~ across the sky ~

Net Siraphop as Phop

"Will, I love you"

"Me too"

The Next Prince: Khanin grabbing (restraining) Charans wrists

bonus: and his hand

✧˖°🪞🪽⋆ ˚｡

THE NEXT PRINCE ☆ 01.08

Also! An add on to my last ask… do you think Ran will take initiative in their relationship now?

Hi there ✨ and thank you for this fun question!!

Do I think the love scene did the novel justice? Y E S

Yes, I very much do! We already know that the art room NC is still happening in the show so it seems they've divided that scene into two, focusing on different aspects of it, which means the EP.7 NC scene hits only some but not all of its beats:

acknowledging the tale of the Emmalian kiss and its significance with regard to their feelings for each other

shedding clothes as symbolism for shedding their roles, status, duties:

"It'd be nice if both he and Charan could strip everything away, face each other, and see only the essence within." (Ch.35)

"Khanin had made his choice. Tonight, he'd shed everything—duties, titles, pride—if they created a gap between them." (Ch.36)

Nin guiding Ran's hands onto his body, wanting his touch

Nin initiating and being bold

Nin giving Ran permission to do what he wants, Ran fighting with himself but then relenting to Nin's seduction

in the show they keep flipping each other/switching who's on top whereas in the novel it's Ran who's more dominant once his restraint snaps but Nin does take back control for a bit when he gets too needy and impatient

Nin getting shy, surprisingly!

the show implies Ran's inexperience by having Nin be the first to introduce tongue to their kisses

"Breathe."

So my assumption now is that the show's version of the art room NC is gonna focus on the remaining parts of that scene:

Nin posing while Ran paints him

Ran basically worshipping Nin('s body)

Ran taking initiative and being dominant

"Good boy."

That said-- I think I also like this more than the novel 👀

For one, it feels more gradual in their relationship and character development and more in line with the show's characterization to have Ran slowly lose his restraint. Show!Nin is more dominant--

...and show!Ran is not just restrained but repressed--

Mr. Darcy hand clench.gif

...and not just less dominant than novel!Ran but actively more submissive! While novel!Nin emphasizes that he doesn't want Ran to put him up on a pedestal, that is not the case in the show at all - Ran falls to his knees, reverts back to ราชาศัพท์ /raa-chaa-sap/ (=royal register) to ask for permission to cross the line, and kisses Nin's foot in reverence and deference. (Screenwriter Jungjing Wanna even tweeted about the significance of the foot kiss earlier today!) It's such a good dynamic but when has devotion ever not looked good on P'Zee??

For another, this is ZeeNuNew and their chemistry always has me insane so of course the show!version would get to me more 🫠 there's also just some distinctly them things that're gonna put me in an early grave at some point, like this panting into each other's open mouths thing while still keeping their noses or foreheads pressed together: