10 Friendship

"Did he misunderstand us?" Nina's shoulders and eyes dropped, thinking to herself.

To make the situation worse, Czar was also not resolving the misunderstanding, instead was praising himself.

"Did you think that I can't save her? I lifted and turned her, just like they show in the movies. By the way, Nina and I became friends." Czar told Ace, giggling and jumping with happiness.

Nina was dumb-struck to see Czar acting crazy again. She sighed feebly, not knowing why everyone around her were weird. All of them seemed to be carrying two personalities, one for her and the second for others. "Am I playing a game where I have to guess which character is true and which is fake?" she groaned to herself, rolling her eyes from them.

"Enough of your act! Are you cheating on me with her?" Ace exclaimed, making Nina's heart break into pieces.

"Are you both...." Nina weakly uttered, holding her broken heart.

Before she could complete the question, Czar replied, "YES!" and kissed Ace on his cheek.

Viewing that scene, Nina's whole world seemed to be broken into hundred pieces. Gradually the light that her eyes were seeing dimmed and blackened at last.

"Where am I?" she woke, rubbing her fingers on the forehead.

She would faintly see Ace and Czar looking at her with a worried look. "Are you fine?" Czar asked.

"Hmm.....I got a strange dream that you both were dating," she replied calmly and relaxedly.

Czar and Ace looked at each other and yelled, "WHAT?"

"Yes, I was so worried that Ace loved you," Nina answered with a bright smile.

"Oooooooo!!! So, you fainted because you thought that Ace was gay." Czar teased.

"Stop it, Czar." Ace glared at him sharply.

After a long weird silence of thirty seconds, Nina shouted, "So, it wasn't a dream."

Czar chuckled, "Welcome to the reality!!"

Nina's heart paced again, with all the chaos, "Are you or not?" she inquired feebly, gazing at Ace with eyes filled with sadness, eagerness and love.

"Please don't drop again, YES!" Ace replied with a blank face, tightly holding Czar's hand. "We will inform the doctor to check on you." Uttering that, both walked out.

After being dragged for some distance, "What are you doing, Ace?" Czar stopped and turned Ace towards him. He was shocked to see Ace in tears. Never in his lifetime, he had seen Ace crying. He was always strong and overcame any problem quickly and efficiently.

"Ace, What happened?" he asked, wiping his tears. Without replying, he hugged Czar and started sobbing loudly and heavily. Czar was left with no option besides consoling him. He patted and rubbed his back gently, not understanding what was going on between him and Nina. Gradually, Ace stopped crying and smiled, "Let's go back."

As they reached Nina's room, she was also weeping in disbelief. She was unable to digest the fact that Ace didn't like her. The memory of him gazing at her with love and astonishment when they first met was repeating numerous times. Her heart was repeatedly saying not to believe Ace's words, but her brain was replaying the word 'YES' and the visual of him and Czar holding and kissing.

"Doctor said that you can leave. Shall we go?" Ace questioned her with a blank face. Nina wiping her tears, smiled and nodded in agreement. Reaching the vehicle, Ace opened the back door and signalled her to get in. All the three of them remained silent all the way to the home. Glancing the sea on the way, Nina decided to come there in the night. She patiently watched and remembered the route Ace drove. The only thing that Nina wanted then was to be alone in an open breezy place. Determined to visit the beach, she planned to escape when everyone in the village was busy in that moon prayer.

On reaching the home, Nina quietly got down and thanked the couple sitting in the front seats. As Nina walked into the house, Ace's sad gaze followed her.

"Do you like her?" Czar asked, holding his hand, knowing that he would escape without answering him.

Ace grinned, "I already planned on telling you. I like her, but I shouldn't. She will be the wife of the next Alpha. I neither can't let her have a feeling for me nor I should."

Moving his lips left and right, Czar nodded in agreement, "That's true! However, you will leave tomorrow, so it won't take much time for her and you to move on."

"Yes," Ace replied, patting Czar's hand though he knew that he might not leave. "Shall I ask you one thing, why are you behaving in front of Nina this way? Don't you like to expose your true self to others?"

Gulping hard, "I don't, but near Nina, I felt the same vibe and assurance that I receive from you. Everything about her resembles you - her calmness, her way of thinking, her love for the beach and mainly the attitude of doing what's correct without caring about anyone. These all gave me the feeling that she is a person with whom I can be myself."

Listening to Czar, Ace eyes were sparkling with happiness. Czar was always hiding his friendly, kind and caring nature as he was tired of being used by the villagers. Being the son of Alpha, people approached him in the name of friendship to get their works done with the help of his father. In the beginning, he had hope that they would gradually stop approaching him if he didn't help them. Instead, all the villagers started cursing and scolding him in the back that he was a proud and selfish creature. Left with no choice, he decided to act childish in front of everyone.

"I always felt alone when you aren't in the village. I won't be alone now as long as Nina is here. Ace, She is a female version of you. Everything about her resembles you. Though she will belong to the next Alpha, I wish I could be with her until then, just as a friend."

Though he was happy for Czar, hearing Nina's name multiple times was making him uneasy. "Czar, I am happy for you. But don't bring Nina's topic or name to me until it is necessary from next time."

"I understand, babe!" Czar smirked and kissed Ace on his cheek again. "Eh!!! You are my lover, only when Nina is around. Don't cross your limits!" Ace responded but abruptly kissed Czar and escaped out of the car.

Ace entered the house laughing, looking at Czar, who was running after him. He suddenly stopped, glancing at Nina, which made Czar bump on Ace's back. Nina was discussing with Tala how they should start the task, noting down the approximate time to explore each place. Hearing the shirking sound, Tala and Nina glanced at them.

"Bro, we are making a plan to roam the forest and village. Shall we both take turns?"

"He will be leaving tomorrow, don't consider him. Czar, are you fine with working with us?"

Czar nodded, looking at Ace diagonally. Both Ace and Nina appeared expressionless, without showing even a tint of sadness.

"Nina, are you really fine with Czar?" Tala whispered, leaning towards her.

"Didn't his father ask him to guide me, let him do it," she said out aloud.

"All of you come for lunch," Jennie called them. "Mom!! You want us to eat with Czar?" Tala cried, frowning but immediately shut, glancing at his Mom's furious look.

"It's fine, aunty. They will be comfortable with me around." Czar remarked and turned around to walk away.

"Czar!" Nina called out. "Let me teach you how to eat." Listening to that he followed them happily to the dining table.

Nina appeared like a mother teaching a child how to eat. "Firstly, mix the rice and curry with the tips of your fingers and don't squeeze while you mix," Nina instructed by demonstrating it on her plate.

Czar did the same and looked surprised that the rice was not struck all over his fingers. "Now, hold the food using your five fingertips and don't let it touch your palm."

Czar did the same but failed as all the rice slipped down. After five attempts, he was able to put the food in his mouth. "If I continue, this way I will be more hungry by eating," he commented, struggling to eat. Seeing him struggle, Nina stood, washed her hand and came back. Placing her hand on his big fingers, she adjusted them and asked him to try again. Doing the same thing again and again, Czar was able to eat without much hassle.

Jennie and the siblings watched them as they struggled, smiled and laughed after every trial. After everyone completed the lunch, Czar hugged Nina and thanked her. Watching them, Ace eyes widened, nostrils flared, and his hand turned into a tight fist ready to punch on Czar's face.

Glancing Ace's expression, Nina whispered in Czar's ears, "Leave me. Ace is getting jealous, he might kick me out." He hurriedly broke the hug and shook his head, staring at Ace. His eyes were pleading and asking for forgiveness for the crime he just committed.

Sensing the tension in the air, Jennie advised, "Hope I don't need to remember you guys, who she is. Learn to respect and maintain distance from now itself."

Nina scratched her head, not understanding why Ace's mother was reacting that way. "Aunty?"

"Nina, you are a guest here. So, I am reminding them to respect. That's it!" Jennie beamed, blinking her eyes with support.