Seventh Crown

Hyukjae lets a small, secret grin spread across his face the moment the Crown Prince whines again behind him.

Hurrying to keep up with him, the latter huffs unhappily, and demands to know once more whether he truly understands the meaning of his gift, or if it is only a mindless one. The corners of his thin lips are pulled downwards into a sulky pout, perfect picture of adorableness as his bright, chocolate-colored eyes stare up at him, while his expression is firm and stubborn. He sometimes raises his hand, too – the one which isn’t carefully cradling the silver charm against his chest –, as though wanting to grab on his robes and pull him back; but he then seems to remember it wouldn’t be right or proper, and a conflicted frown quickly creases his forehead at the thought.

Chuckling amusedly, Hyukjae slows his pace down a little, and then tilts his head in the other’s direction.

Donghae stops in his tracks and blinks, surprised, before a light flush colors his face yet once again. He carefully narrows his eyes at him and frowns for a second, then looks up determinedly.

“Well,” he asks with his chin raised up high, trying to make use of the importance his rank gives him, and absolutely failing. Or, at least, he does in Hyukjae’s eyes – but maybe he is only biased. “Do you, Sir Eunhyuk? Do you know?”

“It’s Hyukjae for you,” the other teasingly admonishes him, and then laughs when a small glare is sent in his direction.

A sole glance at the jewel, which is lightly sparkling between Donghae’s fingers, easily reminds him the reason why he is so vehement about it. As a matter of fact, Hyukjae does understand what offering such a charm – of this particular shape and of this small size, and especially in the process of the Courting – means.

It holds a promise; a simple yet strong one, characterized by the silver, which shows that he sincerely cares about him. It means that he enjoys spending his time with him; that his feelings are genuine, even though they might still not be as strong as love would need them to – hence the gift of a mere charm, and nothing else more significant. It means, he muses a little bashfully, that Donghae started to become someone important to him. Important enough that he can trust him with a diamond of the same red as his own. 

Hyukjae decides to stay quiet about it a bit longer, however, because he loves the way frustration keeps on scrunching his Sweetheart’s nose up into a moody, sullen pout. Plus, he is a little too embarrassed to admit it aloud, really.

He puts a gentle hand atop Donghae’s head, who squeals and stiffens in surprise. A fond smile still tugging at the corners of his mouth, Hyukjae teasingly ruffles his hair, which earns him an indignant whine, and then combs it back down until it looks nice again. The Crown Prince blushes a deep red and bashfully bites down onto his lower lip, and he is pretty sure it is out of shy delight, and not anger.

“I’ll tell you next time,” he smiles down at him and slowly his head once again. The covert grin he catches a glimpse of on his thin lips makes him forget it might be a potential offense to act this way towards a member of the Royal House. “Donghae.”

*

Donghae flutters his eyes close and sighs softly, relishing in the light weight of the strong hand resting atop his head. His whole world seems to have narrowed and focused around his Sweetheart for a fraction of second, muting foreign noises and erasing unnecessary colors and shapes, until he starts feeling a little dizzy. He eagerly welcomes it, however, and holds onto the delicious ache that comes along with each gentle caress as though he has never enjoyed anything similar before. The silver charm is still slightly cool between his trembling fingers, the sharp lines of the red diamond digging into his skin deeply enough so that he knows it is all real – that it isn’t only a fickle dream.

A small part of him – the rational, anxious one – frets that he shouldn’t be so trusting and sincere about his tenderness right from the start. It scolds him, with an admonishing and disapproving tone that sounds like Leeteuk’s, for pouring so much of himself into this new relationship already, when they are actually a couple of steps into the Courting only. But he has always been the kind to give his all the moment his heart needed him to, no matter how much the wiser part of his brain vehemently protested against it.

Shivering, Donghae is about to lean further into it – into Hyukjae’s warmth, when his Sweetheart suddenly takes a step back, away from him. He opens his mouth in an immediate protest, and then stops curiously when the other sighs resignedly.

“My brother is coming over here,” he frowns in obvious disappointment. “I suppose it means it’s about time I take you back to the palace.”

I do not want to go back, the Crown Prince almost huffs out. But before he can do so, and possibly embarrass himself once again – it is no proper behavior to act in such way, his private tutor would have told him with a frown. Especially for the Crown Prince of the Solemnée Kingdom –, Kyuhyun finally reaches them, packets of colorful and expensive-looking sweets bundled up in his arms. Donghae straightens up and quickly sobers his expression into a neutral one, then discreetly hides his silver charm under the hem of his sleeve.

“Hello,” the youngest greets them with an awkward, forced grin. Then, turning to his brother, says more comfortably, “I think we should get back home, Hyung. We’ve been here for almost two hours now.”

“You’re probably right,” Hyukjae sniffs unhappily. “Kangin hyung did say it’d be best if we didn’t stay here for too long – not that I really und