Love is a game (Love in the air collection)

Choices of Love

Rain sobs and gives his older brother a tearful hug, "Promise me when you get somewhere safe you'll write to me."

Noeul nods and takes his bag that Rain is holding, "I promise, now remember in the morning you have to pretend that you don't know anything about this. Mom and dad will be furious with me and I don't know what prince Phayu will do." Noeul has one moment of regret for leaving his family, especially his baby brother, in this situation. He knows he is being selfish.

Noeul doesn't know what kind of person Prince Phayu is, their marriage had been arranged by Noeul's parents and the Royal family. It had never been deemed necessary for the two of them to meet. Boss has assured him that his cousin isn't cruel but Noeul doesn't know him. Despite his worries he cannot bring himself to marry someone he doesn't love. Especially not when he is so in love with someone else.

Noeul hands Rain an envelope and with that leaves before he can change his mind.

Rain tries his best to keep his expression neutral as he is standing in front of his parents. He gives what he hopes is a curious look at the letter in his mother's shaking hands. As if he hadn't been the one to place it on his brother's pillow before going to bed the previous night.

"Your brother has run away to elope with Duke Boss." His mother tells him tearfully. Rain tries to look surprised at this. "Prince Phayu will surely have all of us arrested or beheaded for this."

"He will be here in a few hours. What will we do?" His father is furiously pacing the floor.

Rain doesn't say anything. The fact that prince Phayu was coming to collect Noeul today for their wedding is what had forced his brother's hand, causing him and the Duke to run away before the marriage could take place.

His mother looks desperately at Rain, "You'll have to take your brother's place. It's the only way."

Now Rain's surprise is genuine. "Me? Will Prince Phayu and his parents even agree to that?"

"It's our only chance," his father says.

Rain has no feeling about marrying the prince one way or the other. If Prince Phayu will agree to it he will do it to both keep his family safe and allow his brother to marry his true love.

"Gone?" Phayu repeats the word, not sure he's heard correctly. A cold rage has started to form at the corners of his mind. Would his cousin and fiance really be so stupid as to run away together and defy a royal marriage order?

The couple in front of him hit their knees as if they expected for him to call for the executioner at any moment now. "Yes, your highness. Noeul is gone, nowhere to be found," the man says.
Phayu feels his eyes narrow. It would be in his rights to have Noeul's family arrested or even put to death for this, but as angry as he is he hasn't yet decided the best course of action. If word gets out about this Phayu and his family will be subject to public ridicule and he can't have that. On the other hand Boss is his cousin, the closest thing to a brother that Phayu has, and Noeul is, <i>was</i> his fiance.

Phayu advances on the couple, "I could have you executed for this." He says coldly.

Seemingly out of nowhere there is a young man standing between Phayu and the couple. "Please, sire, allow me to take my brother's place and spare my family," he says with a bowed head.

Phayu stops amazed. This can only be Rain, Noeul's younger brother.

Phayu puts a finger under the boy's chin and lifts his head up to look him in the eyes. The boy is stunning, absolutely beautiful and Phayu feels his heart skip a beat.

Phayu's anger of a few moments ago has been cooled as if someone had dumped cold water on him. "You would take your brother's place, little one, and marry me?" Phayu says gently.