Trash of the Royal Family (Ao3)

XXI

Following the outdoor banquet, the hunting officially began in the afternoon. Callen mulls over Cale's words and braces himself for the worst.

Callen followed Robbit, who seemed to be searching for the right time to talk to Iris.

"Iris."

The girl turned to Robbit. She looked really beautiful in a knight's uniform.

"Gossiping is bad, baby." Cale Henituse sat beside him.

"Shh! I need to see how Brother Ribbit gets dumped."

"You count that?" Cale Henituse swears he'll never tell this one hell of a bastard that he has someone. He might count the times he'll get dumped rather than score.

"You should stay here..."

"Your Highness. I don't think this is the right time." Iris ignored the prince. She looked at him and shook her head.

"You'll be in danger... they're trying to suppress—" Robbit was agitated.

"Your Highness... We've long been finished a long time ago."

Hearing that, Robbit has become silent.

Callen Crossman was smiling as if his brother Ribbit didn't have his heart broken.

"Baby? Where are you? Callie?"

"Hyunnie! Hyunnie! Hyunnie! Brother Ribbit got dumped again!"

Callen shouts and reveals where he and Cale Hentiuse were gossiping. Robbit, instead of feeling bitter, felt that sense of panic since his baby brother does count the times he got dumped! What a good baby brother?! Is he even his brother? The way he treats him was way worse!

"Callen! You little rascal!"

Callen's childish giggle filled the palace garden.

Robbit didn't know that his little brother was watching their little talk and even publicly announce his fourth time getting dumped. Oh my ghad! What a lovely little rascal of a brother he has!

"So? How many times?" His good older brother even added fuel to the fire.

"The fourth time! I won the bet!"

What the hell?! They even bet on it!

"Hyunnie, you see! Mommy and I are— *thud!* ah!"

Robbit was fast enough to catch him. Callen looked at his second brother. Robbit lift him and carried him, asking, "Does it hurt?"

"No," Callen said sweetly, "this is nothing compared to Brother Ribbit's heartache."

"You love putting vinegar on salted wounds, do you?"

Callen giggled and wrapped his arms around Robbit. Robbit continued to walk while securely keeping Callen in his arms.

"Brother."

"Hm."

"Don't let Iris-noona off your sight..."

Robbit flinched and looked at his brother.

"Brother Ribbit should be happy. Other people's happiness doesn't matter." Callen spoke slowly. He sees a vision of Robbit falling into despair and says, "Fight for what you feel."

Robbit looked at his brother and smiled at him. Callen reaches out to Alver and looks at him with comfort and warmth.

"Callen..." Robbit called out, "a person's happiness is what that mattered... but... there are times that one should give up and let it go..."