The Next Prince, Chapter 37 pg8
The Next Prince, Chapter 37 pg8
“Nin...”
“Is it really you, father, is it?” A trembling whisper sounded beneath the fearful moonlight, revealing the figure of the lone young man trembling.
The eyes that once looked at each other with heartfelt admiration now filled with tears, and Khanin's face was filled with confusion and numerous questions that needed answers but could only be expressed through sobbing.
“Yes.” Tanattai took a soft breath, easily accepting it after seeing the disappointed, confused, and incomprehensible gaze of his son. He feared that everything would turn into a dream.
“You are still here... Stable... Still safe.” Khanin let out a pitiful sob. Weak limbs slowly approached, reaching out to touch Tanattai's arm gently, as if afraid that everything would slip away.
“Yes... I am still here... Still safe.” The middle-aged man gently patted the back of the pale hand, tapped gently to prove that he was still alive. He forced a smile onto the face of the young man who stood in front of him, causing the tears held back to fall downward.
The adorable face shed tears like a stream, and the bewildered look in Khanin's eyes instantly vanished. Tanattai allowed Khanin to cry. As for Charan, who stood at a distance, he seemed to avoid witnessing this overwhelming sorrow.
“If you're still alive... Then why... Why didn't you ever contact me all this time?” The words were spoken softly, choked with tears, no different from drops of acid pouring onto the hearts of those who heard it.
“...”
“I... I went to wait for you at the third tree from the beginning. I stood there all night. I didn't expect anything. I just wanted my father to come back and find me... But in the end, you never returned.”
“...” The middle-aged man swallowed countless words, unsure of how to explain it to the young and innocent listener. In the end, he could only let the other side vent their emotions.
“Father, do you know what I have been through? Father, do you know that I... is here alone? Why didn't you come to find me? Can you tell me why?”
“...”
“If I hadn't met his father here, we probably won't see each other again, right?” Khanin sighed. In the young boy's eyes, a mixture of sadness, anger, and disappointment was evident.
“I'm sorry, but Nin, you have to go back to your true family. You have a family waiting for you.” Tanattai knew that his words were hurtful, but it was the truth.
Khanin frowned. The person whom Tanattai loved seemed to be pulling his hand away, while Khanin took a step back, causing Tanattai to have to go after him, trying to explain what should have been, but the boy's face turned away, as if refusing to accept what he said.
“Family? Is it really a true family... Even though I have only had you, father for twenty years, it's not enough for you to be my father again, is it?”
“...”
“Father, you don't think you're important to me at all, do you?”
It's probably because Tanattai chose to explain painful truths to the young boy rather than to let him hear them. The other party seemed to understand that.
But in reality, the middle-aged man dared not even open his mouth to deny that he was lost, that he didn't dare speak of love... It was as if he was just someone who took care of the other party... There were many things that Khanin gained from all this.
Despite having no blood ties, no indication that they should stand by this child as a father, no rights in Khanin's minimal self, the words of love given to him were never a lie.
“Nin you are important... Important to me, but Nin, you have to fulfill his duty, and in the meantime, I couldn't contact you.”
“Duty... Responsibility? Yes. I joined the competition hoping that if you were still alive, you would see me on television. I thought that if you, father saw, you would quickly contact me, or if you were at least struggling, you would find a way to let me know and put him at ease.”
“...”
“And yet, you… father is still alive, still safe, but you don't even think about contacting me even a little... Don't even think about doing anything.”
“...”
“Because this reckless competition is what made you father like this, even though I trusted you all along.” The sentence ended with a whimper that pained the heart.
“I'm sorry...”
“Why do you do this? Don't you know how much I am hurt? How much I am saddened every time I think of you, father... I was hoping. I was still hoping….” Because of that hope, it made Khanin feel intense pain.
“...” Tanattai was able to avoid eye contact.
Khanin broke down and collapsed, causing Charan to no longer bear watching. The young man stepped forward, reached out and embraced the small trembling hands, trying to soothe the emotions of the young boy little by little.
“Father, it's like you raised me as a tool for them to advance, you intend to send me back to them already, right? Father intended it to be like this, while we were together. I mean nothing to you, father, right...”
“I'm sorry.” Tanattai repeated his words, echoing softly. The eyes of the middle-aged man glowed with warmth, his heart clenched and ached so much that he couldn't find words to explain.
“Did you ever love me, father? Didn't father you love me like Nin loved you, father? Didn't you see me as your child... didn't... like I saw you as my father?” Khanin wept as if his heart had been ripped apart. Although his voice was low and hoarse, deep within the flow of his voice, it was filled with overwhelming pain.
Tanattai's heart was almost breaking apart. What Khanin said was not true.
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