Forbidden Love✧⁠*⁠。

Episode 9

The morning sun cast a warm glow over the castle grounds, and for Becky and Santa, everything felt brighter than usual. They both felt a flutter of excitement at the thought of returning to the lake, where they’d agreed to meet Freen and Perth again. Over breakfast, they tried their best to keep their excitement hidden, but their faces betrayed them; every now and then, a small, eager smile would slip through, or they’d exchange a glance that spoke volumes.

Their expressions didn’t go unnoticed by those around them. Namtan, had just entered the room with a polite bow. "Your Highnesses," she said gently, "your tutor has arrived."

Becky and Santa exchanged a glance, their faces falling slightly. Both sighed in unison, sharing a moment of mutual frustration. They’d nearly forgotten about their lessons, and the realization brought a pang of disappointment. "Of course," Santa muttered, standing up slowly. Becky reluctantly followed suit, and together, they made their way to the library, though neither was looking forward to it.

Once in the library, they took their seats, trying to appear attentive, but their minds wandered. As the tutor began to lecture, Becky’s gaze drifted to the window, where the sunlight streamed in, and she found herself picturing the lake. Santa, seated next to her, was no better. His thoughts were entirely focused on seeing Perth again, imagining their smiles, the way they laughed together—it all made focusing on the lesson impossible.

"Your Highness, please focus," their tutor, Arm, said firmly, bringing both of them abruptly back to the present.

Startled, Becky and Santa quickly nodded, exchanging a sheepish glance. They knew they needed to be polite, but it was as if the lesson had lost all meaning. They simply wanted it to end as soon as possible so they could make their way back to the lake.

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Meanwhile, in the village, Perth and Freen had woken up early, each feeling the same kind of excitement. Perth was in high spirits as he got dressed, eager for the day ahead. However, his excitement was short-lived when there was a knock at the door. Satang, stood there with a serious expression.

"Perth, Mr. Decha needs help with a task today." Satang explained.

Perth’s face fell for a moment, but he quickly nodded, knowing he couldn’t turn down the request. "Alright," he replied. Though he was disappointed, he knew he had to help. Soon, he and Satang made their way to Mr. Decha’s house, where Gemini and Mark had also gathered to lend a hand.

As they set to work, Gemini couldn’t help but notice how quiet Perth had become, his usual enthusiasm dampened. He gave Perth a curious look. "You alright?" Gemini asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

Perth managed a small smile. "Yeah, I’m good," he replied, though his thoughts clearly lay elsewhere.

Seeing this, Mark smirked and turned to Mr. Decha with a playful tone. "Mr. Decha, you better pay us extra! I missed my chance to go flirting because of this." He folded his arms with a mock pout.

Satang raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Oh really? And who might that be?"

"Ohm," Mark said, grinning.

A collective gasp rose from the group as they all exclaimed, "What?" in unison.

Gemini’s jaw dropped. "Ohm, as in Ohm, the son of Mrs. Moon and Mr. Tao?" he asked, his tone filled with disbelief.

Mark smirked, nodding. "Yep! I can’t help it—he’s cute."

Perth couldn’t hold back a laugh, shaking his head. "How exactly did Mrs. Moon and Mr. Tao agree to let you flirt with their son?"

Mark chuckled, shrugging nonchalantly. "What can I say? I have my ways! Besides, everyone likes me." He gave an exaggerated wink.