~CODY~My phone buzzed with a message from Rain, sending my heart into a sudden race. I scanned the table for any sign of him, but he was nowhere in sight.The message on my screen illuminated with anticipation: "Meet me inside the forest - Rain." Excitement and curiosity ignited within me. Without hesitation, I pocketed my phone and headed towards the edge of the woods."Rain," I called out when I couldn't spot him."Here" A whisper reached me from behind, and before I could react, strong arms wrapped around me. Rain's lips pressed against my neck, and laughter escaped me—a delightful surprise."Rain, you sure know how to make an entrance," I chuckled, turning to face him."I wanted to surprise you," he grinned, kissing the top of my head."Well, mission accomplished," I replied, reciprocating the embrace. "I missed not having you close to me last night. It makes me hate this whole trip thing.""Me too," he whispered. Our eyes met, and without words, I leaned in, capturing Rain's li
~Rain~As Cody and I cautiously entered the cave, drawn by the mysterious voice, an unsettling feeling crept over me. The air felt charged with an unseen energy, and my instincts told me that something was amiss. Suddenly, a blinding light enveloped us, as if we were being consumed by its brilliance. The world spun around us, and before I knew it, I was on the ground.Regaining consciousness, a low groan escaped my lips, and I felt the throbbing pain pulsing through my body. Opening my eyes slowly, I found myself in a place far removed from the forest or the cave. The surreal landscape featured a sky adorned with thousands of stars, seemingly closer than the usual sky.Cody was already on his feet, scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. I struggled to sit up, my head aching. "Where are we?" I asked, my voice strained. Cody turned towards me, his face etched with concern."I have no idea. I'm still trying to figure out why we entered that cave and how we ended up in this peculiar place,
~Cody~My screams and Rain's cries echoed through the rain as we plunged into the ocean depths. Anticipating a collision, I was surprised to find ourselves submerged in another body of water, entering a realm I never thought possible. The cool embrace of the water calmed my spirit, and the haunting melody of birds in flight made me question if I had stumbled into a fantastical world.Rowing his boat, Kao joined in the bird's chorus as we followed our younger selves. Nearing a colossal black gate flanked by towering walls, it swung open, revealing a somber, dark expanse on the other side.Kao halted, directing our attention to our younger counterparts engaged in conversation. "What are you saying?" Rain inquired."Listen," Kao murmured. I closed my eyes, shutting out the sounds of rushing water and birdsong, focusing on what lay ahead."My name is Rain, and I'm grateful to have a friend like you here," my younger self expressed."I'm Cody," I heard my past self introduce, shaking hands
~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