A Royal Engagement

Old Playmates

(DAYU)

Lao took me to a six star hotel. We go up to the Presidential Suite using a private elevator. We entered a lavishly decorated room. And Lao lead me to a table with two settings on it.

"Please have dinner with the Crown Prince," Lao requested while standing beside me as I look down at the elegantly styled table.

I laugh humorlessly, "You are a brave man, Lao. You are asking me to dine with the Prince using real sharp steak knife."

Lao winced, "You will not stab the Prince using it, right? That would be just messy Dayu..."

I stared at him. He bit his lip to look pleadingly at me. I nodded, "Fine! But can I at least throw a glassfull of water on his face?"

"No," Lao shook his head.

"Throw a piece of carrot on him? Some peas?"

"We will serve you food and not missiles Dayu,"

"Missiles will be nice," I smiled at Lai cheekily.

"I see you are still the same," a new voice entered our conversation.

Lao turned as the Crown Prince entered the room but I refuse to turn my head. I busied myself looking at the crystal cut goblets, wondering how much they cost.

I look up when Lao took a step back and someone replaced him to stand beside me.

My eyes look up, and up, and up. Fuck! When did Crown Prince Wang Qing grew up to be taller than me?

I am not small, I am 5'11, just one inch shy of being a six footer but the prince must be at least 6'3 in height.

I hate him already. How dare he be taller than me?!

When we were young, Lao is the tallest among the three of us. The prince and I are about the same height. Now, Lao is still taller than me but Qing towered above us both.

Fitting for a prince who likes looking down at people. Now he can do it literally and figuratively. How nice for him...I blandly thought.

To top that, he looks like a model in his designer dinner jacket, long sleeve shirt and fitted trousers and loafers. I feel shabby beside him in my tshirt, jeans and sneakers.

I think he is doing it intentionally. Or I am just thinking ugly. Whatever!

"Dayu," the prince smiled at me. I lazily nod at him. At the corner of my eyes I saw Lao wincing and closing his eyes like he is someone who stood on a train track waiting for the coming train to bulldoze him.

I guess his life is depressing too. But that is not hard to imagine
If you are serving someone as self centered as Crown Prince Wang Qing.

Qing ge, as we like to call him before, continued to smile at me, "I hope you will join me for dinner,"

Instead of answering him, I look at Lao, "Do you wanna have dinner? Looks like Qing ge is hungry,"

Lao moaned like he is in pained. "Dayu, can we please..."

He stopped when Qing held up a hand to stop him. Wow! I wonder if Qing asked Lao to jump, how high will he jump.

I mean, I am being unfair to my childhood playmate but Qing trained Lao well. Really well...

"Let Dayu say whatever he wanted to say or do whatever he wanted to do. Lao, we knew he will be difficult the first time we thought of contacting him."