Timeless Love
Tawan:
Being a doctor was hard work.
Being a handsome, overworked, and severely underappreciated doctor was even harder.
I yawned as I trudged through the hospital hallways, my scrubs slightly wrinkled, my brain running on one hour of sleep and pure caffeine. It had been a brutal shift—sixteen hours of diagnosing, running between emergency cases, and resisting the urge to throw my stethoscope at annoying patients who thought Google knew more than me.
I checked my watch. 7:30 PM.
"Finally," I muttered. Freedom.
As I headed toward the exit, a familiar voice called out behind me.
"Dr. Tawan!"
I turned to see Nadia, one of the nurses, jogging toward me with an amused smile.
“You’re off-duty, right?” she asked.
I nodded. “And heading straight to the bar.”
She smirked. “To unwind, or to hit on someone?”
I placed a hand on my chest, feigning offense. “Excuse me. I am a professional, respectable man. I would never—”
“—flirt with someone while giving them medical advice?”
“…Okay, I might do that.”
She rolled her eyes. “Just don’t come back with a black eye this time.”
I grinned. “I make no promises.”
And with that, I strolled out, ready for a well-deserved night of fun.
---
The bar was perfect—dim lights, smooth jazz, and the right amount of people. I leaned against the counter, scanning the crowd, when my eyes landed on her.
A woman sitting alone, sipping her cocktail, her long dark hair tucked behind one ear. Gorgeous. Confident. Exactly my type.
I slid into the seat beside her with my most charming smile. “Rough day?”
She glanced at me and smirked. “Depends. Are you planning to make it better or worse?”
Oh, I liked her already.
"That depends," I said smoothly, "do you prefer charming doctors or mysterious strangers?"
She raised a brow. "You’re a doctor?"
"Cardiologist." I placed a hand over my heart. "I specialize in heartbeats—especially making them race."
She laughed, leaning in slightly. I was just about to pat myself on the back for another successful conversation when—
“You’re flirting with my girlfriend?!”
I blinked.
A very large, very muscular man was storming toward me, looking like he was one second away from committing a crime.
Oh. Boyfriend.
I turned to the woman. She quickly looked away, sipping her drink. Traitor.
“I—uh—” I began.
Too late.
The man grabbed my collar, practically lifting me off my seat like I weighed nothing.
"You think you can just walk in and steal someone’s girl?!" he roared.
"Steal? No, no, let’s not be dramatic—borrow, maybe—"
Bad move.
With one strong shove, I stumbled backward—and felt my foot hit the edge of something.
Wait.
Oh.
Oh no.
SPLASH.
Icy water swallowed me whole.
---
A Strange Awakening
Warmth.
That was the first thing I noticed.
Not the freezing chill of the bar’s outdoor pool. Not the sticky wetness of my clothes.
Just warmth—soft, comforting, and… breathing?
My brain booted up like a badly programmed computer.
I frowned, shifting slightly—only to feel something solid behind me.
Something warm.
Something alive.
My heart stopped.
Slowly, carefully, I opened my eyes.
And that’s when I saw it.
An unfamiliar ceiling.
Not the hospital. Not my apartment.
The ceiling was wooden, high, and covered in intricate golden carvings. A massive chandelier of candle-lit lanterns swayed slightly above me. The air smelled of jasmine and something faintly smoky.
Wait.
Wait, wait, wait.
Where the hell was I?!
Panic surged through me, but before I could react, a voice groaned behind me.
A deep, sleepy voice.
I froze.
Very, very slowly, I turned my head.
And my soul left my body.
A man.
A very attractive man.
Sleeping beside me.
WHAT. THE. HELL?!
Before I could process the situation, the door slammed open.
"Your Highness! You’re awake!"
I turned in alarm—to see a group of maids and guards kneeling before me.
Wait.
Wait, wait, wait.
Your Highness?!
I blinked at them. Then at the sleeping man beside me. Then at the expensive silk robe I was suddenly wearing.
Then back at the maids.
Then—
I screamed.
The handsome man beside me jerked awake, his brows furrowing as he stared at me with deep brown eyes.
For a brief, horrifying second, we just stared at each other.
Then, in a calm but absolutely pissed tone, he said:
“Why are you in my bed?”
I did the only reasonable thing.
I screamed again—and rolled right off the mattress.
THUD.
Pain shot up my back as I lay sprawled on the wooden floor.
"I—WHERE—WHY—WHO—" My brain refused to cooperate.
The handsome man sat up, rubbing his temples like he was used to dealing with idiots. "Great. The prince has finally lost his mind."
One of the maids fainted.
A nervous-looking older man rushed into the room, bowing deeply. "Your Highness! You’re finally awake!"
I blinked at him. "Uh… who are you?"
Silence.
The man—dressed in elegant robes, a golden sash draped over his shoulders—went pale.
"Y-Your Highness," he stammered, "you… don’t recognize me?"
I swallowed. "Should I?"
The maids started whispering. The guards looked terrified.
One of them practically sobbed.
"The prince hit his head too hard!"
I turned to the handsome man, still glaring at me. "And you? Who are you supposed to be?"
His frown deepened. "Arthit. Son of the royal physician. And the man whose bed you just woke up in."
I nearly choked. "EXCUSE ME?!"
The older man cleared his throat. "Y-Your Highness… you are Prince Tawan Ratchathewi, heir to the throne of the Siamese kingdom!"
I froze.
Wait.
Wait, wait, wait.
I stared at the luxurious room. The kneeling maids. The terrified guards. The handsome man still scowling at me.
Then I looked down at my own clothes—rich silk, embroidered with gold.
Then back at everyone else.
And then—
I screamed again.
---
Reality (Or Whatever This Was) Sinks In
After ten minutes of sheer panic, I sat on the edge of the bed, my head in my hands.
“So, let me get this straight,” I muttered. “I, Tawan, was a normal doctor in Bangkok. I fell into a pool. And now, I’m somehow in the body of a crown prince from the past?”
"Yes," the older man—Minister Chakri—confirmed.
"And no one finds this weird?"
Everyone shook their heads.
I groaned. "Of course not."
Then, I turned to Arthit. "And why was I in your bed?"
Arthit scowled. "That’s what I’d like to know."
Minister Chakri cleared his throat. "After His Highness was found unconscious in the river, he was kept warm to avoid illness. Since Arthit was in the palace, he was chosen to monitor you."
I blinked. "So you’re a doctor too?"
Arthit crossed his arms. "Yes. Unlike you, I take my job seriously."
Ouch. That felt personal.
I groaned again, flopping onto the bed.
"What the hell did I just wake up into?"
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