The Pauper's Prince

"A Ride Home"

"Nine, can you stay at my place tonight? I need to brief you about what you... we need to do regarding you being my 'boyfriend'" 

"Okay, let me just tell Mr. Kim."

"I'll drive him home, wait for me here, okay?"

Nine nodded and proceeded with fixing Mrs. Kim's bed.

The car ride went without a single word being uttered until Mr. Kim broke the silence "I need to understand your intentions, young man."

Chen was pretty surprised with the sudden question "Uhm, what do you mean Mr. Kim?"

"What is your intention in doing all these? Do not get me wrong because I am thankful but I want to understand, what is your angle? Are you trying to buy your way to our Nine's heart? If you are trying to hurt him, you would have to go through me first. He may not be my own child but I love him like he is."

Chen was floored with the conversation, he took a deep breath "I am not doing this for that Mr. Kim. Believe me."

"Don't lie, I can see how you look at Nine. I know that look, that is the way I look at my wife."

"Mr. Kim, I just came out of a break-up last night, I don't think I am ready for a relationship just yet." Chen can feel his face heating up. Mr. Kim hit a nerve. "I am doing this because I felt that I had to do something, this is the first time in years that I have seen something like that." he let out a sad smile "I come from an affluent family, whenever I was sick, I never felt being taken care of. They always hire nurses and I seldom see them." 

Chen was surprised when he felt Mr. Kim's hand on his shoulder giving him a reassuring grip. "When I saw you earlier, I envied your family a bit. It's something that I have always wanted as a kid but never had. I may have all the money at my disposal but it never filled that hole."

Chen stopped the car when he noticed that they arrived. "We're here Mr. Kim, just give Nine a call if you need anything, okay?"

"You are a good man, please take care of our Nine, okay?"

Chen let out a small laugh "Mr. Kim, we're just friends, we're not dating."

"Well, not yet." Mr. Kim said and bid him goodbye.

Why did it felt like a prophecy? Chen told himself while he drove back to the hospital.

Chen arrived with Nine at his place and proceeded to open his laptop. He opened a folder containing a heap of photos and handed the laptop to Nine. "This is Fluke, he's the ex." Chen proceeded with pouring brandy for them. He approached Nine and handed him the wine glass 

"He seems to be a good guy" Nine finished the glass and asked for another. Chen poured him another "Looks are deceiving my dear." he then took a swig from his own glass.

They continue to talk about Fluke while drinking, halfway to the bottle, the now drunk Chen took the laptop "and this..." Chen loaded another photo "is the cause of the break-up." 

Nine took a big gulp from what he is drinking. The man he's staring at is a god. "That is Earth Pirapat." he heard Chen say. 

"Well..." Nine said in his drunken state. He then clicked the for the next photo, then the next. He couldn't stop. The guy is so fine he had to say "WELL..." with such exaggeration. 

"Well, what?" Chen poured wine to both their glasses.

"Well, I can see major assets." Nine giggled. Those damn abs.

"Don't tell me he's attractive?"

"I don't think the abs lie." 

Chen finished his glass with one big gulp, obviously super drunk at this point, he removed the buttons of his shirt and showed his abs to Nine "WELLLL I HAVE ABS TOO!" he then started to flex his muscles.

Nine just stared, Chen is a different type of good looking, he has that mischievous boy-next-door look with him. He can see Chen staring at him in the eye in a challenge. All Nine could do in his drunken haze was to smile and lick his lips, he then looked at Archen at the eye and said "well..."

----- PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT THE NEXT CHAPTER IS MATURE IN NATURE -----