs of eyes, and the young man left his gaze fixed on the face of Charan. Until Ramil spoke up again.

    “That’s it. In the end, we didn’t create…we just let the issue go like that, and my father withdrew from the high speed railway project, uninvolved with this issue.”

    “So, did Meenakarin repay the debt to the Sovereign King?” Luckily, he was able to adjust his mood quickly so as to not look too depressed. Khanin pulled his attention away from his sorrow.

    “He paid…I think, I don’t know by what means. Because in the end, Meenakarin was able to get his debt all paid but I still don’t see the state’s finances improving.” Ramil answered the question unconcernedly, but that made Khanin connect a few things in his head.

    “Maybe they had to impose higher local taxes to repay the debt. If so, it would be difficult for the people in the state…right, Mira?” The young royal turned to the one who had been sitting silently the whole time, the only young woman in this place. She looked back and gave a faint smile as the answer.

    “Yes…we have had such a difficult time that we even had to generate our own electricity.”

    The young man still had a good memory of the day he invited Mira to join the team.

    Before talking to her, he had studied the future prospects of the team and found that this young woman was a little more special than others. Because she came from such a poor city that she couldn’t even play fencing, due to expensive equipment beyond the reach of ordinary people.

    People in Meenakarin really had it hard.

    If that’s the case, it’s not surprising…nothing is strange about it, it’s all locked up and terrifying.

    If Meenakarin saw Atsawathewathin as their own personal sun and Atsawathewathin allowed the state under his control to be in difficulty…habits like pressure and dissatisfaction  would be there.

    It’s not surprising that he would rise up to do something big like this.

    “So, it means that motivation comes from hardship, it’s easy to think like that. In the end, Uncle Waseen had experienced a similar incident. Uncle was forced to repay the money to the Sovereign King within five years before he even got to building a railway, the agreement seemed unfair. How much money would it take to build the initial roads for five states, if he were to agree? He wouldn’t and just left.”

    “…”

    “If that’s the case, then it can be understood that the logic royal uncle had in mind was, and the intention was clear from the moment he said he did not want to be pressed by Atsawathewathin… and so he went along with my father.” Khanin felt like he was playing the role of an observant character in a detective series.

    He tried to find inspiration. The more he dug, the more it seemed like he found nothing, but deep down there was still something lingering in his mind. Khanin had a suspicion that this matter might be related to the Sovereign King’s warehouse.

    But he chose to keep this matter quiet for now. Because if he spoke out, it could have negative effects on himself.

    “And if that’s the case, why didn’t he do it from the beginning? Why wait until the competition for Sovereign King… and why do it to my father as well.” Because my father is the best suited to be a shield for that person. He likes to hold himself above others, is confident in himself, and does not think that those beneath him would dare to bite back.

    While he was lost in thought, Ramil’s question brought Khanin back to reality, and the young man took a breath. Because that was the matter he had spent all night analyzing and filtering through in order to make it easier for Ramil to understand everything.

    “Why do it to your father in this way…”

    “…”

    “And he was afraid that if he just let your father go, then your father would come and compete for the thing he wanted, so he had to eliminate my father, using him as a tool alone.”

    “…”

    “As for why he didn’t do it from the beginning, then I ask why did I come to be in The Royal Palace now? It’s because according to the law, no one can enter or leave the palace freely. Except for during the competition for Sovereign King, and the coronation of the new Sovereign King, and even then the funeral ceremony of the previous Sovereign King had to be held back in their hometown.”

    “…”

     

     

    Only this competition allows everyone in the royal family to come and go freely in the palace. Another thing… Everyone participates together from different places. If it were you, you would have to fight four to one. Would you choose to fight them one by one until everyone else joins in and bites you, or would you gather everyone together and win in one fell swoop?”

    “…”

    “So the second option is already chosen: eliminate them all, tie them together, borrow the strength of others in areas where you can, and wait for the opportunity. The game is to eliminate enemies. Now everything is as easy as having someone peeling a banana and putting it in your mouth.”

    “…” Ramil was quiet, the person who used to be so arrogant that he was trembling, showed clear signs that he agreed with Khanin’s thoughts until he couldn’t argue anymore.”

    Inside the meeting room it was quiet again. Khanin’s eyes closed, the more information he analyzed, the clearer it became what game he was playing.

    The young man thought back to the day several months ago when he practiced sword fighting with his father, recalling the words the other party spoke to him as a warning that what Tanattai had taught him was only useful at that time.

    “My father trained him to be a real swordsman, but sword fighting is a Finite game, the game ends within a specified time. Therefore, the thing his son needs to consider is what.”

    “Maintain the rules, defeat the opponent within the designated time.”

    “Correct. So if you want to defeat an opponent who is superior within the designated time, but you still have to maintain the rules… what should you do?”

    “There are two options. The first path is to practice by reading the opponent and finding weaknesses to exploit. As for the second option… It is to make the opponent violate the rules… and then we will win.” However, we cannot behave in such a way in every sport. Cheating during a competition will only make us dishonest.”

    “But outside of the game, it may be possible to do so… right?”

    “It is true that we can act appropriately outside of the game… therefore, the player must keep themselves in check, live mindfully, consider pros and cons, see the true intentions of people, who  does what  for whom, why… because in life, we cannot know for certain who will play outside the rules, a slight lack of attention may harm the player.”

    “…”

    “Do not forget that in every competition, we only want one winner, the player must observe how the game is played, how it unfolds, and do not forget, the truth is that, in this world, humans are inherently diverse and there are many people willing to break the rules to win. Because they believe it is easier than competing fairly.”

    What father taught him allowed him to read the situation in a precise manner. At first, he may not understand the intentions of the person who initiated this evil story, but with enough information, it will allow him to understand it better. 

    Khanin collected all the relevant information he knew today, analyzed it and presented it for others to see instantly. 

    “If Thawetmetha is the one who is behind everything, it means that the side wants to use this opportunity to let Evaa win without any bloodshed. Because the rules state that if an ancestor of any state wins, the father will immediately ascend to the position of Sovereign King.”

    “…”

    “But if not… if Meenakarin is the one behind everything, It means that Waseen planned everything well, rashly playing every possible method outside of the rules. In the rules…”

    “…”

    What do you think would happen if the Sovereign King had to step down from his position, without anyone winning… it means, the position of Sovereign King would be temporarily empty, and if anything happened to Khanin, the ruler of Atsawathewathin and Thawetmetha would surely reject the promotion as Sovereign King, as for those who are eager for this position, like Rachata, they will face charges of assaulting members of the ruling family.

    Finally, if we eliminate the Atsawathewathin, and no one will want the Puchongpisut leader, and the Thawetmetha has no son, who will this position belong to?”

    “…”

    “The position became appropriate for the favorite nephew of the previous King: Waseen, who was just and fair, right?” Khanin looked around everyone with his eyes, and they all agreed with what he said without any objection.

    “…”

    “Even if there is no one running the race, Meenakarin still wants everyone to think that Waseen deserves this position.”

    “…”

    “It is about becoming Sovereign King in a fair way, right?”

    Everything fits perfectly. Both sending people to harm him, pinning the crime on Rachata, making Chana the suspect, was to make the real culprit disappear out of sight of everyone. 

    When the time comes… that person will emerge to claim everything he wants. 

    Without losing anything himself. 

    He will not allow it to turn out that way…

    “Therefore, we will not let him have that moral victory. We will compete cleanly, let him know defeat. It would be even better if the results were clear that day… This is our plan of action.”

     

     

    “…”

    “After this, we will come up with a plan to counterattack and catch the villain.”

    As the comfortable atmosphere in Young Prince’s conference room of Atsawathewathin battled the raindrops falling against the windows.

    The sky turned crimson, resembling a storm brewing. Lightning flashed sporadically, but this time the weather outside did not cause even the slightest tremble to the people working at the table.

    Although the meeting had been going on for hours, Charan still could not stop thinking about Khanin’s conjectures. While waiting for the host to arrive, the young man decided to take out his iPad and check his email.

    The information in the iPad made Charan feel more uneasy than before because what was in the email was a recording of a conversation between Vetis and someone in Meenakarin…

    Going back to a month ago, after returning home, Jae Jirat had Vetis investigate the case of the attacker with a limp. From the day he brought Khanin back to Emmaly, there had been deaths from poison.

    In the meantime, Vetis had been sending interesting information for his close friends to check the nationwide purchase of cyanide, and discovered that three states, Atsawathewathin, Puchongpisut, and Thawetmetha, all used it legally and found out what they used it for.

    Only Meenakarin did not purchase this poisonous substance… but even so, Charan could not rest easy and instructed Vetis to keep an eye on them.

    Until recently, Vetis’ investigative line was able to infiltrate among the locals, and the other side reported there was new leakage.

    The investigation followed from the time when Meenakarin was the only state licensed to open a gold store, before these stores began closing down due to natural disasters affecting the economy of the state. Many shops became empty, but they were still selling poisons, especially cyanide, in large quantities.

    This information made Charan feel uneasy.

    In truth, it was impossible for the closed gold shops to have enough poison to sell as much as customers required. Some shops closed for years, but still offered the poison for sale in kilograms, including lots to expire in five years’ time.

    This meant that Meenakarin might have secretly ordered this poison from abroad, using these gold stores as warehouses… if not, then the poison would have to be old stock, and there should be new stock available all the time.

    This further connected with the information learned from Tanattai. Charan was even more confident that there were people trying to create a power base quietly under a very good disguise.

    And if everything went according to Khanin’s conjecture on this day, it meant that the person who tried to harm Khanin was one of Prince Waseen’s men…

    If this were true, then it would be necessary to be wary of Prince Waseen.

    He believed in the sharpness of Khanin’s eyes, even though he was just a child. He was said to be a person who had a sharp gaze, with no prejudice, and the other side would see everything clearly.

    There were still many unanswered questions, but it seemed that Khanin’s ideas were bringing him closer to something that had been lingering in his mind that he had never touched upon.

    There were a variety of questions that had yet to be answered, but it seemed that Khanin’s thinking was bringing him closer to something that had been lingering in his mind that he had never touched upon.

    If the real villain is Prince Waseen, it is highly possible that he was the person who brought the news to him, causing suspicion about the Sovereign King’s involvement in the death of his mother, could be the same person.

    If that’s the case… then Waseen must have some motives.

    Or maybe he wants Phitakthewa to be on the opposite side of Atsawathewathin.

    Are they deliberately trying to confuse him? Charan took a deep breath, closed his eyes and let himself float away with his thoughts for a long time, until he lost track of time and woke up again when he felt someone’s magic scented breath blowing on his cheek.

    “Ah, I forgot, I wanted to steal some perfume.”

    The sound of a gentle tapping brought the person who had just woken up to a laughing fit. The young man adjusted his mood and gestured to the person in front of him, beckoning him to sit on the stool.

    “Now that I am blind, I can still smell.”

    “You can’t even act surprised.” The white man complained softly. Khanin, who was still wearing a bathrobe with one arm linked, shrugged and smiled, trembling, causing Charan to carry the person on the stool to the bed, then turned to pick up the remote control for the air conditioner to adjust the temperature to the right level.

    “I think it would be cold, it feels good.”

    “I like the cold.”

    “You may get sick.”

    “Getting sick is good, Phii you can take care of me.”

    “Do not forget that you have to participate in the competition tomorrow, no matter what happens.” Charan pressed his stubborn nose lightly and recalled the memory of the person who insisted on not delaying the competition.

    Still planning step by step for the team to follow, the evil was such that he began to fear that if Khanin had planned more than this, he would certainly become a person who could not forget someone.

    “That’s right… but for me it is not that easy to get sick.”

    “Even if you’re not easily sick, you still have to take care of yourself. So is it better to sleep more so that my arms can recover quickly?”

    “Are you sleeping yet… I want to talk to you, Phii.” Khanin reached out and tapped the elbow of the other person. Charan, who turned to close the lamp, stopped and turned back to talk, frowning, looking at the little boy with suspicion.

    “You’ve been talking too much today, aren’t you tired of talking?”

    “What does Phii Ran think, do I talk too much?”

    “Is it true?”

    “Yeah…” Khanin pursed his lips, and the little boy became slightly quiet, wanting to look at each other sweetly. “But… Do you dislike me talking too much?”

    The childlike worry made Charan forget the previous stress, and his thick hand gently stroked his head.

    “No, I am just afraid that your throat hurts.”

    “Oh. It doesn’t hurt that much, I’ve been screaming all night and still not in pain… Ugh, mmmh-mmmh.” Charan realized and closed his tiny lips with his hand. The young man breathed in and out heavily, feeling embarrassed that he reacted to a soft moan like that all over his body.

    “What do you even say in situations like this… pervert kid.”

    “What gibberish are you spouting now… I am talking seriously.” he chided.

    ‘This kid.’ he thought to himself, his face emotionless. He pushed the white man onto the bed before covering him with a blanket, starting with his small chest. Then he lay down next to him, gazing at him gently with soft eyes.

    Khanin’s lips were pursed, and the cute gesture made Charan move closer to him. He pressed his thick lips onto the smaller one’s, pouring his love into the kiss.

    Charan locked eyes with the person lying next to him, as the Young Prince moved closer to cuddle him. It was quiet for a moment before he spoke, his voice laced with longing.

    “Aren’t you afraid of the rain, Phii Ran?” The heavier rain outside had made Khanin anxious, and the person cuddling him looked up at him with concerned eyes.

    “I still don’t like it, but now that you are here, I don’t feel as bad.” he replied honestly. Having Khanin beside him during the difficult times was better than being alone, he could touch and smell the other person.

    He didn’t know when it started to rain. Whenever he looked back at the times when he felt stronger than before, Khanin had always been there. This change was mainly due to the other party.

    “Ahh…” The young man moaned softly, slipping his hand to caress the white cheek with a look of infatuation.

    “If I didn’t have you…I would probably feel empty…but because I have you, I’ve been able to do everything up until now. I’m still here because of you…” The young man’s soft voice combined with the sentence structure resulted in a faint smile.

    He liked having Khanin here, hearing him say that they were lucky to have each other was like a light in the previously dark life.

    “Same here.”

    “I know this, because I am your ‘sun’.” The other person moved closer, giving off the scent of clean shampoo, their nose tip pointing downwards, buried in the soft bunch of hair behind the younger person’s ear, with a playful expression in the eyes as he uttered the words inviting a heart-to-heart conversation.

    “Really?”

    “Really? Mr-Charan himself told me.” The speaker’s face showed signs of confusion, gesturing to move slightly away in order to get a clearer view of the older person’s face.

    However, Mr-Charan refused to let that happen. As the pale body leaned back, he pulled the younger person’s waist closer, and deliberately used the bridge of his nose to nudge the tip of their nose aside, all the while following his heart’s desire.

    “Yes, it’s true. Nin, you are like the sun to me.” Charan whispered. He deliberately looked up at the deep brown eyes that looked back at him, wanting to see the other’s face more clearly.

    “Nin made me feel lucky to have him here.”

    “So sweet. If Ramil heard this, he would be jealous again.” Khanin laughed softly before pressing his face down onto the hard chest, listening to the heavy beat of his heart.

    “Gosh, forget him…”

    “Wow. Khun Charan, you leveled up fast. Forget him? That Young Prince

    Ramil, Puchongpisut guy.”

    “I don’t want to care about anyone else, whoever they may be… right now, I only want to focus on Nin.” Charan thought so as he looked at Khanin’s injured arm, his heart aching. 

    Protecting others has always been his duty. But when someone else he wanted to protect for real, he let his guard down and the persona wanted to protect ended up in pain like this. 

    He’s just not capable… 

    “Don’t make that face, let’s change the subject… Let’s end this tangled mess and go somewhere to relax.” Khanin seemed to understand his feelings, and so he reached out and touched Charan’s face to change the topic.

    “Where do you want to go?” Charan whispered while leaning down to kiss the forehead of the person in front of him lovingly, one hand holding onto his thick hair. Khanin, who had become longer and quieter, slightly turned away.

    “Shall we go where we first met?”

    “England?” A smile spread across his face as memories flooded in like a river. Charan thought back to the time when the person in his arm was arguing until he almost died.

    And now, they had sex and tossed and turned like he was trying to test his bed every day.

    “Wow, England…” Khanin murmured, his movements captured by Charan’s eyes.

    “Are you homesick?”

    “I do miss my old life” The white haired person chuckled lightly, and a flicker of the once bright eyes seemed to dim.

    “Wherever you want to go, I’ll take you…” Charan spoke honestly, because he thought Khanin might need someone to lean on, and of course, he himself wanted the other person just as much.

    “Okay then, let’s sleep, hearing this gives me the encouragement to keep going.” Khanin did a muscle stretch, then returned to his snuggling pose, his small chin resting on the broad chest as he grunted while trying to find a comfortable position. “Phii Ran, you have to help me… you shouldn’t back down now and make others see that I made the right choice by choosing you.”

    The contest between the losers and the winners must continue with Nin. Khanin didn’t want to give up his determination, and Charan’s expertise in sword fighting still remained a secret. 

    Normally, he wouldn’t want to show it off to anyone. Because he didn’t want to be involved in the fuss of inheriting his family head position. But this time it was different. 

    Charan was happy and willing to show it to others. Because of Khanin’s desire. 

    “I’ll do it… but you yourself can do it too, if you can’t take it, don’t force it.” Charan looked at the line of freckles on the kid’s arm. His dark brown eyes followed his gaze. Then he turned his face up with a smile.

    “Don’t worry. I won’t be stubborn. I have a dead stance.”

    “You do, do you?” The mischievous pose of the person around him made Charan burst out laughing. Khanin looked confident that he had a backup plan, so much so that Charan wondered if the other person had a secret strategy that he hadn’t told him yet.

    “Come on, give me your face for a kiss and I will whisper it to you.”

     

    THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

  • THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 40: Ingenious

    THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 40: Ingenious

       THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 40: Ingenious

    The Royal Palace.

    In the areas outside the private quarters of the Prince,  was ablaze with the fire in the heart of the father, the Prince Tarin, who ordered his men to investigate the truth behind this incident, to find out who was behind this. Chaos spread throughout every corner of the palace.

    It is important not to believe the words spoken and to wait for the truth, as Rachata’s wide-eyed gaze suggests. In the end, the middle-aged man had to return to his own bedroom with a heavy heart. There was nothing more he could do, more than this.

    What happened to Khanin kept Tarin’s eyes wide open. The current leader of the Atsawathewathin family lay motionless with a sense of restraint, unable to think clearly, overwhelmed by anxiety and fear.

    The current events have affected Tarin’s past fears that he could not escape… The events from twenty years ago and the image of those memories that he could never forget resurfaced, shaking the middle-aged man’s soul.

    At that time, the young boy, Khanin, had just been born. The whole of Emmaly rejoiced and sent gifts from all directions to show their respect to the new member of the royal family. Every minute of Tarin’s life at that time was filled with joy. Until one day, his wife asked to return to visit another town.

    Little did Tarin know that it would be the last time we would be together as a family.

    Him, Kunita, and Khanin.

    “Make sure you don’t go with them.”

    Tarin remembers that on that morning, he walked to embrace his beloved wife from behind. Kunita, who had to travel back home with their firstborn son because the maternal side wanted the first grandson to perform the ceremonial gift-receiving ritual according to their tradition.

    The schedule coincides with the date of the special meeting with the state of Meenakarin. Tarin, despite his desire, cannot accompany her to the Neenakarin palace. He can only wait to send his wife and child like this.

    “Are you sure? You too. Why would you follow me everywhere, not working or anything? Now you’re the ruler. Don’t act like a child.”

    I don’t know why. Even though he has been criticized about this a million times, Tarin can still smile. He enjoys it when his wife scolds him for being too attached to her and their child, but that’s because he loves them both so much.

    I have no idea how I would live without these two.

    “I don’t want to be away from you and our child… Just working for two or three hours a day without seeing your face and our child makes me anxious.

    You’ll be back home in three days… How will I sleep?”

    “You’re really something, Tarin. I wonder if you would complain to your son.” His wife complains insincerely, with a little laughter, and then takes his hand and leads him to the small children’s room next to their bedroom.

    His wife stoops down and picks up their chubby child, and Khanin looks at his father with wide eyes. When he sees his father’s face covered, he bursts into laughter, making a cute and mischievous expression.

    “Khanin, look at your father. This stubborn guy refuses to go to work… He wants to come with us, right? Show him your pouty face.” Kita speaks with a playful expression and a smile, and she leans forward to kiss their little son’s big forehead. That’s all it takes for Khanin to raise his face.

    “Uh… Uh.”

    “What’s wrong, Khanin? Did you read your father’s face… Don’t be mad at your father. I just don’t want to be away from you and your mother. Wait for another day or two. Ask your mother instead.” Tarin turns to his wife, who takes Khanin and holds him close, comforting him.

    “No, dear. I’ll be back soon. And besides, it’s not good to keep the adults waiting. You also have an urgent meeting with Waseen. Please do your duties well and don’t forget to help Waseen speak up.”

    “….”

    “You’re such a compassionate person, Waseen Meenakarin has almost nothing left after the previous high-speed rail bidding. If you don’t help, good people like you, Waseen, will be in short supply.”

    “I’ll talk to His Majesty myself… You don’t have to worry.” Tarin understands his wife’s concerns. She is a good person, and he values her greatly. He sympathizes with the people of Meenakarin, who hold her in high regard and rely on her words.

    Waseen came to request a meeting with him because it is a very urgent and important matter. Even though his father may have reservations about helping Meenakarin, he still went ahead with it.

    “If Waseen hadn’t joined little Rachata’s group, the matter wouldn’t have been resolved like this.”

    “It’s better for us to stop talking about others, Kunita…” Tarin gently touched his wife’s cheek with love, assuring her that she doesn’t need to worry in front of their child.

    He wants their child to see nothing but the smiles of their parents and doesn’t want Khanin to encounter only the pressures he has faced throughout his life.

    The pressure that comes from being a father…

    Throughout his life, Tarin has never had the opportunity to choose his own path. Until the day he decided to let Kunita enter his life. Even though his father initially disagreed and tried to find someone else to replace her, when his beloved wife became pregnant with a baby boy, the father finally relented.

    “Alright. If we don’t talk, we don’t talk. Ah… it’s almost time, will you take me to the car?”

    “Of course, let’s go then.” Tarin hugged his wife, who was holding their child in her arms, and walked her to the waiting procession of cars. He waved goodbye to both the woman he loved and their son, watching as they drove away, without realizing that it would be the last time they would smile at each other.

    Kunita and Khanin left in that moment.

    Tarin never had the chance to truly enjoy time with both of them…

    When he heard the news of the assassination plot, Tarin rushed out of the meeting room without knowing which direction to go. He no longer cared about helping Waseen. Even though he held his wife’s words in his mouth, his mind was not present, only praying to anyone for the news he knew was not true.

    But in the end, righteousness did not stand by his side. When Tarin arrived, he was faced with something that shattered his heart.

    He found the lifeless body of Kunita, covered in a pool of blood. She had been shot, her vital organs fatally injured, not long before he arrived. At that time, another group of guards, led by Tanattai and the Phitakthewa family, were able to successfully smuggle away the Young Prince.

    Tarin immediately followed this lead, ordering all parties to search. After about two hours, the local police called to report that they found a car explosion in the middle of the rain-soaked road, outside the city on a newly constructed highway.

    The voice on the phone reported that the car was still engulfed in flames, and the body of Chita, the current leader of the Phitakthewa family, was found outside the car. She seemed to have escaped from the vehicle. Inside, there was the body of a large man, and another infant was burned beyond recognition.

    Hearing this, Tarin almost went mad.

    The last glimmer of hope was burned to ashes, and he lost everything within a few hours. His beloved wife, his only son, his wife trusted confidant, who even the leader of the Phitakthewa, who had just vowed to love to protect the Atsathewathin.

    The grief and sorrow at that moment were overwhelming, and Tarin’s head felt like it was filled with racing flames. He couldn’t move his body, and he couldn’t hear anyone’s voice. Tears blurred his vision.

    The last image Tarin saw was his father walking towards him accompanied by his older brother, Waseen, before consciousness faded away. Although he was unconscious for almost three days,  he was fortunate that he woke up in time to bid farewell to his wife and child on their final day.

    Since then, Tarin has never cried again. From that moment on, he has lived to find and punish those responsible for such wicked and treacherous acts. Every day, Tarin’s life is dedicated to seeking justice for the one who shattered his heart into pieces.

    But it seems that he is always a step behind those people…

    Whenever there is a glimmer of hope for those individuals, they often meet their demise before he can even reach them, sometimes within an hour. The report from his bodyguard stated that if those individuals didn’t swallow poison, they often ended up with their throats slit…

    This cycle continues endlessly. Until news of a rebellion gathering near Meenakarin’s harbor reached him.

    In that event, Waseen himself managed to capture the rebel group with his bare hands, while the individuals in that group were old guards, members of every clan. It could be speculated that the instigator came from that group, but all the evidence and motivations proved that these individuals were the ones who caused him to lose his family.

    When he managed to capture the leader of that group, Waseen had to confront them to the point of almost losing his life. But in the end, he was able to order the execution of those individuals before sending the matter back to Sovereign-King.

    What Meenakarin did showed his deep love and respect for his father, and as a result, negotiations for financial assistance to support Meenakarin’s upbringing went smoothly.

    The matter that had once caused harm between them seemed to have concluded, as no one mentioned the act of riding the train again, for fear that if it became too easily accessible, it would govern with difficulty.

    Tarin resided in a state of vengeance, finding that apprehending the wrongdoer did not bring back happiness. Since the loss of his wife and child, this sorrow had led his heart towards evil, causing him to reject anyone who approached.

    It was fortunate that even though the Sovereign-King advised the descendants of the great lineage, he did not enforce the necessity of taking a new wife. Since then, the Sovereign-King himself had not mentioned the matter of lineage tracing.

    Life without children and a wife would leave no one to care for him other than himself. Tarin therefore decided to be the best son he could be, closing himself off from all sides, to continue to grieve for his loved ones.

    He lived in solitude, unaware that his only son still existed, and that they would meet again in twenty years’ time.

    Khanin was not dead… Furthermore, his son returned with intellect and a physique akin to a treasure.

    The more they met and conversed, the more they longed for the one who had departed. Khanin resembled Kunita in every gesture, from her freshness, charm, audacity, and loveliness.

    All of this made Tarin feel both joy and sorrow simultaneously. He was glad that his son had grown up so well, yet at the same time, he mourned the missed opportunity to witness his son’s growth into adulthood.

    Therefore, Tarin attempted to compensate by not excessively pressuring

    Khanin. In the matter of competition, he himself did not entirely agree or care.

    If his son did not wish to compete, how could he, as a father, interfere? However, even though he desired to express himself in such a manner, it took him nearly a month to gather the courage to speak with his only son, whom he had not seen in twenty years. Tarin still needed time to rest.

    It was only recently that they began to grow closer. Tarin wanted to spend more time with his son, thinking that as long as Khanin was under the wings of Atsawathewathin, the child would be safe.

    Once the competition was over, he intended to take his son on a distant journey, to have more time to learn about his son’s true self. Whether they won the competition or not, it didn’t matter, as long as his son returned to be by his side as a normal father and son, without having to care about anyone else.

    But it seemed that everything would not be so easy.

    Although he had learned that his son had returned under difficult circumstances due to being targeted by someone, Tarin trusted in the promise of the Sovereign-King to protect his heir and prevent any unsettling incidents for him. Therefore, Tarin did not take any action to intervene.

    His Majesty did not want to see him disappear from the palace, as he was engrossed in seeking revenge or finding the culprit, just as he had done before. Despite being given such orders, today’s events made him realize the instability.

    What happened to Khanin proved that his beloved son was still in danger, and Khanin’s life was not as safe as he had thought.

    That child is still a target for some individuals, possibly the same group as twenty years ago when Emmaly came peacefully without any shadow of suspicion from Atsawathewathin. But this time, Khanin revealed himself again, bringing back those stories.

    The existence of Khanin may interfere with the interests of some individuals who are hoping to become the next Sovereign-King.

    But who are they…

    Rachata… is the number one suspect.

    He has been suspicious of this young man since the beginning, but without clear evidence, he couldn’t do much. Rachata’s behavior indicates a person who is elusive in power and clearly shows that he does not want anyone to obstruct the path to the throne, even constantly pressuring his niece, Evaa.

    Using gender as an excuse, he does everything to prevent equality, intentionally manipulating his only son, Ramil, to elevate himself to the highest position of power.

    But this time will be different. Tarin does not intend to remain silent and let his son be harmed again. That’s why there is an order to secretly search for evidence of Rachata’s wrongdoing.

    Tarin is confident that Rachata will not stop at this point…

    Time has passed, and when he reminisces about various past events, Tarin cannot close his eyes. By the time he realizes it, the sky outside gradually changes to a pale orange color.

    The sun emerges from the horizon, during the same period when Tarin decides not to sleep anymore. The middle-aged man rises from his bed and heads to the bathroom to refresh his mind.

    Tarin is lost in thought, even as he is about to step out of the bathroom. His gaze catches a flickering shadow in a dim corner of the room.

    Even though it happened in an instant, it forced Tarin to quickly open the bedside drawer and grab a defensive tool to hold onto.

    Who… who managed to breach the fortress and reach this area?

    Atsawathewathin’s lord released the safety of the gun in his hand before silently stepping towards the shadowy corner of the dressing room.

    Tarin took advantage of the moment when the intruder was still motionless, aimed the gun at its head, and pressed the trigger to let it know that he was armed and ready to blow its head off with a single pull.

    The lump in his chest throbbed, blood surged through his body, and with a firm grip on the gun, he forced the other party to lower its head even further, only then did his hands, which had been hanging by his side, rise above his head.

    “Who are you, who sent you?” Tarin didn’t know the intentions of the intruder, only that the other party showed surprisingly easy consent. Luckily, the light switch was nearby, so he released one hand from the gun and flicked it on, banishing the darkness.

    “…”

    “I asked who you are!”

    “I pay my respects, Your Highness.” The voice of the intruder ceased abruptly in less than a second, and he turned back to face Tarin, still holding both hands up in a submissive gesture. It was a familiar face that hadn’t been seen for twenty years, causing Tarin’s eyes to widen.

    “Tanattai… Danai.”

    “Your Highness, it’s me, Prince Tarin.”

    “How did you come back…” Tarin immediately dropped his gun upon hearing the familiar address and receiving the answer of who dared to invade the inner sanctum.

    It was Tanattai, a familiar figure who knew the escape routes in this place very well. He moved closer to examine the person in front of him with joy, his large, muscular body of a former close comrade.

    Confusion and joy flooded in, creating a heavy and lingering mix of emotions.

    “Your Highness, it’s been a long time, my lord. I came back with the Young

    Prince, but I couldn’t come in to report.”

    “And what else… Did you go to meet my father? He’s been looking for you all along, but still couldn’t find you.” With joy in having his old friend back, Tarin stumbled over his words, unable to form coherent sentences. However, no matter how happy he was, his eyes could see the change in the other person’s expression.

    “Did His Majesty speak like that?” Tanattai asked softly. His eyes narrowed, clearly perceiving the dimming of the other person’s face.

    “Yes… His Majesty said you couldn’t be found, or perhaps you had already passed away since helping Khanin.” Noticing the expressions on the other person’s face, Tarin continued speaking with a bit more effort.

    Now, he couldn’t even see the delighted gestures of his close friend, while the other side still displayed visible discontent.

    It seemed as if there were things in their hearts that couldn’t be spoken.

    “Is it really like that?” Tarin lowered his gaze, beginning to notice this peculiar change.

    “Why do you wear such expressions, or is there something I should know but still don’t?” Tarin’s face dropped, becoming slightly more serious.

    Why hasn’t the former royal guard, who was so capable and fierce, reported back to the person in charge after returning to their homeland? Why does he have to wear such a mournful expression, even though the person in charge has declared a search for him, after returning to his birthplace? Why does he have to wear such an expression, even though the person in charge has declared a search for him, after returning to his birthplace?

    “Your Highness, I am not sure how much to say.”

    “Is it because you have disappeared, or is there something else I should know, but still don’t?” Tarin squinted, beginning to observe this strange phenomenon.

    “That’s right… It’s been twenty years. Now, I have become someone else for you, Danai, haven’t I?” Tarin asked, trying to continue the conversation.

    “Don’t say it like that. His Majesty, I have never been anyone else… Your Highness, I show your respect only to you, the one and only person.” Tanattai looked surprised, kneeling down and bowing his head to express his utmost respect through that gesture.

    “And why didn’t you ever tell me anything before? Why didn’t you ever send news that you and Khanin were still alive… Why did you let me find out from someone else…”

    “…”

    “At that time, I had given up hope. Because the bodies I cremated with my own hands were my wife, my children, Chita and you, who was my close friend.

    Do you Danai know how tormented I was? How I felt like I was nothing… Nothing at all.” Tarin followed his gaze downwards, seeing the other person’s hidden sorrow no different from his own.

    Tanattai must have had to swallow a considerable amount of sadness, and yet, why does he still refuse to reveal what is in his heart to him?

    “…”

    “Can you tell me how this story came about, how you managed to survive, and why you still couldn’t return to the palace?” He has endured through many seasons of heat and cold. When the conversation reached this point, Tarin began to notice the peculiarity in the familiar person’s sentences.

    Knowing that Tanattai is an honest person, this person would not say anything that could cause trouble for their boss. But seeing Khanin’s love for this man, Tarin is confident that if it concerns Khanin, Tanattai would reveal everything that is in his heart.

    Because Tanattai himself must love Khanin… as much as he does.

    “…”

    “If you know something but don’t speak up, our child could be in danger, right? Instead of going to find you his father, he came here… to find me.” When Tanattai remained silent, Tarin pushed further. The person of high rank intentionally used the words ‘our child’ to make the other party aware of their relationship.

    “The statement is correct, your father…”

    Tarin heard a sigh, just as he had expected. When he heard those words, the expression on the face of the former royal guard softened. In the depths of Tanattai’s eyes, there was a mixture of restraint, and finally, he agreed to reveal everything without holding back.

    “…”

    “Twenty years ago, during the incident of the assassination, the guard unit was divided into two groups. One group took care of the princess who was shot in secret, injured and unconscious, while the other group kept Young Prince Khanin away from the confrontation.”

    “…”

    “Your Highness, I received an order to take the Young Prince out in a carriage. In that carriage, there were actually four people… Her Highness Lady

    Chita, the leader of Phitakthewa… another royal guard… and the Young Prince.”

    “…”

    “We managed to escape the pursuit for a while, Her Highness received a call from the Sovereign King privately. The Sovereign King instructed me to take the Young Prince and escape in a different direction. Then, the leader Phitakthewa and that guard continued driving ahead.”

    “…”

    “When I emerged, I hid in the forest by the roadside until someone came to pick me up. That night, I received documents changing my name and evidence of marriage and one child, along with a plane ticket to England. The subsequent order was to disappear and not make contact until further notice.” “So, it means… Father must have known this from the beginning.” Tarin, a strong and well-known figure, heard the truth clearly. Because someone like Tanattai has no way of lying.

    “Oh my…”

    “Then why didn’t Father tell us? Why did he make us believe that the body we cremated…” It was the last sentence that Tarin swallowed, he began to doubt how much of what he had known all along was true.

    “The Sovereign King may have wanted the Young Prince to be safe, so he planned it that way…” Tanattai still didn’t look good, unlike Tarin who was constantly changing his expression, his demeanor was bitter.

    “If that’s the case, you should have told me, instead of letting me cremate bodies without knowing whose they are… There was only Chita who I cremated.” A sigh escaped when thinking back to the past.

    The reason everyone is confident that Khanin has passed away is because there is the body of the leader of the Phitakthewa family right there as evidence.

    “…” The person in front remained silent, probably because they saw that

    Tarin was using his thoughts, so the other party didn’t dare to say anything.

    The person who shared the blood and flesh of the current Sovereign King pushed aside the negative feelings from his mind before choosing to ask further about the suspicious matter.

    “And why did you come to find me this time?”

    “Because I couldn’t meet the Sovereign-King.”

    “Why?”

    “The Sovereign King has ordered me not to reveal myself…”

    “What is it…”

    “I survived the assassination attempt with the young lord in London, while

    Khun Charan took the young lord back to Emmaly, stating that if I revealed myself, the young lord would not be safe. The Sovereign King assigned me the task of managing the warehouse during that time, with a royal order to wait until the young lord finished competing before I would be allowed to enter the palace.”

    “What warehouse?” Tarin was surprised by what he heard. Meanwhile, Tanattai looked startled when he heard this question.

    “The warehouse… to store belongings, Your Highness.”

    “What kind of belongings?” Tarin continued to ask persistently. Seeing that Tanattai was trying to avoid the question, he became even more suspicious and pressed on at the same spot.

    “To store jewels… from another city, Your Highness. I only recently found out, but I cannot avoid this responsibility. Being in that position is the only chance I got to meet the young lord.” Tanattai’s face turned grim as he reluctantly revealed another secret of his master, despite being ordered to keep quiet.

    “….” Tarin’s eyes widened after everything was revealed, and his current feeling was like an electric current running through his body, causing sweat to break out on his back.

    Various emotions surged in his mind, but the clearest thought seemed to be… he truly didn’t know his own father’s identity, not even a little bit.

    What he once thought he knew everything about his father, turned out to be that he didn’t know anything at all.

    Storing someone else’s jewels in the warehouse like this. Even the king’s own son doesn’t know… this is not a simple deception.

    “I understand it that way, I am trying to endure until the day I can report to the king and get to see the young lord again. But just a few days ago, the young lord went to the warehouse with Khun Charan. I had a chance to enter and talk for a few words, and after that, Young Prince Khanin… was injured.” Tanattai’s words trailed off, and silence fell between the two of them.

    One person was drowning in a whirlpool of sadness, while another was drowning in countless questions about what he had known in the past. Tarin felt as if he were drowning, unable to breathe in or out, as if he were trying to kill himself indirectly.

    “It’s not your fault, Tanattai… not at all.” Tarin knew what his close friend had been thinking. He reached out and squeezed the big man’s shoulder, his face twitching back and forth. Both he and Tanattai were saddened by what had happened to the young boy. Khanin, who had taken care of Ramil, was also concerned. In this situation, what could Tanattai count on?

    It felt as if his heart was about to break.

    “But the Young Prince was injured. I came here to find out if he was safe.”

    “Khanin is safe. Just a hurt arm. It’s good that Ramil came to help, otherwise it would have been worse.”

    “It must be the work of those people, the ones who secretly attempted to kill the  Young Prince when he was just a newborn, and they’re still lurking around.”

    “What does it mean?” New information kept flowing in. Despite the headache, Tarin still wanted to hear everything from the mouth of the former guardian.

    “When I met the Young Prince that day. Khun Charan told me that there were still enemies, and said that the person who looked like an old guardian was the one who tried to kill himself by biting a poisonous pill.”

    “How is that possible…” Tarin pondered, drifting away for a moment before regaining consciousness. His eyes focused on his worried close friend.

    “…”

    “I probably don’t know… After I left, there was a rebellion. Waseen was the one who defeated us, uprooting the old rebels. Anyone who participated in the event and was on the other side was killed. As for those who didn’t participate, they had to register to have that thing removed from their bodies.

    No one could use that method to kill themselves anymore.”

    “Is it possible that some of those groups have managed to escape the king’s gaze?” Tanattai grew tense, the pressure building up invisibly, the newly discovered truth causing even more concern for Khanin.

    “It’s not possible. Because we investigated everything ourselves, we can’t let those people go. Because they harmed our child.” Tarin was confident that twenty years ago, he had uprooted and eliminated those people completely.

    “And if someone helps those boys. If the person who harmed the Young Prince is not completely eliminated, if that’s the case, His Majesty will be most suspicious of who is really an insider.”

    When the question was thrown, it was certain that Tarin had the answer in mind, the image of someone begging the Sovereign-King to believe that he did not harm the person who was of noble birth, Khanin, emerged in his mind.

    “I wonder about Rachata, I wonder about Puchongpisut.”

    “Yes, Your Highness…” Tanattai responded, before bowing down in front of his master, “If that’s the case, may Your Highness grant permission for me to seek the truth about this matter, sir. With just an order, I will uncover the truth and ensure that person receives the appropriate punishment.”

    “Granted… I permit it.” Tarin issued the order without needing to reconsider. Then he retreated from that spot, before turning off the light as a signal for the other side to carry out the operation as quietly as possible.

    Tanattai disappeared from that spot as soon as he received the order, and followed behind, the owner of the room walked over and sat down on his favorite chair, exhausted from the events of the day beyond what he could handle…

    The information he had learned… everything fit together like pieces of a puzzle, making it impossible for him to trust anyone. Tarin understood that. If he were to protect the valuable thing of Kunita still remaining, he would have to move without letting the person who was his father find out.

    In the past, even though he seemed indifferent, it didn’t mean he couldn’t see. He knew well that the person who was his father wanted to maintain his power in his hands and did not want to share, but he had just realized clearly why Tanattai had to be separated from Khanin like that.

    It must be because he wanted to control Khanin, and it was related to the property in the warehouse that Tanattai had mentioned…

    The reason for imposing numerous regulations that prevented each citystate from trading freely was because there were many hidden secrets behind it.

    Tarin never thought that his father would be someone with such a calm and calculating mind if everything was true as he had imagined. The reason Sovereign-King concealed the identity of his son for more than twenty years.

    In addition to not allowing Khanin to know that Tanattai was still alive nearby, it was probably because he wanted to keep the position of SovereignKing for the Atsawathewathin.

    It’s not because he wants our family to be together… as he used to say.

    It seems that His Majesty did not think of anyone else. Apart from himself, only the young lord, who is the sole heir of the Sovereign King, comes to mind.

    This morning at the Royal Palace seems busier than usual. Unexpected events involving the young lord, the only male heir of the Sovereign King, have escalated more than ever before.

    The circumstances have led to the mandatory physical examination of the serving ladies and the butlers before entering or leaving, with increased scrutiny.

    Regardless of who it is, to pass through the main gate of the palace, it is necessary to report and record, without exception, even for Chakri himself, who is the trusted butler of Young Prince Khanin.

    The portly man had to spend a long time in line for the physical examination, almost missing Young Prince’s breakfast time.

    “Apologies for being late, Your Highness… Oops” As soon as the grand doors opened, Chakri paused. The image in front of him was not what he had imagined, not even close.

    The young butler thought that even if he was late, the Young Prince would still be sleeping as usual, and there was no way the sick person would get up early for training like before, but everything turned out differently than expected.

    Young Prince Khanin’s private room is now filled with team members, including Prince Kalavin-Li, who is standing beside Khun Charan.

    “I really want some water. Can I have some orange juice, Mister Butler?”

    Chakri pushed the food cart closer to the person who requested orange juice. The young butler poured the liquid into a floating glass, realizing a bit too late that he didn’t have a tray. He had to use his less dexterous hand to hand the glass of orange juice back to the butler.

    “How did we end up like this?” Chakri received the crystal glass from the master and placed it on the table with familiarity. He swept his gaze over the people sitting on the sofa, wondering why they all came together so comfortably and at what time. How did they manage to gather here in the Royal Palace, still looking prestigious?

    “I rode a motorcycle with Vetis, Mira took a taxi to the front of the palace, and the golf cart went to pick up Prince Kalavin along with Jae. As for Charan, he just walked out of the carriage room because he slept here. Khun Chakri, you should know this stuff.” Itti spoke in a sarcastic tone.

     

     

    Oh, well. Like this, huh? No, Your Highness, what do you mean by being here? And why did you come so early? I can’t see any reason for you to be here, Your Highness.” At the end of the sentence, Chakri turned to Young Prince with a hint of disappointment, while Young Prince simply chuckled.

    Then, he shrugged his shoulders.

    “There’s a secret meeting. I called them myself. Last night, I told them to come early so they wouldn’t have to wait in line for a long physical examination… If I had told you earlier, it wouldn’t have been a secret.”

    “Oh… Everyone is here, aren’t they? Then, Your Highness, you should excuse yourself first and go prepare drinks for everyone.” Chakri counted on his fingers, thinking whether it would be good to bring some snacks, but as usual, these people didn’t touch any food during meetings or rehearsals.

    “Add one more person, Chakri… We might have some additional guests.”

    “Guests? Who, Your Highness?”

    But before he could even think about the new arrivals, a loud banging sound echoed, as if the person in front of the room wanted to announce to the world that they were on the verge of breaking something with their clenched fists.

    Bang, bang, bang!

    “Come out and talk now! Khanin! I told you to come out and talk!”

    The sound of screaming reverberated through three floors and eight levels, making the hearts of those who heard it tremble. However, the young butler with a pale, worried face was different from the room’s owner, who turned to pick up a glass of orange drink with a relaxed expression.

    “…”

    Bang, bang, bang!

    “Come out and talk now! No matter what, I won’t back down from the competition! Khanin, come out!”

    Um… We shouldn’t open the door for Young Prince Ramil or risk letting him scream like that. The sound might disturb the Sovereign King’s tranquility, Your Highness.” Just hearing the sound was enough to remember it. Chakri asked his boss with a worried face.

    Knowing that the Sovereign King was sitting at the top of the working room, he felt anxious, but it seemed that Young Prince Ramil wouldn’t be bothered much.

    His boss simply turned to Charan sitting next to him, without uttering a word, and the tall figure immediately stood up from the sofa.

    Chakri looked at the back of Charan walking away, without saying anything, the tall figure unlocked the door and opened it slowly. Behind the door, there was someone he recognized, standing there with an angry expression.

    “What’s going on here? Why are you all gathered like this? And why is everyone so angry?”

    “Tell that Khanin to come out and talk to me.” Young Prince Ramil spoke with a strong voice. Although it wasn’t a shout like before, the voice was loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

    “Young Prince Khanin still needs to rest. Today, it’s not convenient to receive guests. Please may I ask Young Prince Ramil to come back later, Your-

    Highness.”

    Chakri frowned, touched by Charan’s quick thinking in telling the Young Prince of the Puchongpisut family to leave before today.

    The worried butler was concerned that the storm of the Young Prince of the Puchongpisut family’s anger would come and destroy everything. On one hand, he didn’t know how to handle it, and on the other hand, he didn’t want Young Prince Ramil to worry. He felt relieved when he saw Charan trying his best to manage everything and make it go smoothly.

    “Are you daring to challenge my orders?”

    “Your-Highness, please don’t.”

    If you won’t step back, then don’t block my way.”

    Bang!

    The plump butler’s face turned pale, as if the divine power wouldn’t side with Chakri at all. Even Charan himself couldn’t persuade Young Prince Ramil, the young prince of the Puchongpisut family, to leave. He closed the door with a loud bang, causing the building to tremble. Then, he hugged his chest tightly, while Charan finished locking the door with a click.

    What is this, Khun Charan? You should keep Young Prince Ramil out of Young Prince Khanin’s room, instead of letting him come in so easily. And close the door, make it tight and flat!

    “Oh, ho! Playing big, the fire is really blazing.” Young Prince Khanin himself seemed unfazed, as if he didn’t feel hot or cold. The owner of the house, with his fair complexion, didn’t show any signs of surprise.

    Suddenly, he rose from the sofa and used the uninjured hand to strike the back of the hand with the bandaged arm. His charming face, full of enchanting smiles, seemed relieved to see Young Prince Ramil stepping on the honor like this.

    “You can do even better than this, try it.”

    “Can I do it again? Sure, why not… Let Jae, who plays the hero on stage, see how real I can get.”

    Chakri turned his head back and forth, following Young Prince Khanin’s hand, until he became completely confused.

    They first looked at Young Prince Ramil’s face, who responded to Young Prince Khanin’s compliment. After a while, they turned to Jae because they heard Young Prince Khanin say something strange.

    Jae himself then stood up instead of being surprised and showed respect to the rival Young Prince family.

    “Well, can I join in on this?”

    What will Young Prince Ramil do, Your Highness?” Chakri turned to Young Prince Ramil, who moved closer to the vase. He was afraid that the Young Prince of the Puchongpisut’s family would actually do as he said.

    “Is this vase an antique, Chakri? Is it very expensive?” Young Prince Khanin didn’t sympathize with his butler’s concern. He hugged his chest and asked calmly, as if to say that if this troublesome person, who is like a sibling, were to stand up and distribute, it wouldn’t be a problem if it wasn’t an antique.

    “No, Your Highness, it’s just a simple display item, not an antique. It doesn’t cost more than a hundred thousand, Your Highness.” Chakri had to answer helplessly, as he was being pressured.

    The young butler took a deep breath, and the people sitting on the sofa. Even Charan, who walked beside Young Prince Khanin, didn’t even try to stop them.

    “Haha. In my room, I have stacks of vases worth tens of millions, even hundreds of millions… But in this room, there are only a few, and each one is not worth even a hundred thousand.”

    “Say whatever you want, I don’t care about antiques anymore, but if you want to throw something, pay the money up for its worth or I’ll have someone go collect the money later.” Young Prince Khanin responded as if he didn’t care, raising his small shoulder, which was wrapped in a cloth, as if granting permission for the other party to do as they pleased.

    “Then I can throw it away.”

    “Just throw, what are you waiting for? You are already rich, what is there to be afraid of?”

    “Then let’s do it.” Flung-Flung-Flung!

    Wow!

    And-you-will-throw-vases-why?

     

     

    Why can’t people just try talking nicely to each other!!!!!!

    The chubby man almost fell to his knees, almost crying as he thought about how each vase was worth less than a hundred thousand and shattered into pieces on the floor. He almost shed tears, but it seemed that both young royals didn’t care at all. As he reached down to sweep away the small pieces of the vases, both Young Princes from royal families started cheering at each other once again.

    “Ramil, what are you looking for, crazy person! Ha, are you going crazy again!”

    “I’m crazier than this, you can keep watching!”

    However, the shouting match did not involve any violent acts, both of them just stood still, hugging their chests, shouting at each other as if they were competing to see who could shout louder, and…

    Flung-Flung-Flung!

    The vase that was close to Young Prince Ramil was swept off the floor, shattered and scattered, the loud sound echoed throughout, hot to the point where it reached the small hallway in front of the room, so hot that it had to be asked with a burning voice.

    “Khun Charan! Khun Charan, how are you doing inside?”

    “It’s okay. I can handle it. Young Prince Ramil has calmed down.”

    It’s okay, what’s wrong with being crazy! Chakri raised his hand and dropped his head. His eyes under the glasses widened, his whole body trembling with surprise at the events that had occurred.

    I wanted to run and open the door to find someone to help, but I was stopped by the close ally of the Phitakthewa family leader. When I turned around, everyone, except for Young Prince, could see the sympathy in their eyes.

    “This should be enough, look, butler, his face is as pale as a boiled chicken.” “Oh. That’s enough. It’s hard for someone to come in and sweep up the pity… I’m sorry for scaring you, Chakri.”

    The Young Prince turned to speak softly. Then he walked over and hugged Chakri’s shoulders even tighter, making Chakri more confused than before.

    “If you can think like this, then you don’t need to plan for me to come in and draw at first.” The person who had just swept the dishes turned to complain to someone of the same rank.

    The storm in Young Prince Khanin’s private room seemed to calm down easily. Chakri didn’t know whether to thank Young Prince Ramil or not. When he was the one who spoke rudely instead of being the owner of this room like Young Prince Khanin.

    He still doesn’t understand…

    The demeanor of Young Prince Ramil appeared genuinely calm, as if a surreal story had just unfolded, never before experienced. The tall figure walked gracefully, stepping over scattered tiles on the floor, and settled down, crossing legs, on the vacant sofa next to PrinceKalavin, as if being an invited guest to this realm. Every action left the atmosphere bewildered, almost rendering speechless.

    “If not done this way, people would surely wonder why I came to this room when mine is already full.”

    “Time is running short, let’s talk quickly, so I can hurry back. Otherwise, suspicions will arise.”

    “Alright, then please proceed.” Young Prince Khanin stood up, along with the team members, everyone’s expressions as if the whole debacle was nothing out of the ordinary. Just then, Young Prince Ramil, who was an adversary, suddenly appeared and disrupted, causing chaos and destruction to the carefully prepared feast.

    Khanin made a gesture to walk towards the private meeting room, but the young butler decided to seize the moment and rushed in to inquire, relieving the doubts.

    “What is going on, Young Prince Khanin? I seem completely puzzled.”

    “Oh… I didn’t mention earlier that we would have another guest.”

    Chakri was dumbfounded, but the Young Prince responded with a nonchalant tone.

    With a flicker in his eyes, he glanced once, then swiftly shifted his gaze to the others in the room, the aura following behind Charan, calm yet fiery, making the young butler have to keep up with his eyes.

    “…”

    “Well, there you have it… Ramil, our additional guest.”

    What… is this!!

        THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

  • THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 39: Errors Must Be Corrected

    THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 39: Errors Must Be Corrected

       THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 39: Errors Must Be Corrected.

    Ramil remained silent amidst the unfolding events. His narrowed eyes scrutinized the image of his top-ranked adversary, who had mysteriously disappeared amidst the chaos of the banquet. The young man’s strong physique and resonant voice seemed to fade away, but a faint, lingering pain in his arm reminded him to stay alert.

    This couldn’t be a mere coincidence… It couldn’t be certain.

    The voices in his head grew louder, and a sense of impending danger made Ramil distrustful of everyone. The young royal began to move his feet again after standing still like a statue for a long time. He walked past groups of people who were engrossed in providing information to the police, who had entered the venue to secure the area.

    Countless people swarmed around, observing and questioning, but Ramil signaled for everyone to stay away. The young man scanned the crowd, searching for someone… only one person he needed at this moment.

    Petai.

    “Ramil, are you okay… isn’t it?” Like raindrops falling on parched land, the sound was concerned and gentle. The familiar hand reached out to his strong arm, and the beautiful face revealed genuine anxiety, a stark contrast to the facade presented throughout.

    “It’s nothing… really…” Ramil didn’t lose his composure, but he felt confused and in need of support at this moment. He called out the other person’s name and swallowed his words, leaving the rest unspoken.

    “What’s wrong? Do you want to find a doctor?” The other person must have noticed his prolonged silence, as they moved closer to examine each other. Petai’s face appeared worried, and that only made the young man struggle to contain his own emotions.

    “No, you knew…” the Young Prince spoke only those words, attempting to control his trembling and gripping the other person’s arm to steady himself as they walked together.

    Amidst the crowd bustling about, Ramil paid no attention to those attempting to conduct physical examinations. He decided to pull Petai’s hand towards a secluded area, waiting until a significant amount of time had passed before the white-bodied homeowner began to broach the subject.

    “Ramil, you…”

    “Did you notice anything abnormal at the event before the pole fell onto Khanin? Did you see anything?” Ramil whispered these words with a soft voice, indicating to those in the position of close followers that he was struggling to come up with anything to say.

    “…” Petai remained silent, but it was probably because they had known each other for a long time, and he could read almost everything from the facial expressions and glances that reflected the tension of the white-bodied person. Ramil could read almost everything.

    The beautiful-faced owner didn’t necessarily have to say anything halfsarcastic that was screaming in Ramil’s heart to be completely confirmed.

    “Can you tell me, don’t make me feel more frustrated than this.” At this moment, it was pitch black, and he couldn’t think of anything except begging the person he trusted to confide in what he knew.

    “Why speak like that?” Petai looked surprised when he saw Ramil show his vulnerable side, his thin hand tapping his wide shoulder, rubbing lightly.

    “I saw you looking at Charan…” His thick hand raised to rub his own face, the image that Petai had looked for Charan still stuck, but that helped him see something abnormal that shouldn’t have happened.

    His father called Charan for a meeting, even though normally they never thought of having a good relationship with the leader of the Phitakthewa family, this was too strange.

    “I didn’t look at Charan, but I looked at Prince Rachata, I looked because it was strange that your father called for Charan.” Petai probably thought the same, the other side sneaked a glance at the ground, showing a gesture as if there was something heavy on his mind but didn’t want to speak it out.

    It had been almost a minute since the beautiful-faced owner remained silent.

    Ramil saw the beautiful pair of eyes blink, almost answering every question Petai had asked without the need for the other side to speak or explain anything to confirm.

    “You look like… Is it your father who did this?” Ramil didn’t want an answer, the young man understood Petai’s sandpoint well, the other side was spiritual, a person belonging to Puchongpisut, what else could he say.

    Even if you know, he was tongue-tied.

    “…” Petai stared at Ramil, as if wanting to say something, but in the end chose to remain silent, allowing tension to build up and weigh on Ramil’s mind, to the point where the young prince could barely stand it.

    He had no idea what reasons pushed his father to make such a decision.

    Rachata will have to face the penalty for attempted murder… his father will be seen as a corrupt person.

    Just because he doesn’t believe in his own son that much, right? Because Ramil isn’t skilled, doesn’t have the right tools, isn’t impressive enough, to the point where his father can’t trust him.

    His desire with his father is victory, power, and greatness, but what stands in their way is the method of execution…

    “If you don’t have to say it, I’ll handle it myself.” Ramil considered that silence as a clear answer, he closed his eyes, letting the vulnerability reveal itself, and with a changed feeling and mood, he forgot to open his eyes again.

    No matter what, he won’t allow his father to use such dirty methods.

    Victory and power that originated from corruption, deceit. They will never prosper.

    As soon as he returned to the palace, Ramil went straight to his father’s private office. The front door had fewer guards than usual, but one of them was still Sivakorn, the honest man, standing with crossed arms as always.

    “Young Prince Ramil, don’t rush in right now, Your-Highness” Sivakorn spoke cautiously, raising his hand to hold the door. Worried that Young Prince Ramil’s actions would disturb the lord inside, he tried his best to block him.

    “Step the fuck back.” The tense atmosphere filled the evening air. Ramil didn’t intend to listen to Sivakorn anymore, he used all his strength to push the person in front of him away.

    “Please, Your Highness…”

    “Do you dare to defy your betters? Step back, Sivakorn.”

    “Prince Rachata ordered that no one…” Sivakorn himself served the honest man too well. Ramil thought he had remained calm enough. When he saw that Sivakorn had no intention of obeying the command, the emotions he had tried to suppress burst out.

    “You’re trying to undermine my authority as your lord, aren’t you!” At this point, the Young Prince no longer cares about maintaining decorum. He shouts loudly.

    Intentionally use a powerful command that will leave Sivakorn speechless, emphasizing to everyone that he is a person with delegated power from the ruler.

    Whenever the servant challenges the command of his lord, consider it as an act of disrespect towards the Puchongpisut family as well.

    “Apologies, Your Highness…” Sivakorn is slightly stunned but quickly understands the message conveyed. Therefore, Prince Rachata’s close aide lowers his hand and steps back, avoiding any further interference.

    Ramil wastes no time and swiftly pushes open the door, confidently approaching the person sitting with their back turned on the high-backed chair. When Rachata realizes there is an intruder, he intends to turn back to confront the person who dared to interrupt.

    “I told you not to come in! Ramil.” The eyes of the father widen, and his initial shout softens when he calls out the name of his only son.

    Rachata’s posture, filled with confusion and worry, cannot escape the piercing gaze of the observing person. Ramil’s face turns red, knowing well why his father is like this… It’s not as cold and distant as usual, indicating that…

    Rachata is afraid… of something.

    “Why would you do that, Father?” The second-ranking person of the family with power lowers his voice, making the father increasingly unhappy. Even though the other side tries to find a way to defuse the situation, this time Ramil can clearly sense the abnormality.

    “What did I do?”

    “Today’s matter… Is it what you’re doing?” The person who has been suppressing emotions for a long time clenches their fists, feeling disappointed with their father’s actions, as if being hit by a raging storm.

    “Who do you think you are! Coming in without asking me anything, then shouting like a madman. How would others think when they hear it!” The father speaks while turning to look at the door. Seeing that it is still tightly closed, he decides to get up from the chair and walk towards each other at the work desk.

    Ramil straightens his face and realizes that his father is trying to use body language to intimidate him, wanting him to stop talking and end the conversation. But at this moment, he no longer has anything to fear.

    “Is it anyone’s business? My father does so much, yet he still has to worry about things other than his own desires!”

    “Speak nicely, Ramil. What did I do? What did I do?!”

    “Father, you know best.”

     

     

    How dare you speak to me like this!”

    “Father, you think I don’t know anything. I’m not stupid… I may not look like it, but if I hadn’t gone to help Khanin, Father, you might have turned into a murderer…”

    Slap!

    “…” His handsome face twitched from the impact, and the young man remained still for so long that he could see his father’s toes move slightly before straightening up and looking back without flinching.

    “Are you crazy or not… Can you hear me?”

    “…”

    “Yes! I’m the one who did everything today. I agreed to do everything just for you to win, but you came back and insulted me like this!” Finally, Rachata spoke the truth.

    The words hit the face of the only son, causing blood to rise. Shocked from being hit so hard that his face turned. Ramil gradually regained his composure to stand firm for what was right.

    “I’ve told you before, don’t get involved in competitions. In the past, Father, you would never interfere with anyone’s life. Because of that I respect and admire you, I want to be as good as you are on my own, I want you to truly accept me. I’ve been asking Father, you all along not to interfere.”

    “…”

    “And what is this… Father doesn’t tell me anything.” Ramil left his words at that, starting to wonder why everything had turned out like this.

    “And have you ever made me trust you? Last time, if I hadn’t secretly bought the athlete, you would have foolishly chased after Khanin endlessly, even though I had taken care of everything for you. But as soon as you found out, you spent all the money to pay him back until I was almost broke, only caring about that stupid justice! Do you want to lose to it, don’t you? Do you want to lose to those Atsawathewathin idiots, right?”

    “…”

    “You’re an idiot. If I don’t do this, can you take care of what you should take care of yourself? Waseen said you’re stupid and he can see through

    Khanin’s game!”

    “How did Waseen get involved in this matter?”

    “It’s a wake-up call for me. It’s a problem if your financial management is always dependent on what Khanin does. He will turn the tables on you immediately, even though the foolish Meenakarins still sees Khanin as playing a game with you. He lures you into winning, but at a high cost that you still don’t realize. How can I trust you?”

    “I can understand not trusting each other, but does it have to come to the point of killing someone? Do you want me to have a murderer for a father?”

    “I didn’t go that far. I don’t want it to come to death. I just want to make Khanin struggle and use his legs. My people are the servants in that area. But, I didn’t do this plan to bring down the pole! It’s not my doing!”

    “What do you mean?”

    “I did it for you. I intended for someone to stumble or collide with Khanin so that he would lose his legs or end up disabled. My people are the waiters in that area. But, this pole falling down was not my doing! It’s not my doing!” Rachata’s voice trembled.

    Rachata tried to control his trembling body with his thick hands pounding on the table, causing a loud noise to reverberate throughout the room. The newfound truth left the young prince stunned and shocked.

    “So whose skill is it? Father said it was someone.”

    “I don’t know. The people from the event have all been taken in for questioning. We’ll find out soon.”

    We’ll find out soon? Do you think someone else needs to know? Do you father stupidly think the person behind it will reveal themselves? When they do this, right with your plot that person means it intentionally throws the blame on you,  Father!” The situation was getting worse. What was initially thought to be a game turned into an attempted murder.

    Ramil’s mixed feelings were relieved when he learned that his father didn’t intend to harm Khanin to the point of death, but the other half was filled with overwhelming guilt and remorse.

    No matter who takes action, that person already knows that everything has to turn out like this.

    It has been planned…

    It intentionally uses his father as a fall-guy.

    “…”

    “I will fix the mistake myself. I will withdraw. Puchongpisut will not participate in the Sovereign-King competition this time. We will show that we did not intend for this to happen, and we did not do this for our own victory.” Ramil turns back, both sides trembling unsteadily.

    The young prince feels a bit bitter. Even when his father reached out to hold his arm. Ramil still doesn’t feel the warmth from the hands that used to pat his shoulder with affection.

    “Stop! I can handle this… Ramil! Don’t do that!”

    This Young Prince, the only one of Puchongpisut, slowly turns back to his bewildered father, his face looking as if he has done something wrong in those confused eyes, the wrong direction that used to radiate confidence now wraps him in a wrong posture.

    Ramil raises his head, the hand that fell by his side approaches each other tightly, he closes his eyes, letting the tears of anxiety flow, wiping his cheeks before going to commit the sin that he did not cause. Ramil decides to leave the last words for the father to ponder.

    It’s all the lingering feelings.

    “Don’t do anything more than this… Please… Trust me… Just once.”

    “….”

    “Don’t make me feel embarrassed with a father like this anymore, please…

    Your Majesty.”

    After the chaotic incident, the interviews and social events had to be immediately canceled. The royal doctor from the hospital, the number one in Daveen, was invited to the Royal Palace. Everyone involved in the event, including the staff hired by the Puchongpisut family, was heavily interrogated.

    Tarin and Dhipabawon ordered someone to inspect the location to determine if the whole incident was just a real accident or if someone was behind it.

    Ramil himself underwent a detailed physical examination, while Rachata was agitated. The leader of the Puchongpisut family was worried about his son, which created a tense and intense atmosphere.

    “Uncle probably didn’t think Rachata would be the one responsible, right? It seems that Ramil was also injured. If it wasn’t just an accident, Puchongpisut would be equally affected.”

    Charan didn’t wait to hear anyone’s explanation. As soon as he arrived, he didn’t want to leave Khanin alone. Even the venerable doctor was invited to wait outside.

    His handsome face was filled with clear anxiety. Although Khanin kept saying it was nothing, Charan remained in a state of tension, pressure, and concern.

    Rumors and speculations started to spread, especially when they saw the young man with his arm in a sling. Charan felt guilty about what had happened.

    If he hadn’t let Khanin be alone, this wouldn’t have happened.

    The doctor said he had to wear a sling.”

    The young man spoke softly, but his cute face still had a smile that seemed to want to comfort each other. Khanin looked at him with a worried gaze, unable to determine who was the injured one.

    “I’m sorry.” It took Charan a while to find his own voice. He moved closer to the bed, raised his hand as if he wanted to touch the injured person, but ultimately stopped in mid-air.

    Charan was afraid of hurting Khanin, so he couldn’t bring himself to touch him more than this.

    “Sorry, I couldn’t find you.”

    “I said I would protect you, but…”

    “It’s not your fault. It’s an accident. No one wanted this to happen.” It was Khanin himself who moved closer, holding warm hands together, while Charan continued to blame himself.

    During that time, the young man had a vivid memory. If it weren’t for Ramil’s help, Khanin might have been more seriously injured.

    “But I couldn’t help at all.”

    “It’s okay, just a sprain. Just having you here helps me feel less scared…”

    “…”

    “Give me a hug, please.” Khanin extended his arm to embrace Charan, who didn’t seem to relax much, his face still tense. He felt guilty for not being more concerned about the young royal’s injuries.

    “Are you worried?”

    Because Charan spoke up and became a companion, Khanin wouldn’t have to sleep alone tonight. Chakri volunteered to arrange an extra bed, before retiring himself.

    Charan sat down on the same bed as Khanin, paying little attention to the extra bed provided by Chakri. It wasn’t necessary. They had slept together countless times, so what benefit would separating the beds now bring?

    But that’s it. They didn’t want to upset the butler, so they let it be, following this kind gesture.

    “Afraid, worried, but not hesitant.” One of Khanin’s strengths was his ability to stay knowledgeable and acknowledge his own feelings without changing. The young royal, who often does not deceive himself with excessive worries, but because he made decisions to face them, he didn’t hesitate or wait for time to pass.

    If this event wasn’t just an ordinary accident, it meant that someone intentionally caused harm to the point of forcing him to withdraw from the competition, or it could be a danger beyond control. Khanin thought that he wouldn’t let it go and fall to the desires of those in the shadows.

    He would take advantage of this opportunity to let those who lurked in the dark know that all their plans would not succeed. Khanin was uninjured, and the competition would not be interrupted. When the burden of the plan became too heavy, it wouldn’t go as planned, and eventually, he would have to reveal himself. Just waiting for time to press on.

    “If you do that, Nin, I’ll support everything.” Charan’s words were like drops of soothing water. Even when Khanin felt uneasy, at least there was someone like this by his side.

    “Thank you.” Khanin smiled sincerely. Then he invited his loved one to lie down, lightly tapping the bed to let the other person get up and lie down next to him. But just as Charan was about to lie down, he was stopped from doing so by a knock on the door.

    “What is it?” It was Charan who asked the question, while Khanin got up and sat on the edge of the bed, looking towards the door with suspicion.

    “Apologies for the intrusion, Young Prince Ramil has arrived, Your

    Highness…”

     

     

    “Ramil?” The voice from behind the small door ceased, and the young royal turned to face the newcomer, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. There was no shortage of curiosity as to why the other party had to sneak in like this.

    It’s not like he has been away from the palace for a long time or anything.

    “If you don’t want to meet him, it’s fine. I’ll go and talk to him.” Charan seemed to catch a glimpse of Khanin’s pensive demeanor, being the lowerranking party, tall and poised to step off the bed, only to have his wrist grabbed by the younger one. His cute face swayed slightly before pulling Charan closer and whispering softly.

    “He came right after the incident. It must be something important. Can he come in and meet me?”

    “Yes.” Charan fell silent, his heart pounding. Then he reluctantly nodded, his tall figure stepping out of the room, disappearing for a while until Khanin was about to follow suit when the waiting person returned first.

    “Young Prince Ramil has arrived.” Due to Charan’s refusal to let the outsider follow him, the young man had to take care of everything himself in the absence of a high-ranking, noble figure.

    The young royal from Atsawathewathin lowered his gaze, looking at the two men still in their old attire before the incident. The other party approached with a dignified and revealing posture, contrasting with the scattered handsome face.

    The usually proud and arrogant eyes now looked downcast and weary, the tip of the nose slightly reddened, bearing faint traces of intense crying.

    “I’ve come… to apologize.” Without needing to ask why he was here. Ramil knelt down in front of Khanin, the tall figure that used to stand tall. Confident in himself, he knelt down on one side of the floor, making Khanin feel somewhat startled.

    The other party didn’t hesitate at all, indicating that he had thought it through… A high-ranking person who loves himself so much, would he easily bow down to anyone if it weren’t a matter of life and death?

    “Apologies for whatever happened? You yourself have been helping me.” Khanin hesitated to ask the other party to stand up. Although this act would be demeaning to the lower-ranking party, and he didn’t want anyone to grovel at his feet, this moment presented a good opportunity to address various doubts in his mind without having to seek answers himself.

    He decided to go with the flow.

    “I’m sorry because… my father is the one who did it.” The sound of disappointment was completely revealed. Khanin turned to look at Charan almost instantly.

    The lump of flesh in his chest beats rapidly and forcefully, almost pounding out. The young man couldn’t even imagine that the answer he was looking for would come running to him, so easily.

    The hidden eyes glanced at the person who was still kneeling in front, without even raising his face to look at each other with disdain, a gesture that showed a heartbroken feeling that had been completely shattered.

    However, because he didn’t know where the other party would go, the young royal from the current royal family still maintained a calm posture, allowing Ramil to speak what he wanted to express continuously.

    “My father is the one who made you suffer… so I will compensate you.”

    “…”

    “I will give up my rights… Puchongpisut will not participate in the competition for the position of Sovereign King this time.” The heavy sound made Khanin almost squint at Ramil.

    “Does it mean that your father wants to kill me?”

    “No… my father didn’t intend to do that.”

    “Didn’t intend to do that? But I wanted to let the beam fall on me.”

    “My father didn’t do it that way, my father planned for you to suffer, but what he planned was to make the person who served as a waiter push you… to make you suffer in your legs, so that you can’t move comfortably during the competition.”

    “And how can I believe you?”

    “I didn’t come here to ask you to believe, but I came to take responsibility for my father’s actions.”

    “Then why should you take responsibility when if your father did only that, he should find someone else to take the blame, why should you give up your rights, especially when you yourself want to win almost to the point of death.” This question arose in Khanin’s mind.

    Yes, he didn’t know what kind of person Ramil was, this arrogant fucker who had been arrogant since the first day they met.

    When choosing to clash heads with Ramil first, it was because the other party showed a clearly disdainful attitude. Besides being unfriendly, he also showed a domineering posture as if he was at the pinnacle of the chain.

    Giving up the competition just because his father did this to him seems a bit strange to Khanin. He thinks that blood must be thicker than water. Ramil also seems to have borrowed a lot from his father.

    “The victory that came from cheating is not worthy of me… I have more honor than that.”

    However, while thinking negatively, Ramil’s words made Khanin frown.

    The young man blinked once. Then he made a face of disbelief and burst out laughing.

    “Well, you are a good man after all.”

    Ramil’s extremely arrogant words made Khanin feel relieved, even though they were not very familiar with each other. However, the honest display of the other party without any tricks also made the young prince trust him a lot.

    At first, he was worried that the person who had once positioned themselves as enemies would come to where, but suddenly he appeared in front of him with all the sins on his face. But when he saw the arrogance displayed despite being on his knees, he said he would end such a competition…

    It should be a fair bet that the other party will pick up the heart and put it under his feet as well.

    “If that’s the case, there’s nothing left, I’ll… have to prepare a statement about giving up my rights, and then I’ll find the real culprit to punish.” Ramil spoke quickly and got up, while the tall figure was walking towards the door.

    Khanin, who was analyzing the guest’s posture, also said something.

    “Wait… don’t go yet.”

    “…” The face of the person who turned back was not satisfied with being scolded even a little. If you are a person who deliberately comes to take pictures to make the game look good, you probably won’t frown like Ramil.

    “Before I go, I have something to ask.”

    “What…”

    “Swear to answer completely truthfully.” Khanin’s tail looked at Charan, and the other party looked at him the same way.

    The young prince believed that the older guy could not guess what he was going to say, and the corners of his thin lips even smiled a little. When he was about to speak to the older and younger siblings who were walking back with a frown.

    “Speak up… I don’t have all night.”

    “How does the Puchongpisut family take care of people? Why did they allow an assassin who has an injured leg to come to harm someone at the event?” In reality, there was no one with a leg injury at the event. However, Khanin wanted to observe the reaction of the other party, so he fabricated a story about someone who was a disabled committing a crime, causing him to injure his arm today.

    It doesn’t help that Charan still has the image of the injured leg incident in his mind, making it difficult for him to believe that Puchongpisut could be the real culprit. So Khanin thinks it’s necessary to find out the truth.

    “When can the injured person come and take care of the event… There’s no way, even though it’s an important job, the security unit is in place, we won’t accept anyone with physical disabilities to do any work.” Not just a headache, the sound of a collision echoed. Ramil reached for his mobile phone and opened the updated information about the incident to submit it.

    “He might be an old assassin. Khun Charan, please check if there are any people who have encountered him before.” Khanin handed his mobile phone to Charan for inspection. As soon as he heard the voice of someone older, he immediately understood and hurriedly went to check according to the requirements of the injured person.

    “If you want to see information about the old assassin, click on the icon at the top.” Ramil spoke briefly and went to find Charan, then stood hugging himself and waited.

    “… Khanin remained silent, while waiting for the comrade-in-arms to check the information, he secretly observed the gestures of the younger siblings.

    Ramil didn’t show any signs of restlessness. Although he was a bit angry in his tone because he was accused of bringing the injured person to work, the tall man didn’t rush Charan to check anything. There was no smell of someone trying to cover up their own wrongdoing.

    It seemed that when he walked and talked, he didn’t do anything wrong.

    Calm, straightforward, to the point, to the extent that it was hard to imagine how deceptive they could be.

    “Your Highness, I didn’t recognize anyone.” Charan turned around and spoke with a calm expression before returning the mobile phone to its owner, then stepped back and bowed to the young royal from the rival family.

    “Are you satisfied or not? If so, I’ll leave…”

    “Not yet.” After receiving confirmation from Charan that Puchongpisut did not keep any suspicious individuals and it was possible that he had no involvement in sending someone to assassinate him, Khanin restrained Ramil once again.

    Khanin analyzes everything quickly and makes decisions to speak out and play the game again.

    “I haven’t thanked you for helping me.”

    “…”

    “Thank you… thank you for helping me.”

    “If I had not helped someone could have gotten hurt, then how can I be a different boss?” As the person with higher status responds. Ramil still has the same personality.

    It doesn’t matter to be proud of anyone, but even so, it firmly believes in justice, full of morality, so it’s not surprising that it likes to praise itself.

    Probably confident that he hasn’t done anything wrong, whether in front or behind.

    Keep such a person as a friend, better than turning them into enemies.

    “You’re not like your father. If my uncle were like you, he wouldn’t let anyone lead him by the nose” Khanin means having virtue if a person is a father, having that thing is as good as a child, so there wouldn’t be a situation where Ramil has to kneel in front of him like this.”

    “….”

    “Think about it. If your father doesn’t play tricks, then we will probably all practice to play for real in a few days.”

    “…”

    “You’re a talented person, indeed, you’re a scary opponent, and if I were to eliminate someone, I would eliminate someone as scary as you.”

    On occasion, he praised along with the fire in Ramil’s chest.

    “…”

    Khanin knows in his heart that Ramil won’t be able to speak. Because the other party probably thinks the same way.

    “If that’s the case, then are you still giving up your rights? But what if the real goal is not me, but you. If that person is actually trying to pull you out of the competition, and you give up your rights, it means he succeeded.”

    “What does that mean?”

    @: “Well then… think about who would benefit from this if I were hurt, and you relinquish your rights.”

    @: Once it was proven that Ramil did not commit any wrongdoing, Khanin used the disappointment of the other party as leverage to bring them in as allies.

    @: He intentionally scattered various pieces of information for Ramil to ponder, and someone like Ramil, who has enough integrity, would use that information to eliminate those who have no inclination to engage in malicious activities from the thought system.

    @: Therefore, Ramil’s information is trustworthy.

    @: “Evaa and Uncle Chona are not like that.”

    @: “I haven’t said anything about who they are yet, why would you think of pointing the finger at Evaa instead.” Khanin smiled, not a mocking smile, but a satisfied smile when more information that was closer to the truth emerged.

    @: “Because Evaa and Uncle Chona are in a low key struggle with my father, they have different opinions and haven’t talked for a long time, there is no way for them to cooperate.”

    @: “So someone who talks to your father frequently is probably not my father.”

    @: Ramil fell silent for a moment, his mind filled with thoughts, and after a while, his brows furrowed.

    @: “There is someone who has been approaching my father all along, someone who analyzed your game plan, that person told my father that I am foolish, playing your game, doing everything, willing to pay a high price to defeat you, even though it’s not a victory I should be proud of, but if that person is true, there is no motivation for him to do that. Because no matter who wins this game, he doesn’t benefit from it. Because he himself has no son.”

    @: “Uncle Waseen?”

    @: “Yes.”

    @: “And is Uncle Waseen close to Uncle Chona?”

    @: “I don’t know about that, I only know that the Meenakarin’s people belonging to Evaa’s team who came to compete account for a half of her team.”

    @: Now we’ve come to this point. Khanin seems to have started to understand several things, even though Ramil said that person is not beneficial, but if that side cooperates with Thawetmetha.

    Or if no one can win… If no one can guess who can win, then how will the judgment criteria be?

    Who will become the next Sovereign-King?

    “If that’s the case, Evaa shouldn’t be trusted either…” Khanin commented that way, he won’t stop suspecting until he knows the truth, and now Evaa is the person who is highly suspicious at the beginning.

    “What do you want by saying that?” Ramil looked at the other side with a lack of understanding.

    “I want you to continue competing, it’s better if we cooperate.”

    “But I…”

    “Don’t you want to find out who is behind all this?”

    Ramil’s gaze changed immediately upon hearing that. Khanin believed that the other side probably didn’t think about it and only realized it after hearing his opinion.

    “I do.”

    “If that’s the case, you shouldn’t give up your rights. Doing so immediately means that you’re blindly following someone’s game without knowing what it wants…”

    “…”

    “Think carefully. Even if your father no longer has the right to be the Sovereign-King, he can still live, but if things turn out badly… your father might be assassinated, a life in rebellion. If we can find the real enemy after that person gains power, no matter what, they will have to silence your father.”

    “My father wouldn’t do something like that. Even though he wants power, he’s not that evil.”

    “That’s the reason… why do you still have to compete.”

    “….”

    “We have to work together to find evidence that proves your father didn’t intend to kill me. He might have been used as a deception, but he didn’t intend to harm me to the point of death. We need to find out who the real enemy is… and bring them to justice together.”

    As someone once said, ‘The enemy of our enemy is our friend.’ Right now, both Khanin and Ramil are in danger. So it’s better if we cooperate.

    According to the proverb, killing two birds with one shot.

    Khanin tried to exploit the vulnerability of his younger siblings and deceive the other party into becoming their own group, which the other party probably knew as well. However, they agreed to do so in order to protect their own father from being accused of going beyond the limits.

    He wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to climb up and find the real enemy who wanted to kill each other…

    It seems that this is not just a matter of hurting each other to make the other side lose in the competition. If the thread has been pulled up and the tied knot can really be unraveled, it may reveal something much more significant.

    There are many stories waiting to be revealed.

    Whether it’s the encounter with the father in the warehouse, the secret of Charan’s death, or the new story of Ramil’s father being suspected as the number one perpetrator…

    Khanin believes that everything is interconnected…

    Otherwise, the story wouldn’t be so complicated.

    When Ramil remained silent, Khanin turned to the Phitakthewa family leader who stood silently beside him. The other party nodded to confirm that everything he said was true in every aspect.

    Khanin turned back to look at his younger siblings with full confidence. At this moment, when playing with a hard stick, it is necessary to use a soft stick to show the other party that he is ready to be on the same side, without betraying each other, even though the other party is still suspicious as before.

    “Agreed?”

    “Agreed.”

    “Then let’s do it… Rameng.”

    “What is it?”

    “Ramil, Ramen… Rameng, let’s join forces.”

    “….”

    “Why are you dissatisfied? Are you cursing me… curse me right away.” Khanin laughed in his throat, making a face that seemed to stretch his face to prevent the other party from sinking into excessive sadness, and when he saw that, instead of sulking every time. Ramil took a deep breath and exhaled softly.

    “Hey… Khana?”

    “What did you call me?”

    “Khana, why… are you dissatisfied?” Ramil laughed softly, the young man did not sulk back, but smiled with a face as if he was trying to comfort himself.

    That smile made Khanin decide to extend his hand forward, while the other party reached out and grabbed his butt, shaking it gently as if this was a temporary truce.

    “Dissatisfied, but you can call me whatever you want, let’s just say I’m calling you ‘Ramen’.”

    “Call me whatever you want, even if it’s ‘Ramen’, but it’s premium ‘Ramen’.”

    “I can be whatever you want, but remember that the competition will not be postponed, no matter what, someone will come and ask about my injured arm, maybe ask for your opinion, let them confirm that I will compete as usual.”

    “Okay.”

    “If that’s the case, let’s separate and move on, and we’ll contact each other later.”

    Ramil separated and left. In the bedroom, only Khanin and Charan remained.

    The young prince still looked out the door. As for the close people who used to stand clasping their hands, they walked over and locked the door as if they knew what they were doing.

    “I did the right thing, didn’t I?” The question was asked as the other party stepped in and sat down next to each other as before.

    “You did the right thing.” Charan spoke and gently brushed his soft hair with his hand.

    “Oh. So I will not postpone the competition.”

    “I understand.” The young man thought along and could see the needs of the child more clearly.

    The plan to deceive the villain so that he will make more plans and hopefully slip… If the other party’s desire is to end the competition, doing this would be an accelerator to make the person in the shadow reveal their identity faster.

    Taking a little risk is better than dealing with an unknown danger.

    “No matter what happens, as long as Nin is still by my side, winning or losing doesn’t matter.”

    “…”

    “Let’s finish this game together.”

    THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

  • THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 38: Protection

    THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 38: Protection

       THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 38: Protection.

    On Friday afternoon, the members of the royal family from each lineage gather at the Royal Palace, starting with Puchongpisut, Atsawathewathin, Meenakarin, and ending with Thawetmetha.

    However, this time their meeting place was not a restaurant like usual, but a spacious dome where royal-descendants arranged seats for the adults to ride horses and enjoy the panoramic view in a unique setting, not a flower garden inside the main building as always.

    “It’s good to come out and have tea outside once in a while.” The highestranking official of the country speaks with a dry voice, as Dhipabawon’s condition fluctuates between good and bad, perhaps due to his age and the burden that the scattered crumbs of power have on him, making the country’s leader lack the strength he once had.

    “It’s the king’s idea, Your Highness.” Tarin gives credit for the choice of location, while the Meenakarin family leader responds with a gracious bow, and the oldest person expresses his appreciation.

    “You understand me, my lord, always.”

    “Nephew just wants you, my lord, to come out and breathe some fresh air occasionally, Your Highness.” Waseen interjects, while Rachata seizes the opportunity to speak.

    “What are the symptoms like?” This conversation coincided with the time when the princess in the red dress presented vacant offerings to the royal lineage.

    The chilled fruit bowl was arranged in position, except for Dhipabawon’s, which was replaced with a bird’s nest cup. Because of his poor physical condition, he couldn’t tolerate cold food.

    “Great. It can be considered as treatment according to the symptoms.”

    “If there is anything I can assist with, please let me know.” The city leader, who has advanced medical development, expressed gratitude to Dhipabawon as a gesture of appreciation.

    “Thank you all very much… Does anyone have anything else to say?” Because the Thawetmetha family leader usually speaks little and refuses to intervene or say anything, and the other side just sits quietly and looks at each other, Emmaly, the highest-ranking member of the Emmaly family, made the decision to ask.

    “I think that Uncle shouldn’t take on too much work. If possible, take some time to relax. After all, health is the most important thing.”

    “I agree with you, brother. Uncle, you should not overburden yourself with work.” Waseen, the eldest sibling, also joined in to help with the mixing. They wanted Dhipabawon to let go a little. As for Rachata, who saw some opportunity, he quickly interjected and smoothly presented his own demands.

    Is this plan acceptable?” Now that the competition is approaching in less than a week, I think we should organize a farewell celebration.

    “…”

    “At least for reducing stress for the children. Strengthening relationships, and… we will find time to relax.” The family leader of Puchongpisut, spoke by highlighting the advantages for the siblings to listen attentively.

    Tarin’s side doesn’t quite agree because he doesn’t want things to get chaotic. As for Waseen, he supports Dhipabawon as the main decision-maker but doesn’t see any harm in organizing the event. Ultimately, the prince who does not express any opinions, as the one with the authority, will make the decision.

    “Come on, organizing a farewell party is also good. I will have someone handle it…”

    “As Your Highness suggested, would you like me to assist you with the matter, Your Highness?” It is another occasion where Rachata volunteers, and Diphabowon agrees willingly.

    “Very well then. Don’t forget to inform the children. That should suffice.” Because he doesn’t want to cause any inconvenience by being elusive, the elderly person grants permission.

    Rachata bowed to receive the command before smiling and concluding with a sentence describing the atmosphere in the horse riding field as excellent.

    “No need to worry, Your Highness. The children seem to get along well, and they must be delighted to have a social gathering.”

    ‘Getting along well’ is a subjective definition from someone who observes from afar and may not accurately reflect the actual situation.

    Evaa, Ramil, and Khanin separate themselves to participate in activities together. They agree to ride horses and compete in three rounds in the field to determine the winner. After spending a reasonable amount of time riding horses for fun.

    In the past, both Evaa and Ramil’s horse riding skills were considered exceptional. However, this competition turned out to be a rare defeat for Evaa.

    As for Ramil and Khanin, it is a relatively evenly matched contest.

    The royal descendant, Evaa, looked back at the two relatives before taking a breath. Evaa slipped away, her face showing a little bit of what had happened.

    She wasn’t particularly happy about gaining victory, but rather felt a sense of tenderness towards the two relatives.

    Both Ramil and Khanin were not focused on the competition, as they were more concerned about the sudden disappearance of Petai and Charan, their close companions.

    Just look at them. Even someone as carefree as Ramil didn’t seem to care about the competition at all.

    “That’s great. We’ve had a great time riding horses together.” said the lone girl, teasingly starting a conversation after they had gradually descended from the stage. Horses, the companions of their hearts.

    “Oh, you’re still as skilled as ever.” Ramil handed the reins to someone to take care of the horse, and engaged in conversation with Evaa using the same familiar phrases, but his eyes kept searching for his own close companion, no different from Khanin.

    “Thank you. And… Khanin, are you having fun?”

    “Oh, yes… I’m having fun… It’s really fun.”

    Evaa almost revealed the gesture of the young royal, while the other party seemed emotionally detached from the immediate situation. It was fortunate that she managed to hold back in time. The hawk eyes caught sight of the person in the position of following the close companion of both parties returning, just as Ramil uttered a few words with a hoarse voice.

    I am thirsty, let’s go get some water to drink.”

    “I’m hungry too. I’ll come with you.” Khanin, who seemed to have just regained consciousness, quickly spoke up.

    Evaa saw that both Petai and Charan came back with drinks in their hands. Because of that, the young woman did not think to disturb the desires of the older siblings anymore.

    “Go ahead. Evaa asked to separate and have tea with the good adults instead.” People without partners like her decided to escape and join the group on the field.

    Ramil took the opportunity to follow closely behind the young woman, intending to catch up with Petai immediately. In the end, he ended up having to walk in the middle of the field, rushing and being close to Khanin.

    Khanin frowned in dissatisfaction and glanced sideways. Just as Ramil turned around with words that were not allowed to pass.

    “There are many other paths. Let’s go on a different journey.”

    “No one wrote their name as the owner of the paths.” Khanin intentionally walked to confront Ramil, but he was unexpectedly pushed back by the bigger person until he almost stumbled.

    “Fucking annoying.” Ramil gritted his teeth, but Khanin didn’t care. Now his eyes were only fixed on Charan.

    “Stop fighting for now. Look around.” It was a temporary truce.

    Ramil turned to look at the provocative gestures of the white man, his face more handsome and arrogant than before.

    “What are we going to talk about next? We haven’t separated yet.”

    “That’s right.”

     

     

    Then we have to make them separate… Each person takes care of their own.” The taller person ordered with a low voice. Ramil prepared to take another step when Khanin raised his hand, causing a pause.

    “Hey, are you going to run in like that? Acting like a dumb dog-faced man without any artistry at all.”

    “Who’s the dog-faced one!” The irritating words caused the young brothers’ nerves to fray. Ramil intended to retaliate with insults, but he was stopped in his tracks by a sentence that affected his emotions.

    “Is Petai more important?”

    “If you’re so good, then go, go separate your guy.” Ramil muttered under his breath, his frustration building up, as he glanced at Charan and Petai who were still engrossed in conversation. Even though there was a deadly aura emanating from that direction.

    “Certainly more skilled.”

    “If you’re so skilled, then go handle it, go ahead.” The young royal from the Phuchongpisut lineage wanted to know how Khanin-Atsawathewathin could separate Charan and Petai from each other.

    Which way is considered art? For Ramil, it doesn’t have to be anything complicated. Just walk over and separate them, that’s it.

    “Make that face, do you think just walking over and separating them will solve everything?” The sarcastic remark from the younger one made the taller one hesitate. The descendant of the royal family, the young man with a snakelike forehead, approached each other.

    “And why… why do you believe whatever I say.” With a handsome, stern face, a louder exhale, and a voice that made people like Kani, Nont, read the relationship clearly.

    “Are you so confident and yet so restless, or are you worried because you got him just like that…”

    Hey, Khanin!” Ramil didn’t let the other side finish speaking, he retorted with anger, his face not betraying any emotions. Khanin had evil thoughts, his enchantment commanded him to stab the heart of someone who was his number one enemy as soon as he saw a weakness.

    “That’s right… Did I speak the truth? Stabbing the heart, huh? Obviously, you only like him alone, it’s pitiful one sided love.”

    “…”

    “Come here, let me teach you, look, like this.” He gestured with his index finger towards Ramil, making him feel even more uneasy, the taller one following behind with a frown, but ultimately deciding to let Khanin take the lead this time.

    His narrow eyes looked towards the young brothers who walked away to drink, he walked after them slowly, observing from behind.

    The image in front is of a Khanin reaching out to grab the shirt of the person Ramil dislikes, causing a slight twitch to make the other party turn around.

    “Phii Ran.”

    That annoying voice is called a strategy, huh… Ramil, who was following along, thought in his mind.

    “Your-Highness” But it yielded unexpected results…

    Ramil noticed that Charan lost interest in conversing with Petai the moment Khanin called out.

    “I hurt my hand.”

    “Did it hurt a lot?” And just then the older man walked in with a sense of urgency, causing the other side to show signs of abnormality… Looking at this posture, he doesn’t use polite words, the high-ranking class speaks similarly. It can be inferred from the common sentence structure that just came out of the mouth of the leader of the Phitakthewa family.

    A lot, the rope that restrained my hands, see.”

    Ramil’s eyebrows twitched, he discovered a new strange voice from Khanin, a type that he was quite confident he had never heard the other party use before.

    Just now, what came out was firm and winding. With a touch of sweetness, but this time it sounded strange and unfamiliar.

    The trick can be used, you dog’s child.

    “Is it okay? Should we call the royal doctor, Young Prince?” Petai, who was observing, spoke up, causing the person who was weakly acting in the drama to pay attention.

    “It’s okay, just a little. Ah,, KhunPetai, are you free right now? It just so happens… Ramil, he wants to find someone to race horses with outside the field…”

    “…”

    “What would you like to do? If I were to trouble you to race in my place, my hand hurts and I can’t ride anymore.” Khanin fell into a sad category, but he managed to express it smoothly, his face diminished, looking weak, helpless, pitiful to the point that Charan chose to distance himself from Petai, and then turned to hold the hand of a child to take a closer look. This made Ramil have to look up.

    It’s worth it that I decided to not underestimate him… but this time I will accept defeat.

    The young prince from the Puchongpisut family stood hugging himself, looking at the big scene in front. Petai glanced, lowered his eyelids slightly, as if wanting to observe, but just for a split second, the other party turned back to respond to the half-request, half-command of that dog’s child, with politeness.

    “If it’s the wish of the Young Prince, I can’t refuse it.” In fact, it’s more accurate to say that he has no right to refuse.

    If that’s the case, please take care, don’t keep him waiting for too long.” Khanin ended with a sincere smile, the owner of the two-layered eyes hiding a natural wink, the temporary peace agreement from this moment onwards will have an effect.

    “If so, Your Highness, please excuse me.” Petai bowed his head before stepping aside, his expression devoid of a smile or any discernible emotion, appearing aloof and detached, much like someone devoid of feelings.

    Khanin followed Petai’s gaze until it settled on Ramil. Seeing that the younger ones were acting mischievously, Khanin also adopted a stern expression, following proper decorum.

    The hidden eyes glanced at the backs of the two individuals who turned and walked away, waiting until Ramil and Petai rode their horses out of the racetrack together before allowing a smile of satisfaction to escape.

    “What are you planning?”

    “Me?… Oh, my… my hand is really hurt… I am also feeling hot and don’t want to go out in the open.” Almost answering truthfully, the young man quickly covered his mouth, barely able to retract his words.

    Khanin blinked and hastily pretended to inspect his own wrist, but he couldn’t escape the piercing gaze of the older person.

    “Is it very painful?”

    “At first, yes, but when you asked, it seemed to hurt less, huh.”

    Charan burst into laughter in the barn during the negotiation, he smirked before reaching out to examine the fingertips of the young red-handed person, which seemed to be genuinely painful as stated, but not too much, because Khanin, whom he knew, was not a weak person.

    “What can I help you with?” After inspecting and being confident that the other party was not much more than a hand injury, Charan fired off a question.

     

     

    It was apparent that Khanin was displeased to see him with Petai, once a white man had done the same thing, showing signs of jealousy on his face, clearly indicating that he didn’t want anyone to meddle with his own person.

    Charan understood because he himself had been in the same situation…

    Jealous, envious… not wanting anyone to interfere with his own person.

    “Can you give me a piggyback ride to the inner room?”

    “Hand hurts but still want me to give you a piggyback ride? Haha.” The response received was slightly beyond expectations, causing a slight chuckle to escape from the throat. His eyes met with the young person in front of him.

    Khanin’s eyes flickered with a mischievous glint.

    “Is that so…”

    “And do you think I would refuse you Nin?”

    “Of course not anymore.”

    “Then come up.” Following the other’s heart was not a difficult matter for Charan, the young man turned around for Khanin to climb up first before crouching down beside him, one minute, he leaned forward and smiled, the young person walked up naturally.

    “So happy… got to ride… with Phii Ran.” The whispered words grew louder in Charan’s ear. He heard it and smiled, the young man stood tall, before tightening his grip on the young boy’s waist even tighter than before.

    “Great spacing makes it easier to understand.”

    “Yes, I want them to see who I am.”

    “Hehe.” The cheerful response made Charan feel even better, the young man believed that Khanin was truly talented as he said, both in acting and…

    teasing, so much so that he had to go with the flow.

    Playing with the playful words spoken on the bed, and how could he resist?

    If I am good, then… Can you reward me with a kiss… I miss it. We haven’t kissed today, just been observing that person and this person.”

    Charan paused, his long, slender legs that used to walk confidently suddenly stopped.

    Luckily, at this moment, he led Khanin to walk a safe distance away from the racetrack. The path ahead was clear, with no soldiers on guard, so no one heard the dual-sided, ambiguous words spoken by the young lord to his close companion.

    “…” Charan understood that feeling of longing. He himself missed the white guy just like everyone else, but the current location was not conducive to answering his questions. He was afraid that someone might overhear and look at Khanin unfavorably.

    “Silent… does it mean?”

    “If we start kissing now… then there will not be going back to the racetrack.” He spoke with a nonchalant tone, even though he had intended to answer the question, but in the end, he didn’t. The young man hurriedly stepped up, just a little more to reach the inner accommodation. He intended to answer Khanin’s question at that moment.

    “No… just a threat. If you kiss me now, I’ll give it back ten times.” As he was being pushed in continuously, the leader of the Phitakthewa family responded loudly. The young man tried to remain calm and carried the young lord small until they reached the front of the room.

    However, at the moment when he was about to use his hands to open the door, he suddenly had to pause. When his hands touched the soft and warm lips that pressed gently against the back of his neck.

    “Kiss… it’s a threat that is not scary at all.” The other party intentionally made such a loud sound, and the young man who Charan carried and placed beautifully on the floor.

    Khanin walked closer and stopped in front. The dark brown eyes that Charan liked to look into now had a flicker of challenge, as if wanting to challenge his threat.

    “Being silent like this… Phii Ran, you didn’t like that I kissed you.”

    Charan took a deep breath and let out a loud sigh, the young man didn’t say anything but turned to open the door and took advantage of the moment when the lean figure defected, grabbing the small hand to follow him.

    His eyes scanned around. When he saw that no one else was inside the room, he managed to lock the door, then wrapped his hand around the waist of the smaller person and approached.

    “It’s not that I don’t like it… but I warned you not to do it…” The young man whispered near the thin lips of the teenager, staring at the person in his arms who was smiling happily.

    “So a rebellious kid needs to be punished.” Khanin wasn’t afraid of the glare of the other person even in the slightest, still daringly brought his face closer, lightly brushing his foot against Charan’s cheek as if testing his patience… waiting for him to snap.

    What kind of punishment does a rebellious kid need?

    Charan chuckled in his throat, he didn’t answer the question from the other party, but chose to hug the smaller person into his waist, guided him to a sitting position, taking care and treating him well to satisfy the defiance that the other party intentionally provoked.

    The wind blew, causing the hair to flutter. Ramil tightly held the reins, following behind the person he considered intimate, intending to possess Petai completely by following the path at high speed, making him have to accelerate.

    The owner of the majestic body was always worth admiring in every aspect, Ramil thought that the gods must love Petai so much that they sculpted a face so beautiful and handsome in one person.

     

     

    Who will have the skills and abilities that can drive the other party, not just an ordinary high-ranking person. Petai has several things that are different, he always tries to find that answer. Until he realized he was constantly looking at this person and it seemed to become familiar.

    “Why stop? You still don’t know who wins and who loses.” Because suddenly someone else slows down the speed of the horses and stops abruptly. So Ramil asked, he ordered his red-blooded horse to stop beside his close friend’s light brown-eyed horse.

    “Why compete, you don’t really want to compete.” The answer revealed that Petai looked at Khanin and figured out his ploy from the beginning. Just willing to play along with the flowing water. Their hair fluttered in the wind as they rode their horses forward without rushing.

    Ramil took a deep breath, his broad shoulders relaxed more when there was no one else here except them, and the young prince sometimes glanced at the sweet face of the person next to him.

    He was lost in thought, and at one point, he decided to ask something that had been lingering… something he didn’t know for sure what answer he expected to receive.

    “Guess…”

    “…”

    “….”

    “Do you… have a crush on someone?” He almost stopped himself from asking. Ramil could tell that it became silent, so silent that he could even hear the sound of his own breath, which seemed unnatural.

    “Why ask?” A big pause before the fair-skinned house owner questioned. Petai commanded his horse to stop still, ceasing its movement as if it required concentration.

    “I want to know.” He answered with a sincere punch. Ramil had no better answer than this. Because everything he said was the truth.

    The clock hands moved, the wind blew, the trees and grass swayed with the wind, passing through an uneasy moment, longer than some people would be willing to answer each other’s questions.

    “I stopped thinking about love a long time ago.”

    “….”

    “Since I decided to be yours.”

    The lump of flesh in Ramil’s left chest that he thought was strong trembled, the young prince hesitated, feeling somewhat similar to being about to be happy… his heart leaped, but it was just a feeling that resembled closeness… just a semblance of similarity.

    Ramil asked… If Petai had stopped thinking about love for a very long time.

    And what about the past between them… what can it be called?

    At the pre-competition farewell party, Khanin was dressed in a formal navy suit. Even though it was just an internal gathering with only close relatives from the three main families being invited.

    But because Chakri whispered that today’s event would also invite the media to interview all the heirs of the three families, Khanin had to make an extra effort to dress up.

    For a memorable and interesting appearance, Butler thought. Khanin took one last look at himself in the mirror before shifting his gaze to the smartphone screen that was securely placed nearby.

    The young man took a deep breath and wished he could contact Tanattai. His heart ached because he was prohibited from doing so, leaving him only the option to think. He heard a knocking sound on the door three times, calling for the person inside to hurry and let it out.

    Khanin smiled slightly when he saw who it was. Charan was dressed in a dark suit, not much different from him, and because of this youthful look, he couldn’t help but make a sarcastic comment.

    “It’s like we dressed up together.”

    “Just a coincidence.” Although he answered like that, Charan couldn’t deny that their outfits matched quite well, both in color and style.

    “More like hearts matched.” The young prince tried to appear cheerful as usual, ready to take the lead, but because Charan noticed something abnormal, the young man greeted him.

    “What’s wrong?”

    “Well…”

    “Why so nervous? worried about the interview?”

    “I… do I look stressed?” He asked with a hint of concern. Khanin thought he had controlled his emotions well, but he didn’t know where Charan had caught him.

    “The eyes.” It was Charan who answered with a brightened expression.

    Khanin remained silent for a moment before bursting into laughter when he realized that Charan himself wasn’t much different from him. Because they were so concerned, they felt connected… The slight change couldn’t be hidden.

    “I miss my father…” Khanin’s voice softened as his eyes looked down, hiding the attempt to appear normal in the first place, gradually dimming the light.

    “Be patient. Just a few more days.” Charan referred to the schedule that Tanattai had informed them after the competition ended. Khanin would have a chance to meet his biological father.

    “And about that… what will you do next?” Khanin referred to the letter that Charan had received earlier, the young man’s heart still anxious about the reasons why the letter was sent, no different from a lover’s letter.

    “After the competition, during that time, the Sovereign King would be busy with the transition of power. I will try to find relevant documents. I think the person who sent the news wants me to do something.”

    “…”

    “For example, find evidence instead.” It is possible that the anonymous party only has information but cannot access Atsawathewathin’s inner circle as well as he can. Charan doesn’t intend to help anyone, but he only wants to find the truth.

    The young man sees this as manipulation. The other party who sent the letter probably wants to use him as a tool to destroy Atsawathewathin, and it is possible that the person behind that is involved in sending someone to harm Khanin.

    There is no reason to support the idea that one side has to reveal all the information right now…

    If there were genuine intentions, why didn’t they disclose it from the beginning… before there was any news about the relationship between him and Young Prince, the young scion of Atsawathewathin.

    The issue of his mother’s death is still waiting for proof, but to reach that point, he needs to seize the opportunity after everyone is preoccupied with the transition of power to search for the truth.

    Charan just let it go for now, but because the competition is approaching, they don’t have time to do anything other than prepare to face the most important matter first.

    “There is something I can help with, right?”

    “There is one thing I would like your help with as well.”

    “Really?” The serious tone of the older person affects Khanin more than before. The young man adopts a waiting posture, before finally breaking into a genuine playful smile in response.

    “Please be a little less adorable.”

    “That’s difficult.”

    Both sides burst into laughter. The initially tense atmosphere is diluted by smiles. They exchange smiles before letting the conversation topic fade away when Chakri comes knocking on the door. Khanin asks Charan to double-check everything, and once it’s confirmed, they head to the venue, a banquet held within the Daveen Palace.

    The chaos at the banquet makes Khanin realize that the high society individuals may not be very adept at organizing events in a conventional manner.

    From what was initially thought to be a small social gathering, this banquet seems to be much more extravagant than Khanin had anticipated. Perhaps it is because Rachata volunteered to take charge.

    In addition to receiving assistance from both the Meenakarin and

    Thawetmetha families, who stepped in to help with the small details, the people of Atsawathewathin did not have to run around like before.

    “Thank you all very much, especially Rachata for taking care of the arrangements.” The powerful voice echoed through the dry and silent hall, expressing gratitude after tapping the golden spoon to capture everyone’s attention at the dining table.

    “Your Highness, the honored uncle as long as you are pleased.” The first table in the middle of the stage belongs to the elders, followed by the seats of the three heirs.

    Adjacent to it is a slightly smaller table for the high-ranking officials, who have been honored to sit with the appointed individuals, such as Charan and Petai.

    “Only three more days until the competition, everyone is enjoying themselves, thinking that today is a day of rest.” Since there was no official opening ceremony, Dhipabawon took this opportunity to give a speech, marking the informal start of the social gathering.

    Khanin secretly observed the reactions and gestures of all parties, his gaze wandering around. Until it stopped on Charan’s face.

    While he was watching the other side, the leader of the Phitakthewa family also looked towards the Sovereign King.

    However, that gaze lacked the usual reverence. Today, Charan’s eyes were filled with suspicion, hidden behind a seemingly calm facade.

    After that, the banquet began. The music played softly, the meticulously prepared dishes were gradually served, fresh royal oysters from the sea, and ingredients from the southern highlands, supported primarily by the Meenakarin family.

    The atmosphere was lively, but Ramil felt bored. He could only steal glances at Petai’s table and sigh with frustration. In their positions, they had no right to sit together, which was quite annoying in the young royal’s mind.

    Khanin himself probably felt no different from him, as evidenced by the fact that his eyes kept avoiding and secretly glancing at Charan… who had no idea which servant arranged for the two of them to sit together.

    Just sitting there, he felt the urge to get up and drag everyone out of work and head back home together. Ramil’s determination was in his heart, but because he was learning to adapt during this period, I couldn’t do much more than raise the wine glass in my hand and drink away the heat in my chest.

    “Soon, you will goblins from squinting.” When there was nothing else to do, he turned to bother the others sitting at the table. Ramil’s nervous sentence caught Khanin’s attention, who was looking at Charan with a measuring gaze.

    “Who are you referring to, yourself?” Both Khanin and I winced in pain, turning our attention to the food right in front of us. The taste was delicious, but the problem was that our hearts weren’t fully focused on eating as much as they should have been.

    “Why don’t you get up and bring him over yourself?”

    “I wanted to do it myself, so I let someone else do it.”

    “That’s both of us.” Evaa, the only young woman, leaned forward and listened attentively to the conversation between the young men.

    Khanin hesitated, his hand about to pick up a piece of grade A beef and bring it to his mouth, but Ramil couldn’t speak for a split second.

    “You’re good at reading others. What about Evaa, does she not care about anyone?” It took a while for her to regain her composure and respond. Ramil wasn’t particularly surprised by the way the Thawetmetha family’s daughter spoke.

    Ramil didn’t intend to hide anything, and he knew well that the other party was intelligent, but they both believed that they wouldn’t interfere in personal matters. So whether Evaa knew or not, it wasn’t a big deal.

    “I have just turned twenty.” The young woman’s answer made her eyebrows resemble those of a young royal, and Khanin was about to argue. At that moment, Ramil blurted out something that wasn’t much different from what he was thinking.

    “Being twenty doesn’t mean you can’t love anyone.”

    “Maybe I haven’t thought about that yet.”

    “Well… sometimes love isn’t something you can plan ahead.”

    “…”

    “Maybe you’ve gotten used to organizing your life, but love doesn’t choose people, doesn’t choose time, doesn’t determine a place. By the time you realize it, you might feel a lot, and more.”

    Khanin thought that this might be the first time he agreed with Ramil without any argument. What the tall man said was true in every way, proven by the stories he had encountered and faced himself.

    Love is something that comes unexpectedly.

    “The news agency has gathered, and they requested to interview Young Princess and the two Young Princes, all three of them are getting ready, with someone organizing the queue.”

    A young man placed a non-alcoholic beverage on the table. He prepared to get up and go look for Khanin almost immediately when he noticed that the other party was being invited to get up from his seat, and he walked straight to stand by the big stage to wait for the interview.

    “Khun Charan, excuse me for a moment.” A tall young man who was determined to go find his affectionate companion stopped abruptly when a serving lady gestured towards the table in front of the stage, and said a few words that made the Phitakthewa family’s leader have to divert his attention temporarily from Khanin.

    “Yes.”

    “Prince Rachata gave an order for you to go to the table.” It was an announcement that left no room for refusal.

    Charan glanced at Khanin slightly, seeing no difference in his gaze. But because he had no right to refuse, he could only suppress his emotions and walk after the young lady with a determined expression and a fierce hairstyle.

    Charan arrived at Rachata’s table, but Petai kept staring, his eyebrows becoming slightly smaller. With surprise at what he heard, he measured his thoughts while sitting down.

    Prince Rachata called for a meeting? Is it for that reason…

    The royal family or the upper class mostly called for Charan’s help in creating artwork, but Rachata, a person who did not like or care about these matters, had a reason to call for a meeting…

    Petai knew well, he had been with this family for a long time. Rachata didn’t like to collect artwork. If it was something valuable or medical equipment, it would be strange…

    The conversations of people around were still heard loudly, and on the big stage, the center of attention was Evaa, who had the privilege to be interviewed first. At one corner of the venue, Khanin was hiding, standing and waiting for his turn, not far but not too close, accompanied by the organizers who were queuing for the event.

    A journalist from a news agency shot questions at the people on the stage. Ramil sighed boredom because he was told to wait here, so only he was left at the dining table.

    The young royal knocked on the table, emptying the wine glass, feeling impatient from one to ten in his heart before finally getting up. When he couldn’t bear waiting for just one more person.

    He intended to go stand with Khanin and wait for the interview, to do everything quickly and efficiently so that he could take Petai home afterwards. This party is too boring…

    “Where is the Young Prince going?” Sivakorn, who he didn’t know when he got up from his own table, suddenly appeared and stood almost blocking Ramil’s path, causing him to pause.

    “Going to wait for an interview.” After saying that, he planned to continue walking, but someone else refused to let him do so. Sivakorn didn’t back down, and he was no different from the previous reporter.

    “Wait here, Your-Highness. That area is narrow and not very comfortable.”

    “…” Ramil frowned slightly, reluctantly stepped back and sat down, but only for a moment before standing up again.

    “Young Prince…”

    “Sivakorn, I’m going to the restroom, no need to follow.” The young royal quickly finished his lines and stepped out of the event, while the music continued to play, creating a lively atmosphere.

    Khanin exchanged glances with Charan at certain moments, and he subtly shifted his gaze towards Evaa. It seemed like there was no sign of it being close to completion.

    “Young Prince Khanin… Your-Highness.”

    The original reporter approached with caution. Khanin briefly diverted his gaze from Charan to focus on the conversation in front of him.

    “Yes.”

    “Apologies, Young Prince, can you stand here and wait. The news agency would like to take a picture of the Young Prince to keep.”

    “Yes.” Khanin was slightly surprised because the news agency had more than ten people when it was actually time, but he still maintained a cooperative attitude.

    The young royal stepped forward to the designated position, smiling for the camera in front of him, while the flashes from two or three cameras in the hands of the journalists burst in, momentarily blinding his vision.

    The sound of journalists’ microphones on the stage interviewing Evaa was loud, while Khanin tried to forget and fight against the overwhelming light. He briefly closed his eyes, and in that moment, his ears seemed to hear a faint, trembling sound.

    Khanin frowned, trying to figure out what was wrong, when he heard the voice of Evaa screaming and the crowd around her in chaos. It seemed like a major disturbance had erupted, with the voices of many people blending in.

    One of them was… Charan.

    “Nin, be careful!” Charan shouted, following his instincts.

    Khanin turned left and right, but before he could compose himself, it seemed like time had slipped away. A large decorative pillar, weighing heavily, swayed back and forth before crashing down in the exact spot where Atsawathewathin’s sole heir was standing.

    Charan’s eyes widened, his heart pounding as if it had invisible hands squeezing it tightly. He ran ahead, alongside Petai, who was closer, but it seemed like they were running out of time.

    “Khanin!”

    The pain he felt made him think that the owner of the name was about to receive a powerful impact. His brain commanded him to dodge, but instead, he was paralyzed.

    He couldn’t move when the massive pillar collapsed. But the split second he thought he would be struck at a critical point, he miraculously survived, narrowly escaping the impact. It was because of a tremendous force pulling him away from someone.

    Thud!

    Khanin was pulled down to the ground, surviving the fall but with his right arm in excruciating pain, tears streaming down his face. The chaotic murmurs from the surrounding people continued, and the young man gradually regained his vision before encountering someone unexpected.

    Someone he never expected to appear and help each other in such a life-threatening situation.

    “Is it really you!”

    “Yes… Ramil.”

    It was indeed Ramil who helped him.

    THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

  • THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 37: Concern

    THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 37: Concern

       THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 37: Concern.

    Phitakthewa’s morning was quiet, warm breeze blowing from the north, the servants still working as usual, only Narong, the important butler of Lord Charan, was rushing with a serious look as if not greeting anyone at all.

    The middle-aged man’s behavior was strange compared to his usual routine on the long corridor. Narong walked and sometimes ran, holding a brown paper envelope with a restless posture. He arrived at the largest bedroom in the mansion, knocking on the door a few times and then holding his breath as he entered with caution.

    Lord Charan was still unaware that someone had opened the door and sat in the innermost part of the bedroom, hugging his knees, with a calm face in his black satin pajamas at the work desk, setting the mobile phone leaning against the stack of books, paying full attention to the person on the screen he was video calling. Only that.

    Inside the private room of the Phitakthewa family’s leader, there were sounds of laughter and giggling. However, it was certain that the laughter did not come from Narong’s boss. The tone of the laughter heard was slightly sharp, and it was a sound that has been heard frequently lately, becoming somewhat familiar.

    The sound belonged to Young Prince, a young prince of Asawathevarin.

    [PrinceKalavin said that he will come to watch the rehearsal tomorrow, that guy always shows up without prior notice. When he arrives, he just sits and watches us rehearse, saying nothing, and I have no idea what he’s thinking.]

    Narong walked over and stood behind, avoiding the angle where Young Prince could see him, in order to maintain decorum and not make the room’s owner feel uncomfortable upon seeing him.

    “He said what time he will come.”

    [Probably around ten o’clock.]

    “Why does he have to come so early?”

    [I don’t know, maybe he wants to see Nin secretly. I wonder if he has a secret crush on you, Nin.]

    The sound from the person on the phone didn’t bother much, but Narong’s face became tense, and the middle-aged man discreetly glanced at the boss’s face. Charan’s expression changed slightly, not saying a word until the person on the phone had to shout.

    [Phii Ran… why the long face… is something wrong?]

    “No, I’m fine.”

    [Certainly, it’s because of that expression. Why? Are you jealous?]

    “…”

    “….” Narong fell silent again, but this time Charan looked back at the person on the phone before exhaling softly.

    [Remaining silent like this doesn’t feel good at all. I’m sorry for saying that he likes me. But it seems plausible, always showing up just to provoke us. Why, if he doesn’t like me, then it must be someone in our team.]

    “There’s no need to apologize, if he likes you, Nin, he’s not doing anything wrong. I’m not angry at you, I’m just handling my own feelings.” The tone at the end of the sentence softened slightly.

    Narong chose to secretly observe, but the familiar butler thought it wouldn’t be good if he teased or said anything while his boss was showing such vulnerability.

    [Why should you handle my own feelings? You shouldn’t, he should be the one handling that idiot. He’s Prince after all. Why, he start to like

    me?. It’s provoking, I want him to be provoked a lot… Is that not enough for you, Khun Charan, how provoked are you?]

    “Well… actually, I’m… I’m deeply provoked. I like you Nin a lot.”

    [Exactly, that’s right, go on Khun Charan, how provoked are you? Just say it.]

    “I don’t want him to get close to you. If he says he’ll come, let me know right away. I’ll go and be with you first, I don’t like the two of you being together.”

    [Great, thanks for telling me. I will be very pleased… Ah, you are so cute.

    You must be tough, not letting him find a way to be near me.]

    “…”

    My-Lord? The middle-aged butler who has taken care of him since he was young, couldn’t hide his embarrassment, his handsome face turning slightly red. Narong was confident that his eyes were still sharp, despite his advanced age. Although he was very old, his eyes were still good.

    [I want to kiss your cheek right now, what should I do?] The Young Prince’s words made Narong feel even more embarrassed, but this time the middle-aged butler saw his young lord blush for once. He then reached out and picked up his phone, holding it in his hand.

    “Oh… then come and give me a kiss. Will you come to find me this afternoon?” The person spoke with a smile, a mist of longing clouded for a moment, as if a glimpse of his identity had been revealed, only to dissipate in the sweetness of the Young Prince’s words.

    Thinking about it, the middle-aged butler couldn’t help but suppress his smile. Young Prince Khanin has transformed his usually indifferent Lord Charan into this state. It must be the power of love.

    Narong chuckled lightly, his trembling hand sought refuge in his tight, brown suit pocket, sometimes the order of importance might not be so necessary. If at this moment the person he had entrusted his good hopes to could find happiness with the one he loved.

    Narong would stand quietly in this corner and wait.

    [I’m waiting for Chakri to inform me of my father’s schedule. If my father is free, I will ask to study art. Um… earlier, I said I wanted to kiss Charan Phitakthewa right now, not this afternoon.] The voice from the other end started off smooth, before becoming slightly sharper, sounding enchanting at the end.

    “Hmm? So, how should I help with that?”

    [Just do it as usual when Charan Phitakthewa sends me to bed, bring the phone close to your cheek.] As the person on the other end gave instructions, Narong’s Lord immediately followed.

    “Close enough.” The sound faintly whispered like a murmur at first, before becoming slightly sharper. Charan nestled the phone against his own cheek, and at that moment, Narong endured the overwhelming sweetness that connected them both, and seized the opportunity when the two were kissing to sneak away.

    Now Narong was debating… should he withdraw and come back later once his Lord had finished talking? It might be better than standing here, waiting like this.

    [And also on the other side.] The handsome face smiled widely, Charan Phitakthewa stubbornly brought the phone to his other cheek, and at that moment, Narong couldn’t resist the sweetness that connected them both, so he took the chance while they were kissing to sneak away.

    [Of course! You were about to kiss just now… Ah… Khun Narong, hello.]

    But just as he was about to sneak away quietly, as soon as the person on the other end greeted him, the owner of the room turned abruptly to look at him, causing Narong to avert his gaze from his lord’s questioning eyes, resuming his composed and serene posture, before apologizing in unison with the person on the other end.

    “Uh… I apologize for intruding.”

    “Oh… it’s alright. Is there something important?”

    “There is.” The butler replied, as he shuffled the paper in his hand, and just that, the leader of the Phitakthewa family knew immediately that something was amiss. Something that Narong held must have been so important that the trusted butler had to hurry into his room.

    Following the order to enter and leave Charan’s bedroom if something important or urgent happened, Narong could enter without knocking. So if the door was unlocked, it was an order from the young lord himself, and the loyal butler would fulfill that duty without fail.

    As previously instructed, if there was anything important or urgent, Narong could enter Charan’s bedroom. If the door wasn’t locked, it meant it was an order from him. The loyal butler fulfilled this duty flawlessly every time.

    [Ah… In that case, you’ll talk to Khun Narong first, and then I will talk to Chakri. Let’s text each other if there’s any progress.] he said, seeming annoyed. Khanin would notice, as the young man paused and glanced at the butler standing nearby, giving him a subtle wink as he usually did when he wanted to convey that everything was fine.

    “Very well… Please go ahead and talk to him.” Charan sighed. Although he was disappointed to have to stop the conversation at this point, there were more important matters to attend to.

    After Khanin hung up the call, he took a moment to gather himself before turning his chair towards the person standing in front of him, clasping his hands together. His piercing gaze shifted towards the familiar butler, waiting for the other party’s report.

    “A letter has arrived for you, My Lord.” he said, handing over an unsealed brown envelope. “I didn’t dare to read it as it might contain important information. I thought it would be best to give it to you to read.” The envelope’s brown color suggested that its contents might be more unsettling than Narong could handle.

    As usual, Charan would often allow his own butler to handle everything, so Narong had the right to read the letter freely since it was necessary to deal with various household matters on Charan’s behalf, just like him.

    But this time, Narong hesitated and said he wasn’t brave enough to read it.

    “You may leave. If anything comes up, I will call for you again.” Charan dismissed him immediately.

    Narong walked out of the room as soon as he received the order.

    Once the door closed, Charan picked up the problematic letter from the brown envelope and began reading. His eyes scanned the plain font that could be found commonly in Emmaly, and at first, it seemed to contain nothing but curse words and insults, with words crowded and almost illegible.

    However, as he read further into the middle of the text, the true importance of its content was revealed, hidden amidst the vile curses. It was something far more sinister.

    ‘The wealth of Atsawathewathin does not come solely from words but because of the current Sovereign King engaging in vile practices, using his trusted individuals to deceive and manipulate others, diverting highquality goods for personal gain. Dhipabawon takes the goods to sell in other cities, leaving others who are not of the current royal lineage aware of the deception. It wouldn’t be surprising if people were to say that this family is nothing more than a pack of scheming dogs.’

    ‘If you don’t want to become an accomplice to these treacherous acts, come to the garbage disposal factory in the northern district tonight at half past midnight and prove it for yourself…’

    ‘Or if the misfortune of other kingdoms and the exposure of

    Atsawathewathin’s hidden secrets isn’t motivating enough, then perhaps consider going there to find your own mother’s grave.’

    ‘The current Sovereign-King is involved in your mother’s death, connected through the secrets he has entangled with others… I hope you still care about your mother, rather than being fooled into forgetting that you are his illegitimate child, not a beloved heir of your Phitakthewa family.’

    In the largest bedroom of the Phitakthewa mansion, which once reverberated with laughter, now only silence prevailed. Even the sound of the owner’s breathing seemed to fade away momentarily, as if there were gaps missing.

    Charan was left speechless after reading every letter, the throbbing pain surged through his head almost instantly. His left brain felt heavy and sharp, and he had to gently massage it with his fingers to help alleviate the sudden muscle tension.

    He remained in that position for almost ten minutes before deciding to lift the receiver and dial a familiar number, the name that appeared on the screen since the beginning, the person he intended to call all along.

    Rrrrr, Rrrr.

    The loud ringing from the phone startled Charan before he could press the call button. He quickly picked up the call, searching for a familiar number, as the name displayed on the screen made him anxious to answer. It turned out to be the same person he had intended to call from the beginning.

    “Vetit, I was about to make a call to you.” The leader of the Phitakthewa family greeted with a loud voice, creating a tense atmosphere all around, much like the other end of the line that responded with a serious tone.

    [Oh, look, did you check the email I sent… shouldn’t you be the one calling?]

    “Email?”

    [Regarding the person I was to investigate, the person who stabbed him with a knife, I received treatment information and sent it in an email… have you not seen it yet?] Sound, the last person on the line listening curiously. When Charan heard that, he quickly opened his notebook to access the information mentioned by the other party.

    “I couldn’t find the person to talk to.” The narrowed eyes scanned the information that Vetis sent, but it wasn’t the right time for him to read it in detail. Because there were other important matters to wait for now.

    [If that’s the case, what’s the matter?] Vetis replied briefly and posed a question, probably because Charan seemed to prioritize other matters more than the case he had been trying to investigate for weeks.

    Charan took a clear sigh, raised his hand to his forehead, before speaking out in short sentences to ask the other party to help analyze what was true or what was deceiving.

    “Come to the house… come see for yourself.”

    Vetis immediately responded and hung up when he heard that. When the room fell silent again, the confusion rushed in, causing Charan to exhale deeply to ease the heaviness in his heart.

    The narrowed eyes shifted to look at the letter on the problem owner’s desk.

    It was necessary for someone to come and help think now. Because everything he had learned was too big to analyze alone.

    Inside the quiet second-floor office of Phitakthewa, the atmosphere was stifling, even with the sunlight filtering through the curtains. But the warmth was insufficient to soothe the uneasiness in his soul.

    Charan handed the letter to Vetis to read immediately upon the arrival of the other party, and the person quickly read it, pausing when reaching a crucial point.

    The young detective peeked at his close friend’s face to assess his feelings as he nervously handed back the letter and asked.

    “Do you know who sent it or not?” Vetis frowned. The atmosphere around him was no different from when Charan first read this letter.

    “Still… I had Khun Narong check the CCTV, see if it’s a teenager lurking around, so I asked someone trustworthy to go and check, but the kid doesn’t know anything, it seemed like he was being hired again.” Charan recounted what he could do shortly after the call with Vetis. Once Narong finished checking, he ordered Narong to investigate who sent the letter, but the result was as he had told his friend.

    Now he couldn’t grasp the hand of anyone, the enemy was too close to catch up. Although he tried to extract information from the teenager, he didn’t receive any additional answers, other than that he didn’t know.

    Although it seemed real that the person was hired to deliver the letter, the employer never revealed their identity, only using paper and money to communicate at the appointed meeting point.

    “Then what should we do next?” Vetis asked.

    Guess the other party may have read his expression. Charan could only sigh deeply in circles. Because there was only one thing hanging heavy in his mind that he wanted an answer right now.

    “Then I guess I have to go.” He spoke of the garbage disposal plant in the northern direction, which was the rendezvous point mentioned in the letter. It was a place where he could prove whether Asawatewathit, Nat and

    Phitakthewa’s people did what they were accused of, and if it was true to some extent, it would help stimulate him to find answers about his mother’s death…

    The question that used to linger in his mind popped up again, the soulless apparition of his mother who was eaten by leeches still stuck in his eyes.

    The horrific event of that day… Charan still kept his emotions buried, the thunderous sound echoed throughout the entire area, resembling the cries of his own voice screaming for his mother, echoing across the hospital.

    Everything remained ingrained in his heart, the memories of the past never faded. Charan, as a child, cried as if he were unconscious, waking up and still trying to believe that everything was just a dream. He prayed for it all to be just a nightmare.

    But unfortunately, the misfortune became a reality… His mother became Charan’s only happiness, counting from the day his father passed away from leukemia.

    Charan knew that his existence was for his mother after losing his father, but fate played a cruel trick on a helpless human being.

    In the end, the Phitakthewa family was no more, everything that happened in his life made him unable to even feel love.

    Because of the fear of loss, afraid to even close his eyes on rainy days, afraid that if he sleeps, the nightmares will come back to haunt him, forcing him to wake up and cry again.

    “I’ll go with you.” Another person’s voice in the room woke Charan from his dark thoughts, a sincere voice that made Charan feel touched, a friend ready to share sorrow and joy together in any situation.

    But because of concern for the safety of the other party, he chose to put on a rejecting face and hand over other responsibilities instead. Knowing his friend’s good nature, he must know that if he insisted, his close friend would not listen.

    “No need to go, stay here and keep an eye on Phitakthewa’s people. It’s better to have backup.”

    “Alright… You stay here, get ready. I’ll go investigate the matter of that child. No matter what time I get back, I’ll let you know.” The friend spoke and immediately stood up, hugging Charan lightly, then instantly turned to face his concerned friend.

    The room fell silent once again, but the brewing turmoil in Charan’s heart was not subdued. Suspicion led him to grab the notebook beside him and quickly search for the meeting place.

    But before he could sweep his gaze to read the information, he heard the notification sound from his mobile phone first. It was a message from Khanin, saying that he would come to meet in the afternoon. The other party was on their way here and would arrive in a few minutes.

    Charan took a deep breath to calm his agitated body. He concealed everything inside, even though he didn’t want to hide it. But he had no other choice.

    Khanin would not know about this… And it’s best that way.

    Charan tried to act normal, but his mind wandered in different directions.

    Thoughts about the journey tonight, about his mother, and about Khanin.

    The young man tried to suppress his stress and not show it. At that moment, Khanin sat on the sofa in the middle of the room, his young eyes fixed on the TV screen, without any special activities or conversations. They were just sitting quietly like any normal couple spending a relaxing time together on a day off.

    Khanin told him that Prince Tarin and the Sovereign King came here to learn art, but in reality, the person who clashed in using martial arts used this as a mere excuse.

    The purpose of coming here was not to train in martial arts, but to spend time together outside without being watched by anyone.

    The splendor of Phitakthewa Palace was not as suffocating as Daveen Royal Palace. The walls had ears and the gates had eyes. A short definition that accurately described the place.

    Charan was delighted to see Khanin, but his mind was overwhelmed with the strange letter he had just received. It disrupted his thoughts and revealed various plans for the evening. The Phitakthewa family leader seemed less stable than usual.

    “Are you hungry?” A neighboring person asked, causing the taller figure to step away from the palace.

    “Huh?” Charan’s hearing wasn’t very sharp, so the young man had to speak louder.

    “Are you hungry? I brought some pastries from the palace.” A mediumsized box with beautiful patterns was handed to Charan. Khanin grinned with affection and anticipation before revealing the soft cake slices arranged delicately.

    “Marble cake.”

    “Oh, do you want some?”

    The scent of chocolate wafted into Charan’s nostrils. He glanced at the sweet treat in his hand and Khanin’s face several times before agreeing, recognizing the determined spirit in the younger man.

    “Oh.” The young man paused. Then he graciously fed Charan the pastry. Khanin picked up a soft piece of cake and delicately placed it near the older man’s warm lips, leaving Charan sitting there, leisurely savoring the sweet taste.

    “Is it delicious?”

    “It’s delicious.” Charan said, raising his hand slightly, expressing his satisfaction.

    Khanin smiled widely and touched the warm sensation before handing two more pieces to the taller man. After finishing, he closed the box and leaned closer, making the older man chuckle.

    “What if… if I sleep here tonight?” The young royal’s question caused

    Charan to hesitate. It wasn’t that he wanted to refuse or avoid cuddling together, but he had an important task to attend to, preventing him from accepting what he desired.

    “Tonight…”

    “But if you’re not comfortable, it’s okay.” Khanin’s smile remained unchanged.

    The young man stared into the eyes of the younger figure, searching for any hidden emotions but found nothing beyond sincerity.

    Charan sensed that something was amiss from the spiritual aura, yet he couldn’t find a reason. Even when Khanin distanced himself and handed the box of pastries, there was a seemingly ordinary sentence that concealed a deeper meaning for the taller man to ponder.

    “Sweets help relieve stress, you know… I’ll leave them for you.”

    “….” Another person brought a box of pastries closer. Charan froze, as he realized the reason behind his feeling that Khanin was oddly adorable today.

    The younger one seemed aware of his stress but chose not to intrude, maintaining a certain distance to provide comfort and ease.

    Khanin is always like this… ever since he found out that he’s afraid of rain. He never wanted to discuss the issue that Sovereign-King called him to talk about, and until now, I’ve never seen him restless, never seen him nervous or restrained to the point of having to speak. Instead, he chooses to stay by my side to make him feel comfortable.

    “Then I should go first.”

    “Nin… I’m sorry.” His thick hand gently touched the younger man’s back. Charan felt guilty… partly because he didn’t want the younger one to misunderstand that he had secrets or wanted to keep things hidden all the time.

    “I’m not angry, Phii.”

    “Are you sure?” In the past, Charan was good at hiding emotions, but the truth was even deeper than that. No one around him really cared enough, and the young man chose to keep his problems to himself most of the time.

    Because he had grown used to living alone. Charan had become like this.

    “I like you. If you don’t care about me, then who should I care for?” The words came from someone whose heart was no different from the cold wind that blew to extinguish heat. Charan was aware that he wasn’t alone anymore, not like in the old days, because he had Khanin who cared and was ready to stand by him. These pairs of eyes assured him that he wouldn’t let him face all the problems alone.

    “…”

    “It’s okay. If you don’t want to tell me anything now, I will wait.” Khanin lowered his voice to make Charan feel at ease, and because of his actions, all of them, he finally decided to speak about the important matter.

    This time, Charan decided to speak because he knew it wouldn’t affect Khanin’s state of mind as much as the choices in his life…

    “I received a strange letter related to… the Sovereign King.” Charan didn’t want to hide anymore. He sighed a little before getting up and walking away, only to come back with a letter he had just received in the morning.

    “What is it?”

    “Try reading it.” The leader of the Phitakthewa family didn’t intend to explain anything further. He knew that if Khanin read the contents of this letter thoroughly, the younger one would be able to understand everything on his own.

    Khanin didn’t ask anything else. Two-layered eyes avoided each other and swept across the entire text on the paper he had just received, just before his eyebrows twisted together.

    The fact that every human being has both good and evil sides is a truth that Khanin doesn’t argue. But… if all the contents of this letter are true, Dhipabawon will fall into a treacherous and dark abyss.

    Both the burdens from other cities and the connections to the secret of Charan’s mother’s death.

    Thinking about this point, Khanin felt a strange uneasiness in his chest. He didn’t know Sovereign-King for long, but he appreciated and respected his bloodline. However, for Sor, the level of attachment was so great that it was difficult to explain.

    With the person who had been raising him since he was little… it wasn’t strange to have family matters involved anymore.

    “Are you okay?” His slender hand gently reached out to hold the warm hand, his worried gaze and speech asked for forgiveness. Khanin knew well that for Charan, the matter of his mother is the most fragile thing in his life, so it is not strange that Charan seems to take it more heavily every time.

    “I want to prove it.” The tall figure owner didn’t think he could handle this matter without knowing what Khanin thought. Charan had a tense expression, and at this point, Khanin almost guessed what the person in front of him was going to do next.

    “Are you going?” The location was clearly specified like that, so whoever it was shouldn’t be any different.

    “Oh.”

    “Because of this, I can’t sleep here, right?”

    “Yes.”

    “Can I come with you?” Khanin does not object to the request because he understands Charan’s feelings well, but he wants to let the other party go alone without reaching out or offering any help. He cannot accept it.

    “It’s too dangerous, I…”

    “No, I can agree to other things, but on this matter, I will not allow you to go alone completely.”

    “No, I’m worried. What will I do if something happens to you, Nin?”

    Charan’s voice became more intense, but Khanin himself felt the same way.

    “What about me? Do I have no right to be worried about you like that?” The once heavy eyes of the young man welled up. Khanin glanced at Charan, his eyes indicating how much he was both scared and concerned about the person in front of him.

    “…”

    “If you go without me knowing your movements,  would you be able to guess my feelings of waiting without knowing anything?”

    “…” Charan couldn’t argue anymore because deep down, the young man understood Khanin’s feelings better than anyone, with his loved one… Concern cannot truly be forced.

    “I don’t intend to forbid you, but can I come along? I won’t be a burden to you, I promise…”

    “…”

    “Consider it my plea. As someone who is deeply concerned about you, it’s okay for me to go.”

    The capital city and urban area of Emmaly are larger than Khanin expected, and there are many places he has never visited and never thought he would be here.

    The garbage disposal factory has a spacious area that includes a landfill area. Phitsakthewa City told them that Emmaly has three disposal sites, and ordinary townspeople have no reason to come here, and secondly, these places are not easily accessible.

    The clock showed a little past midnight, and both Charan and Khanin were dressed in black from head to toe, parking their cars far away. From the designated meeting point, they had to walk in.

    Khanin’s body was not weak; the young royal followed Charan closely without making a fuss, maybe because his body had been trained to endure.

    “From here, let’s go side by side.” Charan did not know this place was special, but relying on his knowledge of the map and a previous visit long ago, the young man didn’t want to risk danger and chose to use the back door.

    “Why is there no one guarding?” The young boy whispered the question as they looked like they could easily enter the open area inside the factory premises, and the tense atmosphere made both of them alert.

    “Because it’s abandoned.” The Phitakthewa family leader calculated based on the probability. If the contents of the letter were true, then this incident happened no less than twenty years ago.

    Just enough for people to ignore and not pay attention.

    “Can we climb up there?” In front of Khanin was a moderately tall building; on the left side of the building was a steel door tightly shut, connected to a broken staircase. Charan used his lock-picking skills to open it.

    However, because it was an unused area and not maintained, some sections of the staircase collapsed, requiring them to climb up using the help. According to the planned route, they had to hide on the rooftop in a location not far from the specified position in the letter, waiting until the time for the cargo transfer.

    Khanin did not respond, but chose to show instead. Despite not being as skilled or smooth as Charan, a professional, he still did better than expected.

    Charan supports and takes care of the young ones. He doesn’t want Khanin to feel burdened or inferior, so he only offers help when necessary.

    At this point, the sky is dark. Charan and Khanin are hiding, waiting for a long time, but they haven’t seen any signs of life at this location.

    The factory is closed, and there is no one here. The silence around them prevents Khanin from asking questions.

    “If no one comes.”

    “That would be better.” Yes… because if no one comes, Charan would suspect that all the messages in the letters were lies. And if that’s the case, nothing would be difficult.

    The wristwatch shows one o’clock, and in less than thirty minutes, it will be time for their appointment. Charan checks the readiness of the long-range surveillance camera for recording and prepares himself. He also decides to have a final conversation with Narong’s people in case there are any mistakes in the plan.

    Charan has a backup safe haven plan. If anything goes wrong, he will have a group of Phitakthewa’s men ready to take Khanin away from here immediately.

    “That long-range surveillance camera…”

    “It can record both images and videos.” Making it easier for the children to understand.

    Khanin hesitates before finally gathering the courage to ask.

    “Keep the evidence… and then what should we do?” If Dhipabawon is truly guilty, how will Charan react? Which path will he choose? Even if today reveals the truth, it won’t be easy to handle everything that has been destroyed.

    They know exactly what they are facing.

    “I… I don’t know yet.” The older one’s voice fades away, but there is no need to worry as seen from the young one’s determined face and wide eyes. However, regardless of the situation, Charan is a composed person with a wellplanned life. But this is the first time he shows hesitation.

    “No matter what happens, I will be by your side.” Amidst the dark sky and moon, there is no other guiding light tonight. Khanin intertwines his fingers with the warm, firm hand, assuring him that he won’t go anywhere. The little finger lightly touches the palm, a cute gesture that has an impact on the tall one’s decision to find something.

    “Thank you.” The words accompanied by a light touch of the tip of the nose against the darkened cheek of the younger one. They exchange a subtle smile, their hands tightly clasped, conveying warmth and passing on encouragement.

    “Really… Uh. This can help.” Khanin seemed to have just come up with something, so he reached into his trousers’ pocket, took out something he liked to carry with him, and handed it to the older person, ending with a gentle smile.

    It was caramel candy… Charan remembered that this was Khanin’s favorite brand, and they shared one each, letting the sweet taste help relieve the tension in their hearts.

    Just five minutes left until half past one. The atmosphere around, which used to be quiet and intimate, now felt different. Both Charan and Khanin became alert when they heard the sound of a car engine grinding the road. A place that was once devoid of people now revealed a procession of no less than five vehicles entering in a row.

    Khanin was shocked by what he had witnessed. It was true that he didn’t have a long-range binocular, but the current situation made it clear that the message in the letter was not a lie.

    Several people descended from a medium-sized truck. They tightly secured the cargo and refused to reveal the goods they were carrying. They took turns loading onto the back of each truck.

    If Charan’s guess was correct, three out of the five trucks must be transporting pearls, diamonds, and gemstones. The important reason being that the front and rear trucks did not go up to see what was happening like the middle three trucks did.

    The delivery didn’t take as long as Charan had anticipated. Everything happened quickly and quietly, as if nothing had ever occurred at this location.

    A gust of chilly wind blew against his skin. Khanin stroked his lips, pondering about everything that was on his mind.

    ‘Turn around.’ Charan put away his long-range binoculars and waited for a moment before signaling to the people beside him, who took an unnecessarily long time to walk back to the old path.

    Khanin breathed slightly and used the back of his hand to wipe off the beads of sweat dripping from his forehead as he followed closely behind Charan to clear the way. The young man frowned and glanced sideways, catching sight of a Jeep parked not far away.

    They were still within the factory grounds. Charan vividly remembered that there were no parked cars here initially.

    If there were cars… there must be people.

    The young man ceased his questioning look, but Charan noticed his unusual reaction and understood the situation. The side door was no longer safe; they had to switch to the contingency plan.

    ‘Can we climb the wall?’ A whispered question filled with concern.

    Khanin paused without hesitation. He received some help from Charan at first but soon managed to climb up without leaving any traces.

    The highest point of the wall was a reasonable distance from the ground, and the young royal managed to swallow his fear and follow without leaving any visible marks. He knew well what was about to happen.

    Climbing up wasn’t so bad, but when he jumped down, that was a problem…

    ‘I’ll go down and wait. Just jump; don’t be afraid.’ The older one whispered to instill confidence. Then he jumped down first, and the sound of his footsteps resonated heavily as they landed on the grass beside the factory.

    Khanin took a deep breath, undeterred and determined to follow the older man, even though it seemed luck wouldn’t favor them much when the things they worried about were about to happen.

    ‘What was that sound?’ The heavy sound of footsteps approaching from a nearby group indicated that they were getting closer. Khanin made the decision to jump, with Charan waiting below.

    The thick hand of a young person reached out cautiously, and they both lowered themselves onto the grass before Charan signaled with a hand motion to let Khanin know that it was now crucial to keep the noise level to a minimum.

    Within the tall wall, inside the factory, the sound of two sets of footsteps could be heard coming closer, no more than five meters away from their hiding spot. Soon, within this close range, there would be a small door that could serve as an exit.

    If those people passed in time, it would be over…

    ‘Go check the narrow area.’

       Khanin felt a dry throat and pounding in his chest, anxiously awaiting the command from one of the two prominent individuals.

    “Understood, sir.” One person has already separated.

    Khanin could guess Charan’s thoughts, as the latter pressed him down, not allowing any movement.

    At this point, there were only dangers on the open running path. The best option seemed to be to hide and confront if the other side emerged. It appeared to be the best way out.

    If there was only one person, Charan could handle it. Khanin was confident in that.

    They were hiding behind a pile of wooden debris and old rusty barrels. The feeling of anxiety overwhelmed them, with both sides remaining silent to prepare for the decisive moment.

    Khanin and Charan were certain that one of them would have to come out this way. The taller one pulled out the most important weapon, a small black concealed handgun, necessary for self-defense, which Young Royal had to take.

    “Only shoot when there’s a clear opportunity, and if it’s not safe, retreat.

    Phitakthewa’s men and guards will be waiting to take Nin.”

    There’s no time for further deliberation. Khanin contained the turmoil that had disrupted him, making it impossible to dodge. His predictions hadn’t gone awry.

    Charan gestured for Khanin to take cover and wait. His tall figure had to fight and go out to face one of the pursuing factory individuals. Flexibility on the lighted path was advantageous. However, the opponent’s skills were not to be underestimated.

    Khanin looked at the gun in his hand, taking a moment to make a decision that was well within his capabilities. He had already trained in basic shooting.

    The young man stood up, determined to leave his hiding place and help the tall man. He raised the small, concealed black weapon to aim at the adversaries. A flickering light in the factory hit his face, momentarily blinding the senses of Khanin, who seemed to be ignited.

    The two-layered eyes retreated in vast horror, a pounding heart causing chest pain, a pale white face suddenly turning faint and bloodless. When he saw the truth, the person he was pointing the gun at right now, was the same person he still held hope for and longed to meet one day.

    “Father…”

    Tanattai…It’s really Tanattai.

    “…”

    Shouting echoed in the young, innocent face, while the flickering light hit, almost stopping the breath of onlookers. Tanattai halted with a punch that was about to hit someone else.

    In the darkness, he could only see vague silhouettes until he saw the familiar face within arm’s reach. His eyes widened, letting both hands fall to his sides.

    “Nin…”

    So it’s really Khanin…

    Tanattai immediately realized that the person they were fighting against couldn’t be anyone else, apart from the person he had entrusted to take care of Khanin.

    “Charan…” The situation had both sides confused and bewildered. Tanattai was one of the few who had some remaining consciousness. He was a middleaged man, looking around, turning his head, obstructing the obscured gaze, and then led the person they had just encountered back to the safe area.

    This area was on the side of the factory, surrounded by abandoned heavy machinery that had become trash. Trees with large branches grew around, suitable for hiding.

    Tanattai, at one point, sent a message to his younger son, whom he willingly sent to find the intruder, in a different direction. Fortunately, the person trusted and relied on him, so he obeyed the command without any hesitation.

    Amidst the silence, the three of them tried to gather their thoughts. Tanattai, and Khanin avoided making eye contact. Tanattai’s throat was dry, and his forehead was almost covered in sweat. Mixed emotions overwhelmed him because of the truth he had suspected from the beginning.

    The candy wrapper… It fell by the wall and happened to be the same brand that he liked to buy for his virtuous son to eat. His past instincts assured him that it wouldn’t be sold or found in Emmaly unless ordered.

    In his heart, he did not dare to think that Khanin would be the owner of the foil paper. Because if that were true, it would mean that the person he loved like a precious jewel was in a dangerous place.

    Yet, deep down inside, he hoped that Khanin would be the owner. Even though he knew that the possibility was close to zero.

    But it was because he longed to see his son’s face once again.

    The cool breeze blew gently. Charan remained silent, his face filled with thoughtful contemplation, while Khanin breathed heavily, displaying his evident confusion.

    “Nin…”

    “Is it really you, father, is it?” A trembling whisper sounded beneath the fearful moonlight, revealing the figure of the lone young man trembling.

    The eyes that once looked at each other with heartfelt admiration now filled with tears, and Khanin’s face was filled with confusion and numerous questions that needed answers but could only be expressed through sobbing.

    “Yes.” Tanattai took a soft breath, easily accepting it after seeing the disappointed, confused, and incomprehensible gaze of his son. He feared that everything would turn into a dream.

    “You are still here… Stable… Still safe.” Khanin let out a pitiful sob. Weak limbs slowly approached, reaching out to touch Tanattai’s arm gently, as if afraid that everything would slip away.

    “Yes… I am still here… Still safe.” The middle-aged man gently patted the back of the pale hand, tapped gently to prove that he was still alive. He forced a smile onto the face of the young man who stood in front of him, causing the tears held back to fall downward.

    The adorable face shed tears like a stream, and the bewildered look in Khanin’s eyes instantly vanished. Tanattai allowed Khanin to cry. As for Charan, who stood at a distance, he seemed to avoid witnessing this overwhelming sorrow.

    “If you’re still alive… Then why… Why didn’t you ever contact me all this time?” The words were spoken softly, choked with tears, no different from drops of acid pouring onto the hearts of those who heard it.

    “…”

    “I… I went to wait for you at the third tree from the beginning. I stood there all night. I didn’t expect anything. I just wanted my father to come back and find me… But in the end, you never returned.”

    “…” The middle-aged man swallowed countless words, unsure of how to explain it to the young and innocent listener. In the end, he could only let the other side vent their emotions.

    “Father, do you know what I have been through? Father, do you know that I… is here alone? Why didn’t you come to find me? Can you tell me why?”

    “…”

    “If I hadn’t met his father here, we probably won’t see each other again, right?” Khanin sighed. In the young boy’s eyes, a mixture of sadness, anger, and disappointment was evident.

    “I’m sorry, but Nin, you have to go back to your true family. You have a family waiting for you.” Tanattai knew that his words were hurtful, but it was the truth.

    Khanin frowned. The person whom Tanattai loved seemed to be pulling his hand away, while Khanin took a step back, causing Tanattai to have to go after him, trying to explain what should have been, but the boy’s face turned away, as if refusing to accept what he said.

    “Family? Is it really a true family… Even though I have only had you, father for twenty years, it’s not enough for you to be my father again, is it?”

    “…”

    “Father, you don’t think you’re important to me at all, do you?”

    It’s probably because Tanattai chose to explain painful truths to the young boy rather than to let him hear them. The other party seemed to understand that.

    But in reality, the middle-aged man dared not even open his mouth to deny that he was lost, that he didn’t dare speak of love… It was as if he was just someone who took care of the other party… There were many things that Khanin gained from all this.

    Despite having no blood ties, no indication that they should stand by this child as a father, no rights in Khanin’s minimal self, the words of love given to him were never a lie.

    “Nin you are important… Important to me, but Nin, you have to fulfill his duty, and in the meantime, I couldn’t contact you.”

    “Duty… Responsibility? Yes. I joined the competition hoping that if you were still alive, you would see me on television. I thought that if you, father saw, you would quickly contact me, or if you were at least struggling, you would find a way to let me know and put him at ease.”

    “…”

    “And yet, you… father is still alive, still safe, but you don’t even think about contacting me even a little… Don’t even think about doing anything.”

    “…”

    “Because this reckless competition is what made you father like this, even though I trusted you all along.” The sentence ended with a whimper that pained the heart.

    “I’m sorry…”

    “Why do you do this? Don’t you know how much I am hurt? How much I am saddened every time I think of you, father… I was hoping. I was still hoping….” Because of that hope, it made Khanin feel intense pain.

    “…” Tanattai was able to avoid eye contact.

    Khanin broke down and collapsed, causing Charan to no longer bear watching. The young man stepped forward, reached out and embraced the small trembling hands, trying to soothe the emotions of the young boy little by little.

    “Father, it’s like you raised me as a tool for them to advance, you intend to send me back to them already, right? Father intended it to be like this, while we were together. I mean nothing to you, father, right…”

    “I’m sorry.” Tanattai repeated his words, echoing softly. The eyes of the middle-aged man glowed with warmth, his heart clenched and ached so much that he couldn’t find words to explain.

    “Did you ever love me, father? Didn’t father you love me like Nin loved you, father? Didn’t you see me as your child… didn’t… like I saw you as my father?” Khanin wept as if his heart had been ripped apart. Although his voice was low and hoarse, deep within the flow of his voice, it was filled with overwhelming pain.

    Tanattai’s heart was almost breaking apart. What Khanin said was not true.

    He never thought of the other side as a tool, not even once…

    The one he watched over, this child, every second was filled with love. He once vowed to give his every breath to Atsawathewathin, but when he started taking care of Khanin, it turned out that he was handing over the entirety of his heart to this child without conditions.

    Khanin is the person he wants to protect and keep safe.

    “Not like that, Nin… Nin, listen to me.” Tanattai wanted to correct the misunderstanding, a middle-aged man extended his hand to him, but Khanin didn’t walk back to him like he used to as a child.

    Every time he extended his hand, the child would always run into his open arms. Khanin is a child who is easily understood. Despite being stubborn at times, has there ever been a time when they stayed angry at each other for long? But this time, the child stood still, letting the tears flow, and didn’t come back to him like before.

     

     

    Oh… ugh.”

    “Nin… if I stayed still with you, you wouldn’t be safe. If I had gone to see you, we might not be together anymore.” When the child didn’t come, Tanattai had to fix things by going to see the child himself.

    “Not safe? Not safe from what…” Khanin wiped his tears, rejecting the explanation that didn’t seem reasonable.

    Tanattai heard that question and his eyes welled up, the concern that he used to only observe the child from a distance since the day he stepped on Emmaly’s soil suddenly washed over his heart, engulfing him in sorrow.

    “From someone who wants to kill me…”

    “Who?”

    “I don’t know, don’t know who holds a grudge against me. I have to be here to see how the situation develops, to keep you safe.”

    “Safe… then you believe that if I am not living with you then I will be safe?”

    “Yes, and now Nin you are safe.” Tanattai looked at Khanin and smiled with teary eyes. “I have been watching over you all this time, since the day you declared yourself, every news related to you, but I couldn’t make contact.”

    “…”

    “I am worried, but Nin, you are being taken care of here. If you stay with Atsawathewathin, you will be safe and after the competition. Once the competition is over, I can go see you, Nin.” Tanattai doesn’t really know who wants to kill him without any information in his mind, he is just here to follow orders and wait.

    For the safety of Khanin, he must not come face to face. Even though he wants to see him so badly, it’s for the best.

    And how can you be confident that I will be safe? Who told you thatI am safe? Who instructed you to wait? Father, you have to tell me, say who he is.” Khanin stopped crying, stifled a sob with his hands wiping away the tears.

    Tanattai’s certainty makes Khanin feel that there is something strange, the information that resembles a jigsaw puzzle doesn’t fit together at all.

    Even though his brain is not ready for processing, Khanin can see that Tanattai is not lying. He knows that Father is confused, sad, and heartbroken about what has happened, and the other side doesn’t feel any different from him.

    In the deep gaze of the father who used to be full of happiness, there is still a hint of fear when talking about the danger that could happen to him. At the same time, Tanattai looks confident that he will be safe under the care of Atsawathewathin.

    But who is it that gives Tanattai the confidence? Who is it that says he will be safe if we don’t meet…

    “I am trying to take care of myself, so that we can meet one day.” Tanattai is never afraid to die, his past life as a skilled adventurer was full of ups and downs, but now this middle-aged man has changed.

    “…”

    “Important, I don’t want to burden you Nin, making you more confused, you have to understand…”

    “I don’t know who told you that the Young Prince is safe, but what I can tell you is that information is not true.” Charan’s words interrupted Tanattai’s train of thought.

    “What does that mean? Are there still people targeting the child? Khun Charan… explain.”

    “Not long ago, we were still being targeted. I remember. Because there was someone I dealt with before they came after Nin and entered Emmaly, they showed up at the place of the incident… at Jirat’s house.”

    What is it, Phii Ran, what does it mean, those guys? When did they show up?” Now it’s Khanin himself who turned to the person next to him with confusion.

    The new information received caused the young man’s mind to connect the beginning and the end, but it did not align well with his chaotic mind, only allowing fleeting images to form in his past.

    “I saw a man walking hurriedly. Just by seeing his posture, I remembered, so I asked Vetis to trace him. Besides that, there are many other things that have not been told, I still don’t have clear information, the time I encountered them when we arrived at Emmaly… at the train station, one of them that we apprehended used poison to kill themselves first.”

    “Using poison to kill themselves? How did they do it, Khun Charan, by putting it in their teeth or drinking poison in front of you?” Tanattai’s voice filled with sadness, while the story deviated from what he had heard before, the main point being related to Khanin’s safety.

    “It was hidden in their teeth. When interrogated, one person grabbed the opportunity to bite the capsule in their tooth.” Charan narrowed his eyes, his concern for Khanin’s matter causing the happiness of the person once known as a legend to disappear, Tanattai’s question clearly pointed out that the other party was familiar with these methods.

    “Using poison to kill themselves in this day and age is illegal, but in the past, the state’s guards had customs of using this method to make their lords’ secrets die along with them.”

    “…”

    “But it hasn’t been used for a long time… almost forty years.”

    “…”

    “So the culprit must be someone close to a ruler in some city, and it must be an old person.” The conversation ended with Tanattai’s narration, and the surrounding voices seemed to quiet down in an instant, the idea of the culprit

     

     

    being a ruler of some lineage silently emerged in Charan’s mind, but he still didn’t have clear evidence.

    “If that’s the case…”

    “Phii Tanattai… Phii! Are you around here?” A loud scream echoed from afar, causing the conversation to pause.

    Tanattai turned in the direction of the sound before crouching down, walking cautiously through the grass, revealing one path.

    “There’s no time, they’re coming. Both of you take this route about three hundred meters will meet a path that connects to a street. Crouch down. I’ll lure them away.” The middle-aged man hurriedly related to Charan.

    Khanin lowered his head as Tanattai pressed his back and walked to meet once again, but he didn’t have time to leave the grass, the young man turned back to look at the person behind him. His two-layered gaze hid a deep sadness.

    “Father…” In the blink of an eye, they embraced each other. Tanattai gently stroked the small head, soothingly uttering a few words to make Khanin sob out again, but this time it wasn’t from anguish.

    “I love you, Nin, travel safely, take care of yourself, and then I will contact Khun Charan. Son , you need to keep focusing on competing… Once done, I promised to go see you.”

    “I will wait… Dad… I love you.” Khanin paused, with a wide smile, leaned back against the warm wall of mist for a moment before. With a heavy heart, he moved away from the embrace of his father, lowering himself and walking towards the twisted grass.

    Charan watched the figure of the white-haired man. When he saw that Khanin hid behind a big bush, he turned and respectfully faced Tanattai once again. Despite having many unanswered questions, he chose to keep them to himself.

    At this moment, he himself didn’t know who he could trust… There were no true friends or eternal enemies.

    For Charan, he trusted no one except Khanin alone.

    At the magical moment when Phitakthewa’s sky today revealed the stars more clearly than any other day, the night sky was adorned with sparkling constellations, as if precious gems were generously displayed for admiration.

    The young royal stood on the balcony, looking out into the open, letting the cool breeze blow against his body as he raised his arms and embraced himself tightly.

    His small hands rubbed against his arms lightly, feeling the chilling sensation that reminded him of getting used to Emmaly’s weather. He almost forgot how much he could withstand the cold when he was in London.

    “Cover yourself, you might get sick.” The sound of a voice came louder, accompanied by the warmth of a large piece of cloth. Charan sent it to cover the small body, leaned back against it, and gestured for Khanin to divert his gaze from the constellation group.

    “Thank you… Umm.” Khanin expressed his gratitude softly before leaning forward and letting the other party come closer to offer a gentle kiss, their lips lightly touching, delicately tasting the edge of the other’s lips, inviting warmth to blossom in their hearts.

    The whirlwind of chaos seemed to calm down with a single touch as the young boy turned back to his beloved, his hands embraced around his slender neck, leaning down to offer a sweet kiss in return.

    The young royal tilted his head, revealing slightly parted lips, inviting the other party to indulge to their heart’s content. Charan was captivated by the beautiful petals, seductively slipping his tongue in and playfully tasting.

    Khanin closed his eyes, even in the moment when he was about to run out of breath, the older one finally relented and pressed a gentle kiss on the young man’s forehead, his tender and caring gaze causing a faint smile to appear on the adorable face.

    “Feeling better?”

    “What’s good… and suddenly you kiss.”

    “I saw you, Nin was sad.”

    “So you gave me a comforting kiss?”

    “And do you feel better now?”

    “Not yet… Still… Phii Ran hugged me a little.” When given the opportunity, they both hugged tightly. Khanin leaned his face against Nin’s wide chest, while the other party was wearing his favorite satin pajamas. So their flushed cheeks pressed against the firm, muscular chest as if nothing else mattered.

    “Good boy.” Charan praised with a soft kiss on the young prince’s forehead, a touch that Khanin couldn’t feel. It was a strange gesture of warmth, even though they were close to each other, but it was an affectionate act that brought comfort.

    “Today has been really tough…” the young prince sighed. They held each other tightly, letting go of all the exhaustion, exchanging warm breaths.

    It was too much for them, both in terms of the matters in the letter and Khanin’s father…

    “Are you still angry at him?”

    “Angry… Sad, but also glad.” Even without mentioning names, they understood that this conversation was about someone.

    Khanin was still angry at Tanattai, angry at his father for not keeping in touch, but when he heard the other party’s words, his anger softened. Because he wanted to preserve their lives until the day they could meet again, regardless of how angry he felt, but beyond that, it was a joy that they still had a chance to see each other…

     

     

    Think positively. At least Tanattai is alright, still safe until he can meet you, right?” To some extent.

    “But the place where father is… Can I really feel at ease there?” Khanin had no idea about his father’s involvement in the matter of transporting goods.

    Now they were worried, with many things they wanted to know, thoughts of finding a way to ask the king about it, but their trust was shaken.

    They didn’t know what was true, what was a lie, and perhaps everything they’ve been through was just deception. Every time they asked about their father, Sovereign-King would only say that the search was still ongoing.

    The other party expressed his condolences for not finding his father, reassuring that he would do their best to bring peace, but when they finally met, his father today his confidence in Sovereign-King’s words shattered in many parts, on one hand, they didn’t want to doubt, but the overwhelming evidence they found shook their trust completely.

    However, deep down, Khanin still left a small space to offer explanations to someone who was like family throughout these months; whether Dhipabawon had anything to do with the cargo fraud or not.

    Nothing can be believed until there is clear evidence to support it.

    “We have to keep this as a secret for now, and shouldn’t let anyone know that we met Tanattai. Do you understand the situation, Nin?”

    “I understand…” The young prince let go of the hug. His dual-layered eyes glanced at the worried face of his beloved with no difference in concern.

    He knows that Charan is not feeling well about something. Just like knowing that he shouldn’t tell anyone about what he encountered with Tanattai today. Even though there are many doubts swirling in his head, if he were to ask, the secret about Charan and him going to the waste disposal plant would have to be revealed.

    Taking risks that are too dangerous in situations where no one can be trusted.

    There’s another thing I need to know, Nin…” The tall man lingered for the incomplete sentence, and took a breath while Khanin asked.

    “The story about the villain that you told dad while he was at the factory, is it true?”

    “At Jae’s house, I noticed a man there, and he thought it must be the same person as the group that followed us to Thailand.”

    “From the way he walks.” Khanin is quick-witted enough to follow Charan and keep up with everything that’s going on.

    With a tense and serious face as he explains, “Well… I think it’s the same person, and probably the same group we first encountered in Emmaly… They probably haven’t given up.”

    “The group from that one who died from poison?”

    “Yes, it’s cyanide.” Because of a lingering point, Charan hasn’t let go of the investigation into cyanide yet, he’s still looking for it, persistently, in a place he wouldn’t think of.

    “Ah… I have heard it from detective cartoons, I like watching them.” The young prince laughs and exhales when he thinks of his cherished friend, Thong, who loves detective cartoons from Asia wholeheartedly. But for just a moment, his cute face returns to being tense, “It’s a potent poison, probably rare. If someone dares to put it in their mouth like that, they must really love mischief.”

    “…”

    “But Phii Ran… You do not have anything like that, right?”

    “No, as Tanattai said. No one does it anymore in this day and age, also… It’s a secret of the family.”

    “Meaning…”

    Only those who have cultivated their loyalty to the highest level know, and they must be old guardians.” Charan just thought of this after hearing Tanattai’s words, as if he might have read about these stories in the library of the palace, passed down from generation to generation.

    The current leader of the Phitakthewa family is calm and composed. He wasn’t surprised by what Tanattai said. With some knowledge about the sacred ceremonies for those who have devoted themselves as loyal servants.

    In the past, a person had to, “do something”, to get close to those in the royal family, to demonstrate virtue, but he didn’t know what that was.

    These matters are kept solely for the knights who have devoted themselves as royal guardians. Charan is not privileged to know about these matters, because he only temporarily serves as the leader of the clan.

    “If we investigate the trade of poisons… Can we find the source of production?”

    “Finding it is not difficult, the issue is verifying the names of the actual buyers. I tried to have my people, including wizards, investigate, but it’s not easy.”

    “…”

    “The evidence gathered so far is not enough to point to anyone…”

    “I think the person who wants to kill Nin is someone from the royal family, right?” The owner of the white-haired house pondered for a long time, and at first, Khanin wasn’t sure, sometimes it could be high-class individuals who wanted to overthrow the authority.

    But the information about cyanide seems to narrow it down to a specific group of people. If it’s not the four major families in Emmaly, then these people wouldn’t be working for them.

    “Yes… It must be someone who directly benefits from your death.”

    “…”

    Or it could be someone who would benefit if the Sovereign-King loses power…” Charan exhaled softly as if speaking to himself rather than engaging in a conversation with loved ones, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, and the atmosphere around them became even more tense.

    “So, every family is suspicious, but I will pretend. I will watch over those people, no matter what happens, you will be in the notified place.”

    “Ugh… I had intended for you to do that already.”

    Because Khanin spoke of what he intended to do. Charan felt relieved when he realized that the other party understood and shared the same direction. “While I search for that person, Nin must take good care of himself. Now we know that the enemy is closer than we thought. So, don’t stay far from me, don’t go where I can’t see… I can’t protect you Nin.”

    “Alright.”

    “In just a few days, the competition will take place. We must be cautious and take good care of ourselves.” Thick hands gently stroked smooth cheeks, a tender gesture that elicits a smile from a loved one.

    “Alright, I won’t stay far from your sight, won’t go anywhere… I promise.” Khanin raises his index finger in front of him. While the tension and stress remain evident, the smiles they share seem to be the only good thing amidst these turbulent circumstances.

    “I’m very concerned about you, Nin… Do you realize that?” Charan pays no attention to the small outstretched index finger, but instead decides to embrace the whole body of his beloved, hugging him tightly and burying his face in the white neck, allowing the gentle scent of Khanin to soothe some of the restlessness.

    “I know, I will take good care of myself.”

    “Thank you.” Charan expresses his gratitude because Khanin promised to take good care of himself.

    For him, at this moment… Khanin is the most important person in his life, the only person Charan will protect with his life.

    Glowing eyes gaze upon a lovely face, and in a few hours, the first light of a new day will arrive, bringing with it many swirling thoughts to ponder.

    The issue of the Sovereign-King is kept hidden, as is the case with Tanattai. What about the sinister secrets hidden under the surface, waiting to be revealed by someone willing to break free from Atsawathewathin’s grasp?

    And it seems that person may have already succeeded, to a greater or lesser extent…

    The disappointment from someone he once respected and admired has left the young man with a heartache akin to being cut by a sharp object. If the rumors were true…

    The allegations that the Sovereign-King may be involved in his mother’s death… could also be true.

    THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

  • THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 36: Yours

    THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 36: Yours

       THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 36: Yours.

    Silence fell between them. Khanin bit his lip tightly, his deep eyes gazing at the older man.

    Of course, Charan saw it, but because he didn’t want to say anything at the moment, he could only pull the younger one’s hand and lead him towards the door of the art room.

    Charan brought Khanin inside before picking up a bathrobe to send to him. The young man didn’t say a word, and even intended to distance himself, making Khanin have to let go.

    “Phii… Where are you going?” He tightly grabbed the slender hand.

    Charan met the gaze of the young boy and jokingly said that the young royal must suffer.

    “I am going to change clothes too.”

    He said it like that, as if he didn’t care at all. He’s a stubborn person!

    “…”

    “I’ll be waiting outside when you’re done.”

    Similar to a cool breeze blowing through and helping to cool down the heat and reduce anxiety, Khanin reluctantly reveals a smile and a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He knows that this time, the journey here will not be in vain.

    Wait… I want to talk to you.”

    “Sure.”

    They exchange a quick glance before parting ways to attend to their personal matters. Khanin efficiently finishes his tasks in no more than fifteen minutes, as expected. Young Royal returns to stand in the same spot.

    The art room remains untouched, just as it was a few minutes ago. Perhaps someone had come in and cleaned up as instructed. Khanin’s paintings are still left abandoned inside the rectangular room, devoid of Charan’s shadow.

    Outside the window, a heavy rainstorm rages on. However, the doublelayered walls of Phitakthewa Castle muffle the sounds, and Khanin can only hear a faint murmur seeping in.

    Khanin paces around like a trapped mouse, his mind filled with various thoughts as he waits for someone to return. He has wasted enough time and doesn’t plan to waste any more, so he contemplates leaving and following Charan. But just as he is about to move, the tall figure steps back in.

    They face each other closely, one in a large bathrobe and the other in a navy blue silk nightgown clinging to their body…

    Charan looks rather unusual, perhaps due to the wet hair sticking to his forehead and the non-conventional glasses adorning his handsome face. Nonetheless, it makes people look at him in an intriguing way, trapped in awe.

    Khanin loses focus, forgetting his rehearsed speech that was meant to express his love for Charan. What a fool he must have been, thinking that God would love someone like Charan so much to grant him such beauty.

    The Young Prince swallows nervously. As soon as he regains his composure, he tries to gather his thoughts and regain his calmness, even though it is a difficult task.

    “Nin wants to talk to you.” Khanin blurts out before getting straight to the point without further hesitation. He has wasted enough time and doesn’t plan to beat around the bush.

    Alright, ask away.”

    “Why did you ask for a day off?”

    “I wanted to take a break.” The older one answers without wasting any time, while maintaining a calm expression on his face. However, no one knows what’s going on inside. Charan himself looks confused and restless.

    “Do you really want to take a break, or are you avoiding me?”

    “I’m not avoiding you, Nin. I just want you to take some time and think for yourself.” Charan’s response clearly indicates that he has noticed the abnormality in the younger one.

    Khanin pouts and then sighs deeply.

    “Nin, I didn’t plan to avoid you…”

    “…”

    “It’s just that… I… I wanted to apologize for yesterday. For abruptly running away because…”

    “It’s fine, you don’t have to say it.” Charan’s stoic posture leads Khanin to interpret it in a different way, causing the young man to try to contain his stress. Meanwhile, the younger one doesn’t seem concerned at all.

    “You have to say it. If you don’t, we’ll just keep misunderstanding each other like this.”

    “…”

    “I ran away because I felt embarrassed, uncomfortable, it was awkward!” Because Khanin quickly spoke, his voice almost became a scream, his fair cheeks turned red, leading people to want to look even more.

    “Embarrassed?”

    “Um… well, because I just found out why Emmaly was sensitive to kisses, why people couldn’t randomly kiss others…”

    And how did you find out?” Charan’s posture seemed to change from before, the worried pose changed, the young man shifted to hug himself, looking at Khanin with eyes that made it difficult for him to speak.

    “…”

    “What happened? Tell me, please.” Charan is skilled at playing with people’s emotions, even leaning in close enough to affect the rate of heartbeats, causing young people to blush and flee.

    “So if Emmaly kisses someone… it’s a declaration of love, right? I… believe in that too, don’t I?” The Young Prince asked, despite his slightly reddened ears, urging the other person to look.

    “I’ve been Emmaly’s person since birth.” The older guy refuses to speak directly, but it’s clear enough for Khanin to have an accelerated heartbeat.

    “Then the next question… Are you bothered by me kissing you or not?”

    “No.” Charan answered this immediately, the type that didn’t waste time thinking, waving his face in front of the person opposite to make sure he didn’t respond just to please others.

    “And my kiss… did it bind you?”

    This time, Charan was silent for almost a minute, larger than life next to the lips, before finally uttering a few words that would pierce the heavily oppressed heart of the white-skinned person.

    “Yes…”

    “Oh…” Khanin felt his heart skip a beat. Beautiful twin eyes blinked, he thought of countless ways to fix this, but in the next moment, the mood shifted with Charan’s words.

    “I’m not denying that it was like that at first, but now it has changed.”

    “…”

    “I don’t know when it changed either.”

     

     

    The heart that had paused suddenly beat again. Charan was teaching Khanin to see the essence of what is called love, but despite that, he had seen his friends fall under the power of this and saw it as a joke.

    Khanin thought he was good at controlling his own heart.

    But when he actually tried, it wasn’t like that at all.

    They stared at each other, both sides silent because they were too embarrassed to say anything. Charan was brave in fighting, skilled in arts, but when it came to love… he was no different from crawling children.

    Lost in their own incompetence, they became colorless individuals, needing activities to help dissolve their behaviors.

    “Drawing… Drawing has dried up, not continuing then”. Because Khanin just stood still with a red face. Charan had to find a helping topic, they were like children who had just met each other, shy but…feeling good.

    “Not drawing anymore. My drawings are not good, I have to admit that there are things that we are both not good at.” Khanin realized this and started telling funny stories, a young person, even though he had a small mouth but when he looked at the photos they drew, it made Charan look closely.

    “If you don’t want to draw, then what will you do?”

    “Hmm… I thought of something.” A small smile appeared on the corner of his lips. Khanin walked straight to the large table where he had set up a board, carrying it and placing it in front of the person wearing glasses. Then he picked up a pencil and handed it over, teasingly pointing his finger at his own eyes alternating with a large white paper.

    “Huh?”

    “I want you to draw my picture… even though I am not good at drawing, he is good at being a model. Try to see.”

    “Oh.” Charan didn’t expect the answer, so he was silent for a moment, his neck slightly bent, and finally burst out laughing softly.

    “Why are you laughing, try drawing first to see how good my posing is”.

    Khanin pretended to be angry, helping to ease the atmosphere between them.

    The Young Prince arranged a chair and placed it in front of the owner of the room, then struck a pose like a fashion model for a well-known brand that he had seen before.

    Khanin gazed seriously until his brother had to warn him to speak up.

    “You don’t have to be that tense, it’s better to be natural”. Charan spoke casually, placing the board on a stand, then picking up a pencil and lightly sketching a funny egg-shaped figure, just like the context had changed from a serious conversation to an inserted drawing activity.

    “What kind of natural? Like this?” The painter’s face had a contemplative expression. Khanin remained silent for a while. Then he posed in a new way, this time choosing to sit facing the person drawing, pretending to be nonchalant, looking in another direction but still seeming tense as before.

    “It’s just being in the present. It’s already cute”.

    The fast mouth spoke what he thought, attracting attention to himself.

    “Um…” Khanin bit his lower lip heavily, feeling extremely embarrassed, but his brother didn’t notice.

    “Just sit casually, but try to communicate something so that the drawing can see us in a different perspective.” Charan spoke softly, hiding his true seriousness. With a thick hand, he held the pencil and started outlining the image of the young prince. For a moment, even the blank paper seemed to reveal a visible image.

    Khanin was amazed at the talent. Charan was not only good with a sword, but he excelled in art. How could he explain it? It seemed that the gods had created Charan for this purpose.

    “What do you want when you look at someone like me?” The question came from the skilled artist, bringing Khanin back to reality. Charan didn’t take his eyes off the paper to look at him. With a sigh, but still with the same tone, Khanin finally answered.

    “Nin…no…you have to look at the person drawing”. The answer varied.

    Khanin whispered to himself while Charan barely took his eyes off the paper.

    In the end, he realized that he himself had become the target of his gaze.

    “Shift a little”.

    “Move…?” The fair-skinned guy frowned at the same time as Charan stood up, tucking his chin in, twisting his cute face into a new pose that matched the image he had in mind before revealing his own actions.

    “I can’t see your face clearly.” Charan’s words were normal but they made the listener’s heart skip a beat.

    Khanin agreed to go along with ease. After seeing Charan in a serious mode, he decided to change his mind about the activity that was supposed to be a fun time-waster.

    “So… how should I do it, you ask. Well, I can tell you.”

    “How would you like to draw me in what mood, try showing his facial expression…” The tall figure wearing frameless glasses responded smoothly, as if giving a command, but in reality, Charan was offering more options to Khanin.

    When drawing a portrait, it is important to present a facial image that reflects the appearance, personality, or emotions of the model for the artist to see.

    So, Charan wanted to know how Khanin would show his expression when facing each other like this, what kind of feeling the other party wanted him to perceive.

    “I…” The first thing he can sense is hesitation, the young person staring down, gazing at himself for a moment, letting time pass to contemplate. Until a clear answer is formed in his mind, he decides to raise his head again, his eyes meeting the person standing above him. With a gaze that shakes the listener’s heart like never before.

    “If you want to draw someone who is in love, how should my facial expression be… and if the person he likes is standing right in front of him… what kind of mood should it be?” In a questioning sentence that sounds confused, Khanin’s voice is heavier than Charan can understand.

    “If you, Nin were to ask me a question now… what would it be?” Someone younger wouldn’t wait for a reply. Khanin decides to stand up fully, before moving closer to the person in front of him than before.

    “Do you like me, or maybe… Do you more than like me… just like how I more than like you.”

    As the round eyes looked at the tall figure, tears welled up in those clear eyes. Charan remained silent, not uttering a word, and the rain outside no longer made any sound. Because of the strong heartbeat of Khanin pounding under his white swimwear, his thoughts and mind became muddled.

    “I am joking… it’s because of you, we understand each other.”

    “Because you like me… likes… likes me so much…”

    The big round eyes stared deeply into the beautiful eyes, the strong fingers gently touching the smooth skin, pressing down as if wanting to touch the heart that was beating fast because of himself.

    It is clear in his emotions, the bravery to show it without fear of anyone’s reaction, is the charm of Khanin.

    And it is certainly enough to make Charan… fall in love.

    Even though it may be only a small fraction among many reasons and passing whims, it is enough to make Charan accept his own heart.

    Their relationship was not just a matter of duty anymore…

    “I also like you, Nin…”

    “…”

    “I like… until I can’t stand it anymore.” The overwhelming feeling, like a sweet scent, spread throughout the room.

    Charan couldn’t separate the feeling of floating from himself, a happiness that had a reason, between the romantic words he had just heard and his own courage to confront and decide.

    They both accepted each other’s feelings, allowing themselves to love freely…

    “So let’s not run away from each other anymore. If we like each other, let it be clear. Nin won’t run away anymore…” Khanin spoke slowly, but every word was heavy.

    His slim figure took a small step back before doing something unexpected to Charan, his slender hand touched the tie around his neck before loosening it, letting the white bathrobe that had covered his dignified figure fall to the cold floor.

    His fair, flawless skin seemed unaffected by the dazzling lights, making the noble bloodline in him stand out even more. Khanin took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling in an irregular rhythm caused by the indecision that led to his decision.

    The Young Prince had made his choice – tonight, he would shed everything, no matter what it was. Duty, royal rank, any constraints that would create a gap between them.

    Khanin would give everything, as long as Charan didn’t reject him.

    “Nin…” Charan swallowed hard, unable to speak, only allowing the younger one to explain what was in his mind.

    “Phii, you don’t have to do anything for me anymore… Be your own person, feel whatever you want, think whatever you want, as long as it comes from your own desires… Don’t try to suppress your heart.”

    “…”

    “Don’t put me above everything else, we are equal.” Khanin pulled the younger one’s hand firmly towards him, as if he were a tightly sealed person trying to control his boiling emotions, and gently pressed his lips against the thick palm, making the sigh of a suppressed person dissipate.

    “Nin, why are you like this…”

    “…”

    “Do you want to see me go crazy, Nin?” Charan clenched his teeth, suppressing the desire to ask, his thick hand trembling in a way he had never experienced before. The young man tried to use all his abilities to press the boiling heat simmering in his heart, but Khanin refused to cooperate even a little.

    Khanin moved closer to the other person, using both arms to enclose Charan’s body, leaning his face against the sturdy chest, listening to the heartbeat of the other party to affirm his own feelings.

    Khanin no longer cared about the status between them, what the future held, whether it would be hell or heaven, as long as he had Charan… he was willing to accept everything.

    “Whatever you become, even if you want to be crazy. I can accept it all, as long as we are together, understand each other. I will not… hesitate.” The sentence ended with a taste of a kiss.

    Charan took advantage of the short moment when Khanin tilted his face to look at him, before capturing the warm breath with his lips pressed tightly together.

    It was a scorching, unexpected kiss that took place in the blink of an eye. Charan didn’t invade with his tongue, but the passionate gesture of his lower lip gently sucking rocked the helpless soul. It caused the small person’s body to shudder.

    The clear droplet flowed taintedly from the beautiful corner of the mouth, as the rough, loud slurping sound prolonged the emotions of the two individuals, extending beyond their embrace. Plates, bowls, pencils, erasers, and drawing paper turned into useless objects. The touch from the person in front led them to delve deep.

    Minutes passed before Charan finally agreed to pull away. The handsome young man slid his attractive face closer, lowering it to the forehead, allowing his frameless glasses to rest on the bridge of his nose.

    “If we don’t stop now, I won’t be able to.” Charan muttered with a voice as deep as a desperate lion offering a last escape to the victim. The young man told himself he would stop, even though the true desire burned within his body, almost to the point of self-immolation.

    “…”

    “Nin? If you aren’t ready… I won’t…”

    “And who said I would stop? Who said I’m not ready?” This time, Khanin conceded without waiting for Charan’s words to finish, using his young hands to explore both sides of Charan’s face that had once belonged to him. He slid down to his waist and forcefully grasped his hip, uttering words that cut through the last strand of resilience like a sharp knife.

    “…”

    “Because I am here. Now… because I want to be yours.”

    “…”

    “I won’t stop, so Phii, you can’t stop either, ah…” With that, Khanin’s whole being was pulled down onto the floor, his fair and untouched skin exposed and enveloped in the thick arms.

    His little heart skipped a beat, unable to beat when he tilted his face to the left and caught sight of a large reflective mirror that showed his entire body. His face was pale and flushed, wanting to speak words of reassurance, but was interrupted by the person behind him.

    “Phii Ran… I… ah.”

    The tip of his nose touched and rubbed against the backside of Charan’s earlobe, inhaling the scent of his clean body, smelling the same soap brand as his own, yet the sensations received were fundamentally different.

    Khanin’s entire body smells sweet… and strangely intoxicating.

    “Beautiful…” The thought slipped out of his mind. Charan used one hand to explore ardently, while the other glided across the skin, moving down to the lightly touched middle section of the petite figure. It caused the person who used to be so strong-willed to tremble.

    “Ah… um…” Khanin bit down on his lower lip, raising his slender, soft hand to grip the armrests of the chair to vent his emotions. Just as the other person began to lift his voice.

    With one hand, Charan passionately acted, while the other slid along the flesh, moving to the top of the chest and gently flicking, causing the young one’s breathing to hitch.

    Khanin opened his twinkling eyes, gasping for breath and blurted out, feeling that the desire to lead was completely wiped away. Now, the young prince realized that he would never be able to conquer Charan. If the other side decided not to let him.

    How could a sword ever win against a shield? It seemed today was no different.

    Warm hands accelerate the pace, causing the emotions of the person on the platform to soar. Khanin’s sweet voice escaped, the tip of his ripe body exuding a clear dew, which overflowed and dripped onto the art room floor.

    But the older person didn’t think of relenting.

    Oh…

    “Forget about it.” The sound, resembling a command, seemed to intensify

    Khanin’s desires even more. The breath of some people became shallow, gasping, while the lump in the left chest beat fast. The cause was the pleasant feeling of Charan becoming bold enough to give orders.

    “Are you embarrassed… Phii Ran.” He reluctantly forgot about it but blushed until his face turned red when someone intentionally made him look into the mirror. The image of his reddened complexion was reflected. Misty eyes, revealing an open longing from the corners of his mouth. His hair was unkempt, only making Khanin feel like he looked different every time.

    “Yes.”

    “Phii… ugh, oh…” The more he gazed, the more he felt his hips instinctively sway with the pulling force. Khanin used one arm to tightly embrace the strong arm of the older person. On the other side, he lowered it onto the expensive armrest.

    “I want you Nin to see what I see, to know how beautiful you are.” Charan, like a lost dreamer, but in reality, a man, a young man with complete senses, pressed the base of his neck a few times, causing the person on the platform to tremble and shudder.

    “Oh… Nin… Nin still… I still don’t want to cum yet.” In the past, Khanin thought of himself as a patient person, but for some reason, in this situation, his fragile body didn’t think so.

    It was fortunate that Charan didn’t intentionally harass him or do anything vulgar. He agreed to let the person on the platform breathe freely.

    Understanding the meaning of the sentence spoken by the younger person very well.

    Khanin didn’t want to cum with his hands… but the younger one wanted something more than that.

    “…!” The recently relieved body, after just a few minutes of catching his breath, eyes widened when the older person lifted him up. Charan, in a bridal pose, led the younger person from his position straight to the curved doorway located in the corner of the room, without any explanation other than a short narrative sentence.

    “Let’s go to the bedroom.” A simple statement, but with powerful destructive force.

    The more Khanin immersed himself in the gaze filled with Charan’s desires, the less he could speak. He could only lean his face towards the strong chest, turning into a shy and embarrassed person, not being able to help but let out a suppressed laughter in his throat with joy.

    The tall figure led the slender person to the bedroom door. The other side was the bedroom, then Charan gently laid the younger person on the kingsized bed before undressing himself.

    His muscular body gracefully showcased itself. Khanin bit the corner of his lower lip, observing for only a few seconds, before someone else leaned down to touch his skin, their every part snugly fit together.

    Charan fed kisses to his partner without any hesitation, warming his lips with affection. He didn’t allow the younger, naive person to overthink, gently kissing the small passage through the lips, turning his fair complexion into a pink hue, looking captivating and enticing. Khanin’s eyebrows furrowed as he involuntarily leaned towards the touch, gently squeezing the liquid essence onto the back area of the other party.

    Khanin didn’t ask because he knew very well that having prepared equipment was quite common for most people. But once he thought about who the older person had it prepared for, his brows twisted in confusion without realizing.

    “It’s a government welfare, every house would receive it.” Charan whispered softly, just beside his ear, then kissed it affectionately. He didn’t let anyone, especially the young one, think too much, leaning down to kiss the lower lip gently, before skillfully separating the white legs as far apart as possible.

    “Um…” Khanin’s confused, bewildered brain, intoxicated by the sweet sound when Charan lightly presses his finger against the small passage, the young prince’s cock, now turned pink, irresistibly captivating, making people restrain themselves from jumping in to devour the other side with aggression.

    Although those things happened… in thought. Charan sees a paradise that hasn’t even been touched, not even once.

    A young man skillfully massages the sensitive area around the back entrance, slowly inserting one finger inside, delivering a gentle, warm, and moist touch that stimulates the body of the fair-skinned person, who can barely contain their anticipation.

    Khanin’s eyes widen, Charan gaze fixated on the pale figure as they timidly cover their face in embarrassment. Khanin’s face turns red, his voice barely audible, yet it ignites a flame within Charan’s body.

    The more the young man tries to conceal his feelings, the more Charan feels the urge to arouse him to make him show more emotions. His fingers withdraw before firmly pressing down and overlapping, accompanied by a deep smile at the corner of his mouth.

    “Nin… Nin, please take your hand off. Can you look at me for a moment?” a soft whisper, deliberately pulling his slender arm away from his sweet face, while gazing at the cheeks of the person on the bed, blushing adorably.

    Khanin lies still, his lips meeting each other, trembling all over from the surge of emotions. Yet, he allows the other person to explore, to gaze until their hearts are satisfied.

    The boy was embarrassed, but filled with curiosity. As the person above gradually lowers his body on top of the younger person’s body, lightly kissing across the chest, and ending with warm kisses around the seductive lips.

    “Oh…” Khanin’s singing voice lacks restraint, his body stiffening as he feels the warm tongue that teases and entices him.

    Sometimes gentle, sometimes intense, they alternate, leaving Khanin unable to predict. He tries to maintain composure with every touch Charan gives, but at one point, he can’t help but tremble as he once understood strength.

    Charan does not only focus on the upper part. The young man’s tongue glides down from the fresh chest, not different from an investigator, leaving no part of Khanin untouched. Every touch is filled with attention, causing the young heart to tremble with passion.

    “What else can I do here?” Charan’s handsome face stops near the sensitive corner, then tilts up, accompanying the inquisitive voice, contradicting the action of grasping the slender legs and lifting them onto their shoulder blades. However, that sensitive posture is nothing compared to what the older person is about to do.

    The tip of Charan’s nose grazes and sniffs from the inner thigh, rising to the knee of the younger person, and that alone almost makes Khanin surrender to what he desires immediately.

    “Mmm… Lick…”

    Charan’s smile widens at the response, enjoying when Khanin speaks directly to his own heart. Just as he enjoys seeing the startled face of the younger person when he looks for something beyond their expectations.

    “Lick… Right here.” The lion gently grabs the smooth white hip, lifting it above the bed. At the moment when his face is about to bury itself in the sweet passage, the small hand pushes his head lightly. Startled.

    “Wait, no… Not there.”

    “Nin, you said I can lick.”

    “I mean… the leg. Just the leg.”

    “But I want to lick right here.” There is no hesitation in the precise movement; Charan leans towards the warm pathway, using his warm tongue to gently touch the hardened pink cock, while pushing one more finger and creating a sweet moan that reaches the ears.

    Khanin bit his lower lip to contain his emotions, the gel and saliva adding moisture and enhancing the wetness of the love portal until it opened wider, allowing Charan to add another finger, effortlessly going from one to two, from two to three.

    “Ah! Ohh, Ah… Wow…”

    “…”

    “Don’t, don’t go there.” Tears welled up in his eyes. Khanin clenched his fingers tightly against the dark-colored bedsheet, unable to describe the mixed feelings he had to face at this moment.

    “Why?”

    “It’s…” Turmoil swirled like a person being pulled underwater, causing the young man to feel restless yet content. Khanin took a deep breath, and finally realized that he should find something to hold on to.

    “Yes, it is?” It wasn’t until he saw the gleam of enchantment in the sharp gaze that he knew he had to contain his emotions and take a step back, allowing Charan to cease his provocative actions.

    “That’s enough.”

    “Nin…” His thick eyebrows raised slightly. Charan ceased his stillness and stared at the changed figure of the white-skinned person.

    “I want you to… enter me.” The young man chose the same method to regain control. With determination, Khanin made sure that the other party felt no different.

    Their bodies separated with the younger man’s legs spread open wide, charming the older man with flushed faces, although their contradictory actions seemed extreme. Khanin pursed his lips and looked away, but his actions only provoked the other party even more.

    “I… damn.” Charan muttered in a muffled voice. Khanin seemed to hear a faint whisper as he hugged his body, tucking his head to reduce the buzzing noise.

    The silver condom in the silver foil packet placed next to the white body was swiftly torn open and worn. The scent and touch, soft and smooth from Khanin, awakened the hidden desire within Charan, awakening him and making him think of the warmth inside.

    Charan held his breath, suppressing his own burning emotions, before slowly lifting one of Khanin’s slender legs and placing it on the bed, a clear sign of his love.

    “Wait… don’t tease.”

    “I’m not teasing, but if I don’t do it this way, you will be hurt.” It was true that Charan wanted the young man to get used to his size, trying to stay calm because he didn’t want their first time together to be just about emotions.

    He wanted to pay more attention than this, but that’s it. He had said before that the younger one refused to cooperate.

    “It’s okay, I am… fuck me… please.” Because he wanted to feel more than this, he requested. Khanin himself moved his body closer to where the other person was, underneath, and slid his lips to gently kiss the elder man’s chin, both inviting and enticing, until Charan’s patience broke and scattered, as if by chance.

    Charan gradually moved his body into Khanin’s, the soft warmth immediately made his eyebrows twist, and as the two clung together, their bodies and mouths became one, their tears merging and their senses intertwining, drifting away for a moment.

    “Ah…” Khanin tried to relax and let the older man deeply penetrate, merging into one, the instant they became intimate. Charan, swallowing a lump in his throat, pressed the younger one down onto the bed, waiting until the other party adjusted, their true love gradually starting to emerge…

    The elder one pressed deeply into the warm passage, and all the determination he had set in his mind disappeared like a gust of wind passing through, gently touching his lips, pressing kisses down the small shoulders, gradually moving lower along the spine.

     

     

    Ohh… umm… ah.” Waves of pleasure enveloped them, sweeping them away. Khanin released a muffled moan, brushing against the cheeks, collarbone, and planting kisses down the vibrant love line of the older man, both tempting and inviting until Charan’s suppressed emotions burst and scattered in a moment of vulnerability.

    Tears of joy wanted to flow down the Young Prince’s clear cheeks. Charan used the tip of his nose to wipe away the tears, softly asking with a tender voice, contrasting with the forceful play that shook the expensive bed.

    Gently, the elder pressed deeper into the hot passage, letting go of all the determination and desires he had held onto, as if the gentle breeze passed through, kissing and caressing, soothing and softening Charan’s inner warmth.

    “Does it hurt?”

    “No… anymore. I…” the Young Prince’s face was soaked with tears.

    Charan clenched his fists. He knew it didn’t stem from sadness, but rather a display of affection. His younger counterpart, on the other hand, licked his lips in delight.

    “What’s wrong?”

    “Oh… Phii Ran.”

    “Speak up.” The half-commanding tone resurfaced once again. Charan’s low growl in his throat indicated that the gentle pathways of a young person had a reaction to such actions, he bent down to press his pale white throat before accelerating the pace to elicit a heavier and slower response from the older counterpart.

    “Fuck, oh… Ah… so good.” Khanin’s mind was muddled, his emotions felt like being pushed into a free fall and thrown into the sky, causing occasional moments of floating sensation as if glimpsing the gates of paradise. They could only see each other’s faces, seemingly aware of the hidden desires within.

    “Then, I should add more strength…”

    Oh… Phii Ran.” The sound of flesh colliding reverberated throughout the bedroom. Khanin’s hips jerked in response to the longing, his consciousness sparked and tingled without control. The overwhelming sensation almost made him forget to breathe.

    “Breath.”

    “Ah…” Fresh air rushed into Khanin’s lung as his lips parted slightly, embracing the sweet passage in a tight grip, allowing the older counterpart’s low sound to escape into his ear.

    “Good, boy.” Words of praise accompanied by a gentle nibble on his shoulder made Khanin’s body tremble, his tense figure, full of desire, crumbled and collapsed, leaving him to hold the person in front of him tightly.

    “Oh…” Tears streamed down the young man’s face as he released cloudy droplets of milky tears. He accidentally scratched the older counterpart’s back, burying his face in the broad shoulders before opening his mouth, emitting a sweet moan from his throat.

    The tall young man pushed his body closer to Khanin for the last time, cupping the younger one’s chin to receive a ravenous kiss, sucking and savoring, forcefully penetrating deeper into the core until a trace of blood surfaced.

    Charan accelerated the rhythm, burying himself in the sweet body one last time before releasing all drops of essence inside Khanin. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the young man lying weakly under him.

    The young man bowed down to seal the kiss, gently caressing the beloved face before reluctantly withdrawing himself, with a tinge of regret, asking the young man who was almost breathless.

    “Is that enough…” Khanin’s face flushed, he breathed heavily as his pale white brain wandered, feeling drowsy from exhaustion. But just a few tingles on the nerves of touch brought him back to consciousness, after hearing a whisper accompanied by the sound of ripping a new packet of latex.

    Not yet.”

    “Please don’t say… Aaah…Phii Ran.”

    “Just beginning.”

    On a cold, misty midnight, Emmaly’s atmosphere was filled with the sound of raindrops. Petai in his bathrobe was half-sitting, half-lying on the sofa, his eyes looking towards the door, waiting for someone.

    The small clock on the wall of the Ranwin family’s guest room indicated that it was very late now. However, the son of the Minister of Defense was still not asleep.

    It was crucial because he had just received a message from Ramil that the other party was traveling to meet him amidst this rainy storm. He couldn’t help but worry about how dangerous it could be.

    The scent of incense did not help relax the mind of the anxious whitehaired man. Petai suddenly stood up and paced around for a while. Until he heard familiar footsteps, he opened the door and went out to greet them.

    “Why are you here?” This section of the Ranwin estate was separated from the main building because Petai disliked chaos. They didn’t have to worry about someone seeing behavior beyond what was appropriate.

    “Why are you here so late?” The owner of the place avoided answering the first question by shooting back another question. Petai saw Ramil’s wet, tousled hair and wide shoulders covered in raindrops, so he lifted his hand to help brush away the moisture.

    “If it’s late so I couldn’t come?”

    “If I say no, will you listen?” The conversation seemed heated, but they both knew it wasn’t like that.

     

     

    Ramil stepped inside the house before inclining his head. Letting the other person run his hand through his hair like that.

    “Father isn’t here.” In truth, Petai didn’t need to say anything. If Rachata were here or Ramil appeared without any excuses, things would have been chaotic.

    “You’re all wet, I’ll get you some clothes to change.” They were always like this, discussing different topics, but still facing each other. Petai disappeared to prepare the equipment, leaving only Ramil in the middle hallway of the Ranwin estate.

    The young royal took a position to walk and wait, but because his eyes were drawn to a new painting placed in front of the window, all his attention gathered there.

    The picture of red camellias… Ramil was confident that he had just seen it for the first time. The bottom right corner of the painting had a date engraved, making him even more certain that this artwork was new, the latest work today.

    “I left the water for you, go in and take a bath.”

    The familiar call pulled Ramil’s attention away from the painting, but he didn’t mention the artwork and simply turned to politely ask the homeowner.

    “Have you bathed yet?”

    “Yes.”

    “Let’s bathe together.”

    “…”

    In a brief moment, Ramil saw the hesitancy in those eyes, and the young prince spoke gently, making everyone’s hearts soften.

    “Just a casual bath.”

    Petai didn’t refuse or hesitate about the invitation. They had nothing to be embarrassed about, sharing a bath in the same tub wasn’t something new.

    The fragrance of roses filled the air, and the candlelight placed around helped create a relaxing atmosphere. Ramil sat behind Petai, their warm hands entwined, the temperature gently spreading through the slender white arms of the man with a slimmer physique.

    The cramped space made their skin warm and pressed tightly together. Petai leaned back, closing his eyes, allowing Ramil to do as he pleased without any complaints.

    “You went to Morpheus?” the Young Prince’s bold heart prompted him to ask before he turned his gaze to contemplate, awaiting an answer.

    “Yeah.” Petai didn’t hold back like he used to. Because Ramil knew very well that nothing gave him the right to prohibit, he knew… But what he couldn’t restrain was the feeling of unease that lingered more strongly in his chest.

    He pondered what he could do… something other than instigating arguments like before.

    “If you were to study art there again, I’d like to go with you.” As quick as thought, after careful consideration that this matter could be spoken of, the royal blooded individual did not hesitate.

    “You don’t like drawing, Ramil.” However, the fair-skinned house owner was perceptive enough to ask if Ramil was interested… Of course, the answer was no. He was not the kind of person to beat around the bush, and his response was even more direct than a stroke of a dagger.

    “I won’t go drawing, I’ll keep watching over you.” The response came with a forceful embrace around the waist.

    Petai tilted his head slightly as someone began to follow his own desires, the warm and passionate lips planting kisses on the back of his soft, furry ear, causing his body to shudder.

    “Mmh…”

    “Really not just taking a casual bath?” The question was posed even though Ramil was more familiar with his temperament than anyone else. Petai clenched his fists at the corners of his mouth, his body trembling from being aroused, before some definition began to take shape in his mind.

    “It’ll bruise.”

    “Oh…”

    “Who said it was just a casual bath?” The question was asked despite knowing Ramil’s nature better than anyone. Petai ground his teeth, his body roiling from being roused, before some notion began to surface in his mind.

    A fox would never be tamed like a domesticated dog.

    “Do you want to take a casual bath? We’ll let you choose.”

    “…”

    “You choose then.”

    A cunning animal skilled in deception, but in reality, he might be more like wild rabbits playing the role of victim, becoming entangled in his own trickery.

    The sun burst beyond the horizon, during the early hours when many were still floating in dreams, but not the Phitakthewa lineage.

    Charan had been awake for almost an hour before this, the physical exertion from last night’s activities hadn’t completely worn off, on the contrary, it was replaced with a fresh, fulfilling sense of contentment.

    Too happy to find words to describe.

    The narrowed eyes settled on the adorable face of the person who had unwittingly fallen into his snare. Khanin was sound asleep, his delicate eyelashes, slightly swollen and redder than usual, his disheveled hair in disarray, and his sleeping posture, all served as factors that made Charan grit his teeth in patience.

    He had teased enough. It wouldn’t be good to indulge his feelings any further.

    All he could do was resist the temptation, even if it was difficult. Charan rose up, grabbing the towel he used to wipe himself off last night and went to change the water, then returned to find the white figure once again.

    The clean fabric soaked in warm water was twisted and ready for use. Charan, who took care of the person on the bed with great care, was disappointed that the person who had been smiling while sleeping would forget to open their eyes.

    “Morning.” Charan greeted first, as Khanin still seemed groggy. Once he regained his composure and swept his gaze around his clear cheeks, and slowly turned red.

    “Ugh…” His eyes darted wide open. Khanin felt embarrassed because his voice that came out in the morning was rather hoarse. When he thought of the cause, he felt like he wanted to bury himself deep in the ground.

    Screaming like that… the voice will be hoarse no matter how hard he tries to restrain himself.

    “Let me wipe you.” Charan was very kind not to tease, but the young man’s ears turned red nonetheless. He wiped himself clean, gently wiping the delicate skin of the young body.

    Khanin couldn’t refuse the help because he wanted to spend more time with Charan, and more importantly, the severe fatigue in his body from playing dangerous stunts. He admitted that he had never experienced such aching muscles despite practicing swordplay for hours on end.

    “Thank you.” The young man silently expressed his gratitude.

    Charan used his warm fingers to blow-dry the ends of the hair on his clear cheeks, creating a sweet and soothing sensation between them.

    Khanin thought about protesting a little longer, intending to spend time with the large bed in Charan’s bedroom. However, when he saw the other side’s face combined with the faint scratches of his own nails on the back and the strong muscles on his arms, the vivid images of last night flooded into his mind like someone had buried them there.

    I don’t know when I fell asleep…

    “Phii Ran, I… I can’t, I’m… hard again.”

    “Oh… harder.”

    Gentle words but forceful actions, playing with him until his mind went blank. Charan was ruthless… even more ruthless than he had imagined. How could he forget the kiss and…

    “Red face, are you uncomfortable?” Perhaps Khanin noticed the slightly different complexion of the older person’s face.

    The Young Prince cleared his throat slightly before tentatively asking the question that had been on his mind.

    “No… I just have a curiosity and want to ask, feel free to ask. It’s nothing really.” It’s really nothing. Because Khanin understands that things like this are natural.

    “Go ahead, ask.”

    “Last night… was it the first time for you?” The serious sentence, faster than their conversation routine, made the person who used to sleep quietly on the bed sit up. Charan saw the red ears and diverted his gaze slightly when answering the question.

    “Oh… Is there something I didn’t like, Nin? Please tell me.” The serious demeanor was like when Charan was capturing a moment while painting, it seemed enchanting to watch it unfold.

    Khanin’s face was filled with mixed emotions, and he expressed his inner feelings softly.

    “No… it’s good, really good, so good that I… am suspicious if it’s your first time.” His slender body trembled slightly, lips twitching as if trying to form coherent sentences, but hesitating. Compared to Charan, this man seemed smart enough to comprehend Khanin’s intentions.

    “Sometimes we all have something we can do well right from the start, just like you.”

    “….” It was a simple sentence, yet it perfectly captured Charan’s character. Khanin couldn’t speak, his face frozen in a bewildered expression while the person in front of him waited patiently for an answer.

    “There’s so much to learn nowadays.”

    “That’s true.”

    “And what about you, Nin… you were impressive last night as well.”

    This time, it was Khanin’s turn. His cheeks turned slightly rosy, and his soft lips moved closer together as he pondered and processed his thoughts.

    “I had someone in England too.” Khanin had no intention of lying. Although their relationship in the past was never serious or long-lasting, it didn’t mean it hadn’t happened at all.

    His eyebrows twitched slightly, uncontrollably. Charan told himself that he was a reasonable person, but his handsome face tightened without clear reason.

    “I’ve been with an older person before, and when I saw her at the party…”

    Khanin said ‘her,’ referring to the old flame. How long had they been together, and was he deeply in love? Charan’s internal struggle was revealed through his eyes.

    “…”

    “I haven’t been in contact with her for a long time. We ended things on good terms, and it’s been a year since we separated. I don’t think about it much, will you Phii?” Not only Charan, even the young Khanin cared about the feelings of the older person. His slender hand reached out to support Charan’s soft cheeks, helping to brush away the confusion.

    “No, I know it’s in the past.”

    “Wow… But now my present and future is yours.”

    He knew that Khanin was adorable, but Charan wanted to plead for him to stop being so cute sometimes. The main reason being that it made his heart work hard.

    So hard that sometimes it becomes uncontrollable…

    Khanin’s adorableness, from his words to his actions, made it irresistible for Charan to resist. The young man reached out and gently cupped Khanin’s blush cheeks before rewarding him with a soft, delicate kiss on the corner of his beautiful lips.

    Their eyes met harmoniously, and their attractive faces moved closer to each other. A slight force, just enough to be noticed, seemed to have a magnetic pull, creating an overwhelming sensation.

    The sweet emotions continued to envelop them as they closed the distance between them. While Charan had many things he wanted to help with, he hadn’t had a chance to do anything yet. But the sound of the real world crept in, waking them up from their sweet dream.

    Knock, knock.

    “Charan, sir.”

    The knocking on the door interrupted the moment and brought the leader of the Phitakthewa family back to reality. Charan knew that if butler Narong had no important matters, the other party wouldn’t disturb them at this moment.

    He stood tall, his heart yearning for the sweet scent he desired to taste once again. The young man sighed, letting his gaze wander aimlessly. He rose from the bed and walked straight to the door, opening it to inquire about his intentions, without expecting any meaningful answers in return.

    “Is there something, Mister Butler?”

    “The Sovereign-King has ordered for an urgent presence.”

    The leader of the Phitakthewa clan had no idea what caused this sudden urgent summons. Normally, Charan was a skilled analyst, but this time, he struggled to come up with any thoughts. His mind remained blank since he left his home and journeyed to the royal palace.

    Khanin was not allowed to enter and had to stand guard; they were to be separated without any further conversation. Charan approached SovereignKing in the tea room, the familiarity of the ambiance contrasting with the distinct feeling that filled the air.

    Perhaps it was because Charan had never crossed any boundaries or kept secrets from Dhipabawon before. Now, he felt no different from those who have someone lurking behind them…

    “Please, have a seat.” The elderly person’s permission was sought after Charan respectfully greeted him. There was a table in front with no tea cups or even a tray of cookies, like in normal times.

    “Thank you, Your Grace.”

    “Did Khanin come to study at ‘Morpheus’?” Dhipabawon did not waste any time and quickly approached the topic. His first question played with the listener’ senses, generating a mix of warm, cold, and strange feelings.

    “Your Grace… Last night, the storm forced the Young Prince to stay at Phitakthewa. Your Grace, please accept my apologies for…” He intended to apologize, but there was no one waiting to hear it to the end.

    “Do I have anything to worry about, Charan?” The final question brought the young man back to his senses, requiring him to think. At this moment, Charan was uncertain of Dhipabawon’s true intention in this conversation. “There is nothing to worry about, Your Grace.” The current situation can be considered relatively normal. Mostly, because they were mainly confined within the palace walls, providing a strong sense of security. If one were to consider a truly risky and dangerous situation, it would probably be when they traveled to speak with Jirat.

    The unfamiliar person’s peculiar way of walking amidst the crowd reminded Charan of one of the enemies he had encountered. It was during the time he had taken Young Prince to seek refuge in Thailand, a matter he currently had his magicians investigating.

    “So, is that so?”

    “Your Grace… indeed, your Majesty… do you have a doubt?” Initially, Charan intended to tell this story about him and Khanin, but he noticed something from Dhipabawon and chose to change the topic.

    [Cough] Charan.” Sovereign-King let out a small sigh, his wrinkled hands softly touched his chest as he took a shallow breath. It resembled the symptoms of someone feeling weak, calling for assistance.

    Strange…

    “Shall I send the royal physician, Your Grace?”

    “No need, I am okay.”

    “But…”

    “I will have someone warm up the bird nest soup, eat, have some rest, and soon it will get better. Charan, don’t worry, there is something more important that I want to discuss with you…” The King refused assistance, swallowed his saliva and closed his eyes briefly, as if forgetting, and then looked deeply into Charan’s eyes, leading the young man to forget how to breathe for a moment.

    “It appears that the time when the condition of Your Grace is not good, there may be someone who has changed.”

    “…”

    “Even I do not want to interfere, but he sees that the atmosphere in the palace these days is not the same as before.”

    “The term ‘fate’ means…”

    “I just want to make sure that Charan, you are still the same person this old man knows.”

    “Your Highness, I am still the same, sir.” Charan replied in a low voice, avoiding eye contact, showing an unintentional demeanor, inviting the onlooker to lower their gaze. Although laughter fades with age, the older person’s gaze remains as sharp as ever.

    “If you are the same person, then answer clearly to this old man… Do you and Khanin genuinely like each other or not?”

    Charan believes that Dhipabawon was known for a long time, but chose not to speak directly. In this country, those associated with Atsawathewathin are not brave enough to escape the gaze of the Sovereign King.

    “Yes.” The young man wasted no time, he raised his head, answered without hesitation, stared at the person in front of him to listen to what the other party wanted to communicate, and found a way to cope.

    “I have no intention of forbidding anything, but want you to be aware of the truth…”

    Charan followed the trembling hand gestures of the person who served himself since childhood. Dhipabawon signaled to a few individuals nearby, and two royal attendants entered, carrying two teacups placed in front of Charan.

    “…” The young man looked carefully at the attendants who respectfully placed the two teacups in front of him, and the delicate fragrance indicated the different types of tea in each cup.

    Normally, when he comes in for private time in this room, Charan usually prepares tea from his own home to await orders from the superior.

    If he is served Oolong tea, it means there is a mission to accomplish.

    If he is served Chamomile tea, it means there is an order to chat and befriend to alleviate loneliness.

    But this time… The tea served in front of Charan is prepared by the Sovereign King himself. The Chamomile tea and Earl Grey tea are placed for him to choose from.

    In the past, Earl Grey tea referred to an order for him to return someone precious from England. So, this time it probably refers to the same person.

    Earl Grey tea means… Khanin…

    “Khanin cannot abandon Atsawathewathin, he must be the heir.”

    “…”

    “And if it’s like that… Your presence beside Khanin means you cannot abandon Phitakthewa as well.” What the Sovereign King said is true in every aspect. Those born into the royal bloodline come with responsibility and duty, which can never be avoided.

    Throughout, Dhipabawon has never forcefully intervened in Charan’s life choices. The utmost trust bestowed him with only one mission, and it has undoubtedly been fulfilled.

    When the competition ends, Charan will be free from any obligations as he has ever dreamed.

    He wanted to go far away from Phitakthewa, to stay far from his mother’s position… to avoid the evil memories associated with his mother’s death.

    However, Khanin’s love is causing Charan’s life plan to become chaotic.

    “…”

    “I had never thought of keeping you, but this time I must speak directly to you if you want to stay with Khanin. You must resist and not abandon

    Phitakthewa.”

    Charan, who is almost thirty years old, knows well that his life has never been easy. The heavy emotions are like being crushed by a big rock, making it difficult for those in positions that require carrying such feelings to breathe.

    “…”

    “But if you choose to go, leave everything here.”

    “….” Charan stared at the two tea cups in front of him with a heavy heart. The immense pressure that came rushing in was almost unbearable. His hands trembling, he approached each other closely, like a person seeking thoughts, the young man silent, waiting to hear a few words from the other side before the other side would leave.

    “You don’t have to make a decision right now, Charan. We still have plenty of time until the competition ends. But whenever you can choose, you must accept the consequences that will follow.”

    Dhipabawon is right. If Khanin is the heir apparent, he himself is just an ordinary person, not like Atsawathewathin, Phitakthewa will…

    “Agreed. I will protect you, just like how you protected me. No more Atsawathewathin, Phitakthewa, only Charan and Khanin… Do you understand what I’m saying?”

    Khanin’s words from last night still lingered in Charan’s heart. Now, he had some questions, but he didn’t dare to utter a word between them… There’s no Atsawathewathin, no Phitakthewa.

    There’s only Charan and Khanin, for real. Is that so?

    Perhaps it’s because it’s the late season in the rainy season, the air in Khanin’s bedroom in the Daveen Palace was hot like someone lit a bonfire. The air conditioning helped to alleviate it to some extent, but the sunlight still seeped through the sheer curtains, gently touching the handsome face of the young royal.

    Khanin sat quietly on the sofa in the middle of the room. He instructed Chakri to open the curtains, as he didn’t want the surrounding atmosphere to be too stuffy. His two-layered eyes darted towards the door, attentively waiting for someone to return.

    He couldn’t figure out why his grandfather would call him along with Charan, initially thinking it must be something important to the extent of summoning them abruptly. However, Chakri said that such events had happened frequently, so Khanin managed to calm down.

    Charan may have gotten used to it, as he didn’t seem surprised at all. But for the young royal, he was quite anxious because he didn’t know what Dhipabawon would say about himself.

    They came out of the Phitakthewa Mansion together, with Charan!

    Why does your trusted guardian, Virun, need to report it? Damn it!

    The young man sighed lightly and bit his lower lip, alternating with taking shallow breaths. His concerned eyes caught sight of the slightly plump butler who had just walked in, so he greeted him.

    “Greetings… Is there something on your mind, Your Highness?”

    Khanin immediately perked up at the sound of Chakri’s voice. The young man blinked his eyes rapidly and took a brief breath, then responded.

    “It’s nothing… But has Charan not arrived yet?” The desire to know gnawed at the heart of the waiting person. He wanted to know if he would be asked, what if, and what if he was asked… How would Charan answer?

    Khanin’s imagination wandered to the incident where Charan was chased away by his grandfather. The story they went to sleep talkin about all night long, imagining the figure of the person being washed and cleaned over and over again.

    No matter what, Charan would probably not escape his grandfather’s gaze this time. Whether it was good or bad, he might be interrogated about kissing, and if he were to answer that his first kiss… was with him.

    Ugh… How much preparation do we have to do for the Phitakthewa family’s assets?

    If we organize a wedding, how much should we budget for? Do we need to announce it in the newspaper, or can we keep it low-key?

    We should probably discuss this first… Are we still dating?

    Ugh, whether we’re dating or not is not important. What’s important is that Emmaly is afraid of kissing. Whether we become a couple after kissing or not doesn’t matter. Because we belong to each other already.

    The cute face alternates between tension and a faint smile. Sometimes, it takes a deep breath, holding a lot of anxiety, and other times, it smiles, spreading happiness throughout the room, making the butler unable to hide his smile.

    Chakri lets Young Prince stay lost in his own thoughts. Until a soft knock on the door required the young butler to leave, and the person who opened the door was none other than the one who had just been questioned a moment ago.

    “Young Prince is waiting for Khun Charan.”

    The name of the person waiting causes Khanin to straighten up, looking at the back of his close butler friend, and he can see that Charan’s face is not normal.

    “Thank you, please leave. I have something to discuss with the young prince.” Charan speaks to Ben, his eyes shifting towards Khanin, revealing his discomfort. But in an instant, he turns back to Chakri.

    “Alright then. If that’s the case, I will come to attend to the young lord again during lunchtime.”

    The young royal doesn’t know what Chakri did, but seeing the respectful attitude of the other side as they leave, he thinks that the plump butler must not suspect anything special. That’s why he let Charan stay with him as he asked.

    The thick hands swiftly dealt with the verses as soon as the door closed. Khanin sees the older figure looking around as if looking for some anomalies, so he quickly gets up from the sofa and walks towards the other party, reaching out and intertwining his hand with his own.

    “So, what did you talk to Grandfather about?” Khanin pulls the older person’s hand to sit on the sofa. In his heart, he secretly hopes that Charan will face the questions as he had imagined. Because the other party is playing it too cool, creating a tense atmosphere. If the person is not observant, they might be able to catch some kind of emotion.

    However, what Khanin got was a straightforward answer.

    “Nothing, His Highness just entrusted me with some general tasks.”

    “Um…” He sighed with a heartfelt voice. Khanin furrows his eyebrows slightly before asking gently.

    “Are you sure he didn’t do anything, Phii Ran? You seemed tense just now.” The young man intentionally called the other party by name, causing Charan to become slightly still. No matter how hard he tries to hide his emotions, Khanin can somehow see that something is off.

    Sometimes, being called at a time like this might not just mean, ‘general tasks.’ As the owner himself said.

    “I was not scolded, he didn’t scold you either, you can trust me.” Charan quickly explains, probably afraid that the young royal would feel uneasy. But in reality, Khanin is not afraid of being scolded, even a little. He is concerned because he sees that Charan’s face is not well.

    But if you say there is something to worry about, I will believe you. Khanin doesn’t like being forced to ask too many questions, it’s not good, they need some distance from each other so they don’t feel suffocated.

    “Okay… so I can relax now, afraid I would get scolded too.”

    “…”

    “But the truth is, I am not a child, I can stay overnight anywhere, especially at the houses I like, hmm.” Young minds make emotional decisions, ending with a cute smile that makes the worried frown slightly twitch.

    “Which means if I like someone, I’ll stay overnight at their house, right?” This sentence is tinged with a hint of dissatisfaction. Although Charan’s face is calm, their words seem sarcastic, but Khanin can tell that this expression is a sign of concern.

    “Everyone is the same. Just like being alone, you know, his name is Cha… he’s very famous. A renowned artist, and also from a prestigious lineage, a guardian, almost like a deity. He’s not just anyone. He’s really strong…” Babbling almost non-stop to show off, and of course, the smile at the corner of the mouth is the reward for this cuteness.

    “…”

    “He said he would take care of me, protect me, be honest to

    Atsawathewathin, he said all those things, but he doesn’t have to do anything like that. Just being by my side like this, I am satisfied.”

    Charan lets the young one keep talking endlessly. Just enjoying the gaze of the white spoon-like person, displaying an adorable and attractive posture, because they want to know and see, Charan even thinks about hugging the other side, embracing with a sinking heart.

    Now I feel both good and calm, like eating a dish that is sweet at first but bitter at the end.

    Khanin’s storytelling sentence seems to touch his heart seriously, the words he used to comfort Atsawathewathin make him think of what Sovereign-King just mentioned to him briefly.

    “I had never thought of keeping you, but this time I must speak directly to you if you want to stay with Khanin. You must resist and not abandon

    Phitakthewa.”

    “But if you choose to go, leave everything here.”

    Phitakthewa is the surname he wants to leave behind, but without Phitakthewa… it may not be appropriate to be by Khanin’s side.

    Charan remains silent, staring at the little kitten with curious eyes and a gentle aroma. From his soft house, it invites him to move closer, the warm edge presses a light kiss on the prominent nose of the person he likes, before wrapping his waist to hug and bury his face in the small shoulder for a moment.

    “Is there anything I can share with you? You don’t have to give details if you’re not comfortable, but if you want to talk, you can always call me. I am always ready.” It seems that Khanin noticed that the young one has changed his speech to provide encouragement instead of making jokes as before.

    The soft voice whispered in his ear, accompanied by a small hand gently caressing his back, every deliberate action brings relief to the heavy burden carried on Charan’s broad shoulders.

    Sometimes, choosing to be with Phitakthewa may not be a bad thing anymore. If he can maintain his position as a leader, he can preserve their relationship.

    Despite the pain and discomfort, it’s worth it to have Khanin.

    You are my entire world…

    “Just having Nin close by feels like a burden has been lifted…” Charan’s eyes moistened, the lips twitched into a deep smile, the thick hand gently stroking the small person’s hairline, before moving down to cup his face, gazing closely into each other’s eyes.

    “So will I be close to you often, starting from tonight, sleeping and cuddling together? Wait, I… oh.”

    He really knows that not waiting to hear others finish their sentences is disrespectful, but because the other person is too cute to resist. Charan therefore deepened his kiss on the red lips.

    It’s as if there’s an irresistible force. Even though they are in the other party’s bedroom during the day, Charan can’t control himself.

    The warm lips passionately collide, tongues explore every corner of the small mouth, sweeping away the lingering sweetness and capturing every drop for themselves.

    The louder the moans in the slender neck, the more relentless the actions. Charan tilted his face for better access, pulled in the small lips for negotiation, and slowly dragged his tongue to sweep the roof of the white man’s mouth, causing him to tremble.

    “Ehehe.” The blissful sensation overwhelmed him. Charan swallowed, almost melting, as he indulged in the young man’s delicate lips. The more they touched, the more his heart ignited, and he was reminded of the events from last night.

    It’s really funny how a moment ago Charan was so stressed and couldn’t think straight, but when he heard Khanin’s sweet words combined with his actions, he seemed to forget about the heavy things for a while. His heart was generous enough to provide kisses to his little one.

    “How can we stay together? Should I sneak into your room, Nin?” He whispered, leaning close to the red lips, and for a moment, he brushed his face against theirs, grazing the small ears, nibbling the lower lobe, and ending with a playful kiss that elicited laughter from Khanin.

    “Really…” The white man was… stubborn, with clear teasing eyes. Even with his closed eyes, he knew he was ready to open the window for him to climb in at any time.

    “I was joking.”

    “So, you don’t want to cuddle with me?” The questioning voice seemed to know exactly how to provoke him.

    “I want to… but if we cuddle, it won’t end with just cuddling…” Charan replied softly, exhaling and using his hand to caress his own face. He thought of grabbing Khanin and laying him on the sofa, then kissing him all over, “If it’s here… no matter what, it’s not advisable.”

    “And… what about somewhere else?”

    Charan didn’t have time to explain why it wasn’t appropriate, as someone else spoke up. Their eyes met, and the corners of their small, enchanting lips lifted, resembling mischievous little kittens planning to take over the world.

    “….” The young man stayed silent, waiting to hear what Khanin would say next, and of course, the following sentence didn’t disappoint him.

    “If I want to study art again… is it possible then?”

    In the evening on the second floor of the Royal Palace, bathed in the sun’s rays that filtered through the corridors, perhaps because this floor attached great importance to the windows, it resembled a celestial realm in the paintings of a famous artist decorating the central part of the palace.

    It created a sense of awe for those who saw this place under the sun’s display for the first time. Normally, Khanin rarely came to visit his father at this time. It had been several days since he came here to ask his father to teach him art. So, the young man thought it was time to go see the elder. After all, Tarin was a part of what helped him and Charan understand each other.

    Khanin stopped walking, raised his head, and looked at the painting by the famous artist hanging there. The central corridor engraved by PrinceTarin resembled a grand gallery. His father stored numerous paintings, many of which seemed old and invaluable.

    It was amusing to see

    Khanin did a halt, raised his head, and admired the famous artist’s painting hanging on the wall. As for the central hall, it resembled a large gallery, as Prince Tarin, his father collected numerous paintings, many of which appeared old and difficult to assess their value.

    Playing with the objects he held in his hands today, Khanin couldn’t compare them to anything dusty. However, even so, Khanin still wanted his own drawings to impress his father.

    He went to study art for real after a period of practicing sword fighting and needing to relieve stress. Although ‘studying art’ had hidden meanings, it didn’t mean Khanin wouldn’t pay attention to any aspect. He was giving his all to impress Charan.

    He wanted to impress Charan whether it was on a chair, on a bed, on… oh well, let’s stop there, or even in the bathroom. Khanin was focused, He learned anato-measurements from his Charan, and it touched his heart.

    No matter how tired he was, every morning he still held out his hand to be taught how to draw his father’s face. Because he had promised to come and learn. However, it would be nice to have some artwork to impress his supporters.

    The Young Prince quietly chuckled in his heart, knowing well that drawing only a few times wouldn’t result in a beautiful piece of art. But at least it was a starting point. Charan, the name attached to his drawing, seemed more like a person than ever before when they practiced drawing together.

    “Khanin… Did I take too long?” A voice called out from someone waiting, diverting Khanin’s gaze from the expensive painting to the newcomer, along with three other followers.

    “No, I have just arrived.” The young boy replied softly, showing a cute face that made his father smile before sitting down next to him. The hand of the extended follower welcomed him.

    “How does studying art help relieve stress from practice?” Since the last time they talked about studying art, it wasn’t surprising that his father asked about it.

    Khanin glanced at the large framed canvas standing beside the familiar butler. It was covered in a silver silk fabric, hiding what he intended to present to his father.

    “It can help a lot. That’s why Nin wanted to repay his Dad for taking him to study that day.” The young royal paused, signaling to the butler to quickly unveil the covered painting. Then Khanin took hold of the frame and turned to show his father his skill, momentarily silencing the entire area.

    “Wow… Repay? No need for that. It’s just great that you’ve improved.”

    The young boy noticed his father twitch his small eyebrows when his hand landed on the canvas frame.

    “It’s a picture that I intentionally drew for you.”

    “A picture?”

    “Yes… I drew a picture for you.” He paused, then quickly removed the covering silk fabric. And then Khanin held up the framed canvas, turning to showcase his father’s talent before the attentive audience fell silent.

    “…”

    Tarin was speechless and had a slightly widened gaze when he saw what appeared on the revealed piece of artwork. Not at… No, it didn’t mean that way, he meant filled with style. Well, the half-body figure that looked like it was smiling menacingly was indeed terrifying.

    If Tarin were to analyze it, he would think that Khanin might be referring to him as a fallen angel with vengeful sentiments towards someone in heaven. The angel used vibrant and chaotic colors while drawing a person who appeared frighteningly smiling.

    Tarin concluded his thoughts in this way.

    Well… which angel did he draw a picture of? Why does it look familiar and strange at the same time?

    “I drew a picture of you, father.” It seemed like the question in Khanin’s mind was being answered. Khanin grinned widely while Tarin couldn’t contain his surprise.

    “Huh?”

    “What is this picture of me?” The little boy’s face changed slightly when he saw his father’s surprising pose. However, as soon as Tarin realized what had been done, he let out a soft sigh, trying to hide his confusion. When he found out the truth behind this image…

    It wasn’t an angel from any heavenly realm…

    But a picture drawn by his own son.

    “Oh, I drew a picture of you…” As Tarin pondered how he accidentally ended up with a terrifying smile on his face in the picture, the young boy blurted out, startling his father, who couldn’t contain his confusion. It shattered the composure of the man and caused him to burst into laughter.

    “It’s not beautiful, is it? But I meant… if Dad, you don’t like it… If that’s the case, you, Mister Butler… Can you take this picture away…”

    “Don’t… wait…” Tarin extended his hand and then paused, putting on a solemn expression, as he handed his trusted butler the item to be placed back in its original position.

    “But…”

    “It’s fine, I say it’s acceptable.” Tarin smirked slightly. He didn’t like to lie to anyone, and anything that was good, he would say it’s good, or if it was easier, just say so.

    Everything that Khanin did… was all good, and that’s it.

    “Dad, don’t deceive me, it’s better to let me draw a new one.”

    “If you want to draw a new one, go ahead, but this old father of yours wants this one. Because it’s the first gift you… gave to me.” The end of the sentence trailed off softly, like a whispered murmur. Tarin gently smiled at the person sitting next to him before reaching out to stroke his soft, delicate hair.

    “…”

    “You’re really talented.”

    “Well then… I will draw more for you.” Khanin’s words made Tarin feel like he was a tree that had received pure, cool water to nourish him.

    Moist, filled with more happiness than ever before in his life, like the first time he saw the face of this child when he was born.

    Tarin was delighted to have a closer relationship with his son than ever before. The father-son relationship was getting better day by day, making him feel like he was inhaling the scent of the first blooming flower in the season of blossoms.

    Everything that happened during this period made him feel good about the art teacher, who had become various things in his son’s life.

    He knew that Khanin was happy when he was close to Charan.

    Tarin himself was happy when he saw his son happy.

    “Oh no… I guess I have to entrust you to Charan.” Tarin referred to the art lessons, but it seemed like he took the raw path of a raw teenager.

    “In that case, after I finish practicing today, I’ll enroll in art school. I’ll come back with a new drawing for you, Dad.”

    “Sure, Dad will wait and see.”

    “Then, I’ll leave.” Khanin spoke up, stood up to his full height, and the young teenager handed the framed picture to Tarin’s close companion, who held the frame cloth with folded hands, turned slightly without moving away. His adorable face turned to give a wide smile to his father, bringing joy to his relieved heart before leaving with the trustworthy butler.

    “What should we do with Young Prince Khanin’s picture? How should we proceed?” The person who was holding the frame, a large-sized cloth, turned to ask Prince Tarin in this room.

    Tarin looked at the drawing and chuckled with a good-hearted feeling, before giving the command to create a grand atmosphere in this central hallway.

    “Get someone to clean up the hallway and remove some of the pictures, contact the frame maker, get the most expensive golden frame, and I’ll put my son’s picture in that frame and hang it in the most prominent place.” The end of the sentence filled this central corridor with a sense of majesty.

    The beginning of the day at Puchongpisut Palace was filled with a gloomy atmosphere as rain had been falling relentlessly since the evening. The low air pressure covered the entire area, and the surroundings were filled with a chilly air. The palace servant, who was in her working state, had a serious expression and dared not even speak lightly to avoid disturbing the solemnity of the palace owner.

    Inside the working room, it was dark and eerie. Only the sound of fingers tapping on the expensive wooden table could be heard. The person sitting on the large chair had a tense posture. The heavy tapping sound grew louder and faster until it stopped abruptly when someone entered the room, showing respect with a courteous gesture.

    “How are things, Sivakorn?” The cold and chilling voice carried a sense of unease to the listeners, but even so, the palace owner remained calm and composed.

    “Young Prince Khanin has been training diligently, he hasn’t been going out for leisure like others claim. However, we don’t know who is instructing him. It is unknown and concealed, kept as a secret.”

    Sivakorn’s report had successfully stirred up a sense of anger among the listeners. Rachata took a deep breath, attempting to control his emotions, before tapping his fingers on the wooden table again.

    Everything had been going wrong since this morning, ever since Waseen came to visit, accompanied by the birdcage from Meenakarin Island, as always.

    The relationship between him and his older brother, who held a centralist position in politics, had been controlled by Rachata throughout. Although it was not customary, he had helped his brother once, allowing those who didn’t think highly of anyone to meet Waseen. He wasn’t motivated by any considerations of benefits.

    Someone like… Meenakarin seemed weak. What benefits could he provide, then?

    Whenever they met, they often talked about trivial matters. Rachata liked Waseen because he was never malicious towards anyone, although he was annoyed that the other side always acted as a secondary figure in front of Atsawathewathin. However, Waseen had occasionally shown a semi-serious gesture when facing other people.

    Waseen was a person with whom you could constantly find topics to chat about. Today would probably be like any other day, talking about meaningless things and then going separate ways to live their own lives. However, the problem arose when the other side brought up the topic of Atsawathewathin’s successor before Rachata’s emotions changed.

    “I entrusted the birdcage to Uncle. That day, I met Khanin, and I was overwhelmed with anxiety. He seemed to be training hard all the time, unlike what others gossiped about. And how about our Ramil?” Waseen’s smile, mentioning Khanin today, looked delighted, with a bright face. However, what he said didn’t evoke any satisfaction from the listeners.

    “No need to be afraid, don’t we all know… that Ramil’s constant exhaustion was due to Khanin’s announcement to buy the team, as intended at Puchongpisut Palace? Just pushing up the athletes’ prices, but in the end, he didn’t buy them.”

    Evaa is scarier than Khanin. He doesn’t care much about that child, but the next sentence from the elder brother made Rachata rethink…

    “Isn’t she scary? We know that it was because of Khanin’s statement that she managed to get rid of the people of Puchongpisut that were prepared. And that boy…”

    “What do you mean, brother? The people now at the palace are the ones we had prepared, and that child…”

    “Oh… I thought we had the same thought, I’m sorry. Maybe I misjudged and just guessed based on that person’s indifferent gaze. Just thinking casually about what reasons Khanin had to want the people from the Puchongpisut side to leave, but in the end, he easily let go, as if it had been planned.”

    “…”

    “Why are you doing that? If you don’t want to help Ramil win this competition, but the victory he achieved is in vain, expensive, and he almost exhausted himself.”

    “…”

    “If the final score is a tie after the practical competition, Khanin might win. Besides having the lowest management votes among the three teams, he also received sponsorship from Prince Kalavin… so that accounts for 30 percent? Used for the final verdict. Khanin is the only one who might score this high.”

    “…”

    “And in this way, Rachata, do you not think this nephew is scary anymore? I really admire Khanin. Even though he grew up elsewhere, he plans as well and sneakily as the current Sovereign King.”

    The excited voice of Waseen still echoes in Rachata’s ears as he talks about Khanin, even though it’s been several hours, he still can’t get this crazy idea out of his head.

    In the end, he had to call on Sivakorn for investigation. Rachata anxiously awaits the answer that contradicts the information he just conceived, but it seems that what Sivakorn reported aligns with everything Waseen has told.

    Or did he underestimate this Khanin too much…

    Initially, he thought it was just a naive child, always buying people without thinking about the consequences because he had just gained a large amount of money for the first time, and he might be overwhelmed by money but lacks management skills. Rachata smiled and thought that no matter what Ramil would not let that kid trample on his head, but now, after careful consideration, there seem to be some distorted points.

    What he heard today made Rachata have to reanalyze everything about Khanin.

    Including making an urgent decision to intervene and interfere. Although he knew very well how much his only son would hate this if he found out, Rachata had no choice.

    The competition is approaching, and he doesn’t want to experience defeat for the second time in his life.

    No matter what, this time he must be on the winning side.

    Puchongpisut must be the victor.

    “Go and investigate where it has been, what it has done with whom, find an opportunity when it is alone, and deal with it.” Rachata gave a sharp order, his low voice filled with threatening strength, his eyes filled with determination to uncover the secrets hidden deep inside his heart, until he accepted that he could do these dirty things without feeling ashamed.

    “But recently, Young Prince Khanin has hardly been alone anywhere. Charan follows him everywhere.” Sivakorn spoke based on what he saw, it’s hard for Young Prince Khanin to be secluded during this time.

    “If luring it out to be alone doesn’t work, then I have to go find it myself…”

    “…”

    “Having someone ready is enough, Sivakorn, don’t mess with him until you have to risk your life. Just don’t let him have a chance to enter the field on the actual day, that’s enough.”

    THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

  • THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 35: Kiss

    THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 35: Kiss

       THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 35: Kiss.

    “Young Prince Khanin… Are you asleep, Your Highness? Young Prince… You haven’t had dinner yet… Oh my god.”

    The eyes sparkled as Chakri’s calling voice came from behind the halfopened door, gradually separating Khanin’s tall figure from the bed, reluctantly descending from the high posture and retreating with a startled face. At the moment when a thumping sound followed.

    Chakri let out an exclamation of surprise, stumbling almost stumbling on his own feet. The young butler was nearby. Once steadied, he shifted to knock on the door, coinciding with the opening of the door from the inside.

    “Young Prince… Is something wrong, Your Highness? You look flushed.” Chakri asked immediately upon sensing the abnormality.

    Khanin shrugged off the question even though he knew the real reason for his own condition.

    “No… Um… It’s just hot in here.”

    “Hot… Oh, didn’t see you Khun Charan, thought you had already left.” The inquiry wasn’t complete yet. Chakri stepped into the room just enough to catch a glimpse of Charan and inquired with a hint of curiosity.

    The sharp-eyed gaze beneath the glasses looked at the two figures standing apart, their faces turned away as if they had just gone through a peculiar situation together.

    Having an argument, huh…

    The question arose in the young butler’s mind, but he couldn’t speak his thoughts. Chakri could only manage to smile mischievously.

    “I’m about to leave.” Charan responded promptly, rising from his seat, not forgetting to grasp his loose buttoned shirt, body tall, walking to the corner of the room. His sharp gaze turned back to the person on the other side, giving a polite greeting.

    “Oh.” Khanin paused, his lips thinning as he approached without looking, one of his hands still holding his unbuttoned shirt tightly.

    “Haven’t you had dinner yet, sir? I prepared it for both of us…”

    “Not hungry yet / it’s fine.” Chakri replied before he could finish his sentence properly. The moment their voices exchanged across the distance.

    The plump-bodied butler frowned and looked at the little Young Prince, who had alternated glances with Charan before realizing that both of them only avoided each other’s gaze.

    A strange tension filled the air, the interior of the room seemed suffocating, just before Chakri could open his mouth to speak, the head of the Phitakthewa family bowed respectfully to the young Young Prince, then turned to face, holding back his face, and quickly opened the door, passing by Chakri.

    Left with nothing but an empty feeling of suffocation.

    What just happened…

    The rain outside continued to pour relentlessly, the sky dimmed with streaks of rain bending down through the atmosphere, the cold, biting from the cool air helping to reduce the heat that simmered in Charan’s chest.

    The sound of shoes hitting the floor echoed through the hallway, as long, slender legs walked briskly without pausing. Despite several noblewomen pulling back their dresses to show respect, their eyes glanced forward, while their feet continued to stride without pause. But their minds couldn’t stay focused on the path ahead, even for a moment.

    On the contrary, it only reminded me of a certain individual who had just left…

    That certain person who made my heart race like this.

    “Khun Charan, I’ll walk you to the door.” Someone greeted Charan as he passed through the last gate, knowing that on rainy days, the young man would never walk out in the pouring rain.

    Charan would usually wait until someone from the Phitakthewa clan brought him a large umbrella and escorted him to the car. But today was different from any other day. The leader of the Phitakthewa clan didn’t even stop to wait. Instead, he walked out into the rain without uttering a single word, standing still in the midst of the downpour without seeking any shelter.

    It felt like I was falling into a trance, my hands clutching the black earpiece, the first gift from that person. The memory remained vivid in my mind, soft and smooth from the touch, the warmth, and the faint fragrance that lingered.

    The image of a white figure sitting, hugging himself, looking at him with unreadable eyes still haunted me. Although they had separated for a while, Charan’s heart still beat fast and painfully whenever he thought of him.

    He had done something big, refusing to restrain himself, and he was even brave enough to…

    Crack!

    The thunderous sound of the sky shook Charan back to reality, before he raised his hand to wipe the wetness off his face, breathing heavily. When he realized that he was now standing in the midst of something he used to fear…

    Charan turned to receive an umbrella from a petite figure running after him. The coldness of the raindrops hitting his skin did not penetrate deep into his heart like before, perhaps because today he felt something else in its place.

    It was a feeling that surpassed control over his mind… It was anxiety…

    Anxiety that what he had done today would have an impact on the trust that Khanin had given him all along, afraid that it would be pressuring the other person because he didn’t know how to restrain himself.

    Charan thought he had made a mistake by letting his guard down and letting his heart be swayed. Even though Khanin didn’t show any signs of annoyance, he still hadn’t said anything. He shouldn’t let himself get so upset at a moment like this, he shouldn’t let his heart take over, he really shouldn’t.

    The gentle sunlight shone through the windows, revealing the sky above the royal palace. As the sun rose, the clear sky without rain clouds, the sound of documentaries, and the morning routine of the main television channel opened in the living area outside, it affected the nerves of the person wearing an outer shirt in the dressing area.

    Khanin allowed Chakri to handle the cologne spraying all over his body, while he checked his impeccable appearance according to the daily routine. His round eyes showed interest in the television in the sitting area for a moment, before the next sentence in the documentary made him change his mind from just standing and listening in the dressing area, and walked over to stand in front of the large television instead.

    It never really happened… It was such a short time compared to time in the universe. Therefore… throughout Emmaly’s life, he valued the climax the most…

    “…”

    ‘A kiss is an exchange of a covenant to take care of each other for the rest of our lives… A very long commitment that allows lovers to trust in their relationship. Thus, a National Kissing Day was designated…’

    Even the documentary on the cable channel followed the deception about kisses. Khanin recalled the time when he had to toss and turn in his sleep because he was thinking about it all night long.

    Khanin almost couldn’t sleep all night. Just when he began to feel awake, he saw the sunlight streaming through the curtains, forcing him to get out of bed, even though his brain hadn’t rested much.

    He’s been a bit too overwhelmed.

    It seems that Charan was feeling vulnerable and impulsively kissed him. He followed the flow, even grabbed the other side’s gun and kissed back passionately, almost losing himself. He didn’t want to imagine what would have happened if Chakri hadn’t interrupted at that moment.

    He should have controlled himself better…

    Still don’t know whether he liked it or not. Just because we kissed doesn’t necessarily mean we like each other.

    Maybe Charan just acted on his impulses…

    Oh… and then we both kissed back with intensity. I wish I could just go crazy and die.

    Young Royal let out a sigh, turned away and sat on the sofa, staring blankly, unable to focus on Chakri, who walked in holding two pairs of shoes.

    Khanin allowed his mind to wander while the loud narration from the TV kept echoing, bigger than the owner of the fair-skinned body could handle, causing his eyes to widen in surprise. When his brain processes the information heard from the documentary a while ago.

    “Which color is better, Your Highness… Brown or black? You’ll have breakfast with the Sovereign King, so maybe brown is more suitable. Your Highness…”

    “Hey!”

    “Hey!” Chakri was startled as Khanin suddenly sprang up from the garden and stood up, the action of someone of royal blood had an effect on the plump-bodied person, who was about to raise his shoes to show off his beauty, but the plump butler quickly turned around and laid the brown and black shoes on the carpet, then turned back bewildered, not understanding.

    “Is there something wrong, Your Highness?”

    “Umm… what did the documentary say?”

    “The documentary… oh, it’s about the legend of the kiss, Your Highness. The documentary says that the people of Emmaly consider kissing very important because it’s like a pledge to take care of each other for the rest of their lives and the future…” Chakri recounted the sentence without any change.

    Khanin’s face turned pale for a moment before turning red as his body temperature rose.

    “So… when we kissed…”

    “Who kissed whom, Your Highness!” Chakri’s eyes widened, unsure.

    Khanin was hot and embarrassed for a while before hurriedly denying it.

    “No… I didn’t kiss anyone, why would you scream like that, Mister Butler? What’s the matter?” The young royal made a feeble attempt to cover up, while Chakri’s face had turned pale.

    “Oh, please, you can’t fool me… In Emmaly, we don’t randomly kiss anyone, Your Highness.”

    “…”

    “Here, we have a legend about kissing. People in Emmaly believe that a kiss is a declaration of love, a sign that they want a deep relationship with that person, a request to stay together for life.”

    “…”

    “Specifically, husbands and wives, husbands and husbands, wives and wives are the only ones who can kiss each other, no matter how much they love someone else. So, don’t do it Your Majesty, it’s easy for you to send a letter instead of trying to kiss anyone, Your Highness. If they don’t agree at first, they’ll end up in a situation where they have to be stuck with Your Majesty for life!”

    What is this…

    Khanin just received new information and it almost knocked him down.

    Now he can no longer hear Chakri’s complaints.

    “Your Majesty, did you hear what I said… Oh, kissing someone is not easy…

    If not, I’ll have to send a letter to him, Your Highness.”

    Various complications…

    Khanin barely heard Chakri’s murmurs, and his eggshell-like eyelids fluttered.

    The information he received made his mind momentarily confused. Before the memories of his first kiss with Charan flooded in.

    “Don’t go around randomly kissing people.”

    “What is this…”

    “It’s clear, no need to repeat.”

    “I haven’t randomly kissed anyone, and… just…damn it. That wasn’t a kiss.”

    “…”

    “It was just a game… Just, game.”

    Since the first kiss that arose from the desire to win. It stretched to the point of physically hitting someone in a situation where survival was necessary.

    “You. I wonder… why is it that you are so sensitive about kissing… amazing.”

    “…”

    “Did you hear… why is your ear so red?”

    “Your Highness, it’s nothing.”

    “Seriously, but it’s really red. Are you allergic to something… let me see a bit.”

    “Don’t…”

    “You… are you embarrassed?”

    Every kiss that has happened so far has come from Khanin’s genuine feelings.

    There was only last night’s incident that came from the true emotions of both parties…

    It came from both parties… if that’s the case, it means that Charan also…

    Does Charan like him too… yes or no?

    The turmoil and confusion from last night did not fade away, but the degree of spinning increased several times. Khanin’s breathing became irregular, requiring him to consciously take deep breaths, and the images of last night’s memories replayed in his mind like a repeated movie.

    It all started with him leaning near the other party, speaking words of encouragement, until they reached the moment of kissing…

    “Your Highness… are you satisfied, Your Highness… Take a break, it’s too much, and it’s bad enough that Your Highness is injured, Your Highness…” Chakri called out and reached out to touch Khanin’s hand, which was massaging his own chest on the left side, and the surprise of the trusted butler caused Khanin to pretend to be asleep, closing his eyes.

    My heart feels like it’s bursting out… It’s as if my heart wants to die already.

    And in this situation, how can I approach Charan with the same courage as before… I just miss the other side so much, and now Khanin is almost losing himself.

    My heart doesn’t belong to him anymore, but it has become entirely Charan’s… Everything that exists…

    I must call for the royal doctor… This is the thought that keeps spinning in Chakri’s head since dressing Young Prince for breakfast.

    Young Prince Khanin looked a little pale, his face was red, and he had some strange symptoms. When he saw Charan, those two refused to greet each other and just glanced at each other.

    Strange pair, or maybe they’re both having a fever… I should call a royal doctor for him too.

    The observant person thought deeply while Khanin himself thinks he has control over the situation, in reality, when it comes to the young nobleman, he has no idea how much his behavior deviates from normal.

    The encounters with Charan this morning have changed from every time. They don’t have any special conversations, and both sides keep a distance from each other until evening.

    Hours of continuous sword training didn’t make the team members weak like before. The important thing is that their bodies are starting to adapt to the training and become more flexible. The level of physical development has made a significant leap.

    “That’s all for today.” Charan signaled after looking at the clock and decided it was time.

    Itti lazily turned left and right and placed his mask on the corner chair. As for Kalavin, who was allowed to come and watch the training today, he sat up and perked up to grab a pastry from the box.

    “I ordered cake, everyone came and had some.” Kalavin’s words grabbed the attention of the team members who needed a sweet boost for their bodies.

    Itti and Mira headed straight to the vacant table without waiting to be invited. As for Khanin and Jirat, they slowly removed their equipment and followed suit.

    “This cake looks just like the one Jae used to bring.” Itti pointed and asked everyone to look.

    Jirat hurriedly stepped closer to make sure he wasn’t mistaken.

    The box had a prominent logo with the name ‘Nirand Home Stay.’ Probably not wrong, the message he received from someone said that a kind-hearted customer ordered some pastries, several boxes, and it turned out to be Kalavin himself.

    “You… Did you order this?”

    “Yeah. I tried it and it’s delicious, so I bought some.”

    The simple sentence structure surprised Jirat a bit, but the main reason was because the home-baked cake was really delicious, although he didn’t know it well. Mostly they made it to sell to regular customers or people in the village.

    As a former stage actor, he was both surprised and amazed to learn that someone at this level knew about the “Nirand Home Stay” cake.

    “Thank you.”

    I don’t know how many times I’ve said thank you, but it keeps happening to this person.

    Kalavin didn’t respond. The foreign young royal simply took a piece of cake from the box, put it on the ceramic plate, and handed it to the smaller person to take.

    Jirat felt apprehensive as he glanced at the distinguished-looking person standing in front of him. Before bowing his head and lowering his gaze to the familiar-tasting cake in his mouth, with its beautifully curved edges and a small smile that invited someone else to take notice…

    “That’s a great name. Niran Home Stay.”

    “It’s a wordplay on my name.” Because Kalavin initiated the conversation, Jirat responded, “Recently, I’ve been able to lower the barriers with unfamiliar faces in my acting career, so there aren’t as many awkward interactions as before.”

    “Huh?”

    “My name is Jirat, which means ‘eternal’ or ‘eternity’.”

    The new information that Kalavin had just learned brought a pause to the conversation, causing him to consider and let go of the thoughts he had kept in his mind.

    “Interesting.” A low murmuring sound was heard.

    “…”

    Jirat held a dessert spoon still, not knowing why he felt this way.

    Throughout the years of growing up, he had received numerous compliments on the meaning behind his name, and his name had never lost its charm. However… no one had ever made his heart beat irregularly like this before.

    Kalavin had something different about him, or perhaps it was because of the way the other person looked at him.

    “Jirat is a good name, with a beautiful meaning. It suits you.”

    “Thank you… thank you.”

    “Khun Jae?”

    “Yes?” The interrupted conversation from others within the rehearsal room resulted in people paying no attention to anyone else except the person standing directly in front of them. Jirat attentively and intently listened with his eyes fixated on Kalavin, a gesture he hadn’t made to anyone else in a long time.

    “If it’s alright, could I have your contact number… just in case I want to order a cake for the next occasion?”

    “…”

    “I’d like to order some for my father to try, but if it’s not convenient, it’s alright.”

    Kalavin’s posture allowed the other party to make a decision based on the distance he had given. Jirat pondered his own feelings and weighed his heart.

    If this had been before, he would have felt quite uncomfortable talking to a stranger. However, with Kalavin… Jirat didn’t feel that way.

    “Sure, you can contact me through this number. I’d be glad to. I’ll try making something else for you to taste next time.” A small hint of delight emerged. Perhaps it stemmed from the feeling that Kalavin valued his abilities more than his personal background, unlike other people.

    “…”

    “If… if you like or are interested.”

    “Yes, I like it.” A smile-like response came from the conversational partner. From Jirat, they exchanged glances, while Itti and Mira looked at each other.

    “Two topics, two extreme emotions.” Itti’s words interrupted the silence as he glanced towards the other couple sitting in the corner of the sofa near the window.

    Khanin was sitting, bowing his head, quietly enjoying his cake, while Charan secretly glanced at the other side from afar, not knowing how he managed to draw his attention, maintaining a serene gaze upon each other.

    “What’s bothering you?” Mira’s voice softened as she took a bite of the soft and fluffy cake, savoring the taste of the sweet treat from ‘Nirand Home Stay’. She liked it so much that she thought of grabbing another couple of boxes to take home.

    “Well, that means we have to stick together, two by two. Anything will be easier that way.” Itti resumed working after speaking, persuading the remaining members to go home immediately. Hoping that this would be a subtle way to help his dear friends.

    I don’t know what Charan did to anger Khanin again, but that’s it. It’s best to try to understand the situation.

    “I’ll leave now. We can talk more later.” Itti slapped his friend’s back before leading everyone away. Chakri followed, escorting the guests, and inside the room, it became quiet and intimate again, just like before.

    Khanin experienced another episode, unable to look anyone in the eye, only rubbing his hands against his knees in a strange posture, prompting others to ask what was going on.

    “Is… something wrong?” Charan asked, despite feeling uneasy himself.

    People didn’t match in matters of the heart, and the situation became worse.

    Charan speculated that last night’s events must have caused Khanin to be like this.

    Khanin felt embarrassed and uncomfortable.

    “What is it…”

    “Why are you avoiding eye contact?”

    “No, I just…” the Young Prince’s mouth was flooded with words, barely able to speak them out… looking at Charan’s face made him think about last night, about kissing, about hearts, about confessing and unrequited love.

    “…”

    “It’s nothing. Just… just tired, want to rest.” Because in that way, he had tried to avoid making eye contact. Khanin kept a distant relationship, maintaining too much distance without realizing that it made someone else worried.

    “Tired?” Thick hands were about to touch the soft cheeks, pausing in midair. The main reason was that the young man reluctantly rose to his feet.

    “I’m sleepy, so… I’ll go rest first.” Khanin said abruptly, then turned around and walked away quickly. Leaving Charan silent, looking and observing the gestures of someone younger.

    Charan worried. Meanwhile, Khanin was still trying to cope with his racing heart.

    Warm breath emitted, dispelling the tension. The leader of the Pitakthew clan had a strained face when he couldn’t control anything as before. He wanted to scold and talk, but ended up doing nothing and let Khanin walk away.

    The toxicity of last night’s matter had already seeped in, sometimes it might be necessary to give it some time… to allow Khanin to reflect.

    Chakri asked Itti to go up to the prepared car to pick up and drop off the remaining members. He then took Mira to the parking lot next to the garden. She didn’t want anyone to pick her up because it would be too complicated and chaotic.

    “Thank you so much, Khun Chakri.”

    “You’re welcome. And here, I picked up some more for you, seeing that Mira likes it.” Three boxes of cake from ‘Nirand Home Stay’ were sent over, Mira distributing charming smiles and thanking the blushing butler.

    “Khun Chakri, you are so cute all the time.”

    “It’s been a long time, drive safely.” Chakri’s thick arm went up in a rather embarrassed gesture.

    Mira paused and curved her lips again before heading straight towards the black motorcycles, the ones that used water as fuel.

    She picked up a helmet, intending to put it on, but had to pause as a procession of someone passed by, it was Young-Lady Evaa from the Thawetmetha family. Mira had heard rumors of her beautiful appearance, and now she had seen for herself that the rumors were true.

    “Is it the Atsawathewathin team, right?” The greeting from Chakri-Nikun sent Mira lowering her raised hand as a sign of respect for someone of higher status.

    “Your High-.”

    “No need to fuss about the ceremony, I just passed by, what’s your name…”

    “Mira.” Unable to dodge the bartender girl, Mira had to mention her own name. Mira didn’t show that she was on guard, but it was enough to make Evaa feel it.

    “I’m Evaa.” Younger people greeted each other amiably and extended their hands to someone taller as a form of greeting, and they let go immediately, a fleeting moment. Both of their hands touched.

    “…”

    “I’m glad that Atsawathewathin has female members.” A sincere tone blended with a radiant gaze in the midst of the sunlight, bathing the beautiful face, inviting Mara to enjoy it. The bartender girl was on guard, but she didn’t build too high of a wall in their conversation.

    “Times have changed, indeed. There are many talented women.” Mira still maintained her manners while Evaa showed a friendly attitude.

    “Like yourself, right?” The bright smile of Chakri-Nikun was a tale, spoken by everyone. In truth, Mira didn’t particularly care about Evaa. Evaa was indeed likable. She represented the new generation of women who were both smart and intelligent, well-mannered, with excellent attitudes and no noticeable flaws. If it were a normal situation, they could have been friendly companions.

    “…”

    But because they were standing on opposite sides, nothing was easy, like thinking with their hearts.

    “Nice to meet you. Hope to see you in the arena.”

    Khanin woke up with full attention after a night of thinking about Charan. He had come to the conclusion that the most important thing now was to call back the spirit of Khanin, the mastermind.

    Last night, the young man didn’t reply to the messages of the tall guy. He was too overwhelmed to hide and ended up quietly hiding, but once he was out of it, he went and found out about the legendary kiss of the girl, Emmaly, and it was…

    It was too embarrassing to handle…

    He raised his small, slender hand and tapped lightly on his clear cheek, applauding and encouraging himself. Khanin glanced at the carved message he secretly placed on the headboard.

    ‘Destiny is far away but meet anyway.’

    The fate… to allow them to be on opposite sides of the sky, they must meet.

    That’s right. Now he should start creating his own destiny. Khanin didn’t plan to abandon the competition, but he would also cultivate a love alongside it. Our lives are not just about one thing, right?

    “What is it…” A slender figure prepared and adorned themselves to be absolutely charming today, to the point of lingering. Their beautiful eyes flickered. And at the right moment, Chakri reported something he did not anticipate.

    “Khun Charan notified me that he would take a day off today, Your Highness.”

    The person he wanted to meet didn’t come. The important thing is he decided to notify Chakri, not to contact him directly.

    Confused… perhaps this definition best encompasses Khanin’s feelings.

    The determination he had before wavered. The young royal didn’t hesitate to pick up the communication device and call. Looking for the missing person, but there was no response.

    “How’s his tone?” Khanin thinks he’s putting up a composed front, but his restless eyes couldn’t hide the turmoil. The young man is worried that his actions last night will affect today’s events.

    “Silent and sullen.”

    Chakri describes Charan’s voice as normal, but it bothers Khanin’s instincts, sensing that something is amiss.

    “…”

    While Khanin is contemplating finding a solution, Tarin, who just descended from the second floor of the palace, came to greet him. It caused the young man to quickly brush aside his thoughts.

    “No training this morning?” The middle-aged man asked, taking the opportunity to start the conversation himself.

    “Yes.”

    “Well… shall we have breakfast together?” Using the pronoun to create intimacy and avoid sounding distant. Tarin held back his excitement to hear the answer and fortunately, this time he received a positive response instead of worrying rejection.

    Khanin doesn’t have anywhere to be this morning. He needs time to ponder the matter of Charan and, of course, the eagerness to practice has diminished.

    “Is it not tasty?” The middle-aged man asked after noticing that the younger one took a big spoonful of pumpkin soup but barely touched the breakfast set.

    “No, it’s… it’s… it’s delicious.” He spoke, using the action of scooping soup into his mouth to let Tarin know that the taste is indeed delicious. It’s just that currently, Khanin’s mind is preoccupied with other matters.

    “How’s the training going? Are you tired?” Tarin understands that Khanin accumulated stress due to the competition, so he decides to ask, sneakily glancing at the sweet face while waiting for an answer.

    “I’m tired, but I think I can manage.”

    “Sometimes, we must follow our own desires. If we want to rest, we must rest. If we want to fight, we must fight.” Because he understands that Khanin feels fragile about training. Tarin gives advice, knowing that the sentence of advice may contradict the thoughts currently whirling in the young royal’s mind.

    “…”

     

     

    No one knows our desires better than ourselves.”

    That’s true… if I want to fight, then I must fight. I must do what I desire.

    Tarin’s words made Khanin ponder while the other side brought a small plate of cookies and gently mentioned some words that reminded the young man of the person who had gone away.

    “Sweets can help improve our mood, you know.”

    “Thank you…” Khanin had nothing to offer Tarin apart from words of gratitude. He met his real father when the other party reached out to help, giving the once-ambitious person a new path.

    “If there’s anything I can do to help you Nin, please let me know, son.” The sincere and supportive gaze in his eyes was hidden.

    Khanin took a deep breath, pondered for a moment before deciding to express his own desires.

    “I want… to study art.”

    “With Charan?”

    “Um… yes, Dad, can you help… take me there?” It was an unexpected request that Tarin could almost instantly fulfill, with a very simple exchange: having breakfast right in front of him.

    Khanin was given the convenience to leave the palace with the assistance of Tarin after finishing breakfast. He was taken by his father’s staff, ‘Morpheus’.

    The young royal begged all the guards to return as promised, stating that he wanted to continue studying art and would have Charan personally escort him. With long, hesitant steps, he followed the corridor after the butler came to fetch him.

    Khanin ordered no one to inform Charan about his arrival. He had heard from the butler here that the other party was currently conducting a special one-on-one drawing course. The young royal wanted to see everything with his own eyes.

    However, what lay before him surpassed expectations. Khanin paused for a moment, almost frozen in time, upon seeing Petai, the son of the Deputy Minister of Culture, in close proximity with his own party.

    Charan glanced at the young artist’s painting. Meanwhile, Petai had a slight smile on his face as they conversed before turning to laugh with each other. It pricked Khanin’s heart, feeling like he was being attacked by a swarm of fiery ants.

    Were these two really so close? And did they not go to see him because they were too engrossed with each other?

    Yes… Yes, Phii Ran, I will arrange it!

    Petai purposefully wiped off the red paint from his fingers onto a color plate, and beside him stood the owner of the ‘Morpheus’ art school. Charan was standing, casually observing the oil painting with a disinterested pose, while the young man contemplated before asking about the piece.

    The confrontation on the canvas was completed.

    “Is that a camellia flower or…”

    “Ah-ah.”

    “Why not?” He asked in accordance with the observant nature of an artist.

    Petai placed the plate down and revealed a red-stained canvas, which he had just revealed a moment ago. Then he smiled slightly and responded playfully with a soft, pleasant voice, contrasting with the drawn smile.

    “I like the meaning, it’s profound.”

    “From which perspective?” Charan was familiar with the meaning of the camellia flower, both the Japanese interpretation and the underlying symbolism, as well as the international interpretation.

    Why ask? You already know, I guess you’re someone who looks at the world positively, huh?”

    Charan couldn’t help but laugh at the straightforward and reciprocating questions from the young man, looking at the unyielding person with scrutinizing eyes.

    “Before, maybe I only saw it from a negative perspective, but now perhaps it has changed, right?”

    “So boring, really. People who are knowledgeable are so dull.” Petai, feeling a bit frustrated, turned his attention back to the painting and asked reluctantly.

    “And why does it have to be this painting?”

    “I just like its meaning… both the good and the not-so-good. Camellia Tsubaki.”

    “…”

    “Warriors shouldn’t plant camellia flowers by their house fences. It brings bad luck. While in the Western culture, presenting this flower to someone signifies bestowing luck upon them, but only to that person.”

    In the past, Japanese warriors used to grow camellia flowers around their homes extensively. Because the way the petals of this flower fall is not just a slow scattering of pollen, but a sudden shedding of the entire bud, resembling being beheaded with a single sword. Thus, ancient warriors didn’t particularly admire it, yet at the same time, it had a positive meaning as a parallel to a horizontal line.

    “…” Charan stayed silent to reflect. Meanwhile, his gaze turned to the blood-red flowers contrasting against the dark indigo background on the rectangular picture frame.

    “The complex meaning has two sides for two angles, just like people, don’t you think?” This time, Petai’s and Ben’s gaze shifted from the painting to the person, who is an esteemed teacher. The serene and peaceful pair of eyes were subtly veiled by something, which Charan could clearly sense.

    “I want to say something for sure.” All of this, they did it for that purpose – to discuss their inner selves. They used art as a guise, but deep down, they knew that there was something more important that needed to be communicated.

    “You must know in your heart that not speaking doesn’t mean not knowing. That in the past… you’ve given your hands to others all along, haven’t you?” The fair-skinned house owner intentionally entered the topic directly without further evasion. He employed the strategy of speaking ordered words suited for this situation.

    If you have any doubts, make them known in advance, hoping that the conversational partners will be willing to reveal the hidden secret, which is a basic method that has proven effective for negotiators through the ages. However, with the Phitakthewa Clan leader, everything seems to be not as easy as before.

    “If it is, then so be it. If it’s not, then so be it.” The answer remained veiled as before, but Petai no longer cared. He didn’t need any affirmation, he just came to sympathize and give a warning.

    “Guess you won’t give a helping hand, and you won’t care for the relationship with the teacher’s disciples either. In competition, we stand on opposite sides.” The gaze clearly expressed the sentiment.

    Charan, however, still had a serene smile on his face, his posture calm and composed, devoid of worry or tension. It was appropriate for a person of a difficult-to-read, uncontrollable nature, surpassing the ability to predict his thoughts.

    “Just wanted to tell you this.”

    “We all have our responsibilities.” Petai meant the matters that they, being members of each respective clan, were involved in. However, it seemed that Charan, who seemed to know a lot, had changed.

    Responsibility or heart?” The voice grew louder as Petai stood up abruptly, the younger man halted for a split second before he could regain his composure and turn back to his seat, feeling a sharp pain.

    “Ask yourself first. Why are you doing what you’re doing?”

    “Ha ha.” The sentence slipped out of his mouth, catching those around him off-guard.

    They just stared at each other. It seemed that they sensed the arrival of a third person. Petai then adjusted his expression to appear calm and smiled.

    It felt like they were just having a casual conversation, more ordinary than trying to create a cold war.

    “Thank you for sacrificing your time to help teach today.”

    Petai’s official words let Charan know that someone else has entered the room. The young man turned towards the door and unexpectedly encountered a person who had appeared here.

    Khanin… Who did he come with, and how did he arrive?

    “Are you studying art? That sounds fun!” The cheerful and lively greeting from the young prince caused those of lower rank to bow down in respect.

    “Young Prince Khanin.”

    “Khun Petai, I didn’t expect to meet you here.” This may be the first time they have had a conversation. Khanin’s eyes met with the person who was taller before shifting his gaze towards a framed painting.

    “Even Your Highness did not expect to encounter a monk here.”

    “I came to find Phii Ran.” The pronouns and words felt natural, as if they were not intentional. However, Petai could sense that someone was making an effort, showing a clear standpoint, and it was quite an interesting behavior for him.

    “…”

    “I’ve heard that Khun Petai is a student of Phii Ran, and he seems very talented.” Khanin continued to engage in casual conversation while the minister’s son remained reserved as usual.

    “Thank you very much.”

    “Did I disrupt your rhythm?”

    “Your Highness, I am about to leave.” Because Petai somewhat knew Khanin’s intention. He didn’t want to be a hindrance.

    Just as he was about to say that, he sensed the improved mood of someone else.

    “Is that so?”

    “Please take care, Your Highness.” He gracefully bowed, as he had been trained to do all his life. Petai smiled back, but couldn’t resist teasing Charan, who liked to act mischievously.

    “…”

    “I am leaving, Phii Ran.” The familiar and intimate pronouns that Petai had never used with anyone stirred warm feelings in Khanin’s chest. The minister’s son had left, leaving only Charan and Khanin in the room.

    “Why didn’t you call me to tell me earlier?” It was the first sentence after they had let silence cover them for a while.

    Khanin clenched his lips, took a deep breath, and silently encouraged himself before responding.

    “I called you Phii, you just were not answering.” He intended to be the attacking side. So, this time, Khanin tried to suppress his inner turmoil in order to return to his usual self.

    “…”

    “I wanted to come to study art. Can you teach me to be as skilled as Khun

    Petai?”

    In summary, it’s not possible.” The grumbling voice accompanied by a deep sigh, the young royal looked disappointed before placing his elbows on the table.

    They moved from ‘Morpheus’ to live-in Charan’s personal art studio on the outskirts of Khanin’s estate. Khanin sat on a chair, in front of him was a framed painting that hardly resembled the definition of beauty.

    By his side, a novice artist, the owner of Phitakthewa School, held the position of a close friend and leader of the Phitakthewa clan Charan sat pondering, silently contemplating for a while before responding.

    “It’s okay, a good start.” The tall figure walked around and stood behind Khanin, tilting his head to examine the intricate details on the canvas, which had been lightly sketched and painted, indicating that Khanin’s work was somewhat presentable. But in reality…

    It was mediocre.

    “Not beautiful at all.” Khanin whispered softly, reminiscing about the Camellia painting by Petai. It was true that their skills and appearances differed greatly.

    “Beautiful, for the first time… but the colors are dark, rushed, and the heavy application of paint made the paper crumple. It should dry first before applying a new layer of color.” The teacher whispered beside him, causing Khanin to stiffen.

    Deep brown eyes secretly glanced at the person who approached, accompanied by a familiar cool fragrance. Charan’s serious expression remained while he focused on blending colors in other areas that he could manage.

    On the other hand, Khanin observed Charan’s painting attentively, while the creator of the artwork contemplated other matters.

    Khanin knew that Charan was trying to find the hidden merits of the painting that was not evident at first glance, but the more the other party searched, the more the young man became disheartened.

    He used to be a rational person, but love had made it possible for him to be like this.

    He wanted to be a good person, a talented person in Charan’s eyes. A momentary kindness sparked in his cold heart before being replaced by a relentless determination that led him to this realm.

    It was not the time to sit down and draw.

    Why did PrinceTarin come here? Did he forget?

    The reason for being here today is because he wants to move forward together with Charan, isn’t it?

    “Then while I wait for the paper to dry, can I leave the artwork here? Let it dry before applying new colors.” Khanin took a deep breath and gathered his courage to move on to the next step.

    The young prince had many thoughts in his mind, but ultimately hesitated to express them due to the piercing questions from the older man.

    “Yes… If that’s the case, then I’ll just go back.”

    What… Who said Nin would go back? Nin won’t go back. A slight twitch of the thin lips, furrowing brows, revealed that the other party was not completely fine with the ambiguous farewell remark, but now he understood the older man more clearly by looking into their eyes through the window.

    Charan stared at the sky as the setting sun turned it a reddish hue, a warning sign that a rainstorm would soon pour down, causing the tall figure to worry.

    If…

    If they don’t side with themselves too much, Khanin was confident that the concern in the other party’s voice conflicted with the clear sadness evident in their gaze, showcasing the time they spent together, albeit short, that had to be separated.

    I still don’t want to go back.” He sighed again, hoping that someone older would understand.

    “If you stay here, you’ll have to wait a long time. Because it’s about to rain…”

    “It’s okay. I can wait until the rain stops. I… Oops.” Countless words that were intended to be spoken correctly were swallowed. Due to Khanin’s sudden movement to open up the topic, causing his elbow to accidentally bump into the disrespectful plate, causing it to fall to the ground.

    Many colors splattered on the tablecloth. Some stained their clothes, and some splashed onto Khanin’s clothes, making the younger one even more agitated.

    “What’s wrong?”

    “I’m sorry…”

    “It’s okay.” Charan immediately interrupted without waiting for the other party to apologize. The owner of the place was not angry and didn’t care much. He simply claimed that he could be as messy as he wanted.

    The only thing he cared about was the expensive suit that Khanin was wearing.

    “That’s right. Nin messed it up completely.” Khanin looked at the water stains on their clothes, the messy wrinkles on the expensive fabric, which seemed to symbolize the scattered confusion in his heart.

    It was not only unsightly but also almost destroyed everything between them.

    Charan tried to help Khanin without caring about his own damage. His thick hands moved around, wiping off the stains on Khanin’s skin. However, the young royal pulled his hand away with heat.

    “It’s alright. You can change…”

     

     

    Phii Ran…” Nin called out, causing the tall figure to stop all actions and raise his face to meet his eyes. Khanin didn’t want to be idolized to that extent, he just wanted them to be equal as they should be.

    It would be good if both of them, Khanin and Charan, could let go of everything, face each other, and only see the true essence inside.

    “…”

    “If I have to change this outfit… Phii Ran must change too.”

    THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

  • THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 34: The Magical Hour

    THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 34: The Magical Hour

       THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 34: The Magical Hour.

    Within the shady and cool flower garden of the Royal Palace, a gentle breeze carried the fragrance of gardenia flowers throughout the area. Tarin looked at the latest picture posted on Khanin’s public Instagram.

    Overall, the members of the team were partying with captions. Finally, they had a team to compete with #TeamKhanin, which made the middle-aged man’s face turn pale, calling upon the person who had been a father figure, Dhipabawon, to put his hands away from the tea cup and face him.

    “Is there something interesting happening?”

    “Father, you must have seen it.” Tarin spoke while handing over the iPad to the other party to let them consider the picture of Atsawathewathin predicting the future with the team members.

    Dhipabawon declined, only glancing at it, before bursting into laughter.

    “Intelligence runs in the blood.”

    “Nin has been raised well, he has grown up just as he should be.”

    “That’s true… Tanattai has raised this child very well.” The tone of authority changed slightly when mentioning the name of the old man, the elderly person who fought alongside them against many obstacles in the past, Dhipabawon’s face tensed, and his posture indicated that there was something to be pondered upon.

    “Father… have you heard any news about Tanattai?” Tarin knew that his father continued to search for Tanattai.

    Dhipabawon took a deep breath, his accumulated stress busting out, and he clenched his fist in frustration.

    “No, no trace. It seems that someone related to this matter must have a lot of power… almost as much as us.”

    “Do you think he is still alive?” he thought he had the answer in his heart, but he still didn’t dare to speak it out.

    “Difficult to answer. If he is indeed alive, Tanattai should do everything to come back to us, but if he doesn’t come back, it can have two meanings.”

    “…”

    “One is that he will never return, or there is something that prevents him from coming back.”

    “…”

    The silence indicated that Tarin himself agreed, he also suspected that there was someone from one of the families who participated in the competition to eliminate Khanin and start a warning signal.

    But who… who could do something of this magnitude?

    “Don’t mention Tanattai in front of that kid. Nin is happy, he is learning about life, his own life.”

    It may sound a bit harsh, but Tarin understands the reasons why his father would speak like this. It’s because he wants to make Khanin as happy as possible, so he shouldn’t reopen wounds that haven’t healed yet.

    The training period has been extended from weeks to months. Everyone in the team helps each other by practicing and sharing their skills. Khanin can feel that his team has become stronger and intimidating.

    Some people’s experiences may not compare to those of professional athletes, but the fear comes from the freshness that no one has ever seen before.

    He knows, we know. He wins hundreds of battles, but if he doesn’t know anything, how can he prepare? Khanin knows his image is terrible in the eyes of Thawetmetha and Puchongpisut, but that’s what they want. He wants to appear weak and uncertain to confuse them even more since they know nothing.

    The royal prince slumps down after hours of intense training. Today, Khanin allows everyone to take a break. Even Charan gives the members two days off to recharge their bodies and spirits.

    As for himself… he goes back to training like before.

    Khanin doesn’t know where to go or who to go with. He has no friends except Charan, but that’s it. He wants the other side to have some rest and not be disturbed.

    Even though he misses them a lot…

    His index finger swipes to the chat box of someone who changed their name to ‘Stubborn Antagonist’, a self-proclaimed, gloomy, and embarrassing person that he can’t help but laugh at.

    His eyes dart to the open chat, contemplating for a moment before his slender finger presses on the keyboard.

    ‘What are you doing?’

    That was a basic conversation starter, but before he could send it, the younger one decided to delete it. Khanin told himself not to bother Charan, so he ended up scrolling on his phone aimlessly. What was meant to be a temporary break turned into him slumping and dozing off.

    Charan arrived at the Royal Palace in the afternoon without any particular reason or agenda. He comes just because he wants to. Even though today is his day off, he doesn’t know what to do, so in the end, the taller one made a decision to come here.

    With long and graceful strides, Charan walked through the hallway leading to the private training room. He encounters Chakri guarding the door, who tells him that he doesn’t need to knock if going inside. It’s the command of the young lord.

    The leader of the Phitakthewa clan steps into their private training room. Someone, who he thought was working hard, is sitting in a corner of the sofa, his small head drooping, likely exhausted. It’s hard to tell for how long they’ve been like this, but they seem to be struggling.

    Charan entered with light and well-trained footsteps. He looks left and right, trying to find someone to make the sleepy faces feel more comfortable.

    He steps closer as his thick hand reaches for a pillow, intending to place it under the sleeping person’s neck. However, an emergency situation arises before he can do so.

    Khanin suddenly moved, sending a jolt of alertness through Charan. He quickly positioned his shoulder to support him before the young prince had to strain his neck any further.

    Thump!

    The young one’s hair rests against his warm cheek. Charan turns into stone, allowing the younger one to lean against him, making the atmosphere around them quiet and still, until the older one can hear his own heartbeat grow louder.

    One who doesn’t sigh, doesn’t burn like the intensity of pain, doesn’t freeze like the bitterness of sorrow, doesn’t swing like the fluctuations of triumph.

    But sometimes being close to someone who feels special in your heart seems simpler than that…

    Simple enough to unintentionally let yourself and your heart be close to them like that, long enough for someone else to sleep soundly throughout the afternoon, and Charan’s left arm has become a numb branch, due to experiencing half-sided paralysis.

    “Oh…” The buzzing sound of a young boy’s voice lets it be known that Khanin is awake, a lazy posture like an unsteady kitten not yet sober, it’s truly entertaining to watch.

    Charan’s presence immediately draws the attention of the pale-bodied house owner, who quickly turns to look at his side.

    “Slept well?”

    “You! When… When did you get here?” Khanin is not sure whether he is dreaming or awake, the young boy widens his eyes for a moment and frowns.

    With confusion evident upon realizing that all of this is real.

    “Not long.” Only the left arm is numb…

    “Oh… and why did you come here? Did Grandfather call for you?”

    “No, no one called. I just wanted to come. It’s the day off from training today.”

    At the beginning of the sentence, Khanin senses that Charan refuses to make eye contact, the young man hesitates before flicking his gaze towards the hat and sword not far away.

    “It’s a day off, but without anything to do, it’s boring.” Khanin speaks straightforwardly, his nature being not fond of staying still as before, his character remains the same. That’s why he ended up here. Without knowing where to go.

    “The weather is nice today.”

    “Oh, it’s nice, but there’s nothing interesting to do.” The complaining voice hums, seemingly opening an opportunity for someone older to intervene. Khanin raises an eyebrow, asking an unexpected question that triggers such a reaction.

    “Do you want to do something fun?”

    “Oh, do you have any suggestions?”

    “Yes, let’s find something fun to do together then.” Charan’s enthusiastic gestures grab the attention of the Rakshasa prince quite well.

    Khanin arches his eyebrow, asking a question that didn’t expect to receive such a response and reaction.

    “How fun would that be?” The corners of the person who was being asked, his mouth rising.

    His handsome face moves closer, whispering a few words that make the listener’s heart beat faster. “If I’m with you, it will be fun no matter what.” Khanin memorizes those words and ponders various thoughts, but he believes that it’s always something unpredictable when he’s with Charan, a young man taking small steps, walking towards the secluded garden area, passing through the silver barrier gate.

    “Is this what you said would be fun?” The voice of the young man carries a laughing tone in Charan’s ear. His beautiful eyes look mischievous, while the middle-aged man in charge looks concerned and asks.

    “Young Prince Khanin, do you want to ride the horses in our animal stable? We have many horses there. If Your Highness wishes, I can quickly arrange for them and if you’d like a tutor…”

    “It’s okay, I’ll take care of the Young Prince myself. Just prepare the equipment, that should be enough. Thank you very much.”

    “He’s really big.”

    “Come closer, get acquainted with the horse.”

    The deep voice of the grown man called Khanin, who had a clumsy and hesitant posture, moved closer. The skillful and brave young prince when it comes to swordplay, but this is not a harmonious occasion, no… It would be better not to have any encounters at all.

    “Will it kick me?”

    “Approach cautiously, don’t startle him.”

    “Hello…” bashful and adorable in the eyes of the beholder. Khanin reluctantly followed the instructions of the older man, although he looked quite awkward.

    “Introduce yourself.”

    “Huh?” A cute and puzzled face responds to the new command. Khanin glanced back and forth between Charan and the mist, hesitating for a moment. In the end, he reluctantly followed after hearing the explanation. “It’s a custom. Introduce yourself so that he can trust you.”

    “Oh… Hello, Mist. Uh… Nin, it’s Khanin. Nice to… meet you.” The sentence ends with a gap. Partly because of feeling embarrassed and unsure, coupled with hearing the laughter of someone close by. The young boy turned his head and looked with curiosity.

    Khanin took a brief glance at Charan’s handsome face and suddenly realized that he had been deceived. His small, clenched hand hit the solid chest and pulled a pout, growing even more sullen.

    “Stop playing around.”

    “Mischief-maker.”

    “No more mischief, let’s be serious. Before riding the horse, you have to wear protective gear for safety.” After finishing the sentence, Charan led the mist to rest under a large tree and changed from leading the horse… to being a white-gloved instructor.

    “…” Khanin reluctantly followed.

    Charan put on the equipment prepared by the caretaker for himself first, and then turned his attention to the young boy.

    “Is this too tight?” The warm whisper that blended friendliness and intimacy made Khanin’s mind confused. He knew that the other party meant to put on a helmet on his head, but didn’t understand why his cheeks suddenly felt warm and flushed.

    Damn it, Khanin. You’ve been like this for a while.

    “…”

    “If it’s too tight, tell me.”

    “No… it’s okay.” Khanin replied, avoiding eye contact. In that motionless posture, Charan realized that Khanin must be worried about the activities they were about to do. His thick hand gently touched the young boy’s back and came with reassuring words that made the heart tremble even more.

    “Don’t be afraid, I’m right here.” Charan taught with a calm heart.

    However, a second after this sentence ended, the ears of the young boy seemed to no longer perceive anything, except… the sound of his own heartbeat.

    “…”

    “The way to mount a horse… you have to step… and sit… Do you understand the explanation?”

    The teacher needed to ask questions after the explanation. While Khanin was considering refusing, the young boy had a puzzled look on his face, sometimes attentive and sometimes lost, mainly because he kept staring at the speaker’s face.

    The Royal boy took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the furry animal, before climbing onto the back of the mist-colored creature using a method that allowed him to cling on by himself.

    From the higher vantage point, the front area became visible. Khanin noticed the mist-colored creature and became somewhat rigid when some people started indicating the direction for the quadruped to move.

    “Wait, wait, stop.” Just a few steps away from the starting point, the Royal boy called out with a trembling voice, biting his lower lip as he beat himself inwardly. He still had vivid memories of the riding lessons organized by Chakri.

    Want to, huh… Want to, scared, huh… Scared, but want to quit… Well, not today. The weather was good, and the surrounding scenery was so beautiful that he wanted to go out and see for a moment, especially since Khanin knew well that he was not yet skilled enough to control the mist-colored creature.

    “Sigh.”

    “Let’s go, let’s ride together.”

    “What?”

    “I want you to see something up ahead.” He pointed with a slender finger to a point where the vast open field and the sunlight dyed the atmosphere with warm tones, captivating the gaze.

    Charan remained silent for a moment, pondering the significance before responding.

    “It’s not appropriate, let’s just walk there.”

    “What’s not appropriate? What task did you forget, and… how are we going to walk there? It’s far.”

    “You can walk.” He seemed to be continuing the back-and-forth.

    Khanin hesitated, but finally blurted out what was on his mind, allowing the taller figure to listen.

    “I can’t do it! It’s me… If I have to ride, it’s better to have the mist-colored creature walk with us.”

    “Ha-ha.” Charan could no longer contain his laughter. As soon as the younger one caught his gaze, he playfully ordered with a slightly mocking gesture.

    “Get up. If I fell off the horse and broke my arm, what would I do?”

    Charan’s gesture gave the young boy a sense of relief, as he knew very well that he would never allow such a dangerous and unpredictable situation to happen to this particular person. But then… how to… The close friend’s main duty was to follow his heart.

    Therefore… Charan chose to bring himself up and sit behind the young boy, on the back of the mist-colored creature.

    “Where should we go? Show me.”

    The familiar warmth helped the previously puzzled and tense person to relax. Now that Khanin had calmed down, the sound of murmuring voices became even more soothing.

    “There.” The young royal’s back unintentionally informed the person behind without intending to, before pulling back. Khanin shifted his gaze again to the view that he already considered beautiful and captivating, now even more so since the person with the fair complexion was not preoccupied with fear.

    “Let’s go.” Charan said, tightening his grip on the mist-colored creature, which was expertly controlled, and accelerated, causing Khanin to cling tightly.

    “Oh, slow down a bit, afraid of falling.”

    “Hmm.” Charan approached with his face close, unintentionally causing his nose to brush against the side of Khanin’s cheek.

    “Told you to slow down, afraid of falling… or if you want to go faster…”

    “Whatever.” Charan held the tent rope to let the color fade slowly before whispering softly in Khanin’s tender ear, the gentle touch coaxing a fluttering feeling in the stomach, but it didn’t make Khanin lose his determination.

    “Hold on to me tightly, in case I fall, it’s a sure thing, understand? Hold on tightly.”

    The command accompanied by a sense of hesitation made Charan pause, the young man’s smile diminishing slightly as he looked down, noticing the small ear of the person next to him turn slightly red.

    “Is it enough like this?” whispered uncertainty because of the uncertain command, Charan leaned in close, bringing his chest snug against Khanin’s back, tightening the space between them until there was almost no gap for the wind to pass through.

    The warm breath touched the clear cheeks, causing the heartbeat rate to deviate from its original rhythm, the young man blushed, but their actions contradict their words.

     

     

    A little less, hold my waist tightly.” Khanin pulled the thick hand that was holding him to his waist, then pursed his lips, suppressing the feeling of embarrassment.

    Uh, embarrassed, right… not ashamed of one’s face.

    But who cares. If you have a chance to be close to someone you like, you have to make it develop.

    The person who tells themselves to be brave and swallow their saliva, while waiting, well, accepts it by tightening the hug as desired for a long time, thinking that the other side would refuse.

    If Charan doesn’t want to hug… it’s fine, but at least find an excuse to get close to the person you like… for now.

    Just like this is enough…

    Suddenly, the person who had been quiet for a long time tightened his arm and pulled them closer, the thin back pressed tightly against the strong chest, catching a faint scent from the body of the other person, Khanin’s breath trembled slightly as the face of the person behind him lightly brushed against his shoulder.

    “Is it close enough, Nin?”

    “Oh… it’s enough. It’s enough.” He replied softly, the young man turned his attention back to the scenery, his lips secretly curved into a smile, so he didn’t have the chance to see for himself that some people who hugged themselves didn’t have much different expressions.

    Charan laughed in his throat happily, dragging Nin below a big tree in the middle of a wide field for some people to capture the beauty, slender fingers picked up the phone he carried and took pictures.

    Khanin drank in the nature in front of him, but didn’t dare to reach out and hold the thick hand tightly around his waist, keeping a distance, doing small things, but it made the leader of the Phitakthewa clan go crazy and had to quietly murmur to take it back…

    The horse doesn’t run, it won’t fall.”

    “No, I have to…” He intended to find something to tease and speak with, but his intent turned into speechlessness at the moment… When he turned back, his cheek accidentally brushed against Charan’s nose.

    “If you want to hug, just tell me.”

    “Ba… but, who wants to hug? I’m just afraid of falling.” He stubbornly refused and his tongue almost tied up, the young man fluttered his face cutely, causing Charan to have to suppress himself from kissing the cheek of the person who pretended to be embarrassed but secretly desired.

    “Oh, like this.” Lately, Khanin has been acting unusually cute. From what he knows about him, he’s usually very serious and focused on his duties, but it seems like things have changed.

    Between the two of them, there have been many inexplicable actions, without any apparent reason.

    And it gives him hope…

    Hoping that the two of them will feel the same.

    In the past, Charan had wondered about the strange behavior of people in love, how they would become restless and unable to eat or sleep. He used to think it was pointless. He never thought that, in the end, he would be no different from those people.

    Actually, there are many more tasks waiting for him to handle, such as documents for recruiting trainees as guardians under the name of the PithakTeva family, and investigating the case of a poisoned potion. Progress on these matters has started to be made recently.

    It can be said that he’s extremely busy, but whenever he receives notifications from someone who is thinking of him, they appear on his phone out of nowhere. Charan almost abandons everything and comes here immediately.

    Isn’t that fun?” He spoke softly to the people around him who were busy taking landscape photos. Charan pushed work out of his mind to spend time with the people here for real.

    “That’s really fun.”

    “And do you like it?” Do you like it, too? It’s a question that lingers in my mind but I’m too afraid to ask. Charan lets Khanin take photos until he finishes, waiting patiently. Occasionally, he turns around to look at each other without any embarrassment, and he offers a smile.

    “What do you like? Riding horses, maybe? Do you like it here too… I wouldn’t have known that the palace has such beautiful places if you hadn’t brought me here.”

    “That’s good then… So we can relax. Because we have to train harder from now on.”

    “Let’s go then, I’m not afraid anymore. Khanin, hold on.”

    “From now on, we’ll have to train together more often… Is that okay, Nin?”

    “Okay, I won’t be okay if I can’t be with you all the time…” His voice trailed off as if he was hesitating. The gaze in his eyes, as he looked up, played with the trembling hearts of the observant ones.

    Charan blinked at Khanin, with many answers bubbling up in his head, rotating relentlessly, wanting to find a way to express them, but time at the moment is too difficult to spare.

    “Just stay with me all the time… I’ll help Nin… I’ll do everything I can.”

    The Royal Palace was particularly hot because it was entering the rainy season. Clouds formed clusters, causing the outer sky to change into a hazy color.

     

     

    The outdoor atmosphere was not conducive to any activities, so Khanin stayed quietly inside the building. Charan didn’t want him to go out and face the changed weather, for fear it would affect his health.

    During this time, he had to train exceptionally hard. Although today there was no team practice, he still had to train one-on-one with Charan, as the heir to the Asthawa-Tin lineage.

    Khanin had to maintain the appearance of the royal family, so that the outside world would see him as a naive chicken, but when it was time to reveal himself, he had to demonstrate his capabilities so as not to be a subject of ridicule by the public.

    Intensive training in the morning ended after Charan assigned homework for Khanin to practice with a training dummy. Today, the young man trained hard, just as he had said, so intense as if he were fulfilling his childhood dream of riding horses.

    A thin figure walked, dragging his feet along the corridor on the lower floor. The weakness and numbness in his legs made him reluctant to hurry. But even though he felt sore and tired, Khanin didn’t think about showing any vulnerability to anyone.

    Especially to those who followed closely behind, like Butler. During the occasional visits to this palace, the Young Prince was taught to become more aware of his feelings. He knew very well that if he mentioned the symptoms he was experiencing, Chakri would have to go through the trouble of taking him to the royal physician, causing other scheduled activities to be postponed. Everyone might have to suffer a bit because of him, and it would be seen as creating undue trouble.

    “Just keep it to yourself.”

    “Understood.”

    A conversation from another corner of the hallway caught Khanin’s attention, prompting him to raise his head and meet the gaze of someone he had become acquainted with about a month ago—someone who used to be part of the royal family. Their brown eyes instantly connected with his body. He turned his gaze away from the lady in a red dress carrying a tray of food and looked respectfully at the dignitary, following Emma’s example.

    Khanin’s eyes shifted from the noble lady in a red dress holding a tray of food to the high-ranking individual. He then bowed his head in respect, mirroring Emmaly’s demeanor.

    “Hello, Uncle Waseen.”

    The owner of the smiling face accepted the greeting and then moved closer to Khanin, firmly clasping his shoulder, inviting him to talk.

    “How are you? Are you comfortable here? Are you getting used to palace life?” the uncle’s gentle voice inquired.

    Khanin paused slightly and replied, “I’m fine. I’m starting to get used to it.”

    “That’s good to hear, young man. We barely had a few encounters, but palace life has taught you how to respond and present yourself. Now you’re skilled in reaching out to the elders.” the uncle praised subtly.

    However, he couldn’t hide his curiosity and desire to see more. His doublelayered glance veered towards the tray held by the noble lady once again before shifting to the nearest grand door, which led to the Sovereign King’s private chamber.

    The other party had probably brought ceremonial offerings…

    “By the way, Meenakarin and I have specially prepared a bird’s nest as an offering for you, ah… I mean, an offering for the Sovereign King. It seems like he’s meditating. It’s a fine bird’s nest we obtained from the island. Have you ever tasted it, Khanin? If you have and like it, I will have someone warm it up for you, and we can all eat together and chat.” the uncle suggested.

    “Thank you, Uncle Waseen, for your kind offer. However, I can’t accept anything for now because I still have training scheduled.” Khanin fibbed politely. In reality, he didn’t have any training to attend, but he declined softly just because he didn’t like to consume bird’s nest soup, which was Meenakarin’s specialty.

    “Oh, that’s a shame then. I heard that everyone has completed their training sessions.”

    “It’s still possible, Uncle. Thank you for your kind consideration. But it’s not necessary. I’m part of Charan’s team, and he’s as caring as his mother, probably able to assist me, whether a lot or a little…” remarked Khanin, with a thin smile tugging at the corners of his thick lips. Waseen gently looked at the person referred to as the grandson. “Just like Atsawathewathin is similar to the sun for Meenakarin. So, if there is anything, Uncle can always ask for assistance from me, as I’m in Khanin’s team.”

    “Thank you, Uncle, once again.” Khanin bowed his head in respect, before requesting permission to leave as the other party assured it was no problem.

    It had been almost a minute since Waseen left, but Khanin still stood there, reflecting on what he had heard.

    “What does it mean… Atsawathewathin is the sun of Meenakarin…” When realizing that no one was here, Khanin asked the silent figure standing nearby, the familiar butler.

    Chakri remained silent for a while before responding heavily.

    “It means that Meenakarin will never abandon Atsawathewathin, Your

    Highness, just like His Highness once dedicated his loyalty to the Young Prince.”

    “And is there a reason why he had to announce his stance to me?

    Regardless, I came here only to compete, not to become a ruler in a hurry.” Khanin walked away again, this time the young royal hesitated to walk alongside, prompting the butler to follow. His deep brown eyes glanced at the figure beside him, who had a pensive expression.

    “Perhaps he wants your assistance, Your Highness. Because if Prince

    Waseen says so, it means that he wants us to be by his side. And… if Atsawathewathin attains the position of Sovereign King again, perhaps Meenakarin may return to shine once more… In the past, when Meenakarin still received our help, there were many gold shops. He might want to come back to trade precious metals with us again, Your Highness.”

    “Is that so?” Although the sentence appeared to be easily understood in every aspect, there were some points that made Khanin feel strangely unfamiliar with the person of high rank.

    The first point was that the other party declared themselves on the same side as him, even though they should have positioned themselves as a mediator.

    The second point was that Waseen relied on something, expecting that Charan would be able to help him. Because Charan had never shown any remarkable skills.

    Or perhaps sometimes one should not refuse a person of high rank and instead patiently tolerate their babbling like listening to the murmur of birds drooling, in the hope that it might disperse the fog of suspicion, it might be a good option.

    “Young Prince, it’s time for dinner, Your Highness.”

    “Stay here for a moment, I’ll go down myself, Butler, you can go eat first. No need to wait.” After a morning break, Khanin continued to walk, pretending to be tired, following the instructions given by Charan. After several hours passed and his legs began to weaken again, the royal personage still did not want to take a break.

    “But…”

    “Go ahead… It’s fine, I’ll find food for myself if I get hungry.”

    Although the master claimed not to be hungry, it didn’t matter. As a caretaker, Chakri remained concerned.

    The young butler stood and observed the small movements of the practicing sword-wielding young lord and the figure on the other side resting in the pavilion. Seeing that, he decided to sneak out quietly, intending to disobey the order and find food to satisfy the stomach of his lord. However, after walking a few steps, there was an unexpected pause when he saw a familiar face approaching from the other side of the building.

    “Oh, Khun Charan… I thought you had already left, but I didn’t see you when you disappeared.” Chakri exclaimed with a slightly higher pitch, surprised that he still saw the other party here when he should have returned long ago.

    “Yes. The Sovereign King ordered me to enter the guardpost and I just finished it moments ago… Where is the Young Prince? Chakri.” Charan responded to the question while sweeping his gaze around. When he didn’t see the fair-skinned owner of the house, he asked the plump butler again.

    “The Young Prince is still practicing in the rehearsal room. He has been practicing since the afternoon. He refuses to take more than a ten-minute break. So, I have to sneak out to prepare food, hoping that he will be hungry after finishing the practice.” Chakri wanted to complain then. But now it seems that Charan is the only one who can make the Young Prince come out of the rehearsal room. Chakri has to take a risk and tell the truth with a little exaggeration, hoping that the other side will come to help.

    “Doesn’t he take a break at all?” His tall figure frowns at himself, expressing his worry on his face. The young butler tries harder to ignite the fire.

    “Yes, he doesn’t take a break at all. And he hasn’t had any snacks for dinner yet. If Charan doesn’t come back now, please go and check on him, sir… Oh.” Before finishing his sentence, he turns around again and Charan has disappeared. Chakri sweeps his gaze around, but he doesn’t even see the reflection of the person he used to talk with.

    But it’s not necessary to waste time guessing. Where could Charan go? If it’s not the rehearsal room where the Young Prince is, he must have gone elsewhere.

    Let’s hurry and find out.

    And pretending to be people who love each other and deceive others, how audacious…

    Even looking from Mars, it is clear that Charan has a full interest in the Young Prince of Chakri!

    The sound of shoes rubbing against the floor continuously without pause prompts Charan, who has just returned, to quietly walk towards the point where someone else is immersed in practicing.

    The image of Khanin in a white suit, walking gracefully, is unforgettable.

    Charan just stands still until the other person turns to look.

    “Butler, didn’t I tell you that I’m not hungry yet… Oh, how did you come here? Haven’t you returned yet? It’s going to rain soon.” Khanin removes his mask and approaches the other person almost instantly. His large eyes fill with suspicion.

    “Chakri said that you, Nin didn’t take a break… Why have you changed so much?” Charan shoots back the question without considering the young one’s question, and steps closer to help the other party remove the soft armor gently.

    “I’m bored… That’s why I came up with an excuse to practice. Back then, when I was with Father, we used to practice like this. Another thing… If we meet again next time, I just want someone to admire my skills.”

    “Who?”

    Khanin, who is on the verge of smiling, has a line on the edge of his mouth that lingers. The young royal takes a breath before answering with a somewhat puzzled face.

    “Ramil and Evaa… That’s who taught us.”

    “Ah…” Charan falls silent. His eyes harmonize with the person in front then the corners of his mouth draw a faint smile.

    “Let’s go… Will you go back soon, or should I go alone? It’s going to rain.” “Wait, I’ll go back…” He speaks, taking advantage of the moment when the younger one is more vulnerable, grasping the small hand and leading them out of the rehearsal room towards the sitting area.

    The head of the Phitakthewa family doesn’t leave any space for the Young Prince to ask any questions. The tall figure gently presses the other side’s shoulder to make him sit down on the sofa. As for himself, he kneels on the lower floor.

    “Phii… What are you doing?” Khanin opened his eyes wide in surprise. The person with royal bloodline was wandering aimlessly when suddenly, his lower leg was lifted up and placed on a sturdy stool. The young man intended to resist, but hesitated and couldn’t react in time.

    Hands with hot touch pressed down on the extended leg, a gentle and soothing massage on the calf, making it feel comfortable without words. However, even so, Khanin still couldn’t understand the actions of the taller person.

    “During practice earlier, I noticed a pause in your movement. Did you practice until your leg was sore?” Charan revealed his own actions with a slightly smug face after a moment of silence. He raised his handsome, wellgroomed face to meet the eyes of the younger person sitting on the sofa, causing him to tense up.

    “Oh, don’t tell anyone. I don’t want to cause trouble for others.” The two cheeks blushed from the surge of blood. Khanin didn’t want to burden anyone, so he tried to suppress the pain, but never thought someone would notice.

    Especially Charan…

    “Then, you better sit down so that I can massage your legs.” Charan spoke softly and gently, no different from his actions. He used his thumb to press along the muscle points, massaging and relaxing the person sitting on the sofa, before gradually moving downward.

    “Ah… no, not there.” Khanin exclaimed in surprise as the old man’s fingertips accidentally touched the tip of his foot, the royal-descendant young man wanted to get up and flee, but the older man firmly grasped his ankle.

    “Don’t run away.” Charan spoke in a stern tone. His narrowed eyes looked piercing. Therefore, Khanin had to remain still, letting the older person do as he pleased without complaining or resisting.

    The sound of thunder resounded outside as a warning that the rain was approaching. The dark sky rumbled, and the gathering clouds blocked the flickering light of the heavens.

    The storm was drawing near… Even for an ordinary person, it would be difficult to brave the rain. Trying to find something in common with someone who had a deep aversion to rain like Charan.

    If he didn’t leave now, there was a good chance he would be stuck here for a long time. Because Khanin himself wouldn’t allow Charan to face the impending danger and devastation rain outside.

    What’s more important is that Khanin intends to keep Charan here for now, so they can have more time together.

    “If you still haven’t gone back, then stay a little longer until the rain stops… I have enough supplies to provide. During this time, Khanin has been getting used to using first-person pronouns more often.

    One reason is that he wants people older than him to see him as lovable, and the second reason is that he wants them to become closer.

    “What do they want?” The person who is attentively massaging their feet looks up and meets Khanin’s concerned gaze. Charan wonders who knows about it.

    “I won’t tell you, go see for yourself.” The younger person gets up from the sofa without saying anything else and chooses to walk over to close all the windows’ curtains, leaving Charan feeling momentarily cut off from the outside world.

    “…”

    In reality, the rain had started falling long before the young man realized it. It was probably because he was so focused on Khanin’s face that he didn’t even hear the familiar sound of thunder.

    “Just close your eyes.”

    “Why?”

    “Because you don’t like rain, and the things you need are in my room. To get there one has to go through several windows. I probably won’t bother to close the curtains because it would inconvenience you. But if you agree to close your eyes, I will take your hand and lead you.”

    “…”

    “Don’t worry. I am here too.”

    Charan hasn’t felt at ease during rain like this for a long time, since the incident that left him with unpleasant memories about rainy days…

    However, today the young man felt like he had crossed the first difficult obstacle. When he raised his eyes again, he found himself in the cozy room of Young Prince Atsawathewathin.

    It would be quite amusing if someone happened to pass by and see the young royal holding Charan’s hand, walking together. And in that moment, with closed eyes and the warmth of their intertwined hands, some of the fear seemed to fade away.

    Of course, it hadn’t completely disappeared, but having Khanin close by was a great comfort.

    The conference room that used to have wide open windows offering a beautiful view of this majestic palace is now veiled with blood-red curtains, obscuring any glimpse of the fleeting rays from the sky above.

    “Hold on a moment.” A sweet voice rouses Charan from his reverie. In the same instant, the small hand of the other party withdraws. Khanin gently pats the thickly-built man’s shoulder, inviting the leader of the Phitakthewa lineage to feel curious.

    “Where are we going?”

    “To get something.” The younger person speaks, accompanied by an adorable smile, and takes this opportunity to slip away to another zone, leaving Charan silently pondering over everything.

    The conference room… There are no indications of Khanin’s presence at all. There are no items that serve as symbolic representations of the other party, unlike his home in London.

    The bedroom over there is filled with Khanin’s swords and collectibles, contrasting the emptiness within this room.

    What was it like the first time the other party made love to him? It feels just the same today, unchanged, as if ready to leave from here at any time.

    For Charan, Khanin is like a warm breeze, blowing into his heart when he is shivering in the midst of a rainy storm.

    Having this person by his side makes Charan have a clearer purpose in life.

    From darkness, everything changes. From never feeling anything, it changes…

    From never thinking of love, today he has learned about love, as someone once said. If we take care of something with our hearts, we will love and cherish that thing throughout our lives.

    Charan has proven that it is true.

    When he has experienced taking care until love arises, Charan wants to nurture the other person as well. He believes that the encounter between him and Khanin is a matter of fate that has allowed him to cross the skies and bring the other party here.

    But to restrain oneself, to resist the urge to let go, it is so painful for someone who has never known love like him. Charan doesn’t know at all how to keep the other party close.

    He doesn’t want to lose Khanin…

    “Here it is.”

    A soft voice accompanied by a forceful pull on the bed awakens Charan from his thoughts. The young man blinks, chasing away the wandering thoughts. His eyes then shift to the fair-skinned person who sends him an enchanting smile while hiding something behind his back.

    The charming face leans closer, forcing Charan to physically withdraw, keeping a distance… Because he is afraid of breaking the invisible barrier.

    “What’s that?”

    “Guess.”

    “How can I guess? This is the first gift that you have given me.” The ambivalent relationship between intimacy and indifference makes Charan feel both joy and disappointment.

    He had no idea at all when Khanin secretly went to retrieve the hidden items. There are many things that Charan doesn’t know about Khanin.

    “Well… just say it like that. Give you a chance to guess. If so, close your eyes for a moment. I’ll put it on you first, and then you can guess… Is that okay?” Khanin bursts out laughing lightly, tilting his nose shyly. His charming and endearing demeanor makes Charan ready to accept orders once again without resistance.

    “Eek.”

    Khanin looked at his own handsome face in the distance, licking the corners of his mouth before slowly picking up ‘that thing’ with delicate hands and placing it on the head of the tall man.

    As both ears were covered with some device, the sound of the rainstorm outside faded to the point where Charan could barely hear anything. Despite the sky outside being stormy and thunderous, the young man felt no fear in his heart.

    The young man forgot to blink as he raised his hand and clasped his small fingers tightly around the device, ensuring the other side couldn’t move anywhere.

    “The cover… the ear cover?”

    “Yes, the ear cover reduces the sound, worn to avoid hearing anything unwanted when it rains.” Khanin explained earnestly, stating that the soundreducing device’s effectiveness was excellent, although the listener seemed puzzled and didn’t understand.

    “This is great…”

    “Nin… I can’t hear.” He clarified before taking off the ear cover and temporarily placing it around his neck, allowing the relieved person to chuckle at his own honesty.

    “I forgot… I mean just now. I said it’s worn during the rain, so you won’t have to hear anything unwanted again.”

    “Nin… you know…”

    “Eek. Because I have noticed several times before, you’ve been like this, experiencing panic attacks when it rains. You’ve been like that since we escaped the villain in London. I don’t blame you or anything. Just want to help you get through the bad days. There are many ways we can cope with it together.”

    “…”

    “Just like when I lost my father, I had you Phii to fill the void.”

    “Thank you.”

    “I am pleased.”

    Charan looked at the young man with difficult eyes, remaining silent for a while before asking about the thing he was curious about.

    “Nin… don’t you want to ask why?”

    “I don’t know what caused what you are suffering, but I never asked because I didn’t want to worry you. It must have been a terrible day for you, right? If that’s the case, the gift from me  might help you a little.”

    The wall in his heart crumbled into dust. Charan looked at the person in front of him with teary eyes. He didn’t realize how he was using his gaze, but if it were to be described, it would be full of reverence, love, and unwavering trust.

    What Khanin gave was worth more than words can describe, and because of that, in the end, the person revealed a vulnerability that was never intended to be told to anyone.

    “Yes… It was a terrible day…” Charan lowered his gaze, but his hand still clasped the small fingers together. “My mother… my mother passed away on that rainy day.”

    Charan kept repeating those words until he fell asleep, forgetting to blink, forgetting to see every moment that took Nin away. It was difficult and heartbreaking, the turmoil after losing a loved one too tragic to bear.

    His mom was like a whole universe at that time…

    “…”

    “Back then, I was still a child. When I was a child, we didn’t have many chances to be together because my mom had to come and work as the protector in her role as the leader of the Pithathewa lineage. The day it happened… It was the day my mom promised to come back and stay with me for the longest time possible, but in the end… Ultimately, Mom didn’t come back.”

    The sentence ended abruptly, leaving a lingering and light feeling that tugged at the listener’s heart. Khanin squeezed Charan’s thick hand, sensing the pain that spread.

    “…”

    “There were only Mom’s blood-stained clothes that the butler brought as evidence. I thought Mom had come back, so I ran out to find her… But in the end, that was all there was. Mom didn’t come back as she had promised.” Charan captured the image of Mom’s clothing amid the sound of the sky, the storm, and the humidity, juxtaposing the smell of blood with the scent of rain, creating an eerie sensation.

    His heart ached and turned into buried feelings at last.

    Charan hated blood, hated rain, and most of all, hated the moments when those terrible memories resurfaced.

    “It’s okay… It’s okay, no need to tell anymore.” Khanin bowed toward the most vulnerable person, his face resembling that of someone about to cry but with no tears coming out.

    “Every day, I am in the position of leading the clan, but it’s merely maintaining the status I inherited through bloodline rights. If the leader from the bloodline has no ability, there is no need to inherit the position. I don’t want the elderly to see my capabilities and didn’t want to be in this position… This position caused me to lose my family.”

    “…”

    “Everything I do is to repay Sovereign-King, who took care of me. I never told anyone about sword fencing.” The Young Prince meant everything Charan did was for himself, regretting the day he felt so happy that he spontaneously embraced the other person, creating pressure without realizing it.

    Everything was revealed with a simple narrative sentence, but it still squeezed the hearts of the listeners like Khanin, making him want to pull Charan closer and console him.

    With his dark brown eyes, he looked at the handsome face of the person to whom he had given his heart before bringing that face closer to touch foreheads, his own forehead against the other person’s.

    “Charan, I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

    “Why are you sorry?”

    “I’m sorry for not knowing anything and still having a happy face when you were competing, even though you tried to avoid it all this time.” The young prince meant everything Charan did for himself, realizing and feeling sorry for the consequences of his actions that made the other person happy yet created an invisible pressure on Khanin.

    “It’s okay. If it’s about you Nin, I’m willing.” Charan gently reassured Khanin, easing his worries, his thick hand sliding against the side of Khanin’s cheek, sending a tender smile.

    Charan had made up his mind since that day and never felt regret because he did everything for Khanin, who had given him everything.

    “If that’s the case, I’m willing too. If you’re scared or feeling bad, you have to tell me, okay? I will protect you just as you protect me. No, we only need

    Charan and Khanin… Do you understand what I’m saying?”

    The seriousness of the voice indicates stability, the eyes no longer look at anything else, it stops right here, focused solely on the person in front.

    “Okay.” Charan responded bravely because he knows his own heart, the flesh in his left chest beats harder than before, and it multiplies in intensity. While someone else refuses to decrease their cuteness.

    Khanin is cute… so cute that Charan can only imagine strategies to deal with the other party.

    “Or if you don’t want me to do anything, I won’t do it, but… but being less stubborn might not be possible. Because I am your stubborn guy… Oops.” Khanin didn’t have enough time to smile fully with excitement. Suddenly, someone else took hold of his face before passionately kissing him.

    The thick hands on Khanin’s slender waist felt like they were melting away, his sharp eyes not closing completely, but choosing to look back with even more intensity.

    As the beautiful pairs of eyes widened, they heard the soft sound of Charan’s breath and felt his heavy breath against their skin, lulling the young boy to slowly drift off to sleep.

    We are kissing each other…

    Kissing with full awareness, not playing a role, not mocking anyone, not limited by any script or agreement.

    Khanin took the opportunity to release his thick hand, pulled his own hand out, and gently wrapped it around Charan’s neck, tilting his face to receive the touch in tune with Charan’s lead.

    The leader of the Phitakthewa clan sat up straight with the young royal prince sitting on his lap, whispering a few words, words filled with various emotions and feelings that were held back.

    “Ah…” At this moment, Charan’s patience snapped, seeing the expression in the young man’s eyes rise, his boiling heart ready to burst.

    Khanin didn’t respond but chose to slowly reveal his lips, raising his face high to allow the tall person to do anything… as his heart desires.

    “Hmm…” One of his thick hands locked behind and gently crushed Khanin’s lips, his warm and soft tongue sweeping and exploring every corner of his mouth, swirling along his teeth before sucking and pulling Khanin’s warm and tender tongue.

    The sound of their synchronized breathing drowned out even the rumble of the sky, rendering even unnecessary devices useless.

    Charan found something better than drawing or using any other aids. He discovered that Khanin is the remedy for his soul.

    The breath of the person being suppressed trembled. Charan was intoxicated with the sweet, watery lips of the person in front of him, pressing soft and lingering kisses that induced a faint sound of sighing, making the tall person struggle to control his emotions.

    “Oh… you ugh…” His red, swollen lips mumbled. Khanin’s mind momentarily scattered as he almost lost his composure, thinking that it would be hard to maintain his calmness from the almost-kissing.

    Charan is too good at kissing…

    The muffled protest was a warning for Charan to restrain himself. The young man reluctantly withdrew his lips, but redirected his target elsewhere.

    And those previously provocative eyes seemed to lure and deceive him, causing Khanin’s heart to beat faster. He nipped his own lip while the other person’s nose moved down to press against his white neck, inhaling the scent of a clean body with intense infatuation.

    “Nin…”

    “Mmmhphf…”

    “Kiss.” The whispered words stirred up emotions. Then, the corners of the lips curved, planting a kiss on the shoulder, before everything that was happening came to a halt… with a familiar voice calling out.

    “Young Prince Khanin… Are you asleep, Your Highness? Young Prince… You haven’t had dinner yet… Oh my god.”

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