~CODY~ "The crown prince is gay!" The words resounded in my head over and over until I felt something shaking me back to reality. It was Caden who was kneeling by my side."Say something and stop acting like a coward!" he yelled angrily at me and then hit me in the face. My eyes widened, and I looked toward him. "I have already called Father, and he already sent the royal guards here."I blinked but didn't say anything. I looked around until my eyes landed on Rain, who was standing, covering his face with his hands. Our eyes met, and he smiled at me. Why the hell was he smiling? Our secrets were revealed, and he was smiling, acting like everything was perfect when we both knew that it wasn't."So the crown prince is gay! I can't believe that," one of the students commented, whispering, but I could still hear her."No wonder he never had a girlfriend. This is his real identity," another one commented."Who would have thought that the two best friends are gays?" Another student comment
~Rain~ "The council of elders is already aware of the situation, and they've started asking questions," Cara paused, lifting her gaze from her phone. "That's not all. Numerous unfavorable comments are circulating about both of you." she paused and then Continued. "I will..." "Now is not the time to announce the comments. We already know they won't be positive, so there's no reason for you to say anything," I interjected. I rubbed my hands together anxiously, lowering my head, wondering how we had been discovered despite being extra careful. My parents would undoubtedly be disappointed, and the alpha king would be furious that I had betrayed his trust and failed to protect the prince, as he had ordered. Why couldn't we just be open about who we were and show that we, too, were individuals with feelings? It was infuriating to know that the world wouldn't accept us. With everything exposed, there was a high chance the alpha king would order Cody and me to be separated. The thought of
~CODY~"I won't read this!" I exclaimed angrily at the piece of paper my father handed me for the press conference he had arranged. I couldn't bring myself to say the words written on it. It was just too much."You will do it!" my father insisted, thrusting the paper into my hand. "This is your duty as the crown prince of Salvador, and you will do exactly as I've told you."I shook my head firmly. "I can't deny that I was the one in the audio, letting Rain take the fall for it. I can't do it," I refused, tossing the paper to the ground. "I'm going to come clean to everyone and, if possible, leave the realm. I could go to Uncle Marcus in the human realm and live there."My father scoffed and angrily grabbed my shoulder. "Are you even listening to yourself?" he yelled. "Do you know what the world would write about you? Have you checked the news to see what everyone is saying about you and Rain? I'm trying everything to ensure that both of you won't have to suffer from the aftermath of a
~CODY~The insistent pounding in my head jolted me awake from a restless slumber. Each throb felt like a solo drum performance, echoing through my skull. As I tried to make sense of it, the curtain opened, welcoming the morning light into my room. I groaned, rubbing my eyes, and as they fluttered open, the realization hit me—I was back in my room at the royal home.Then, as if my head wasn't already protesting enough, Caden's voice cut through the haze. "Cody! Time to rise and shine! College is calling, and we can't miss the start of this semester."At the mention of college, I bolted upright, memories flooding back—the revelation about Rain, the decisions made, and then the blackout. Gasping, I rose from the bed."Rain," I murmured, hoping my reset had worked. Rushing to my desk, I rifled through photos, my heart racing. Closing my eyes, I wished fervently for everything to have changed when I opened them.Among the frozen snapshots of birthdays and family gatherings, there was no tr
~CODY~"Rain and you have been sworn enemies since high school," Caden explained. "Enemies?" I couldn't believe it. "How are we enemies? I thought we were friends."Caden chuckled as we entered the red dormitory. I scanned the lobby for Lara, but another man greeted me. "Welcome, Your Highness," he bowed."Thank you, Michael," I replied, glancing at his name tag. Inside the elevator with Caden, Cara, and Amara, I continued, "So, Rain and I are enemies?""What's your obsession with Rain?" Caden's arms folded as he questioned me. "You warned us never to talk about him, and now you're bringing him up. What's going on, dear brother? Have you hit your head or something? This isn't like you."I furrowed my brow and scratched the back of my head, attempting to conjure up a plausible explanation. "I... I just want to understand why I had so much animosity toward him."As the elevator doors opened, Cara cleared her throat, stepping out with us. "It's because of Amara. You two were at odds beca
~RAIN~I scowled as I locked eyes with him, a mischievous grin creeping onto my face, fully aware that he'd stumbled into my trap unknowingly."Well, well, what a delightful surprise to find myself in your room," I muttered, a hint of sarcasm lacing my words. Dragging my luggage inside, I scanned the room. Just as I'd hoped, there was only one bed—a perfect element for my vengeance.Cody stuttered, his gaze fixed on me with an unfamiliar mix of emotions. Was it regret for everything he'd put me through? I couldn't quite decipher it."I'm rather surprised to find myself here. It's not where I should be," I remarked, strolling into the bathroom and turning on the shower. The gushing water brought a satisfying smile to my lips, unlike the shared arrangements back in the blue dormitory."Why are you here?" he blurted out as I returned to the room. "You shouldn't be here. I need to know why you've suddenly shown up."I shrugged, returned to my luggage near the entrance, and began unpacking
~CODY~When he returned to bed, I shifted to the other side without bothering to face him. There was no apology from him; instead, he began blaring music and singing along. The noise became unbearable, prompting me to cover my ears with a pillow, though his voice still managed to infiltrate my thoughts, persisting despite my efforts to block it out."What are we...?" His scream pierced the air as he pounded the bed.This was not the outcome I had hoped for when I saved his life. I never anticipated that he would transform to the extent of raising a hand against me. This wasn't the Rain I had envisioned. I wished I could turn back time, spend a fleeting moment with Rain, and release the worry that had consumed me about his fate."It was too late for regret. I had already made up my mind, and now, I have to suffer for it, but the question was when it would end. While pondering that, I drifted into sleep. The next awakening greeted me with an empty, cold bed. I had expected him to be in
~CODY~"He threw the first punch at me! He's always had this hate towards me since we were kids, and I can't even understand why."Rain explained to the lecturer, pointing at me.I scoffed, wiping the blood off my face with my hand, then turned to face him. "You're despicable," I spat angrily, sighing. "You're the one who wrote this crap on my face, and as if that wasn't enough, you planted a bag filled with pig's blood that fell on me. It's all because of you!"The lecturer glanced at the royal guard, then back at me. "The situation's getting crazy now, as the alpha king wants you to return to the royal realm," he announced.I frowned, rubbing my hair. "Why should I go home when he should be the one punished, not me!" I screamed, pointing at Rain.He wasn't my rain because the Rain I know would never do something as cruel as what he did to me. If this is what regret feels like, then I truly regret ever saving his life.Suddenly, Rain laughed, and I faced him, wondering why. "And why a