My Roommates are Princes! [Complete!]

Chapter 13: The Prince Rejects a Proposal

I promptly began packing for my trip to Thailand, a bit excited to visit a country I knew I would have never otherwise gotten a chance to see.

When I was around three or two, one of my first and only memories, had been of my mother reading an article about Thailand. Specifically, it was about the Prime Minister’s trip to Thailand along with the Agricolan Royal Family. The article detailed the entire trip, glorifying the Prime Minister (the same one serving Agricola now) as the new era and hope for our country’s constitutional monarchy. My grandmother, herself, was also a bit somber but hadn’t been as crushed and broken like my mother. In fact, my mother had been bawling and screaming with every picture of the Prime Minister. I was concerned enough to approach her, hoping that I would be able to console her as her daughter.

“What’s wrong mother?” I had asked her, reaching my hands out with hope that she would toss the newspaper to the side and pull me into a tight embrace. It was a childish dream and in all honesty, I should have known what was to come next. “Why are you crying?”

My questions were answered with a bottle of wine raised high in the air, slapping me across the arm with a searing pain of a thousand needles. She may have been aiming for my head but she missed and hit my shoulder instead. The memory ended with my grandmother’s intervention.

And of course, I never knew why she cried so much.

Back to reality, I could still feel the scar left behind on my left shoulder. Strangely enough, it had stung whenever I remembered that memory. As I shook my head free of such thoughts, I resumed packing.

“Clothing done…..hair brush done…..toiletries…not done.” I said to myself. I turned around to check my drawers for some make up and feminine products when I came face to face with a watchful Duke. I felt my heart jump at his sudden entrance. “Oh my God.” I exclaimed, clutching my chest. “When did you get in here?”

“Just now.” Duke said, nonchalantly.

“You know, you would have made a very good assassin.”I commented.

“Too bad I want to be a lawyer instead.” Duke pushed his glasses up to his face.

“Have you finished packing?” I asked him.

“Yes, I pack rather efficiently being man of few thoughts and few words.” Duke replied.

“So…..why are you in here?”

“Ah…I just had a question I wanted to ask.” Duke said.

“Question?”

“Why do you always agree to do all these crazy things?”

“Crazy things?” I c****d an eyebrow.

“You know like…..going to crash a Royal Wedding….running off into the blizzard to grab some medicine……forcing Felipe to go to rehabilitation….studying with me…standing up for me actually…standing up for both me and Analyn. Are you just doing it because it’s the right thing? Or….” Duke asked. I could see why he was curious. What he meant to say was…why do all the things that Princess Emerald would never actually do.

I smiled because the reason was one that was always in the back of my mind. “You know…I didn’t think that I would like living with you guys so much. I’ll definitely miss you when my mission is over. I just wanted to make as many memories with you as I can before everything’s over.” I dug through my drawers. God, thinking about leaving them…it was enough to make me cry.

“But…..once it’s over…we can just come see you in Agricola can’t we?” Duke asked.

I paused as I was about to put some make up in my bag. I wasn’t sure how I would tell Duke. “Ah…I guess you guys always could.” I chuckled nervously, scratching the back of my head.

“You sound unsure.” Duke frowned.

I was saved from an explanation when my phone had began to ring.

“Ah. I’m sorry Duke, I have to take this.” I gave him a small smile, hoping that the dim lighting in the room would be enough to mask the worthless tears of a commoner. I couldn’t believe I was actually crying in front of Duke either. It made me feel so weak in his stoic appearance.

“I’ll leave you to it.” Duke replied to me before leaving the room with a soft click of the closing door.

I accepted the call, holding the phone to my ear. “Prime Minister.”

“Luisa Cardona.” He replied to me.

“Yes. That is me.”

“Good. I hope that you are keeping in mind who you really are. I know you are going to Thailand…but keep in mind this isn’t a chance for you to fraternize with Royal Princes. You are merely there as a shell of the real Princess Emerald of Agricola.”

“Yes. I understand that.”

“And bearing that in mind…make sure you are behaving yourself in Thailand. We have a close relationship between the Thai and Agricolan monarchies and I do not want you to ruin any relationship we have with them.”

“Yes, I understand Prime Minister.” I agreed, respectfully.

“Good.”

And with that, he had hung up, as abruptly as he always had.

~~~~~~

We arrived at the airport the next day. It seemed as if Chaiya had invited not only Duke, Eric, Felipe, and I, but also Analyn, Yu Jun, and Akiteru. They were waiting for us at the airport.

“Late as ever, Chaiya.” Yu Jun commented, shaking his head. Yu Jun sported rather trendy fashion. He had a pair of baggy shorts and a black t-shirt with some black and white vans to match his tall frame. He had a black printed cap on his head and a black face mask covering his nose and mouth.

Akiteru had clasped the book he was reading, eyeing me coldly and suspiciously. He, himself, was also tall, being the same six foot height as Yu Jun. He himself, was a simpler fashion. He had tan slacks with brown dress shoes and wore a light blue dress shirt to match. They both stood in front of Analyn with their suitcases, as if to protect her.

“As long as we’re all here and well!” Chaiya greeted Yu Jun with a fist bump.

“Of course.” Yu Jun smirked.

Analyn smiled and waved to me. She, herself, was sporting a pink dress fitted with spaghetti straps on her petite frame. She had her unruly hair into a braid and a large pair of glasses on her face. She seemed rather young and joyous away from the campus. She had a light yellow backpack as her carry on and a suitcase by her side.

I waved back with a smile.

Akiteru then blocked my view while facing Analyn. “Remember the roommate set up…you two will be together..look…I don’t know why she’s being nice to you but we can’t be too sure how long this charade will last……” he whispered to Analyn. “You better have us on speed-dial."

Analyn nodded. “I know you two will always be there for me.”

In a couple sentences, I had known that Analyn and the others were still wary of me for the past scars that Princess Emerald had inflicted on them in the past. I couldn’t let that happen again. I had to make sure that Analyn could trust me this time. I came here as a better version of Princes Emerald, and I was determined to fulfill my goal.

~~~~~

We boarded a private jet sent by Chaiya’s mother. It was a luxurious jet of course, equipped with a plethora of servants ready to tend to our every need. I sat across from Duke while Eric and Felipe had sat on the other side, read to take a nap. Chaiya had sat with Yu Jun, Akiteru, and Analyn as they seemed to have a lot to talk about.

“First time in Thailand I’m assuming?” Duke leaned back in his chair. It was one of the first times I had actually seen him without a book in his hand.

“Yes.” I replied.

“It’s a long flight so we might as well get comfortable with each other.” Duke added.

“I live with you….”

“Doesn’t mean we talk.” Duke had points to make.

“You’re right on that note.” I leaned back into my seat, the soft leather supporting me nicely for the long flight ahead.

“Has anyone ever told you about how we all met?”

“You mean like you and the others?” I remembered that I hadn’t really known.

“I see you don’t know.” Duke commented.

“I know how Eric and Felipe became friends and end up NOT becoming friends.” I said. “Not much so the story of how everyone else met.”

“Well…I’ll start with our little dormitory group.” Duke said. “To be honest with you, it was quite simple. Most of the people in this school have been living here each school year since the sixth grade. Some have been here since elementary school but usually those students belong only to the monarchies of Europe and Agricola since it isn’t really that far for them. For me, a flight from D.C. to Switzerland is already around 8 hours long.”

“So that would be how Felipe and Eric met?” I asked.

“Yes….as well as how Emerald met Felipe and Eric met as well. She was significantly much closer to Felipe which would explain their romance with each other. Eric was never really fond of her but liked Solange growing up.” Duke added. “Anyways….in the sixth grade, I was sent here to study under the direction of my father who at the time was not yet the president but he was a very wealthy politician. We pretty much became best friends after we became roommates. At least, that’s how I became best friends with Chaiya, Eric, and Felipe.”

“So why do people around school call you the Alpha Four?” I asked.

“Because they think that we’re the most elite of the student body in looks for Felipe, academics for me, personality for Chaiya, and I’m guessing some people adore whatever explanation for Eric’s behavior is.” Duke explained.

“So how did you become friends with Analyn?” I asked, curious.

“Ah. She’s just as studious and hardworking as I was. We bonded quite quickly. She’s a pure person at heart and doesn’t really see us as the Alpha Four but rather as people and equal friends, nothing above and nothing below.” He added. “I met Prince Akiteru and Yu Jun through her as well. They’re a trio of close friends along with Chaiya. I, myself, am not that well immersed in Asian pop culture so sometimes I do not really understand what they talk about.” Duke said. “But they are good friends to me nonetheless.”

“I see…I never knew that….”

“And with regards to Princess Emerald, she was horrible to everyone except Felipe.” He added, in conclusion.

“I definitely do not doubt that…” I rolled my eyes.

“What about you? Did you have any close friends in Agricola?” Duke asked me.

“I had some….” I explained. I began to recount stories of growing up in Agricola, a time that began to feel farther and farther with each passing day.

Conversations had taken up most of the plane ride as well as the conventional continental meals that we all shared together.

It wasn’t long before we were on the other side of the world in Thailand where we were immediately greeted by an array of soldiers and the royal family themselves.

The palace was large and rather iconic in its colors of gold and wealth. Beautiful women dressed in the national chut Thai greeted us with bouquets of yellow ratchaphrueks, the national flower of the country.

I thanked them as the soldiers surrounding us had taken us straight to the throne room on a red carpet. An announcement had radiated through the palace by mouth: “Prince Maha Chaiya of Thailand is home!” The palace seemed to cheer as what seemed like thousands of people became wrapped up in a celebratory frenzy upon the return of the prince. Indeed, as the most beloved prince in the world, he was worthy of such a welcome.

We were taken to the throne room, where we had all knelt down on one knee in front of the King of Thailand, the grandfather of the Crown Prince. The throne room itself, was a golden paradise that complimented a powerful and awesounding red. In the very center of the room upon a golden chair, was the King himself and beside him, the Queen to his right and Prince Chaiya’s father to his left. To the side of his father was his mother, a tall and proud woman. Standing to the side of the Queen, was a beautiful girl, prim and proper. She, herself, was dressed in a pale pink chut thai. Her silky black hair was tied behind her head in a neat bun while her large brown eyes fluttered toward us nervously. She had her hands folded in front of her smiling brightly as she saw Chaiya, himself.

The room was quiet for a moment as Chaiya looked at me nervously, wondering when he should be announcing the fact that he didn’t want to marry her.

“Prince Maha Chaiya.” The girl prostrated herself before him as Chaiya had looked up.

“A-Ah please stand up, Kohsoom.” Chaiya exclaimed nervously as he stood up, grabbing her hand in a panic. She blushed at such an intimate gesture and didn’t take much time before she had grabbed his arm.

“I’m so happy to see you again!” She exclaimed. “It’s been so long!”

His grandfather and the rest of the family had seemed pleased with this misunderstood gesture.

“Welcome back, Prince Maha Chaiya.” His grandfather stood up, mightily with a sweet and warm smile. “I see you have brought friends along with you. Please stand up."

Kohsoom seemed enamored with the Prince, hugging his arm quickly without much thought to the rest of us.

The rest of us stood up though we bowed once more to make sure.

“It is a pleasure to welcome you into Thailand.” Chaiya’s mother smiled as she approached us. “Please, come this way, I will show you to your rooms.” She began to push us the other way, leaving Chaiya alone with Kohsoom.

We all turned back to Chaiya as we were pushed forcefully out of the room, being given rooms of our own in the palace, far from the reaches of Prince Chaiya. They were most likely afraid that we would influence his decision to marry Kohsoom.

~~~~~

We made ourselves at home rather quickly.

I have grown quite accustomed to the luxurious life. Whether that was for better or for worse, I truly didn’t know.

I roommate with Analyn, who smiled at me warmly despite all the pain that Princess Emerald had caused her. She treated me like a friend while Princess Emerald had treated her like an enemy. She had even offered to help me unpack after she had finished unpacking her own stuff rather quickly.

Down the hall were where the rest of the boys had stayed but it seemed as if they had finished their unpacking much quicker than we had. Akiteru and Yu Jun had come into the room rather quickly, as if to separate me from Analyn as fast as they could. They looked at me with the same threatening eyes, isolating me for what Princess Emerald had done previously.

Felipe entered the room next, knowing all too well how Akiteru and Yu Jun felt about Princess Emerald. He came to sit with me before dinner began and even brought over some face masks that he found in his room for us to do together. He invited Analyn, Akiteru, and Yu Jun over as well, as if to reduce the tension in the room.

“Where are Duke and Eric?” I asked him.

“Jetlagged.” He replied to me. “They’ll be sleeping in for a while.”

“I bet Eric is rather grumpy.” Analyn giggled, sitting next to me, as if to ignore all the things Akiteru and Yu Jun had said about me.

“That he definitely is, my friend.” Felipe chuckled.

It wasn’t long before dinnertime had approached, which just so happened to be announced by Chaiya himself, who ran into the room uninvited, the doors bursting open.

“GUYS!” He exclaimed. He was dressed in a new outfit we hadn’t seen him in before: a royal white suit with a pair of black slacks to match. His suit was dazzled with many golden decorations that included many badges, though not as many as was worn by his father and grandfather. “I- Ican’t do it….I just can’t break Kohsoom’s heart…..” He cried, kneeling down on the floor in front of us. He broke down, covering his eyes with his hands.

“What do you mean?” Felipe pulled Chaiya up to his feet.

“She-She’s just so nice….” Chaiya explained. “She kept asking me questions about how I was doing and..and….she just kept trying so hard to keep the conversation going and…and…..she saved an injured squirrel…and and…..I just….she’s just such a good person. And I now she likes me….and she cares about me so much….I just can’t break her heart.” He explained as Akiteru got a chair for him.

Felipe sighed as he saw Chaiya break down in front of him. I placed a hand on his shoulder, but of course, I didn’t know what I would be able to say to console him.

“Chaiya…..CHAIYA LOOK AT ME” Felipe took both of Chaiya’s shoulders, shaking him a bit so that Chaiya would make eye contact with him.

“Yes?” Chaiya choked.

“Do you even like her the same way she likes you?” Felipe asked.

Chaiya shook his head. “No…not at all…that’s why I feel bad.” Chaiya said.

“That’s all the more reason to reject her, Chaiya. You can’t keep leading her on. It’s better to tell her the truth then to let her live a lie. We both know she’d be happier with someone else who would love her wouldn’t she?” Felipe asked.

Chaiya thought about it for a minute before nodding his head. “Yes….that’s true.” Chaiya agreed. “I-I just don’t want her to cry….”

“She will cry.” Felipe sighed. “But….you have to break it to her sooner rather than later. You don’t want to keep her in suspense forever.”

Chaiya nodded.

“We’ll help you, Chaiya.” Felipe added.

“Alright…I’ll do it…somehow.” Chaiya agreed though he seemed a little shaky as he stood up. “Dinner will be ready soon, you all should get ready.” Chaiya advised, before leaving the room.

~~~~

The boys left to suit up in their tuxedos while Analyn and I had stayed behind to pick out some dresses for the evening.

Just as I had reached into my suitcase to pull out an evening gown that was packed, Analyn had stopped me, tapping my shoulder so that I would turn around to face her.

“Hm?” I questioned.

“Chaiya’s mother left us some Thai clothing so we wouldn’t feel left out!” Analyn exclaimed. She held up two matching white ones.

“Do you know how to even put this on?” The dress wasn’t like what we wore in the West. It was beautiful and graceful of course, but I just didn’t know how to put it on.

“Yes of course, silly. I wouldn’t be recommending it if I didn’t.” Analyn smiled. She seemed rather comfortable around me, which I had found rather strange.

“A-Ah. Thank you.” I scratched the back of my head nervously as Analyn helped me change out of my current dress and into my new one.

“You know…You don’t have to pretend around me anymore.” She said as she adjusted the skirt.

“Pretend about what?” I asked.

Analyn sighed, flipping the long sash around my shoulder. “I know that you’re not the real Princess Emerald, you know.” She smiled.

“W-What?!” I exclaimed, rather shocked, turning around to face her. My heart dropped in that moment, fearful that my cover had been blown. “H-how did you know that?”

Analyn smiled as if nothing had changed. “You know, the real Princess Emerald would be pulling at my hair and forcing me into a corner by now threatening me to back off Felipe and the rest of the Alpha Four, but you’re different. Plus, you defended me in the hallway that one time! Of course I noticed! And I confirmed with Duke just to make sure!” She explained, quite cheerfully so.

Although I felt as if my cover had been blown, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. It was one less person I had to keep secrets from.

“What’s your real name?” Analyn asked me.

“I-it’s Luisa. Luisa Cardona.” I replied.

Analyn extended her hand to me. “What do you say we become friends from now on?” She asked me.

I took her hand, accepting an unforgettable friendship.

~~~~~

Dinner was held in the grand dining room where the royal orchestra had played rather famous songs as we entered. There was a large dining table in the center with a sparkling white table cloth and a luxurious ambience. There were guests from all over Thailand who would surely be the first to know about what such interesting news would be announced today by the Thai king himself. There were several stressed out waiters bustling around, refilling everyone’s water and some small snacks before the actual announcement and dinner would start.

I was to sit to the left of Prince Chaiya along with Analyn right beside me. I was told by Duke that Prince Chaiya had insisted that I had sat next to him although some members of the family were rather disapproving of the strange request at first. The Alpha Four had also sat down in a line following Analyn.

There was a blanket of noise that covered the atmosphere and most of all, disguised Chaiya’s desire to reject the proposal today. The King smiled at us from the center of the table. He seemed rather pleased with the friends Chaiya had chosen. We hoped that his opinion of us wouldn’t change after Chaiya rejects the classic girl next door.

The blanket of noise was lifted as soon as Chaiya and Kohsoom had entered the room. Her delicate hand was wedged at his elbow, and her eyelashes fluttered like small butterflies as her eyes darted left to right across the room. Before stepping forward, she and Chaiya had bowed to everyone. All eyes had been on the beautiful couple. Chaiya had of course, been dressed in his outfit of royal decree while Kohsoom had worn an ivory chut Thai laced in gold. Her hair was tied back into a simple ponytail with a single lotus flower to compliment her pure countenance. Her name itself, Kohsoom, had meant lotus, a graceful flower that sprung from the mud. For her, beauty and sophistication was present on the inside and outside. In name and in virtue, she was simply the one that was worthy of the title of Princess.

“Prince Chaiya must be smitten with her!” They sang.

“Such a beautiful couple!” They added.

“I hope that this is an announcement of their engagement!!!” They cheered and clapped as the two had entered the room.

Oh, if it were a perfect world, yes, Prince Chaiya would have married her in a heartbeat. But the world wasn’t simple. Prince Chaiya hardly knew this girl after spending so much time away from home. Yes, indeed, she was his childhood friend and he may or may not have harbored a crush on her years ago. Just as a reminder, that was years ago. It was only a couple days that he had spent trying to reconnect with a girl who lived in Thailand and watched it grow for the past sixteen years while Prince Chaiya had to watch the world grow for the past sixteen years as a possible future leader of the nation. The feeling of pressure was present on Chaiya’s face. That much, I could see as he sat down beside me.

Kohsoom turned to the Alpha Four and I, waving and greeting each and every one of us.

“Hello Princess Emerald.” She smiled, tilting her head forward in respect from where she had sat. “Hello Ms. Analyn Santos.” She had greeted Analyn. She had gone down the row, being sure to name each and every Alpha Four member by their full name and titles as well as Prince Akiteru and Yu Jun.

Indeed, she was such a sweet girl who deserved the world. But alas, even Chaiya had to live his life and Kohsoom deserved much better.

“Good evening everyone. First, I would like to thank everyone for arriving here today. Today we will start with an appetizer: crab croquettes, a nice and light dish, worthy of such a festive day.” The King smiled as he made his announcement. He seemed rather pleased with how things were going and how kind and receptive Chaiya had been to Kohsoom, without knowledge that that was simply Chaiya’s friendly and radiating personality.

The room clapped and cheered as the first appetizer was served. The festive mood had already began long ago and Chaiya had no way of breaking everyone’s heart.

I looked to Analyn who seemed just as nervous, flicking the croquette along the sides of her plate as she turned to Yu Jun who sat next to her, just as nervous.

Chaiya looked at me, scared and fearful with no shoulder to lean on. “What should I do?” He mumbled to me.

“TELL HIM BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!” Felipe whispered back in a hushed shout as the rest of the Alpha Four had made the same exasperated hand gestures.

While Chaiya had been fumbling around in his mind, the second course was announced and so was the third, when the King had decided to make his announcement.

The King had stood up after dabbing his lips gently with a cloth.

“Now that everyone has had half their filling for tonight, I hope that you all are up to the wonderful news that I have in store.” The King smiled brightly. “As you all know, my grandson Prince Maha Chaiya will soon be of marriageable age….” He began. “And as I had hoped, it seems as if Prince Maha Chaiya will be accepting the proposal from the family of Kohsoom—“

In this moment, Chaiya had stood up, his chair falling back in a thud.

All eyes had turned to the young Prince, who seemed rather out of place as he stood at the same height as his grandfather. “I-I’m afraid I have to refuse the proposal actually…..”

The whole room had been engulfed in a large gasp.

Duke pushed his glasses on his face in a calm manner while Eric’s face had appeared panicked. Analyn began to chew nervously on her fingernails as Akiteru and Yu Jun became shaken and perplexed.

Kohsoom, herself, had seemed shocked.

“Please, before you say anything. It’s just that…..” Chaiya looked towards me as my heart began to beat right out of my chest. “I….I just can’t marry right now. I-I’m just not ready for that.” He seemed solemn with his words before turning back to Kohsoom, whose tears had already began to stream from her beautiful eyes. “Kohsoom….you are a wonderful girl. You are beautiful, talented, and any man who has you by his side would be the luckiest person in the world. You have a benevolent personality and perhaps someday you would make an excellent queen….but I’m sorry…..I just can’t marry you. You will find a man who would be able to love you a lot more than I ever will be able to.” Chaiya concluded.

Kohsoom, herself, stood up from her chair, covering her tearful face as if it would hide the humiliating experience that Chaiya had just put her through. She ran out the room amongst a confused chattering around the room as to what had just happened.

“Kohsoom wait!” Chaiya reached his hand out for her before running towards her, chasing her out the room as well. His grandfather had glanced at me, questioningly as well as if I would somehow be able to magically solve the crisis that had just befallen his dinner.

Not knowing what else to do, I had followed him, out into a corner of a neatly cut garden maze where Kohsoom could no longer run. Chaiya was slow as he approached her as if being too close would shatter whatever she had left of her broken heart. “Kohsoom…I….” Chaiya held a hand out to her shoulder but she had pushed it away, picking her head up from her hands.

“I’m sorry I made a scene….” Kohsooom apologized.

“ What?! You didn’t make a scene at all!” Chaiya exclaimed.

Kohsoom smiled a bit although she had known that it was because of what just happened that everyone is now quite confused. “Do you have someone else you like?”

“H-Huh?!” Chaiya’s face immediately grew red as he became quite nervous.

“You can tell me.” Kohsoom said. “I accept that you do not love me. It is not surprise to me since we haven’t seen each other in so long.” Although it was the truth, she seemed sad when she had said it.

“Kohsoom…I….”

Kohsoom turned around again to wipe the last of her tears before facing him one last time. “I wish you the best of happiness, no matter what you choose.” She cracked a smile. “You will always be a kind childhood friend to me and a wonderful prince. I hope that maybe one day, you’ll make an even greater king.” She bowed to him one last time. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to wash my face.” She ran past me without noticing that I was there.

“Luisa?!” Chaiya exclaimed as he saw me hiding behind a bush.

“Chaiya-“ Before I had known it, a taller shadow had passed me by. It had belonged to the King who had been standing behind me for God knows how long.

He turned around to look at me for a minute before he had turned back to his grandson. “I need to speak with you.” He said, sternly but not coldly.

“Grandfather I’m sorry-“

The King held up his gloved hand. “No Chaiya, I’m sorry I put you in that position without considering your feelings. You will be able to marry whomever you wish and follow your heart WITH REASON.” He had emphasized. “But as Thailand’s most beloved prince, I know that no matter whom you choose to marry, we shall accept.” The King concluded.

“Grandfather…thank you….” A tear pricked Chaiya’s eye as he reached up to his face to wipe it away.

“Do not cry, Prince Chaiya.” His grandfather ruffled his grandson’s head. “We should go back and finish dinner now. I have already made a different announcement that will distract our guests for now.” His grandfather reassured.

I smiled as I had followed them back into the palace, taking my seat.

Chaiya had shot me a thumbs up. Something about him had suddenly changed in that moment. He was a lot brighter than he had been before. He seemed a lot more confident as if he was beginning to become more independent of what people had thought of him. I couldn’t help but be proud as I watched the prince grow into a stronger person before me.

~To be continued~