The news
A severe headache greets Liam as soon as he opened his eyes, adjusting at the rays of sun illuminatingly inside his room from his window slightly ajar.
Blinking his eyes twice, he pushed himself to sit up on his bed, staring at the empty spot beside him, blankly.
"She left again." Liam whispered softly as he climbed off of the bed and walk towards his bathroom, not even minding to cover his naked body.
Why else? He's the only one who lives in his condo, his parents are in Thailand where he elope to avoid the life in the palace as he wants to be free and live like a normal person, without bodyguards, without obligation as the new ruler and without anyone who will tell him what to do or what's not. Rosie, his best friend is living across his unit, Seul-ki, another friend and he's second parent is living next door with his oh-so-f*****g-gorgeous wife Juhyun.
And his girlfriend, his f*****g girlfriend that left this morning without a further notice, even a sticky note stuck on his door fridge, or even in a scratch paper on his bedside table saying that she already left.
Nothing!
"I wonder what would be the emergency this time?" Liam keeps swearing at his girlfriend as her body rests under the shower, letting every part of his body get soak, removing the smell of last night intimate moments with his girlfriend.
"I can't believe she left me like that? What am I to her? A s*x slave that she would come to me when she's horny and be gone when the sun starts to hit the sky?" Liam said while scrubbing himself using the washcloth and soaking his body with cold water in the morning. "I'm going to break up with her the next time she showed herself to me." He said when she finished removing all the soap on his body.
Being in a relationship with a woman for almost two years but hasn't been tried to wake up in the morning with his girlfriend beside him, is actually sucks.
It's sucks that Liam couldn't bear it anymore, but he admits that last night was a blast. Of course, because Sharon, his girlfriend who hasn't been tried to stay for a night with Liam, was so hyped that even Liam couldn't cope up.
He even thought that his girlfriend smokes some blunt or she hit an ecstacy down her throat because heck! Sharon was so high, she was gone crazy, but Liam couldn't deny the fact that he loves that, he loves the way how the Japanese woman became wild and dominant last night.
Upon remembering the scene last night, a grin registered across Liam's lips while staring helimself at his own reflection from the mirror. Living a life far from his true identity as the crown prince was such the greatest idea for him because he can do what he wants without getting ordered.
"Damn it!" He blurts out. "Now I'm having second thought if I should still break up on her." He utter with a pout in his lips.
But hell no! Liam will never gonna do that. He might get better to die than to lose Sharon.
After a minute of admiring himself, he put on some clothes, a big black Tee with a dabbing MonaLisa printed on it, paired with a jersey short and her white flip-flop.
After he dressed himself, he immediately went out and knock on the door across his unit.
"Yah! Rosie open up I'm hungry!"
He's been knocking at his best friend's door for a minute now and the older girl still hasn't opening the door or even a simple wait is ok but none, so Liam decided to go back to his unit to get his phone and dialed Rosie's number.
"Hi! This is Rosie Park, if you're a part of a problem and you're Liam, don't bother to leave a message after a beep."
Liam removed the phone in his ear and couldn't believe what he was heard. "What the f**k?" He said in disbelief and shove his phone inside of his pocket and kicked the door in front of him. "Rosie Park! You are the worst best friend I've ever had, you motherfucking b***h!"
"Liam! Tone it down, Juhyun is still sleeping!" Liam snap his head at his back to see Seul-ki with a creased forehead. "And Rosie is here, so get your ass inside so we can eat."
"That b***h!" Liam said angrily before following Seul-ki who first went inside their unit. And when Liam got inside, he saw Rosie standing in front of the countertop, laughing while covering her mouth to suppress it. "I hate you Rosie." Liam said while shooting dagger look at his best friend.
Rosie burst out laughing again but Seul-ki warned her that if she didn't stop from laughing, Juhyun might wake up.
"Sorry Seul, I couldn't help but to laugh, I can't quite imagine what she looked like when she heard my voicemail." Rosie said snickering, trying to stop herself to burst into another harsh cackle of laughter again.
Liam held his middle finger to Rosie and made a face to the blonde girl before he took the seat beside Seul-ki.
"What's in her voicemail?" Seul-ki asked, confused on what the two is talking about.
"Here." Rosie shove Seul-ki's phone in front of him. "Call me and you'll find out."
Seul-ki shook his head before he took the phone in Rosie's hand and starts dialing the latter's number and Liam frowned and sunk to his seat as Seul-ki starts laughing upon hearing the voicemail.
"Happy?" Liam asked mockingly and roll his eyes at the blonde girl.
"Rosie, you're such a bitch." Seul-ki said while wiping the edge of his eyes. "I really want to try that but well, Juhyun might be angry if I did that."
"Thank's God you married a matured woman!" Lian exclaims and Seul-ki playfully smacked his arm.
"That's why you need to find a woman like Juhyun and marry her right away." Rosie deadpans, picking up a piece of bacon and shove it inside her mouth while settling herself next to Liam.
Liam shakes his head and glance up to Seul-ki with a sly smile and the older guy shook his head slightly, as if he was saying that, he better not to say anything.
But for Liam, he was tired, They were repeating over and over again when it comes to that matter and he's tired because his best friend doesn't like hos girlfriend and vice versa.
"Sharon and I are not ready for that yet."
Rosie scoffed. "I wasn't referring to Sharon, I said find a woman. I didn't told you to marry your f**k buddy."
The younger guy hitch his breath and his nails starts digging on his palm with his jaw clenching and grits his teeth but he didn't utter any word.
"Rosie.." Seul-ki calls her softly, squeezing her elbow gently. "Let's just eat, besides, the both of you have classes this afternoon right?"
"Sorry." Rosie utter with half meant and for Liam, it's enough. He took a long sighs before he wraps his long arms around the blonde girl's waist.
"You're lucky I love you." Liam whispered and Rosie couldn't help but to giggle and Seul-ki exhale a sigh of relief in silence.
He doesn't want the two to fight, because that's the last thing he wants to see nor happen. They've been friends since college, and when Seul-ki met Liam and Rosie, was when he was at his Sophomore year and the two younger young adult signed up to the dance club wherein Seul-ki is one of a colleague and that's when the three of them became close and Seul-ki met Juhyun in his 3rd year in college and marry the woman after they've graduated.
Liam and Rosie, still have one more year left on them and Liam is planning to propose to Sharon after graduation but Rosie was against on it.
Sharon is his girlfriend, he loves her, he cares for Sharon, he will do anything for her, that's why, breaking up on her is the last thing Liam would do, and he's willing to give up everything just to be with Sharon, that's why he chose to stay low-key and live like a normal person in Korea.
But Liam is so oblivious to see that Sharon is slipping away from his grip. He's so oblivious to the fact that in every moment that they had, Sharon is secretly using her phone, whenever Liam is in the bathroom or taking some orders for them.
Sharon is using the same reason every time she'll sneak out of Liam's condo after the intimate moment.
"I have to go because there's an emergency at home."
And Liam wouldn't mind that. He's that so oblivious that even Rosie want to slap him just for him to see what is really happening whenever Sharon wasn't on his sight, but the blonde girl chose not to say a thing regarding on that, because she wants Liam to find it for himself.
After that breakfast, Liam and Rosie went back to their own units and prepare themselves for school, and Seul-ki woke up his wife because they are both professors in SNU so they needed to prepare too.
As the four of them went out to their unit, closing the door behind them and snapping their head when they realized that they shut the door in unison and laugh, they all ride the elevator down to underground parking lot. While talking random things about school works, new dance choreo and so many more, Liam's phone rings.
He excuse himself to them, fishing the phone out of his pocket. His brows knitted when he saw the number that registered on his phone screen and it's his mom.
Rosie peek over to see the screen and she also narrowed her forehead when she saw the name then she looked up to Liam to met a confuse doe eyes. "Answer it." She instructs and Liam seems to snap at his thought and nod his head.
"Hello?" Liam hesitantly said while staring at his best friend.
"Hey Prince Liam, do you think you'll be able to come home now?"
"Mom, I'm in the middle of school year, what are you saying? Of course I can't." Liam said with annoyance, visible in her voice that he didn't even tried to hide.
"It's emergency Liam, your Grandma is asking you to come home because she thinks her life is not going to last so she wants to see you as soon as possible, tell me your address so I can send our staff to—."
"What? But the last time I was there, she was as strong as a buffalo!" Liam said to interrupt his mom.
"If you don't want to, I can tell your Dad to cut off all your credit cards and send you back here in Thailand to-"
"Fine! I'm going home!" Liam half yelled and ended the call before his mom could utter any words.
"What happened?" Juhyun asked with a concern voice.
"Mom wants me to go home because my Grandma felt that she wouldn't going to last long." Liam said with a little groan.
"Then you should go!" Seul-ki said, hitting Liam's shoulder.
Liam shakes his head furiously with his eyes closed and ended in a long sigh. "You don't understand guys, my Grandma, I know she's not like what she was saying, I know her, I know my mom and Rosie knows them too." Seul-ki and Juhyun look at Rosie and the latter nod her head. "And I know, I f*****g know that they were up to something and I'm sure as hell that I'm not going to like what was going to happen."
Rosie move behind Liam, wrapping her arms around the doe eyed guy's back. "We will still be your friend no matter what may happen Liam."
Liam playfully swats the blonde girl's arm that wraps around her small waist. "You're making me feel more nervous than I already am." He said, earning a confused look from the couple with them inside the elevator.
"Why do you sound like you're in a big trouble if you return in your homeland." Seul-ki chaffed.
"My family didn't know where I am, only my step-father and since my mom called me, then it is a big trouble indeed." Liam sighs and twitch his lips.
"What about your school?" The two both snap their heads to Seul-ki.
"Seul-ki, you are my professor, same with Juhyun. What is the benefit of that?" Liam tells them with her brows creasing.
Juhyun giggles and Seul-ki rolled his eyes. "We should have applied in another school babe."
"Don't worry Seul-ki, I'll be right back as quickly as possible."
"Yeah, just be safe." Seul-ki said, dismissing the topic when they all arrived at the underground where the parking lot is. "Just make sure to bring food from your way back ok?"
Liam nodded at him with a wide smile before Seul-ki and Juhyun climbed in inside their car and Rosie kissed his temple, bidding him goodbye before she also hopped inside her car, honking before she maneuvers but Lam tilt his head when Rosie's car stopped.
The window beside Rosie rolled down, popping her head out. "Hey Liam! Don't worry, everything will be alright." Liam's smile grew even wider nodding his head to his best friend.
"I know." She softly said, giving Rosie a flying kiss that the blonde girl quickly catches but to Liam's dismay, Rosie throw the imaginary kiss on the ground and gag. "Yah! Rosie Park!"
"Bye! Have a safe flight Liam, love you!" Rosie shouted back and starts driving when Liam ran towards her.
When Rosie's car already vanished from his sight, he brush his palms to his face, letting out a lungful sigh and wear his helmet before hopping on his Ducati and starts driving in too much speed, causing his wheel to screeched and leaves a mark on the ground.
-
Liam fly to Thailand the same afternoon that day after his classes and excusing himself to his other professors that he will be absent for the next day. He chose to go home voluntarily than getting fetch by their butlers, and he still doesn't want his family to know where he was living, unless his stepfather hasn't said anything about him.
The three hours flight to Thailand wasn't even starting but Liam feels that he wants to back out and go to his girlfriend instead, but he frowned when he remembers his last conversation he had with Sharon outside the airport.
"I'm going home to Thailand tonight-"
"Ok? Be safe a'ight? Gotta go, mommy called me earlier and she wants me to go home early."
-
Liam huffed and slumps his shoulder's down, resting his back on the bench and cross his arms across his toned chest. "How stupid of me not to notice everything that she's doing?"
"Maybe because you're blind enough to even notice that."
Liam snap his head to his side and saw a smaller guy sitting beside him, he didn't even notice the guy's presence. "Excuse me?" Liam asked with a glint of irritation on his voice.
"Even all the people around you noticed that there's something wrong the way how your girlfriend treats you, are you that stupid?"
Liam opened his mouth but he shut it off again when the man snap his head towards him and met a pair of cat-like eyes looking at him in his most judgmental way, his black hair is tied up in a messy bun, his cheeks are so fluffy that Liam wants to pinch it.
Flight 421 Korea, WA to Bangkok, THAILAND calling all First Class Passengers to begin boarding ..
Liam snap on her own daze, mesmerizing the cuteness of the face in front of him when he heard his flight announced. He pressed his thumb on his eyes and shakes his head.
"I don't even know you, but you probably know me and.." He trails off as he stand up, picking up his bag and clung the strap on his left shoulder. "Thank you, for stating the fact in my face."
The angry cat-like eyed guy chuckles and shifted his gaze when another small but a woman shouted his name.
"Jerry!"
Liam didn't bother to look at the woman as he turned his heels and starts walking onto the boarding area, still thinking about what the cat-like eyed guy told him.
"I should have been more observer this time." Liam mumbles against his breath.
-
As soon as Liam stepped his feet on the ground of Thailand, she shivered. "Argh! What the hell is going on?" He muttered. "It's summer here, why am I freezing?"
"Your Majesty!" A girl with round face and doe eyes like him called out at the waiting area, waving her hands giddily. A wide grin spread across Liam's face when he saw his childhood friends, Sorn and Mook.
"Hey guys!" He greets while running towards them and they all embraced each other. "I missed you!"
Mook rolled his eyes when he departed himself. "If Grandma didn't asked you to go back, I doubt you'll do that voluntarily."
"Hey!" Liam shoves Mook's shoulder playfully. "But that doesn't mean I don't missed you!"
"Oh please Liam, we know that you're not, you almost forgotten us."
Liam shakes his head while giggling and jump to his male best friend, wrapping his long arms to the tall man's nape. "Awe.. my Mooky is sulking." He muttered against the crook of Mook's neck, who's eyes went wide and immediately roamed his eyes, he was thankful that Liam is wearing a cap to cover his face as some of the palace soldiers are scattered around the airport and expecting their Majesty to arrived by this evening as Liam told his mom that his flight will be at night, but he lied because he doesn't want to get fetch by their butlers or bodyguards.
"Liam! Let go! Someone might see us and we need to do something about your marriage-." Liam quickly snap her head to look up which causes her head to hit Mook's chin. "Ouch!"
"Ow ow sorry Mook." Liam immediately caress his chin. "Sorry."
"It's ok Liam."
"What were you saying earlier? Who's getting married?"
Sorn quickly butt in. "Don't mind him, let's go, your family is waiting for you."
Liam shrugs his shoulder and just follow Sorn towards her car, he misses the glares that Sorn shooting at Mook when they both climbed in inside the latter's car.
-
"Hey young man." Liam's step dad greeted him first as soon as he got off of the car. The old Swiss man open his arms and Liam ran to his old man engulfing him into a tight hug. "You're a grown man now Liam, I can't believe it." Mr. Bruss tells him while stroking his son on his back.
"I missed you Dad!"
"I missed you too buddy." The old man whispered on the top of his head.
Mr. Bruss and Liam are more closer than Liam's mom even though the old Swiss man is only his step father, he still treat him as his real dad.
Mr. Bruss is the only one who let him to go study in Korea to pursue his dreams and to feel the freedom he never felt when he's young, and he's the only the member of their family whose supporting Liam financially because his mom was so against by it.
That's why Liam was so confused and hesitant when his received a call from his mom this morning but nonetheless, he still loves his mom no matter what.
"Liam." Mr. Bruss calls him softly.
Liam departed himself and brought his head to look at his dad with creased forehead.
The way Mr. Bruss called him with seriousness, Liam felt that this trip is not only about his grandmother's wished to see him. There's something besides that, and he knows that he's not going to like it.
"Dad you're making me scared."
"Liam, listen to daddy." Mr. Bruss rest his arms to Liam's shoulders and stared at his son intently. "I want you to be strong and please, I want you to listen to the old lady inside, whatever may happens, do not.." He said with warning voice. "be rude to her okay?"
"Dad.."
"Promise me Liam."
Liam pressed his arms on his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. "I'll try-."
"Liam.."
"Fine dad, I won't, just because I don't want you to get upset."
"Right." The old man pull him again for another hug before they decided to go inside where the scariest news is waiting. At least for Liam.
The other members of the royal family, lights up their faces when they saw Liam, the youngest member of Manoban's, they greet him one by one before Liam walk towards the bed where the old lady is lying down, smiling at him and a relief look is visible on her eyes.
"Hey Grandma." Liam bend over to kiss the old lady on her forehead.
"Prince Liam."
"It's only Liam."
"Whatever young man, but I'm glad that you're here." The old lady said.
"Yeah me too." Liam can't even hide the sarcasm on his voice, which cause his mom to slap his arm. "Mom!"
"Hey stop that." The old lady uttered, pulling Liam closer to her. "Listen here." Liam took a deep sigh and mentally rolled his eyes at his mom before he let the old lady pulled him closer. "Liam, you know that I'm not getting any younger now and any time soon, God will-."
"Don't say that old lady, you're going to live longer." Liam cutting her off, squeezing his Grandma's hand subtly.
"No, we can't say that, life is full of surprises itself so we can't say how much longer would I stay alive."
"Ok hush now, is this the reason why you asked me to come home?" Liam started getting irritated.
"No." The old lady went serious and Liam felt that he needs to mentally prepared himself from what's coming next. "I asked you to come home to tell you that you're getting married to my best friend's granddaughter."
Liam feels his blood escape from him, his eyes widened, his heart stop from beating and he tightened the grip of the hand he was holding.
His sight became blurry and his world stop from spinning. "Wha-what?" He asked with his minimal voice that he didn't even heard his own voice.
"Liam, do you hear me?"
"No!" Liam blurted out, he let go of the old lady's hand and took a step backward. "What the f**k is that? Are you insane?!"
"Liam.." Mr. Bruss calls him with warning tone.
"No Dad! This is absurd and ridiculous! She wants me to marry her best friend's granddaughter?! What the hell?!" He shouts, all the people inside the room went to silence and didn't utter any words except of course his mom.
"You need to listen to the old lady's last wish!"
"What if I don't?!"
"Then we would have to cut off all of your financial supports coming from your dad and you have no choice but to continue your school here in Thailand and accept the crown!" His mom tells him like it was the easiest way for Liam to oblige.
Liam snap his head to his dad but Mr. Bruss avoids his gaze and lowered his head. "Dad.." Liam calls with a pleading voice.
"I'm sorry Liam."
"Bullshit!" He blurts and ran outside the house and Mook and Sorn was too quick to follow their friend.
"Your Majesty!" Mook called out and Liam whipped his head abruptly, ready to snap at him but Mook is pointing at his car. "Get in, we're going to Kai's house." And Liam open the shotgun door, climbing inside as quickly as he can.
"Start driving!" He shouted when he saw the palace soldiers along with his mom running outside to follow him, as soon as Sorn hopped inside, Mook immediately starts the engine and drove away before Liam's mom could come to them.
_______