THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 15: By His Side.

By: CEO. Ft Ennice.

The scent of various roses filled the air, and the image before him slowly became clear behind the foggy curtain. This atmosphere was familiar to Charan, as he had grown accustomed to it for a long time.

Flower garden in the Phitakthewa’s Mansion.

This place was a glass dome greenhouse specifically designed for breeding roses. The beauty of the colorful petals was mesmerizing, indicating that someone took great care of this place.

Charan knew that this was his dream come true… ever since his mother passed away, he had never stepped foot in this greenhouse again. Perhaps because he wasn’t emotionally strong enough.

The distinct smell of roses mixed with the unique fragrance of tea, something that reminded Charan of someone specific who he could remember so well.

 

 

The more he inhaled, the more he remembered the past that had long disappeared…

“Today we have scone with cranberry sauce that you; my son loves. Charan… come closer, I’ll feed you.” The young woman’s smile was so charming that it made the little heart inside Charan’s chest swell up.

Amidst the sunlight streaming through the rose trellis, the little boy smiled widely and opened his mouth like a baby bird waiting for food. His mother didn’t hold back, and it was a very happy day for Charan at that moment. But happiness was fleeting, and he never got to prepare himself…

His long legs carried him towards the dream, letting himself walk closer to the image before him. Seeing himself as a child and the people who were gone made the burning lump in his chest throb.

The eyes that were once filled with confidence now trembled when he looked at the person he missed, causing his heart to tighten. Charan looked sad, realizing that the woman who was still playing with the child in front of him had no idea of his existence at this moment.

“Can you stay with me a little longer?” Charan, as a child, pleaded with a childish voice, calling for the mother to lend a helping hand and guide him. The dark-haired man looked at him with affection.

“I want to stay with you a little longer… but we all have our own responsibilities. As for you, you have to study, learn how to enter society, while I have to go work…”

“But mom; your job keeps us from seeing each other… is it possible that if mother stops working and comes back to live with me at home?” The child spoke with a sad voice. Charan remembered how he felt back when he was a child.

Every time the mother went to work, the young child would sit and count down the days until her next day off, feeling both sad and lonely. Each day seemed to stretch on forever in his heart.

“It’s not like that, my child. We all have our own responsibilities…” The mother’s voice sounded gentle, and she placed her palm lightly on the little one’s head, spreading warmth throughout his heart and mind.

“But none of my friends have to deal with their mothers having to work.”

“Well, that’s because I work as a governess… no matter what they do or where they go, I must always be there to take care of them.”

“But can’t they take care of themselves?” Charan asked, causing the mother to pause before gently laughing and pulling the child to sit beside her on the bench.

“Of course they can take care of themselves, my dear. But ensuring safety and keeping them protected is my job as a mother.”

“But why do we have to keep them safe?”

The young child furrowed his brow, not quite understanding. He had yet to find an answer to why his mother had to sacrifice her time with him to care for others.

“If Atsawathewathin is not safe, then we and other people will also be in danger.”

“But why is it dangerous?”

“Because Atsawathewathin is a royal family… if anything were to happen, our country, including Emmaly, would be shaken.”

As the conversation progressed, the once gentle and sweet voice of the mother became more serious and stern. Charan couldn’t quite understand the meaning behind her words, perhaps because he was still too young and inexperienced to fully comprehend.

“Mom, I don’t understand.” he said, looking down at himself as a child who still sat on the bench. He slowly lowered himself until he was eye level with his mother’s face. The image before him was from the past, but it was clear in the strong and determined look on the young woman’s face.

The mother remained silent for several minutes before finally uttering a few more words.

“Charan, you see that bee over there, right?” She pointed to a small flying insect hovering around a nearby flower.

“Yes, I do.”

“Do you know that bees are animals with a very clear hierarchy? In one hive, they divide their work into three important jobs. One is the worker bee, they may be the smallest but they have the largest quantity. Worker bees have the hardest job, finding food to bring back to the hive and sometimes having to protect their home.”

“… “

“The second is the drone bees, they will mate and be one of the sources of offspring, they will be larger than worker bees. Male bees do not have to do anything except receive food, but they are important for the population in the hive.”

“…”

“And finally, the queen bee… In one hive, there is only one queen bee. She is the largest, and she doesn’t have to do anything like the male bees. But the queen’s important duty is to take care and control the survival of her hive. The queen has the power to manage all the bees in the hive and will be the one who produces the next generation of bees. Worker bees must take care of and protect the queen the best. Because if the queen dies before her time, the bee colony will collapse, and there will be immediate separation in the bee colony.”

The little boy blinked his eyes, imagining as if his mother was reading him a bedtime story. In his mind, he only knew how many types of bees there were, and what their roles were.

“Is that why you’re a worker bee, Mom?”

“Very clever. Yes, I am a worker bee and a soldier bee of the hive.” Her hand patted softly on the round cheek of her son, and the smile on her face at that moment stole the heart of the young boy.

“You’re amazing, Mom.”

“Thank you, my dear.”

“I understand why you have to spend so much time on this job, right?”

“…” At this point, Charan, even as a child, seemed to understand something more. Though he felt sad every time he had to be away from his mother, he was strong enough not to make his mother worry too much. So he did not act like a child, as he did this time.

“Charan, you will understand more than just that… Because Charan you are the next leader of the Pithakthewa family.” Charan was impressed with the last sentence that his ancestor had left them before they could never meet again.

“…”

“Anyhow, we cannot escape our duty… Because our duty is to protect and take care honestly and lovingly of Atsawathewathin lineage. This is what our ancestors’ spirits wanted us to do…”

“…”

It was the last time they saw each other and talked like this. The young man blamed himself many times for not understanding the world enough back then, even though he understood the sacrifice of worker bees when they released their stingers to protect their hive.

If only he knew… things might not have turned out like this.

Every dream image slowly faded away like a haze of smoke. Some people had said that the more joyful a memory was, the sadder it would become when that person was gone.

Charan agreed that it was true.

The hot and restless movement of the person next to him woke Khanin up in the middle of the night. The small-bodied owner rose and reached for the lamp near the bed before widening his eyes slightly to see the paler face of Charan.

“Are you…?”

The end of the sentence was swallowed up in the palm of Khanin’s hand, which touched the sleeping man’s arm, then felt the higher-than-normal temperature.

Khanin’s gaze turned to the bottle in his hand, lost in thought as he pondered why the other person had fallen ill before his eyes could even shift to the Aztec-patterned cloth on the sturdy armrest, which seemed like an answer to his question.

Or was it that the wound had become infected?

“Are you…not feeling well?” he asked, but it was meaningless. Charan still seemed trapped in his own thoughts, not even waking from a doze. The other person didn’t respond at all, leaving the boy to look around worriedly. The sweat seeping out of his pores mingled with the rush of hot wind, revealing that another person was suffering. Khanin fiddled with the light switches until the entire room was brightly lit, then turned back to survey the others once more.

The young boy released a soft sigh when he saw the grimace on the face of the sick person. Khanin used his forefinger to gently brush the other person’s forehead before deciding to get up, but as he made up his mind, some people refused to let him go. They wouldn’t even step aside and let him through.

“Don’t go…”

“Hmm…” The small, slender wrist was held by the larger one, and the voice that had once been soft now sounded hoarse, adding a layer of intense anxiety to the situation.

“….”

 

 

What did you say?” Khanin wasn’t sure if Charan was fully conscious or just delirious from the fever. The younger person hesitated to move away while the other person refused to budge.

“Don’t leave.” The request made the corners of Khanin’s mouth turn down even further. The boy swept his eyes over the other person’s entire body before finally nodding.

“You’re so hot, you need a wipe down. I’ll go find a cloth for that.” Khanin mumbled, trying to pull his hand out, but the other person seemed more determined to hold on than ever before.

“No need to go.” Charan whispered, slowly opening his tightly shut eyes and locking gazes with Khanin. In those dark pupils were tears that threatened to spill out at any moment. His breaths were shallow and filled with hot air that seemed to linger inside his body.

“But…”

“Can’t you stay here?”

“Uh…”

“I want you to stay here…together.”

After finishing his sentence, the sick person pulled Khanin’s hand towards himself and pressed it against his own cheekbone. The pitch-black gaze of the two people interlocked for a moment before slowly closing again. The rhythm of their breathing was in sync and steady.

Khanin felt like he had been hit by a strong electric shock as he stood there motionless. He didn’t even think about doing anything wrong, just let himself stand there holding onto the other person’s cheek. That was all.

This was a situation where he was better off than others because the other person had once come to comfort him on a day when no one else was around…just being together like this, taking care of each other during times of sickness and fever. Why would Khanin not do the same?

Though he didn’t think much about it, the truth was that he would have to stand by someone else’s side while thinking about the meaning of life every day… The pain in his back began to manifest itself.

But that was still better than having no one.

The young boy waited until Charan fell back into a deep sleep before finally hesitantly pulling his hand away from the other person’s grasp. He twisted and turned, trying to dispel the fatigue before he could find something suitable to use as a container for water.

“You, move a little.” Khanin called out to Charan again after pouring water from a glass into a fake fruit bowl placed in one corner of the room.

The young boy dipped a clean cloth into the basin and then gently nudged the sleeping figure. However, Charan did not even budge, his older body remaining motionless like before.

“Well then, I apologize.” I said.

“…”

“May I help you take off your shirt…?” Seeing that the other party did not respond well, Khanin immediately took off Charan’s shirt.

Taut abdominal muscles were the first thing that caught the eye. In Charan’s navel, there was a slight tremor as hairs stood up due to the sudden influx of cool air rushing against his skin.

Khanin hastily used a clean cloth to wipe the body of the older man because he felt embarrassed and wanted to quickly finish his task.

The two-layered eyes avoided each other and instead looked at the handsome face. Khanin tried to make Charan more comfortable by adjusting his blankets, but the person still shifted slightly probably because of the cold temperature.

“Do you need me to wipe down there?”

If you want me to wipe, you’ll have to take it off…”

“Take it off? No way, leave it like that.”

Khanin scolded himself inwardly – he knew he shouldn’t be getting too close to the other party’s lower body. He quickly dressed the sleeping person before stealthily sneaking out a breath.

Charan continued to shift around uncomfortably. Khanin knew what kind of situation this was from previous experiences. Whenever he was sick, he always wanted his father nearby, especially when he was half asleep and half awake.

The young boy thought that Charan probably felt the same way. Otherwise, why would he hold hands and lean on each other’s cheeks like before?

“Ah…” A low groan erupted due to feverish illness calling for Khanin to extend his hand and gently touch the sleeping man who seemed to have been needing this all along. He immediately grabbed the thin wrist of the person, afraid that if he hesitated any longer, someone else might change their mind.

Charan leaned his warm cheek against the gentle touch of the young boy. The effect of the fever caused Khanin to moisten his lips as they came closer together.

“Go to sleep, I’m right here.”

“…”

“You can fight again tomorrow morning.” It seemed like the other party heard the words. At least, the big figure that used to be restless in the past looked calm and quiet now. As if Khanin’s words had some kind of magic power.

Breathing that used to be shallow and rapid slowly eased up. When a person is more relaxed, those watching feel relieved too. Yes, it’s over now.

The other party was protected to the point where Khanin himself was injured as well. They had to sit and support the other person until morning…Khanin didn’t think it would be so difficult…or was it really?

It took less than 20 minutes for Khanin to reach the second floor of the building. He did everything in a hurry, feeling like this was the most rushed thing he had ever done in his life. After all, the young boy didn’t want to appear rude and let his host wait for him while eating. Especially with someone who was the owner of the place.

The young man hurriedly said that when he arrived and met Khanin again, the dining table was still empty, and his friend Charan’s companion, who was the owner of the pub, was standing behind the counter assuming the role of a Japanese food chef with smooth skill.

“Perfect timing. Please wait for a moment.” Itthi said softly to Khanin, while the pub owner who had transformed himself into a chef was busy using a sharp knife to expertly fillet fish, demonstrating his dexterity and agility.

“I’m sorry I’m late.” the youngest person in the room apologized, rising to maintain decorum. Itthi responded with a smile on his face, friendly as ever, while at the same time preparing all the dishes.

“Don’t worry, the food isn’t ready yet. And oh, by the way, A’Ran (Charan) said he had a fever last night, so you’re helping take care of him must have been quite exhausting.” Itthi said, directing Khanin’s gaze towards the tall figure standing not far away, who was currently fussing over utensils and not paying much attention to their conversation.

“He told you?”

“Yes.” Khanin admitted that he was slightly surprised by the answer he received, glancing once again at the tall man before redirecting the conversation back to the topic of this morning’s breakfast instead.

“You look very skilled with a knife.”

“It’s not just knives, I’m good with swords too.” Charan replied confidently. Some other people who had been walking back noticed the conversation and joined in, Charan’s words earning him praise and recognition from Khanin himself.

You already said that.”

“I’m just complimenting myself. I left sword fighting a long time ago. Now, all I have is cooking and sitting here waiting to serve you.” the pub owner said, taking on his role as a Japanese food chef once again with a bit of a laugh.

“Come on, let’s eat.”

“Itthi… did you make all of this yourself?” Khanin asked, somewhat surprised, unable to determine just how skilled the other man was with a knife.

“Yes, I did it all myself. Do you like it?” Itthi responded, with Charan having already gone off to seat the young man at the table. Within five minutes, they were all enjoying a Japanese-style breakfast together, complete with grilled fish, hot rice, miso soup, pickled vegetables, and what appeared to be tofu in sauce, rounded off with an egg roll.

“I like to study Japanese cooking.”

“Wow, you’re really good.” The owner of the place said sincerely and called forth a smile from Khanin.

“If Khun Khanin likes…”

“Just call me Nin.” The young boy said naturally.

“Then call me Phii.”

“Khrap, Phii itt.”Charan looked back and forth between the two, the young man didn’t say anything but half-spoken words and thoughts swirled in his head.

These two…are they getting too close too soon?

“Do you like Japanese food, Nin?”

“Yes, I like raw fish.”

“I’ll make it for you when I have the chance.” The young boy was enthusiastic beyond his duty.

 

 

Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Usually, I don’t cook for anyone else. I prefer to cook for myself. It would be nice if someone came to eat with me and gave me feedback on the taste.”

“Just by looking, you get full marks. Actually, I think It could open a Japanese restaurant with the pub.” The younger one spoke his mind. Charan thought Khanin had good manners but those traits weren’t meant for him.

“That’s an interesting idea.”

“Influence.”

“Hm?” The person who was talking to Khanin was distracted by the small friend when he was interrupted. Charan paused for a moment before quickly finding a reason to support that he called the other party again.

“You forgot your tea.”

“Really, then let’s eat first. I’ll be back.” The third person got up and left, leaving only Khanin and Charan. The young boy took out his phone to take a picture of the food tray and then focused his attention on the grilled meat dish.

“Try the cold tofu first, it helps with digestion.” Charan’s advice floated over to Khanin who was looking at the appetizer.

“I don’t like cold tofu.”

“Don’t be picky. Tofu has benefits.”

“Ugh, are you my dad?” Khanin grumbled with the intention of making the tall man hear him.

“Tofu is made from yellow beans, and the protein in yellow beans is twice as much as some types of animal meat in the same amount. Plus, it contains lecithin which helps reduce fat, helps with memory and protects against hardening of the arteries. Tofu has benefits…”

You know a lot about this.” Khanin looked up at the lengthy explanation of the person next to him, barely believing it…was Charan trying to lecture him because he wasn’t eating tofu?

“I know, so eat it.”

“I know, but I don’t like to eat. If you want me to, I’ll eat the nutritious stuff.” He picked up the serving spoon in the middle of the plate of cold tofu and poured sauce over it before placing it down for the older person next to him. That was all it took for the younger person’s antics to disappear and the problem with the tofu to be resolved. Charan waited.

“…”

“Eat a lot, please.” The young man smiled brightly, creating a different feeling among the group. For Charan, who knew the young man’s intentions, he saw Khanin as a charming old wizard.

As for the influence that had just returned to the table with hot tea, they looked like two people taking care of each other’s food to eat like that.

“So cute together.” The third person called out. Both Khanin and Charan turned to look. The young man raised his eyebrows while Charan himself looked confused.

“Hmm, what’s so cute?”

“You guys are so cute together. When I first met you, you said you were coming to Thailand. I thought you were looking for someone here to take care of you again. Same story, right?” The implication sent a smiley glance, different from the best friend who still didn’t understand.

“What’s the matter?”

“You told me you were coming to stay with your brother. I’ve been your friend for years, Charn. How could I not know you have only one guy… I can tell that he is your boyfriend.” This person misunderstood them, making Charan feel anxious that he had to quickly defend himself.

He is just a little brother; just that.”

“I can tell that he’s not just an ordinary younger generation.” This sentence made Mr. Khanin swallow his saliva secretly. Mr. Charan himself was worried that Mr. Itthi might know too much. However, the following sentence clearly expanded the owner the bar’s thoughts.

“…”

“Even good couples still argue.” Khanin blinked his eyes, glancing discreetly at the person next to him who seemed shocked for a moment. The young mind calculate the possibilities of the upcoming situation before seeking an immediate exit to conceal their troubled state.

How can we lose by following the water ahead? It may be the best way out.

“Our secret is out… We get along so well, don’t we?” the young man in the play slapped his forehead, pretending to laugh and quickly turned his attention to the audience. With strong arms, he leaned his head on wide shoulders in a familiar gesture. Playing it off, Charan couldn’t catch up and ended up being left behind.

Another setback. This doctor enjoys acting as if they’ve never touched flesh, having to deal with other people.

“Hmm, you get along well… How did you meet?”

“We… met in England.”

“Oh, Across oceans and seas. Nin, do you know that during the time we were studying, Ai’Ran never had a boyfriend that friends knew about? He seemed very quiet.” Itthi said with with good intentions. Meanwhile, on the other side, Charan seemed to have lost himself in this conversation. The other person sat still, his hand hugged tightly, looking unnatural until Khanin thought of teasing him.

“Because I’m so cute, right? That’s why I want to introduce myself to his friends. It wouldn’t be fair to leave me hanging when you’re there to hug me.”

 

 

“Um.” One person hesitated while the other just stood there, unable to refuse the greeting. Charan knew that if he said that Khanin wasn’t his boyfriend, their close friend would be even more suspicious. Finally, the person had no choice but to reluctantly act in a play.

“My darling Ungang is the cutest, isn’t he?” However, the pronoun sounded strange and made the listener raise their eyebrows. Charan frowned and turned to look at the person beside him just as they asked instead of what he was thinking.

“Ungang? What does that mean?”

“What do you call me, Phii Itthi, right? As boyfriends one needs to have a special name different from others.” The cheeky boy spoke with a sweet smile, but looked cruel in Charan’s eyes.

“So, what does ‘Ungang’ mean?”

“’UngAng’… It means ‘Bullfrog’ because he likes to mock me. He complains about me being a bullfrog, so calling me like this is cute, right?” The explanation sounded like a sweet couple in love to outsiders who couldn’t help but stare at Charan. Khanin intentionally found ways to indirectly tease him, making it clear that he still didn’t understand his feelings.

The person exploded into laughter until it hurt, which pleased Charan, but he kept the resentment towards the young troublemaker in his heart.

“What do you call each other, ‘bullfrog’ and what else?” The closest friend asked curiously. It made Itthi laugh until tears came out. The bar owner used his back hand to wipe away his tears while waiting for an answer from Charan’s mouth.

For a split second, the tall silent man turned to look at the young man beside him. Khanin arched his eyebrows and winked his eye flirtatiously. Their actions made Charan think of some other definition… “Stubborn.”

“What?”

This question didn’t come from Itthi but from the youngest person at the table. Charan smiled slightly and turned to look at the white-haired person, trying to figure out how to find a way to get back at Khanin.

“Call me stubborn because I’m really stubborn. I argue well and tell others what to do. A stubborn personality doesn’t have anyone who can beat them.”

He just bluffed… bluffing back wasn’t cheating. Charan’s smile widened as he realized that Khanin probably had a fire burning inside him. You could see it in the way the young man sent a glowing gaze and even posed a challenge.

Something had to be done quickly.

“Um…”

“But he is so cute.” The young man reluctantly ended with a sentence that increased the sweetness of the moment. Khanin gritted his teeth and closed his lips.

“Uh, he is so cute, where did you get a boyfriend this cute, Ai’Ran? I feel so bad for myself.”

“I’m also wondering how he found me.” Khanin smiled. His mouth was forming a couple’s drama in front of Itthi, but in his heart, he was thinking of ways to get back at someone older than him.

“If Nin ever needs help, just let me know. As Charan’s boyfriend, I am like your big brother. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you, Big Brother Itthi.” said the boy playing the role of the cute boyfriend with a sweet smile. Khanin paid attention to eating breakfast, thinking about how he could get back at the other person and regain his dominance.

They secretly exchanged glances until someone’s words raised tensions. One person choked on their food, while the other’s face turned red from sipping soup.

“I guess us calling each other ‘Um’ and ‘Stubborn’ won’t really match well.” “…”.

“Being called stubborn is better than being called Unganng aka the bullfrog.”

TBC.

THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 14: Pieces in the Board Game.

By: CEO. Ft. Ennice.

Khanin’s eyes widened and shouted for someone else to come. The rain soaked the air with a strong smell of blood, while the injured person writhed in pain but refused to give up.

He staggered and felt as though he was searching for a foundation while Charan stopped abruptly and stood still for no apparent reason. The young man, restless, weighed his options for a split second before deciding to find help.

He hesitated for just a moment before turning left and right to grab a small potted plant that was located in front of someone’s house.

Swish!

At that very moment, the tile’s hardness collided with the head of the culprit. The sound of a painful cry emerged, and fresh blood dripped from the heads of both individuals. The injured bodies were already running low on energy, and they could not get up again.

Khanin ran towards Charan, taking advantage of the fact that the criminal was dazed and pulling the older boy’s slender wrist to make him run ahead. Warm steam emanated from their hands, and Khanin’s thoughts echoed through the tall figure’s mind.

Charan grimaced, trying to regain his composure and focus on his surroundings. Khanin hastened his steps and occasionally glanced at the body of the man lying behind them, like drops of rain falling from the sky and soaking their bodies.

Khanin could tell that Charan seemed slower than usual… No, he couldn’t say anything, it would seem unfair to assume that the other party looked abnormal after… after the rain started falling.

“You… are bleeding.” the younger boy murmured quietly after checking the other’s injuries and finding a wound and blood on the left arm of Charan’s slender frame.

“It’s nothing.” The physical pain was not a big deal, but the mental state was scary.

“Are you okay? Does it hurt?” The young man guessed that the pain might be variable. Khanin couldn’t tell if Charan’s wound was large or small, he just knew that the blood was still flowing.

“Not much.” Charan’s face didn’t show any signs of pain. He bit his lip and refused to turn his head, looking instead at his own wound, trying to collect as much awareness as possible.

This combination of rain and blood was not going to end well.

Charan decided not to run in the rain and pulled the younger boy’s wrist into a public restroom in front of them. The cramped space with two men was somewhat uncomfortable, much like when they had avoided the criminals in front of an old shop.

It’s not that there wasn’t a point to focus on other than the man in front of him…

The distance between them wasn’t far, but it made Khanin feel strange and bizarre. It was a feeling that he couldn’t quite distinguish or categorize. How could he describe it? It was like he rarely felt this way.

In reality, Khanin understood and guessed why Charan chose to hide in this place. At this time, if they ran randomly four or five times, there would most likely be a certain percentage of encountering someone else and needing to confront or face them.

“Your friend’s house…”

“Not far from here.” whispered the voice in response while lifting the backpack to hang on the railing. Khanin raised his eyebrows and looked at those actions with suspicion before it turned into a slightly gaping mouth when the tall man began to take off the shirt he was wearing.

Charan’s beautiful muscles appeared in view. Khanin blinked, paused for a moment, then quickly averted his gaze. The young man chose to rest his gaze elsewhere, but when he looked back, he couldn’t help but stare at the strong scar on his forearm.

Charan wiped the blood off his hands with the problematic shirt that he had worn and then put it in his bag before picking out a new shirt to wear. He did everything gracefully and quickly, making Khanin look surprised.

“You’re not hurt…” the end of this sentence, the younger person fell silent because suddenly he heard footsteps and the rhythm of someone walking outside. Khanin locked eyes with the tall man who was looking at him and raised his hand, feeling embarrassed.

A lump in his chest beat rapidly. Khanin felt as though his heart would stop beating for a moment. Beads of sweat seeped from the dark side of his face, and every second seemed to pass slowly.

The boy thought he had accidentally held his breath until he heard someone speak Thai from outside, which made him realize that the person passing by wasn’t one of the groups they feared.

Charan took a deep breath and waited patiently until the rain stopped. The two men then proceeded to leave once more.

…

At first, Khanin understood that the friend’s house that Charan had mentioned was just an ordinary accommodation, but what he saw in front of him now was not close to what he had in mind.

The music around them was loud and intense, and tourists of both sexes swayed to the rhythm of the music with their eyes closed. The entertainment venue was crowded with people, inviting the white man to wake up from his daze.

“Come, Khun Charan is waiting.” said the male server who Charan followed inside, while the tall man just stood there, preparing to welcome them.

Khanin and Charan walked behind the server towards a narrow corridor that led to the shop’s second-floor lobby.

“The office is where we’re going. Khun Itthi has informed us that you can go up if Khun Charan has arrived.” said the Thai-speaking server, but Khanin understood the communication through the body language they used. The other party nodded slightly before turning away.

“Come on.” said Charan, urging Khanin, who was still hesitating about their lodging.

“And our accommodation…?” The sound of the song from outside could still be faintly heard. Khanin looked intently at the older man, questioning him with suspicion.

“It’s here, if it were an ordinary hotel, it would be easy to find.” Charan clarified briefly and logically, conveying his cautious personality. Khanin didn’t ask anything else until they stopped in front of a door in one of the rooms.

“Come in.” A thick hand pushed open the door after hearing the permission given from inside. It was an office decorated with expensive furniture that showed off the user’s status. A tall, well-proportioned figure with light brown hair named Itthi Itthi Korn greeted them with a friendly smile.

“Just waiting.” Khanin felt that the external appearance of the influence did not look like the brutal bar owner style at all. The posture of the person was straight, the face looked friendly without poison or danger, and it seemed clean and neat like a well-dressed young man.

His two-layered eyes swept around to survey the people in front of him without showing any disrespect. Khanin saw the tall figure hug his friend and then the young man’s mind processed anew that…the person who was close to Charan should be a group of well-dressed men.

“This is Itthi, my friend, and this is Khanin.” Charan did not disclose his status, but merely made a brief introduction, as if performing a ritual to maintain decorum, rather than wanting them to get to know each other for real.

“Have you had a tiring journey?” The bar owner returned greetings in English. Khanin smiled slightly before choosing to answer truthfully within his heart.

“Just a little bit.” The corners of his mouth formed a smile on Khanin’s face, making him wonder if he could speak the truth before walking in. They almost died several times before arriving here…

“How are you?”

“As you can see, I’m fine. It’s been a few years since I last saw you.” Itthi made a pensive gesture while talking to Saran.

“Two or three years…this time I might have to bother you for a couple of days.” The tall man’s words did not surprise the younger one. Khanin could understand that they probably couldn’t take the same flight back because for some reason, they had to wait at the airport. It was too dangerous.

“Fine, I already had the kid prepare a room for you.”

“Thank you very much, Itthi.”

“It’s a small matter, Ai’Ran. We’re already friends.” The friendly address made it clear that they were genuine friends. Khanin looked at Itthi and invited the tall man to continue talking for a few more words. The bar owner then concluded the conversation.

“If you need anything else, just use the phone in the room to call. Go and rest.” To allow the tired travelers to go back and relax, Itthi didn’t think about prolonging their time.

“Thanks, can I…do you have any bandages or something?”

“Sure, do you need anything else?”

“Just that I got a little wound while traveling.” Saran answered smoothly, saying that the wound on his arm wasn’t a big deal. Itthi stopped walking and ordered something over the phone. Soon after, the male waiter returned.

Khanin thanked the owner before following the guide to the standard, ordinary-looking single bed room. But what made him feel impressed was that the inner wall was soundproofed so effectively that it blocked the outside noise completely.

Charan stood and talked with Itthi’s employee at the door. The posture of the tall man seemed normal to the point where Khanin secretly admired his resilience, despite having such a large wound on his arm. Not only that, but he also spoke naturally with the third person in Thai.

“Don’t you want to go to the hospital? Your wound is deep.” Khanin asked while another person closed the door and walked back to sit next to him with a first aid kit borrowed from the office.

The young boy sneaked a peek at his left arm and noticed that Charan was trying to minimize his movements as much as possible while tending to his wound.

“It’s not close to the heart.” the older man replied calmly, using his right hand to handle various medical instruments while Khanin subtly observed his every move. He was agile and had a slight desire to empathize with the situation.

The young boy hesitated and sat still, but when he saw Charan roll up his sleeve, clean the wound, and administer medication quickly, he decided to relax and sit quietly instead of being a hindrance.

The atmosphere in the room was so quiet that it felt suffocating, except for the sound of tearing an eye patch. Two figures huddled in the corner, hiding away from view, while Khanin pondered what to do next.

“Let me help.” A timid youth approached and offered to hold the bandage for the tall man.

“Thank you.” Charan whispered, extending his arm for Young-Prince to assist him. One reason he accepted the offer was that he had assessed his abilities and realized that refusing help would not be beneficial in any way.

Khanin affixed a waterproof bandage onto the strong arm delicately, cautiously observing the situation. He then started a new conversation to break the silence.

“You…”

“Hm?”

“What do you think… How could the killers have known we were here… Or did they have a tracking device?” He upgraded from the word ‘criminal’ to a definition that he thought was more appropriate based on the recent events.

‘Killers’ seemed to be the most fitting term in Khanin’s mind.

The behavior of those who acted with their faces and eyes covered indicated that they had come with malicious intent, shown by their unwillingness to hold back their weapons. Khanin didn’t dare to guess what would have happened if Charan hadn’t been there to help. Perhaps…he might have died a long time ago.

“There is no tracking device; it’s just a possibility.” Charan breathed out slowly as he thought about the day’s events.

What could happen if he failed to protect Young-Prince? Charan knew that he could not face Sovereign-King, who had been kind enough to take care of him, as a flawed person in his duty.

The young boy only knew that everything Charan predicted would inevitably come true. From what had happened in London to today’s events…

“We’ll have to take the train instead.”

“The train?”

“Yes, it will take longer, but it’s better than standing still. We’ll wait and check the weather again.” Charan spoke quickly and confidently, like a computer. Walking, the older man evaluated various escape routes as if he had already chased them down. Eventually, he answered without hesitation.

However, there was one point that made Khanin wonder about the young boy who furrowed his brow while processing a plan in his mind, lost in thought before deciding to ask a question.

“Check the weather? Why?”

“No reason, but we won’t run away when it rains.” The response caused Khanin to stop staring at their conversation for a moment. They briefly brushed past each other. The young boy seemed to see a subtle current that was hidden within, which appeared for only a moment before disappearing.

Khanin did not return his attention to the boy and instead focused on tending to the injured person’s wounds once again. The young boy fidgeted nervously until he could lift his head and saw that some people were already looking at them.

 

 

Done. Does it hurt?” He didn’t know what to say and didn’t want to make things worse. Khanin changed the topic.

The young boy gently rubbed Charan’s bicep with both hands before gradually moving away.

“No, it will go away soon.”

The conversation was calm, differing from the pain that the injury caused. It was clear that some people were accustomed to pain while others were not. For Khanin, just seeing the wound made him feel the pain itself. He had come to realize this much.

A warm breath permeated the owner’s small body as they breathed out, wanting to laugh or tease fate for playing a joke that nearly killed them.

However, they couldn’t bring themselves to laugh.

The more Charan suffered like this, the worse the young boy felt.

“Honestly… why do you work like this? You’re risking your life. You might die any day, and even if you have a good day, someone might come at you with a knife. And on top of that, you have to come and protect other people… How do you feel about it?” The lengthy sentence contained mixed emotions of not understanding.

Khanin was unable to cope with someone who wasn’t shaken by anything like before.

“No, it’s my duty.”

The word ‘duty’ caused the beautiful eyebrows of the audience to twitch. Suddenly, a wave of dissatisfaction surged up one of them, making it difficult to listen. It changed the expression of those listening, causing only a small smile to move their lips.

“Is it like what your father did?”

“…”

The duty of coming to protect others until you die… I don’t think it’s right. Where does it have to be?” The young boy spoke his thoughts, not wanting to be a burden for someone else to protect. His face had become bitter and his beautiful eyes were flashing.

The young boy felt as though his emotions were being switched back and forth, as if they were being grabbed by an invisible hand and shifted from side to side. A turbulent whirlpool sent waves of despair through him.

“Your grandfather once told me… Tattanai was a very strong guard, he was hard to catch because he was so skilled. He was given the important duty of taking care of you…” Charan brought up something new in a soft voice, calling the attention of the younger person.

“…”

“It’s not just a duty. He protected you more than that.” A warm tear fell quietly, and the slender figure of the young boy rocked back and forth because he didn’t want to accept Charan’s opinion.

Did he want to protect? Was it necessary to do so much?

Khanin blinked his eyes to stop the tears and let his heart gradually calm down with the pain. No one wanted to experience loss, he himself included. He didn’t want to encounter any loss in exchange for the heights he had never desired.

“The persecution of Thanan was nothing to the bloodshed that he never knew existed, but it’s important to Khanin even if just a bit…”

“I’ll ask you straight up… is that competition really important to these people’s lives? Is it really as important as someone’s life being treated like a fish vegetable?” It went deeper than just the pain. Khanin knew from the beginning that it was anger that he never understood, and still does not understand today.

“Everyone wants power.”

Power? That’s funny… and what about you? How is this silly competition important to you?”

Charan’s answer made Khanin wonder. What made Charan willing to sacrifice so much for his job? Especially since they were just two strangers.

For Khanin, Charan was like a puzzle piece on this board. However, he could not quite grasp the answer he received. Perhaps it had to do with something that was planted deep within, or with his job, but the sentence that some people might take for granted… It had quite an impact on Khanin’s heart.

“The competition isn’t important to me, but it is to you…”

“What do you mean?”

“If it’s important to Atsawathewathin, then it’s important to me too.”

TBC.

THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 13: Storm of Rain.

By: CEO ft Ennice.

At around midnight on the international airline, there was still quietness from Heathrow Airport to Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand, which is the destination point.

Traveling by plane from London to Daveen, the capital of Emmerlyn, has two ways. One is to fly and change planes in Thailand, and the other is to go to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.

Charan let Khanin beside him sleep soundly since the moment the plane took off and flew up into the sky like a large bird hovering above the clouds.

His eyes scanned the young man who was fast asleep in the seat next to him. It was his preference that he chose to book a middle-row first-class seat instead of a single chair next to the window.

For one thing, it is for safety reasons during emergencies. Charan had to reach Young-Prince before anyone else, and the second reason is something personal that he couldn’t tell anyone…

Charan hates sitting by the window on planes…

The important duty of the flight attendants is to sweep their eyes around to observe and check for safety according to their experience. This flight has fewer passengers, especially those in the first-class section, where people are relatively sparse.

The calm situation that is currently unfolding has not relieved Charan’s tightly packed anxiety even in the slightest since the young man began his journey without encountering any abnormalities.

Everything was safe… so quiet that even the tall man began to tremble with fear. At first, Charan was worried that there might be a clash at Heathrow Airport, but the situation did not turn out that way.

His assumption was not realized, as no suspicious individuals were found at the airport. Everything was peaceful and surprisingly normal…

Warm breaths were blown out by the tall man to relieve tension. Although the path ahead was obstacle-free, experienced individuals did not let their guard down. If the enemy had an intention to harm him or Young-Prince, they would have sent someone to wait in the middle of the road.

And for this reason… he decided to let Khanin rest for more than eleven hours.

Charan immersed himself in planning various plans in his mind, concentrating so much that he barely noticed the small movements of the person next to him. However, he suddenly stopped thinking about his serious thoughts.

The young man looked at the sleeping figure, the wrinkles on Khanin’s forehead were tightly furrowed. His thin body made no sound, but it clearly showed signs of stress and distress.

Sometimes bad dreams may be deceiving… as can be seen from the other party’s nails digging into his flesh. Charan frowned and intended to wake the younger person up, but as soon as he touched him, someone else grabbed them both, as if trying to seize a place to rest.

“…” The older man paused. Charan hesitated for a moment, looking around for help, but there was no one around to help.

 

 

If they held hands… Khanin would not feel any pain.

Yes… to prevent Young-Prince’s nails from digging into himself, the best thing to do was to hold hands like this…

His determination to let go in the beginning had to be canceled halfway through. Charan stared at the hands that were holding tightly for almost ten seconds. The wrinkles on his forehead, which had been pressed together, slowly relaxed.

Khanin’s breathing became more regular and steady due to the warm touch of the tall man. Charan let go, knowing that these actions might help the young boy in some way.

Traveling across borders and contacting one another took a long time. Accumulated exhaustion forced the tall man to close his eyes for a while, but still, all five senses were alert.

The sound of the seatbelt being fastened suddenly rose, calling out to several passengers to adjust themselves. The plane was experiencing turbulence due to the changing weather conditions.

Charan forgot to look up again to check the well-being of the person next to him before turning back to sit upright. The weakness and tiredness he had experienced earlier disappeared and were replaced by a small sense of tightness.

The young man secretly swallowed his saliva, his mind warning himself not to turn and look out the window. Charan glanced over to find a focal point to rest his eyes on during the stormy airplane ride…

The tension in his light grip almost made him lose consciousness, causing the tall man to let go of his grip on the armrests in fear. Charan took a deep breath, unaware of how long it would take for the plane to pass through the heavy rainstorm…

He only knew that… before he could feel himself again, it was at the moment when he shook hands with his distant royal blood relative, tightly connected until they reached their final destination in Thailand…

They arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport later than expected due to the bad weather conditions, making Charan’s entire plan delayed. However, he did not see this as a big problem, but rather a good thing to have some time to spare during the journey, to think and prepare for what would happen in the future.

“What’s wrong?” The young boy asked, noticing that the other person was lost in thought.

“Nothing, just thinking that sleeping on the plane is like being dead, plus I had a dream too.”

“What dream?”

“Uhh… never mind, forget it. Where are we going next?” Khanin changed the subject, raising his eyebrows. The young boy refused to tell the truth about the dream, thinking it was somewhat pointless.

At first, it was a nightmare… making him feel terrible, but Khanin appeared in his thoughts, appearing as a person walking beside him, holding hands as if to comfort each other.

The problem was that the bad dream that came afterward was deceiving at first, but then it gradually became a warm feeling to replace it. A young man at his age cannot explain this dream to Charan properly.

“…”

“What’s wrong? I asked where we’re going next.”

Finally, the thin frame decided to fold and keep the whole story in his heart. They continued on to the passenger arrival zone. Khanin whispered while the tall person gradually slowed down when he noticed that the other person seemed to need to speed up too much.

“We’ll stay with a friend tonight, and tomorrow morning we’ll continue our journey.” Charan leaned over to speak to the young boy so that only the two of them could hear.

“Is your friend here? Is it spacious enough?”

Khanin interjected, raising his eyebrows. The young boy thought of

Charan’s image when he was with his friends, which didn’t come out much.

Because in his eyes, he estimated from the pose coming from the person he liked doing often, it led Khanin to make a decision that the other party might not have many close friends.

“He’s half-Emmaly.”

Charan explained to Khanin so that he would understand. The young boy had no more doubts about the homeowner whom his companion had taken him to stay overnight. However, there were still many things left that bothered him without any resolution.

“I’m wondering why we didn’t fly directly to Hanoi as it takes less time than waiting for a long layover like this, isn’t it?” Khanin hastened his steps again as they walked side by side.

People at the airport during this evening time were quite chaotic. Charan saw it as an advantage, but on the other hand, it was also a disadvantage in that it was safe from intruders, but people had to be more vigilant around both sides.

“Because that way takes less time than not going.”

“Why?”

“Why?”

“Because the bad guys might send someone to ambush us there.”

The young man’s eyes fell on the response he received, lost in thought for a moment before the teacher lightly cleared his throat.

Charan was cautious, at least when it came to traveling with others. The disadvantages were not the only things to consider, as there were also plenty of positives to remember.

The most important thing was safety…

“But that doesn’t mean they won’t send someone to ambush us here.”

“What do you mean?” The younger person raised their eyebrows slightly and both of them stopped, standing in front of the exit door before the taller figure grabbed their shoulder. Both sides held the young one steady so they could listen carefully.

“Listen, since we left Heathrow I’ve been thinking everything is too normal. If I had to guess their plan, it would probably involve trying to send someone to wait for us in Hanoi because those guys probably think I have to hurry back to Emmaly with you as soon as possible.”

“Because if that were the case, we wouldn’t be going…”

“Yes, but I think they might still send someone here.” Charan pondered heavily before finally seeing the possibility of the bad guys coming to ambush them here. He silently prayed that he would be able to handle it if that really happened.

“…”

“For your safety, leave the gate and stay away from me completely.”

“I know.” Someone else’s serious tone influenced Khunit’s response to become only a soft murmur. Charan paused before they walked out again, and the air inside the passenger entrance to Suvarnabhumi Airport was thick.

Khanin tried to follow the instructions of the older person, but his mind clashed with the order as he walked as though he wasn’t jostled by the rushing flow of people. He felt like a slot machine that moved slowly and was not in tune with his own feelings.

The young man used to think he was quite fast at making decisions and doing things, but when compared to Charan today… Khanin realized that his quickness in decision-making and carrying out tasks was quite slow, not much different from a slot machine…

Before the main sentence at the airport, chaos was everywhere due to the long line waiting for taxis that stretched out like a snake’s tail. Charan chose to walk together with a group of people who said they would walk up to the taxi on the other side of the gate.

The young man ordered Khanin to bow down as low as possible and they followed the group of tourists without attracting attention, while the older person reasoned that this way was safer than walking just the two of them.

Because not only did it help avoid being remembered, this way also enabled them to quickly find a way out of the airport by following the group of people who already knew the way. It wasn’t anything complicated or difficult.

When they reached their destination, Charan strode over to the nearest taxi and spoke to the driver in Thai before gesturing for the younger person to get in the car. Then he followed and sat next to him.

His sharp eyes turned left and then right to check safety as they traveled. On the way, Khanin noticed the taxi driver starting to chat with Charan about something, and the young man found that Thai language was similar to English in some ways so he could understand some of what they were saying if he listened carefully.

“It’s been raining every day these days, it’s really hard to find customers if we don’t have the little ones. And where did you go for vacation? Maybe to Japan maybe? Everyone who goes to Japan comes back with customers in this area.”

“Yes, I went to Japan.” Charan replied with a gesture before reaching out and tapping Khanin’s waist.

The slight warmth touched the young man’s cheek, causing him to turn and look at the person next to him with suspicion, wondering what was going on. But before he could ask anything, the other person leaned in and whispered almost to his ear.

“Don’t sit too close to the mirror, it’s not safe.”

The little distance between them might have been caused by Charan not wanting the third person in the car to hear their conversation. Khanin shifted himself noticing that he had accidentally sat too close to the mirror.

He didn’t protest and moved away from the window, approaching the tall person beside him almost instantly. Khanin followed Charan’s words easily, now he had to trust what the other person said.

Although his heart truly wished to sit and admire the unfamiliar atmosphere of the country he had never set foot in, Bangkok was one city he and his father had planned to visit together.

They had planned to stay here for a week, wandering around looking for street food together…

But that dream would never come true again.

Khanin allowed himself to sink into the silence until he saw Charan move again. The young man turned his gaze back to the person next to him.

Charan’s posture looked strange, and the other person was bewildered, looking left and right, almost causing Khanin to stretch himself closer and whisper lightly into the ear of the older person.

“What are you?” Before he finished speaking, Charan’s finger moved, approaching his lips as a signal for Khanin to stop talking.

The young man raised his eyebrows, feeling curious with many questions in his head, but when he met the serious gaze of the other person, Khanin reluctantly fell silent.

He swallowed nervously when he noticed something abnormal when Charan had touched him. Khanin took advantage of a moment to look through the rearview mirror. The young man did not see anything unusual, but guessed that someone with sharp ears like Charan might have accidentally heard something.

“Turn left at the intersection.”

“Here?”

“Yes, turn here and park.” Charan spoke to the person sitting behind the wheel, his voice getting louder, causing confusion.

“Are you two going to take your boyfriend to the market first? There are many restaurants around here, but the one we’re going to is on the next street.”

“Yes, here is the fare, no need for change.” Charan didn’t hold back, thinking that their close relationship so far must have an impact on the driver’s understanding, grabbing the banknote to pay before reaching out and pulling the young man to follow as soon as the car stopped.

Khanin couldn’t grasp anything at the moment. He only knew that he was standing amid a group of people, surrounded by shops.

“We’re being followed.” Charan rushed, brows furrowed, pushing the young man out of the way. Khanin’s eyes wandered to the back, noticing a strange group of four or five people heading their way.

They wore hats that covered their faces, sunglasses, and even black masks over the lower half of their faces. It was obvious that they were not ordinary people…

But Khanin refused to believe that these people had come to follow them here.

“This way.” Charan urged the younger child to run into the alley under the cloudy sky. The flickering light passing through the clouds made the older ones feel anxious.

The young man from the countryside pleaded that the rain not fall at this time, trying to suppress every fear as he led the younger ones into a narrow alley amidst a crowd of people. Charan’s efficient and sharp gaze could discern and accurately count the suspicious group of people approaching.

This was a skill trained in the Atsawathewathin family’s curriculum, specifically designed to manage situations like this to protect and ensure the safety of its members.

In this situation, no one, not even a tiny ant, could escape Charan’s keen observation.

“Hold my hand.” The tall figure leaned down and whispered tightly, gripping the small hand firmly. He pulled Khanin and hurriedly walked away from the approaching group, turning into an even quieter alley before stopping when three more suspicious-looking people came out from the front of the alley.

Quickly, Charan dragged the younger child into a half-open shop. The young man held the child behind the half-open door.

The tight grip of the strong hands around his waist made their faces almost touching each other, and the warm breath made Khanin feel strangely relieved.

Charan leaned forward to observe the external environment, his heart pounding with the sound of running footsteps.

Fear crept up his spine, and sweat seeped throughout his face. But the faint scent of the mature person who held him eased Khanin’s anxiety to some extent.

It seemed as if his body was beginning to remember on its own, while the younger child wasn’t quick enough to react.

Regardless of what might happen, as long as he was with Charan, he would be safe.

The idea circulated in his mind as the young man swallowed his saliva, repeatedly reassuring himself.

“Slowly walk out, and if I signal you, we’ll run out of this alley to the left. Do you understand?” Charan whispered, squeezing the hand of the younger child firmly.

Khanin paused and looked down at the ground before looking up at the mysterious person. He waited for the other person to turn back and signal him before running out of the shop, holding hands tightly.

The thin fingers interlocked, and then they pulled each other’s hands hard. As they stepped out of the old shop, they were forced to stop again after walking only a few steps.

When one of the men wearing a black mask appeared in front of them, the stranger blocked their way, and Charan had to quickly use his body to knock down the assailant to make them fall into a fight.

This time, the sharp tip of the knife was aimed at someone whose bloodline came from the royal family.

“Hide!” Charan used the moment when the masked man didn’t face him to order Khanin, who was awakened just in time to follow his command.

The young man stepped in to block the suspicious person. Charan sprinted forward, using his body to collide with the enemy to make the opponent fall, creating an intense confrontation. When the enemy lost his footing, he still held the knife menacingly.

The flashlight hit the silver weapon. Although Charan was holding the upper hand in the card game, there was a chance that he could be overpowered from above. However, the lower-ranked person had enough strength to wield a sharp knife towards Charan’s handsome face.

Charan dodged the knife by ducking down and seizing the opportunity to strike back. The other person tried to choke him with one hand before using the other to twist his arm in another direction, causing the fighting pair to groan in pain.

The short knife fell out of the criminal’s hand, giving Charan a chance to grab it. Both refused to back down, but the tall man forcefully kicked the other one backwards. However, the other side didn’t show any signs of distress.

It chose to lunge back towards Charan before doing the same thing the taller person did earlier. The mysterious person collided with a table, causing them to fall to the ground.

Fighting at close range on unfamiliar terrain in Emmaly made Charan more cautious than ever before. Although killing the other person would end the situation quicker, he knew he couldn’t do it.

Knowing this, Charan had to come up with another plan. Experienced fighters knew how to calculate movements and time in battles.

Charan decided to break one of the criminal’s arms by twisting it down onto his nose. This action caused the other person to lose interest, and it worked better than he expected.

The other side quickly pulled their mask down, allowing Charan to snatch the knife back. The tall figure lowered themselves and moved quickly with agility.

One thick hand grabbed the knife handle while the other took hold of the opponent’s ankle. The fight was tight, and the blade was thrust directly into the opponent’s chest.

“Ah!”

Khanin eyes widened in shock at what he saw. The loud moan of pain accompanied fresh red blood flowing from Charan’s body as he dodged the other person’s attack.

The young man swung the knife again before… Suddenly, one raindrop hit Charan’s face, causing him to pause for no apparent reason.

The rain and the wetness compressed Charan’s senses. He felt everything around him intensify, and the situation seemed even more terrifying.

The tall figure clenched his teeth, suppressing all the anxiety that surged within him. However, things appeared to get worse when blood mixed with raindrops scattered on the ground.

Amidst the pouring rain and fresh drops of blood, Charan Phitakthewa faltered, seemingly losing control over himself.

“You!!”

TBCLINE.

“You didn’t notify me yesterday, so I had to update it again.”

The chat was still not cleared, but the group members kept creating new ones.

Please don’t feel discouraged, Nong Nin.

THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 12: Emmaly.

By: CEO. Ft ennice.

In the capital city of Daveen, Emmaly.

Inside the living room, a large curved window divides the garden and the people sipping tea sitting in lounge chairs. The quietness around them without any background music made the atmosphere that should have been relaxing turn rather tense.

Prince-Tarin walked past the two guards protecting the Sovereign-King and went inside. Once inside, he paused and raised his right hand to his left chest as a sign of respect to his father before sitting down in front of the throne. His thick hand reached over to take the cup of tea that the current Sovereign-King had prepared before lifting it up to his mouth with a gesture of respect.

The scent of English breakfast tea wafted up and tickled his nose, causing Tarin to pause for a moment. A peculiar current of surprise swept in and brought the middle-aged man’s face into deep thought.

Earl Grey tea then…

“Is there something troubling you father?” Tarin asked, turning his gaze towards the person in front of him with suspicion. Usually when they came to drink tea in the garden like this, his father would either play soft music or sometimes even call musicians to come perform for them to relax, but today was different.

“I have something to think about for a bit. Nothing special… don’t worry.” The old eyes blinked and followed the fluttering of a small moth as it flew around admiring the beauty of the palace’s flowers. Dhipabawon looked out towards the outside garden without intending to turn back to his only son.

Tarin lifted his teacup to take another sip. The bitterness lingered on his tongue along with the scent of dried kaffir lime leaves, making his body feel more awake than before. The silence that crept in between them had an effect on the tension building up inside. However, before he could say anything, the elder man broke the silence by speaking up.

“Are you ready for the meeting?”

Yes, I am.” Tarin lowered his head slightly and replied hesitantly. He secretly glanced at his father’s face and noticed that the other side was concealing a deep-seated issue that was weighing heavily on his mind. It was so subtle that no one else would have been able to discern it.

His father was an expert at hiding his emotions, and Tarin wondered what could be causing him to appear troubled like this. Perhaps it was due to the upcoming meeting with the royal members who would be arriving in the capital city of Daveen in just a few hours.

Despite the seemingly casual conversation, every leader in the city knew that the reason they were all gathering here today was for one important topic of discussion…

The report on the production and export of precious gems, which was the main source of income for Emmaly’s economy this quarter.

“Good, prepare yourself, Tarin.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” the owner of the nickname replied heavily, but Tarin couldn’t help feeling that this time his father’s order concealed something more.

Although he knew that every time he had to face the royal members, there would always be issues that needed to be addressed one after another until it became a frustrating kind of monotony, this time was different.

Tarin could feel the anxiety building up inside his father, so he couldn’t just act indifferent like he always did. He wasn’t entirely sure whether there was something else that required his attention beyond the agenda of today’s meeting.

If it’s a matter of his abilities, he should be able to handle it, but if there’s something beyond his expectations… Tarin himself is not sure if he can handle it.

The two-story reception room is decorated with white wood and sofas. In the middle of the room is a cream-colored plush coffee table and a standing wooden piano. The warm-toned decoration style is unique to the Daveen palace and is admired by all who visit.

It is a guest reception room for both local and foreign visitors. However, today it was chosen for the meeting of members of the royal family to report and discuss the performance of exporting gems in the last quarter.

The fragrance of eucalyptus oil permeated the room, and under the seemingly quiet atmosphere, there was an underlying tension. Members of the four main kingdoms’ royalty sat together in front without any small talk, and only the sound of pouring water could be heard. Tarin carefully served each person according to his position.

“Sovereign-King is arriving.”

The announcement made all the princes stand up and show their respect to Lord Nin, the head of Emmaly, as he walked in with his entourage. He gestured for everyone to sit down.

“Let’s start talking. It’s almost noon, and I don’t want the kids to wait for us… Tarin, you start with your report.” With these words from the highest authority, Tarin stood up and respectfully began to talk about the production within the jurisdiction of his city.

“In this quarter, the Northern Regions have exported more than 64% of our gold in the form of jewelry. However, transportation between countries has been slightly obstructed, especially with Switzerland, because they have taken strict measures on imports. So we had to send documents for inspection, causing a slight delay, but it’s not a big problem.”

Prince Tarin of the Atsawathewathin family, the ruler of the wealthy northern city that was rich with gold mines, summarized the results of the operation from his side tightly. This resulted in the next person sitting down feeling unhappy.

“However, my nephew’s diamond exports are quite problematic, Your Majesty.” said Prince Rachata of the Phuchongphisut family, the ruler of the eastern coastal region rich in gemstones, in a loud voice.

 

 

Those hard eyes reflected the image of the Sovereign King, who was seated at the head of the table, speaking politely and respectfully according to customs and traditions, but conflicting with his emotional expression.

“Please tell us, Rachata. If there is a problem, I will do what I can to help.”

“Your kindness is appreciated, Your Majesty.” Rachata thanked him according to etiquette before raising the main issue he had encountered.

“…”

“As you know, according to the Kimberley agreement, we will not import or export diamonds that have not been certified by member countries because we do not want to support illegal activities. However…” The owner of the paper paused at the end of the sentence, his face looking menacing. Rachata raised his eyebrows and swept his gaze over others before stopping at Tarin, the current leader of Atsawathewathin, who was sitting beside him.

“…”

“Recently, there have been reports of people smuggling diamonds into the country, and it must be stopped… And those who smuggled them were previously based in the Northern Regions. My nephew has checked. They only moved their registration to the east coast less than two years ago. We do not want to keep the stolen diamonds, we want to return them all. Can Your

Majesty help me with this, please?”

The tone of the speaker sounded like a plea and a request, but if one knew Rachata’s true nature, they would know that he was doing this to exert pressure.

If other countries knew that there was smuggling of diamonds from their country, Eastern Emmaly would also be affected. However, if there was a document signed by the Sovereign King stating that the offender was not a person in his state, then Phuchongphisut would escape punishment.

“The Royal Secretary has issued a letter stating that the culprit is not from the East but rather from the North and has acted covertly… I will sign to certify it.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Rachata’s mouth twitched into a smile, while Dhipabawon, who held power above anyone else, looked at the third person in line with apparent indifference.

“Chana.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Prince-Chana, leader of the Thawetmetha family, which ruled the prominent city of precious gems to the west, stood up to report.

“How is Thawetmetha doing?”

“There were slight issues with the trade of gems to the West, but we have managed them accordingly. As for production problems, we have implemented a full digital system for sales, resulting in an increase in the export of soft gems and jade.”

“And what about the reports of missing goods during transportation?” Sovereign-King’s question caused Prince-Chana, who had a conservative disposition, to hesitate.

“…We have not found clear evidence of the cause. For now, we are working on preliminary solutions by improving transport routes and thoroughly inspecting missing goods.” The highest authority remained silent for just a moment before voicing thoughts and proposing a comprehensive solution as expected.

“Hmm. If there is anything you need my help with, do not hesitate to ask.”

“I am grateful, Your Highness.”

“Waseen is next.” Finally, it was the turn of Prince-Waseen of the Meenakarin family, who governed the sea-bound territory brimming with pearls.

“This quarter, there are no issues with our pearl farms, and exports are meeting expectations. Currently, we are in the process of developing dark champagne pearls. If there are any reports from the lab, I will send a letter to the Royal Secretary.” His soft voice, soothingly delivering a detailed report, creates a rhythm that is pleasing to the ears, allowing Dhipabawon to relax.

From today’s discussions, it seemed that only Atsawathewathin and Meenakarin did not cause any worries for the Sovereign-King.

“And is there anything you need me to help with?” The highest-ranking man asked in a soft voice. Those hard eyes were hidden behind a facade of patience. For many years, the Meenakarin family seemed to be the only one that never had any problems or issues that would make Dhipabawon feel agitated.

“There’s nothing that needs your assistance. I just wanted to know if Uncle is still in good health and spirits… We haven’t seen each other face to face like this for a long time. I’m glad that we can gather together like this again.” Waseen smiled, expressing his happiness, which was different from Rachata, who simply chuckled before placing his teacup back on the table.

“We haven’t seen each other like this because of what, then? If it’s not because of the ironclad rules.”

When speaking to someone with high authority like the Sovereign King, Rachata’s tone changed slightly. The leader of the Phuchongphisut family looked suspiciously at the ruler of the southern city.

“For the safety of all parties concerned.” The Sovereign King said softly, “Our country’s administration does not allow large groups of people to enter and leave the capital frequently. Our security system is tight, and my guards will take care of everything. If you wish to visit, simply send a letter beforehand, and I will send my guards to ensure a safe journey.”

“Safe? You know very well that nobody trusts another person’s guards.”

Rachata retorted. The more he listened, the more frustrated he became with the Sovereign King’s explanation, which was an old-fashioned way of trying to justify the ironclad rules that were established after an incident 20 years ago.

“…”

“I don’t think it’s too difficult, my dear, that other leaders cannot enter the palace without permission or a good reason. It’s an important matter.” The Sovereign King replied.

Since the establishment of the ironclad rules, access to the palace has been restricted. External individuals or even members of the royal family must send a travel notice and adhere to strict guidelines to gain entry. This made Rachata feel extremely frustrated.

Leaders from each city are not allowed to bring excessive amounts of guards and must receive approval from the Sovereign King before entering or exiting the palace.

“It is extremely chaotic and frustrating…”

“The affairs of the city’s rulers are likely to be more chaotic than this. Uncle, do you not think that following a certain rule would be more complicated than the ability of those in government? Is that true?”

“…”

“Most important is that the guards can check on everyone’s important treasures, but they cannot go and check on anyone else’s personal guards.”

Sovereign-King spoke calmly, his mind calm, but he concealed his power and caused those of lower rank to quiet down.

Rachata let others talk for a while before trying to improve his facial expression and then turning to invite an older person to speak about something else instead.

“I have heard that you, uncle has become very ill. If you need it, the royal doctor from the eastern capital can send a letter to me, and I will send the most skilled doctor in science and medicine in the country.”

The words of Rachata were true, as it was well known that the Eastern

Regions had factories producing jade and gems for export. The Phuchong Pisut family itself was also a respected family in terms of investment and power in the factors of life, like a main symbol of the family.

A python curled around a short stool, with eyes like flawless diamonds, indicating the power of control over even dangerous venomous animals.

“Your father is doing well. Even in the city of Daveen, there are very skilled doctors. Rachata, you do not have to worry, as I myself have been taking good care of my father.” Tarin spoke up after being silent for a long time. His face remained calm and peaceful, smiling slightly at the siblings, but only two people knew that the smile did not reach his eyes.

Without any sincere feelings towards each other, it seemed like a small, tense war between the Golden Horse and Diamond Snake families. The atmosphere was suffocating, causing the royal servants to stand still.

“It’s noon… shall we go have lunch together? The children must be waiting for a long time. Ramil and Evaa might be very bored.” Finally, Waseen offered one option to end all the tension from before. The leader of the southern capital nodded in agreement, while Sovereign-King remained silent.

“Good, good. Let’s go to the dining room then.”

The prince stood up to his full height and gestured for the other members of the royal family to follow him.

Starting with the leader of the Thawetmetha family, who didn’t like getting involved with anyone, followed by the leaders of the Phuchongphisut and Atsawathewathin families respectively, only the leader of the Meenakarin family, Waseen, walked at the back.

He took a deep breath before quietly following the others to the dining room, leaving behind a warm and silent room that had been filled with people just moments ago…

Ramil, the only son of the Phuchongphisut family, held his pointed arrow firmly in place, waiting for the signal. His sharp nose and determined gaze were fixed on the target in front of him, not much different from the slim and graceful young woman standing beside him.

Evva, the only daughter of the western city, was as gorgeous as any aristocrat, with her soft black hair tied in a ponytail and her fair skin resembling milk. She stood proudly beside Ramil, preparing for the competition that would soon begin with the sound of the small drum.

Two royal cousins raised their bows in preparation, and as the signal came from the small drum, the competition began. Ramil shot first with speed and accuracy, his arrow piercing the center of the target beautifully.

As the other three took their turns, Evva proved to be no less skilled than anyone else. She released her arrow with precision and confidence, hitting the target before anyone else in the final round.

Although she lost in terms of speed, when it came to accuracy… Her final score was considered a tie with her older and younger brothers, a truly remarkable achievement.

Followed by the second and third rounds, Evaa herself did not lag behind anyone. The young woman held her bow firmly and released her arrow with precision as they all aimed for Ramil’s arrow that had hit the target first in the final round.

Evaa lost in terms of speed but when it came to accuracy… Her final score was considered a tie with her older and younger brothers, a truly remarkable achievement.

“It would be good to change partners for the next round.” The sweet voice of the princess spoke up. She handed her bow to the guard before turning back to face the person who stood neither near nor far.

“Hmm, your skills are good, no need to change partners.”

 

 

Thank you, even my brother deserves credit too.” Evaa thanked him for the compliment. The surface-level relationship between them did not allow for any deeper romantic feelings to develop.

It was the same with Ramil who, despite being from an esteemed background, was not one for good relationships.

“How have you been? And I see aunt isn’t here?” The young woman asked, trying to fill the awkward silence between her and Ramil’s mother, with whom they hadn’t spoken for a while. If it weren’t for important national matters, they wouldn’t have had the chance to talk at all.

“Same as always, and your mother?” The response and question followed the customary etiquette, but it didn’t reflect Ramil’s true thoughts. For him, family ties were just a game he had to play in life.

“It’s just the game of life that everyone has to play along with, like it or not.” he thought to himself as he was living in the moment.

“I’m fine… and Phii Petai isn’t here?” Someone’s name from the lips of a young person from the outskirts made Ramil pause. His dark eyes swept around before he answered Evaa, who knew what was in his heart.

“He couldn’t make it.”

Petai Watcharatpong, heir to the noble family and the high-ranking trusted friend of Ramil, passed through the guards surrounding the flower garden area. The lower-ranked aristocrats had to bow their heads in respect.

The tall and proportionate figure kept pace with the high-class gait that had been trained since birth. His majestic appearance revealed everything, but Evaa thought to herself that… It was such a pity.

It was a pity that someone like Petai had to be stuck in a position no different from a scapegoat rather than being the best friend of Ramil… A companion just a front-row player in a scene that everyone knew wasn’t as beautiful as it seemed.

The Phuchongphisut family has a unique culture, which is to keep close friends by their side as substitute so they can take the prince’s blame and punishemnt if the prince makes mistakes.

It’s been a long time coming. Even Evaa disagrees and sympathizes with someone else, but she has no right to interfere in the governance of each different lineage.

“Evaa, Young-Prince-Ramil.” Petai’s soft voice called out, with a respectful gesture inviting the royal young lady to leave the mansion. Evaa powdered her head and greeted the newcomer with a friendly smile.

“The meeting is over. Prince Rachata has ordered the duchess to invite

Young Prince and you to join the royal feast at the Grand Hall.”

“Hello, Petai. It’s good to see you.” she said sincerely, although the conversation was polite and restrained. It could be said that it was the highest form of respect that few people receive from those with royal bloodlines.

“Good to see you, Your Highness.” Petai smiled on his face, his lips slightly raised, but just enough to make him look charming and appealing to some people who felt annoyed.

“You go ahead, I’ll follow later.” Some people intervened halfway through the conversation. Evaa looked after her little nephew and niece before reluctantly separating herself, but still in a good way.

“Where did you go?” A short, blunt question was asked after the royal young lady walked away, accompanied by guards who were standing in formation around her at first.

Ramil sent a fleeting glare before turning back to look for someone who was shorter than him. The other side remained silent and turned his face toward the other direction, seemingly knowing what to do. Moreover, standing still made the group of guards that retreated too far seem to be interesting in the eyes of someone like Ramil.

“…”

Where did you go?” he asked again, so the person in front of him had to accept it.

“Your Highness, I didn’t go far, I was just waiting near the Royal Kitchen in case there was an order from Prince Rachata.”

Ramil didn’t hear Petai’s answer at all. His thick hand grabbed his thin wrist and pulled it harder than anyone else would. Someone approached them closer.

“Who are you? Are you confused about your duties?”

“…”

“Your duty is to stay with me, not anyone else.”

“Let go first, someone will see us, Your Highness.” The white guy said with a softer tone than before. His cautious demeanor made those around him look somewhat interesting in the eyes of someone like Ramil.

“Whatever, a person of mine, I can do whatever I want.”

“His Majesty, you should not only focus on your own self willed interests here, but also overcome obstacles.” Now, the shorter man’s tone of speech sounds more serious at various levels, creating a distant atmosphere. It causes his eyebrows to furrow, feelings of dissatisfaction, and a sense of being weighed down more heavily than before.

“I’ve said it many times, don’t use royal language…”

“Not here, Your Highness.” However, someone like Petai knows the temperament and how to handle Ramil better than anyone else. His slender figure simply leans forward, speaking in a smooth voice, catching the attention of those with more power, captivating them with influential glances, making even the Young Prince have to calm down.

…

 

 

Your Highness, you should not let your royal relatives wait too long. Please come with.”

The famous news reporter’s report still had a familiar tone each time as before. Khanin played games on his mobile phone while looking at the clock on the wall and sneaked a breath.

Charan has been outside since the sun rose until now, some people are still missing and reluctant to head back. Half of the leftover fast food box was ignored.

Khanin eats potatoes to sustain his life, but he still recognizes that their taste remains bland and unchanged. He has been enduring days in a rectangular room that never closes its eyes, yet the feeling is no different from being trapped in a small cage.

Initially, Charan said they would have to hide here for two days, but he kept changing his mind without giving a specific deadline. They have been waiting for almost thirty hours now while hiding.

He himself is not sure where this waiting will end up…

The sound of the door opening combined with the sound of footsteps caught the attention of a young person who was sitting on the sofa. Before closing his eyes, Khanin glanced at Charan’s restless posture as if there was more to it than meets the eye.

“Pack your things.”

“Hmm, what’s going on?” Because he was not sure if he heard anything wrong, he asked again. Khanin looked at Charan putting new clothes in a bag before uttering a sentence that sounded familiar.

“Prepare yourself, we’re leaving tonight.”

“Who told you to wait?”

“It’s time.”

… “ Someone muttered words of encouragement, letting him know that aimlessly waiting had come to an end. However, Khanin didn’t say anything correctly about how he felt at the moment. “I’ll take you back to Emmaly.”

…

TBC.

It’s okay if you skip some of the characters with a lot of details.

THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 11: ThePrivilege of the Winner.

By: CEO ft Ennice.

Khanin paused, trying to wiggle himself out of the grip immediately. His mind processed that the sound he heard earlier belonged to someone.

“You!” Charan didn’t seem too shocked by what made him feel a little disappointed. The person picked up the communication tool that had fallen on the floor before returning it to him.

“We are going back.”

“I’m not going back.” The younger boy snatched the phone back to his heart, his trembling heartbeat still visible. Meanwhile, Charan looked at him with the same eyes as other adults who were scolding the child.

“What are you planning to do?”

“Whatever it is, I’ll do it…”

“Do you want to go find a friend to ask for help or do you plan to escape on your own and survive?” Charan’s long sentence began with a question, but the other party did not want to give a response. Everything that the tall man said made it clear who had guessed all his plans.

“…”

“Do you want your friend to be in danger?” The older person’s face became more serious as he spoke softly, trying to appeal to Khanin’s limited thinking. On the other hand, the younger boy took a deep breath before considering how much harm his actions could cause.

“… “

“Do you know what will happen to your friend if they see you here? You know very well that those people are not ordinary.” Everything the older person says is true in every way. Khanin realizes and sees it himself, and on that night…

With the skills of Charan and Tattanai, they are almost unbeatable. What could Paul do? It would be a shame if a regular teenage student like him causes trouble for his friends…

The small hands of the young boy are tightly clenched. Khanin argues with himself, unable to find another solution in his mind. If he doesn’t go, then his friend will be in danger, and he’ll do everything himself so as not to cause trouble for anyone else…

“And don’t think about running away alone. If I can read your plan, others can too.” It’s as if the person in front of them can read his minds clearly.

Charan warned with a firm tone…

“… “ Khanin falls silent, not daring to speak out of line. His emotions are turbulent, similar to a storm raging within him, but he tries to calm down as Charan wants.

 

 

If you understand, can we go back together?”

The hotel hallway was empty at this time. Khanin followed behind the taller person, quietly watching Charan’s broad shoulders before feeling even smaller and more insignificant.

The younger person breathes quietly throughout the journey, not uttering a word, but their mind keeps returning to the dire situation. If it wasn’t Charan, what if it was someone else who wanted to take their life?

What would Khanin do…

“Take a rest, you’re exhausted.” The taller person speaks up in a calm voice as they enter the room. Charan goes to turn off the lights and then goes back to lie down, doing everything as if nothing happened before.

“Here.”

“Hmm.”

“Did you know from the beginning… “

“What?”

“That I ran away.” Khanin mumbled at the corner of his mouth, not saying everything that was on his mind but having many doubts to ponder. One of those doubts was this question.

He was quite confident that Charan was fast asleep at that moment, so why…

Charan stared at the young boy, seeing a mixture of suspicion and fear hidden in Khanin’s eyes. Despite the pain, he still believed that the world was too harsh for him.

“I woke up when you moved.” the older man said before sitting at the end of the bed, letting Young-Prince stand where he was. “I wanted to know what you planned to do, so I waited and see…”

The important thing was that it was a plan. Charan allowed Khanin to go in order to let the other party try to follow his own plan and learn from the real situation, to understand that it was impossible to escape without him.

It was better than just holding onto words and sitting tiredly. Khanin was such a child, and the older man could tell that giving him proof and seeing it for himself would make the white man understand more easily than explaining it to waste time.

“…And why didn’t you stop me from the beginning?” The boy murmured as if talking to himself more than wanting the tall man to speak. Charan shook his head, wanting to ask back if he would listen if he forbade Khanin from going in the first place.

“Just walk lighter than this next time.”

“…”

“You walked like a dinosaur, even though I didn’t wake up when you moved, I had to wake up when you walked out… Let me teach you.” Khanin blinked and pursed his lips in disagreement.

“I didn’t walk like that.”

“You did.”

“Your hearing is better than mine.”

“That’s not up for debate.” Charan paused. To explain it properly, Khanin was considered a lightweight shoe type, but the other party was still just a child who was not surprising to be careless.

Everything Khanin had done, Charan understood the real purpose of it well. The boy just wanted emotional refuge. It was a consequence of losing Tattanai. Khanin had done something without thinking it through.

Going to find Paul… must be one of the mechanisms to find a way out for himself. In these dark times, it’s not uncommon for Khanin to want to run to someone he trusts for the answer, which definitely isn’t Charan.

Do you… do you think who those people are?” The sweet voice asks again after being quiet for a long time.

“Not sure. Maybe like I said before, someone knows that the heir of Atsawathewathin is still alive.” The person’s breath sounds almost like it’s running out, leaving a momentary pause. Khanin ponders silently.

“But they… seem more intent on harming my father.”

“… “ Charan agrees with this question. The young man thinks those people really want to use Tattanai.

“I want to go back to the life I used to have.” Khanin mutters, thinking of many past events, he didn’t want everything to turn out like this. Father had to sacrifice himself to protect him, while Paul almost got hurt because of his lack of thought.

Feeling like he was a burden became even clearer in his mind, causing tears to well up in his eyes. Khanin blinks, trying to suppress his emotions, but it’s difficult to do so.

His throat constricts with heat and the lump in his left chest feels like a hand that squeezes until it becomes numb. Khanin can’t bear to separate from Tattanai at this moment.

There were many promises they made to do things together. Father promised he can stop competing for two years, promised to take him on a trip, promised to make him delicious food, but it seems like those words will never come true again.

“Is my return really important?” The trembling voice of the young man echoes in everyone’s ears. Charan remains silent for a moment, thinking to wait for Khanin’s mental state to be ready before starting to explain everything.

However, the two-level eyes hiding under the veil of questions and confusion are demanding that Charan say something. Khanin deserves to know because sooner or later he has to know.

“You already know that Emmaly is ruled by a monarch system, we divide the main city into five states, with the highest authority being the SovereignKing position. This position is selected through the selection ceremony, judged only by sword fighting competition. It’s something that we’ve inherited for a long time.”

“…”

“The main rule of decision-making is that every city ruled by each family must send its heir to participate in the competition as representatives according to the old imperial law. Only those who have direct lineage with the prince of each city are entitled to participate in the competition.”

“…”

“If the child wins, the father who is the ruler of that city will have the right to become the next Sovereign-King.”

“And what does it have to do with me?” Khanin asked even though he knew the answer well. The young man still remembered what Tattanai had said accurately, about the current Sovereign-King of Emmaly who was named

Sovereign-King Dhipabawon and used to be the leader of the

Atsawathewathin family before, and he had only one legitimate child, Prince Tarin… his real father.

“It’s your time now.”

“…”

“You are the only heir of Atsawathewathin so that your real father can become the next Sovereign-King and Atsawathewathin does not lose power. You have to go back to join this competition.” Charan explained concisely and directly to make the young man understand his own situation.

“My real father… is that so? I only have one father.” Khanin shook his head, just laughed bitterly and tried to avoid acknowledging anything else, but he was grabbed by the big man and held tightly.

I have the right to request a reward as the winner, when we fought with swords before.”

“You have no right to ask me to return to the country.” The young man choked his throat, as if guessing the near future that was about to happen.

“I know that, but I will use the right of the winner to maintain your safety…”

“…”

“From now on, I order you to cooperate in every hiding and escape from those people until we reach a safe zone.”

Charan did not force Khanin to return directly to Emmaly as the requested favor seemed almost pointless…

“How long will it be until you feel safe?”

“Until we enter the territory of Emmaly.”

In the park, people pass by and give curious glances as Khanin sits in a corner on a bench, gazing up at the big clouds in the sky. He feels like he’s a bird trapped in a cage with no way out.

For almost two full days now, Charan hasn’t allowed him to go anywhere, causing Khanin to become restless. Being cooped up in a small room, constantly checking the news, waiting for updates about his father and feeling indifferent towards Paul’s attempts to contact him, has left him very nervous.

There is no news of any crimes on the website, everything seems normal. Khanin looks at the people passing by; a couple in love, a mother pushing a stroller with her baby, everyone living their happy lives so differently from him at this moment.

His heavy breathing is accompanied by the useless gadget in his pocket.

When Khanin had to sever communication with his close friend, just to ensure Paul’s safety, he could only send a message saying that he urgently needed to take care of something.

After enduring more than thirty hours in the stuffy room, someone eventually relented and allowed him to step outside and breathe fresh air. But that was all… Charan only took him to a park near the hotel, not even one kilometer away.

The important thing is that he’s not allowed to wander too far from sight…

“Which of these two do you want to eat?” The tall man returns from a small food stall not too far away, holding two large sandwiches in his hand. Charan offers them to him, as he has done before, but this time the younger boy shows no enthusiasm.

“… “ Khanin remains indifferent. To be honest, he just doesn’t feel hungry at all.

“If you don’t eat, you’ll have no energy… right?” The young man adds to the end of his sentence until he hears a response. Charan pauses, not ready to give up yet.

“If you know, then choose one.”

“I don’t want to eat this one.”

“Then what do you want to eat?”

“… “ There’s no answer for this question… or maybe there is, but Charan probably won’t be able to find it.

“Are you bored of food?”

“Not really.”

“…?”

“I want to eat my father’s homemade food.” It was a momentary reaction of the person in front, who seemed to be still for a while. Khanin seemed to hear a slight exhalation before someone uttered a sentence that raised the atmosphere.

I understand that you may feel frustrated and uncomfortable with the sudden change in your life, but I want you to adapt. That’s all.”

“You’re not me, so you can say whatever you want.” Khanin interjected.

“Everyone has their own path in life.”

The young man’s narrow eyebrows twitched. Khanin turned to look at Charan before letting out a low sigh, indicating an unstable emotional state for a moment.

“But it’s a path that I didn’t choose.”

“If you don’t want to return for the competition, at least agree to my request.”

“…”

“You are under my protection. Return to Emmaly and tell Sovereign-King yourself that you will give up your rights.”

“Do I have any other choice then? I lost to you in bet. I have no right to choose anything anymore.” The young man didn’t hold back his frustration at all.

Khanin glanced towards the wide open space in front of him until he saw someone walking away from them and turned back to look.

The broad back of a tall figure gradually moved further away. The softlipped owner of the fair-skinned body. Khanin thought to himself… Charan might have started to get tired of him…

Who would want to constantly deal with the unpredictable mood swings of another person? The other side must be quite annoyed.

Khanin chuckled hoarsely, his friend by his side feeling worse than before. His disappointment in fate made him want to disappear from this place, but that thought was quickly suppressed. When the majestic figure of someone else who had disappeared for a moment returned, accompanied by something that made the onlookers relatively surprised.

Here is the translation to English:

“What?” Khanin asked, even though he knew what it was.

“Ice cream.” the older person answered with a name. Khanin raised an eyebrow and tilted his head with a doubtful expression to let the other person know that he still didn’t understand.

“I know, but why ask?”

“Just in case eating something sweet will help you… feel better.” Khanin hesitated, not expecting to receive this kind of answer.

The two-layered eyes avoided the ice cream cup and looked back at the face of the person who was much older than him, whom he found difficult to read.

After a brief hesitation, he reached out his hand to accept it. Khanin opened the cup and used the spoon to taste the flavor. The cool air and sweetness spread in his mouth, seemingly helping the young man relax and reduce his stress, but it couldn’t compare to what the tall guy would say next. “I’m sorry if I rushed you too much.”

“…”

“… “ The spoon that was scooping the soft and slightly bitter flavor of coffee paused at Khanin’s lips. He glanced at Charan, waiting for the other person to speak.

“But I want you to understand… my duty is to protect you.” That conviction had never changed. Khanin saw the confident look in his sharp eyes, which led the young man to realize the true nature of this guy, who is responsible for protecting him, is the most important thing for Charan.

“…”

You may not trust me yet, but believe that if you stay with me now, you will be safe.” This warm and gentle feeling in his heart shouldn’t have happened at all. During times of weakness and loneliness, having someone standing by your side has an impact on the feelings of the person who receives it.

The younger boy’s thin hand and gaze returned to focus on the taste of the sweet pastry in his hand. Khanin didn’t say anything until a long pause before whispering something softly.

“Next time, get me an orange-flavored ice cream.”

“Hm?”

“I like orange-flavored ice cream more than coffee.” The speaker didn’t explain anything else, just held up an empty cup of ice cream for others to see. Charan stopped talking and one of the teachers seemed to understand. Finally, Khanin agreed to let it go…

“The marquis will remember.”

“How did you think of bringing me out today?” The younger person asked, wanting to know but not expecting the answer they received. It made the temperature around them that had been chilly seem warmer to the eyes…

“Because I’m confident I can take care of you, no matter what happens. Just being close to me like this is enough.”

In addition, it also made the bitter taste of coffee on the tongue have a hint of another flavor mixed in, almost as if it had been altered in some way…

TBC.

Ice cream that can be bitter but still sweet.

THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 10: Evil People.

By: CEO featuring Ennice.

Khanin was taken far away from the scene than he should have been, before Charan allowed him to be free once again. His thin body trembled and his breathing became shallow due to the violent shaking that caused him to feel exhausted. However, Charan still looked fine and normal…

“Hide away!” The young boy spoke roughly to the person who approached and blocked their way. He stood in the way, but Khanin hadn’t given up on the idea of going back to help Tattanai. He intended to leave again, but Charan just blocked his path. “I told you to hide away!”

The command came with a small but strong hand that pushed the taller person to retreat. Khanin stumbled forward but was caught by the older person who wrapped an arm around his waist, preventing him from moving any further.

“Stay calm.” Charan’s voice remained peaceful and still, which only made the anger of those listening intensify as they thought about the recent events that had affected him and his family, as well as Young-Prince, who couldn’t control his emotions like Tattanai.

“Stay calm? You’re telling me to stay calm? That’s my father we’re talking about. You shouldn’t abandon him.” Khanin spoke with a tense voice, his eyebrows furrowed tightly together, and the once-bright eyes now dull.

The beautiful pair of eyes shed tears, and the small nose became red. Charan looked at Khanin, who seemed to be on the verge of tears and it made anyone watching feel sympathetic.

The young man understood the feelings of the younger ones very well. These painful feelings were something that Charan had experienced before when he was young. The feeling of having to leave someone he loved behind and becoming a person who nobody wants…feeling alone and facing every problem alone.

He understood everything so well, but due to the situation and the responsibility that kept him tied to Tattanai and Sovereign-King, he couldn’t let Young-Prince go back to the dangerous place where the incident occurred.

“You can’t go back.” the older man’s voice remained firm. Even though he was being stared at by the angry and grieving boy, he still stood his ground, feeling both angry and sad.

“YFuckt!” Khanin shouted loudly as he swung his hand up and hit his own head. The overwhelming feeling of helplessness caused him to lose all strength, causing his legs to nearly give out beneath him.

It was the first time in his life that the young man felt completely useless. The burning rage still remained unquenched, and his throat was tight and constricted as if it were about to suffocate him, similar to the feeling he had when he accidentally lost something important to him in his life and feared that he would never get it back.

Disappointment and sadness accumulated inside him, causing Khanin’s heart to beat erratically every time he thought about it.

“Let’s go…”

“Don’t touch me.” The thick hand of the older man was pushed aside, activating a mechanism of anger that caused Khanin to build a high wall and resist Charan.

Here is the translation to English:

“… “

“I know what kind of person you are, but I didn’t think you could be this cruel.” The words did not make Charan angry, instead the young man stood still and let the younger person express their feelings through their words and gestures. He looked at the young boy with a deep sense of understanding greater than sympathy.

“If you go back, everything will only get worse. Tattanai doesn’t want that and you know it.” Charan’s words were like a sharp hook that pierced his heart. Khanin knew it was true in every way, but he couldn’t bring himself to accept it.

“You left everyone behind when things like this happened. Do you still have any humanity left… any feelings or emotions?” The soft voice asked as if about to run out of strength. The younger person’s lips quivered as they approached each other. Charan saw… Khanin tried his best to hold back his tears.

But… finally, it fell down and dropped on his face.

The sight in front of him made Charan have to lower his gaze. The young man remained silent and did not respond to any words, but deep down he couldn’t deny that he also felt the same way about what had happened.

Tattanai could be considered a person who knew him, even though they had only met a few times. But Charan had the opportunity to see the love and care between these two father and son every time they talked. The other side always showed that Khanin was like the breath of life.

Having to leave this child seemed to have a profound impact on Tattanai’s sense of pain and protectiveness towards Khanin’s life. It seemed to be the highest goal in his life.

Charan could read from their gaze that Tattanai wanted something. He knew that everything was beyond his job duties… it wasn’t just about being a bodyguard, but a close relationship between father and son that pushed the middle-aged man to sacrifice even… his chance to survive.

Experienced people don’t dare to speak, but Charan knew very well how risky Tattanai’s actions were. If lucky… sometimes miracles could happen, but if unlucky both Khanin and Tattanai might have to part ways without even having a chance to say goodbye, and that thought was suffocating.

It’s no different from the incident that Charan encountered before…

“Where are you going?” The movement of Khanin stopped all wild thoughts in the older man’s head. Charan was about to say something at first, but when he saw the direction the younger boy was walking, he changed his mind and decided to follow silently.

Khanin wasn’t going home, but had another destination in mind…

The numbers on his wristwatch showed one thirty. Khanin had a new goal in mind, which was a park far away from his home. His thin body hurriedly ran along without paying attention if anyone was following him or not.

“Nin listen to me, don’t follow and stay here by the third pine tree. Do you remember?”

“Dad, please don’t go.”

“Wait for me there until sunrise.”

The third pine tree… it was a place where he and his father often went on weekends, a little flicker of hope in the darkness. Khanin thought Tattanai might have gone ahead and waited there. He quickened his pace.

The young man walked along, carrying his hopes with him, but what he saw in front of him now blew out the light of hope he once had.

The park was empty, and there was not even the shadow of a person in sight.

The atmosphere around was eerily quiet and empty.

Khanin took a deep breath, his eyes hiding behind his bangs, but he told himself to wait patiently.

Wait for an hour, his father must come…

Tattanai had never broken any promises he made… his father would always keep his word, and Khanin hoped this time would be like every other time.

The clock hand passed from minutes to hours. Khanin used to think that waiting for something in life was annoying, but he never expected… waiting could turn into fear.

Three or four minutes passed, and a clear drop of water slowly fell. Khanin’s eyelids were hot, and the scene in front of him seemed to blur, but he stubbornly refused to let his vulnerability show.

He told himself that he wouldn’t cry. There was nothing sad about it. The sun hadn’t even risen yet. His father said he would be there before the sunrise.

No matter what, his father had to come… he had to come for sure.

The white-bodied house owner comforted himself and waited. Khanin used to enjoy watching the sky and waiting for the first light of day, but this was the first time in his life that he didn’t want the sunrise to arrive.

The morning air in the capital city of England was not cold enough for snow to fall, and the temperature wasn’t below freezing. However, the heart of the young boy who was waiting for the arrival of his beloved person was cold and painful.

The color of the sky above had changed. The lump in his left chest beat slowly. Khanin tried to hold back his tears, but they slowly fell. When the young boy looked towards the road ahead, all he saw was emptiness, just like before…

Tattanai didn’t come… he really didn’t come.

“Why… damn it…” His father never broke his promises and kept his words, and Khanin knew that better than anyone. The weak body of the young boy collapsed onto the ground, as if he had no energy left. A voice inside his heart screamed at him to accept the truth.

The truth that Khanin never wanted to accept…

The truth that Khanin never wanted to acknowledge…

The truth that no matter how many candies he ate, his father would never come back to be with him again…

“If your anger is less, eat candy, my child…”

He tightly held a small piece of candy in his trembling hand. Khanin let his tears flow freely, and the first light of day warned him that this long wait must end here.

The young boy raised his shaking hand and took the small piece of candy, savoring its sweetness and swallowing it. A faint whimper was carried away by the wind. Khanin wondered if his father had finally come to find him.

Charan looked at the young boy in front of him, and the image he saw almost overlapped with his memories of the past. The tall figure moved closer and placed his palm on the boy’s shoulder, feeling the shudder of sadness from his body.

He let him be, let Khanin sink into his grief for a moment before uttering some words as a sign that they… still had to move forward. “Let’s go, you…”

Even though Tattanai would not come back…

“What do you want to eat? I’ll order it.” Charan said to the silent man. They were currently in a small hotel room near Heathrow airport.

Khanin sat quietly on the queen-sized bed, staring at the sunset which was shimmering through the window. The golden color from the outside sun mixed with the tears in his eyes.

The slender figure did not respond or show any acceptance, only silence that spread around and covered the small rectangular room, forcing Charan to move closer to the young man. He peeked sideways at the boy who kept looking blankly out the window without any target.

Charan couldn’t possibly guess what Khanin was really thinking. He only knew that now the other side was in such a weakened state that he seemed to not want to think about anything anymore. This could be seen from the fact that he easily agreed to come here normally he would resist all the way.

When it was still dark in the morning at the park, Charan could understand everything that had happened himself. Tattanai must have said something to Khanin, so he decided to go there. He waited silently for the boy while thinking about the next step. If something bad happened to…. Tattanai.

He didn’t look at the world in a negative way, but stood on the basis of reality. Charan had the duty to keep Khanin safe. He evaluated the situation that had arisen quickly in his head and then came to the clear conclusion that from now on, the house was no longer safe.

Those men in black…intentionally harmed Tattanai. However, this assumption is not yet clearly proven. But no matter who those people belong to or what their intentions are, his mission and responsibility will not change.

Charan had to take Khanin back to Emmaly, and he spent the dark morning planning everything from booking the hotel to getting the plane tickets. Luckily, when they retrieved Tattanai’s backpack yesterday, he had everything he needed, so he didn’t have to prepare anything else for Khanin except for some clothes.

However, Charan realized that buying some things outside of the hotel might be a good idea. After all, hiding the Young-Prince of Atsawathewathin was now his top priority.

Bringing Young-Prince back to their country safely was their most important mission, but there was another thing that was equally important now…

“I don’t know what you like to eat, so I ordered a variety of dishes.” Various international food boxes were lined up. Charan received no response from his roommate, so he decided to buy four or five dishes to bring back to Khanin.

In truth… wasting food wasn’t good, but sometimes in situations where someone’s mental state was fragile, it was better to let things go.

“I’m not hungry.” The younger boy refused with his eyes fixed on the floor, making it difficult for the older man to decide what to do.

“What do you want to eat? Otherwise, you won’t have any energy.”

Charan was doing something out of character.

“…”

He chose one of the food boxes closest to him before handing it over to the younger boy to look at.

“Do you not understand what I’m saying?” Although his sentence structure was awkward, Khanin’s voice sounded vulnerable.

“I understand perfectly, but if you don’t eat anything, you’ll get sick.”

“Are you saying this because you care or because it’s your duty?” The younger boy snapped back. Charan’s eyes met with the white man’s who had been silent for a long time, until someone else let out a soft laugh.

“Oh, if I were to die, you would have a hard time.” The sarcastic tone was clear that someone intentionally wanted to start something, but Charan didn’t bother answering and took a deep breath before saying a few words to stop the awkwardness.

“I’m saying this because of Tattanai.” Although part of what Khanin thought was true, the main reason why he had to agree to do this was because some people were willing to sacrifice themselves for others.

Tattanai loved this child very much, and he didn’t want what that person did to go to waste.

“…”

“I don’t want what he did to… “

“Don’t say it out loud, you… you shouldn’t talk about my father like that!” Khanin pointed at Charan with trembling lips. “If you saw what he really did, why didn’t you let me go back – why?!”

“Because you would be in danger.”

“I’m not afraid.”

“But Tattanai wouldn’t want it to be like that, he wants you to be safe.” The tall house owner knew well that mentioning Tattanai’s desires would carry significant weight and might help calm Khanin down.

The younger boy slowly closed his eyes, the long hours of no rest and no food causing him to feel dizzy. Khanin couldn’t resist anymore and gave in to sleep.

Charan quietly observed, switching the food box for a bag of plant-based bread and a carton of milk. He placed it closer to the younger boy before letting the other side begin to eat the small, silent meal.

His tongue was numb to taste. Khanin didn’t feel the soft and fluffy texture of the bread. The younger boy seemed to be eating to sustain himself, breathing.

“We’ll be here for another two or three days.” After the milk and two slices of bread were finished, Charan mentioned something important that Khanin needed to know.

“Why?”

“Because the situation outside is still not safe. I have to keep you hidden, as your father intended.”

As it concerned Tattanai, Khanin didn’t resist any further. The younger boy just looked down and thought before diverting his gaze from the man, his tall figure stumbling against a familiar backpack.

“Did you pick it up?” The young boy remembered that he had accidentally dropped it during the incident with Tattanai, and because the situation before was chaotic, he didn’t have a chance to notice if anyone else picked it up.

“Your essentials are in there.”

As Charan said, everything that was essential for Khanin’s survival was in this backpack. The young boy approached and checked the contents.

“Do you know what’s inside?”

“I know.” The young boy answered confidently because he was familiar with this backpack.

“Where are you going, father? Why did you bring the backpack?”

“This backpack doesn’t belong to me, but it belongs to you. I am giving it to you for your travels.”

“Passport? Painkillers? Money? Caramel candy? Where am I going?”

“I haven’t given you permission to go yet but we always have to be prepared.”

The conversation brought back memories that made the young boy feel overwhelmed again. Back then, Khanin used to question and wonder why Father always told him to be prepared and ready all the time.

He never understood and came up with his own reasons that Father just liked to do things quickly, so they wouldn’t waste time collecting items when they traveled abroad together. But he never imagined that everything would fall into this situation. He only began to understand many things on this day that seemed too late.

Tattanai might have known that something like this could happen, but he never spoke about it to make him aware.

A guilty conscience…

“I’ll keep it myself.” The person who was lost in thought whispered softly. Khanin raised his hand, rubbed his face and took a deep breath before getting up and retreating to the corner of the room without waiting for an answer.

“Um.” Charan didn’t say anything because he could see the young boy’s posture. Khanin picked up the backpack and hugged it tightly, knowing that the other party might want to use it as a substitute for the warmth of the person who left.

They were all in a rectangular room with limited space, filled with various things. Charan glanced briefly at the younger boy, but didn’t get too involved with Khanin. Although he wanted to ask him a few questions, in the end he just let it go.

Time could heal wounds in the heart. Charan believed in that…

The sky outside began to change color. The sun had set, and it was time for another visit during the night when the tall figure got up and went into the bathroom to take care of his personal business.

Charan allowed the water to hit his body while his ears listened for any sounds from outside. It was almost silent, with only slight movements indicating that someone else was still there.

The tall figure grabbed a towel and went out again to find that the younger boy had fallen asleep. The light in the room was turned off, and in the darkness, he saw Khanin sleeping with his backpack hugged close to him, looking away in another direction.

The younger boy’s breathing was steady. The small house owner took the space on the left side of the bed, leaving the other side empty. Charan lay down slowly, trying not to disturb the other person’s sleep. In truth, the young man was not used to sleeping in the same bed with anyone… but when booking a hotel, there was no option to request separate beds.

They had no choice but to share a queen-sized bed.

Charan considered this as part of his duty…

The tall figure closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, while some others slowly sank into their dreams, and the younger boy gradually became comfortable in the darkness.

Khanin let his eyes adjust to the darkness. The boy stopped moving to observe and waited anxiously for a moment before getting up from the bed. He walked straight to the door, being careful not to make any noise. Khanin waited quietly for almost five minutes to make sure that no one would wake up, then he quickly slipped out of the room unnoticed…

Khanin made a decision to escape… He didn’t want Charan to take him back to Emmaly, so the only option was to take himself far away.

The closest destination for Khanin at this moment is the train station. He walks hurriedly, choosing main roads where there are people passing by because he knows that in this situation, being among a crowd of people is the safest option for him.

He doesn’t care about anyone as he walks with his head bowed down. He steps up to the last tourist train of the day before hiding in the corner quietly.

Khanin clenches his jaw, thinking only of Paul…

He cannot go back home; it’s too risky. The destination on the train ticket tonight is the train station that connects to the accommodation of his close friend. The light around the station is bright enough for him to see. Khanin steps out of the train with a face that reveals his troubled thoughts.

He walks quickly along the pathway, trying to leave the train station before anything important comes to mind. The double-sided walkway that connects to Paul’s flat is a residential area, so it’s relatively quiet during this chaos.

Khanin has no choice but to move further away from the train station before turning back. His thin body rushes forward as he glances towards Paul’s apartment building, which is just two streets away, but in his mind, it feels like kilometers.

The sound of footsteps echoes loudly, and the closer he gets to his destination, the more danger he senses. The young boy looks both ways cautiously.

His heart beats faster in his chest. Khanin decides to reach into his pants pocket and pull out his phone to call someone he knows.

The ringing tone is a constant beat, contrasting with the nervousness in the small boy’s heart. Paul does not answer the call, but Khanin is not calm enough to wait.

“Pick up the phone, Paul. Answer!”

The sound of his voice is low as he looks up towards his friend’s window. From this angle, he can see the door of the room opening before Paul steps out and stops at the balcony.

The two-layered eyes hid in the wide open space. The young boy was about to scream for help from his best friend, but… Khanin could only do everything in his mind.

“Pa… Ahh!” A sweet voice was blocked by a mysterious hand. Someone dragged the white man to the back, causing the communication device to fall and crash on the ground.

Paul’s voice called out from the end of the line.

But this time, the phone owner could only shout in horror, unable to answer as usual…

“Help… Ugh! Ahh!”

“Be quiet.”

 

THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 09: Dreams.

By: CEO. FT Ennice.

“Shall we have a duel together?” All sounds around were cut off. Charan narrowed his eyes as he considered his opponent’s stance, facing Young Prince, a small prince from the Atsawathewathin family who had been sent without being able to prepare himself.

“…”

“If you win, you can have anything you want from me.” Khanin did not show any mercy at the moment when they were both sizing each other up.

Khanin’s words tickled Charan’s sense of curiosity, he squinted his eyes a little and carefully observed the conversation’s tone. He tried to assess the young man’s stance. Charan was not sure if Khanin knew the real tradition of Emmaly or not.

This sword battle, Khanin is the party holding the better hand because due to his royal bloodline, Charan must comply with all demands without reason or condition.

But if Khanin loses, they will not have the right to make any agreements or compromises because the other party is of royal blood, meaning they are above the laws of battle in the country. It is unknown if they are aware of these old laws or not…

If they are aware of the proper conduct, it is considered honorable and noble, but if they do not, they are considered to have equal starting points.

“What are the rules?” Charan asked in a cunning tone, hoping to gain some insight into the other party’s true intentions if Khanin knows a lot about this battle.

The qualities of a good ruler are… if the people are aware that what they are fighting for and are doing it willingly it means they can no longer be oppressed, it can be said that the ruler is good.

“The rules are like any other competition, but if you win, you can’t ask me to go back to Emmaly directly like that, it would be considered a request in vain.” The reply was partially explanatory, indicating that Khanin is not aware of the important rules of Emmaly.

It is quite… it will impress Charan.

This child is noble, but not to the point of being a cheat.

“What method will be used? International or Emmaly?”

“International.” Khanin gathered all the chips without fail to avoid being the losing party in every aspect. It is certain that Charan is aware of this. The other party is more skilled in international battle techniques than the practices of the Emmaly people.

“…”

“… anyone up for it, or not brave enough?” Khanin made a face as if he were trying to trick Charan with a small bait. They both knew that no matter what, Charan would not be able to reject this offer.

Because Charan is a person of Emmaly, he firmly adheres to proper conduct more than anyone else.

“Agreed.”

“Good, do you have any rules for cheating or not?”

“No.” Charan’s answer made the young man, who was desperately trying to find a way out in his head, slightly less surprised. He thought Charan would be more playful than this.

Khanin thought that the other party might forbid him from directly asking to return to his country as a way of getting back at the doctor. If so, the second plan he had prepared as a backup might have a chance to be used.

If he won, which… of course, he would win 100 percent, Khanin would ask Charan to let go of this matter. This would not be a direct request to return to the country of Emmaly. Moreover, it would easily cut someone out of his life.

“The loser must not break the promise.” The sweet voice spoke while raising a pinky finger in front of them, signaling a physical gesture for making a promise together.

“The loser must not break the promise.” Charan hesitated a little before replying. He stared intently at the slender white finger for a moment before intertwining his own, drawing a smile from the slender person.

“Then let’s start the competition.”

“Wait…”

“What?”

“I want to compete in a place without people. Wait for all of your friends to leave first.”

“Why?”

“No reason.” The short, unexplained answer led to confusion for the younger person. They exchanged glances, and after a deep breath, Khanin had to weigh the reasons in his heart to accept that sentence.

Upon reflection, it wasn’t too hard to understand something…

“Are you afraid of losing in front of others? Fine, we’ll wait until it’s dark, and then we’ll have our sword fight.”

The evening sky turned dark, and people in the club began to thin out as the clock struck half-past nine. In another thirty minutes, the club would close. Luckily, the situation was favorable for the last two members, who walked out of the door frame just in time for them to settle their victory and defeat.

“Do you have anything to say?” Khanin asked as he stood on the boat, holding his beloved saber, ready and in position, no different from Charan, who borrowed equipment and a racing suit from Paul.

The doctor understood that he wanted to find some sweet time to strengthen their relationship, and the sword fighting activity was just an excuse to cover up their true intentions.

Therefore, the person trying to act as a mediator and facilitator cooperated fully. Paul agreed to leave first, even leaving behind his sword fighting suit and equipment for Charan to borrow, as both were of similar height.

“No contest…” Charan calmly replied with a composed tone. The tall figure in a white suit looked so dignified that even Khanin couldn’t help but admire him, albeit reluctantly.

The doctor looks too good.

But oh well, just because someone appears good doesn’t mean they are; they could be all show and no substance.

“Alright, if you lose, don’t cry.” said Khanin confidently, his sharp words revealing his trust in his own skills. For a moment, he thought he heard Charan chuckle before responding with a sentence that further fueled his irritation.

“We’ll see… don’t block the light.”

Without a referee to signal the start, their sword duel began as soon as they heard the alarm clock. Khanin and Charan stood still, their swords drawn, letting almost half a minute pass without either scoring a point.

They spent time sizing each other up, their gazes locked, until Khanin couldn’t wait any longer and decided to initiate the attack.

Step, step, step.

The rhythm of his footwork synchronized with his newly learned sword technique, Khanin charged forward while Charan retreated, on the defensive.

The young man pressed on until his older opponent was about to cross the two-meter warning line. Khanin lunged forward, touching the middle of Charan’s body with the tip of his sword, scoring the first point beautifully.

0:1.

Khanin took the lead, but he sensed something was off.

His slender legs carried him back to the starting line, his eyes hidden behind the mask, gazing at Charan. The doctor seemed thoughtful, not launching any attacks, only parrying and defending. Why?

Unable to find an answer, Khanin decided to change his strategy. He took a deep breath, calculating the time as the entire match unfolded in his mind.

A minute had passed, leaving almost five more. The winner would be the one to score five points first, according to international rules.

That meant in just a few more minutes, this whole crazy affair would come to an end.

He needed to finish the game quickly…

Khanin initiated another attack, seeking a second point. He continued to be the aggressor, but Charan’s response remained unchanged from the first round. He refused to counterattack, focusing solely on defense and positioning, without seeking an opportunity to score.

Charan’s actions caused the younger player to become flustered, unable to read Khanin’s playing strategy despite some moments when it was time to score. But on the other side, they let it pass by nonchalantly.

Charan confused him until there was only one minute left in the competition… The demeanor of the other player changed.

The tall, dignified figure of Charan bent slightly, his long arms stretched out following the correct stance. Khanin responded to these moves with biting to counter the opponent’s attacks. But this time, it wasn’t as easy as he thought.

The position of the person who controlled the rhythm of the fight seemed to change as Charan found an opportunity to counterattack. The older player stepped forward rhythmically, forcing Khanin to become the retreating party with no other choice.

It’s getting worse…

The person who used to be the attacker in the game switched back to being the defender. In just a split second, the sound of the electronic scoreboard rang continuously several times, surprisingly.

Surprisingly, none of those points came from Khanin’s side. Not even a single score. At this time, the younger player was at a disadvantage.

Charan used a deceptive method to play with his opponent’s familiarity with his movements, striking the lower part and then going for the upper part of Khanin immediately without giving him a chance to regain his stance.

The once-confident player’s composure vanished, anxiety crept in, creating openings for the opponent to score and eventually equalize the match.

Khanin’s game-reading instincts sensed danger. The young man gripped the saber handle tightly in his hand, trying his best to maintain the number one position in the fencing association without faltering. However, it was becoming increasingly difficult.

Sweat dampened the middle of his back. Khanin tried to concentrate and exert force to strike with the sword again, alternating with some retreating steps to find a way to counter, but no matter which direction he went, the results remained the same.

He was blocked by Charan in every direction.

The taller person moved gracefully, with fluid steps and swordplay. Charan’s performance was flawless. In the last ten seconds, Khanin’s heart tightened, everything around him seemed to slow down before the final score signal sounded.

It was a complete declaration of defeat for the young man…

“Four to five.” The soft voice of the challenger faintly echoed 4:5. It was a close score and not a despicable one when compared to the competition standards, but for Khanin, he didn’t feel good about it at all. Importantly, it wasn’t because he couldn’t accept the defeat, but because…

Khanin knew deep down that the four points he had received were all due to Charan giving him the opportunity to score them.

It wasn’t true…

“Let’s go back.” Charan removed his metal mask before walking straight towards Khanin. Silent and still, he didn’t hear or notice anything other than the breath of the person in front of him.

The club was quiet and empty of other people. The two pairs of eyes scanned their surroundings before stopping at the scoreboard.

Khanin understood… He truly understood why Charan had asked the others to leave first.

Because the other party was confident that the person who would win the sword duel this time…

Would definitely not be him.

The temperature of the nighttime in the English capital dropped rapidly. Charan, with his long strides, followed behind the small figure leading the way, while observing the other person’s demeanor, who had been silent throughout the journey.

Khanin didn’t say a single word, only immersed in his thoughts since they had left the club and walked to the alley near their home. The young man who used to chat and discuss things now had no conversation or words slipping from his beautiful lips, not even a little bit.

And it made Charan worried…

The young man didn’t want to destroy Khanin’s confidence, nor did he want the younger person to behave like this, but he accepted the challenge because he wanted the other party to see the clear picture and make everything easier.

However, it seemed that winning the competition this time had turned into a situation that crushed and destroyed Khanin’s confidence to a large extent.

“Wait…” The older one spoke up, stopping them about three to four meters away from the front door of the house.

“…?” Khanin raised his eyebrows and looked at his companion with a questioning expression.

“I have something to discuss with you.”

“You don’t have to worry about me breaking my promise. I will keep my word—.”

“No, I just want to tell you about both your strengths and weaknesses.” Charan interrupted before the younger one could continue, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

He wasn’t going to demand the winner’s request at this moment, but only wanted to explain something to the young man.

“Go ahead.” Khanin replied calmly, closing his eyes briefly to hide his various worries. He took a deep breath, feeling exhausted, but his worries did not ease.

“Your swordsmanship is in the good category.”

Charan started with a compliment, but Khanin just forced himself to accept it, not being in the mood to listen to such words.

“Uh-huh. That’s it.”

“But that’s by the standards of the people in your world.”

Charan spoke bluntly without any hidden meaning, and the tall man’s voice was emotionless. However, it made the listener widen his eyes.

Khanin stared back at the older man’s face, his eyes expressing clear dissatisfaction with the older man’s words.

“You!”

“I don’t mean any harm.” Charan hurriedly interjected.

His body language conveyed seriousness, and the younger man reluctantly silenced himself, giving Charan the chance to continue. “But what I want to convey is that your world is still too small.”

“What do you mean?” Khanin frowned at the complexity of Charan’s statement.

Although he somewhat understood the meaning of ‘world’ referred to experience, the young man couldn’t help but wonder what the real point was that Charan wanted to convey.

“In real life… you still have many people to encounter. Your weakness is a lack of skill, and you still need to practice. Confidence is something every athlete should have, but having too much of it can lead to carelessness, just like today.”

Charan didn’t deny Khanin’s skills, but one thing that had to be admitted was that underestimating his opponent or having excessive self-confidence was a factor in his defeat today.

“The winner can say anything.” Khanin said in a sulky tone.

“But still, the loser must keep their promise.” The older man reminded him of the reality, his sharp eyes narrowing as they studied the young man’s displeased face before something moving by the window inside the house caught the young man’s attention.

What was it…?

“I know, but can you give me some time? Let me…”

Khanin’s voice lost its importance as Charan’s senses shifted elsewhere. His brows furrowed, and his usually indifferent face now seemed more serious than before, as his mind quickly processed that something was amiss.

Normally, Tattanai’s house would always be brightly lit, but now the inside of the house is completely dark.

Which one is the shadowy figure with more than one person?

What is going on…

“… “

“You, you, listen to me. Um…”

“Shh.” Charan placed a slender finger on the lips of the young person, causing their thin frame to falter. Khanin stopped frowning at Charan’s posture, which kept staring behind him, and decided to open his mouth and ask.

“What?”

“Be quiet for a moment, come here.” With a thick palm holding onto the small arm, Charan pulled Khanin down in sync with the two-layered gaze hiding and observing the unfavorable situation that had occurred.

“There’s someone in the house.” Khanin muttered to himself more than he wanted to get a response from the person next to him.

“Yes.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know.” Charan spoke anxiously, not intentionally disturbing his nerves, but the real meaning was that the young man had no idea who the group of people in the house were…

“I will call my dad.”

“Don’t do that.” The experienced man spoke as he quickly grabbed the slim arm that was about to pick up the communication device to make a call, holding it firmly. Charan warned that in case of an emergency, contacting Tattanai could make everything worse.

“Why?”

“Because we don’t know who they are.” The short answer from Charan, accompanied by a clearly stressed face, was significant enough for a smart person like Khanin to piece together the whole story by himself.

Since feeling like someone was stalking them…

That motorcycle…

The invasion of their home today… everything seemed to be strangely connected.

“So what should we do?” Khanin’s anxious heart trembled. It was an uncomfortable feeling, seeing the dark lights around the house, making him even more worried and barely able to stand still.

“Wait outside; I’ll go in.”

“No, I’ll go with you.” The younger man interrupted Charan before he could finish his sentence. His eyes narrowed, and the blinking rate increased with the pace of his heart.

Khanin’s thoughts screamed, echoing the dangerous situation they were facing.

If it’s like Charan said…

If it’s like Charan said…

If it’s really like that…

That means… his father is in danger right now.

“It’s too risky; I want you to wait outside.”

“But my father is in there! Please, I beg you – let me go with you.” The younger man’s eyes were filled with a mixture of emotions, his tone softening at the end of the sentence, causing Charan to weigh the situation in his head urgently once again.

“Fine, but if we go – you must listen to me. Don’t do anything beyond what I tell you.” Charan made up his mind. He didn’t want to waste any more time arguing, and most importantly, keeping Khanin in sight might be safer than leaving him outside alone.

“Okay, lead the way.”

The light from the walkway of the neighboring house seeped through just enough to make out the familiar bedroom in the dim light.

Khanin stepped through the unlocked first-floor door into the interior. The first thing that hit his senses was the sound of someone fighting desperately, coming from the second floor of the house, urging the young man to rush up the stairs.

The left side of the young man’s chest pounded rapidly, his slim hands sweating and soaking gradually in the rhythm of his sprint. Khanin no longer cared about where Charan was in the house or whether he would follow; his sole focus now was Tattanai.

“Khanin, don’t come, run away!”

His father’s shout almost immediately followed the sight of his son’s face appearing in the master bedroom.

Tattanai’s sharp eyes widened, the middle-aged man momentarily losing control, causing his leading position in the fight to falter, resulting in his arm, which was about to throw a punch, being twisted into an awkward position.

“Father!” The young man still could not grasp what was happening. At this moment, the house’s second floor was filled with mysterious intruders surrounding Tattanai. One of them forcefully kicked the middle-aged man’s knee, causing him to fall to the floor in shock.

“Ugh.”

Tattanai gritted his teeth in pain as his opponent grabbed his arm and pinned it behind his back. The middle-aged man looked up at his only son, wishing that Khanin wouldn’t come this way, but it seemed too late for that now…

“Father.” Khanin rushed in, heading towards the closest black-clad man, but his body was noticeably slow compared to the tall man.

Flung!

Charan was the one to pull him back while simultaneously delivering a powerful uppercut to the chin of one of the men in black. The tall figure then kicked the man holding Tattanai, helping to free the middle-aged man and regain his freedom.

The elegant figure moved gracefully, utilizing every part of its body effectively. Charan elbowed a man wearing a black suit who had just lunged at him from behind, while Tattanai simultaneously got up and kicked a big, burly man with his powerful leg, sending him flying into the goalpost.

Thud!

The collision happened so quickly that Khanin, who was facing it head-on, knew that Charan was not just skilled with a sword but also had close-range combat abilities.

“Take Khanin and run.”

A short command, but one that showed the young man’s expertise.

Charan dealt with the two men who had locked arms with Tattanai and sent them both tumbling to the ground with a single blow. The young man pushed both Khanin and the older man down the stairs before turning to face an attack coming from his left.

Charan dodged the sudden onslaught with agility, while Khanin tried to use his brain to come up with a plan to escape during this hectic time.

“What are you doing, Dad?”

“Don’t worry about me.” The older man pushed the younger one ahead, as if to protect him from danger.

Tattanai went straight down to the lower level, the first thing he grabbed being his own son’s important briefcase, which he had held on to for almost twenty years. He handed it over to Khanin before turning to face the attackers by the front door.

“I have to go back up and help Charan.” Tattanai said in a hoarse voice. There were four of them… even if they were strong and skilled fighters, he could only resist for a short while.

The rank and dignity of Tattanai was several levels lower than that of Charan. If he escaped alone and left the other party behind, it would not be a wise move at all.

“No…” as if foreseeing the future, Khanin shook his head. He reached out with his small hand and grabbed the strong, sturdy arm of the older man to stop him from leaving.

“Listen to me, Nin. Don’t follow me up there, no matter what happens.

Remember the third pine tree. Okay?”

“Dad, don’t go.”

“Before the sun rises, I’ll follow you there.” The thick-handed speaker raised his hands and clasped his small fists together. They exchanged one last glance before the older man withdrew.

Tattanai didn’t hesitate, he ran back up to the second floor of the house, leaving the young boy to anxiously look after him with his eyes.

Khanin was restless almost to the point of madness. He looked left and right before grabbing the nearest lamp to use as a weapon. His thin frame intended to defy his father’s orders, but it seemed the upper party still understood each other somewhat. Tattanai and Charan arrived from opposite sides before the situation became even more chaotic than before.

“Khun Charan, take the lead.” The oldest person present gestured towards the higher-ranking party member.

Khanin was caught in the middle and felt a wave of emotion rise up within him when he saw his father still in such an uncertain state… How sad it was that that feeling only lasted for a fleeting moment!

“Ah!”

Something hit the air loudly, jolting his nerves.

Khanin wasn’t exactly sure what the root cause of the noise was, but he turned around to look. His eyes widened as they fell upon…

Tattanai’s arm was now stained red with blood, and the cause of the injury…

was a bullet fired by one of the men in black suits aimed at them.

The youngest person present felt his body shake uncontrollably as if he couldn’t manage to control it, like a lump of flesh inside his chest was working slowly. Khanin unconsciously held his breath when the impending danger seemed to be worse than he imagined.

“Go!” The thin frame was caught off guard by the current situation, which ended in a familiar thud. Tattanai turned his head and made a signal to Charan before pushing Khanin out of the gate area.

Bang!

“Dad!” The youngest person’s voice trembled. Khanin stumbled, leaving behind his body and the things decided upon by the person who made the ultimate decision.

The door was closed and locked, leaving them all separated from each other.

The hot barrel exploded. Khanin tried to regain his composure and intended to rush back inside, but everything seemed to move slower than Charan. The young boy didn’t have time to move before someone blocked him off with just one arm.

“Let go! Let go! Father!!”

Charan let Khanin scream only once before his thick hand moved and covered the small mouth in front of him. He pushed aggressively, forcing the younger person to retreat from the scene…

Clear drops of water obscured the familiar sight of the dark house, and the light gradually disappeared from Khanin’s eyes.

He couldn’t see anything anymore… not even the shadow of his father, the warm images he thought they shared, or their conversation to understand each other… words left unspoken and love that remained unresolved.

Everything became nothing but a fleeting dream that vanished in a blink of an eye… flying over the horizon.

LINE.

To be continued.

THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 08: Game of Life

by: ceo. ft ennice.

Khanin couldn’t sleep…

He had been awake for a while, but he didn’t get up from the bed. His eyes were hidden behind a drowsy look, gazing out the window. The difference in temperature between the indoors and outdoors caused the clear window to fog up with white condensation.

The young man lacked any sense of freshness, lying still like a sunflower that never found its own sunlight, similar to wilted vegetables on a store shelf that no one picked up. It took a while before his father’s voice echoed through the door of the room.

“Khanin, Nin… Are you still not awake, son?” The question was not answered immediately. The young man chose to swing his legs out of bed, walk straight to the bathroom with more clumsiness than usual.

It was an indication that he was already awake, and Khanin was confident his father would hear it.

“Nin, come and eat breakfast first.” Another greeting that morning, which Khanin didn’t respond to. The young man opted to take a deep breath after walking down the stairs, only to find Tattanai waiting in the same blue apron.

The father’s eyes showed clear agitation. Eventually, the hard-hearted man had no choice but to place his backpack on the sofa and slump down on a dining chair instead of walking out without acknowledging his family.

Today’s breakfast menu was a full English breakfast. Khanin grabbed the knife and fork and began cutting the grilled tomatoes, putting them into his mouth without uttering a single word.

He was absorbed in the taste of the food, which seemed to be specially prepared by his father, evident by the larger than usual amount of bacon in the plate and the addition of two fried eggs.

Although in reality, Tattanai had always tried to control his son’s weight as an athlete. But this time, his father had served him everything he used to say was off-limits, allowing him to eat happily.

The young man realized all the effort his father was making. However, Khanin’s response was the opposite; he simply continued eating his breakfast quietly. Although he got what he wanted, he still felt no happiness.

Khanin guessed that his father knew not to sit beside him as usual. The older man maintained distance before daring to approach closer than before when the third piece of bacon on the young man’s plate was finished.

The handsome young man’s eyes caught a glimpse of his father’s actions, causing Khanin to accidentally hold his breath due to the heavy feeling in his chest.

Tattanai paused, then used his dominant hand, skilled in cooking, to place a caramel candy next to the hand holding the knife. It made Khanin stop in his tracks.

The young man looked up but didn’t even have a chance to make eye contact before someone turned away.

Tattanai avoided confrontation, and this was his father’s way of apologizing…

“I know you want something sweet, but I can’t let you eat too much, Nin, because your teeth will decay… So you can only have this as a reward for yourself when you accept your own feelings. Is that okay?”

The image of his father’s gentle voice addressing him shone clearer in his head, like watching an old film reel. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated Khanin became, as he had many pressing questions to ask. This action seems like the father wants him to understand.

But what does the father want Nin to accept? To accept the anger, disappointment, and sadness from suddenly having to become someone else, no different from a stranger, or so?

Or does he want him to accept that they are not truly father and son, and that he has been deceived by the person he trusted most in his life, hiding the truth for 21 years? Which issue does the father want him to accept?

The double-layered eyes retreat in a blink. Khanin gathers the fork and knife. Suddenly, the favorite dish in front of him changes its taste, becoming bland and insipid.

The thin figure abruptly rises from the dining table, heading to the sink, deciding to leave that caramel candy where it was… the long, slender legs quickly grab the backpack and sling it over the shoulder before glancing back at the problematic caramel candy still lying there.

Khanin doesn’t intend to go back and pick it up and put it in his bag, mainly because the person who gave it doesn’t want to talk or communicate anymore. So there’s no need for him to pick it up.

The young man decides to leave the house, but a sudden loud sound from behind stops the thin figure whose feet haven’t yet stepped beyond the doorframe.

“Don’t go yet.”

“… “ Khanin turned back to face Tattanai reluctantly. The older man takes off the blue apron after being gone for a while.

The father, on behalf of him, moves closer. With a rough, calloused hand, he grasps the slender hand of the person he has called his son for twenty years and places the caramel candy in it.

“Nin…” The first call is met with no response. Khanin acts like a sulky little child who won’t even make eye contact with his father, and Tattanai understands… he shouldn’t push to win his son over now when the other party has built such high walls in his heart.

“…”

“Nin, are you really angry with me…” Thus, the next sentence becomes a question mixed with guilt in his tone. Tattanai’s dark eyes soften as they rest on Khanin as usual. In the end, the person in front remains silent.

Tattanai doesn’t think about it. In the eyes of the father, the other party is no different from the little boy of the past, just a small child deliberately sulking at his father because he is unhappy with what he has done.

But soon, Tattanai believes that things between them must improve…

This time, it has to be like every other time that has passed… The most important thing is to care about the feelings and emotions of the child.

Nothing is complicated other than trying to make the younger person let go of his anger, because if only Khanin let go of his anger, Tattanai’s world would be bright and cheerful as before.

“When you are no longer angry with me… you can eat it, son.”

“…”

“Safe travels. Take care of yourself.”

The final conversation between the two people ended just like that. Seeing that his son did not respond, Tattanai did not think further about the long and thin middle-aged man, who took a step back and allowed Khanin to pass through easily while he still stood there watching… until the door of the house closed.

A crack.

The soft sound of the door closing resonated with Khanin’s nerves. The fairskinned owner of the house stood still, blankly staring at the house door, alternated with the caramel candy in his hand for a long time before deciding to put it in his pocket.

He was not 100% over his anger towards Tattanai, but partly accepting the candy was to avoid making his father feel worse than this. However, he couldn’t pretend it didn’t bother him. Khanin wasn’t brave enough to lie to himself.

The back of his fair hand wiped away the tears that welled up, hiding his two-layered eyes in a blink, driving away the heat that surrounded and spread around the eye socket.

The sign of weakness was brushed aside. Khanin hurriedly raised his face after adjusting it to return to normal, not wanting anyone to see him crying, especially Charan… a person who often confronted each other.

Khanin froze when the person he shouldn’t think of to be annoyed suddenly appeared in his mind. His two-layered eyes hid as they swept around, looking left and right for a long time. Not seeing that person, he let out a soft, relieved breath.

Charan was not around… or perhaps because last night he had scolded and chased him away, it made him think of something.

‘If you can’t stand it, you have to endure it. If it’s annoying, you have to bear it because the I will come here every day… until I can take Your Majesty back.’

‘…’

“Between us, it’s our duty. I hope Your Majesty will understand.”

Sometimes those words might not be reliable, but this was fine because Khanin still couldn’t agree and remained firm without changing his mind.

Eventually, Charan would probably give up and retreat.

The young man, analyzing the situation and confronting himself alone, shook off his irritation and took a small breath before starting to walk again with the fencing club as his destination.

Today, Khanin intended to spend more time with the training bench and his teammates than usual. At least if his body was exhausted and sweaty, it might help alleviate the stress.

He was determined to reach the club in about twenty more minutes, but it seemed his instincts and the reflexes he had developed from fencing training were starting to work again. As the young owner of the small body sensed something unusual around him.

Khanin suspected that he was being followed. The inner sensory nerves in his body sounded the alarm, warning of the impending danger… causing him to unintentionally hold his breath and speed up his pace more than before, but everything continued to run smoothly.

Who are they? The ones who don’t like my face or someone, which group is definitely doing this…

‘Are you saying that the motorcycle intentionally hit me?’

‘Yes.’

‘You watch too many movies’

‘You are too vulnerable to the world.’

Once again, the conversation of the person who don’t like his face breaks into the air, entering his head. Khanin frowns, trying to think of a way out by scanning the surrounding streets before deciding to suddenly change direction.

The young man crosses the street to be on the other side, away from the original footpath he was on. He slows down a bit to take advantage of this moment to look around, trying to find any abnormalities on the opposite side of the road.

The beautiful pair of eyes almost simultaneously show both irritation and concern as they gaze. Khanin exhales a long breath of hot air after discovering that the tall, dignified figure standing on the other side of the road is none other than…

The same person who has been bothering and trying to interfere with his thoughts for the past two days.

Charan does not think of avoiding eye contact with the pale man. The young man probably realizes that Khanin crossed the road with a purpose, knowing that someone was following him. This was a quick and clever move.

The tall man bows his head slightly in respect. Although he is older, but Khanin has a higher status, Charan thinks this is not a problem.

He lets the younger man nervously lead the way before following at a safe distance. In truth, Charan does not want to act like a stalker, but the situation and his duty force him to do so.

The young man has been quite worried since the incident in the alley last night. Of course, he reported everything to Tattanai. That man was more concerned for the young prince of the Atsawathewathin family than he was.

On the other hand, he wanted to leave the house to personally follow and take care of his son, but… he was more concerned about the boy’s feelings, fearing that Khanin would be even angrier. So Tattanai asked him to take care of it.

It became his responsibility.

The man who had been reflecting all night after their argument took a long breath, and Charan followed at a leisurely pace. They walked side by side on a street, with vehicles passing by between them.

Being too harsh or emotional with Khanin would not be helpful at all, and would only make him more resistant and waste time. So, the young man decided to definitely choose a new approach.

‘Nin may seem childish at times, but if there is a good reason, talk to him calmly when he is in a stable mood, he will listen.’

‘… ‘

‘I want Khun Charan to give him some time and for you to try to understand and open his heart to Nin a little bit, as this is a big deal for him.’

Just as Tattanai told him over the phone last night, sometimes the best approach might be to use soft tactics and negotiate with reason, but at this time, Charan has no way to go…

Maybe because they are not familiar with each other, the young man hasn’t yet found a way to start negotiating. Therefore, the only option at this time is to wait and do his best as a security officer for the dignitaries, even for those in the royal family.

Charan can only hope that what happened coincides with what Khanin thinks; that it is just a coincidence, even though it’s difficult to believe, but he wants it to be like that.

He hopes that everything is just his own imagination…

“Hey, Charan is here too.”

The greeting came from Paul. Khanin guessed that the other party must really like Charan, as he could tell from the way his close friend went to talk to the tall guy right after exchanging a few words.

Charan didn’t make himself the center of attention; he found a quiet corner to sit, but there was something about the aura of the man that made him stand out and catch the eye.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to the other members.” As usual, Khanin’s close relationship with Paul was partly due to the friendly and playful nature of the blonde-haired young man, but now he was starting to dislike this trait of the other party.

His eyes followed Paul as he led Charan to introduce him to the other members of the Fencing Club. And even though he didn’t share the tall man’s background, for some reason, his friends kept saying things that annoyed Khanin.

“Have you ever seen Nin compete? I remember.”

“Yes, I remember sitting and watching all the time.”

“Are you interested in the sport of fencing, or more interested in the person who fence?”

“So, you’re interested in Khanin?” All of these sentences belonged to various people, and Khanin didn’t pay attention to who said what, but it was the last remark from Alex, a Chinese-English mixed-blood, that startled the slender man.

“Why do you ask that?” Someone who was the main cause of the irritation asked quietly. Charan stopped frowning slightly and acted like a teacher who was about to discipline his own student.

Contrary to Khanin, he silently listened to the conversation while his slender hand moved to clean his saber, as if he wasn’t interested in the trivial stories around him.

“Because your eyes were only staring at Nin.” Alex replied while glancing at the person mentioned.

Khanin inadvertently turned to make eye contact with Charan immediately following his instinct. It was as if there was a small electric shock in the air between them for a moment before all the feelings disappeared.

It’s so delicate and light that nobody can be fast enough to know their own mind and heart. Even Charan, who claims to be certain, doesn’t realize it yet.

“True, I agree.”

“If you’re going to like him, think about it carefully, Nin.”

Amidst the chatter of friends divided into factions, one side tries to cheer Charan up, while the other side tries hard to make the tall man change his mindset.

All these actions only cause Khanin to become increasingly annoyed. The young man stares at Charan, takes a deep breath, and wants to shout out loud to let everyone know the true nature of their relationship.

That doctor is not someone who secretly admires, but rather the master of his fate!

However, after weighing his feelings, he realizes that speaking up would only cause harm and he would have to explain things he doesn’t want to talk about to his friends. Moreover, he would likely face more embarrassing situations in the coming days.

Khanin purses his lips and makes a decision, standing up in the middle of the group. His beautiful eyes still stare at Charan’s face, opposite to the message he chooses to convey to the other members around him.

“I’ll be right back.”

If the music practice room is Khanin’s number one place of refuge, the rooftop of the sword club would be his second choice.

Many times, when he feels down but doesn’t want to bother anyone,

Khanin comes here to deal with his emotions quietly and alone, like now.

The young man looks up at the gloomy sky above. Khanin gazes at the clouds, thinking about the stories his father loved to tell before bedtime about the land they came from.

His father said Emmaly is a country close to the equator, with a wide-open sky, making it easy to see large clouds gathered together. It’s his father’s homeland and has one of the most beautiful skies in his heart.

Tattanai loves Emmaly so much, as evidenced by his constant talking about old stories, food, lifestyle, and some incidents he could share. His father mentioned it all.

And that makes Khanin reflect… Even though his father still cherishes the place he calls home after all this time, why doesn’t anyone think his ‘home’ is here?

Khanin has never thought about relocating. He doesn’t care about competing for positions with anyone. It’s not important enough to spend his time on, especially for those he has never met.

The only person Khanin acknowledges and considers family is Tattanai, the individual who claims to be his guardian angel…

Khanin admits that he is still angry with his father.

The young man doesn’t understand why Tattanai allows those people to use their higher positions to dictate negotiations. Why should they have to bow down when everyone has their own life?

The young man slips his hand into his pocket, and his slender fingertips touch the plastic that wraps a caramel candy, reminding him of an older person.

Khanin closes his eyes and makes a decision. No matter what, he must talk to his father today to make things clear. Tattanai will have to choose.

Between him and Emmaly, even if the sky there is so beautiful that his father wants to see it again, it’s unfair to go just to meet others’ demands. The young man thinks it’s unjust.

What kind of world is this? Even if none of them go back, nobody would die from it. All his father needs to say is that he chooses their family. Khanin is ready to do everything his father orders.

From now on, if his father wants him to practice, no matter how late it is, Khanin will not complain. If he wants him to compete in the Olympics and win a gold medal, he will do it.

He just wants to stay in his own space, where his father is still by his side, just like it used to be. He is ready to forget everything that has caused conflict and never speak of it again.

Khanin believes he has enough ability to persuade his father. The young man is confident that he can see the warmth and good intentions in Tattanai’s eyes, just like it used to be.

His father doesn’t want to let go of him. He guesses that any father would understand. If they compare this gamble to a game of life, the path ahead they must face is a long-term game.

This means that if they return there, they may no longer have a father-son relationship. Tattanai would treat him like he treated Charan. The wall of status would come between their previous relationship, and in the end, they would only have the relationship of strangers.

The young man opens his eyes again, casting his gaze out to the scenery in front of him. The dark blue of the buildings and houses further darken Khanin’s mood, leaving him feeling gloomy. As he becomes aware of his surroundings again, he catches a glimpse of someone approaching and standing beside him.

“Paul, can I have a moment? I want to be alone for a while— you…” The words were swallowed as the owner of the small body turned back to face the handsome and sullen face of someone.

Khanin exhaled with irritation. He used his small tongue to push his cheek back and forth, trying to calm his emotions before organizing his thoughts. He then turned to face the person next to him with a serious look.

“Tell me what you want.”

“I’ve already told you everything. I won’t go back without you.” Charan still spoke in a calm, quiet voice, no different from Khanin, who insisted on his words.

“I won’t go back with you.”

“Not your decision.” The royal vocabulary from the lips made the listener look up in annoyance. It seemed odd to use such vocabulary with him in a situation that was half-forced and half-pressured.

Ugh… I believe him.

The slender hand was raised, and the young man tried to use the little time he had to think of a way to negotiate with Charan. He let the other party look at his face silently until a piece of information that his father once told him came to mind.

‘In the old days, the Emmaly people used swords regularly because our ancestors were skilled with them… so when there was a dispute and they couldn’t compromise, they would duel with swords as usual. If someone invites you to a sword duel, whether directly or by sending a letter… according to tradition, you cannot refuse.’

‘The loser must die or, if not dead, must do everything the winner asks.’

‘Until now, they still duel as a game, but a serious game… The winner can ask for anything, and the loser must obey without exception. If they can’t do it, it’s considered an outstanding issue, and they must make a legal agreement, like a loan agreement.’

The corner of the younger person’s mouth twitched slightly upwards. Khanin seemed to see a light at the end of the tunnel. His father’s stories often had practical use, teaching Khanin to be wise in life. Sometimes, they helped him escape from trouble, and today it might help him continue in a situation where he had to take action… to leave someone behind.

“You’re talking to me about the duel, which means you’re very good at it. If that’s the case… “ The young man went away, embarrassed. He looked at the person in front of him, from head to toe, but his goal was not to look disdainful.

“…..”

Khanin quickly made a plan in his head and then spoke in a quiet and unemphatic voice. His face was not expressing any emotion, because he didn’t want Charan to know his emotions or guess his thoughts. “Shall we have a duel together?”

LINE.

TBC.

Please help me control this mischievous child. #AcrosstheSkyBesideYou

THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 07: A Conservative Person.

By: ceo. ft ennice.

“Holy Shit! Nin, you’re the real deal.”

The sound from behind jolts Charan’s senses, bringing him back to the present situation. His sharp eyes blink rapidly as the heat of embarrassment spreads across his face.

The young man’s heart skips a beat, remembering the ancient legend of Emmaly, his homeland.

‘You can date anyone, hold hands, kiss cheeks, or express love in any way.’

‘But don’t give kisses away easily, dear, because in our country… a kiss is a vow to love each other forever… We only kiss someone… when we want to spend our lives together.’ the sweet and gentle tone of the mother who once spoke to Charan when he was young echoed in his head again. Although he often remembered his mother being by his side and spending time together, it was not often that Charan heard her talk about this matter.

It was as if the mind wanted to emphasize how important a ‘kiss’ was for the people of Emmaly.

Charan clearly remembered that his mother had said that the people of Emmaly would only kiss someone when they vowed to love each other forever.

They usually used their first kiss to propose marriage in the old customs.

Although nowadays society isn’t as strict about the first kiss as before…

Charan still adhered to those traditions like before.

Khanin removed his hand from the warm cheeks, his eyes hidden behind two layers of eyelashes, staying on his teammate’s face for a moment, as if scanning before looking past without any sign of embarrassment.

The young man managed to scrape the remaining small pieces of Pocky onto the back of his hand before turning to face the other members with a calm expression, as if nothing shocking had just happened.

“I have this much left.” Khanin said, showing a small piece of Pocky, which appeared to be about three millimeters long, to Charlie.

The referee checked it before nodding towards the competitors. Seymour and Jimmy, who were standing with sly smiles, seemed to have already determined the outcome of the contest.

“My partner has none left.” Seymour walked in confidently and shrugged before continuing with a relaxed manner, “So, we won, right? Now who has to drink the trash water?”

“It’s Khanin.” Jimmy walked up to his lover with a smile, happy for the rare opportunity to get back at their mischievous friend.

Khanin exchanged a glance with Jimmy, then looked at Seymour, who was standing beside him with a superior smile and arrogant demeanor, and couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.

“What does the rule say, Charlie?”

“The competitors must eat Pocky sticks. Whoever has more remaining or longer sticks, that pair loses and must share the trash water.” Charlie explained, as his adorable face frowned, and he showed the tiny piece of Pocky he was holding to everyone.

“Whoever has the shortest Pocky stick left… that person wins.” Khanin emphasized the word “wins” and slightly smirked when he saw Seymour’s face turning pale.

“….”

“But you guys don’t have any left, not even a bit… so, who should drink the trash water?”

Amidst the silence, only the distant sound of an ambulance siren could be heard. Khanin smiled at the corner of his mouth as if announcing his victory, raising one eyebrow to show his superiority and his undefeated status in the game.

Khanin was the true winner.

If anything should be blamed, it would be the flawed rules. Khanin had to protect his own rights because he didn’t want to lose face in a silly game. His title was not achieved by luck or chance.

Jimmy and Seymour are a formidable pair, but because Khanin had thought of ways to escape from the start, he did not hesitate for a moment to invest in locking Charan’s face closer to bite the Pocky as short as possible.

No matter how correct the rules are, there is no way to resist the gaze of other friends.

“Oh, we lost… It’s okay to admit it.” The heartache was bigger than the couple could bear to accept the defeat. Jimmy and Seymour looked at each other before one of them finally gave in.

“…”

“I’ll drink that trashy water myself.”

“Ha!”

The friends cheered loudly when they finally found the true winner. Paul was the one to pick up the garbage water and divide it into two glasses, giving them to Seymour and Jimmy as the kings. Everyone surrounded them and cheered as the couple pinched their noses and bravely drank the strange liquid.

Khanin should stop his smile and focus on his own victory, but for some reason, his eyes wandered elsewhere.

The sight of Jimmy and Seymour making faces while lifting their glasses of water did not capture Khanin’s attention. He used to think victory and punishment were important, but now his eyes were fixed on the handsome face of someone.

Worse, his entire focus was gathered on… the lips of Charan. Khanin didn’t understand, he wasn’t sure why he couldn’t look away.

The more he saw Charan’s worried expression and the warm touch of his finger on his lips, the stranger it felt inside. It was itchy and restless, as if an army of ants was marching in his heart.

Had he played too hard?

Though he didn’t like that pillow-face, Khanin still had some humanity left. He didn’t like the guilt that was growing in his mind. Although Charan didn’t say anything, his sharp eyes staring back at him were clearly filled with sadness.

Even though the victory was his and the title of game master remained, this time, Khanin didn’t feel as proud as he usually did. Part of it was because of his father’s teachings about sportsmanship, which were deeply ingrained in his mind and haunting him at the right time and place.

‘Know defeat, know victory, forgive, and apologize when you hurt someone or make them feel bad in the game…’If you know these things, you’ll become a good athlete.’

Khanin took a deep breath and tried hard to shake off his father’s words.

The young man tried to convince himself that this was what he wanted.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Charan deserved a lesson for following him and being the one targeted. Khanin thought this was another way to help the other party stop interfering in his life.

The young man clenched his face, assuring himself with confidence, his thin lips lifted in a small smile before repeating the same words in his heart, trying to get rid of all the worries that lingered.

It’s already correct. This is the best way.

Don’t overthink it, don’t worry too much, I don’t see any need to care.

Doing it this way is so much more comfortable…

Comfortable… what does that even mean?

Khanin’s footsteps thud along the sidewalk in the midst of London’s evening atmosphere. The lights from the shops still shine brightly enough to prevent loneliness. The temperature, which seems to have dropped by two or three degrees, causes the young man’s nose to feel a bit tense and soon turns red.

“Ah-choo!” Not a good situation at all. Khanin sneezes forcefully, thankfully raising his hand to cover his nose in time, but it’s still an embarrassing moment.

Someone who hasn’t spoken a word since stepping out of Samantha’s house speeds up and comes closer. From the corner of his eye, Khanin sees Charan pulling something out of his inner coat pocket.

In the next instant, a clean, dark-colored handkerchief is handed to him. The slender figure hesitates for a moment before finally accepting it, seemingly without any other choice.

Khanin takes care of himself, sneezing louder than before, signaling that his problematic nasal passages are acting up annoyingly.

“I’ll wash it for you tonight.”

“No need.” The owner of the handkerchief speaks softly, slowing down his pace and stepping back, causing Khanin to feel a throbbing pain in the right side of his head.

Charan acted annoyed, not saying a word to him. Even though they usually don’t need to converse, this seems a bit too much.

Not looking at each other, keeping distance, maintaining walking space, like bodyguards or something. It makes Khanin feel irritated and wants to explode.

The young man tries to count to a hundred, telling himself to calm down more than this. But in reality, Khanin can’t even count to ten with the same rhythm as his brain orders his body to stop walking and turn to face his counterpart.

“Here.”

“…”

“What’s wrong with you?” The speaker tries hard to control his tone, not to sound too provocative. Khanin stares at Charan, who furrows his brow slightly as the other man refuses to look at him as always.

“No… nothing’s wrong.”

Clearly, there is something wrong, but he still lies.

“God punishes liars, you know.” That statement would have been slightly more powerful and dignified if they were standing in front of a church, not in a desolate alleyway like today.

Khanin took a deep breath, and Charan looked like someone who was fighting with himself. Inside the other man’s head, it seems there’s an angel and a devil, or something similar, fighting. His handsome face is distorted, as if he can’t swallow or spit it out.

But it all lasts only a moment. In the end, Charan wins and regains his composure, showing that this man is capable of controlling his own mind more than letting the devil or the power of an angel dominate him.

“It’s nothing. It’s late, let’s hurry.” The taller man prepares to lead the way. Khanin takes another deep breath before deciding to shout out the words stuck in his head, letting the other person hear them.

“I’m sorry!”

“…”

“I apologize.” The giant mountain in the middle of Khanin’s chest shrank rapidly as soon as he uttered those words. The owner of the pale body pursed his lips, feeling a little relieved when the older man stopped and met his gaze.

“Sorry? For what?”

“Well, you didn’t seem okay… after we…” His soft voice trailed off. Khanin searched for words to describe what had happened without using offensive language that could exacerbate the tense atmosphere.

“…”

“Winning the poker game.” The young man felt guilty; he didn’t mean to make Charan feel bad… Okay, he did, but he didn’t think the consequences would be this severe.

“Hmm. What else?”

“Just ‘hmm’?”

“Do you want me to be honest so you can understand what I am?”

“Uh-huh.” The younger man didn’t avert his gaze, staring at Charan’s face, waiting for an answer from the taller man without any intention of looking away.

“Don’t go around kissing random people again.”

“What… “ The response wasn’t entirely unexpected. Charan wasn’t okay with their kiss… meaning their lips touched, but Khanin didn’t understand why the other party forbade him from kissing instead of continuing.

“I won’t repeat myself.”

“I didn’t kiss anyone randomly, and… let it go, that wasn’t a…”

“…”

“It was just a game, Charan.” Khanin didn’t think it was cruel speech; his intention was to explain so the tall man would understand in the same direction. The slim figure took a deep breath, meeting the gaze of the much taller man before repeating the thought.

“…”

“Just a game.”

There was silence for a moment. Charan opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately the older man just shrugged and chose not to explain anything as usual.

“Okay, I understand. Let’s go back; it’s late.” The thick palm waved as a signal for the person with royal blood in his body to walk ahead. Khanin prepared to leave but hesitated and didn’t move forward.

“Yes, it’s late. I should go home, and you should go to your home too.” It wasn’t a rude dismissal, but it was clear enough for the listener to understand. Khanin quickened his pace, leaving distance between them as the older man silently sighed.

Charan raised his hand to rub his face. This time, he counted from one to a hundred, sometimes even more, as he hurried to follow the younger man. There was no better option; he had promised Tattanai that he would escort the boy to the door. Someone like him would never break a promise.

The cold wind blew, clashing against their bodies. The streets of London in the late evening began to enter a quiet and serene time. Charan’s senses were wide open; he could even hear the sound of Khanin’s sneakers as they hit the concrete ground.

The atmosphere was sluggish and dull as they moved along. They were supposed to turn into an alley, separate, and rest in less than twenty minutes ahead. If it wasn’t for the unexpected situation that occurred first.

In a split second, the quiet street turned chaotic. Charan’s eyes widened as he heard the sound of a motorcycle engine roaring and breaking the silence throughout the road.

It rushed straight towards them, but the target was not Charan… Instead, it was the young prince of the Atsawathewathin family, who was walking carelessly ahead.

“Watch out!” Charan was sure he shouted at the top of his lungs, as he lunged forward to grab the frail body of the young prince into his embrace.

Everything happened and ended in less than a minute. The speed of the motorcycle did not slow down at all as it zoomed past their position.

Its lights were off…

Sharp eyes, like a hawk’s, followed the mysterious motorcycle. The protective instincts in the blood of a guardian family screamed a warning, indicating that they were in danger. Something was… off.

“Shit…” A soft curse from the person in his embrace made Charan turn back to look at the younger person. The short distance between them unintentionally allowed him to catch a faint scent from the other person.

“Is something wrong?” The younger person asked softly, with one cheek pressed against Charan’s chest. He relaxed his eyebrows slightly before falling silent, as their green eyes locked onto each other.

“What’s wrong? I almost fell head-first and died because of you.” Khanin complained and tried to push away the older person’s chest to create some distance between them, but this time Charan didn’t let go.

The taller person held on even tighter as the younger one pushed harder.

“That motorcycle was about to kill you.” Charan stated the harsh truth.

That motorcycle… didn’t even slow down a bit. It would be hard to claim that it didn’t see them standing in the brightest spot of the street corner. It intentionally tried to hit Khanin. If it weren’t for the fact that he was faster.

Wait a minute…

The blood in Charan’s body turned cold in an instant. His handsome face turned serious as his mind processed every detail of the situation, discovering a truth that made his anxiety boil like a volcano.

It was aiming for Khanin, wasn’t it?

“Who’s trying to kill me? You… wait, it’s you!” The younger person couldn’t finish his complaint before the strong hand of the older man, as heavy as iron, tightly gripped his wrist.

Khanin stared in shock as Charan pulled him along, forcing the younger man who still didn’t understand anything about the situation to half-walk, half-run after him.

“What are you doing? It hurts!” The younger man tried to resist, but it only made the usually emotionless Charan feel more irritated.

“We need to leave this place now.” The controlled voice didn’t help. Khanin’s eyebrows furrowed in annoyance as the tall man in front of him acted strangely.

“Why?”

“That motorcycle… it’s strange. Pay attention to your surroundings for once.

It was deliberately trying to hit you…”

“What are you talking about?” The young man’s eyebrows almost knotted together in the middle of his forehead. Charan took

“What are you talking about?” The young man frowned deeply, almost knitting his eyebrows together in the middle of his forehead. Charan took a deep breath, inhaling deeply before starting to count to one again in his mind.

“Now is not the time to…”

“Are you saying that the motorcycle was intentionally trying to hit me?”

“Yes.” Charan thought Khanin would understand everything on his own by now, but it seemed the young man had miscalculated.

“You watch too many movies.”

This kid… doesn’t understand anything.

“You, on the other hand, are too naive for this world.” The pronoun and sentence that seemed to suppress each other in terms of age made Khanin’s displeasure even more apparent.

The young man’s face became slightly tense and sweet as the younger one hugged his chest before tossing back a question that seemed to annoy the older man.

“If you’re saying that I’ve been followed or someone intends to harm me, who are these people and what are their reasons?”

“It could be many things.” Charan didn’t need much time to think about this question. The truth was that Khanin’s story was a secret, but his actions might reveal the entire story of the Young Prince of the Atsawathewathin family, making it no longer a secret.

Maybe that secret is not a secret anymore…

“No one knows about that house except you.” The fair-skinned young man gritted his teeth. Khanin locked eyes with the tall man, whose double eyelids were filled with frustration and dissatisfaction.

“…”

“Right now, the most untrustworthy person for me is you. Maybe you’re the one who created this whole situation.” The younger man deliberately provoked. Khanin became angry… and his feelings intensified even more when the tall man did not deny or show any shock at the accusation.

“That’s a good assumption. It’s thoughtful and careful.” Charan simply replied with a calm voice, giving a slight smile to further provoke Khanin’s reaction.

The young man decided to stop arguing and turned back to the residence between them without any further conversation until the small hand touched the door handle.

“I hope I don’t have to see your face tomorrow.” The homeowner didn’t even turn to look at the person behind him as he spoke those words. As Khanin heard Charan’s movement, his frustration grew even more.

“…”

“You can’t escape the truth.”

“….”

“It’s time you stop acting like a child. Everyone has a duty. Remember that your most important duty now is to go back with me.” It was as if fuel was poured on fire, Khanin’s temper flared up again when he turned back to face the older person.

“Duty? What duty? I’m an ordinary person, born and raised here. I’m not an Emmaly, I have no duty to go back and do anything for anyone… Stop talking nonsense. If you want to go back, go ahead!”

“…”

“Go! Leave before I lose my patience with you!” The younger man’s body shook with emotion. Charan locked eyes with the younger man before lowering his head as if counting down, uttering the next sentence in a flat voice that provoked the listener no less than before.

“I apologize for bothering Your Majesty… My main purpose for coming here is for you.”

“The what!!!..”

“You have to bear with it, no matter how annoying, because I will come here every day… until I can take Your Majesty back.”

“…”

“It is our duty, and I hope Your Majesty will understand.”

…

Moonlight shines through into the once dark and damp room, casting its glow within the four corners. The musty smell and the gloomy atmosphere make this place not particularly pleasant.

The sound of fingertips tapping on a heavy wooden table indicates that the owner of this body is deep in thought. It takes quite some time before the action stops.

“Our people who followed Charan… sent this picture.”

The image on the communication device is striking. It shows the sole heir of the guardian deity clan offering a handkerchief to a young man.

“Who?”

“We’re not sure yet… but from the reports, it seems this person is particularly important to Charan…”

“…”

“And our people have found some interesting information.” The latest sentence piques the listener’s interest, prompting the mysterious figure sitting in the middle of the room to gesture for the explanation to continue.

“At first, I wasn’t sure, so I had our people test it. As expected, Charan is protecting this boy…”

“You mean he’s important?”

“Yes, our people investigated the boy’s background, and this is what they found.” Various pieces of information are uploaded onto the communication device. At first glance, this young man doesn’t seem particularly interesting.

However… what intrigues the person sitting in the chair more than anything is…

Khanin Preechasit, 21 years old.

Father… Tattanai Preechasit.

“This is…”

“Yes, the same person as Tattanai, the businessman from the Kirakul family who died in an incident twenty years ago.”

The confirmation makes the listener’s senses sharpen to the extreme. The mysterious person on the sofa suddenly stands up and grabs their cell phone, sending a message to someone.

They… wait in silence, as the quiet room’s ticking seconds move forward, consuming a full hour before new orders are given. “Kill the boy.”

TBC.

You kissed me, and that kiss will last until I die. How can I erase the mark of that kiss? It won’t go away.

Don’t forget, don’t fade away.

It’s nothing, Nin. Mom is just singing. Haha.

Go kiss them, and they’ll know right away. Haha. Crossing the sky beside you.

THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 06: The True Winner.

By: ceo. ft ennice.

This is a huge misunderstanding… Khanin felt he had made a grave mistake in choosing to lie to Paul from the beginning. Now, he felt no different from a sheepherder. The reason being the lie he once uttered had backfired and harmed him.

 

 

His close friend with golden hair… had defected. Paul, who liked wholeheartedness, had booked Charan to the point of inviting the other party to join them at the party.

“Do you want to go? That’s great. If you like my friend that much, you have to pass through me first. You can’t just follow him around like this every time.

At least we should get to know each other a little, right?”

Paul’s good-natured attitude was a positive force but had a negative effect on Khanin. The young man pursed his thin lips, trying to think of a way out for himself but ended up in complete darkness, having inadvertently tied a noose around his own escape route.

Khanin had no choice but to reluctantly play along because if he refused to bend and expose the secret he had been hiding from Paul, it would leak. If he resisted or showed too much interest, it would be like fueling someone else’s anger. He couldn’t let anyone know about this matter, no matter what.

“Once more, what’s your name?” The person who seemed to bring color and excitement turned to ask their new friend as they all reached Samantha’s place.

“Charan.” the owner of the name responded in a firm voice. However, his sharp eyes didn’t stop at his conversation partner. The other party looked straight at the smaller man. In that quiet calmness, there was just a thin veneer hiding the excitement deep within. Khanin saw the hidden amusement.

It was as if the other party was quite satisfied with seeing him on edge.

Annoying… very annoying.

“Okay, Charan, we’re about to go to a party. As usual, we’re going to drink until morning. If you like Nin and want to get to know him, you can come along, but think carefully; don’t be fooled by his cute appearance. He’s actually quite ruthless.”

“…”

“You’ve seen him with a sword, right? It’s not too late to change your mind now.” Paul said, jokingly. It made Khanin frown when he heard his close friend’s description. It sounded like it would only help as a deterrent, but only seemingly so.

“Not that scary. I think I can handle it.” Charan replied, eliciting varying reactions from the listeners. Paul seemed quite satisfied, while Khanin felt as if he was being rubbed the wrong way.

Well, if he wanted to annoy him that much…

Let’s give it a try.

“Let’s go inside, so the party can finally start.”

Khanin decided to jump in and join the game.

As Charan seemed to like the eye-for-an-eye, tooth-for-a-tooth style, he would try to match the other party for a while, curious to see what else someone like Charan could do besides following and taunting. If he wasn’t interested in someone so fickle, how different would he be from the air?

“It’s going to be fun for sure.” Paul said cheerfully. Khanin made eye contact with the person who had been given the title ‘almost fanatically in love with each other’ before leading the way.

“Yes, it’ll be fun for sure.”

Only Khanin and Charan knew that an undeclared war had begun between them. This time, whoever backed down first would lose. The winner would be the only one left, and Khanin was confident.

It had to be him…

He would push him to go back to his country without even realizing it. Just wait and see.

“Hey, are you going to stare at it for the next lifetime? If you’re not playing, step back, man.”

Someone’s voice got louder when they saw Paul crouching and peering at a game in a ruined building. Now they were on the rooftop of Samantha’s house, sitting in a circle, playing a simple game that added color and excitement to the atmosphere.

“Calm down, Kim. You know Paul is afraid of losing.” Samantha said, teasing her Korean friend with a laugh, prompting others in the circle to laugh as well. She held a guitar in her hands, gently strumming it, helping to create a pleasant atmosphere like a classy trick.

A cool breeze blew across their faces. Khanin glanced at the people who had followed them, evaluating them with a discerning gaze.

Charan seems strange…

He couldn’t figure out the other party’s intentions, as they didn’t seem to be deliberately following him, just appearing in his line of sight. It was as if they were there to irritate and annoy him rather than having any other purpose.

“Hey, Charan, if you finish your drink, you can have a refill. We only have carbonated water here, but if you change your mind, we can mix it for you.” Samantha acted as a good host while Charan was able to chat smoothly with his friends, making it quite frustrating.

He had a good attitude towards others, but Khanin could see that Charan was just putting on a mask. In reality, he was a part of a high wall that could adapt very well…

“Thank you, I don’t want to drink much.” Charan maintained his gentlemanly demeanor, his gaze drifting from the drink in his hand to the sweet face of someone else.

Khanin turned his attention back to the collapsing building game after satisfying his curiosity. Charan guessed that the smaller man was fully preoccupied with his thoughts, not because of the charm but because he was cautious like a small animal watching out for danger.

That kid didn’t trust him, but Charan had no ill intentions. He came here partly because of… Tattanai.

…

“Nin… I mean, Young-Prince hasn’t answered my call. I tried to contact him, but he didn’t.”

The worried father figure seemed interesting. Charan volunteered to watch over the stubborn child, acting as a spy to report on their movements. The glass of carbonated water in his hand gradually lost its fizz as he didn’t show any interest in drinking it.

He let the ice in the glass melt while talking to various people to gather information about the little one. Khanin seemed more relaxed when in his own territory. The kid occasionally laughed, smiled, and hid a smile every time their gazes accidentally met.

It was funny…

“I’m bored of this collapsing building game… Let’s find something more fun.” Charlie, the half-Thai boy, spoke after they had taken turns playing and losing for almost twenty minutes. He threw the toy onto the table, signaling Samantha and Paul to come up with a new idea.

“How about that game?”

“Which game is that?” Paul raised his eyebrows slightly as the venue owner smiled mischievously. Samantha scanned the room with her eyes before placing her guitar down and shifting her body slightly. She then mentioned a game that made all the party-goers more excited than before.

“The King game.”

“Let’s do it! Sounds interesting.”

“I have a feeling tonight is going to be more fun.” Kim, the Korean boy, excitedly swept all the toys off the table and put them away before giving everyone a high-five in preparation.

 

 

But for this game… I want our new friend to join as well.” As Samantha finishes speaking, she gestures towards the tall, dignified figure of Charan, who is currently standing, rummaging through his pants pocket with an expressionless face that doesn’t reveal any emotions.

“I don’t…”

“Don’t bother inviting him. He can’t play anyway.” Before Charan could even refuse, someone else responds on his behalf, all at once. Khanin glances at the older man for a moment before uttering a sentence that changes the listener’s determination. “Or maybe he’s just too scared to play.”

“Where should I sit then?” The initial intention to decline is put aside. Charan places his drink on the table and joins the circle, engaging in conversation. In truth, the young man isn’t particularly interested in building relationships or playing games with anyone; his main objective now is just to annoy the stubborn kid.

“Here, sit right here.” The others in the circle seem to sense the impending conflict, but for them, it’s seen as an amusing event. Charlie opens the circle and invites Charan to sit next to Khanin.

Someone’s face displays a refusal to accept the invitation. Khanin is annoyed but doesn’t want to appear weak, so he swallows his irritation. He reassures himself that this is just a game, and if he wins, he will become king and use this opportunity to punish the other person severely.

“This game is called King, and it’s a game we play regularly at parties… The person who becomes the ‘King’ has the ultimate power and can order other players to do anything they desire… Have you ever played?”

“Never.” The person being asked replies immediately without having to think for a moment. Charan’s face doesn’t show much interest, and he only sits there out of courtesy, just to remain within Khanin’s sight.

“Okay, no problem. Let me take a moment to explain the game to our new friend, Charan.” Charlie reaches for the numbered cards beside him, then looks at the newcomer.

Do you see these numbered cards? We will distribute them to serve as player identification codes. Everyone must not reveal their card to others until the King issues orders for every number… The person who becomes the King will have the power to order any number to do anything, but if they refuse, they must drink a strange concoction that we have mixed up.” Charlie points to a large glass filled with various colors and smells, so repulsive that no human would dare to swallow it. If they do, they’ll likely suffer from severe stomach aches, all because of someone’s sock floating in the glass.

It’s a fitting punishment for those who refuse to obey the King’s command.

“…”

“The king can order anything, but must consider the five rules. First, don’t order anyone to harm others or themselves. Second, don’t order anyone to break the law. Third, don’t order anyone to swallow garbage from the beginning. Fourth, if in that round the king fails to make someone swallow garbage, they must swallow it themselves. Fifth, we won’t order anyone to give us money from their wallets… we’ve already done that. It was Kim who made us set up this rule.”

“Well, at that time I was the king, I just ordered you to serve me… As a king, I can do anything, right?” Kim raised his voice while glaring at Charlie with dissatisfaction.

“Is that called serving? You ordered me to open my wallet and give you almost all my money… Even if you’re the king, it’s not called serving. It’s called clear robbery.”

“But you took revenge on me by ordering everyone around to pinch my forehead as much as the money I took from you.”

“That’s why we set up the first rule: not to order anyone to harm others or themselves.” Charlie waved his hand to dismiss Kim, who was trying to speak further, and turned his attention back to Charan.

“…”

Listen, becoming the king depends on who the old king will grant power to. If you become the king, you can take revenge, but you have to watch the reactions of others. If you target someone and they seem strange, you can take revenge immediately…” Charlie glanced at Kim slightly after teaching a small trick to the tall man.

“Alright, for the first time, we’ll choose the king by spinning a bottle. I, as the host, will spin it.” The only woman in the group spoke and gestured for Charlie to start distributing cards to everyone in the circle.

Of course, no one disputed Samantha’s request. Paul brought a nonalcoholic beer bottle and placed it in the middle of the circle, instantly livening up the atmosphere.

“Last time we played, it was intense. Someone ordered me to pole dance in front of the club downstairs. We never stopped teasing each other.” Someone, whose name Charan couldn’t remember, complained from his seat on the left.

“But I remember you ordered me to clip Charlie’s toenails. It was disgusting. This time, I’d rather have someone kiss like Jimmy.” Samantha, the party host, commented. She made a face when mentioning Charlie’s toenails and looked at Jimmy, who was also making a disapproving face.

“But when I got to kiss, Nin ordered me to exchange tongues with Seymour…” Jimmy looked around.

“Told us to kiss for five minutes until my mouth was sore, and then the short guy next to Charan didn’t even look at Seymour’s face.”

Jimmy’s voice trailed off at the end of the sentence, but the action prompted smiles from the others in the circle.

“But that got you a girlfriend, right?” Khanin, the short man, glanced at Seymour and grinned. “Call it fate, Kim. When I was king, I didn’t know I’d chosen you and Seymour to kiss.”

“Khanin always plays like this.” someone commented.

I hope he gets it himself sometime.” Jimmy joked half-heartedly, and then everyone laughed, knowing that Khanin had never been kissed and had never been ordered to kiss someone, even though he often gave such commands.

This is because he is known as the Game Master.

“We’ll find out soon enough if he gets it or not. Whoever can defeat Khanin tonight, I’ll bow down and salute.” Charlie said, and then handed the bottle to Samantha, who prepared to spin it.

The slim hand spun the bottle vigorously, making it rotate in a circle at the center of the table for almost a minute, creating suspense among all the members. Finally, the bottle stopped in front of Paul.

“Awesome! I’m the king!” The blond guy exclaimed happily. The others secretly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Paul usually wouldn’t give harsh orders.

They all felt like their lives could continue a little longer.

“Alright, so according to the rules, everyone can check their own numbers but don’t show your card to anyone until the game is over. Okay?” Charlie, who acted like the host, reminded them once again, and everyone quietly looked at their cards and put them on the table.

“Go ahead, make it challenging since we haven’t played this game in a long time.” the dark-haired guy nudged Paul, who was proudly stretching his chest for his newly acquired king position.

“Alright, then. Ahem.” Paul cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. The blond guy seemed excited and pleased because he had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

“…” Everyone around the table fell silent as Paul scanned them, thinking for a moment before announcing the order.

“Card number 7, go get a new beer bottle, open it, and chug it all in five minutes.”

Oh, it’s me, number 7. Lucky me.” Kim showed his card with number 7 to everyone. The Korean guy got up, grabbed a beer bottle from behind, and sat down to chug it casually, as if the order from King Paul was relatively easy.

“Next person…” The amateur king didn’t wait for Kim to finish his beer. Paul started looking for a new target, his eyes gleaming with the excitement of increasing the intensity of his orders.

“Numbers 1 and 5, pick your noses and twerk, then post it on Jimmy’s

Instagram story right now.”

“Paul! Damn it, there’s someone I like in Jimmy’s IG story!” Samantha showed a number one card before folding it away and then gave the middle finger to the one who gave the order, but she knew there was no other choice.

The order from the king was absolute, so in the end, the only girl had to reluctantly turn to call Charlie, who got number seven, to dance and twerk together to upload on Jimmy’s IG story.

“If the next order isn’t as daring as mine, I’ll scream in your ear, watch out.” As Samantha sat down, she gave a threatening tone to Paul, causing nearly everyone in the circle to burst out laughing.

“Okay, this time I’ll make it more intense.” Paul swept his gaze over the remaining people who hadn’t yet received an order from the king. “I think this round someone should drink that nasty liquid.”

“But you can’t order anyone to drink that from this game.” Charlie protested, the half-Thai young man who was the guardian of the rules, still performing his duties diligently. “Even if you are the king, you still have to abide by the rules.”

“I’m not ordering them to drink, but to compete. This round will find a loser… Winner…” Paul began to show his cunning, mimicking a soccer player asking for time out on the field before running into Samantha’s room for a moment and then returning with a box of long, strawberry-flavored Pocky sticks that the hostess liked to eat.

 

 

“Pocky?”

“Yeah, I’m going to have you guys play a Pocky game. The losing pair will share that nasty liquid, each drinking half.”

“Isn’t this kind of cheating?” Khanin, who had been sitting quietly, commented. “If you order like this, there will definitely be a losing pair, or if there’s one pair who doesn’t dare to play this game, they’ll have to compete against each other to determine the winner and loser and drink that liquid anyway. Either way, the king is safe this round.”

Everyone who could read the situation in front of them groaned in unison. Khanin felt that it was an overly clever, cheating way to escape, but his close friend with golden hair didn’t seem to hear him.

“I just have to find a scapegoat, I’m not breaking any rules, right? The king is still under the five rules.”

“But it’s making them compete to force someone to lose.” Khanin’s words were of interest to Charan, who admired the young man’s quick-wittedness in reading the game, and thought highly of Tattanai for his skill in teaching such a talented student.

This kid had observant skills and a quick mind. If he could add some negotiation skills, he would be good for managing people, but even so… Charan thought that the manners deducted would still be there and saw it as a separate matter.

Give what is due.

Deduct what is to be deducted.

Can’t be used to cancel each other out…

“Charlie didn’t set a rule that the king can’t indirectly pressure others.”

“Okay, next time I’ll set that rule.” Charlie conceded, realizing that what Paul said was something he hadn’t thought of himself.

“If I have to drink that liquid, you’re in big trouble next round, Paul.” Someone spoke up.

“If you don’t know which number

“If you don’t know my number, what can you do to me? Everyone knows this if Khanin is the king of games. I’m a pro in maintaining a poker-face.” Paul laughed and leaned back in a repulsive manner. “Next round, I’ll order…”

“…” This time, the whole group was even quieter than the first time. Everyone looked at each other’s faces, knowing that someone in this circle, except for the person who has already lost, will have to drink from that trashy glass.

“I order number 3 to pair with number 4 and number 9 to pair with number 6 to compete in a Pocky eating contest. Whoever has more remaining on the stick loses, and they will have to share the trashy drink. Ha, ha, ha.”

The one in the king’s position spoke to himself, holding his hand loosely like a microphone. The playful British guy made a sound effect with his own voice, and then swept his gaze around to wait for the four unlucky ones.

It can be said that Paul’s order is not too cruel. If it weren’t for the intention of the higher-ups to tease each other, this tense situation would never have occurred…

“I’m number 3, and Jimmy is number 4.” Seymour announced before the whole group cheered. Fortunately, unlike Khanin who held number 9 tightly in his hand, those two were dating, so the Pocky eating thing was no different than feeding each other bananas.

Both Jimmy and Seymour seemed to have taken a step towards the finish line. Meanwhile, Khanin felt himself seeing the door to salvation, and it became even clearer… as someone reluctantly uttered the sentence he least wanted to hear.

“Hey, Charan, what’s your number?”

“Number 6.”

“Don’t tell me Nin is number 9!” Paul, the good friend, almost laughed out loud when he saw his best friend’s troubled face.

Although it happened only momentarily and quickly disappeared, it was enough for Paul to feel like a successful prankster who managed to make Khanin stand in the risky spot of being punished.

“I am number 9.” Khanin admitted without a choice. He quickly glanced at his opponent before noticing that the doctor blinked more frequently than usual.

Guessing that he didn’t want to play this game… But anyway, Khanin didn’t care. No matter how much he disliked Charan, he would never give up his position as the king of games and admit to drinking that trashy drink.

“Wow, this is starting to get more fun, isn’t it?” Samantha and Paul exchanged glances, their smiles tempting Khanin to feel a headache on the right side of his head.

“Do you want to withdraw, Nin?”

“No, but if anyone doesn’t dare and wants to withdraw, please do so.” he refused Charlie’s offer and turned to look at the person next to him who had been staring at him before.

“Shall we play right away? I badly want to find the loser.” Seymour picked up the Pocky in the middle of the group and bit it in a challenging manner, forcing Khanin to quickly turn and give a serious look to the person who was forced to be his partner in this game.

“I warn you beforehand, I don’t plan to lose. If you don’t dare, it’s better to withdraw.”

“Why withdraw… when we have the same goal.” Charan remained calm with a serene expression, managing his emotions well. Khanin frowned as he takes a deep breath before signaling the start of the game.

“3, 2, 1, start!” As the countdown moves forward, Khanin thinks of many things, knowing that Jimmy and Seymour’s only obstacle is their speed. The two are used to teasing each other, so their closeness isn’t a significant problem.

This is different for him and Charan, though…

They don’t look at each other as they try to bite the long Pocky stick to reduce its length. Everything progresses at a breakneck pace for both sides until the stick is only one centimeter apart.

Khanin glances up at his opponent almost immediately, following his instincts. The dark pupils of his eyes widen as his senses become alert, reading his opponent’s reaction. Charan was about to bite the Pocky, and his slightly open mouth reveals his anxiety, which increases significantly…

One centimeter is too much… if it ends here, they will lose.

I can’t give up… I can’t lose.

As quick as his thoughts, Khanin extends his slender hand to support the strong end of the Pocky, moving his face closer until their noses touch. Their closeness intensifies as Charan’s sharp eyes widen…

The desire to win pushes his soft lips to touch gently on the warm lips, eliciting a chorus of cheers from the crowd, so loud that he can’t hear himself think.

Their eyes meet in close proximity. Khanin remains calm, unlike the older man, who is caught in a whirlwind of emotions.

As Charan freezes, nothing can erase or change the reality that their lips touched.

The truth… is that their lips met.

And that is Charan’s first kiss.

A first kiss that the people of Emmaly cherish deeply because of the legend that says when an Emmaly person gives their first kiss to someone…

That person will become their one true love for eternity…

“Holy Shit! Nin, you’re the real deal.”

.

TBC.

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