The Next Prince, Chapter 31 pg8
The Next Prince, Chapter 31 pg8
It's a relief that they are not using royal terms as a barrier between them.
Khanin must be having a headache over this.
“Why are you walking slowly?”
“?”
“You're walking slowly.”
“Do you want me to walk next to you?” Charan asked straightforwardly, and in less than a second, he stepped closer to match his pace.
“Yes.” Khanin didn't say much other than responding with a nod, then took a deep breath of fresh air into his lungs. It felt warmer just because someone moved closer instead of walking behind like before.
Charan used to be used to letting Khanin take the lead, but now they've learned to follow each other's desires... and that's considered an advantage.
“Do you like beef noodle soup?” Seeing that the surrounding atmosphere was too quiet, Charan initiated a conversation. In truth, the young man hoped to see the other side's excited face, but Khanin did the opposite.
“No... not at all. Noodle dishes are the most detested.” Khanin shook his head, accompanied by a faint smile and deep brown eyes gazing into the distance. In a direction without purpose, “but I ate very little for breakfast, and... this dish reminds me of my father.”
“Tanattai?”
“Uhh... Back in London, my father cooked for me often. Sometimes it was just plain rice, and other times it was stewed meat... But I really liked the stewed meat style. It was easy to eat with a fork, and it was delicious. My father said he made this dish to practice using chopsticks. In the past, I only used a fork to eat, that's all.”
The changing atmosphere made Charan more cautious. It seemed like he was reaching out to touch deep memories without intending to. So he chose to be silent, giving young people the opportunity to immerse themselves in the past.
“I haven't had this dish in a long time, since the first night I came here. I'm not just hungry, but I miss it too.”
“It's nothing. He's very talented.” Charan listened like it was a joke, but he knew the other party didn't want to communicate in that way. Because he understood the hidden meaning in Khanin's sentence, the young man shrugged it off.
“I hope so. It hasn't been good between us. I haven't had the chance to apologize, to say I love him. I only blamed others, blamed you. Now I understand what my father did for me...”
“No need to smile if you're feeling sad.” He patted the shoulder gently, looking at the young people who were trying to appear strong in front of him.
“...”
“If you want to vent, you can.”
“I... really. I used to wonder why I was born. If I didn't exist, others wouldn't have to suffer, wouldn't have to sacrifice themselves, and you would have your own life, and my father would probably be in the palace, living the life everyone wants. I couldn't answer myself, so I ended up saying that the fact that I'm still alive now is already good, isn't it?”
The young man murmured, revealing what was in his mind. Khanin reluctantly smiled, as if saying something continuously, but he couldn't avoid the observant gaze of Charan.
Charan patted his small shoulder to let the other party know that he was still here, that it was the third time he had seen the tears of the royal prince, and each time it felt different.
He said frankly that Ranya was glad to listen, glad that Khanin was willing to be vulnerable, but if he could choose for him...
This person wasn't suited to even cry a hint of tears; it should be a beautiful smile adorning that lovely face.
“It's good to still be here...”
“...”
“It's good that we met.” Swift as a thought. Charan reached out and touched the clear cheek with his thick hand, using his thumb to wipe away the tears before letting the symbol of vulnerability flow out.
Khanin pondered and concluded for himself. At least, it was good that he still had Charan.
Although it started off rough, this person has been by his side all along, from being in London to now. Even though there are things they don't understand about each other, Charan is the only person he wants to open up to...
With their eyes locked, Khanin inadvertently leaned his face closer to the thick hand, and the owner of the thick hand changed from using his thumb to wiping tears to using his palm to cradle his cheek. The gentle touch aroused a faint sense of tenderness as Khanin closed his eyes gradually.
Maybe it was because of the pleasant atmosphere; neither of them cared whether they seemed strange. Charan gently held the clear cheek like that for a long time until he felt that Khanin had stopped crying, then he slowly withdrew his hand.
“You don't mind even though I've been stubborn with you all along.” The young man lifted his forgotten eyes before asking with a curious desire to know. The dried tears left traces, and Charan's red nose summoned a smile from the person looking at him.
“Oh, I can't handle it anymore.” It took some time to think, but in the end, he replied to soothe the listener's heart.
Khanin had a slight smile when they locked eyes.
“Next time, I'll be less stubborn, promise.”
“Don't be too stubborn, but don't be more stubborn than this.”
“I know, right?” The younger person made Charan burst into laughter. The tense atmosphere gradually eased after the intense conversation passed.
“Do you still want to cry again?”
“Who will cry? It's just dust in my eyes.” The young person declined, pretending to wipe their face, which made people laugh. It's impossible to find another interesting topic to divert the attention of everyone in the large circle.
“Okay, the dust must be thick and noticeable.”
“Another diversion again, I just realized you're like this. Well... it's better to look at the scenery there.” The royal prince spoke objectively as he walked straight towards the path of the village. He pointed with his little finger to a house located far away. In that area, there were people waiting in line to buy something, seemingly more like a pastry shop than a viewpoint.
“Go ahead.” However, Charan didn't mind and let Khanin do as he pleased. Amidst the people in the countryside, Charan's little finger moved to intertwine with the ring finger of his left hand.
Charan discreetly glanced at the insignificant but heart-threatening action.
He turned his attention back to the surroundings to regain his focus.
They continued walking in the direction pointed out by the mysterious person; the area was crowded with people. Charan shouldn't provoke anything. The young man intended to call the white figure to come closer, but at that moment, an unexpected event occurred...
Thump!
“Oh...”
At the intersection, someone hastily rushed towards Khanin, while the other side approached Charan at a faster speed, aiming to collide with the young person and make them fall. However, they bumped into Charan, who reacted faster.
He swiftly protected Khanin's body while catching a glimpse of something in the left hand of the mysterious person. The shadow of the sharp object played with the sunlight. Charan widened his eyes, and in that split second, fear gripped his heart like never before.
“Watch out!”
“Look out!”
Please continue reading in Volume 2.
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