“It’s a beautiful song.”

“Yes, it is, Princess Priya.” Luka felt his cheeks flush red, but he tried very hard not to show his embarrassment. He was suffering from low self-esteem recently especially after he started to develop a slight affection for the princess.

“Would you please just call me Priya?” The princess smiled. “Friends do not need formalities. Besides, I’m in my pyjamas, so I don’t look exactly like a princess now.”

“Thank you, Pri…Priya.” He still felt a bit surreal to be friends with a princess, a true royalty. Yaira and Anzelm were heiress and heir of the richest families in the world, of course they made friends with royalties, or the royalties tried their best to please them. He was very fond of Yaira and Anzelm, however, deep down in his heart, he wanted to be more like Nad, who was always happy and willing to express his true feelings.

“Are you OK, Luka? You seem a little bit distracted.” Priya asked with concern.

“I am alright, Pri…Priya,” desperately trying to have a conversation with the princess and not being awkward, Luka said, “I am very happy to be here. Thank you for inviting me.”

“You should thank Yaira instead. She’s a very generous hostess.”

“I mean, I love being with you…guys.” Luka was totally shock by himself but he managed to “mend” his sentence at the last moment.

“Me too! I am glad to be here!” Without noticing Luka’s embarrassment, Priya was immersing herself in happiness. “This is the first time I have quality time with my best friends. I really enjoy my freedom on this island.”

For the first time, Luka looked at the girl he adored in her eyes, “I wish you happy everyday.” He said sincerely. Suddenly he realized nothing was more important than her well being, although he might not be able to tell her his feelings at all.

“Do you know you have beautiful eyes?” Priya somehow felt the weight in his words, but she figured it was not the right time, yet.

Little does the two inside the room knew that they were overheard by the others.

“Who’s singing in the middle of the night?”

“It’s our young hostess I suppose?”

“She’s too young to have a sad voice like this.”

“She’s not the eight-year-old anymore. She’s a lot mature after she went to college.”

“True, but she’ll always be our little sister.”

“It seems her song makes you sentimental, Nad.”

“She’s been through a lot lately, April!” Nad was a bit tetchy. “I can’t believe she didn’t tell us about the kidnap.”

“I am upset too, but you can’t seriously blame her. The kidnap has traumatized her enough.” April held Nad’s hand gently. “She’s a headstrong 16-year-old genius. Besides, you can’t expect a young teenage girl to open her heart with you.”

“Why not?”

“A. You are absentminded. B. You are a boy.” April burst into giggles.

“Very funny.” Nad stared at his childhood friend, his classmate and girlfriend. “Do you think I am absentminded?”

“Yes,” April smiled at him, “but in a sweet way.”

“I don’t like to hear such sad song from her. Yaira should be carefree, constantly showing off her wealth and intelligence,” Nad insisted. “And constantly making troubles for her friends.”

“Let it go, Nad,” April turned Nad’s face to her with her hands. “Don’t be overprotective.”

“Stop smirking at me.”