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
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