If Sungmin thought his predicament would end with Cho Kyuhyun coming back then he was greatly misguided.

The teasing he received among his family members was bad already, but now he also had to face the teasing from his friends. Thanks to Kim Ryeowook, all the residents of SM Academy were aware of his so-called love drama with Kyuhyun. And those people told their family or friends which in turn told yet another family or friends until Sungmin believed the whole nation knew about that embarrassing moment when Kyuhyun proposed to him by singing a national anthem to boot.

Sungmin sighed as he walked to his first class that morning. The extent of what people called 'Kyuhyun-and-Sungmin-love-love-craze' was so intense he almost could not believe it. Their story made it to the tabloids and people even planned to make books based on their story. Shocking still, the Northern Lights's old national anthem 'All Hail Northern Lights' suddenly was voted as the best love song ever, and singing that song while professing one's love suddenly became the trend. It was plain ridiculous, Sungmin thought with a scowl.

He opened the door to his class and tried to dismiss the giggles he could hear following him as he walked to his seat. His father had prevented his idea of disposing all people who witnessed Kyuhyun proposing to him, saying it would disrupt the good political climate, but he personally thought the old geezer was only happy to see him suffer.

He sat on his seat and tried not to be bothered too much by his friends' antics. At least they were still bearing his status as a royalty in their mind and thus maintaining to be polite toward him well excluding Ryeowook and his evil subordinates. Sungmin knew they were snickering in glee in their hearts after that embarrassing episode in his life, but at least they were not actually laughing at him openly and enjoyed his embarrassment.

The same could not be said about his brothers though.

Sungmin gritted his teeth as he recalled his siblings' reactions when they knew about his reunion with Kyuhyun. Oh, Prince Hyukjae and Prince Donghae, one of his older brothers keep on teasing him with Hyukjae constantly ruffling his hair and kissing his cheeks that which abruptly followed by Donghae shouting, “hey Kyuhyun might get mad!.” Sungmin just can’t do nothing but to growl.

Prince Yesung was downright cackling with a loud voice that was unbefitting for a prince as he mutters what a lovesick person Sungmin was. But the worst possible reaction came from his older brother Prince Kangin who only raised his eyebrow when Sungmin confronted him regarding why he kept Kyuhyun's whereabouts from him during those late two years. His brother only waited patiently until he finished his ranting due to his need of breath, and afterward, he only smiled and said in perfected innocence, "Your angry face is still as cute as ever, Sungmin."

Sungmin could feel his pencil snapped into two in his hand as he remembered Prince Kangin's words. He swore that someday he would surely make his brother pay. As the youngest prince, even though Leeteuk has always been so imperative to him, Sungmin always holds a soft spot in the emperor’s heart. And Kyuhyun, of course, he reminded himself, that boy has no exception for punishment. After all, all that mess was caused by no other but his idiotic fiancé.

But any resolution in his heart involving bodily harm toward his fiancé melted away, like always, the moment Sungmin laid his gaze on the chocolate eyes of Cho Kyuhyun. Considering that Kyuhyun was staying in Aries for some times before he would move to the next destination, Kyuhyun now had time to spend with him. And his fiancé had taken it into his responsibility to pick him up every day after school, and afterward walk aimlessly with him, trying to catch up for all the times lost. And of course, that day was no exception.

Sungmin smiled when the view of his fiancé standing by the gate greeted him when his class ended. Without hesitation, he walked to Kyuhyun's direction, and after some pleasantries were traded between them, he let Kyuhyun led their way. He knew that his personal guards were following them in the distance and he knew that Kyuhyun himself also brought some guards along with him but when they walked side by side like that, Sungmin could almost feel that they were alone in the whole world.

“Can’t you just stop all these military thingy?” Sungmin asked while trying to catch up Kyuhyun’s hand, as they walk under one sunny afternoon. Kyuhyun adjusted the umbrella over them before he proceeded to take Sungmin’s hand and securing it softly against his.

“It is not that easy, ming.” Kyuhyun pouted that somehow brought some delight to Sungmin, it seldom happens anyway, Kyuhyun pouting is one of those times where Sungmin just wanted to jump on his fiancé right there and then. But those ethics they need to follow. “We can’t use that “I’m part of the noble family” line just to have exception.”

This time it was Sungmin who pouted.

“But I want you to stay safe, just follow me anywhere,” Yes that was Prince Sungmin of Northern Lights trying to make a statement about orders, “just be here with me, please?”

Kyuhyun was taken aback by Sungmin’s sudden clinginess, who is he to complain anyway but again was, he has duties to do.

“I will make arrangements first, that’s the only thing I can promise.”

Sungmin smiled, he smiled so bright that Kyuhyun thought maybe a little expensive gift to Kangin won’t hurt right? He needs to persuade the other Prince first before he can make his Sungmin’s wish come true.

"Why don't we come to my place today?" he said to Kyuhyun. "I can make us some tea and you can stay the night if you want."

Kyuhyun smiled. "That would be awesome, but,” Kyuhyun hesitated,  “is it proper?"

Sungmin frowned. "Kyuhyun, you are my fiancé, of course it is proper."

Kyuhyun threw him a sheepish smile as he said, "Well, you know our fathers and their 'you are not to sleep together ere you are wed' and such…"

Sungmin felt himself blushing at what the words were suggesting. He still remembered when his father and Kyuhyun's father gave them the talk when they found out in a mere hour afterward about Kyuhyun's proposal and his acceptance to said proposal. While it was true that Kyuhyun was already considered legal in the eye of law to marry, taking into account that he had passed his seventeenth birthday that month, Sungmin still had to wait some more months to claim the same for himself. Thus, the wedding between the two had to be postponed until at least the beginning of next year. And with thoughtfulness of that thing, along with some others such as the raging hormones of two teenagers, both Leeteuk and Hyunjoong had straightly warned them that 'you are not to sleep together ere you are wed'.

Honestly, Sungmin thought with a sigh, it was the first time he ever saw his father being so openly  protective over him.

"Staying for the night does not necessarily mean we have to sleep in one bed," he said with a tint of embarrassment in his voice. "I do have guest rooms, you know…"

"But people might not see it like that," Kyuhyun countered. "We cannot afford to create scandal."

"Like we haven't created one already with the way you proposing to me in public," Sungmin snorted as he recalled the event. Then his eyes turned solemn when he said, "Kyuhyun… how long will you be staying here until you have to move again?"

"The squadron would stay until next month in Aries, and we will be moving to Sentia again afterwards," Kyuhyun explained and Sungmin frowned at that.

“Why do you always move to Sentia, it is dangerous there Kyu!” But Kyuhyun just remained silent.

So soon, Sungmin thought. Next month they would be separated again, and even though now he was aware of Kyuhyun's condition, that did not mean he had already accepted the fact.

"You will be moving a lot," Sungmin said. "I know it's inevitable given that you are in military, but… I just don't like it. I don't like the fact that I cannot know anything about what you might possibly be doing. I don't like it that I have no influence over where you would be sent to do your duties. I don't like it that I cannot have a part in protecting you. Therefore…"

He stopped and he could see Kyuhyun followed his step. Turning his body, he faced Kyuhyun as he told with his unwavering voice the thing that he had been contemplating for quite some time.

"Kyuhyun, will you be my Knight?"

There was a flicker of surprise passing on Kyuhyun's face before he said, "Your Knight…?"

"Yes. Will you bound yourself to me, forsake your personal desire for mine, and forsake your happiness for mine?" he asked calmly. "I want you by my side, Kyuhyun. You will work only for me, and even if you are sent to the battlefield, at least I will be the one to decide. I cannot stand the thought that you might be facing death under the command of another, without me being able to prevent it. I do not want that, Kyuhyun, please, just… I cannot have you…"

He stopped his words when Kyuhyun suddenly knelt before him. There was something in the way Kyuhyun dropped his body on one knee, the way he lowered his chin to his chest, the way his hand was crossed over his heart that made Sungmin's breath caught in his throat.

"This is the greatest honour I could hope for," Kyuhyun said and he raised his face to search for Sungmin's eyes. "Say your words, Your Highness, and I will give you my answer."

Sungmin took a deep breath and tried to steady his voice so it might not quiver due to the heavy emotions he felt in his heart at seeing his fiancé having the deportment of total loyalty, loyalty to him, only to him.

"Will you be my Knight and serve only me, Lord Cho Kyuhyun?"

"Yes, with all my heart," Kyuhyun gave his answer straight away.

Sungmin could not help smiling at the sincerity that Kyuhyun showed. He knew there was still one thing to be done to seal the vow. Slowly, he offered his right hand to Kyuhyun which the latter took, respectfully, adoringly, to his lips. A kiss was then placed there against his finger to seal their vow, a kiss from a Knight to his Prince, a kiss of loyalty.

But then Sungmin cupped Kyuhyun's face and raised it upward. Bringing his face down, he dropped a tender kiss on Kyuhyun's forehead, a kiss from a man to his love, a kiss of affection.

They both smiled afterward and with his hands, Sungmin helped Kyuhyun up. The following week, he knighted Cho Kyuhyun according to the Northern Lightsn custom in front of all the legal representatives of The Holy Empire of Northern Lights in Aries. And once all of it was done, he allowed a relieved feeling to settle in his heart upon knowing that Kyuhyun would not be able to leave his side ever again.

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There was hell yet again inside the Northern imperial villa. Sungmin was back to Northern Lights again for a very special occasion. And much alike to what happened approximately eight years prior, the cause of such hell was someone named Prince Sungmin of Northern Lights who at that time being was throwing yet another screaming fit to the people around him.

"I will not wear a dress!" he said sternly to his parents. "No, never, no way in hell, and no one can make me do it!"

Her Highness Empress Heechul sighed. "But Sungmin, I always hope my child will wear my wedding dress in their own wedding… surely you cannot deny your mother her wish."

Sungmin groaned in his heart at his mother's words. At the moment, they were arguing about his upcoming wedding's preparation. Seasons had come and gone after the moment Kyuhyun proposed to him, and as the current calendar showed the time as spring both his father and Kyuhyun's father thought there was no reason to postpone the wedding any longer.

Truthfully, Sungmin was all right with the decision to hold their wedding soon. He even did not mind when he faced his family's great enthusiasm in the matter of his wedding. Leeteuk of Northern Lights and Cho Hyunjoong were valiant rulers and all, but when it came to the matter of showing off, they both had the very same principle: do it well or not at all. And so Sungmin could only watch as his father and his soon-to-be father in law arranged a wedding ceremony that was, in his opinion, ridiculously sensational.

Enthusiasm was fine, he thought, but when his mother tried to make him wear her old wedding dress with the backing force of his father and brothers, he felt the need to draw some line.