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.

THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 05: Can’t escape.

By: CEO ft. Ennice.

Khanin hurriedly walked along the university walkway with a steady pace, contrasting the turbulent feeling inside. The young man raised his clenched hand to grip the brim of the cap he wore on his head to hide the chaos. He had not slept all night due to the absurdity he had just learned.

Dad… must have slept little and got confused. As for that doctor, his condition has been heavy since the first time he met him until now.

Aggravated, he put on a cost-saving posture to make him feel uncomfortable. He didn’t like the guy’s face and didn’t want to see him. He wanted to get rid of this person far away, but he still couldn’t figure out a way.

To be honest, it’s confusing. Just the night before, he was an ordinary person leading a normal life. However, after spending the night in jail, Khanin was not only angry with his father, but also with his difficult-to-accept feelings.

He was acting like a rebellious and stubborn child, going against himself. Khanin couldn’t focus and couldn’t care less about anything, who could do anything about the situation?

Even if you hired someone, there is no way to return to that country!

He would stay here and live his life as the ordinary Khanin, not Khanin Atsawathewathin as someone tried to force him to be. And when he thought about it, there was not much difference from his daily routine.

The young man brought himself to the music practice room at the university. He walked straight to the large black grand piano and intended to calm himself down, as he usually did when he came here to escape from problems. Life was tough.

Thin fingers press down on the keyboard following the remembered pitch levels of the notes. In his mind, he immersed himself in the weight of emotions, letting music help soothe the confusion in his heart, just like he often does when there is something to ponder.

Khanin felt that the world was overwhelming when he thought about things that made him feel stressed during this time. However, he realized that nothing was as heavy as what he was currently facing. The future was difficult to predict, and the winding path ahead made him feel suffocated to the point where he wanted to escape from it for a while.

Tung!

A wandering mind affects the precision of the notes, causing a pause in the middle of the song. When Khanin didn’t have enough concentration, the owner of the small body leaned back and closed his eyes slightly to suppress the anger that was boiling inside.

The edges of his soft, pink lips relaxed, as he let go of the instrument in front of him. When the available tools couldn’t help, Khanin looked for something new. His slender fingers rummaged through his side bag, searching for something for a moment before pulling out what he needed from inside.

Caramel candy.

One of the helpers that Khanin often carried with him, to ease his mind when he felt uncomfortable or upset. And the person who made him addicted to this candy was none other than his father, Tattanai.

Khanin remembered his childhood, where he once fell and injured his knee badly, causing him great pain and a desire to cry out loud. But what he showed was the opposite. He didn’t cry, but instead tried his best to hold back his tears.

Because he wanted to follow his father’s teachings, Khanin tried to suppress his pain while leading him towards the house.

“Does it hurt?” A sentence expressing concern, started when Tattanai gently applied ointment to the wound.

“It hurts… a lot.”

“Why don’t you cry out when it hurts?” Tattanai’s dark eyes continued to focus on his injury while softly questioning.

“I am afraid that you won’t approve. Father, you taught me to be strong and not weak.” Khanin’s answer as a child was honest, but it hit the listeners’ hearts until they felt choked up.

“Doesn’t it hurt enough to make you cry?”

“Yes…” Khanin in his childhood tried to deceive himself with his own strength, so his voice was weak and trembling. He lowered his eyes and pursed his lips, trying to hold back his tears. When his father showed interest and asked for forgiveness, the tears were about to overflow.

“Dad is sorry.” Tattanai’s voice was mixed with tenderness and guilt. The middle-aged man took a deep breath before gently hugging Khanin onto his lap.

“I shouldn’t have taught you like that… I only thought that you had to endure it to succeed because in the future, you’ll face things that are ten or a hundred times worse than this… But I forgot that you just my whittle child now… I was wrong. I’m sorry, Nin.”

At that time, Tattanai kept apologizing repeatedly, yielding and reaffirming his own teachings once again.

“From now on, if you’re in pain or sad and want to cry, just cry. Remember that the bravest thing is to accept the truth, be honest with your own feelings. Crying doesn’t mean you’re weak or giving up, even if you shed tears, you’re still a strong person because crying is a human nature.”

“…But every time, I wants you to separate and find the cause of the feelings, to discover what it is. Knowing your own feelings is a good thing, isn’t it? Not just sadness, but I means every feeling, happiness, love, sadness, and fear.”

“…”

“Don’t let anyone know these feelings better than yourself because that could lead to people with bad intentions using these things to harm you my son… Do you understand, Nin?”

“I understand.” The little boy said to Tattanai who responded with a relieved chuckle, reaching into his pants pocket and handing over a round, brown candy to Nin.

“I know you want sweets, but I can’t let you have too much or your teeth will rot… So you can only have this as a reward for accepting your feelings. Is that okay?” The offer came with a caramel candy placed in Nin’s small hand. Khanin raised his head and looked at his father with hidden sadness, still haunted by the pain…

“Father knows that his you wants to eat sweets, but I cannot let my little Nin eat too much because his teeth will hurt. Therefore, Nin can only eat this when it is a reward for himself. Is it good when the child can accept his own feelings like that?” The proposal came with a small candy placed in his small hand. Khanin looked up at his father with sadness still lurking as the pain from the wound continued to function.

“Uh.”

“Do you still want to sing?” The answer to this question is a pause. Khanin still held back, even though tears were about to fall.

“If you want to sing, go ahead, good kid.”

Memories of the past, even if time has passed. Khanin still remembers. He looked at the brown candy in his hand and weighed it in his heart for a moment before realizing that he could not reward himself this time. Finally, he chose to put the candy back where it was.

“Hey, hiding here without telling me? Don’t you know I’ve been looking for you everywhere?” The call from a close friend drew Khanin out of his reverie. Paul walked in, while the other party stepped closer before raising his eyebrows slightly when surveying the face of his small friend.

“It’s been a while, right?”

“I called your name three times. Is there something wrong?” Paul greeted him, and Khanin was confident that it was not because of his facial expressions, as this close friend knew his personality and behavior better than others.

“Just a little.”

 

 

Just a little? But your face doesn’t say that.”

“I have something to think about.”

“… “

“What are you thinking? Life is short, don’t stress, just relax, take deep breaths and let it out slowly. My mom taught me to do yoga every day to help reduce stress.” Paul was good at lifting people’s moods, but his friend’s advice didn’t seem to have a positive effect on the listener.

“Can one really avoid stress?”

“We can’t avoid it, but we can reduce it. That’s what I can help with.” Paul smiled charmingly and whispered softly, even though there was no one else in the room. “Samanta invited us to a party tonight at 2 a.m. They’re going to pre-drink together, but I already made plans with Alex at the flat. Will you come with us?”

“Samanta? The film kids?” Khanin asked to clarify.

Samanta’s friends were the same ones he used to play music with during the time they were still using tiktok. They played short cover songs on the channel to promote themselves. Khanin played the keyboard and sometimes rapped with them. That gang was a geeky music group and they had fun together, but lately he had distanced himself. This was because he had to practice his sword skills more often according to his father’s orders…

“Yeah, the Samanta and Charly and others. Come on, Nin, you haven’t hung out with us for a long time.” Paul said, shrugging his shoulders and standing up, taller than the smaller person.

“I…”

“Don’t refuse just yet. After the class is over, I’ll ask again.”

Khanin chuckled softly at his close friend’s quick wit, shrugging as the larger friend led him out of the music practice room. He wasn’t sure how he felt at the moment. One thing was certain: he didn’t want to talk to his father, see his face, or take any phone calls. But every time he chose to attend a party…

Tattanai would usually wait until morning, or alternatively, call him every two hours…

The owner of the small body quietly withdrew his breath, intending to let go of the matter and temporarily put all his frustration aside. However, it seemed fate… or karma would not let it go as he had planned.

“Nin… Is that the guy from the club who used to look after you?” Paul’s sentence was like a chain that violently yanked the smaller man’s ankle. Khanin stopped, his mind searching for a way to escape, but it seemed his movements were too slow. Someone had already turned to look at them.

The two pairs of eyes met, sharp as a hawk’s. The unfamiliar face that he had encountered too often lately stood not too close, nor too far away, leaning against a railing with an expression that revealed no emotions other than calm and composed, like a carved statue every time.

“Don’t mind him, just keep walking.” Khanin turned back to Paul, gripping the bag that hung from his left shoulder tightly. The young man didn’t hesitate or stop walking. As soon as he regained his composure, the royal-blooded individual brushed off all distracting thoughts and focused on leading his close friend to perform their student duties, without intending to look back at that person ever again.

Khanin spent nearly three hours in class that day. He paid more attention to the professor’s lecture than ever before, even more so than Emma, the girl sitting at the front, or even Paul, who usually paid attention because of the subject but spent most of the class talking about party plans with the Samantha group.

One could say that Khanin’s left ear was for entertainment, while his right ear was filled with academic knowledge. However, the young man didn’t feel annoyed; he willingly listened to everything, mainly because… he was trying to find something else to overshadow the disturbing thoughts in his mind.

So, what’s the plan for tonight?” The golden-haired young man asked with a smirk, revealing his fangs as soon as the professor walked away. Paul moved closer, bumping shoulders and raising an eyebrow with enthusiasm.

“Well, I don’t want to go home anyway.” Khanin shrugged as he put his iPad in his bag, not wanting to go home and face his father, along with that annoying doctor. He hoped they wouldn’t be too persistent in waiting for him.

Hadn’t they been in class all day?

“Why is he still here? He’s looking this way too. Strange, does he have business with you?” Khanin’s guess was completely off. The unfamiliar man was still waiting in the same spot, for three full hours… He didn’t know if the other party had left and come back, but such behavior was quite annoying.

“No, there’s nothing.” The short man furrowed his brow and quickly denied it, feeling a slight headache.

That doctor was truly insane and persistent…

“Why did that doctor come after you then… or maybe he likes you?” The close friend with golden hair made a thoughtful expression, analyzing the situation before widening his eyes and giving a comment that nearly made the listener choke.

At first, Khanin was going to deny it, but Paul’s words made him think of something. He didn’t want others to know about the secret and absurd story, so diverting his friend’s attention seemed like the best thing to do at the moment.

“Yes…”

“What do you mean, yes?”

“I mean that man, he likes me.” Khanin gave a small, uncontrollable smile. The haughty, well-dressed man with an air of upper-class surrounding him, being accused of being a stalker, was quite amusing.

 

 

I knew it! I sensed it from the beginning. My intuition is good, isn’t it?” Paul looked excited, while Khanin just shrugged again. He grabbed his friend’s bag strap and forcefully pulled him to start walking together.

“Let’s go.” Khanin desperately wanted to leave, but he could only think about it when someone he didn’t want to approach blocked his way, forcing the slim man to stop abruptly. The young man intended to act indifferent, but his friend’s sharp tongue turned the situation upside down.

“Hey, you…” Paul used a deep tone to start the conversation, tilting his head slightly and staring at the person with a sweeping, investigative gaze, like a detective assessing a criminal in a movie. It was bold and over-the-top, fitting for someone in the sword-fighting club rather than acting.

“…”

“My friend told me that you like him almost to the point of madness. You couldn’t bear to see him leave, so you came all the way here to follow him.” Khanin’s eyes were wide, like those of a goose, feeling as if he was about to choke on air. It wasn’t because Paul started the conversation to protect or to drive away someone as he had thought.

“Paul!” The person who had just regained consciousness turned around abruptly, intending to scold his friend, but someone didn’t care to listen at all.

“Even if you like my friend, following him like this is an invasion of privacy. This is against the law. We can report you, you know.” The blonde young man continued to play the role of a guardian without any shortcomings, but Khanin didn’t feel any satisfaction at all because Paul, his dear friend, had already destroyed his carefully crafted lie.

He was trying to deceive him into losing interest and use his words to talk to others instead. Just let it end!

“…”

“Did you hear that? You can like him, but following him like this…”

Lying is not a good thing.” The deep, heavy voice spoke. Khanin raised his face, using a calm and unshaken approach in response to the words of the person in front of him. Although he could guess that the other party could probably predict the entire plan, they still turned to criticize each other in a language that a third party like Paul wouldn’t understand.

“What is he saying?”

“It’s my native language, Ema… But don’t worry, let’s just go.”

“Won’t you talk to me at all… Young-Prince?” The nickname reverberated in Khanin’s ears intensely. His slender body froze, and the flesh in his left chest was throbbing uncontrollably. Even though he knew in his heart that his close friend beside him wouldn’t be able to perceive and understand the true meaning.

“Don’t call me that.”

“Oh, can’t I speak English?”

“I apologize for being rude to you.” Paul’s complaint got attention. Someone responded to the request by turning to communicate in Americanstyle English.

“Fine… I won’t hold it against you, but it’s better not to annoy my friend anymore. I’m warning you, I won’t let you flirt with my friend easily. If you want to like him, you’ll have to go through me first.” Khanin pressed his thin lips together, secretly looking at his close friend’s fingertip pointing at him with a bossy attitude, and couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.

Just let it end… This is too over-the-top.

“Did you mean that?”

“No.”

“Yes! Let’s just say you better not bother my friend anymore because we have a party to attend. Now, leave.”

Let’s go, Samantha will definitely scold us if we’re late.” The person waiting for the right moment to join the conversation said smoothly. Khanin didn’t want to seem angry in front of Paul, so he tried to use a provocative tone to make his close friend with golden hair lose interest in the stranger instead of scolding someone directly. Of course, wanting to scold but not being able to… it’s incredibly frustrating.

His double-lidded eyes narrowed as he looked at someone much taller than him by several centimeters. Khanin accused him of intentionally asserting dominance over an older person through his gaze, squinting as if to say “don’t interfere.” However, the other person didn’t cooperate at all.

“Can I come along too?”

“What?” Paul made a face as if he couldn’t believe his own ears, and before he could say anything, Khanin firmly refused.

“No!”

“Why not? Your friend said that to hit on you, one must pass through him first. How can I pass that test if I don’t know any of you, right?”

The tall person smirked, giving a sharp, scheming look.

This made Khanin’s close friend with blond haired man chuckle softly.

“Hey… this guy is persistent.”

“My name is Charan, nice to meet you.”

THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 04: Truth in the Lies.

By: CEO ft. Ennice.

“What did you say…”

Khanin’s voice randomly burst out dryly, as if not his own voice. He walked over and stopped in the middle of the living room, causing the reactions of the two people in front of him to differ. Tattanai, who was constantly worrying in his thoughts, felt his soul suddenly shrink and disappear into a wide-eyed stare. The middle-aged man’s face turned pale and clashed with the calmness on Charan’s face.

“Nin…”

“I asked… what did you say?” The beautiful pair of eyes trembled, feeling confused, anxious, and worried, like a sharp sword that rushed in, intending to hurt the core. Khanin, still seeming out of place, looked at Charan and, not receiving an answer, turned his gaze to the man who was his father.

“Can anyone answer me what the hell is this all about?!” screamed Charan, standing up to his full height. The people who had been sitting in the conference room previously, shook hands and made gestures, turned to look at Tattanai before falling silent.

“I will give you time to explain everything to the Young-Prince.” There was no question beyond that, and Khanin noticed that his father could only bow his head and not even meet the gaze of this man… the man who was walking straight towards them.

“Then I’ll be back.” The last sentence from Charan came with a gesture directed at Khanin. The young man raised his head and looked at the person who had just learned that he had royal blood flowing through his veins, before the long-legged girl left this house. Leaving a silence to engulf the room.

“Nin, I apologize…” It took Tattanai more than five minutes to relent. Some phrases came out, but they were not what he wanted to hear. For a moment, Khanin felt like he was choking on something he had swallowed. His nerves, senses, and body were all in turmoil because he knew his father’s character better than anyone else.

Tattanai is abnormal.

“Dad… Tell me that the man is lying.” The weakness and uncertainty were evident in Khanin’s voice. Tattanai’s pained expression was visible to Khanin through Khanin’s tone of voice. The person known as “His Birth Father” had been taking deep breaths all his life as if he had never fallen down before.

“All of that… is true.” It was as if lightning had struck Khanin’s chest, followed by a strong feeling of nausea that engulfed him. His mind was full of questions, but he couldn’t seem to articulate anything.

“…”

“Emmaly is a country governed by the Sovereign-King, whose current name is Sovereign-King Dhipabawon. He is the lead of the Atsawathewathin family.”

“…”

“The Sovereign-King had only one son, Prince-Tarin. Over 20 years ago, Prince-Tarin married Princess-Consort Kunita, and they gave birth to a young prince… But before the young prince could reach the age of one, an unexpected event occurred.”

“Why are you telling me this, Dad?”

As Khanin asked his questions, Tattanai told him a story that he had heard before. Khanin’s brow furrowed in confusion, just like a fool.

“The procession of Princess Consort Kunita was targeted and ambushed, she was kidnapped while on her way back from her hometown. The incident caused Prince Tarin to lose his Princess-Consort and a Young Prince, but in reality, nobody knows what happened. The Sovereign-King helped the young prince escape and ordered the royal guards to take him out of the country for safety.”

“…”

“The Sovereign-King ordered the lord of the royal guards to pledge to protect Young-Prince with his life, by pledging his blood oath.”

At this point, Khanin’s body trembled uncontrollably, and his two-tiered eyes looked down at the left arm of the man who was almost his father.

‘Dad, I wanted to know why you like to sit and look at the scar on your own arm.’

‘Because it reminds me of who I am and where I came from.’

“It’s impossible.”

The voice of the young man was shaking as Khanin stepped back, leaving a gap between them. When Tattanai lifted his shirt sleeve to reveal a long scar on his flesh, Khanin recognized it as a wound his father never spoke of.

Father said that no bravery can be greater than the bravery to accept the truth. The other side once said that accepting and understanding sometimes seems easy, but sometimes it is difficult to do. It is beyond explanation to make someone understand.

“I… I don’t want to listen anymore, Dad!” At that time, Khanin was just a young boy without a voice. He simply listened to the teaching and let it pass through his ears. He thought that he was a brave person and not inferior to anyone.

“…”

“The young man’s name is Tattanai, and the little prince is called…”

Tattanai refused to stop his request. The middle-aged man continued to speak out and fulfill his duty. Contrary to the firmness of his gaze in the past, it was now uncertain as if he wanted to hide his weakness, but he could not avoid the truth.

“…”

“His name is Young-Prince Khanin.” The truth that Khanin never expected…

He didn’t even think that it could hurt so much…

The tall and majestic figure walked along the path with a steady pace, reminiscing about the situation that had just passed.

It was a scar that Khanin had never heard about before, but he knew it was important from the way his father behaved.

“Do you remember the lesson about courage, Nin?” The beautiful pair of eyes were hot and teary, and drops of water fell from the corner of Khanin’s eyes as he touched his finger to the scar. He remembered the lessons about bravery from his father well.

From a young age, Tattanai always reminded him to be a brave person.

His time calculation was not wrong, Khanin came back on time, and the important time was just right as Charan had planned.

The young man remembered the owner of the cute face who often looked his way. Beware of danger and be cautious, that child has the bloodline of the Atsawathewathin dynasty. If he had to rate their intelligence and charm out of a hundred, he would give them a seventy.

It can be said that Tattanai taught him very well in preparation for turning Khanin into a complete Young Prince.

However, the matter of manners need a subtraction of its own.

Sneaking into the house smoothly was an interesting survival skill, but

Khanin was not vigilant enough. Charan even saw the reflection of the other party’s shadow from the stainless steel sugar bowl that Tattanai had placed with the tea set, the more the child moved closer, the more the mirror in the middle of the living room reflected his image more clearly, suitable for young eyes to observe.

Subtract twenty points for impoliteness.

Even Tattanai himself was constantly worried and hesitant. Despite his efforts to negotiate, he could not even hear the sound of the intruder’s footsteps. The efficiency of his high-ranking guard position disappeared completely.

…

Charan stopped in front of the old church, he looked at the landscape of the town that was mostly built with orange bricks. It was an unfamiliar sight… The young man took a deep breath and organized the next steps in his head.

Because he didn’t want to waste time and have to resort to ruthless methods to invest, Charan knew that younger people had to run into traps. Even if he didn’t want to rely on it, at that moment he spoke out the most important thing.

Everything was just following the path that he had set out. Everything, including appearing in front of Khanin’s eyes to talk. All of it was to make Khanin suspicious and uneasy.

In the past, he didn’t think of ways to soothe and flatter like Tattanai did because he didn’t want to cross the line and show too much respect to his seniors. So, he didn’t say much. But today, Tattanai made it clear that he wanted to save time. Therefore, Charan had to react quickly to end this dragging story.

It may sound like a cruel act to the “Cicada Caretakers”, but he thought this was the best way out. For the remaining time…

…

Charan returned to Tattanai’s house again in the morning.

It was another time that Earl Grey tea was served in front of him. However, the demeanor of the middle-aged man sitting on the other sofa was different from yesterday. Tattanai looked sad when he spoke in a whisper that sounded like a murmur.

“The Young-Prince has a strong opposition, what would happen if you give him a little more time to adjust?”

“He should have been adjusting for almost two weeks now. But, this is my first time meeting you.” Charan said with a cool tone before lifting his teacup to drink. “I can’t wait any longer… As I’ve previously informed, SovereignKing’s condition has been deteriorating day by day, and if other news outlets know, they would also know… It might make the competition come sooner.”

“…”

“Young-Prince Khanin is not yet ready to compete…”

“…”

“I understand.”

“According to Emmaly’s old government regulations, if the current Sovereign-King relinquishes the position, there must be a competition to compete for the position of the next Sovereign-King. So, Khun Tattanai, you must know who will have to compete to make Prince Tarin the next SovereignKing. That’s why I have to come here.” [So grandfather generation rule, the grandson generation secure the power type of thing]

“It’s a long-standing tradition passed down from generation to generation.

All Emmaly citizens know about this competition to become Sovereign-King. Each family must send their heirs to participate. The one who wins will have a good impact on their fathers, as Prince Tarin once won this competition for his father… When Sovereign-King Dhipabawon ascended to the throne of Emmaly. They called it a system of supporting fathers to the throne to solve the problem of family competition. The Emmaly family used various means to maintain the position of the country’s leader for their fathers. At the same

time, the person who holds the position of Sovereign-King must govern the country firmly.”

One of Charan’s life goals is to make sure the sovereign position stays in the Atsawathewathin-family.

“…” With narrowed eyes, Charan observed the conversation between the two, placing his tea cup down on the table. He seized the moment when Tattanai sat in silence and calmly explained the important reasons that necessitated being ruthless with the other party. It was not in line with the soft compromise that he had initially intended.

“We have many things waiting for Young-Prince to learn because as far as I can see, he seems to know almost nothing beyond his national language.”

“Yes, Khun Charan, you are right… Young-Prince still needs to prepare himself more.” Until an objection came to mind, Tattanai could only bow his head in agreement and speak in a low, hesitant voice, his words trailing off like someone warning themselves.

The elderly man exhaled slowly, no longer caring about protecting the past. He resisted the young man more than before, standing up from the sofa and walking out of the guest room. He then returned with a medium-sized backpack.

Charan glanced at the backpack that had been slid down in front of him before raising his gaze to meet the dark-eyed man’s gaze, who was older than him. He asked nothing, remaining silent and waiting for Tattanai to explain.

“Inside this bag are things that are necessary for Young-Prince’s life, all of them.” the middle-aged man’s eyes looked more suspicious as the other side’s hand moved away from the object in front of Charan.

“Would it be better to keep it with me? Actually, keeping it with you might be better.” the younger man with a higher rank than the older man asked, still sitting upright and not thinking of leaning forward to touch the bag.

“It’s better to keep it with you. If I keep it… I might not be able to hand it over to my son.”

The pronoun ‘son’ Charan used to refer to Khanin showed that the past guardian had given Young-Prince little pieces of his heart. The young man could see the sadness in both their eyes, clear enough to reflect the heart. Where there is love, there is pain, no matter what form of love it is. When the time came to let it go, it would hurt deeply.

Charan thought that love was difficult and often brought about loss and chaos. He had never thought of giving his heart to anyone, but it did not mean that he would be cruel and heartless towards others.

He would have to let it go at some point.

“I will give you time to say goodbye to Young-Prince as your son… but don’t take too long.” Charan said after pondering with himself and accepting that Tattanai probably needed time to adjust after waking up from a long dream. Even if they were to return together, the relationship between Tattanai and Young-Prince Khanin could never be the same as before.

“Thank you very much.” Tattanai said in a stiff, subdued voice. His face seemed more relaxed than before. Charan looked at him, as if he was about to stand up, but then he stopped and remained still, thinking about another important matter.

“There’s another matter that His Sovereign-King has ordered me to tell you about.”

“What is it?” Tattanai asked.

“It’s about the tea, sir.” Charan looked down at the teacup in front of him, frowned slightly, and then reached into the pocket of his shirt where a small envelope was hidden.

“…”

“His Majesty has ordered that the best tea be sent back to Emmaly along with this letter for you, sir.”

The letter was put into a sealed envelope and handed over. Charan was responsible for delivering the message and had fulfilled all the orders perfectly without any flaws.

“Thank you.”

Charan had no idea how important the contents of the letter were, but the sealed envelope indicated that he should not pry or interfere. Despite his hidden doubts, the young man could do nothing more than be vigilant and observe everything from now on…

Duk-Duk-Duk.

The sound of a door opening followed by heavy footsteps interrupted the conversation, and everything came to a sudden halt.

Charan’s gaze shifted from his conversation partner to the hallway of the house, where a cute face of Khanin suddenly appeared before quickly disappearing, as someone of higher status passed by and caught their attention.

“Nin.”

“….”

“Come eat first, my child.”

Charan didn’t utter a word, quietly observing and taking note of the situation in front of him. It seemed like everyone in the room was trying to make everything seem like the old days. Tattanai was wearing a light blue stained apron, preparing food on a table. Meanwhile, Khanin grabbed his backpack and left for school, although everyone knew that nothing was the same as it used to be.

They all stood on the brink of an explosion.

“I am not hungry.” The young one didn’t even enter the dining room with the table, and Khanin didn’t say goodbye or acknowledge the important guest before walking out the door and slamming it behind him, making a loud and unsettling noise.

Bang!

The etiquette score… has to be subtracted.

Charan didn’t inhale or flinch at what the child did. But it clearly affected Tattanai, who had a sad expression on his face and looked more dejected than before.

Khanin had already left, leaving behind an awkward atmosphere. Charan remained silent, holding a cup of hot tea until he stood up and issued another warning about something important.

“The letter…”

“Please open that letter after I have left.”

“Where is Khun Charan going?” an older person asked with curiosity. Charan buttoned up his suit and bent his head slightly to the elderly person before turning to face the other party and speaking with a sincere voice so that Tattanai could not hold back anything.

“I didn’t forbid you from buying time… but my time is just as valuable.”

To be continued.

#AcrosstheSkyBesideYou.

“I wrote it and then it became so long. The cricket chirped and the legs were strong. But they said which pair would bite each other better. The ball fell. Sorry, mom and younger siblings. It’s getting sweet and cute. I’m coming for sure.”

THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 03: Earl Grey Tea.

By: CEO. ft Ennice.

A tall, calm-faced young man with graceful gestures is shown poised, holding a fishing rod, on a sheet of paper. It may be something that one could see frequently if the viewer were a student from the top-ranked art school in the Kingdom of Emmaly. His striking facial features, which are uniquely sculpted, make it easy for anyone to remember Charan Pitakthewa as the owner of the high-class art school for the elite.

In addition, he is accompanied by a young man who is the heir to the surname of an ancient noble family, known for his outstanding artistic achievements of the era, which many people admired and vied for ownership of.

Charan has risen to become the top-ranked artist of Emmaly, and many wealthy and influential people all want him to come and stay with them…

Charan has risen as the number one artist of Emmaly, whom the wealthy and numerous people all want to have in their own charity events at the end of this century. However, these wealthy people can only dream because they know in their hearts that the person in Charan’s charity is currently the Sovereign-King, the leader of Emmaly.

Being under the care of the Sovereign-King makes Charan look even more elegant and distant. People know well that this artist is not an ordinary person, and meeting him does not necessarily mean having the opportunity to get closer. The wealthy and people who have invited Charan have done the most they can by sending their grandchildren to study as his disciples.

In addition, they are no different from the bees that fly around and admire the beautiful flowers in the palace garden, but cannot take them away. They are owners and admirers…

“I apologize for disturbing you, my lord.”

The voice of the old butler called the tall young man who was sitting in the middle of the room drawing out of his reverie. Charan was wearing a dark blue silk bathrobe and frameless glasses, his hands stopping in the midst of painting on the canvas. He turned his head to look at the butler.

“Is there anything wrong? Normally, you wouldn’t bother me at this time.” the tone of his voice was flat and not tinged with any reproach, but for Nong, the old butler, he knew well that the question that had been asked was accompanied by a certain feeling.

The middle-aged man in a formal suit bowed his head slightly, showing his unease. He knew well that his current employer did not like anyone bothering him, especially when he was with his new mistress on a rainy night. It was a time to be avoided, nerves on edge, listening to the sound of the heavy rain falling and the thunder rumbling since last night until the sky cleared. Narong knew he should not be standing here, but necessity forced him to be.

There is something more important than your orders, sir.

“I apologize deeply, my lord.” said the butler with a small bow and a plea for forgiveness. He did not waste any time explaining anything, just stepped aside to allow a soldier in uniform to enter. The third person bowed respectfully to Charan before loosening something from his thick hand and letting go of the artwork in his hand.

“Khun Charan… the Sovereign-King has ordered you to an audience with him.” said the soldier, then smiled at each other. The young man in uniform stood up straight, arranging his body in the most polite and appropriate manner for the artist who was under the patronage of the lord.

“When do I need to go?” Charan asked back, gesturing to pick up a cloth nearby to wipe off various stains and dirt from his fingers.

“Right now…” The soldier paused for a moment, his face showing a hint of uncertainty. After a moment of thought, he spoke again. “Um, I mean within half an hour from now.”

Half an hour?

Charan’s eyebrows twitched as he heard this. He raised his head slightly to observe the man in front of him more closely, trying to analyze his demeanor. He discovered something about this man that was different from the familiar soldiers he had encountered before. The young man was confident in his excellent memory, but this man was not in his memory. Not only was he not in his memory, there were many things that conflicted with each other.

A high-ranking soldier, but his posture and mannerisms were like someone who had just been given the opportunity to serve. Why did they choose this man to deliver the message?

Various questions arose in Charan’s mind as he carefully assessed the situation in front of him. He realized that there were many things that were abnormal. Firstly, if it wasn’t important, the Sovereign-King wouldn’t have commanded him to meet in the middle of the night like this. And secondly, there was no way the king would ask a stranger to come to him… unless he wanted to keep this matter a secret.

“Using ordinary people is better than using people close to you as they may become a point of contention.”

“Are you new here?” Charan asked with a calm voice, while observing the conversation and noting the subtle changes in the army officer’s facial expressions and the slight widening of his eyes.

“How did you find out?”

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly to show friendliness, and he shifted his gaze to the shoes of the person in front of him as he replied.

“…”

“Your shoes are still new, they don’t seem to fit well. I guess you just started working here less than a week ago.”

“Yes, I just started yesterday.” The young soldier responded straightforwardly, seeing it as a good opportunity to make friends with the famous artist in the palace. This was a stark contrast to the listener’s inner feelings.

“Have you received any other royal orders?” Charan managed to maintain his natural posture despite feeling uneasy inside.

“I have not received any specific royal orders, Khun Charan. His Majesty just smiled and said that if you asked anymore, I should tell you that ‘I saw the molting cicada and it seems summer is approaching. If I had a friend to have tea with, that would be nice. Or…’ That’s all.”

The young man lowered his gaze as he listened to the Sovereign-King’s instructions, trying to analyze what he meant when he ordered the soldiers to speak out like this, and also requested that a new soldier be chosen to escort him. It was clear that he didn’t want outsiders to know about the matter, but even so, he was still wary.

He chose people who were honest, easy to talk to, and kept secrets well to do this work. He had already assessed that if this matter had to leak out to others, important secrets would not spread. The window had a door and a gap. If you were not careful, it could be dangerous. On the other hand, if you were too cautious, it could also be suspicious.

‘I saw the molting cicada and it seems summer is approaching. If I had a friend to have tea with, that would be nice. Or…’

The young man reflected on His Majesty’s royal decree in his heart before turning his face to look outside the window. He turned to where he saw a glimpse of light through the cracks. Charan closed his eyes as the sound of rain outside became louder, and the sky grew darker until the scent of dampness permeated the entire area. The flesh in the left side of the young man’s chest began to beat faster, and he started to feel a small headache, but he had to keep his composure.

Charan hated the smell of rain, the sound of thunder, the dampness, and everything related to the droplets from the sky.

In fact, His Majesty should be the person who knows best about his condition of hating the rainy weather because he is the one who has a royal umbrella to protect him every time it rains. Now, the weather outside can be said to be nothing close to the phrase “summer is coming soon”. On the other hand, the real summer has already passed. Therefore, what Lord wants to convey is probably something else in that sentence.

“If so, please inform the machine room on the other side to prepare empty containers. I will prepare two types of tea myself.” Charan stopped his thoughts and the leader of the family, Pitakthewa, stood up before turning to speak to the person in front of him, looking at the homeowner behind.

“I’ll have a chamomile and a oolong, please, Khun Narong.”

“Yes, my lord.”

There is no time to wait if his assumption is true. This time, drinking tea is not just for the taste like usual…

…

The small door in front of the room turned and knocked on the big wooden door three times as soon as the majestic figure of the person Sovereign-King wanted to meet appeared. The other side of the door knocked back three times as a signal that someone was waiting to hear the news behind it.

“Khun Charan has arrived, sir.”

“Let him come in.”

Shortly after the sound from the small door inside the room ceased, the large wooden door opened and the person behind it had a calm expression, a straight posture, and raised his left hand to his chest as a sign of respect according to the protocol of the palace. Charan saw this and did the same, then bowed his head.

The greeting was not very ceremonial, and the young man followed the elder into a small, well-decorated room divided into three sub-rooms, all of which were private rooms with different decorations.

The elder led Charan to the room decorated in Eastern style, with a large bird and a panther in the corner, and antique pottery around the room. At the top of the throne in this room, the highest person in the kingdom, Lord of Emmaly, was waiting for him.

“It’s just the right time. I’ve just had someone warm up the scones for you, sir.”

Lord Emmaly raised his scepter as he stood up from his tea cup, gliding the plate towards the newcomer. The gentle sound of the strings of his lute stopped at Charan’s face.

“May I receive the greatest mercy, sir.” The young man respectfully kneeled down, placed his hand on his left chest, and bowed his head as he faced the lord.

“Did I ever tell you that if two people are together, they don’t need formal language? Do you remember?” The speaker’s voice was somewhat reproachful, and Charan was still kneeling like that. He abruptly spoke the next sentence and quickly got up.

“How can you say that? You are Grandpa’s grandchild. He raised you since you were a little child. Will you Charan do the same as Grandpa or not?”

“I’m sorry, Grandpa.” he apologized with a remorseful expression on his face. He walked over to the chair on the opposite side of Sovereign-King before sitting down with an unchanged manner.

“Um, it’s okay. Let’s talk comfortably. Talk to me, I’m sorry, if I’ll be grateful if we can talk without you referring me as Your Majesty. Listening like this will make me bored. No one has spoken to me like a normal citizen for a long time.They keep talking abd if they are not apologizing then they are thanking me with His Majesty this and Your Highness that.” The tall man smiled and even chuckled a bit with a relaxed attitude.

“Only you Charan can talk comfortably with me.”

“Yes, and Grandpa, are you okay?” The tall body owner asked tentatively, having been well taken care of since childhood. Although Charan felt that in this situation, it was not appropriate to greet the elder with words like this, he didn’t want to wait.

“I am all faded with aging… I even called you to come and have tea together…” The middle-aged man paused for a moment, feeling uneasy, as the sound of raindrops fell and collided with the outside world together with the bright light of lightning that made Charan inadvertently tense his hand without realizing it.

“…”

“I’m sorry that I have to make Charan come in the rain like this.” The elderly person spoke when he noticed a person of equal status as an adopted grandson of merit with abnormal symptoms. Charan, with his lips trembling, couldn’t say anything for a moment, but then he regained his composure and focused on the important matter once again.

“I heard that you wanted to have tea, so I asked Narong to prepare two cups… as always.” The handsome face turned to the small pavilion standing in front of the scene with a barrier depicting a pair of hornbills, and then the two sets of tea were brought in and placed waiting for him to choose.

“Two sets as always… um, is it chamomile and Oolong tea?”

“Yes, I brought chamomile and Oolong tea… which tea do you want to drink today, grandfather?” In the eyes of others, Charan was the favorite young grandson of the lord, as he always managed everything well, from preparations that were pleasing to the eyes and in accordance with the will of the lord, to being called to attend the court frequently, which was not a strange thing.

However, that is only the outer shell… In reality, anyone would know that these two types of tea are just secret codes used for communication.

Chamomile tea means that he wants to meet to relax and talk. If the grandfather chooses to drink this tea, it simply means that he wants to meet with him to have a small chat. He wants to ask for some comfort, but if he choose Oolong tea, it means that he have a secret desire for him to do something, and of course, the orders will change according to the king needs.

“Charan… I am bored of these two teas.” Lord Emmaly of the kingdom of Emmaly replied simply, causing the listener to pause.

“So be it.”

“Lately, my body has not been doing well. My mouth doesn’t taste much, and my nose is used to the same smell. Drinking chamomile tea doesn’t help me sleep as deeply as before… but if I drinks Oolong tea, it makes my throat feel uncomfortable. Now I have some interesting tea. I want my grandchildren to try it.”

The third person in the small group came in with another set of tea when he received the signal from the highest-ranking official. The person in charge of the setup placed the tea set next to the saucer and creamer cups before everyone else who was not involved left.

“Earl Grey?” The scent of fragrant oil from the kaffir lime peel stands out and for a moment, it seems to have made Charan’s happiness disappear. The young man immediately asked with suspicion, but in the next moment, he was back to his old self.

“Yes, this is tea that I brought from England. I don’t drink it often because it reminds me of things from when I was a child… The taste of it makes me think of old memories.”

“…”

“Charan… I am very old now. My health isn’t good this year. I can’t go out and buy it myself, but I can’t trust other people to buy it for me…”

The wrinkles around the old eyes, which were due to his age, meet the sharp gaze of the young man as he carefully analyzes everything around him, from the health of his grandfather to the quality of the tea. Although His Holiness does not have a royal decree, everyone knows this, and it is only his royal demeanor that is respected.

“Mister…” the man could cough once and the royal physicians would be running in chaos. So this was not the main objective that His Holiness had given him.

It seems like it’s more about English tea.

“If grandfather trusts me, I will go and buy it for him.” The intimate pronoun is used as the speaker lifts his head to look at Charan who says in a serious tone, calling forth a smile from the listener.

“Good… very good. Who could understand my heart like Charan?” The old king smiled for a moment, then lifted the cup to drink, and then became more serious. “So, get ready to leave quickly. If we are too slow, we may not be able to catch up with the situation.”

“Yes, grandpa.”

“I wanted for the cicada to have more time before molting… wants the summer to come late, but it probably won’t happen… Nowadays, there are injuries to the roots of the Jamjuree tree we planted in the middle of the city, there are insects and parasites all over the tree… No one is there to take care of it for me… but Charan you are the only one who can be trusted.”

The real order has been revealed. Charan went out and looked at the rain pouring down outside. It had been like this since the beginning of the sentence, stretching out for hours. The atmosphere around was nothing like the words “summer” and “Jamjuree tree” in the middle of the capital…

Which was a national tree and still well taken care of. Grandfather did not really mean the Jamjuree tree, and the insects and parasites were just symbols representing those who were hostile to his rule.

As for “cicada molting.” This was the secret code that made him uneasy.

Charan had read the story of the life cycle of “cicada” a long time ago from a fairy tale book that the lord had given him. The lord said that “the life cycle of the cicada is one of the wonders of the world because the larvae of the cicada’s live underground for a long time, from 2-17 years, until they become strong, then they dig up the soil, shed their skin, and use their lives to continue the lineage on the earth.

If that’s the case… does that mean it’s time?

“Don’t let Tarin know about this.”

There is only one important secret between Charan and the Sovereign-King that no one else knows, not even Prince-Tarin Atsawathewathin, one of the only sons of the lord and the sole heir of the Atsawathewathin family.

The secret that is associated with the important mission that Charan has been waiting for all along, “Charan, this is the duty of our Pithaktewat family. Remember that we must protect the Young Prince and protect

Atsawathewathin.”

The voice of his mother abruptly entered Charan’s thoughts, causing him to pause for a moment before responding with a firm voice.

“Yes.”

“Go find Tattanai, he is my old friend. He will offer the best tea for you to bring back here.”

…

The scent of kaffir lime from Earl Grey tea and warmth from the heater didn’t help relax the atmosphere inside Tattanai’s guesthouse much, even a little. Charan hugged his knees, sitting on the sofa, staring at the white smoke rising from the Earl Grey tea cup floating aimlessly, until the second hand moved forward ten times, then raised his head to look at the person who seemed like … the caretaker of the cicada.

“I need some time. Young-Prince is still…”

“This is an urgent matter. The Sovereign-King is ill, the foundation of Atsawathewathin is weakening. Therefore, His Majesty has the intention for me to come here to take Young-Prince back.”

The weighty sentence from Charan’s mouth had an impact on Tattanai’s mind that should not have occurred. The middle-aged man looked down, his face drooping strangely, deviating from the happiness he used to have.

“But…”

Those strange behaviors caught the attention of Khanin, who watched them all. The young boy wandered outside and looked inside his own home, trying to listen to his father’s conversation from outside, but the thick wall prevented him from hearing everything clearly. He hesitated for a moment, contemplating his actions before deciding to do something he knew was not polite to others.

Khanin intended to eavesdrop… even though he knew it was not the right thing to do.

However, the unfamiliar man who caught his attention was behaving aggressively, resembling a threat to his own father. And for sure, Khanin could not stand idly by.

The young boy sneaked into his own house through the window, using his trained light steps to quietly approach the position of the living room before stopping at a distance close enough to hear, just to observe.

“He still doesn’t know anything about himself… He’s just a kid.”

“No matter how long it takes, someday Young-Prince will have to know who he really is, Tattanai… As you know, Young-Prince must compete as the only heir of Atsawathewathin.” The strange man spoke with a firm voice.

“I know, but I need time to explain…”

“I understand how difficult it is.”

Tattanai was interrupted mid-sentence by the imposing figure on the sofa. The atmosphere in the once warm and cozy guest room was now tense and uncomfortable. Khanin was confused and unable to grasp the meaning behind those strange words.

“I…”

“… but Khun Tattanai, you know, don’t you?”

“…”

“Nothing changes the fact that Young-Prince Khanin is of royal blood… and you are not his true father.”

The sound of the clock ticking faded away, and the air around them became icy and sharp, taking hold of their hearts.

Khanin remained still, his feet carrying him forward unconsciously. The young man stood in the middle of the room, struggling to form the hardest question he had ever asked in his life. “What did you say?”

To be continued.

#Crossing the Sky Beside You LIVES.

The lotus stem says deeply rooted, Chalatharn Khanin was followed by

Charan and returned home hahaha it’s difficult to write but I enjoyed it a lot.

Hope that my friends will have fun too.

See you soon in the next SE Crossing the Sky Beside You CEO ft. Ennice, follow and share + retweet on Line.

THE NEXT PRINCE CHAPTERS HOME

   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 02: So Long, Don’t Want to See You.

By: CEO ft. Ennice.

“Actually, I think… of the Fencing Association members, you still need a lot of practice.”

‘Need to practice more?’

The unfamiliar person’s sentence still echoed in Khanin’s ears, even though it was already days ago, while his eyes stared at the face of the person who was his father, with the cyber sword in his hand ready to strike.

Khanin stood on, his face serious and ready for training, opposite his confused inner self, while the unfamiliar person refused to back down.

Movement signals from Tattanai caused the scattered body to come back and try to focus on the upcoming situation.

The young boy dodged the shadow of the sword that came from the left before dodging again to avoid the sharp end that came from the right.

Khanin took advantage of the moment to raise his arm, hoping to hit the garden and score, but perhaps because he didn’t have enough focus as everything was planned in his mind, it didn’t go as he hoped.

Missed… missed it so easily.

“Nin.” The score counting signal sounded loudly, followed by the sound of pulling out, a heavy-hearted and anxious expression emerged from Khanin’s lips. He knew immediately what would happen next in the sequence.

…

“…”

“Do you realize that you have no focus?”

Tattanai spoke in a firm voice, turning to pull out the wire from the armor suit. He then took off the metal mask and stood embracing the young man with a scrutinizing gaze.

“I know that I have no focus.” Khanin thought he should not make any excuse. The young man breathed out, and he was angry with himself for inadvertently allowing someone to influence his thoughts.

Why does that madman suggest that there are flaws in him? Who gave him the right to say that one member of the association should be better than the others? Especially when no one has ever dared to speak to him like that before.

“What causes you to lack focus?”

“Something pointless.”

“Khanin, if that nonsense messes with your mind, it will lead to violence. Do you know what it means?” His father’s use of his real name indicated an increase in the severity of the situation. The young man did not answer, but he knew exactly what Tattanai wanted to convey.

Hesitation and inaccuracy… are the paths that will never lead to victory.

Only defeat awaits us if we wait around.

“You should be alone to reflect.”

“Father, you said, if I tries to adjust my posture and not move my left shoulder before drawing the sword, can I defeat you?”

“Hm?” The owner of the small and cramped house blurted out without much thought, as he turned to look at his son with a suspicious gaze.

“It’s…forget it.” Khanin closed his eyes and rubbed his hand until he regained consciousness, realizing that he had let slip some unfinished thoughts. The young man had intended to end the conversation here, but it seemed that Tattanai’s reaction was different from before.

“Say it again…the sentence you just said.”

“It’s…well, I said that if I tried to adjust my posture and didn’t move my left shoulder before drawing my sword, what would happen…Father, what do you think?” The young man repeated the previous sentence in his mind, remaining silent and waiting for an answer from his father. Each passing moment seemed to be more suspenseful than the previous one as he anxiously waited for Tattanai’s response.

“I think so.” The once calm and cool gaze, now filled with contentment and satisfaction.

“…”

“Nin, I’m glad you understand your own flaws now.”

Snap!

It was as if an invisible lightning bolt struck the center of Khanin’s palace. The young man was unaware of his own facial expression, his eyes widening and his mouth gaping in amazement. He concluded with a smirk that matched his thoughts.

“Dad, when you speak like that, you mean that…”

“My words mean that in the past, I knew the pattern you would attack with when I draw my sword. How? Because my left shoulder moved.”

“Yes.”

“This is what you told me to improve, but you didn’t say where to fix it, right?”

“Yes.”

“So, does it mean that if I adjust my movements, I will defeat you?”

“Correct.” Khanin had been soaking in hot water before, but now he stopped and listened intently to Tattanai’s words. He was sure that what the doctor said was true.

“No, it’s not true…” The young man frowned and looked away, resisting the words as much as he could. However, someone as smart as Tattanai could see through his behavior.

“Did someone tell you that?”

The older man asked curiously. In truth, Tattanai was not sure, but because Khanin never hid the truth from him, he could see that the boy was confused.

“No one did.” The stubborn boy replied, turning his gaze away and reaching for a bottle of water nearby to drink and calm down. He tried to avoid their gaze by pretending to look elsewhere, but he knew that everything he tried to hide was becoming more apparent.

Khanin had never lied to Tattanai before.

“Then how did you know?”

“It was I…”

“Think carefully before answering me.” the statement was no different from a hammer that had just hit Khanin’s outer shell mask. The young boy took a deep breath, his small mouth pouted with his habitual posture that he unintentionally did at times when he was unaware.

“It’s possible.” Khanin muttered softly, looking at the older person for a moment before quickly hiding his feelings in his heart as usual. “But just talking doesn’t make anyone great. It seems like he has been complaining more than anything else.”

“Complaining? Then what did he complain about? Tell me, father.” This time, Tattanai was the one who did not show any interest. The older man turned to pick up a water bottle, drank it without paying attention, and casually asked with a flat and reasonable tone because he knew the personality of this son better than anyone else.

If he showed signs of excitement, the stubborn-headed boy would feel more reluctant to resist. Therefore, sometimes… Tattanai had to apply his swordsmanship techniques in child rearing. He would stop to read the game, stay quiet and wait for the outburst.

“He said that I moved my left shoulder before drawing the sword, which made my opponent aware in advance. He also said that I need to be more careful, and that someone in the association might be better than him… Hmph, ridiculous.”

The end of the sentence was like a whisper, but it was a whisper filled with disgust and emotion. Khanin’s head was down, and he thought about how much that silent, stone-carved face might be hiding.

The posture that had been sullen a moment ago, with a tense face and murmurs of self-blame, was now almost entirely in Tattanai’s line of sight.

The posture of Khanin made Tattanai almost entirely tense and annoyed. He heard Khanin murmuring to himself, and then Tattanai’s attention was drawn to him. Khanin’s father smiled before gently clearing his throat to bring Khanin back to reality and out of his reverie.

“And Nin, do you think it’s true?”

The middle-aged man asked his son for his opinion, but Tattanai didn’t want to lead the discussion. Although he couldn’t help but feel grateful for the words of the other person, it seemed that someone had touched on a sensitive topic, causing Khanin to see his flaws more quickly.

“I don’t know.”

“If you don’t know, then you have to prove it.” Tattanai finished speaking and turned to place a water bottle down. He then reached for his mask again and put it on. He then lit the fire to tally the score for the previous set before the next match began.

“Do you remember the theory I taught you about the game?” The speaker stood up, ready to send the signal to Khanin’s body to respond almost immediately.

“I will win against you, father.” The metallic voice spoke earnestly through the mask. The young man moved his left hand back and held the handle of his sword tightly, while his right hand grabbed the hilt of his sword, and he focused his gaze on his opponent. Yes, on the battlefield of the competition, they would have no family ties.

The young man was confident that if his variable was the left shoulder movement, then the game theory that his father had taught him would work.

Even though his opponent was his own father…

“I’ve heard you speak like this all along.” Tattanai said with a smirk. His demeanor helped to fuel the enthusiasm of the young people even more than before.

“This time I will definitely not lose.”

“Then prove it.”

The atmosphere in the rehearsal room became more relaxed. Khanin no longer showed any signs of anxiety. When the young man returned, he was focused and determined in his training.

In Tattanai’s eyes, the little guy looked happy and completely unaware that his left shoulder, which used to be a problem, was now moving differently from before.

Tattanai smiled at the results of the necessary training that he had observed. Khanin was stubborn but not a stubborn child, and in practice, he was meticulous and unbelievable. He hesitated at times during swordplay, but was fierce when the time came.

All of his actions were in stark contrast to the loving face of the other side, like a positive and negative pole. The wild dog covered in sheepskin, Khanin, seemed to be a wild cat with sharp claws, but still wrapped in a soft rabbit fur.

The middle-aged swordsman’s eyes glanced at the young man, recalling the time when Khanin was still small and had a habit of following his father everywhere. Whatever his father said, the little boy had heard it regularly. “Father can do it, I can do it.”

Paying attention from when he was young until now…”

“What can Father do, I can do…”

The little child who used to follow his father yesterday, today has grown bigger than before.

It’s a pity that there isn’t much time they have left to spend together… Tattanai only hope that in the next semester, this son will be able to be happy with something simple or at least think of him when he sees food that he used to complain about not liking every day.

Because he himself probably will miss Khanin a lot…

Even though it shouldn’t even be thought about.

…

“Engarde.”

“Paet.”

“Allez.”

The signal from the referees sounded and both competitors immediately began to score points fiercely, in a way that no one was willing to concede to anyone.

The score counting signal continued to sound continuously until it reached a minute, during which the team that used red light to count points demonstrated superior skills by repeatedly thrusting and stabbing their opponent twice in a row, causing the victory to slip away in just a minute.

Nin, the representative of the red team, took off his metal mask and smiled towards the scoreboard before turning his body to hide his smiling face with courtesy. At the same time, he turned to respond to the friendly handshake of the competitor on the opposite side.

The young boy smiled and chatted with the green team in a fair manner, but in the next minute, the mood of the winner changed drastically back and forth, making it frightening.

The young boy gave a smile and talked with the green team in a fair manner before the emotions of the winner suddenly changed drastically to the point of being frightening.

The two-layered eyes hid in the focus points, the nerves and senses did not stop at the co-competitors. When there was a new goal that drew more attention from Khanin.

The lips, painted with a light color, suddenly curved into a charming smile, and the cute face became tense when the magnificent figure of someone appeared in the line of sight.

That man has come again…

Perhaps because today’s bout was an internal competition for those who wanted to go on to compete at the city level, the club opened their doors for outside spectators to reserve seating areas as if it were the actual competition. The special round during the full moon was chaotic, but amidst the many people, Khanin’s gaze stopped at someone… sharp.

The fair-skinned man with jet-black hair stood out and paired up with Nain’s eyes.

The other party crossed his arms on his chest and looked down at the same position, almost like a repeated image from the day before. One thought that the other was just pretending to be still and silent, not moving and not separating, more persistent than a ghost. What happened next was… spooky, or maybe it required chanting to dispel it.

Khanin cursed another person in his heart. The young boy bowed his head and said goodbye to his co-competitor before separating from others. At first, he intended to remain indifferent, but his goal changed abruptly when he was disappointed.

The little figure removed his tight-fitting armor, stood still with his arms crossed, and faced the tall body owner with sharp, weapon-like eyes. They confronted each other, releasing a silence that was no different from a smallscale nerve war, which lasted almost three minutes until Khanin took the stage again.

“Did you come to see me?”

“…”

“Come on, don’t want to answer, it’s up to you.”

The young man shrugged, indifferent to whether or not Khanin cared to answer. He didn’t care if the other party would come or go, or what the purpose was. But the main reason he came straight here was because he had something important to discuss.

In fact, it was more of a reconciliation attempt than anything else.

“…”

“I just came to… let you know that no matter what, I’m still number one in the club.”

“…”

“Even if in your eyes, my skills are inferior, in the eyes of the masses, and on the scoreboard, it’s very clear that they’re worth more than the words of an ordinary person… don’t you think so?” Khanin smiled only with his lips, but didn’t reach his eyes.

If the sentence of the opposite party who had been storing the pain before is still very painful. This time, Khanin himself has equally fiery words. The young man stared resentfully at the unfamiliar person, intending to provoke his emotions under the mask of a smile.

“Oh, but anyway, I have to come and thank you. Thank you for helping me learn, even though it was a lesson I didn’t ask for. Thank you very much…”

“…”

“But you don’t have to next time.”

Being talked at like this? If it were someone else, they would have probably stood up and started fighting back at this point. However, the man in front managed to maintain his calm and composure well. Excellent. Only the corners of his mouth twitched slowly when the tall figure rose to stand up.

His black eyes dropped down when their height clearly indicated the distance between them. Khanin accidentally took a step back, his hands hanging in the middle of the automatic air. At the moment when the other person stepped closer to him, almost close enough to touch, he noticed the faint fragrance… from the mysterious person’s body.

“You know, besides the shoulder twitch, when you back up, you like to drag your feet…”

“…”

“You might lose points if you meet someone better than these guys.”

“So what about me now…”

“Being number one now doesn’t mean you will always be number one.”

…

“I freaking hate that medics guy.”

“Why are you going to hate him, Nin? Didn’t you say yourself that he warned you about everything you could improve?”

Paul leaned over and whispered, sending a plate of beautiful rice to the English boy. The boy naturally turned to order fish sauce with chili from the waiter before turning to gently bump Khanin’s shoulder. When he saw that he still didn’t seem to be in a better mood.

It had been almost an hour, but Khanin still couldn’t manage to calm his feelings. Perhaps because he knew deep down that those words were true, the anger in his chest could not be easily dismissed, even though he sat amidst the sound of laughter from his teammates. But his mood and thoughts were as cloudy as the sky with rain clouds.

If someone is to blame, it’s only that stone statue.

“The doctor’s words are nerve-racking.”

Khanin turned to pick up a glass of water to calm his heated emotions. He was sitting in a Thai restaurant in the Soho district, a restaurant known for its strong flavor and the same restaurant that Paul had recommended or suggested he treating them in celebration of winning the competition in just three bouts.

“Okay, I didn’t think you would think too much about it normally.”

“But this time it’s not normal.”

“What do you mean?” asked the mouth, while the eyes were fixated on the various dishes that the three restaurant staff were serving to Khanin. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became, heavier than before.

“Because my father agrees with what that doctor recommends.”

It’s not that Khanin doesn’t accept his own mistakes and flaws, but the reason for his current annoyance is because the words of someone who dislikes him are supported by the person he trusts the most, his father.

“Is it your father? That’s even better, your father is super clever.” Alex sitting next to him blurted out his opinion, after sitting quietly listening for a long time.

“…”

“When your father recommended to Paul, Paul improved significantly, don’t you remember? Otherwise, we wouldn’t have a chance to sit here and enjoy this meal together.”

“True, I agree with Alex, that doctor might be really good… I mean, having someone criticize you is not necessarily a bad thing, is it?”

At this point, his friends seemed to change their attitude and move back to his side, so he was surprised until he held his breath, suppressing all the turmoil inside before responding casually.

“Hey, you’re half-Emmaly’s child, right, Nin?” Someone spoke up as the food was almost half gone. Khanin withdrew his gaze from the orange-colored curry that had a strong taste and turned his attention to the question from his teammate.

“Why?”

“My friend asked me if it’s true that in their country, children practice sword fighting every day, and they can already handle a sword better than a fork at the age of three.”

“Oh, I heard that in that country, when they select a new king, their grandchildren have to compete in sword fighting . It’s one of the tests. I saw a short video clip on YouTube many years ago.”

Another person spoke up. As the noise level in the shop was quite high, Khanin was not sure whose words they were.

“No way… People from this country always make it to the finals in the

Olympics. They are talented, and so are their fathers.”

The latest sentence was spoken by Kevin, a blue-eyed foreigner. On the other side of the conversation, someone from another country was speaking very enthusiastically, making Khanin turn his attention to the topic.

“I don’t know about others, but my father makes me practice sword fighting every day.” The boy shrugged and laughed a little, thinking of his father’s order to practice sword fighting as an important aspect of life that

Khanin could not ignore. His dad said it is “It’s in their bloodline.”

As for the previous questions, Khanin couldn’t answer. He was born and raised in England, and has never been to Emmaly before. If there was anything to answer, it would have to be based on the strength of his father throughout his life…

Khanin himself assumes that what his friends say is probably true.

Maybe Emmaly trains children to handle swords from birth… Swords before forks…

In fact, when it comes to intensity, his father was not the type who only focused on sword training, but there were many other areas of knowledge that Khanin was also pushed to excel in.

For example, learning to play piano, singing, social studies, economics, and there were also other languages that his friends might not expect him to learn, such as Thai, Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic.

Paul was not surprised that he studied a lot and wondered why he had no time to find a girlfriend. Let’s not talk about love. Just having free time to enjoy life was rare. Khanin’s life seemed to be scheduled by his father. Even though his father did not pressure him to the point of making him hate studying, his freedom and childhood were not carried out as other children should have.

Many times, Khanin asked himself questions, and many times, he asked questions to the universe.

The young man did not understand why one person had to specialize in everything, but that was because his father was not like anyone else. The answer he received was not much different from a math exam.

The questions were difficult and required a high level of understanding. Tattanai was always like that, sowing seeds, waiting, and watching until he could bloom on his own.

“I train you to be a real swordsman, but sword fighting is a finite game. The game ends within a set time frame. So what should you consider?”

The words of a father the night before came to Khanin’s mind in the confusing image. He remembered that this conversation topic occurred during the third round of night practice.

“Maintain the rules and defeat the opponent within the specified time.” The slim figure replied immediately with confidence.

“That’s correct… if you want to defeat an opponent who is better than you within the specified time… but you still have to maintain the rules. What will you do?”

The middle-aged man paused, allowing his son to contemplate. Khanin shifted slightly, following his intuition. In his mind, he frowned when he thought about something.

“There are two ways.” Khanin held his sword in a ready position. The young man stared at his father through the metal mask. Suddenly, he felt inexplicably nervous about his answer.

“Come on then.” Khanin stood still for a moment because he wasn’t entirely sure about what he was going to say. After a few minutes, he finally relented and expressed what was on his mind.

“The first method is to practice by reading the opponent’s movements, finding weaknesses and exploiting them. The second method is to make the opponent violate the rules… then you will win.”

The speaker swallowed hard, knowing the meaning behind the words he spoke.

What Khanin said is no different from those who cheat, deceive, and manipulate. However, the young boy only follows the variables given in the problem set by his father and calculates based on possibilities. If he has to compete against time…

We need to create options that will achieve our goals as quickly as possible, which also means making the opponent violate the rules in order to eliminate them from the competition.

“But in every kind of sport, you cannot do that. Intentionally breaking the rules during the game will make the player a cheater.” Tattanai emphasized his words to allow young son to think accordingly.

“But outside of the game, I might be able to do that… Right?”

The young boy, quick-witted and impulsive, acted faster than his brain could process. Khanin’s eyes widened in surprise at his own thoughts. This resulted in his sword thrusting at the wrong moment.

He missed… but Khanin saw under the metal mask that his father was holding back a smile.

“Yes, it’s right to do it outside the game… Therefore, you must be careful and live with mindfulness. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of your actions, see the true intentions of others – what they do, who they do it for, and why. Because in life, we have no right to know who is playing outside the rules. Just a little carelessness could make you lose.”

“…”

“Don’t forget that in every competition, we only need one winner. You have to observe how each person plays and how they approach the game.”

“And don’t forget the truth that on this earth, humans are all different. It’s natural that there are many people who are willing to break the rules to win because they think it’s an easier way to compete without playing fair.” Tattanai took a stance and prepared himself before signaling to the young boy to do the same.

Khanin understands now… his father didn’t teach him to cheat, but he is teaching him to be aware. Thinking that he is better than others and not considering the situation may lead to his downfall… Tattanai is teaching him to open his mind, as he should, to the man’s plea.

Despite feeling heartbroken, Khanin could not deny the truth that he had beaten his father by one point that night because he adjusted his movements and reduced the left shoulder shrug, which led to Tattanai not being able to read the game. Although mixed with conceding to an older person’s request, the young boy couldn’t escape the reality.

The more Khanin realized his mistakes and tried to correct them, the more his soul demanded that he adjust every time Tattanai attacked his left shoulder, even if it was just a little. Little by little, until he almost didn’t move at all at the end of the game.

“What someone else says is the truth…”

But then what… he and that doctor won’t see each other again after graduation. Khanin planned to leave the Fencing Club for a while.

The captain position will be given to ‘Alex’, his teammate, and his life will return to being carefree without any reason to meet that annoying person who talks without making sense anymore.

Forever absent.

Where in the hell…

Khanin stood still in front of his own house after separating from Paul, hoping to rest his body and mind. However, the chaos in his life never stopped. The young man with furrowed brows cursed the angel or whoever had the responsibility to write the fate of his life.

His gaze tried hard to comprehend the situation in front of him.

But even after looking through the window, he still couldn’t understand… He looked past and saw a strange man.

The tall and bright figure sitting there as nothing was out of the ordinary, except for the other person sitting on the couch beside him, with a fatherly gesture of sitting and bowing his head with clasped hands, as if he was a nobleman bowing to someone of lower rank…

What the hell is going on…

To be continued.

The bell rang loudly and the two writers started arguing with each other, it was more fun than cheering for a boxing hero. NongNin said he wanted to insult the two people who were sitting behind him and shivering.

And then what happened?

Nong Nin aggressively pulled the shirt of the person in front of him, who didn’t like it, so he drew his sword…

Hahaha, whether you like it or not, please leave a review comment to encourage us. Don’t forget to use #KhamFaKiangTuer.

Footnote.

A bout is composed of a rectangular mat that is approximately 1.5 to 2 meters wide (4.9 to 6.6 feet) and approximately 14 meters long (46 feet). The fencer who scores 5 points first wins the bout. In official competitions, there is an electrical connection between the fencer’s weapon and a scoring machine.

A light will indicate when a touch has been scored.

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   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 01: The Fencing Association Tensions.

By: CEO ft Ennice.

‘The sword is a symbol of power, meaning the authority to judge, enforce the law, and make responsible decisions. It is a weapon used to decide the fate of others. Therefore, the sword in the hand of Lady Justice is a double-edged sword, which symbolizes the law that can be used to punish wrongdoers and protect the innocent at the same time.

However, this power can also lead to injustice. If the sword bearer does not weigh the evidence and consider it carefully, the sword must be lower than the scales, to show that it is subject to scrutiny.’

The soft voice of the female narrator from the documentary “The Sword of Justice” on the iPad continues to play, even though the person who opened it is not paying attention to it.

The small, thin frame inside the medium-sized bedroom, he was still pays attention to the favorite saber in hand.

He wiped it slowly and carefully, examining the slender shape and handle that fit his hand perfectly before putting a sheath on the sword and placing it in his bag along with a new pair of gloves he had just gotten yesterday evening.

Khanin turned to close the case and stood up to his full height, taking the black backpack with the Fencing equipment inside and slinging it over his shoulder.

He had to hurry a bit today as he had a training session scheduled for the new kids at the Fencing association, so he needed to move faster than usual.

The young boy stepped out of the bedroom and, as he was about to close the door, his eyes caught sight of the neatly arranged display of his own achievements on the shelf.

Khanin’s room was filled with various types of swords that he had won from innocent bet win with his friends. He looked at them with pride before closing the door and walking down the stairs with a happy mood.

“You have arrived late, five minutes after the agreed time. You will make adjustments next time.”

Khanin’s feet immediately stopped when he heard a loud noise from someone else, who turned out to be his own father, Tattanai.

“Yes sir, I’m aware of that.”

Khanin shrugged his shoulders and sat down at the dining table, ignoring his father who was standing lazily in front of the stove.

He picked up his mobile phone to read a message from his close friend, Paul, who was a member of the Tex fencing club they had arranged to meet since morning. However, before he could reply, breakfast served by his father was placed in front of him.

“I already said it. If you’re in the house, use our native language.” Tattanai said sternly, while his expression remained unchanged as usual.

Our native language made the young man laugh inwardly. The language spoken about was probably the Emmaly language, as his father came from a small country in the SouthEast region named Emmaly.

Tattanai is from there and has strong ties to the country, but Khanin is not.

He was born and raised in England.

He was unclear how his father could speak the language of “their” so fluently. The young man thinks it should be his father’s language. It’s worse when his father says he was born and raised here. So, his language should be English, not Emalese.

Although Khanin wanted to back out, he decided to remain indifferent and keep those words he heard from his father, as he observed the tension on his face.

“Khao Soi again.” Khanin grumbled about the food in front of him instead.

He used a fork to separate the noodles in the curry with prominent orange oil. He rolled the yellow noodles and furrowed his brow at his father who had just sat down across from him.

“Dad, you know that I don’t like to eat Khao Soi because it stains my shirt.”

The young man said of himself eating Khao Soi like his father, and the broth spilling onto his shirt… it was messy

In reality, he doesn’t like any kind of noodle dishes because every time Khanin eats, there is a problem with his clothes getting dirty with soup or sauce. Everyone knows and tries to avoid serving this kinda food, but it seems like his father is an exception.

His father not only never avoids things his son doesn’t like but also likes to serve noodle dishes every morning.

“Just get used to it. You can eat it without staining your clothes.” Tattanai replied calmly, squinting at his son’s use of the utensils.

“Just practice using chopsticks until you’re comfortable with them. You can eat national dishes without getting dirty.” Tattanai replied calmly, watching his son use a fork to eat instead of chopsticks as he had been taught. “Practice using chopsticks with a spoon until you’re comfortable with them. You won’t be able to use a fork to eat everything like you’re used to doing here, Nin.”

“Hmm.” Khanin sighed when he heard his father speak like that.

The young man knew that arguing would not be helpful.

If he argued, his father would just repeat the same things like a programmed robot. Realizing this, he took the spoon out of the cup and picked up the chopsticks next to him, clamped a few strands of noodles into his mouth, and then quickly drank some water and stood up.

“Nin, you’ve only eaten this much. You’re not full yet.”

“Hmm.” Tattanai lifted his coffee cup and sipped it, pretending not to notice his son’s clear dissatisfaction every time he complained.

On the child’s side, seeing his father’s indifferent attitude, he turned and grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder.

Khanin was about to leave the dining room through the elderly person’s path. However, before he could take a step, his tender heart gnawed at his mind until he finally gave in and became understanding to his father again because he couldn’t bear things being sour.

If they had to avoid talking just because he didn’t care about eating KhaoSoi it would sound just stupid, so he could agree to lower himself again.

“Well then…I am going ahead, Dad.”

Khanin spoke softly to the broad back, looking from this angle as if Tattanai didn’t care to argue with his son at all. The tall man in the blue protective clothing didn’t even bother turning around to look at him with disdain.

Khanin’s father just calmly placed the coffee cup down and then uttered a stern voice.

“Don’t forget that we have a rehearsal tonight – don’t be late.”

His eyes glanced nervously around before Khanin paused in his tracks, thinking to leave quietly from this spot.

“But I am going to practice at the Association, and what else will I practice at night for, Dad? Let’s discuss whether we should give me some time to have fun.”

The association that Khanin referred to was the Fencing Association, and what he talked to his father about the training was the international sport of Fencing.

His grandfather dreamed of his father becoming a representative of his own country in sports, but Tanattai couldn’t because of an accident when he was young. He had to give up his dream and accept job offers in other areas while moving to England and establishing himself here…

“I changed my mind. Training like that and ‘our’ training are not the same.” Tattanai lowered his voice, emphasizing the phrase “our” in particular.

“What are you holding on to father? I won the awards in the association, but it still doesn’t satisfy you?”

“Not enough. Come and practice tonight – you have still many flaws that I needs to point out and show you.” Tattanai finished speaking and lifted his coffee cup to his lips again.

The middle-aged man showed an indifferent attitude to what his son was doing, something that Khanin opposed. His orders had to be obeyed, and Khanin prohibited any refusal.

“Then it’s up to you, Dad. Whatever you want I will do. Either way, I must be obedient because I am living with Asian Parents.”

The childish argument of the only son echoed along with the sound of the door slamming shut.

Bang!

For several minutes, Tattanai remained motionless, his once calm eyes trembling. His gaze, which used to look outward, now rested on the bowl of Khao Soi, the food that his son had left over.

…

Khanin walked out of the house and still had a heavy heart from his father’s words. The young man walked quickly, shuffling his feet, towards Earl’s Court Station, hoping that walking would help ease the anger in his heart.

Khanin thought that his father had a demeanor more suited for a military person than a writer, with his stern and orderly manner and the heavy tone he used when training in swordplay. It made him feel as though this father of his had been trained rigorously by a knight in the middle ages.

It was not surprising that none of his friends dared to come and play at his house, as each of them feared his father.

Khanin still remembered when Paul visited his house for the first time and his father ordered him to put on his training clothes because he saw that Paul’s swordplay was not good enough. His father trained him so intensely that Paul was exhausted and didn’t dare to come to his house again.

In addition, he also called his father a merciless training master in the writer’s circle, telling everyone about it until now.

In reality, Tattanai’s main profession was as a ghostwriter, working only for famous people. Most of his work was related to the biographies of athletes, which is why he didn’t have much of his own work to show.

But that’s the reason why his father still has to exercise and train hard regularly, because famous athletes prefer someone who takes care of their own body, rather than hiring a thin and weak writer to write their biography.

Khanin thinks that Tattanai is one of the most talented people. If he had not had an accident, he probably would not have had to entrust all his dreams and hopes to him. His son was very overborne.

Just follow the rules of the battalion. If he was still in his home country, born in Emmaly, he would probably have become a happy national team athlete.

He guessed that his father had already reconciled with this matter.

Although he lived his life like a father, raising one child to perfection till he was this grown.

Although Khanin never met his mother because she passed away when he was born, on the other hand, his father did a good job and never missed anything. Even if he was tough on him for everything, he could never deny that Tattanai was one of the best fathers.

His father loved him, like he loved his father. Although they never said “I love you” to each other, Khanin always felt the good hope that his father gave him with his sincerity.

Taking care of the house by keeping it clean and waking up to serve breakfast for everyone… um, even though it was food that he didn’t really like.

Okay, it wasn’t that bad with them…

Because he had always been with his father, Khanin was not far from the tree. He got almost everything that his father had and did.

His habit is to observe people’s facial expressions and postures, partly because he learned it from fencing, which his father taught him.

The other party always says that this sport is not just about wielding a sword to stab or strike your opponent, but it is a sport used to train decisionmaking skills whether to attack or defend based on observing the postures of the opponent.

The precise speed of parrying the sword promptly is all due to having to use concentration to read the minds and read the movements of others until it becomes second nature.

It’s like reading his own father’s mind that no matter how hard it is, he always makes it easy for him.

Khanin thinks that all of this is a special ability.

He is good at reading the situation around him, especially people’s facial expressions and the movements of living things around him, and because of this, that’s why his journey to the Fencing Association this morning looked strange if more than usual…

He took two steps forward, then stopped, and then took two more steps and stopped again. He repeated this several times until he was sure that the sound of his own footsteps was followed by another sound.

‘The sound of thick-soled shoes is unmistakable.’

To make sure, the young man stopped and turned around again.

Khanin pretended to bend down and tie his own shoelaces, although nothing would come out, he relied on the moment of lowering his face to peek under his legs.

As expected, a pair of combat boots appeared. The owner of the boots stood still at a visible distance.

The young boy’s heart was beating rapidly as if someone was shaking him.

Khanin swallowed the thick saliva, but despite the efforts of consciousness to wake him up, he chose to get up and stand naturally.

Pretending not to notice the presence of some people walking together, he took a long pause, tried not to see anything, and hurriedly walked into the Tube as soon as the train doors opened.

It had been almost a week since Khanin began to sense something abnormal around him.

Many times he felt that someone’s gaze was fixed on him, but when he looked back, he could not find anyone suspicious. However, every time his survival instinct told him that the mysterious person was getting closer and closer until he could no longer trust anyone.

‘No matter what, today I must see the face of the person who has been following me.’

Khanin thought in his mind before slowly moving from the door aisle to the center of the bus.

He glanced cautiously at the reflections of people in the mirror before his eyes met with a suspicious person wearing a gray hoodie and a black cap that covered their face, standing behind him, leaning to the right side, less than three seats away.

Khanin locked eyes with that person, while the young boy on the other side read the gestures through the reflection of the Tube window. The person turned to the left and right suspiciously, and leaned toward Khanin, making him think of the old enemies who he had problem with.

The young man was searching for fragments of memory, wondering if he had ever had a problem with someone who had this kind of appearance, but his mind was blank. Khanin did not know many Asians, so he was confident that this person was not someone he knew for sure.

As soon as he thought that, the young boy closed his eyes, and Khanin took a deep breath before counting to ten, following the time he had calculated in his mind. Then…

“Hey, you kid there!”

Someone yelled loudly as Khanin bumped into him while running from the center of the bus to the door. Although he wanted to apologize, he did not have time. The only thing that mattered was the announcement from the stationmaster.

Khanin counted the steps he needed to run, then quickly jumped out of the bus in one swift motion, just as the sound of the door closing beeped.

Beep!

“Go-to-hell, you-fucking-pervert!”

Khanin turned around and spoke silently but emphasized his mouth movements clearly to the person in the gray hoodies who were fiercely huddling together in the pit.

The other party chased him but it was pointless as the train door had already closed. They were blocked from each other and the young man smiled, raising his middle finger to show a painful victory declaration to the people on the train, causing them to shuffle uncomfortably until they realized what to do. The train departed and the procession was over.

You idiot…

The young man stood and watched the train move away with joy. He quickly turned around, realizing that he would not be able to get away with traveling on the same route as before to meet someone at the next station.

The decision to change the mode of transportation to the fencing club by taking another train and walking a bit more was probably the best way out.

It’s okay to waste a little time… but at least he can be confident that he will be safe from the stalker who has been lurking in his life lately for another day.

…

“Oh, that’s why you were late.”

Upon arriving at the Fencing club, it took less than a minute to be scrubbed clean by Khanin’s close friend. He had to explain the reason for his lateness and told Paul everything that had happened to relay it to others.

He certainly never disappoints… in terms of eloquence.

Therefore, when he walked out of the dressing room, everyone on the team had already noticed. Even the new kid standing in front of the digital scoreboard counting the score.

“I’ve talked about this enough.” Khanin, who was wearing a mesh mask, walked over to Paul and brushed his bangs aside, Angella turned around and saw him smile before quickly leaning away from the conversation to let him join in.

“So, you said someone was following you.” Paul, the blond-haired Englishman, turned to his little friend immediately. “What are you going to do about it? Will you report it to the police, just in case those guys are trafficking in human organs or something? Why do they do that kind of thing?”

Khanin smiled when he heard his close friend’s last sentence and turned to see him smile like that. It was predictable that none of this was a big deal, but Paul was the type to overreact and blurt out nonsensical things.

“You talk too much, Paul. What can Nin possibly have for the stalker? Even though he’s cute, you should help us check the content of our photos, that’s it.

His brain is just this small.”

Alex, a half-Chinese, half-Englishman holding an Epee, pretended to show his small items to his friends.

“Moreover, having a foul mouth like his – anyone can kidnap him, but it’s a burden. I sympathize with those who want to kidnap him, my friend.”

“Hey, calm down, friend. You must have forgotten who the captain of our team is – be careful not to get kicked mid-air with that kind of talk.”…

Khanin, the team captain, raised his saber and tapped his Asian friend on the chest. When he heard this, Alex raised his hand and pretended to surrender, not taking it seriously. It was an act that made their friends and the new kid in the neighborhood laugh.

“But it’s not the first time our friend has been followed like this. At least there’s that other doctor …” Alex took advantage of the moment when his friends were laughing and said loudly, looking towards the person they were teasing.

The tough-looking young man looked towards a man sitting with his hands clasped on his lap. He glanced down at them with an indifferent expression, not showing any emotions before turning his head and speaking softly. “That doctor … always trains our team and every time that guy Nin competes he is here pronto. I think if it weren’t for those scouting eyes, he would be one of the people who like Nin.”

“That could be it. That doctor has never spoken to me before.” Khanin commented. The young man raised his head and went to Alex to say that he had paused a little when he saw that someone else was already looking at them.

The distance was not far, so Khanin could clearly see the doctor.

The tall and well-built man had a face that made everyone think he belonged to the category of handsome men favored by God.

No matter how many times you look, you cannot deny that he is a very handsome man… even though he is Asian, his height seems to be almost ten centimeters taller than he actually is from a quick glance.

Moreover, the uniform also makes one jealous, to the point where he could be sitting normally and looks more like a celebrity posing for a photoshoot instead of sitting and watching them practice swordsmanship every day.

Khanin looked at him, considering his black hair, cut short according to the current fashion trend. Thick eyebrows pressed against an oval face with a sharp nose, ending with the most attractive organ… Their dark, paired eyes were no different from the predatory eagle’s gaze, constantly staring at their prey.

Everything mentioned is under a white-gray tone dress code. The other side is always like that.

Khanin has never seen this person dress in any other tone. Usually, two out of three times, he wears a turtleneck shirt that is either black or white, alternating back and forth, like they only have a few outfits. But it cannot be denied that the dressing of the other side makes this man look like a high aristocrat, from his posture, the way he carries himself, and his various attractive gestures.

He doesn’t seem like an ordinary person…

Khanin still doesn’t know the purpose, he doesn’t understand why this person is here, watching. Although his mouth denies it, he can’t help but wonder if what Alex said might be true.

Does this man like him that much?

Oh my goodness, he is not the type of person who would appreciate anything fragrant (male-on-male) anyway.

So why bother keeping watch him if he doesn’t like him?

There are many questions lingering in his mind, and they surely stimulate Khanin’s curiosity greatly.

Well… one of his flaws that cannot be fixed is being one of them…

I like finding answers. If there’s nothing to bother my mind, I’m not the type who thinks too much, but if I’m curious, I’ll find a reasonable and logical answer.

What do you call it? It’s something that Tattanai, his father, has been training him with since birth. It’s a part of his body’s soul… his spirit.

“I’ll go talk to the doctor, ask him everything so that nothing will be left unanswered.”

Without waiting for anyone to ask, Khanin turned quickly and handed his saber to his friend Paul to hold. Then he walked quickly towards the person with an aggressive posture.

Every move of Khanin was under the watchful eye of Charan. The young man shifted slightly, ready to deal with what was about to happen. When he saw that his target had been staring straight at him the whole time, he approached with a determined gaze.

A skinny cat was trying to catch a big fish in a wide water pond…

It’s time… Charan, you have been waiting for this day for a long time. The young man had a lot to say and just wanted Khanin to listen.

“Are you here to see me?”

As soon as he sat down, Khanin, with his sweet voice, immediately began a conversation with a stranger in English because he didn’t know what language the man spoke. He leaned forward and hugged the small stranger to comfort him, but the tall man just stared back silently without saying anything.

“…”

“Or are you a scout for another team? If so, I have to decline because I don’t have any plans to continue fencing after graduation. I want to take a break for a year or two.” When Khanin saw that the tall man wasn’t saying anything, he took matters into his own hands and asked and declined, having done this many times with scouts.

However, the other side still sat still like a statue.

“….”

“Or… the reason you followed me like this is because you… “ At this point, Khanin’s eyebrows furrowed automatically, he felt uncomfortable and upset that he remembered what Alex said now, but it was just a hypothesis that could be possible in this situation.

“Or do you just like me… that’s why you followed me?”

“….”

It worked. The stranger turned his head to face him immediately after sitting still like a statue for so long.

Okay… let’s talk, statue person. You can’t just sit there quietly. Shall we talk on the phone or something?

“Hasn’t Tattanai told you yet?”

However, the first thing the man chose to say was not about liking or disliking something…

Does this person… know my father?

“Tell me?”

From thinking that he would ask for clarification, he became even more suspicious. The furrowed brows on both sides of Khanin’s face almost met in the middle. The young man moved towards the stranger without realizing it, causing them to be so close that they could almost hear each other’s breathing.

“Um…”

The man spoke with a hoarse voice and narrowed his eyes, as if he was scrutinizing Khanin with great importance. The facial expression of the tall man indicated that they were analyzing openly.

“Tell me what.” The young man asked calmly, although he almost exploded with curiosity in his head. Something was abnormal… Khanin looked at the man and knew that there was no way he could tell him the truth.

“Say that…” The man paused, intentionally increasing Khanin’s curiosity.

The young man did not think about whether he could read what he saw, that it might not be true, but Khanin wanted to observe the other person’s expressions. A slight tilt of the head when he saw the eyes that used to look at him with anxiety suddenly turned into a calm expression within a blink of an eye.

“When you draw your sword, you tend to shift your left shoulder unconsciously. The force behind it makes you move fast. But if you meet an opponent who is superior to you, they will read immediately that in your next move, you will either thrust or make a feint.”

“…”

“A habit like that may make you lose next time… so you should improve in that area.”

“…”

“Because this is something Tattanai should let you know earlier on.” “You… “

“Actually, I think… of the Fencing Association members, you still need a lot of practice.”

#Across the Sky Beside You

The strict protagonist.

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   THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 00: Additional Information: Royal family tree and history of the sport of fencing.

In the country of Emmaly, a wealthy and prosperous land, both by land and by sea, is governed by a monarchy system and divided into 5 sub-cities.

Emmaly has a significant ironclad rule where every city must send their heirs to compete for the position of representative according to the old government’s laws.

Those who compete for the position must have a direct bloodline from the princes in each city. If the child from any particular dynasty wins, the father of that city’s prince will immediately be promoted to Sovereign-King…

And that is the reason why Khanin, the sole heir, must return to his country under the skillful care of the skilled guard who had a high-ranking position from the royal palace.

“You can’t escape the truth.”

“… “

“It’s time to stop acting like a child. Everyone has a duty. Remember that your most important duty right now is to come back with me.”

Khanin’s boiling emotions erupted like oil on fire when he faced a person older than him.

“Duty? What duty? I’m just an ordinary person, born and raised here. I have no obligation to anyone…Stop talking nonsense. If you want to go back, be my guest!”

“… “

“Go ahead, go back before I… “

“…”

“Go away! Leave before I lose my patience with you!” The young man’s body trembled with emotion. Charan glared at the young person before him then lowered his head, as if counting to himself, before speaking the next sentence in a calm and steady voice that belied his previous outburst.

“I apologize for speaking so harshly… the main purpose of my visit here is because of you Your Majesty.”

“Why you ass-!!!…”

“Whether you like it or not, it’s your duty. His Majesty, I hope that you will come with me back.”

PS: Thai names are subjective since the vowels have more than one meaning, but I tried

Emmaly is a country that is abundant in both water and land resources, governed by a monarchy system and divided into 5 sub-municipalities, including the capital city of Daveen, which is located at the heart of the country. The Sovereign-King, or “Dhipabawon.” is the highest ranking monarch in the country and must be accepted by all four cities. The current SovereignKing is from the Atsawathewathin family.

In the Northern Regions, the Atsawathewathin familyis the ruling family, with a focus on the gold industry. The current leader is Prince Tarin, who is the consort of the late Princess.

In the Eastern Regions, the Puchongphisut family is the ruling family, with a focus on the gem industry. The current leader is Prince Rachata, who has one heir, a son named Young-Prince-Ramil.

In the Western Regions, the Thawetmetha family is the ruling family, with a focus on both the gem and the precious stone industries. The current leader is Prince Chana, who has one heir, a daughter named Princess Ewa.

In the Southern Regions, the Meenakarin family is the ruling family, with a focus on both the pearl and the precious stone industries. The current leader is Prince Waseen, who has no children or wife.

The strict rule in each city is that only those who are part of the Sovereign King’s family have the right to enter the capital city without permission.

Emmaly has been ruled with peace and stability until the important time of appointing a new Sovereign King. The rule is that each city must send their heir to compete for the position, and they must be a direct descendant of the respective prince in each city – A Princeling. If the son of the ruling prince wins, the family will become the ruling family and the winner’s father will become the Sovereign King, and the current ruling family will become a subordinate family immediately.

“Imaginary Country.”

Emmaly and the sport of fencing.

The people of Emmaly place great importance on the sport of fencing. This is because their ancestors were influenced by warfare during the early establishment of their kingdom. When they needed to decide on various matters, the people of Emmaly often used sword duels to determine the outcome. However, during the time of the strive for civilization, Emmaly was influenced by a country that had a role in their own territory. This led to their lords at that time choosing to use the international style of fencing instead of the popular dueling style, in order to reduce the rate of deaths that often occurred during duels in every place, every day. The sovereign king at that time corrected this by setting up the first fencing school in the city of Daveen, and ordered all the royal subjects in every community to register to learn the international style of fencing. At first, only high-ranking nobles were interested in this game, but over time it became a popular sport throughout the country until the present day.

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