22

I knocked on the door twice. A lady opens the door from the inside.

"Oh, Lady Karin!"

"Can I come in?"

"Sure! The Prince is waiting for you, malady," I'm about to fleet. But, I hear Khittan's voice from the inside.

"She's here? Let her in!"

Khittan sounds anticipated. I feel somehow heavy with that.

"Wanna come in, malady?"

The lady asks me again. I'm fidgeting in front of the door. The lady might understand my feelings. She opens the door slowly so Khittan can be visible from the spot where I stand.

"Karin... Come in..."

I have no choice. It's too late to walk away from the scene. If I choose to fleet, he might be frustrated. He just got recovered from a fever.

I'll lose some slacks this time!

There he is, sitting on the bed while surrounded by a group of maids, nurses, and a doctor. I feel like I don't belong in the crowd; with my pajamas and fuzzy slippers.

"Glad that you look better, Khit," I give him a faint smile. He takes a glance at me.

"Maid..." he summons one of his maids. The eldest in the group scoots closer toward him. He whispers something. The elder nods.

"Everyone, leave the room now. Nurses and the doctor too," everyone exchanges glances. After a pulse, they slowly drop everything and dismiss. Leaving me in the puzzle.

"Why did everyone leave?" I ask.

Khittan pats the bed next to him. I don't want to approach him, but I guess my body has lost its sense. It moves on its own, taking a space next to Khittan.

He stares at me with sparkles in his eyes. I noticed they forgot to dry his hair properly. I grab the towel on his shoulder and slowly rub his hair.

"You might catch a cold again..." I slowly murmur while drying his hair. Khittan stays still. I keep rubbing his hair until it gets dry a bit. Then I take a bottle of argan oil, pour the content on my palm, and slowly smudge the oil onto his hair.

"Lucky you, Mr. Crown Prince... You have expensive items to use, maids who take care of your well-being, nurses and doctors...."

"I'm lucky to have you. That's enough for me," Khittan grabs my hand and puts it down.

"Thank you," he says. I scoff and roll my eyes up.

"Well, I won't let you die. At least not before I take revenge against you," I pull my hands from his and continue doing what I did just now.

"Not because of that..."

"Look, your life matters okay? Imagine if I left The Crown Prince to die..."

"Thank you for coming back to me,"

I stun. Khittan leans closer to me. He stares at me with his puppy eyes. Fingers rubbing against my face; from my temple down to my cheek. He brushes some of my hair strain that covers some part of my face.

"I don't know why I came back..."

"Save it for yourself, Karin. I don't wanna know," he whispers. He knew maybe I was in transition.

Even I'm confused with myself. I could just disappear, but somehow there were too many things dancing in my mind at that time. My overthinking state makes me feel contemplative.

"I don't want to create a misunderstanding-"

"It's fine. I know. It's okay. I just want to thank you for coming back to me. That's enough for me," Khittan slowly mutters in his breath.

I watch the man's face, something that I had never done before. I never noticed his hazel eyes, his long lashes, his sharp nose, or maybe his dark brows. His lips a bit crook up. When he smiles, he looks like a cat. Curl up the lips and he looks sinister as well.

What's wrong with this life? What's wrong with us? I keep thinking and wonder if Destiny is laughing at us. I wanna run away from him. But no matter how much I wanna run, I keep coming back to him. Even closer every time.

"Khit..."

"Yes?"

"If the nightmare never existed, would you still pursue me like what you did now? What if our destiny never tangles like this? Do things happen in the same way?" I inquired him.

"I don't know. Maybe things with be easier for us if it never happened. I might pursue you harder. I might never let anyone get closer to you," he replies. His sights drop on me.

"I don't know your suffering, Khit..."

"I'd rather suffer if that means I can love you. I'll rather die for you if it means that you can forgive me for all I did to you-"

"Khit, I forgive you. Sincerely. So please, live your life in happiness," I held his face with my palm.

He pecks my hand softly.

"My happiness is when I'm with you. I have never been so greedy in my life. If I can fight the world for you, I'll do it. Unquestionable,"

We stare at each other attentively. Somehow, something draws us closer. From the banter to the fever drama, I can feel myself swipe away towards Khittan rather than Jun.

"However..."

There's a but. Which is something that I kinda like expected.

"Karin, I won't force you to love me. I know that will be impossible and fake. I just want you to be by my side until the time decides," Khittan says, full of attentive and caring words.

"You mean, until the time we got bored with each other?" I ask.

He pauses for a moment. Then he let a smile crave on his face.

"Yeah. Maybe. But, for now, will you stay by my side?"

"I... Khit, you know my situation with Jun..."

"No, I won't ask you to be mine. I just want you to stay. Maybe as a friend? Or relatives? Or as The Crown Prince and his subject?" he throws the suggestion.

I'm measuring the consequences of my choice in the future. What he asks is nothing fancy. He just wants me to stay by his side. Perhaps for another two weeks before Jun comes back from the tour.

Maybe I can cut some slacks.

"Fine. I'll stay. But not as relatives, because I'm older than you which means you have to address me as an elder. Not as the Crown Prince because your words are a command so that might be dangerous..." Khittan laughs when he sees me going through the list of what kind of relationship we should have.

"So? As a friend?" he asks.

"Hm... Yeah. Friend. Because friends never overpower each other. They support, respect, nurture, and love each other equally," I say.

Khittan nods and smiles. He stuck out his hand.

"Friends?"

I put out my fist instead of taking his handshake.

"Friends, my style," he sneers but later bumps his fist against mine.

"So, as a friend you need to rub my body with that oil..." he points out at the body oil in the tray.

"Friends don't rub each other like that!"

"Oh really? Silly me then!"

And the bickering starts again...