Prince's Choice - Zhong Chenle

Nineteen

Chenle has been laying in bed ever since he woke up.

He's grounded, what's the point in getting up if he can't leave his room, he thought.

A knock is heard on the young boy's door.

"Come back when I'm not grounded!" Chenle yells at an unknow guest.

"Well um, what if I told you I could get you out of your room?" The person on the other side shakenly ask.

Chenle opens the door and meets eye with one of his personal assistants.

He tilts his head to the side the squints his eyes, glaring at the servant. "What are you implying Mr. Kim?"

"W-Well, you're dad said that sometime this week I needed to get you caught up on some King in training lesso-"

"Booor-ing!" Chenle exclaims before closing the door in Mr. Kim's face.

"P- Please Prince Chenle. If I can't get you to do this, then I could get fired!"

"Don't care!" Mr. Kim hears Chenle's voice muffled through the door.

Mr. Kim sighs before slowly walking away with his head drooping.

After a few steps, he hears footsteps rushing his way.

Chenle's bedroom door opens so fast that a breeze hits Mr. Kim.

"Wait! I don't want you to be fired."

"Really? So you'll do it?"

Chenle groans. "Only if, you let me run around the castle for a bit."

"But that's not- fine, I'll let you roam, but first, you must come with me."

Chenle follows Mr. Kim all the way down to the dinning room.

When they enter the room, Chenle is surprised by three mannequins sitting right next to each other at the table. The one to the left had on a long yellow dress, the one in the middle had a huge crown, and the one to the right wore a suit and held a silver plate.

"Okay Chenle, for you're first lesson you're going to learn how to talk with different types of individuals." Mr. Kim explains. "Sit across from the one with the crown. We'll pretend he's a King. You have to practice what it is like to make deals with King's from other villages."

"Oh, okay, I can do that!" Chenle assures. He pulls out the chair directly across from the King mannequin and sits down with one foot propped up on the chair.

"Chenle! Sit correctly!" Mr. Kim demands.

"Fine." Chenle puts his legs down in front of him. He puffs his chest out so that he is sitting up straight and then looks towards Mr. Kim.

"What do I do next?"

"Speak to him using a proper sentence."

"Hey bro, what if you traded me stuff for free?"

Mr. Kim sighs once again.

"Oh, I mean, I would find it absolutely exquisite if we could start an alliance between our lands." Chenle says in the fanciest tone he can.

"Brilliant! Great job! Now, move seats to sit in front of the princess."

Chenle mumbles before moving to the left.

"Now, what would you say if you were facing your future wife?"

"My future wife? Okay, um... I just reached level 10 on-"

"Your wife doesn't care about video games!"

"Then, why did I marry her?"

"Chenle please."

Chenle massages his temples. "I'm sorry Mr. Kim but I really can't do this right now."

"Chenle, Chenle!" Mr. Kim yells as Chenle gets up and sprints away.

Chenle runs until he almost bumps into a familiar figure.

"Taeyong hyung?"

"Prince Chenle! How are you?" Taeyong responds.

"Please, just Chenle."

"Okay Chenle, how are you?"

"I'm stressed out. All this King stuff is becoming too much."

"Aw, I'm sorry. I know it's hard but you got this."

"That's the thing. I don't want to 'got this'. I don't want to be King!"

"Hey, calm down. Listen, some of the things we want least in life are inevitable. The only thing we can do is make the best of them. You think I want to work under your jerk of a dad? I'd rather work for you."

Chenle smiles. "Thanks Taeyong."

"You know what would really make your dad go insane? If you proved him wrong. Go nail those King lessons. It doesn't mean you have to become King, but if you do, you'll be prepared."

Chenle nods his head. Filled with ambition, he goes back to find Mr. Kim.