I Am a Real Prince!

Enrique was sleeping deeply, but he was awakened by the sound of someone knocking on his door. He sat up in bed, a bit disoriented, and looked at the clock. It was too early to receive visitors. He got out of bed and went to the door, opening it carefully.

He was surprised to see Mrs. Kim standing in front of the door, with a smile on her face. "Sorry to disturb you so early, Enrique," she said. "I wanted to invite you to lunch today. I want to apologize for my husband's rudeness yesterday."

Enrique was surprised by the invitation. He hadn't expected Mrs. Kim to apologize for her husband's behavior.

"No need to apologize, Mrs. Kim," Enrique said. "I understand that your husband was just protecting his family's interests."

But Mrs. Kim insisted. "Please, Enrique, do come," she said. "I want to show you that not everyone in my family is like my husband."

Enrique hesitated for a moment, but eventually accepted the invitation. "Alright, Mrs. Kim. I'll come." He closed the door and stood there thinking about what he had just done. Why had he accepted the invitation? He had no idea what to expect from lunch, but he knew it would be interesting.

Enrique knocked on the Kim family's door, and the youngest son, Ji-Hoon, opened it. The boy was taken aback by Enrique's size and appearance, and his eyes widened in surprise. "You... you're a prince?" Ji-Hoon asked, looking at Enrique with admiration.

Enrique smiled and confidently stated, "Yes, I'm a prince. And not just that, I'm the strongest and most handsome of all."

Mrs. Kim came to the door, smiling, and warmly greeted Enrique. "Ah, Enrique, I'm so glad you came! Please, come in."

Enrique entered the house, and soon saw Mr. Kim sitting on the couch, with a serious and disapproving expression. He didn't seem happy about Enrique's presence.

But before Enrique could notice anything else, Ji-Hyun came down the stairs, and her eyes met Enrique's. She became flustered and looked away, blushing.

The atmosphere in the room became a bit tense, but Enrique simply smiled and greeted Ji-Hyun as if nothing was wrong. Ji-Hyun greeted Enrique shyly and thought to herself: "Why am I feeling this way? I've never acted like this before..."

Mrs. Kim smiled and said: "Please, Enrique, have a seat. I want you to meet all the members of our family." Enrique sat down, and Mrs. Kim began the introductions. "This is my husband, Tae-Oh Kim. He is the patriarch of our family." Tae-Oh nodded his head, without smiling.

"This is our eldest daughter, Ji-Hyun. She is a university student." Ji-Hyun nodded her head, still a bit embarrassed.

"This is our eldest son, Sung-Min. He is a high school student." Sung-Min smiled and waved his hand.

Enrique nodded and smiled, trying to make a good impression. Ji-Hyun, on the other hand, couldn't help but steal glances at Enrique, feeling a mix of curiosity and nervousness.

"This is our middle daughter, Ji-Min. She is an elementary school student."

Ji-Min smiled and bowed.

"This is our middle son, Ji-Seok. He is a high school student."

Ji-Seok waved and smiled.

"And this is our youngest son, Ji-Hoon. He is an elementary school student."

Ji-Hoon smiled and bowed.

Mrs. Kim smiled and said, "And now that you've met everyone, let's sit down for lunch."

The Kim family sat at the table, and Enrique joined them, feeling a little more comfortable now that he knew everyone.

The silence at the table was palpable. Everyone was quiet, not saying a word. The atmosphere felt heavy.

Mrs. Kim tried to break the silence, smiling at Enrique. "Enrique, are you enjoying Korea? Have you had time to explore the country a bit?"

Enrique smiled, grateful for the question. "Yes, I'm enjoying it very much! Korea is an amazing country with such a rich and diverse culture. I've already had the chance to visit some places, like Gyeongbokgung Palace and Myeong-dong Market."

Tae-Oh Kim looked at Enrique with a critical gaze. "You know that Korea is a very different country from Brazil, don't you?"

Enrique nodded. "Yes, I know. The culture, the food, the language... everything is very different. But I'm enjoying the challenge of learning and adapting."

Ji-Hyun looked at Enrique with curiosity. "Do you miss Brazil?"

Enrique smiled, thinking about his homeland. "Yes, I do. I miss my family, my friends, Brazilian food... But I'm here for a new adventure, and I'm excited to see what Korea has to offer."

The conversation continued, with Enrique sharing more about his experience in Korea, and the Kim family asking questions and sharing their own stories.

Mrs. Kim looked at Enrique with concern. "Enrique, don't you miss your family and friends?"

Enrique nodded, his gaze growing a bit distant. "Yes, I do. But sometimes we have to make sacrifices for something new."

The atmosphere at the table shifted again, and Ji-Hoon, the youngest brother, asked curiously:

"Enrique, are you really a prince?"

Enrique smiled, his expression turning a bit mysterious. "Yes, I am a prince."

The table fell silent again, but this time it was a silence of confusion. Everyone at the table knew Enrique's past; they knew he wasn't really a prince. But why had he said that?

Ji-Hyun looked at Enrique in surprise, while Mr. Kim frowned. Mrs. Kim simply smiled, as if she were thinking about something.

The silence was broken by Ji-Min, who asked curiously:

"Enrique, what is your kingdom?"

Enrique smiled again, his expression becoming a bit amused. "My kingdom is a very special place. It is a place where courage and honor are more important than anything else."

Enrique smiled, his gaze becoming a bit more intense. "My kingdom is all this land, the sky, space, time... everything in the world is my kingdom."

Mr. Kim laughed, shaking his head. "That's nonsense! You can't own everything!"

Enrique chuckled gently, not offended. "I'm not saying that I own everything, I'm saying that my father owns everything."

Ji-Hyun was intrigued and curious. "So, do you really call yourself a prince?"

Enrique nodded, his expression becoming a bit more serious. "I don't think so—I am."

Mr. Kim frowned, confused. "And why are you a prince?"

Enrique smiled, his expression growing a little prouder. "My father owns everything—gold, silver, bronze... He owns time, the sky, the earth, even hell. He is known as the King of Kings, the greatest king of all. And as His son, I am a prince."

The table fell silent again, but this time it was a silence of shock and disbelief. Everyone at the table was wondering whether Enrique was serious or just joking.

Mrs. Kim looked at Enrique with a perceptive gaze. "You're talking about God, aren't you?"

Enrique nodded, his expression becoming a bit more serious. "Yes."

Mr. Kim sighed, shaking his head. "I knew there was something strange about you."

Ji-Hyun whispered, calling Enrique an "idiot."

But Ji-Hoon, the youngest brother, gazed at Enrique with wide, shining eyes. "That's so cool... You're amazing, Enrique!"

The Kim family's reactions were mixed, with some showing disbelief and others admiration. But Enrique just smiled, his gaze becoming a little more distant, as if he were looking at something beyond that table.

Enrique looked at Mrs. Kim with a playful smirk. "Mrs. Kim, how did you meet Mr. Kim?"

Mrs. Kim smiled hesitantly. "Well, I met Mr. Kim at a mutual friend's wedding party..."

Enrique interrupted, teasing in a good-natured way. "Ah, yes! I imagine you must have been blind not to see what was happening around you... or maybe you had a really high fever not to notice Mr. Kim!"

Mrs. Kim laughed, not offended. "Ah, Enrique, you are so funny!"

Mr. Kim just frowned, a bit annoyed, but said nothing. The conversation at the table continued, with Enrique making more lighthearted jokes and everyone laughing together.

After lunch, Enrique stood up and offered to wash the dishes. "Let me do this, Mrs. Kim. I insist."

But Mrs. Kim insisted that he sit back down. "No, no, Enrique. You are our guest. You don't have to do that."

Enrique, however, was stubborn. "I want to help. It's the least I can do after such a delicious lunch."

Seeing that there was no way to convince Enrique to sit back down, Mrs. Kim smiled and said, "Alright then. Ji-Hyun, go help Enrique with the dishes."

Ji-Hyun got up from the table, a little reluctant, and went to the kitchen to help Enrique. Enrique smiled at her and started washing the dishes while Ji-Hyun took charge of drying them.

The kitchen was silent for a moment, with only the sound of running water and clinking dishes. Enrique and Ji-Hyun worked together in silence until Enrique finally broke it.

In the living room, the Kim family sat talking. Mr. Kim turned to Mrs. Kim and asked, "Why did you invite Enrique to have lunch with us?"

Mrs. Kim replied, "You are so kind, my love. Why do you treat him badly and dislike him?"

Mr. Kim responded, "I don't know. I just didn't like him. He is too proud."

Mrs. Kim looked at her husband with a concerned expression. "But he is a good man, dear. He is kind and polite."

Mr. Kim just shook his head. "I don't trust him."

Meanwhile, as Enrique washed the dishes and Ji-Hyun dried them, both worked in silence. Suddenly, Ji-Hyun accidentally sneezed and let out an involuntary "cute" sound.

She immediately apologized, blushing. "Sorry, sorry!"

Enrique couldn't help but laugh genuinely, finding the situation cute. Ji-Hyun turned even redder and playfully slapped his shoulder.

At that moment, Sophia and two of Ji-Hyun's friends entered the kitchen. Sophia looked at the two washing dishes and smirked mischievously.

She took a picture of them together and ran out of the kitchen, shouting throughout the house, "Auntie Kim, looks like you're getting a son-in-law!"

Ji-Hyun was mortified, while Enrique just laughed and kept washing the dishes. Mrs. Kim entered the kitchen, smiling. "What's going on here?"

Ji-Hyun grabbed Sophia's hair and demanded that she delete the photo. "Delete that right now!"

Sophia laughed and deleted the picture, while Ji-Hyun turned to her mother and insisted, "It was nothing, Mom. Enrique was just laughing."

Enrique, having finished washing the dishes, started saying his goodbyes. "Well, I think it's time for me to go."

But Mrs. Kim grabbed his arm and pulled him back to the couch. "No, no, Enrique. Stay a little longer. We barely started talking."

Enrique sat down again but accidentally chose the spot next to Mr. Kim. The two exchanged glances, and the atmosphere in the living room grew tense again.

Mr. Kim frowned, while Enrique just smiled politely. Mrs. Kim, however, seemed oblivious to the tension and continued talking to Enrique as if nothing was wrong.

Ji-Hyun's friends, Min-Ji and Hana, sat down next to her siblings, Ji-Hoon and Ji-Min. They started whispering among themselves, talking about Enrique.

Min-Ji, a tall blonde girl, asked, "Do you guys know who this Enrique is?"

Ji-Hoon, Ji-Hyun's younger brother, replied, "I think he's a friend of my sister."

Hana, a short, dark-haired girl, added, "But he seems so... different."

Ji-Min, Ji-Hyun's older brother, asked, "What do you mean by 'different'?"

Min-Ji replied, "I don't know, but he has this aura... a presence that's hard to ignore."

Hana agreed, "Yeah, and he's so polite and kind. It's like he's a prince or something."

Ji-Hoon laughed. "A prince? You're joking, Hana!"

But Min-Ji just smiled. "I don't know, but I think Hana might be right. There's something special about him."

Ji-Hyun's male friends, Tae-Oh and Joon-Young, sat down next to her older siblings. Ji-Hyun wasn't there—she was sitting beside Enrique instead.

Tae-Oh, a tall and strong boy, asked, "Do you guys know who this Enrique is?"

Ji-Min replied, "I think he's a friend of my sister."

Joon-Young, a slim, dark-haired boy, added, "But he seems so... confident."

Tae-Oh nodded, "Yeah, and he has this presence... an aura that's hard to ignore."

Ji-Min asked, "Do you guys think he's a good guy?"

Joon-Young replied, "I don't know, but I think he's interesting. I want to know more about him."

Tae-Oh agreed, "Yeah, me too. Let's see what we can find out about him."

Ji-Min looked at his friends with a grin. "You won't believe what he said."

Tae-Oh and Joon-Young leaned in, curious. "What was it?" Tae-Oh asked.

Ji-Min replied, "He said he's a prince."

Joon-Young laughed. "A prince? You're kidding!"

But Ji-Min shook his head. "No, he was serious. He said his father is the King of Kings."

Tae-Oh raised his eyebrows. "That's crazy. He must be joking."

But Ji-Min insisted, "No, he was completely serious. And the weirdest part is... he seemed convincing."

The three friends exchanged glances, intrigued by Enrique's story.

Ji-Hoon, the youngest brother, joined the conversation. "I think I understood what he was talking about."

Tae-Oh and Joon-Young turned to him, curious. "What do you think he meant?" Tae-Oh asked.

Ji-Hoon replied, "I think he was talking about God. He said his father owns everything and that he is the King of Kings."

The three friends laughed among themselves, mocking the idea. "Haha, that's incredible!" Joon-Young chuckled.

Tae-Oh added, "He thinks he's the son of God! This is too much!"

Ji-Min also laughed. "I knew he was a little weird, but this is ridiculous!"

The four friends kept laughing and mocking Enrique's words, not realizing that he was sitting right next to them, hearing everything.

Enrique felt frustrated as he listened to Ji-Hyun's friends laughing at God, the creator of their lives. A wave of indignation and sadness washed over him.

Ji-Hyun noticed the expression on Enrique's face and quickly realized what was happening. She stood up and smacked her brothers, telling them to shut up.

"You two, stop talking nonsense!" she said, her expression stern.

She then turned to her friends and said, "You guys, out. Now."

Ji-Hyun's friends quickly said their goodbyes and left the house without questioning her order.

Mrs. Kim, who had been observing the scene, approached Enrique and said, "I'm sorry for their behavior, Enrique. They have no idea what they're talking about."

Enrique smiled politely and replied, "Don't worry, Mrs. Kim. I'm used to it."

Mrs. Kim looked at him with curiosity and said, "I think you're a very special person, Enrique. I'd like to know more about you."

Enrique smiled humbly and said, "No, Mrs. Kim, I'm not special. I'm just trying to live the right way."

He paused for a moment and thought, reaching into his coat pocket. His fingers touched a pack of cigarettes, and he smiled ironically.

"Well, I'm trying to live the right way," he said with a hint of humor. "But it's not always easy."

Mrs. Kim looked at him with curiosity and said, "I think you're a very interesting person, Enrique. I'd like to know more about you."

Enrique smiled again and said, "I don't know, Mrs. Kim. I'm just an ordinary person, trying to do my best."

Then he looked at Mr. Kim and said with a playful smile, "Well, actually, the special one is you, Mrs. Kim—for putting up with this guy for so long."

He pointed at Mr. Kim, who became irritated and started ranting at Enrique.

"Who do you think you are? You come here and talk about me like that? I'm Ji-Hyun's father, and I won't tolerate this kind of behavior!"

Enrique just laughed cheerfully, unfazed by Mr. Kim's words.

Ji-Hyun, who had been watching the scene, saw Enrique's smiling face and blushed. She didn't know why, but his smile made her feel strange.

She looked away, trying to hide her reaction, but she couldn't help glancing at him again—he was still smiling.

Mrs. Kim looked at Enrique with a satisfied expression and asked, "Why did you agree to work for Mr. Lee? Is that why you came to Korea?"

Enrique's expression changed, becoming empty and distant. He looked into Mrs. Kim's eyes, as if searching for something inside them.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room, and Ji-Hyun sensed that something was wrong. She looked at Enrique, worried, but he didn't respond.

Mrs. Kim continued to look at Enrique, waiting for an answer. But Enrique just kept staring at her, saying nothing.

His gaze was deep and intense, as if he were searching for something within her.

Mrs. Kim held his gaze, not looking away. The silence between them was heavy, and Ji-Hyun felt like she was witnessing something important.

And then, without saying a word, Enrique just kept looking into Mrs. Kim's eyes, as if hypnotized.