By the time Changmin pulled up his BMW to a parking spot at school, he had spaced out while driving at least five times. Getting out of the car, he took out his phone.

 

“Mom?” He said, getting his things with one hand and holding the phone with the other.

 

“Oh! Changmin, how are you? I haven’t seen you around the house lately.”

 

“I’m okay mom, just really busy. I see dad around campus sometimes.”

 

“That’s good. You two should spend more time together, you work in the same campus and yet you’re not joined at the hip. But anyway, why the sudden call?”

 

“Oh. Right. Do you still have grandmother’s engagement ring?”

 

“It’s downstairs in the vault. OH! Are you proposing? Finally? This is such good news! I’ll have to call all our relatives and tell them the good news.”

 

Changmin sighed. This was why he waited so long to tell his mom.

 

“I was going to wait, but she’s not so happy about my stalling tactics so I want to do it as soon as possible.”

 

“You can come for dinner then we’ll go down to the vault together so you can choose another thing to give her.”

 

“Okay. Thanks mom. I gotta go, I’m outside the lecture hall. See you tonight.” Changmin said, hanging up.

 

----

 

“I don’t know what he’s keeping from me, unnie, I really don’t.” Hyun Ae said, confiding in Jiyeon. The two of them were on their way to a luncheon organized by the palace for foreign diplomats and their families.

 

“Maybe he’s just waiting for the right timing to tell you. Changmin’s always been the calculating type. But it’s good that he knows you want to know.” Jiyeon said.

 

“Maybe. He’s just never been this secretive. But then again he’s my first boyfriend so I have no idea how other people do things.”

 

Just then, the limousine came to a stop.

 

“Your highness, young mistress -- we’ve arrived.” Hyori said as a palace bodyguard opened the door.

 

----

 

“Man, what’s happened to you since you left?” Yunho said, walking into Jaejoong’s room just like he used to back in high school.

 

“What? What do you mean ‘what’s happened’?” Jaejoong said, nursing his hangover with coffee and painkillers.

 

“You mean you don’t remember what you said last night after you practically drank the entire bar?” Yunho asked, a bit taken aback at how much Jaejoong had changed.

 

“...no? What did I say?”

 

“Wow, this is even more serious than I thought it was. You, Kim Jaejoong, son of the Prime Minister of Korea, told her royal highness Hyun Ae, the princess, that you loved her, you wanted her all to yourself, and that you hated how she’s still with Changmin. You told her, and then you passed out, then when you woke up in my car, you said it again. Were you serious?” Yunho told Jaejoong, who was now wide awake from shock and shame.

 

“Crap. I said all of that? To her?” Jaejoong said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

 

“Is there something you never told me?” Yunho raised his eyebrow.

 

“What?” Junsu said, walking into Jaejoong’s room as well. He had come to visit Taeyeon, but swung by Jaejoong’s room too.

 

“I was just telling this moron what he did last night.” Yunho told Junsu, sighing.

 

“Oh.” Junsu said, knowing exactly what Yunho was talking about.

 

“I did like Hyun Ae. But I wasn’t planning on acting on it. Until I was in the US when I realized that I couldn’t marry Seohyun.”

 

“You do realize that Changmin’s been planning to propose for months now. And knowing him, he’ll fight you to the death before he gives Hyun Ae up. If you still want her, that is.”

 

“I don’t know, okay. Liking Hyun Ae has never been an option and I didn’t plan on making it one. But since I screwed up last night, well, things are even more screwed up. I need to get married eventually, because half of my trust fund is locked until my wedding day.”

 

“Maybe you need a distraction, hyung. Aren’t you starting school again soon? Maybe clearing your mind will help.” Junsu suggested.

 

----

 

“Young master! We weren’t to expect you until later tonight.” The Shim’s most-trusted butler said when he was greeted by Changmin’s car pulling up the driveway later that afternoon.

 

“Change of plans. Is mother home?” Changmin asked, getting out of the BMW.

 

“Yes, she’s in the sitting room. Will you be staying for dinner?” 

 

“I don’t know yet.” Changmin said, walking into the house and scanning the first floor for his mom, “Mom.”

 

“Oh! This is a surprise, I thought you weren’t coming until later.” Changmin’s mom said, getting up from the couch to hug her son.

 

“I was hoping to get the ring already. When I said ASAP this morning I kind of meant proposing tonight.” Changmin said hesitantly.

 

“Okay, I’ll call for a guard and we’ll go down.”

 

----

 

Later that night, Hyun Ae was already back in the palace, working on a speech she had to deliver next week, when her phone started ringing. It was Changmin. Hesitantly, she answered.

 

“Hyun Ae?” Changmin asked.

 

“Hm. Yeah. What is it?”

 

“I was wondering if you could come meet me at Munhwa? I’m here now.”

 

“Munhwa? Why are you at our old high school? Are you okay? Did something happen?” Hyun Ae asked, suddenly worried.

 

“No, nothing happened. I’m fine. It’s… it’s a long story.” Changmin said, quickly realizing that he probably got on Hyun Ae’s nerves again, “But I promise to tell you once you get here. Please just trust me.”

 

“Do I need to bring guards?” Hyun Ae asked.

 

“It’s up to you. If you don’t feel safe with just me bring Siwon-hyung.”

 

“Okay. Give me half an hour.”

 

----

 

Half an hour later, Changmin saw the familiar headlights of Hyun Ae’s purple Porsche approach Munhwa’s main building, where he was leaning on his BMW, holding a dark blue box. When the car came nearer, he saw Hyun Ae in the driver’s seat, alone. It was past 7 already, but there were still some students staying late.

 

“Now will you tell me what you’re doing here?” Hyun Ae asked, walking towards Changmin who was getting more and more nervous by the second.

 

“This was the same spot where I gave you that cup of coffee five years ago. I don’t know if you already knew back then but I wanted to ask you out that morning and I chickened out.” Changmin said, before he kneeled down in front of Hyun Ae and opened the box in his hands, revealing the ring he got from his mother earlier that day.

 

Hyun Ae gasped, tears coming out subconsciously.

 

“I’m sorry I kept things from you, I just wanted to know you were really ready before I did this. I talked to his majesty this morning because I was asking for permission. I was going to wait a few days and plan a more elaborate event, but when you walked away this morning I realized that if I waited you might leave me for good. Please, marry me?” Changmin asked, resisting the urge to get up and hug Hyun Ae throughout, but eventually succumbing when she pulled him up herself.

 

“You idiot, of course I’ll marry you.” Hyun Ae said, smiling through her tears.

 

Changmin slipped the ring onto her finger and leaned closer, “Thank you,” he whispered before leaning in to kiss Hyun Ae.

 

When Hyun Ae placed her hand on Changmin’s cheek to deepen the kiss, they heard a loud shutter go off nearby, causing Hyun Ae to pull away.

 

“Let them take pictures. I’m not ruining this moment.” Changmin smiled.