The Fallen Prince

⋇- 19: Farewells -⋇

En put on his black shoes and gazed at his surroundings as he tied them by his bed. The warm breeze swayed the delicate light green curtains that partially covered the glass door that gave access to the balcony. The large vases placed by the light yellow walls exhibited plants and flowers of various shapes and sizes.

Seeing the only painting stuck on the wall, En exhaled. It seemed as if it was yesterday he woke up in this room all confused. Noticing how much time had passed since then, he was surprised that in the end, he stayed in that residence for far longer than he had planned. He never would have thought he would feel at home in a place he grew up knowing he wasn't welcome.

Now that he would spend some final hours with his maternal family before he destroyed what was left that was good in him and kill that man, part of him couldn't help but feel sad. 

He didn't know what would be his fate or who he would become after killing the man who tortured him ever since he was a small child. One thing he was sure, he wouldn't be the same En after that challenge and before he could go there, he wanted to create good memories as a good cousin, nephew, and grandson.

If he had a chance to see his friends again, he wanted to apologize for everything he had done to them, perhaps, tell Arisa how he always felt about her. 

He thought it would be okay if he received a rejection from her. At least he wouldn't die regretting not expressing his feelings, as Mei had told him. But with him not knowing where Arisa and Kazuya were and Kraden coming to pick him up, he was sure he wouldn't have time to look for them. In the end, he would have to guess what would have happened if he had talked to her.

The sound of someone knocking on the door brought him back to reality.

"Come in," he said, sitting properly on his bed.

He didn't take long to hear someone opening and closing the door. He soon heard sounds of shoes tapping the floor as someone approached his area. En saw a black-haired young man in a long-sleeved light blue shirt and black pants standing in front of him.

"I didn't expect you to wear formal clothing in a family gathering, Chen," teased En.

Chen chuckled, touching his shirt. "Grandmother told us to come here as if it would be the last day we would see you. So I thought I should wear proper clothing for once. I'm sure my grandkids will ask me why I look left out when they find old family photos in the future."

"Is that so?" asked En, trying not to laugh. "But why did grandmother say that? It's not as if I'll never return to visit you again unless she's predicting my death."

Chen shrugged. "I don't know. You should ask her. Sometimes she has these weird feelings that go on her head and thinks it will actually happen."

En blinked at that revelation, wondering what was worrying his grandmother. After Kraden left the residence the previous day, En spoke to his grandmother after spending an hour by himself to reflect and calm down.

He had told her that Kraden found a way for him to reclaim his throne and that he would have to return to his world on the next day after sunset. He didn't remember telling her about the challenge. Though, he noticed that although she told him that she was very happy to see that he would reclaim what was his, she looked kind of sad.

"Yesterday I asked grandma if she scared you to run away from us so soon," said Chen, having a seat by En's side. "She told me that you're returning to your world to become a King. I confess that I was a bit jealous. You're like what? Eighteen? How can a kid like you become a King, while I have to get married first and even if I get married, people still think I'm not ready."