What is love?

“Is she alright now?” asked Khun while they were having a dinner.

“Yeah, she just needs some rest. I think she’s been too busy this past few months” answered Victoria while busy cutting her steak.

“You really love her, don’t you?” he asked.

“Of course!” she smiled.

“Aigo… I think everyone loves someone, huh?” exclaimed Khun.

“What is love for Nichkhun?” Victoria curiously asked.

The man thought for a while and answered, “Love is when you do something for a person without being asked. Or you’re giving without asking for something in return. When you’re starting to look stupid but you don’t give a damn as long as you’re following your heart.”

Whoa! Who would ever think that the Thai prince Nichkhun defined love as such?

===

“Are you ready to go back to Korea?” asked Khun while they were strolling around the hospital’s garden.

“Yeah, as long as my aunt is okay” replied Victoria.

Victoria’s aunt was scheduled to go home the next day but due to their busy schedules, Victoria and Khun were scheduled to go back to Korea within two hours that evening. Although Victoria couldn’t leave her aunt, she couldn’t also miss her schedules.

“Do you know what a real man is?” asked Khun out of the blue.

“Hmmm???” Victoria eyed him.

“No man is worth a woman’s tear. The only man who is worthy is a man who knows he could make her cry but never tries” quoted Khun.

“Wow! Such a deep thought!” exclaimed Victoria.

“By the way, what to do? I think I won” smiled Khun.

Although she hated to admit it, “Fine, you won” Victoria admitted.

“You will be my slave from now on…You will do everything that I ask” Khun grinned.

“Shut up!” even though she owed him a lot, she hated the fact that she had to obey his commands.                                    

===

“Get ready; we’re going to a party tonight. I want you to be my date” was the only thing Khun said when he called her and hurriedly hung up.

“What was that!” shouted Victoria in a frustrated tone and threw her phone across the dance floor. Thank God it wasn’t broken.

“Unnie, what is it?” asked Krystal curiously.

“Get ready; we’re going to a party tonight. I want you to be my date” repeated Victoria copying Khun’s commanding voice.

“Let me guess…you have no choice but to attend” said Luna

“Because you were his slave” finished Amber.

Victoria stormed towards the door shouting, “I hate this!”

===

“Stop staring at me” whispered Victoria glaring.

“I’m just appreciating your beauty” answered Khun not averting his gaze on her.

“Well, your date won’t appreciate it” Victoria frowned.

At that moment, they were both dancing on the dance floor. It was a big mistake when she accepted his offer to dance. She couldn’t explain why but her heart was going crazy the whole time. And Khun’s gazes weren’t helping at all.

His hands on her waist were so warm. She needed to strengthen her defenses no matter what. She can endure just one dance. Just one and everything will be over.

“Victoria, you’re so stiff” he whispered to her as he moved his face closer. “Relax, you’re acting as if you’re going to be sentenced to death” he finished breathing on her ear.

But that was what she was feeling at the moment. She felt as if she placed herself in a lethal injection chamber. Dancing with him was a very bad idea from the beginning.

“What do you want me to do then?” she whispered back almost losing her defenses.

He pulled her closer towards him.

“Take a deep breath and enjoy the dance” he instructed.

And she did as he said. She slowly took a deep breath and she felt her body closer to his. She felt her knees weaken. It was her biggest mistake, to listen to his command. With one breath, she lost her defenses.

“Look at me” asked Khun as he turned her head to face him.

“I’m dancing with you. Do I have to look at you?” she complained.

“Of course so I can see your eyes” he explained.

It was supposed to be a command but I seemed like a plea. Victoria had no choice but to comply. She was enthralled by his voice. She was like hypnotized the moment she looked back at him. As if she was ready to obey all his commands.

She was the puppet and his was the puppet master. She was under his spell and didn’t know how to break it. She didn’t want to. All she could do was look into his eyes.

“Let’s go somewhere else” he said and pulled her outside.

===

The evening breeze feels as refreshing as it brushed into her warm skin. They were under a wooden bridge lighted with Japanese lanterns. But all of this was nothing to her since her heels were killing her. She was used to wearing them but she doesn’t know why they’re killing her feet right now.

“What else do you want from me?” asked.

He slowly brings his face closer to her and asked, “Victoria, can I kiss you?”

That same question again that he asked. Why does he keep on saying that? Can’t he just ask for something else easier? Something that won’t make her feel not herself.

“How dare you ask a kiss from me? I’m going to slap you, kick you, and punch you! You have to force me first!” protested her mind.

But she seemed to be protesting from her mind. “Yes” she whispered instead.

Before she could think and take back her word, his lips immediately claimed hers. She felt as if her soul was leaving her. The kiss was heavenly. She never imagined that she was the girl who never lets someone kiss her.

“I can’t get enough of you” Khun whispered as he set her lips free.

That was when she regained herself. Her body was pressed against his as if they were making love. She allowed him to kiss her but he was her sworn enemy. And she forgot that.

“No!” she shouted pushing him away.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Stay away from me! You kissed me!” she yelled running away.

“But I asked if I could kiss you and you said ‘yes’” he said.

“And that was the biggest wrong answer I ever gave!” she shouted back and threw her bag towards him.

She didn’t mean to really hurt him but she did. Her bag went straight to his face. He shouted in pain while holding his nose, his bleeding nose. She knew he deserves it but she must be really kind that she couldn’t turn her back against him.

“W-wait here” she said in panic as she hurriedly walked away.

“Running away? We’re not finished yet!” he shouted angrily.

Frowning she stopped and turned to him. “Shut up! I will call for help!” she shouted back.

After a while, help came and medical experts treated Khun’s bleeding nose. Making sure that he’s okay, she left without saying goodbye to him. She was too upset to do so.

“I must be cheap. So cheap that I let him kiss me” she thought as she walked away.

________________________________________________________

________________________________

“Unnie, you know you have to come out, right?” asked Krystal as she knocked on Victoria’s door.

“I’m okay. Leave me alone” she shouted.

She had been like that for almost a week. She had been locking herself in her room. She couldn’t dare to go out and face everyone especially Khun after that incident. Although only her and Khun’s friends knew about what happened. She still hates herself for doing that. Yes, she was guilty.

“You need to go out” said Amber and she heard the footsteps of her friends leaving her door.

After sometime, Victoria finally convinced herself to go out.