The hands of the crowd swayed in the air, in rhythm to the slow-paced music blasted by the three female idols who took the centre of the large 'T' stage. The husky voice—clear and resounding in the higher octaves—sent shivers down their spine when Hien crooned the higher notes effortlessly, while her companions cheered and wowed from the side. A triumphant smile tugged at the corners of her cherry-shaped lips when Hien sank into a deep bow, a hand on her chest to protect her modesty. Her eyes were curved with pleasure, pure excitement thrumming in her blood.
Adrenaline pumped through Hien's petite body as her heart pulsed with the beating of the bass drum. This never got old. At this moment, the energies of the crowd were hers, and every note of her heartfelt tunes belonged to them. She could feel their intense love and relentless support for them. Once again, her heart burst into seams with pure gratefulness for this surreal and out-of-the-world experience.
"Thank you very much, Nassau!"
The three women on the stage bowed deeply, thanking the enthusiastic and wild crowd for their time and love. The movable component on the stage was lowered so that Asteriod made up of three female vocalists, Susie, Hien and Ellen could enter the waiting room. Drunk on adrenaline, Hien put her toned arms around the trimmed waist of Susie, smiling so wide that her cheeks hurt. Susie tried her best to calm down this bundle of energy by wrapping her arm around her shoulders. Noticing that her brown hair was a little messy, she carded her finger through the shoulder-length hair, straightening it.
"That was awesome, at least you didn't forget to sing you line," teased Ellen playfully, wiping the sweat beaded on her brow absently. "Hienie, you better keep that up. It is nice to see that you're paying attention."
Hien, unable to find a suitable counter simply blew a raspberry at her, earning boisterous chuckles from the older Ellen.
"Very mature, all of you," remarked Susie, fanning herself with a hand. "Children."
The blast of cool air from the air-conditioner was welcomed in such humid weather of the island country, Nassau. Susie withdrew a piece of tissue from the pockets of her lime-green party dress and wiped her exposed skin carefully, trying to remove that annoying sticky feeling on her skin.
Hien's brows narrowed in faux-annoyance, her doe-eyes, gleaming with mischief. "Ellie, you have no leg to stand on. I'm sure that you were out of tune for at least a set," quipped the younger sister smugly. "Sussy, tell our great Ellen off now." She lay her head against Susie's shoulder affectionately. Susie, too used to the causal affection of Hien, simply held her hand, returning her affections. Immediately, Hien's heart swelled with pure happiness at the automatic response of Susie to her affections. Gone were the days in which Susie would flinch at the barest of contacts even in private.
The fragrance from bouquets of flowers that lined the waiting room filled the enclosed room. Their fans had sent them flowers, along with handmade cards to congratulate them for this leg of the tour.
Ellen rolled her eyes openly, barely hiding her amusement. There was no real heat in their banter after spending almost an eon with one another. Moving as if they were one body, the three vocalists thanked the staff and the production crew, applauding loudly for a show that was done well.
"Drinks tonight!" The director, high on camaraderie yelled.
Ellen raised a brow. "Wow, such generosity," teased the singer, her brown eyes shining with excitement. The director had never treated the crew to any meal even after concluding ten very successful, sold-out shows in three different countries. Immediately, Susie pinched her plump cheeks for her cheekiness, silencing her with a stern look.
Ellen was impenitent. It wasn't her fault that the director was such a miser. She patted her cheeks, easing the pain. She did not forget to make a face at Susie for spoiling her fun.
It seemed like their director was in a very good mood. He simply smiled, unaffected by Ellen's bluntness. He pressed his black, square-rimmed spectacles up his sharp nose. "The show was wonderful. Good job, ladies. I'm not the one picking up the tab." His smile widened. "A very generous VIP has invited us for drinks!"
The three idols traded looks among one another, feeling uncomfortable with this sudden invite.
"Oh, don't worry," reassured the director. "Our VIP greatly admires your craft. He did mention that he wanted to make up for the lousy experience you had the last time you were here." He gave an absent shrug.
"Huh." Susie was unimpressed. "It seems like we might need to change out of our costumes to meet this generous VIP?" Her sweet and silky tone sent shivers down the spine of the two other idols, knowing that their de facto leader was very upset with this arrangement. It sounded like the director had sold them for a couple of drinks and a private venue.
The director sensed danger at once. He shook his head empathetically. "No, no, no. It's not that sort of meet up, Susie," chided the director, scowling, trying to maintain control of the spiralling situation. "Am I really that terrible? We would never put you in that awkward position."
"Of course, since we're the cash cows for Sony," whispered Ellen into the elfish ear of Hien when the latter hooked her arm around her waist. She coughed, hiding her laughter. Naturally, she agreed with her bandmate. They had been in showbiz for nearly an eon and were considered the top girl band, outlasting many promising bands during the surge in the entertainment industry.
"Uh… Well, this person is quite respectable," added the director, scratching his nose absently. "It is good to accept his invitation. I don't think he will mean any harm since he is quite young." He shrugged again.
"He is quite young?" echoed Hien finally, getting impatient. "Has he even reached his majority?" She quirked a brow. This request was getting more ridiculous with every passing second. How could anyone that young afford to treat the band along with the background staff to drinks?
Director bounced on his feet. "Technically, he's a prince and he did hit his majority last month." He sighed dramatically. "Less than half of my age and he can be so generous. Some individuals have all the luck in the world."
Ellen's jaw dropped.
Seriously?
She looked at her other band mates speculatively and noticed the identical expression of disbelief. They did not need words to share their opinions, coming to a decision almost immediately.
"A young prince."
No, repeating the identity of their generous VIP did not make this request less ludicrous.
"A young prince?" Susie repeated to herself, her brows furrowed. She walked to the coffee table to pick up the local newspaper. She pointed to the attractive young man in the photograph of the front page.
The short, dark hair of that young man was lacquered, the sides of his head cropped neatly. He wore that that distinguished look well, emitting an air of elegance. His low, even and slopped brows were furrowed, running an unbroken line down his aristocratic, Germanic nose. It reminded her of American movies of the fifties—that rugged masculine look. His chiselled and high cheekbones were prominent and fascinating, definitely a face that God made on his finest day. His lips, slightly fuller on the bottom, were thin and alluring. His jaws were sharply angular, ending with an intriguing cleft on his pointed chin—the only imperfection on his face which made him even more desirable. There was a careless air of enigma that surrounded him, inviting individuals to draw close to him and unravel every facet of him. He was definitely dangerous, probably many moths had died to his flicking flame. This young man had the most attractive brooding eyes of bright blue, framed by lush and curly eyelashes.
In that picture, he was dressed in a bespoke suit of charcoal-black, almost as black as his hair, a contrast to his fair and flawless skin. The jacket highlighted his broad shoulders and trimmed waist—a well-proportionate body perfectly sculpted, powerful. It was unlike some men whom she had met whose clothes seemed on the verge of bursting, unable to contain the sheer power of their muscles. She had always found that uncouth. This young man walked the suit and the suit seemed to bring out his fine qualities. Her eyes drifted to admire his long and toned legs. If he wanted to, he had the natural disposition to be an excellent runaway model.Clinically, this young man was an enticing feast for the eyes.
"Is this the prince?" Susie tapped on the picture. Hien and Ellen crowded around the newspaper to take a better look at the young and generous VIP.
"Yea, that's him. That's the young punk," agreed the director bitterly. "Gods, how can anyone be even more arrogant in person." It was clear that the prince did not leave a favourable impression on the director.
Hien glanced at Ellen, waiting for her assessment. She trusted Ellen's instinctive ability to read a person. She glanced at the photograph again and wondered if he had suffered from a similar malaise which was to be born with a resting bitch face. Having that expression had used to cause her a lot of trouble at the start of her career since everyone thought that she was unapproachable and haughty. She wrapped her arms around Susie's small waist again, avoiding the faint pink ruffles at her hips. With the heels that she was wearing, she could rest her chin comfortably on her bare and fair shoulders. Closing her eyes, she inhaled that familiar sweet scent of her wife—a tinge of vanilla and blossom.
"He doesn't look young," commented Susie contemplatively, rubbing her chin. Her gleaming eyes skimmed through the report quickly since she had a good command of the language. "Oh, he just returned from Chad, after participating in the battle of N'Djamena. The prince had negotiated for both sides to deescalate tensions." She sounded impressed since he was a mite younger than them.
"Where?" asked Ellen, her brows skyrocketed. She pursued her full lips, nudging Susie away from the papers so that she could have a better look at the report.
"Chad, South Africa," explained Susie, as if it was enough, avoiding her fraying hands nimbly. She glared at her with narrowed eyes, but it did not seem to persuade her not to make another attempt to grab the papers from her. Sighing, the sweet singer showed her a photograph of a map where Chad was located, rolling her eyes openly. It was under a photograph of that same prince in a military uniform, speaking to other men in military uniform. He looked young, clean and polished compared to the other older men in the meeting room as if he were just out of a shower. There was a blue armband on his right arm with the UN sign. She knew that her wife had little knowledge of the world, despite her ease in mastering languages.
The short-haired singer, Ellen, shrugged absently, not quite comprehending the reason they would send a high-ranking member of the royal family into the country. "That's really far. Is that country so important for a prince to be involved?"
"Its natural resources are important," elaborated Susie impatiently, rolling her eyes again. She leaned into the embrace of Hien before beginning her lecture. "It has natural gas, oil, diamonds and coal. Will you read the newspaper sometimes?" She pressed the newspaper into the hands of Ellen.
"Susie, you're really smart," applauded Ellen, thrilled. A cheeky smile stretched across her face. "You know that there is no need for me to be so well-informed when I have you." She nudged her shoulder playfully, trying to win a smile from her.
Susie rolled her eyes again but she was secretly pleased with her praise. Neither of them notice the flicker of interest in Hien's eyes as she stared at the brooding young man in the centre of the photograph. She could feel the slight pull of attraction to that man, tugging her heartstrings. However, it was a pity that was more apparent. "So young," whispered Hien, staring at the young man in the picture. According to the newspaper, he was nine years younger than her and a good ten years younger than Susie and Ellen. The prince had such an old soul since his gaze was world-weary and cold. "Why send such a young person into a conflicted zone?" She did not quite agree with the director's opinion that he was another spoilt brat.
She would believe that a spoilt brat would have remained in his palace and enjoy the comforts his title brought to him.
Susie finally turned to look at her bandmate pensively, measuring Hien in a lingering glance. "You could ask him later since we are meeting him. It'll be a good conversation starter." She nudged Hien conspiratorially on her chest, turning to wink at her salaciously.
"Uh-ah, too young," chided Hien in a straight face. She released Susie at once, sensing that they would be pursuing this line of questioning. Hien shook her head vigorously and waggled a finger at them as a warning not to continue with that line of thought.
"Too frivolous," added the director finally. Stunned expressions greeted him—did they all forget about him? He clasped his hands and cleared his voice. "He obviously goes around. I think he is seeing this beautiful and famous actress. I can't remember her name though."
"Oh. Good for him." Hien gave an absent shrug. "He is obviously attractive enough." Her bob hair shook with the action. She glared at her band mates lethally. "I know that you're happy with your partners but don't try to matchmake me. Shouldn't we get changed? We need to meet this VIP soon."
Susie nodded, hastily stowing the newspaper away.
"Oh. Someone is raring to meet him," teased Ellen, waggling her brows at her. This was an interesting development since their youngest member rarely showed any interest in a member of the opposite gender openly.
"What a waste, he is seeing someone," whined Susie. After working with her for almost an eon, they realised that the only person who could really maintain her attention was a junior from their company, Moses.
"Seriously? We should get going. I don't think it is polite to keep a prince waiting."
The two older members shared a glance before they followed Hien to the changing room to change out of their costumes.
It was more than an hour later when the female idols turned up a quiet and polished pub tucked in the middle of the Central Business District. Pubs had sprouted like mushrooms along the street, adding to the vibrancy of the prim-and-proper city. No one in the crowd turned to look at them despite their numbers.
The director pointed to a wide, curved mahogany door, catching their attention. Big burly men in suits were at the door, eyeing them pensively.
"At the invitation of His…" began the director, gesturing to them airily.
A Maître, in a crisp evening tailcoat, stepped out, welcoming them. "Welcome. His Royal Highness is waiting for you." He inclined his head at the bouncers curtly, gesturing to the door. Immediately, they moved into action, checking their belongings before permitting them entry. It took them a while to clear all of them into the pub.
"Wow, he takes security seriously—"
"Oh no, we apologise for the long wait, but this is standard for our guests," explained the Maître gravelly, maintaining a cordial and charming smile. "We checked the belongings of all guests that enter the pub. Your safety and privacy are our priority," promised the staff, smiling.
They nodded, impressed with the impeccable service.
Hien squeezed the arm of Susie tenderly, trying to hide her nerves. Their feet sank into soft red carpet as took in the rich, glided mahogany interiors. It felt as if they were in a cigar and whiskey bar, instead of a conventional pub. Soft music played in the background, adding to the sophistication of the venue. Priceless art hung along the dark walls when they were brought into the venue. Somehow, they felt underdressed in their loose summer dresses.
"Generous," wowed Ellen, her eyes wide, trying to take in all the sights and sounds. She spun around; her arms stretched out. "This is real swanky!"
Hien grabbed her arm, pulling her close to her as she shot her a warning look. Usually, she did not mind the latter's antics, but she was not too sure if the prince would mind them being so exuberant.
The director unbuttoned a button from his jacket nervously, looking around the quiet and elegant pub. His eyes immediately fell on a young man sitting on a wingback leather armchair, sipping from his crystal cup of whiskey absently. A gold signet ring on his little finger gleamed, catching the spotlight. His hair was carefully parted at the side, lacquered, so that it shone under the dim light. He had grown a five'o clock shadow, adding to his rakish appeal. His cerulean eyes scanned the pub and fell on them when they entered the pub.
A hush fell upon them as they encountered the host.
Gracefully, the lovely young man set his glass of golden-brown whiskey on the polished wooden table next to him with careless elegance that kept them fixated. He rose to his feet nimbly, the corners of his lips curled in a faint smirk.
The prince smoothened his dark jacket by running his hands down the front of his jacket carelessly—a kind of absent gesture worthy of being featured on Vogue magazine—as he righted himself.
Hien gasped at the sight of the prince in flesh, realising that the photograph did not do merit to him since he was so attractive that she could hardly take her eyes off him. She also felt like a midget before him because he was built like a truck—all muscles—powerful and intimidating. If his physical statue was not intimidating, then the men that surrounded him added to that menacing atmosphere.
Carelessly, the prince unfastened the button that held his bespoke jacket together, revealing the dark navy-blue dress shirt and electric-blue silk slim tie held by an intricate tie bar. There was an agile and menacing grace to him that reminded her of the way a panther stalked a prey. His piercing eyes gleamed, vacillating among them, assessing and contemplating. His eyes paused at each one of them carefully, scrutinising them.
She shifted under the weight of his intense stare, feeling like a specimen pinned by his penetrating gaze.
"Good evening," greeted the prince finally, his voice carrying a faint British lilt, gesturing around the pub airily with a hand. He sounded young but she could tell that he was a man used to being in command. His long eyelashes fluttered delightfully against his fair and flawless skin, adding to his intoxicating allure, causing her heart to race nosily. "Thank you for taking the time to be here tonight." He inclined his head politely.
The director stepped forward hesitantly, overwhelmed by his commanding presence. This younger man towered over the director intimidatingly, an older man of average height. He shifted between the balls of his feet, gesturing to him. "Uh…His Royal Highness, Prince Emmanuel Sam."
The prince inclined his head politely, his back ramrod-straight. He dropped his hands to his sides, looking at them inquisitively.
"Susie, Hien and Ellen, the Asteroid ," introduced the director, barely hiding the quivering of his voice, waving at them uselessly. He reached for his starched collar and adjusted it with a hand.
Dimples deepened at the simple introduction—a silver of softness in this stoic and powerful man. His eyes gleamed with recognition when they fell on each woman. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms Susie." He extended his hand towards Susie first, dipping his head forward slightly. Hesitantly, she placed her hand on his extended hand. He bowed, his smooth lips skimming across the back of her knuckles graciously.
Blood rushed to her cheeks at his gallant gesture. "It's my pleasure, Your Highness." She was glad that it was too dark to see that she was blushing. Her cheeks felt warm to her touch and she wanted to swoon.
"Your performance was excellent," praised the impassive prince smoothly, meeting her gaze. "I enjoyed it very much."
She inclined her head politely, brushing her long and wavy hair away from her youthful, heart-shaped face. "Thank you for your compliment." She must admit that he was too charming. She believed that the gossips must be true about the young prince.
Hien rolled her eyes openly at his flirtatious ways, unimpressed. If she was slightly attracted to him due to his good looks, that decent impression of him had evaporated when he flirted with her member openly at their first meeting.
A sense of protectiveness swelled within her. Hien grabbed Susie's hand, pulling the latter behind her.
That defensive gesture caught Emmanuel's complete attention. He turned to stare at the youngest singer, his ocean blue eyes resting on her for several heartbeats. His gaze was unfathomable, but it seemed that he was aware of her displeasure due to her stiff and combative stance. His eyes gleamed with amusement, tickled by how protective this singer was of her member since she was glaring at him challengingly, with fire in her eyes.
A tendril of excitement drummed in the prince since he had finally met her in person. Emmanuel cleared his voice, straightening himself curtly, barely hiding his enthusiasm. He had to squash this strange desire to preen in front of his childhood idol. The twinkling in his eyes faded as he maintained a polite smile.
The corners of Emmanuel's lips twitched. Beautiful, even more so when she was upset. That fire in her eyes was simply alluring. Emmanuel extended his hand almost tentatively, the absence of that smoothness with Susie far pronounced. "It's my honour to meet you, Ms Hien." He could not help the slight tremble in his voice.
Silence stretched between Hien and Emmanuel.
The singer eyed his large hand, bemused. He wasn't trying to flirt with them? Blood rushed into her cheeks when she realised that she made a faux pas in public since the prince was merely being courteous. She released Susie's hand, relaxing visibly. She tugged at the hem of her skirt nervously, staring at his extended hand, his fingers slightly curled upwards.
The prince had a large hand suitable for playing musical instruments. His fingers were long and slim, his nails neatly trimmed. She spotted callous on the edge of his palm as if he were used to work—wait, he was a soldier.
Bashfully, Hien placed her small hand into his, seeing the contrast of the size of their hands and the hue of their skin. Her eyes widened when a delightful jolt ran through her: his touch was electrifying. She lifted her head, blinking owlishly at him. What was this feeling? Her brows furrowed, confused.
His charming smile widened, reassuringly, when their eyes finally met for the first time.
Oh.
Her heart faltered.
She could not help being drawn into his profound eyes which were as blue as the sparkling waters of the ocean.
The fear and the anxiety in her eyes washed away as if she instinctively knew that he was someone whom she could trust—an odd feeling because she was an introvert.
Their gaze met and clung and the indistinct magnetism to each other was mirrored in their rivetted gazes.
Sensing that he was looking at her far too intently to be polite, he broke that gaze grudgingly. However, his gaze remained on her person and shifted to her small hand that was still in his.
Such a small hand.
Her nails were painted white to match her dress.
The back of her thin hand was veiny, but her skin was flawless. It lay in his hand trustingly—he hoped it was a good sign. However, he had to admit that he had never found hands more riveting as hers.
He snapped his attention back to her warm brown eyes and felt as if she was drawing him in.
The power of his piercing gaze took her breath away. Suddenly, Hien found it difficult to breathe in his splendid presence. Slowly, he leaned forward, as if he was trying to prolong this private moment between them. She watched with bated breath as he closed his eyes, his long eyelashes fluttering against his smooth and flawless skin. Then, his soft and smooth lips ghosted languorously across her knuckles like a lover's caress—spine-curling and sweet.
Blood rushed to her face again.
His soft lips lingered enticingly on her skin, his warm breath washing over the back of her knuckles intimately. A delicious shiver of pleasure went down her spine.
Her eyes widened when a soft mewl was caught at the back of her throat.
As if he had heard her, the prince straightened himself formally, dropping her hand gently. His eyes gleamed with faint amusement when he lifted his head to meet her bemused gaze.
Her cheeks burned as she covered her mouth with a hand.
Oh, that smirk! He did hear her. She wanted to roll her eyes at him. It was obvious that he was aware of the odd power he held over her.
She patted her bangs absently, embarrassed by the captivating power of his gaze. Her eyes dropped to his tie. Now that she was closer to him, she could see that the tie was filled with swirls of different sizes and shades of blue, held by a gleam white tie bar seated neatly across his chest. It was quite beautiful. There was a single sapphire on that tie clip, completing his polished look.
She had to admit that he was a meticulous dresser, which did well for him.
Next to her, Susie cleared her voice intentionally.
Oh no.
Hien scanned around her, noticing that everyone was holding their breath, waiting for her to break the uncomfortable silence between them. Once again, her cheeks became bloodshot.
"Uh…It's my pleasure, Your Highness." She was attentive of how wild her heart was thumping with that strange and gentle touch.
Emmanuel winced at the formal address. He rubbed the back of his neck, a gesture that was so strangely ordinary that she relaxed instinctively. He withdrew his hand sharply, catching himself. His dimples deepened when he smiled warmly. "El," corrected Emmanuel, his eyes glittering. "Ms Hien." He inclined his head politely.
Hien threw her head backwards, laughing freely. "If you want me to drop your address, El, you'll have to drop mine. It's just Hien," amended the singer, her mocha eyes gleaming with mirth.
His eyes became the shade of sparkling waters of the boundless ocean. The prince inclined his head at her, acknowledging her reasonable request. "That's fair," mused he, rubbing his rough chin with a hand. His signet ring glowed, catching the warm and soft light. She spotted a crest: a crowned pair of lions bearing arms. She noticed that he had trimmed his dark facial hair neatly, a sign of high hygiene standards. That was nice, judged Hien, impressed. She was very attracted to men who took good care of themselves.
Why was she assessing if she was attracted to him?
"Hien," concluded Emmanuel, amused.
She liked the way her name rolled off his tongue in a baritone, husky London pronunciation.
Finally, he stepped away, turning to look at the final member of the trio.
"I'm Ellen." She stuck out her hand wildly, nearly hitting Emmanuel on his chest. "I'm not used to this… Western way of greeting. It's too odd." She wiggled her shoulders as if she were uncomfortable. "It's nice to know you. Uh... Great place you have." She grinned wildly, gesturing around the pub wildly.
Susie resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her member again.
To their surprise, his ultramarine eyes curved with pleasure as he threw his head backwards and guffawed freely. A flash of surprise crossed his men's faces. The director relaxed, joining in the laughter awkwardly when he realised that Emmanuel did not take offence at her abruptness.
Susie and Hien shared another surprised look between themselves. The tense lines on their face relaxed. Well, that did not go too badly.
Emmanuel took Ellen's offered hand easily and pumped it. His sapphire eyes shimmered with mirth. "Well, it's not mine," grinned Emmanuel playfully. "I'll skip the pretence of being a stuffy and pompous prince and ask you to address me as El." His eyes, automatically, wandered to Hien and paused. He looked away when he sensed that her inquisitive gaze was on him.
"Wow. I am not going to wash this hand. Wait till I tell my family: I shook hands with a proper prince!" Ellen grinned from ear to ear.
The prince's gaze became indulgent when he studied the bubbly woman.
The rest of Asteriod simply shook their heads.
That authoritative gravitas returned to the prince, reminding them of his influential station in life. He righted himself, reminding them of well-trained soldiers at attention. "I hope you'll enjoy yourself tonight." He lifted a finger, beckoning his subordinates. "One moment. I prepared a gift to congratulate you for your performance." He nodded at the giant standing next to him, holding three beautifully packed boxes of potted flowers. They had their names scrawled in an elegant hand on them, and the selection of flowers was different.
His subordinate presented them to the members of the band graciously, congratulating them on their performance. That man bowed at the prince, retreating to his side.
The three women were shocked by his thoughtful gesture.
Ellen received a beautiful potted yellow sunflower, admiring it happily. "I guess you admire me for my cheerfulness?"
Emmanuel placed a hand on his forehead and laughed. "Naturally, buoyant fairy. You're one-of-the-kind."
"It's beautiful, El. Thanks." She punched him on the chest affectionately, discovering how firm his muscles were. She stared at her flowers, pleased.
He blinked away the surprise in his eyes at the contact and chose to smile at her. "Is that the same hand I shook? It'll be a problem if you can't wash your hands tonight."
Hien frowned at her bandmate. "I'm not touching you if you do that, Ellie." She stepped away from the older woman. Ellen, eyes gleaming with mischief, reached for her with both hands, trying to touch Hien.
Nimbly, the youngest singer dodged, trying to keep a straight face. However, she gave the cheeky idol a warning look, reminding her of the need to behave in front of a distinguished audience. Muttering under her breath, Ellen stopped annoying her.
Susie took a while to recognise the species of potted flowers. It was a beautiful golden colour. "Daffodils?" She lifted a brow at her, surprised. It was a flower grown during spring, a wildflower found mostly in England.
He inclined his head at her curtly. "You read English." He cleared his voice theatrically and recited parts of the poem slowly in English. "A host of golden daffodils fluttering and dancing in the breeze. And my heart with pleasure fills and dances with the daffodils."
Susie's eyelids fluttered. Her lush eyelashes brushed against her smooth skin. "You're comparing me to the daffodils in Wordsworth's Daffodils?" Blood rushed to her prominent cheeks, touched by his meticulous nature. She had met many suave men and she must admit that this prince had a way with words and gifts.
He dipped his head curtly. "It is always a pleasure to watch your performance. And you embody that freedom and beauty of this flower, despite the rigidness of the entertainment world. Susie, you suit this flower," smiled Emmanuel, stowing a hand into the pocket of his neatly-ironed trousers.
"It is very thoughtful of you, El… Thank you." Her eyes shone with sincerity. If the flowers were not overt gestures of friendship, then she would think that he was courting her.
"Daffodils, isn't it a wildflower?" asked Ellen, raising a brow. She began singing the song about not picking wildflowers, earning another lethal glare from Susie. Back in their hometown, wildflowers referred to extra-marital affairs. Susie did not know if the prince understood the reference.
"El, what is this flower?" Hien lifted the box, revealing a beautiful purple flower nestled with other baby-breaths.
"Iris," explained Emmanuel patiently. Their gaze met and glued, and his gaze intensified, sending shivers down her spine. "Pleasing Princess, I admire you for your valour. Your willingness to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. It is my compliments to you," crooned Emmanuel, sinking into a deep and curt bow.
"Oh?" She stared at the unique flower appreciatively, her eyes gleaming with pleasure. Her heart raced, thrilled by his thoughtfulness. It appealed to the literary side of her. "That's really kind, "decided Hien her lashes fluttering. "You didn't have to when you are treating us to drinks."
The prince shook his head gracefully. "They are of two separate matters." Seeing her lift a brow inquiringly, he continued smoothly. "This is an apology for your previous scare." Emmanuel waved his hand airily.
The members of the Asteroid shared a bemused look with one another.
"I don't get it," confessed Susie finally after the idols handed those lovely bouquets to their assistants.
Emmanuel stowed one hand into the pocket of his dark trousers inattentively, shifting his weight to a side of his hip. "I know that you were isolated for two weeks because you visited my country during an epidemic. This is a formal apology for the unpleasantness you went through," elaborated the prince, apologetic. His thick black brows knitted together.
"Oh!" Ellen waved her hand animatedly. "That was just a scare. It was nothing. We appreciate the sentiment though." She nudged Hien forward, noting her unique interaction with this young prince. They could feel that shiver-worthy tension in the air between them. "Hien had the shorter end of the stick. She was isolated since she took care of me." Ellen put an arm around Hien's shoulder affectionately.
Emmanuel's solemn gaze fell on the quiet Hien who was looking at him through her long and lush eyelashes. "It was fine." She tugged the hem of her dress uneasily, shifting her weight between the balls of her feet.
Was he making her nervous? Emmanuel was surprised when he was trying to be considerate of her feelings. He brushed his aristocratic nose absently, allowing silence to stretch between them.
Once again, the other members of Asteroid sighed when they realised that Hien had concluded the conversation again. The introvert singer had long mastered the art of shutting down conversations. The two older members were growing anxious for Hien and tried desperately to urge the younger member to continue talking to Emmanuel. Emmanuel surprised Asteroid when he signalled a maître to come over to serve them drinks, smoothing over the awkward pause expertly. Hien frowned at the other members, wondering why they were chiding her with their eyes. What had she done again? Susie, sensing the irritation of Hien, slung her arm across her waist and the latter relaxed at once.
None of the girls realised that Emmanuel had picked up on their silent conversation. He took a step back, observing them quietly. He was amazed at how they could have an entire conversation with a few glances.
A tall and attractive man, dressed in a black suit, handed Emmanuel his cup of whiskey quickly. He carried himself with an air of elegance that reminded them of the prince, and they deduced that he was likely to be his subordinate. He was nearly as large as the assistant who handled them their flowers, however, he had a built that was like the young prince—sleek and powerful.
The other servers offered the singers an impressive selection of drinks politely, a recommendation on their tongue. Soon, they were able to narrow their choice of drinks to just one, based on the taste note. In a faintly accented Mandarin, they explained the taste notes of their recommendation.
The waiters returned with a tray of their drinks and handed them to the singers personally.
Emmanuel lifted his glass up chivalrously. "To the success of your tour," toasted the prince, a faint smile on his thin lips. "And the continued success of Asteroid." The singers clinked their flutes to his cup with a "cheers" and sipped from their flutes slowly.
Hien's eyes widened at the sweet taste of the white wine—it was a particularly good batch from that country. She left the light white wine on her tongue, enjoying the sweet and fruity flavours of the beverage. Her medium-length hair bobbed when she nodded absently, a smile on her sweet lips. She tilted her head slightly, her angular jaw prominent.
He stiffened visibly when he saw how much Hien enjoyed her white wine. It was so alluring; her eyes gleamed with pleasure at the taste of wine; there was also a grace in the way she held the stem of the flute, tipping the narrow mouth of flute to her full soft and pink lips; the gentle arch of her neck, flawless and titillating, exposed by her short bob hair. He must admit that the medium-length bob hair suited her, enhancing her large mocha doe-eyes. There was liveliness to her eyes that reminded him of stars on the dark inky canvas. The double-eyelids merely enhanced her sweet innocence. He swallowed visibly, his silent heart racing at her radiant, besotted, and satisfied smile.
Oh. What would he do just to have her look at him that way?
His heart was hammering loudly, distracting him from his venerable worship.
He studied those pink and soft lips again and the soft crinkles framing the edges of her lips. The bottom lip was fuller than the top but her top lip was distinctly pinched. Her genuine smile held a hint of cheekiness, revealing a set of even and white teeth, with her left top incisor more pointed.
Somehow, he wanted to see her smile so carefreely.
Emmanuel liked the way the faint creases at the corners of her lips and the cheeky, pointed top incisor on the right which made her looked so young and untroubled.
His heart thumped wildly.
That blossoming desire was intense and dangerous.
Emmanuel finished his glass in a quick swing, placing it on the polished tray of the server nosily, calming himself down. He ignored the fierce scorching of his throat. Charles's warning flashed in his mind since his family was getting increasingly upset at the poor way, he handed his relationships publicly. He was also dating Nat. His thick brows contracted—several creases appeared between them. He looked like he was trying to drown himself with alcohol from the fast and punishing pace he was drinking. "If you'd excuse me. Please enjoy your evening—"
"El," interrupted Hien, the knuckles of her hand holding the flute gleamed with her tight grip. There was concern in her eyes as if she detected his loss of composure.
Emmanuel adored the sound of his name on her lips. His eyes fell on her grip before he levelled an attentive look at her. All that gloominess was replaced by a want to make her comfortable. He settled for a friendly smile, hoping to reassure her.
She relaxed, seeing that he was receptive to her.
"Don't be too affected by my beauty," smirked Hien.
Silence grew between them before Emmanuel and Hien threw their heads backward and shared a hearty laugh. She averted her gaze to press her hand on her face. "Gods, I can't believe that I say that when you are obviously better-looking than me!"
"Thank you, milady," grinned Emmanuel, preening.
The laughter subsided at once.
"Can I ask you a personal question?" Hien did not dare to meet his earnest and enchanting scrutiny, choosing to stare at her feet. Her white sandals were really beautiful and comfortable. Her heart thumped loudly.
The other members of Asteroid took it as a cue to leave her alone with the prince.
A faint smile stretched across Emmanuel's face as he stowed a hand into his pocket carelessly. He was curious about the reason she looked deathly pale. He resisted the impulse to smile at her, keeping a straight face. "What would you like to ask?" His eyes shone with mirth, the only sign of his amusement. "How do I maintain my good looks?"
She smacked him on his chest for his snarky remark as he laughed brightly.
"I was trying to ask you a serious question," whined Hien, looking helplessly at him.
He lifted his hands in surrender and pretended to zip his lips.
Her jaws grounded. She took a deep breath, lifting her head to look at him curiously. "Why?" She paused as she tried to explain herself. An indescribable look appeared in her eyes. "Why would you be sent to a conflicted zone? Are…Are you not too young?" She looked almost adorable with her brows contracting slightly in confusion.
His thick brows skyrocketed, reeling from her rare question. What? Emmanuel blinked owlishly before his unsettling scrutiny fell on her again—thoughtful and lengthy. The beautiful singer shifted nervously under his intense inspection, watching his emotions flicker in his eyes. Initially, Hien rubbed the back of her back, uneasy with his silence. Soon she stilled, knowing that he needed time to composure a proper answer.
The young prince brushed his hand absently through his short hair. He frowned briefly when he felt the stickiness of the hair wax. Absently, he cleaned his hand with his handkerchief as he regained his composure. Never had he encountered a stranger who would ask him such a pointed question. Her honesty was charmingly disarming and somehow, he wanted to satisfy her craving for an answer. He inhaled again. The lines on his face softened visibly, breaking that stoic mask. "For the same reason you're in the entertainment industry, I love what I do," replied the prince finally, wearing a lop-sided smile. "Oh, I don't like war," added Emmanuel as an afterthought, scratching the side of his head, tilting his head. "I believe that I can play a part in ensuring peace."
He took another glass of whiskey from the polished tray of the server absently. He brought it to his lips, blowing its intoxicating fumes away. Elegantly, he lifted the glass to his thin lips for a taste.
"Sir," interrupted the man in a suit, stepping next to him. Standing next to the prince, he could be mistaken as his twin because of their similar and powerful build. Like him, he was a Caucasian. His grass-green eyes flashed a hint of warning when he glanced at the prince meaningfully. She recognised him as the man who handed him his second glass of whiskey.
The rest of Asteroid returned, seeing that their private conversation was interrupted by his subordinate.
The prince nodded imperceptibly, noting that he should be leaving. He lowered the glass from his thinned lips. "I'm sorry I have to cut this pleasant meeting short, but I am needed elsewhere. I wanted to meet you before departing for Chad because it's only courteous to share how much I enjoyed your performance just now." His gaze shifted to the rest of the singers politely, noting their fallen faces. "It's my pleasure meeting you tonight. Please feel free to enjoy yourself." His gaze lingered on Hien, hopeful.
He finished the cup of whiskey in another gulp, drowning the strange sense of desire to prolong a conversation with that enigmatic singer. Their brief meeting had quipped his interest. Should he ask for a way to contact her? He resisted the urge of bouncing his legs, a tick that his butler had to train it away when he was young. He inclined his head at the director curtly, stepping away to head to the door.
That strangely formal way of bidding farewell birthed a seed of anxiety in her. Automatically, Hien took a step towards him, a desire to prolong their conversation. Her heel caught on the dress of Susie's, causing her balance to shift hazardously—Oh no! Panic shot through her. Her body was poised, bracing for the fall and the inevitable pain.