The Next Prince, Chapter 6 pg1
The Next Prince, Chapter 6 pg1
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.
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