THENEXTPRINCE, Chapter 34: The Magical Hour.
Within the shady and cool flower garden of the Royal Palace, a gentle breeze carried the fragrance of gardenia flowers throughout the area. Tarin looked at the latest picture posted on Khanin’s public Instagram.
Overall, the members of the team were partying with captions. Finally, they had a team to compete with #TeamKhanin, which made the middle-aged man’s face turn pale, calling upon the person who had been a father figure, Dhipabawon, to put his hands away from the tea cup and face him.
“Is there something interesting happening?”
“Father, you must have seen it.” Tarin spoke while handing over the iPad to the other party to let them consider the picture of Atsawathewathin predicting the future with the team members.
Dhipabawon declined, only glancing at it, before bursting into laughter.
“Intelligence runs in the blood.”
“Nin has been raised well, he has grown up just as he should be.”
“That’s true… Tanattai has raised this child very well.” The tone of authority changed slightly when mentioning the name of the old man, the elderly person who fought alongside them against many obstacles in the past, Dhipabawon’s face tensed, and his posture indicated that there was something to be pondered upon.
“Father… have you heard any news about Tanattai?” Tarin knew that his father continued to search for Tanattai.
Dhipabawon took a deep breath, his accumulated stress busting out, and he clenched his fist in frustration.
“No, no trace. It seems that someone related to this matter must have a lot of power… almost as much as us.”
“Do you think he is still alive?” he thought he had the answer in his heart, but he still didn’t dare to speak it out.
“Difficult to answer. If he is indeed alive, Tanattai should do everything to come back to us, but if he doesn’t come back, it can have two meanings.”
“…”
“One is that he will never return, or there is something that prevents him from coming back.”
“…”
The silence indicated that Tarin himself agreed, he also suspected that there was someone from one of the families who participated in the competition to eliminate Khanin and start a warning signal.
But who… who could do something of this magnitude?
“Don’t mention Tanattai in front of that kid. Nin is happy, he is learning about life, his own life.”
It may sound a bit harsh, but Tarin understands the reasons why his father would speak like this. It’s because he wants to make Khanin as happy as possible, so he shouldn’t reopen wounds that haven’t healed yet.
The training period has been extended from weeks to months. Everyone in the team helps each other by practicing and sharing their skills. Khanin can feel that his team has become stronger and intimidating.
Some people’s experiences may not compare to those of professional athletes, but the fear comes from the freshness that no one has ever seen before.
He knows, we know. He wins hundreds of battles, but if he doesn’t know anything, how can he prepare? Khanin knows his image is terrible in the eyes of Thawetmetha and Puchongpisut, but that’s what they want. He wants to appear weak and uncertain to confuse them even more since they know nothing.
The royal prince slumps down after hours of intense training. Today, Khanin allows everyone to take a break. Even Charan gives the members two days off to recharge their bodies and spirits.
As for himself… he goes back to training like before.
Khanin doesn’t know where to go or who to go with. He has no friends except Charan, but that’s it. He wants the other side to have some rest and not be disturbed.
Even though he misses them a lot…
His index finger swipes to the chat box of someone who changed their name to ‘Stubborn Antagonist’, a self-proclaimed, gloomy, and embarrassing person that he can’t help but laugh at.
His eyes dart to the open chat, contemplating for a moment before his slender finger presses on the keyboard.
‘What are you doing?’
That was a basic conversation starter, but before he could send it, the younger one decided to delete it. Khanin told himself not to bother Charan, so he ended up scrolling on his phone aimlessly. What was meant to be a temporary break turned into him slumping and dozing off.
Charan arrived at the Royal Palace in the afternoon without any particular reason or agenda. He comes just because he wants to. Even though today is his day off, he doesn’t know what to do, so in the end, the taller one made a decision to come here.
With long and graceful strides, Charan walked through the hallway leading to the private training room. He encounters Chakri guarding the door, who tells him that he doesn’t need to knock if going inside. It’s the command of the young lord.
The leader of the Phitakthewa clan steps into their private training room. Someone, who he thought was working hard, is sitting in a corner of the sofa, his small head drooping, likely exhausted. It’s hard to tell for how long they’ve been like this, but they seem to be struggling.
Charan entered with light and well-trained footsteps. He looks left and right, trying to find someone to make the sleepy faces feel more comfortable.
He steps closer as his thick hand reaches for a pillow, intending to place it under the sleeping person’s neck. However, an emergency situation arises before he can do so.
Khanin suddenly moved, sending a jolt of alertness through Charan. He quickly positioned his shoulder to support him before the young prince had to strain his neck any further.
Thump!
The young one’s hair rests against his warm cheek. Charan turns into stone, allowing the younger one to lean against him, making the atmosphere around them quiet and still, until the older one can hear his own heartbeat grow louder.
One who doesn’t sigh, doesn’t burn like the intensity of pain, doesn’t freeze like the bitterness of sorrow, doesn’t swing like the fluctuations of triumph.
But sometimes being close to someone who feels special in your heart seems simpler than that…
Simple enough to unintentionally let yourself and your heart be close to them like that, long enough for someone else to sleep soundly throughout the afternoon, and Charan’s left arm has become a numb branch, due to experiencing half-sided paralysis.
“Oh…” The buzzing sound of a young boy’s voice lets it be known that Khanin is awake, a lazy posture like an unsteady kitten not yet sober, it’s truly entertaining to watch.
Charan’s presence immediately draws the attention of the pale-bodied house owner, who quickly turns to look at his side.
“Slept well?”
“You! When… When did you get here?” Khanin is not sure whether he is dreaming or awake, the young boy widens his eyes for a moment and frowns.
With confusion evident upon realizing that all of this is real.
“Not long.” Only the left arm is numb…
“Oh… and why did you come here? Did Grandfather call for you?”
“No, no one called. I just wanted to come. It’s the day off from training today.”
At the beginning of the sentence, Khanin senses that Charan refuses to make eye contact, the young man hesitates before flicking his gaze towards the hat and sword not far away.
“It’s a day off, but without anything to do, it’s boring.” Khanin speaks straightforwardly, his nature being not fond of staying still as before, his character remains the same. That’s why he ended up here. Without knowing where to go.
“The weather is nice today.”
“Oh, it’s nice, but there’s nothing interesting to do.” The complaining voice hums, seemingly opening an opportunity for someone older to intervene. Khanin raises an eyebrow, asking an unexpected question that triggers such a reaction.
“Do you want to do something fun?”
“Oh, do you have any suggestions?”
“Yes, let’s find something fun to do together then.” Charan’s enthusiastic gestures grab the attention of the Rakshasa prince quite well.
Khanin arches his eyebrow, asking a question that didn’t expect to receive such a response and reaction.
“How fun would that be?” The corners of the person who was being asked, his mouth rising.
His handsome face moves closer, whispering a few words that make the listener’s heart beat faster. “If I’m with you, it will be fun no matter what.” Khanin memorizes those words and ponders various thoughts, but he believes that it’s always something unpredictable when he’s with Charan, a young man taking small steps, walking towards the secluded garden area, passing through the silver barrier gate.
“Is this what you said would be fun?” The voice of the young man carries a laughing tone in Charan’s ear. His beautiful eyes look mischievous, while the middle-aged man in charge looks concerned and asks.
“Young Prince Khanin, do you want to ride the horses in our animal stable? We have many horses there. If Your Highness wishes, I can quickly arrange for them and if you’d like a tutor…”
“It’s okay, I’ll take care of the Young Prince myself. Just prepare the equipment, that should be enough. Thank you very much.”
“He’s really big.”
“Come closer, get acquainted with the horse.”
The deep voice of the grown man called Khanin, who had a clumsy and hesitant posture, moved closer. The skillful and brave young prince when it comes to swordplay, but this is not a harmonious occasion, no… It would be better not to have any encounters at all.
“Will it kick me?”
“Approach cautiously, don’t startle him.”
“Hello…” bashful and adorable in the eyes of the beholder. Khanin reluctantly followed the instructions of the older man, although he looked quite awkward.
“Introduce yourself.”
“Huh?” A cute and puzzled face responds to the new command. Khanin glanced back and forth between Charan and the mist, hesitating for a moment. In the end, he reluctantly followed after hearing the explanation. “It’s a custom. Introduce yourself so that he can trust you.”
“Oh… Hello, Mist. Uh… Nin, it’s Khanin. Nice to… meet you.” The sentence ends with a gap. Partly because of feeling embarrassed and unsure, coupled with hearing the laughter of someone close by. The young boy turned his head and looked with curiosity.
Khanin took a brief glance at Charan’s handsome face and suddenly realized that he had been deceived. His small, clenched hand hit the solid chest and pulled a pout, growing even more sullen.
“Stop playing around.”
“Mischief-maker.”
“No more mischief, let’s be serious. Before riding the horse, you have to wear protective gear for safety.” After finishing the sentence, Charan led the mist to rest under a large tree and changed from leading the horse… to being a white-gloved instructor.
“…” Khanin reluctantly followed.
Charan put on the equipment prepared by the caretaker for himself first, and then turned his attention to the young boy.
“Is this too tight?” The warm whisper that blended friendliness and intimacy made Khanin’s mind confused. He knew that the other party meant to put on a helmet on his head, but didn’t understand why his cheeks suddenly felt warm and flushed.
Damn it, Khanin. You’ve been like this for a while.
“…”
“If it’s too tight, tell me.”
“No… it’s okay.” Khanin replied, avoiding eye contact. In that motionless posture, Charan realized that Khanin must be worried about the activities they were about to do. His thick hand gently touched the young boy’s back and came with reassuring words that made the heart tremble even more.
“Don’t be afraid, I’m right here.” Charan taught with a calm heart.
However, a second after this sentence ended, the ears of the young boy seemed to no longer perceive anything, except… the sound of his own heartbeat.
“…”
“The way to mount a horse… you have to step… and sit… Do you understand the explanation?”
The teacher needed to ask questions after the explanation. While Khanin was considering refusing, the young boy had a puzzled look on his face, sometimes attentive and sometimes lost, mainly because he kept staring at the speaker’s face.
The Royal boy took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the furry animal, before climbing onto the back of the mist-colored creature using a method that allowed him to cling on by himself.
From the higher vantage point, the front area became visible. Khanin noticed the mist-colored creature and became somewhat rigid when some people started indicating the direction for the quadruped to move.
“Wait, wait, stop.” Just a few steps away from the starting point, the Royal boy called out with a trembling voice, biting his lower lip as he beat himself inwardly. He still had vivid memories of the riding lessons organized by Chakri.
Want to, huh… Want to, scared, huh… Scared, but want to quit… Well, not today. The weather was good, and the surrounding scenery was so beautiful that he wanted to go out and see for a moment, especially since Khanin knew well that he was not yet skilled enough to control the mist-colored creature.
“Sigh.”
“Let’s go, let’s ride together.”
“What?”
“I want you to see something up ahead.” He pointed with a slender finger to a point where the vast open field and the sunlight dyed the atmosphere with warm tones, captivating the gaze.
Charan remained silent for a moment, pondering the significance before responding.
“It’s not appropriate, let’s just walk there.”
“What’s not appropriate? What task did you forget, and… how are we going to walk there? It’s far.”
“You can walk.” He seemed to be continuing the back-and-forth.
Khanin hesitated, but finally blurted out what was on his mind, allowing the taller figure to listen.
“I can’t do it! It’s me… If I have to ride, it’s better to have the mist-colored creature walk with us.”
“Ha-ha.” Charan could no longer contain his laughter. As soon as the younger one caught his gaze, he playfully ordered with a slightly mocking gesture.
“Get up. If I fell off the horse and broke my arm, what would I do?”
Charan’s gesture gave the young boy a sense of relief, as he knew very well that he would never allow such a dangerous and unpredictable situation to happen to this particular person. But then… how to… The close friend’s main duty was to follow his heart.
Therefore… Charan chose to bring himself up and sit behind the young boy, on the back of the mist-colored creature.
“Where should we go? Show me.”
The familiar warmth helped the previously puzzled and tense person to relax. Now that Khanin had calmed down, the sound of murmuring voices became even more soothing.
“There.” The young royal’s back unintentionally informed the person behind without intending to, before pulling back. Khanin shifted his gaze again to the view that he already considered beautiful and captivating, now even more so since the person with the fair complexion was not preoccupied with fear.
“Let’s go.” Charan said, tightening his grip on the mist-colored creature, which was expertly controlled, and accelerated, causing Khanin to cling tightly.
“Oh, slow down a bit, afraid of falling.”
“Hmm.” Charan approached with his face close, unintentionally causing his nose to brush against the side of Khanin’s cheek.
“Told you to slow down, afraid of falling… or if you want to go faster…”
“Whatever.” Charan held the tent rope to let the color fade slowly before whispering softly in Khanin’s tender ear, the gentle touch coaxing a fluttering feeling in the stomach, but it didn’t make Khanin lose his determination.
“Hold on to me tightly, in case I fall, it’s a sure thing, understand? Hold on tightly.”
The command accompanied by a sense of hesitation made Charan pause, the young man’s smile diminishing slightly as he looked down, noticing the small ear of the person next to him turn slightly red.
“Is it enough like this?” whispered uncertainty because of the uncertain command, Charan leaned in close, bringing his chest snug against Khanin’s back, tightening the space between them until there was almost no gap for the wind to pass through.
The warm breath touched the clear cheeks, causing the heartbeat rate to deviate from its original rhythm, the young man blushed, but their actions contradict their words.
A little less, hold my waist tightly.” Khanin pulled the thick hand that was holding him to his waist, then pursed his lips, suppressing the feeling of embarrassment.
Uh, embarrassed, right… not ashamed of one’s face.
But who cares. If you have a chance to be close to someone you like, you have to make it develop.
The person who tells themselves to be brave and swallow their saliva, while waiting, well, accepts it by tightening the hug as desired for a long time, thinking that the other side would refuse.
If Charan doesn’t want to hug… it’s fine, but at least find an excuse to get close to the person you like… for now.
Just like this is enough…
Suddenly, the person who had been quiet for a long time tightened his arm and pulled them closer, the thin back pressed tightly against the strong chest, catching a faint scent from the body of the other person, Khanin’s breath trembled slightly as the face of the person behind him lightly brushed against his shoulder.
“Is it close enough, Nin?”
“Oh… it’s enough. It’s enough.” He replied softly, the young man turned his attention back to the scenery, his lips secretly curved into a smile, so he didn’t have the chance to see for himself that some people who hugged themselves didn’t have much different expressions.
Charan laughed in his throat happily, dragging Nin below a big tree in the middle of a wide field for some people to capture the beauty, slender fingers picked up the phone he carried and took pictures.
Khanin drank in the nature in front of him, but didn’t dare to reach out and hold the thick hand tightly around his waist, keeping a distance, doing small things, but it made the leader of the Phitakthewa clan go crazy and had to quietly murmur to take it back…
The horse doesn’t run, it won’t fall.”
“No, I have to…” He intended to find something to tease and speak with, but his intent turned into speechlessness at the moment… When he turned back, his cheek accidentally brushed against Charan’s nose.
“If you want to hug, just tell me.”
“Ba… but, who wants to hug? I’m just afraid of falling.” He stubbornly refused and his tongue almost tied up, the young man fluttered his face cutely, causing Charan to have to suppress himself from kissing the cheek of the person who pretended to be embarrassed but secretly desired.
“Oh, like this.” Lately, Khanin has been acting unusually cute. From what he knows about him, he’s usually very serious and focused on his duties, but it seems like things have changed.
Between the two of them, there have been many inexplicable actions, without any apparent reason.
And it gives him hope…
Hoping that the two of them will feel the same.
In the past, Charan had wondered about the strange behavior of people in love, how they would become restless and unable to eat or sleep. He used to think it was pointless. He never thought that, in the end, he would be no different from those people.
Actually, there are many more tasks waiting for him to handle, such as documents for recruiting trainees as guardians under the name of the PithakTeva family, and investigating the case of a poisoned potion. Progress on these matters has started to be made recently.
It can be said that he’s extremely busy, but whenever he receives notifications from someone who is thinking of him, they appear on his phone out of nowhere. Charan almost abandons everything and comes here immediately.
Isn’t that fun?” He spoke softly to the people around him who were busy taking landscape photos. Charan pushed work out of his mind to spend time with the people here for real.
“That’s really fun.”
“And do you like it?” Do you like it, too? It’s a question that lingers in my mind but I’m too afraid to ask. Charan lets Khanin take photos until he finishes, waiting patiently. Occasionally, he turns around to look at each other without any embarrassment, and he offers a smile.
“What do you like? Riding horses, maybe? Do you like it here too… I wouldn’t have known that the palace has such beautiful places if you hadn’t brought me here.”
“That’s good then… So we can relax. Because we have to train harder from now on.”
“Let’s go then, I’m not afraid anymore. Khanin, hold on.”
“From now on, we’ll have to train together more often… Is that okay, Nin?”
“Okay, I won’t be okay if I can’t be with you all the time…” His voice trailed off as if he was hesitating. The gaze in his eyes, as he looked up, played with the trembling hearts of the observant ones.
Charan blinked at Khanin, with many answers bubbling up in his head, rotating relentlessly, wanting to find a way to express them, but time at the moment is too difficult to spare.
“Just stay with me all the time… I’ll help Nin… I’ll do everything I can.”
…
The Royal Palace was particularly hot because it was entering the rainy season. Clouds formed clusters, causing the outer sky to change into a hazy color.
The outdoor atmosphere was not conducive to any activities, so Khanin stayed quietly inside the building. Charan didn’t want him to go out and face the changed weather, for fear it would affect his health.
During this time, he had to train exceptionally hard. Although today there was no team practice, he still had to train one-on-one with Charan, as the heir to the Asthawa-Tin lineage.
Khanin had to maintain the appearance of the royal family, so that the outside world would see him as a naive chicken, but when it was time to reveal himself, he had to demonstrate his capabilities so as not to be a subject of ridicule by the public.
Intensive training in the morning ended after Charan assigned homework for Khanin to practice with a training dummy. Today, the young man trained hard, just as he had said, so intense as if he were fulfilling his childhood dream of riding horses.
A thin figure walked, dragging his feet along the corridor on the lower floor. The weakness and numbness in his legs made him reluctant to hurry. But even though he felt sore and tired, Khanin didn’t think about showing any vulnerability to anyone.
Especially to those who followed closely behind, like Butler. During the occasional visits to this palace, the Young Prince was taught to become more aware of his feelings. He knew very well that if he mentioned the symptoms he was experiencing, Chakri would have to go through the trouble of taking him to the royal physician, causing other scheduled activities to be postponed. Everyone might have to suffer a bit because of him, and it would be seen as creating undue trouble.
“Just keep it to yourself.”
“Understood.”
A conversation from another corner of the hallway caught Khanin’s attention, prompting him to raise his head and meet the gaze of someone he had become acquainted with about a month ago—someone who used to be part of the royal family. Their brown eyes instantly connected with his body. He turned his gaze away from the lady in a red dress carrying a tray of food and looked respectfully at the dignitary, following Emma’s example.
Khanin’s eyes shifted from the noble lady in a red dress holding a tray of food to the high-ranking individual. He then bowed his head in respect, mirroring Emmaly’s demeanor.
“Hello, Uncle Waseen.”
The owner of the smiling face accepted the greeting and then moved closer to Khanin, firmly clasping his shoulder, inviting him to talk.
“How are you? Are you comfortable here? Are you getting used to palace life?” the uncle’s gentle voice inquired.
Khanin paused slightly and replied, “I’m fine. I’m starting to get used to it.”
“That’s good to hear, young man. We barely had a few encounters, but palace life has taught you how to respond and present yourself. Now you’re skilled in reaching out to the elders.” the uncle praised subtly.
However, he couldn’t hide his curiosity and desire to see more. His doublelayered glance veered towards the tray held by the noble lady once again before shifting to the nearest grand door, which led to the Sovereign King’s private chamber.
The other party had probably brought ceremonial offerings…
“By the way, Meenakarin and I have specially prepared a bird’s nest as an offering for you, ah… I mean, an offering for the Sovereign King. It seems like he’s meditating. It’s a fine bird’s nest we obtained from the island. Have you ever tasted it, Khanin? If you have and like it, I will have someone warm it up for you, and we can all eat together and chat.” the uncle suggested.
“Thank you, Uncle Waseen, for your kind offer. However, I can’t accept anything for now because I still have training scheduled.” Khanin fibbed politely. In reality, he didn’t have any training to attend, but he declined softly just because he didn’t like to consume bird’s nest soup, which was Meenakarin’s specialty.
“Oh, that’s a shame then. I heard that everyone has completed their training sessions.”
“It’s still possible, Uncle. Thank you for your kind consideration. But it’s not necessary. I’m part of Charan’s team, and he’s as caring as his mother, probably able to assist me, whether a lot or a little…” remarked Khanin, with a thin smile tugging at the corners of his thick lips. Waseen gently looked at the person referred to as the grandson. “Just like Atsawathewathin is similar to the sun for Meenakarin. So, if there is anything, Uncle can always ask for assistance from me, as I’m in Khanin’s team.”
“Thank you, Uncle, once again.” Khanin bowed his head in respect, before requesting permission to leave as the other party assured it was no problem.
It had been almost a minute since Waseen left, but Khanin still stood there, reflecting on what he had heard.
“What does it mean… Atsawathewathin is the sun of Meenakarin…” When realizing that no one was here, Khanin asked the silent figure standing nearby, the familiar butler.
Chakri remained silent for a while before responding heavily.
“It means that Meenakarin will never abandon Atsawathewathin, Your
Highness, just like His Highness once dedicated his loyalty to the Young Prince.”
“And is there a reason why he had to announce his stance to me?
Regardless, I came here only to compete, not to become a ruler in a hurry.” Khanin walked away again, this time the young royal hesitated to walk alongside, prompting the butler to follow. His deep brown eyes glanced at the figure beside him, who had a pensive expression.
“Perhaps he wants your assistance, Your Highness. Because if Prince
Waseen says so, it means that he wants us to be by his side. And… if Atsawathewathin attains the position of Sovereign King again, perhaps Meenakarin may return to shine once more… In the past, when Meenakarin still received our help, there were many gold shops. He might want to come back to trade precious metals with us again, Your Highness.”
“Is that so?” Although the sentence appeared to be easily understood in every aspect, there were some points that made Khanin feel strangely unfamiliar with the person of high rank.
The first point was that the other party declared themselves on the same side as him, even though they should have positioned themselves as a mediator.
The second point was that Waseen relied on something, expecting that Charan would be able to help him. Because Charan had never shown any remarkable skills.
Or perhaps sometimes one should not refuse a person of high rank and instead patiently tolerate their babbling like listening to the murmur of birds drooling, in the hope that it might disperse the fog of suspicion, it might be a good option.
“Young Prince, it’s time for dinner, Your Highness.”
“Stay here for a moment, I’ll go down myself, Butler, you can go eat first. No need to wait.” After a morning break, Khanin continued to walk, pretending to be tired, following the instructions given by Charan. After several hours passed and his legs began to weaken again, the royal personage still did not want to take a break.
“But…”
“Go ahead… It’s fine, I’ll find food for myself if I get hungry.”
Although the master claimed not to be hungry, it didn’t matter. As a caretaker, Chakri remained concerned.
The young butler stood and observed the small movements of the practicing sword-wielding young lord and the figure on the other side resting in the pavilion. Seeing that, he decided to sneak out quietly, intending to disobey the order and find food to satisfy the stomach of his lord. However, after walking a few steps, there was an unexpected pause when he saw a familiar face approaching from the other side of the building.
“Oh, Khun Charan… I thought you had already left, but I didn’t see you when you disappeared.” Chakri exclaimed with a slightly higher pitch, surprised that he still saw the other party here when he should have returned long ago.
“Yes. The Sovereign King ordered me to enter the guardpost and I just finished it moments ago… Where is the Young Prince? Chakri.” Charan responded to the question while sweeping his gaze around. When he didn’t see the fair-skinned owner of the house, he asked the plump butler again.
“The Young Prince is still practicing in the rehearsal room. He has been practicing since the afternoon. He refuses to take more than a ten-minute break. So, I have to sneak out to prepare food, hoping that he will be hungry after finishing the practice.” Chakri wanted to complain then. But now it seems that Charan is the only one who can make the Young Prince come out of the rehearsal room. Chakri has to take a risk and tell the truth with a little exaggeration, hoping that the other side will come to help.
“Doesn’t he take a break at all?” His tall figure frowns at himself, expressing his worry on his face. The young butler tries harder to ignite the fire.
“Yes, he doesn’t take a break at all. And he hasn’t had any snacks for dinner yet. If Charan doesn’t come back now, please go and check on him, sir… Oh.” Before finishing his sentence, he turns around again and Charan has disappeared. Chakri sweeps his gaze around, but he doesn’t even see the reflection of the person he used to talk with.
But it’s not necessary to waste time guessing. Where could Charan go? If it’s not the rehearsal room where the Young Prince is, he must have gone elsewhere.
Let’s hurry and find out.
And pretending to be people who love each other and deceive others, how audacious…
Even looking from Mars, it is clear that Charan has a full interest in the Young Prince of Chakri!
The sound of shoes rubbing against the floor continuously without pause prompts Charan, who has just returned, to quietly walk towards the point where someone else is immersed in practicing.
The image of Khanin in a white suit, walking gracefully, is unforgettable.
Charan just stands still until the other person turns to look.
“Butler, didn’t I tell you that I’m not hungry yet… Oh, how did you come here? Haven’t you returned yet? It’s going to rain soon.” Khanin removes his mask and approaches the other person almost instantly. His large eyes fill with suspicion.
“Chakri said that you, Nin didn’t take a break… Why have you changed so much?” Charan shoots back the question without considering the young one’s question, and steps closer to help the other party remove the soft armor gently.
“I’m bored… That’s why I came up with an excuse to practice. Back then, when I was with Father, we used to practice like this. Another thing… If we meet again next time, I just want someone to admire my skills.”
“Who?”
Khanin, who is on the verge of smiling, has a line on the edge of his mouth that lingers. The young royal takes a breath before answering with a somewhat puzzled face.
“Ramil and Evaa… That’s who taught us.”
“Ah…” Charan falls silent. His eyes harmonize with the person in front then the corners of his mouth draw a faint smile.
“Let’s go… Will you go back soon, or should I go alone? It’s going to rain.” “Wait, I’ll go back…” He speaks, taking advantage of the moment when the younger one is more vulnerable, grasping the small hand and leading them out of the rehearsal room towards the sitting area.
The head of the Phitakthewa family doesn’t leave any space for the Young Prince to ask any questions. The tall figure gently presses the other side’s shoulder to make him sit down on the sofa. As for himself, he kneels on the lower floor.
“Phii… What are you doing?” Khanin opened his eyes wide in surprise. The person with royal bloodline was wandering aimlessly when suddenly, his lower leg was lifted up and placed on a sturdy stool. The young man intended to resist, but hesitated and couldn’t react in time.
Hands with hot touch pressed down on the extended leg, a gentle and soothing massage on the calf, making it feel comfortable without words. However, even so, Khanin still couldn’t understand the actions of the taller person.
“During practice earlier, I noticed a pause in your movement. Did you practice until your leg was sore?” Charan revealed his own actions with a slightly smug face after a moment of silence. He raised his handsome, wellgroomed face to meet the eyes of the younger person sitting on the sofa, causing him to tense up.
“Oh, don’t tell anyone. I don’t want to cause trouble for others.” The two cheeks blushed from the surge of blood. Khanin didn’t want to burden anyone, so he tried to suppress the pain, but never thought someone would notice.
Especially Charan…
“Then, you better sit down so that I can massage your legs.” Charan spoke softly and gently, no different from his actions. He used his thumb to press along the muscle points, massaging and relaxing the person sitting on the sofa, before gradually moving downward.
“Ah… no, not there.” Khanin exclaimed in surprise as the old man’s fingertips accidentally touched the tip of his foot, the royal-descendant young man wanted to get up and flee, but the older man firmly grasped his ankle.
“Don’t run away.” Charan spoke in a stern tone. His narrowed eyes looked piercing. Therefore, Khanin had to remain still, letting the older person do as he pleased without complaining or resisting.
The sound of thunder resounded outside as a warning that the rain was approaching. The dark sky rumbled, and the gathering clouds blocked the flickering light of the heavens.
The storm was drawing near… Even for an ordinary person, it would be difficult to brave the rain. Trying to find something in common with someone who had a deep aversion to rain like Charan.
If he didn’t leave now, there was a good chance he would be stuck here for a long time. Because Khanin himself wouldn’t allow Charan to face the impending danger and devastation rain outside.
What’s more important is that Khanin intends to keep Charan here for now, so they can have more time together.
“If you still haven’t gone back, then stay a little longer until the rain stops… I have enough supplies to provide. During this time, Khanin has been getting used to using first-person pronouns more often.
One reason is that he wants people older than him to see him as lovable, and the second reason is that he wants them to become closer.
“What do they want?” The person who is attentively massaging their feet looks up and meets Khanin’s concerned gaze. Charan wonders who knows about it.
“I won’t tell you, go see for yourself.” The younger person gets up from the sofa without saying anything else and chooses to walk over to close all the windows’ curtains, leaving Charan feeling momentarily cut off from the outside world.
“…”
In reality, the rain had started falling long before the young man realized it. It was probably because he was so focused on Khanin’s face that he didn’t even hear the familiar sound of thunder.
“Just close your eyes.”
“Why?”
“Because you don’t like rain, and the things you need are in my room. To get there one has to go through several windows. I probably won’t bother to close the curtains because it would inconvenience you. But if you agree to close your eyes, I will take your hand and lead you.”
“…”
“Don’t worry. I am here too.”
Charan hasn’t felt at ease during rain like this for a long time, since the incident that left him with unpleasant memories about rainy days…
However, today the young man felt like he had crossed the first difficult obstacle. When he raised his eyes again, he found himself in the cozy room of Young Prince Atsawathewathin.
It would be quite amusing if someone happened to pass by and see the young royal holding Charan’s hand, walking together. And in that moment, with closed eyes and the warmth of their intertwined hands, some of the fear seemed to fade away.
Of course, it hadn’t completely disappeared, but having Khanin close by was a great comfort.
The conference room that used to have wide open windows offering a beautiful view of this majestic palace is now veiled with blood-red curtains, obscuring any glimpse of the fleeting rays from the sky above.
“Hold on a moment.” A sweet voice rouses Charan from his reverie. In the same instant, the small hand of the other party withdraws. Khanin gently pats the thickly-built man’s shoulder, inviting the leader of the Phitakthewa lineage to feel curious.
“Where are we going?”
“To get something.” The younger person speaks, accompanied by an adorable smile, and takes this opportunity to slip away to another zone, leaving Charan silently pondering over everything.
The conference room… There are no indications of Khanin’s presence at all. There are no items that serve as symbolic representations of the other party, unlike his home in London.
The bedroom over there is filled with Khanin’s swords and collectibles, contrasting the emptiness within this room.
What was it like the first time the other party made love to him? It feels just the same today, unchanged, as if ready to leave from here at any time.
For Charan, Khanin is like a warm breeze, blowing into his heart when he is shivering in the midst of a rainy storm.
Having this person by his side makes Charan have a clearer purpose in life.
From darkness, everything changes. From never feeling anything, it changes…
From never thinking of love, today he has learned about love, as someone once said. If we take care of something with our hearts, we will love and cherish that thing throughout our lives.
Charan has proven that it is true.
When he has experienced taking care until love arises, Charan wants to nurture the other person as well. He believes that the encounter between him and Khanin is a matter of fate that has allowed him to cross the skies and bring the other party here.
But to restrain oneself, to resist the urge to let go, it is so painful for someone who has never known love like him. Charan doesn’t know at all how to keep the other party close.
He doesn’t want to lose Khanin…
“Here it is.”
A soft voice accompanied by a forceful pull on the bed awakens Charan from his thoughts. The young man blinks, chasing away the wandering thoughts. His eyes then shift to the fair-skinned person who sends him an enchanting smile while hiding something behind his back.
The charming face leans closer, forcing Charan to physically withdraw, keeping a distance… Because he is afraid of breaking the invisible barrier.
“What’s that?”
“Guess.”
“How can I guess? This is the first gift that you have given me.” The ambivalent relationship between intimacy and indifference makes Charan feel both joy and disappointment.
He had no idea at all when Khanin secretly went to retrieve the hidden items. There are many things that Charan doesn’t know about Khanin.
“Well… just say it like that. Give you a chance to guess. If so, close your eyes for a moment. I’ll put it on you first, and then you can guess… Is that okay?” Khanin bursts out laughing lightly, tilting his nose shyly. His charming and endearing demeanor makes Charan ready to accept orders once again without resistance.
“Eek.”
Khanin looked at his own handsome face in the distance, licking the corners of his mouth before slowly picking up ‘that thing’ with delicate hands and placing it on the head of the tall man.
As both ears were covered with some device, the sound of the rainstorm outside faded to the point where Charan could barely hear anything. Despite the sky outside being stormy and thunderous, the young man felt no fear in his heart.
The young man forgot to blink as he raised his hand and clasped his small fingers tightly around the device, ensuring the other side couldn’t move anywhere.
“The cover… the ear cover?”
“Yes, the ear cover reduces the sound, worn to avoid hearing anything unwanted when it rains.” Khanin explained earnestly, stating that the soundreducing device’s effectiveness was excellent, although the listener seemed puzzled and didn’t understand.
“This is great…”
“Nin… I can’t hear.” He clarified before taking off the ear cover and temporarily placing it around his neck, allowing the relieved person to chuckle at his own honesty.
“I forgot… I mean just now. I said it’s worn during the rain, so you won’t have to hear anything unwanted again.”
“Nin… you know…”
“Eek. Because I have noticed several times before, you’ve been like this, experiencing panic attacks when it rains. You’ve been like that since we escaped the villain in London. I don’t blame you or anything. Just want to help you get through the bad days. There are many ways we can cope with it together.”
“…”
“Just like when I lost my father, I had you Phii to fill the void.”
“Thank you.”
“I am pleased.”
Charan looked at the young man with difficult eyes, remaining silent for a while before asking about the thing he was curious about.
“Nin… don’t you want to ask why?”
“I don’t know what caused what you are suffering, but I never asked because I didn’t want to worry you. It must have been a terrible day for you, right? If that’s the case, the gift from me might help you a little.”
The wall in his heart crumbled into dust. Charan looked at the person in front of him with teary eyes. He didn’t realize how he was using his gaze, but if it were to be described, it would be full of reverence, love, and unwavering trust.
What Khanin gave was worth more than words can describe, and because of that, in the end, the person revealed a vulnerability that was never intended to be told to anyone.
“Yes… It was a terrible day…” Charan lowered his gaze, but his hand still clasped the small fingers together. “My mother… my mother passed away on that rainy day.”
Charan kept repeating those words until he fell asleep, forgetting to blink, forgetting to see every moment that took Nin away. It was difficult and heartbreaking, the turmoil after losing a loved one too tragic to bear.
His mom was like a whole universe at that time…
“…”
“Back then, I was still a child. When I was a child, we didn’t have many chances to be together because my mom had to come and work as the protector in her role as the leader of the Pithathewa lineage. The day it happened… It was the day my mom promised to come back and stay with me for the longest time possible, but in the end… Ultimately, Mom didn’t come back.”
The sentence ended abruptly, leaving a lingering and light feeling that tugged at the listener’s heart. Khanin squeezed Charan’s thick hand, sensing the pain that spread.
“…”
“There were only Mom’s blood-stained clothes that the butler brought as evidence. I thought Mom had come back, so I ran out to find her… But in the end, that was all there was. Mom didn’t come back as she had promised.” Charan captured the image of Mom’s clothing amid the sound of the sky, the storm, and the humidity, juxtaposing the smell of blood with the scent of rain, creating an eerie sensation.
His heart ached and turned into buried feelings at last.
Charan hated blood, hated rain, and most of all, hated the moments when those terrible memories resurfaced.
“It’s okay… It’s okay, no need to tell anymore.” Khanin bowed toward the most vulnerable person, his face resembling that of someone about to cry but with no tears coming out.
“Every day, I am in the position of leading the clan, but it’s merely maintaining the status I inherited through bloodline rights. If the leader from the bloodline has no ability, there is no need to inherit the position. I don’t want the elderly to see my capabilities and didn’t want to be in this position… This position caused me to lose my family.”
“…”
“Everything I do is to repay Sovereign-King, who took care of me. I never told anyone about sword fencing.” The Young Prince meant everything Charan did was for himself, regretting the day he felt so happy that he spontaneously embraced the other person, creating pressure without realizing it.
Everything was revealed with a simple narrative sentence, but it still squeezed the hearts of the listeners like Khanin, making him want to pull Charan closer and console him.
With his dark brown eyes, he looked at the handsome face of the person to whom he had given his heart before bringing that face closer to touch foreheads, his own forehead against the other person’s.
“Charan, I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“I’m sorry for not knowing anything and still having a happy face when you were competing, even though you tried to avoid it all this time.” The young prince meant everything Charan did for himself, realizing and feeling sorry for the consequences of his actions that made the other person happy yet created an invisible pressure on Khanin.
“It’s okay. If it’s about you Nin, I’m willing.” Charan gently reassured Khanin, easing his worries, his thick hand sliding against the side of Khanin’s cheek, sending a tender smile.
Charan had made up his mind since that day and never felt regret because he did everything for Khanin, who had given him everything.
“If that’s the case, I’m willing too. If you’re scared or feeling bad, you have to tell me, okay? I will protect you just as you protect me. No, we only need
Charan and Khanin… Do you understand what I’m saying?”
The seriousness of the voice indicates stability, the eyes no longer look at anything else, it stops right here, focused solely on the person in front.
“Okay.” Charan responded bravely because he knows his own heart, the flesh in his left chest beats harder than before, and it multiplies in intensity. While someone else refuses to decrease their cuteness.
Khanin is cute… so cute that Charan can only imagine strategies to deal with the other party.
“Or if you don’t want me to do anything, I won’t do it, but… but being less stubborn might not be possible. Because I am your stubborn guy… Oops.” Khanin didn’t have enough time to smile fully with excitement. Suddenly, someone else took hold of his face before passionately kissing him.
The thick hands on Khanin’s slender waist felt like they were melting away, his sharp eyes not closing completely, but choosing to look back with even more intensity.
As the beautiful pairs of eyes widened, they heard the soft sound of Charan’s breath and felt his heavy breath against their skin, lulling the young boy to slowly drift off to sleep.
We are kissing each other…
Kissing with full awareness, not playing a role, not mocking anyone, not limited by any script or agreement.
Khanin took the opportunity to release his thick hand, pulled his own hand out, and gently wrapped it around Charan’s neck, tilting his face to receive the touch in tune with Charan’s lead.
The leader of the Phitakthewa clan sat up straight with the young royal prince sitting on his lap, whispering a few words, words filled with various emotions and feelings that were held back.
“Ah…” At this moment, Charan’s patience snapped, seeing the expression in the young man’s eyes rise, his boiling heart ready to burst.
Khanin didn’t respond but chose to slowly reveal his lips, raising his face high to allow the tall person to do anything… as his heart desires.
“Hmm…” One of his thick hands locked behind and gently crushed Khanin’s lips, his warm and soft tongue sweeping and exploring every corner of his mouth, swirling along his teeth before sucking and pulling Khanin’s warm and tender tongue.
The sound of their synchronized breathing drowned out even the rumble of the sky, rendering even unnecessary devices useless.
Charan found something better than drawing or using any other aids. He discovered that Khanin is the remedy for his soul.
The breath of the person being suppressed trembled. Charan was intoxicated with the sweet, watery lips of the person in front of him, pressing soft and lingering kisses that induced a faint sound of sighing, making the tall person struggle to control his emotions.
“Oh… you ugh…” His red, swollen lips mumbled. Khanin’s mind momentarily scattered as he almost lost his composure, thinking that it would be hard to maintain his calmness from the almost-kissing.
Charan is too good at kissing…
The muffled protest was a warning for Charan to restrain himself. The young man reluctantly withdrew his lips, but redirected his target elsewhere.
And those previously provocative eyes seemed to lure and deceive him, causing Khanin’s heart to beat faster. He nipped his own lip while the other person’s nose moved down to press against his white neck, inhaling the scent of a clean body with intense infatuation.
“Nin…”
“Mmmhphf…”
“Kiss.” The whispered words stirred up emotions. Then, the corners of the lips curved, planting a kiss on the shoulder, before everything that was happening came to a halt… with a familiar voice calling out.
“Young Prince Khanin… Are you asleep, Your Highness? Young Prince… You haven’t had dinner yet… Oh my god.”
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