Raphael called one of his bodyguards over and quietly instructed him. The guard bowed before walking toward Frank.
The bodyguard approached the table and stopped a short distance away. He waited until Frank looked up from his meal before speaking.
"Excuse me, sir."
Frank slowly looked at him.
The bodyguard bowed slightly. "His Royal Highness would like to invite you to join him at his table."
Frank paused for a moment before asking, "The prince?"
"Yes, sir."
Frank looked down at his plate and continued eating, not bothering to look up again.
"Tell the prince I quite enjoy my own company," he replied calmly. "If he has something to say to me, he can bring his plate and join me here instead. I’m not trying to be rude, but I have no interest in joining his table."
The bodyguard gave a stiff, formal bow. "Understood, sir," he said before turning and walking back across the dining room to where Raphael and Henry were sitting.
Raphael listened as the guard repeated Frank’s exact words. A low chuckle escaped him, genuine amusement in his eyes.
"I like that," he murmured. "I really like that."
Henry raised an eyebrow and took a sip of his water. "Sounds like he’ll be hard to get."
Raphael’s smile grew as his eyes remained fixed on Frank sitting alone across the room. "Oh, I love it when they play hard to get."
Henry shook his head with an amused grin. "Well, Your Highness, if you like him that much, I think you should go over to his table yourself."
Raphael chuckled. "You’re right. I think I should go myself."
He stood up from the booth, straightened his jacket, and walked across the restaurant toward Frank’s table.
When he reached Frank, the prince gave him a polite smile. "Pardon me. May I sit with you?"
Frank paused and looked up at him. Seeing the genuine politeness in Raphael’s manner, a faint smile appeared on his lips. He nodded towards the empty chair opposite him.
"Sure."
Raphael’s bodyguard stepped forward to pull out the chair, but Raphael raised a hand.
"It’s fine. I can do it myself."
He pulled out the chair and sat down across from Frank.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Raphael looked at Frank, while Frank quietly studied him through his glasses.
Raphael smiled faintly before finally speaking.
"About earlier... I’m sorry for sending my guard instead of coming over myself."
Frank gave a light wave of his hand. "It’s fine. I should have come over when you sent your guard for me, but I was in the middle of my meal and couldn’t just leave it. I’m sorry too."
"It’s completely fine," Raphael assured him. He extended his hand politely. "I’m Prince Raphael Varemont. And you are?"
"Frank," he replied, giving a brief nod as they shook hands.
Raphael rested his arms on the table and looked at him for a moment. "I’m sorry, but I couldn’t look away when I saw you from across the room. You look so handsome in such a strikingly beautiful way that you immediately caught my attention. There’s just something about you that I couldn’t ignore. Maybe it’s your hair, your glasses, the way you’re dressed, or simply the way you carry yourself. Everything about you caught my eye. I just felt like I had to come over and say hello. You really, really look good."
Frank blinked behind his glasses, slightly caught off guard. "What do you mean by handsome in such a strikingly beautiful way?"
Raphael chuckled softly. "I mean you look incredibly good. There’s something beautiful and attractive about you that I can’t quite explain."
"Thank you," Frank said, a faint smile touching his lips.
"You don’t have to thank me. I’m just telling you the truth," Raphael replied. Then his expression grew curious. "Are you from around here? You don’t look like someone who lives in Northway City."
"No, I don’t," Frank answered. "I came here for business, but I’ll only be staying for three days. I arrived yesterday and started working today. I have two more days before I head back to Central City."
"Well, that’s interesting," Raphael said. "I came to this part of Northway a few days ago with my older brother for something important, but he has already left. I decided to stay a little longer, and today I came here with my friend to have lunch."
Raphael glanced toward where Henry was sitting before looking back at Frank. "I’ll be heading back to the palace tomorrow morning, so I wanted to spend some time with him before I leave."
"Okay," Frank said.
Raphael smiled. "But honestly, I’d like to get to know you better. I’d like us to be close. Would that be okay?"
Frank raised an eyebrow. "Getting to know me better? I don’t understand."
"I want to be your friend," Raphael clarified, his tone sincere. "I genuinely want to be close to you and get to know you."
"I still don’t understand," Frank muttered, crossing his arms.
Raphael smiled softly, deciding to be direct. "Okay, fine. Let me ask you this way. Are you in a relationship? Are you married, dating, or seeing anyone seriously?"
"No," Frank said, shaking his head. "I’m not dating anyone. I’m single."
Raphael’s smile widened. "Then I have a chance."
Frank looked at him, amused. "What do you mean, you have a chance?"
"You know what I mean," Raphael said, his gaze steady. "I like what I see, and I don’t mind getting closer to you."
Frank let out a low scoff, shaking his head. "You like me, but you’re a prince. I thought royals weren’t even allowed to love a man."
"You’re right about most of them, but in my case, I’m allowed to love whosoever I want," Raphael answered without hesitation. "I’m out. I’m not hiding the fact that I’m gay and prefer men. It’s not that women aren’t wonderful, but they simply aren’t for me. I love men. And right now, I like you. I don’t mind if we start as friends. What do you say?"
Frank paused, looking down at his food before meeting the prince’s gaze again. "It’s not a bad offer... I just don’t know what to say. I don’t want any trouble. Royal families can be... pretty extreme sometimes."
"You have nothing to worry about," Raphael promised gently. "We can just be friends. You get to know me better, I get to know you, and with time, you can decide how you feel."
Frank looked at him skeptically. "Aren’t you moving a bit too fast? Isn’t it a little rushed to decide you want to be close to a total stranger?"
"Nothing is too fast," Raphael replied smoothly. "If I don’t say what I want right now, you might walk out that door, meet someone else who shows interest, and end up with them while I’m still trying to play it safe. I already know what I like. Why wait?"
A genuine smile finally broke across Frank’s face. "Okay, fine. It’s fine by me."
Raphael’s face lit up. "Can I have your contact? I’ll be heading back tomorrow morning, but I don’t know... if you’re free, maybe I could invite you out later tonight? If you’re busy, it’s completely fine. But if you have a chance, I’d love to pick you up, take you somewhere nice, and we can actually talk."
Frank considered it for a moment before smiling. "It’s fine, actually. I don’t know anyone here, and it’s been pretty boring since I arrived. So, spending some time with someone who’s willing to be my friend isn’t a bad idea either."
They exchanged phone numbers. Once that was done, Raphael stood up and smoothed down his jacket.
"I should get back to my friend. But I’ll call you later tonight. And thank you, Frank, for giving me your time and the opportunity to talk to you. I’ll say it again, you look fucking good. Everything about you is just perfect. Truly handsome in a very attractive way."
Frank smiled, shaking his head slightly. "Thank you, Your Highness."
"I’m the honored one," Raphael replied with a grin before walking back across the dining room to rejoin Henry.
A short while later, Henry and Raphael finished their meal. By then, Raphael’s bodyguard had already taken care of the bill. They stood up, and Raphael glanced once more toward Frank’s table before leaving the restaurant with Henry.
After they left, Frank called the waiter over and asked for his bill. The waiter informed him that Prince Raphael had already settled it.
"His Royal Highness also said that if you’d like anything else, you’re free to order."
Frank smiled faintly and shook his head. "Thank you, but I’m fine."
The waiter nodded and walked away. Frank finished his meal and soon left the restaurant.
Meanwhile, back in the car, Raphael and Henry sat in the back seat. As the driver pulled away from the restaurant and headed toward Henry’s company, Raphael couldn’t stop smiling. He was practically beaming.
Henry glanced at him with an amused smile. "Oh, you really seem to like him. You’ve been smiling like this ever since we left the restaurant."
"Seriously, Henry," Raphael said happily, turning to look out the window. "There’s just something about this guy. I feel like we’re going to connect. He’s grounded, and he knows his worth. He has his own pride, which I actually respect."
Henry let out a soft laugh. "I can see it. This isn’t just a casual liking anymore. This is what people call love at first sight."
Raphael chuckled, though he didn’t deny it. "I couldn’t agree more. Especially since I’ve been trying so hard to move on from you."
Henry smiled warmly. "There’s no such thing as trying to move on from me. The feelings you have for this stranger are completely different. I can see it in your eyes. This isn’t about replacing me. It’s something else entirely."
"Maybe you’re right," Raphael admitted softly. "I won’t lie—I like him. A lot. As soon as I get back to my hotel, I’m calling him because I need to see him again tonight."
"I’m rooting for you," Henry said sincerely. "I wish you the best of luck."
"Same goes for you," Raphael replied with a smile.
Not long after, the car pulled up in front of Henry’s company. Henry stepped out, then turned back toward Raphael.
Raphael rolled down the window and smiled at him.
"We’ll see each other at the coming banquet," he said.
"Alright, Your Highness. Maybe you can invite him over," Henry teased.
Raphael smiled. "I wish I could."
Raphael waved at Henry as the convoy pulled away. Henry watched the car drive away with a quiet smile before turning and walking into the building.
Inside the car, Raphael couldn’t wait until he got to the hotel. He pulled out his phone and sent Frank a message.
Are you still at the restaurant? Do you mind if I come pick you up?