*Credits and acknowledgement are given at the end of the story description. Thank you."
The Prince- on the outside has everything, known by everyone, leading life predictable as one of the elite- high and mighty prince, but inside, lonely and search...
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Every night, (after the second night) after Jia Xue had finished with his overtime, around 9 pm, he and Caleb would have their chit chat session.
In fact the chit chat session became a video call, with the whole Wang Family.
When the family learned that Caleb was going on a five days business trip to Japan, and he'd be leaving Jia Xue, for five days, the whole of Wang Family came to keep Jia Xue company.
Caryn even scolded Caleb for not telling them that he'd be going on a business trip earlier and scolded Caleb because he caused them to miss one day with Jia Xue.
Caleb often found himself having to have to defend himself especially against his sister. He also had to share Jia Xue with his entire family every single night but he's actually thankful that his family was there for Jia Xue.
He knew now that it was as hard for Jia Xue as it was for him, hence with the family being there to keep Jia Xue company until he came back really made Caleb felt a little better. Jia Xue would be less lonely.
Though it's really annoying having to endure his family's antics everyday, especially his sister's.
"Stay there longer.." Caryn repeated the same words she'd told him the first day they came to keep Jia Xue company.
"I'm coming home tomorrow. You better not come again tomorrow."
"Aiyaaaa..." Caryn jeered, "we had come and keep Jia Xue company because you left him here alone, for three nights, and now you're just going to throw us out?"
Caleb smirked, "I'm not throwing you out." Caleb didn't try to hide his real meaning, "we need our own space. We had been apart for five days. And to guys have had his company for four days."
Caryn stuck her tongue out to Caleb, "you're shameless." She turned to look at Jia Xue, "you're sure you're okay with my brother? He's a caveman when it comes to treating his love...I could introduce you to someone better."
Caryn was just teasing but Caleb was really riled up by her words but before he could respond to that, to his utter bliss, his grandmother mother beat him to it.
Both women knocked Caryn's head almost simultaneously.
"Fool! If your brother lost Jia Xue, you're going to lost a brother in law too...!" Mrs Wang reprimand her daughter.
"Don't talk nonsense." Madam Wang curly cut Caryn's protest when she said that she's only joking, then madam Wang looked at Caleb over the laptop, "come home safe, Caleb.."
"Thanks Ma, thanks Gran!" Caleb smiled, thankful for their support.
"Apologize." Both Mrs Wang and madam Wang looked at the sulking Caryn then.
"What? Apologize? To who?" Caryn pretended to be innocent.
When both her grandmother and mother gave her a not so tolerant look, she immediately raised up her hands, "alright..alright...I apologized.." she mumbled not looking at her now smirking brother.
"Apologize properly. To your brother." Madam Wang folded her hands on her chest, not satisfied with Caryn's apology or demeanor.
"I was only joking.." she mumbled again.
"I said, apologize properly." When the head of the family instructed with that small and calm voice of hers, nobody would dare to oppose. They know that that means, she had reached her limit of tolerance.
Caryn gulped and looked at her brother, "I'm sorry, lil bro..I was just joking..." she said, looking at Caleb straight in the eyes.
Caleb sighed, earlier on he wanted nothing but to smack Caryn's head down and now; seeing her being reprimanded a little harshly by their grandmother, it made him felt for her. A little. She is his big sister after all.
"Okay...Apology accepted.." Caleb nodded, deciding not to drag the matter further.
He looked at Jia Xue who's standing on the side, looking at the banter between that Wang Family; with a serene smile on his beautiful face. And Caleb felt his heart melt at that sight.
He wanted tomorrow to come quickly now. It had been a hellish five days.
Then Jia Xue looked at Caleb, through the laptop, and their eyes.
The whole world cease to exist leaving only the two of them in the centre of each other's universe.
Both looked at each other with love and with bittersweet longing. Both knowing that they missed each other so much, it bordered on physical pain.
"Look.." Madam Wang pulled Mrs Wang and Caryn away, pointing at Jia Xue and Caleb as they looked at each other through the video call.
Both, Caleb and Jia Xue were lost in their own world, staring at each other, until the air around them became heavy with intense emotion.
And the three women, quietly walked away, to the dining area, leaving Jia Xue and Caleb alone in their cosy world. One sitting on the couch of a living room in Beijing and the other one sitting on a hotel room sofa in Tokyo. But it was like they're sitting face to face, next to each other.
"You're okay..?" Caleb hadn't had the heart to ask Jia Xue that all four days of their video call.
"I'm holding on.." Jia Xue smiled, ruefully, "thank God..your family are here.." otherwise Jia Xue would feel like he's going crazy coming home to an empty and quiet house.
"Yeah.." if Caleb had known, he would have called the family earlier. He wanted to smack his own head. Why he hadn't thought of Jia Xue being lonely without him, was beyond him.
"The next time I'm going on a business trip..I'm going to bring you with me.." Caleb said, determinedly.
"You can't." Jia Xue shook his head.
"Oh yeah..?" Caleb raised an eyebrow at Jia Xue. "Why?" He asked.
"In case you forgot..I'm working.." Jia Xue smiled, "I'm your lead researcher remember?"
"That's why I said. Next time I'm going on a business trip, you'll be coming with me." Caleb gave a confident smile.
Jia Xue blinked up at Caleb and then he understood. Caleb is the boss. His words are rules.
"Not saying anything?" Caleb asked, expecting Jia Xue to say something righteous about the abuse of power or something.
"Well.." Jia Xue thought about it, "what do you want me to say.."
Caleb chuckled, "I don't know.." he looked at Jia Xue teasingly, "usually you would go on and on about you have your work. You're being paid to work, not to play. And maybe, about me abusing my power.."
Jia Xue blushed. Yes. Caleb is right. Usually, that is how he would have been. Usually. But Jia Xue is not being his usual self today.
"I.." for the first time in his life. Jia Xue didn't know what to say. Before this, after he learned that he had a heart, even though he would have contradiction between his heart and his brain, he always knew what to say.
"Hmm.." Caleb had never seen Jia Xue like this before.
"I'll be where you want me to be... "
Caleb fell silent. He wanted to go through the laptop screen and take Jia Xue into his arms right now.
And they looked at each other, and drown in each other's eyes again.
The rest of the Wang Family, completely ignored by Caleb and Jia Xue, didn't have the heart, to disturb the atmosphere between the two. They're in love. Obviously. So in love.
