Royal Problems

Chapter 10- Cafe and Disagreements

    Xingchen and Song Lan arrived to the café, they were dressed in disguises so that nobody could notice them. They ordered their coffee and sat down, "So," Song Lan said, "tell me everything that happened." Xingchen let out a shuddering breath and explained everything that had happened, from the moment he met Xue Yang to the end. He left out who Xue Yang really was and stuck to the name Chengmei.
    "And that's what happened," Xingchen said once he finished.
Song Lan nodded, "So it seems to me that you two are in love, and he was being surprisingly very reasonable when you talked about the marriage. I think that you should call off this marriage and tell your parents that you love him, not her."
"But I don't know if I love him!" Xingchen exclaimed.
"Tell me, when he ever hugged you did you feel something in your stomach?"
"Well yes, but what does this have to do with anything?"
"Did you ever get him out if your mind even if it was just for a moment? Did you feel nervous around him, a good type if nervous?"
"No and yes. Now answer me, what is with all these questions?" Xingchen asked exasperated.
"I am trying to figure out if you love him. And from the sounds of it you do," Song Lan said, "now the real question is. What are you going to do? Will you continue and get married to a woman you do not love? Or will you go to the man you love and be happy calling off the wedding?"
"I think I love him as a friend though," Xingchen said.
Song Lan breathed deeply, "Xiao Xingchen, your majesty, you LOVE him. Romantically."
"No I don't, if I do like him I probably either like him as a friend, a brother, or maybe it's just lust," Xingchen said.
Song Lan sighed, "Lord give me strength, your majesty it is not lust. I know what list looks like this is love."
"Fine I might love him, but what about the marriage? I can't just leave it," Xingchen said running a hand through his hair.
"If you want you can cancel it, nobody will try to stop you," Song Lan said.
"But I don't want to disappoint my parents, they wanted me to get married a while ago," Xingchen said sadly.
"Then marry Chengmei," Song Lan said, Xingchen's eyes widened and he looked down blushing furiously.
Xingchen imagined a wedding with Xue Yang and smiled softly, "I mean I could," he quietly said.
"Exactly, they want you to get married so then marry him," Song Lan said grinning.
"But he said he doesn't want to love me, that he can't. What does he mean by that?"
    "He was probably upset, but if you tell him you'll cancel the wedding and marry him, maybe he'll feel better. I'm sure he didn't mean it," Song Lan said.
"You're right, you always are," Xingchen said, "we should go it's getting late."
"Of course, after you your majesty," Song Lan said.

"Chengmei!" Xingchen yelled as he ran after the man who was walking away. It was a few days since he talked to Song Lan and he finally gathered up the courage to tell Xue Yang, "Chengmei please! Come back I need to talk to you!"
Xue Yang stopped at the bench near the flowers and turned around, "What? Do you want to brag about how you're getting married?"
"No, I just wanted to say something," Xingchen said.
"Well spit it out then," Xue Yang said.
"I'm canceling the wedding," Xingchen said, "and I'm going to ask if I can get married to you."
"Wait what? Why?" Xue Yang asked.
"Why else? Because I lo-"
"Please don't say those three stupid words," Xue Yang interrupted, "I can't love you remember, we were never meant to be. The only thing we were meant to be was enemies, that's all."
"But it doesn't have to be that way! We can be together and no one has to know who you are!" Xingchen said, "Do you find me that disgusting now?"
"Yes! You made me hate love more than anything. How did you do that? I can't stand being next to you now, I can finally say with every bone and nerve in my body that I hate you. I hate you so much and I never want to see you again."
Xingchen had tears in his eyes, "But you promised...you promised you would stay with me forever!"
"Forever can sometimes mean a couple of minutes," Xue Yang said, "I am leaving in a couple of weeks, I have a friend who is coming to pick me up. Until then I want you to stop talking to me because I'm done and I can barely even look at you."
Xingchen took a trembling breath, "Fuck you," he said, "fuck you for breaking my heart for the second time."
"Just leave," Xue Yang said sitting down.
"Fine," Xingchen said and stalked away wiping his tears. He went to his room and locked the door, he slid to the floor and cried. He sobbed silently, for hours, until he had no more tears left.
He sat there numb and broken staring into the distance, wondering what he did wrong to deserve all of this. He forced himself to stand up and walked to the bathroom, he looked in the mirror and saw red eyes. Red eyes and a blotchy face, hair messy and sweat forming on his forehead. He splashed cold water on his face and and walked out to his bed, he laid down and stared at the ceiling.
After a while he heard a knock on the door, "Who is it?" He asked tired.
"It's me," a soft voice said.
"Princess Mingmei, I'm afraid I am unavailable at the moment," Xingchen said sighing.
"That's alright, may I come in?" She asked.
"Sure," Xingchen said not even caring. The young woman walked in and sat on the bed next to him.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
"I'm fine, I just need a distraction," Xingchen said sitting up slowly.
"Well I can distract you," Mingmei said.
"How?" Xingchen asked, his face was emotionless and his voice was empty. The woman, instead of answering, leaned forward and pressed her lips against Xingchen's.
Xingchen froze, not knowing how to react then gave up. If this could take his mind off of Xue Yang then it was worth a try. He kissed the woman back, they undressed each other and made love not knowing of the person listening outside with tears in his eyes.