Five years later…

 

“Good morning.” Changmin smiled, knowing that he woke up with Hyun Ae beside him.

 

“Hmmm. Morning. What time is it?” Hyun Ae snuggled up to Changmin, still half-asleep.

 

“Too early to be doing anything outside of bed.” Changmin smirked this time, leaning in to kiss Hyun Ae.

 

“Oppa I’m serious. Siwon said he’d be back for me at 8, and you know what happened the last time dad found out I came back late.”

 

*flashback*

 

“You did WHAT?! With WHO?!” The King’s screams could be heard throughout the palace.

 

“I… I’m sorry your majesty. It was all my fault, I should’ve sent her highness home last night.” Changmin was kneeling in front of the king and choosing his words very carefully.

 

“Min! Don’t say that! I wanted to stay dad. I’m old enough decide what I want to do. Leave Changmin out of this!” Hyun Ae was fuming.

 

“This is a nightmare. Did anyone else see you two go in and out?” The King asked before pressing the intercom, “get the prime minister and the press chief.”

 

“Sir I’ll take responsibility for it, I should be the one punished.”

 

The King sighed. “I trusted you to know better, because I know you’re a smart kid, Changmin. I’m not angry that you spent the night, Hyun Ae, I’m angry that both of you weren’t careful and that I had to find out through the internet. Both of you have extremely important reputations to protect, and you know how much people judge these kinds of things.”

 

*end flashback*

 

“Okay, okay. I have some stuff to finish for my lecture tomorrow anyway.” Changmin said, getting out of bed and walking his en suite.

 

Hyun Ae sighed, but smiled at how things had turned out between her and Changmin. She had just graduated from university earlier that year, and was “working” as a princess for now, while Changmin was already an instructor at Seoul National University. They had been together for the past five years, despite the fact that the media caught wind of their first date and had been following them ever since.

 

“Hurry up! I have a meeting with the charity board over lunch.” Hyun Ae shouted.

 

“I keep telling you, if you’re in a hurry we should just shower together! No big deal!” Changmin answered back.

 

“If you didn’t close the door already I would’ve thrown a sharp object at you!”

 

-----

 

“Flight KA 928759 from JFK has landed…”

 

“Welcome home, young master.”

 

“How many times have I told you to call me Jaejoong? But it’s good to be home. How's my father?”

 

After high school, Jaejoong went to New York to study politics, and started law school at Harvard right after, but decided to finish law in Korea.

 

“I think he set aside some time to be home this afternoon. I heard him telling his PA that he had to talk to you.”

 

“Aren’t I lucky, I got an appointment with my dad!” Jaejoong scoffed, walking out of the airport and into the waiting limo.

 

-----

 

“Dad, I don’t really understand why I still can’t spend the night with Changmin. You know everyone knows that we’re practically married.”

 

“Yes I know, and I trust Changmin because he knows what I can do if he betrays that trust, but you’re not actually married, so until then, you can’t. You still technically live in the palace, and you two aren’t even engaged yet. You’re the princess of South Korea, and staying over at another man’s house, a man who isn’t your husband, sends the wrong message to our people. You know image is important, dear -- we don’t want an entire country of teenage girls misbehaving and using your actions as an excuse.”

 

Hyun Ae just sighed. She knew her dad was right.

 

“I have to go, we can talk later, because you’ll be at the palace tonight and nowhere else. Love you.” The King said, kissing Hyun Ae’s forehead.

 

“Your highness, you need to get dressed for lunch.” Hyori, smiled, gesturing to Hyun Ae’s room.

 

-----

 

“Jaejoong hyung?” Changmin couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Jaejoong in front of him at the university.

 

“Oh right, I didn’t tell anyone I came back. It’s been too long Changmin!” Jaejoong said, hugging Changmin.

 

“Are you back for good?”

 

“Yup. I’m gonna finish up my law degree here, then hopefully try and get a seat in parliament. I’m just running some papers today, but I think I start next week?”

 

“Have you called the other hyungs?”

 

“Well, I guess Junsu knows because of our dads, but other than him I don't think so. We should go out tonight! We hardly ever went drinking back then because I left right after graduation. Is her highness free tonight?”

 

“How’d you…”

 

“You underestimate the scope of paparazzi. Everyone knows you’re this close to being a prince, Changmin.”

 

“Oh. Okay. Are you seeing any of the others before tonight? Or do I have to do the calling?”

 

“You read my mind. Always the hard-working one.”

 

Changmin just glared at Jaejoong, who laughed in return.

 

“Well, I gotta go. My dad actually made time to talk to me!” Jaejoong said with a hint of sarcasm that Changmin understood.

 

-----

 

“Hi dad.” Jaejoong said, walking in to his dad’s office in parliament.

 

“Hm. Yeah just sit down first.”

 

“What a wonderful way to greet your only son after not seeing him for five years.” Jaejoong muttered. If his dad heard, he wasn’t showing it.

 

“Have you informed the law school yet? Does Dongshik know already?”

 

“Yeah I was at SNU this morning running papers. I’m seeing Changmin tonight, I’ll ask him when I can see his dad.” Jaejoong’s replies were flat and uninterested.

 

“Good. Will you be moving back in to the estate or do you want a penthouse in the city?”

 

“I was thinking of moving back so I can see mom and Taeyeon since it’s been so long. But once I find a job I’ll start looking for a place.”

 

While Jaejoong was talking, his dad pulled some papers out of a drawer and handed them to him.

 

“What’s this?”

 

“Papers for your trust fund. You weren’t in the country on your 21st birthday, so it had to be kept frozen until you got back.”

 

The amount on one of the papers was enough to make Jaejoong’s eyes widen.

 

-----

 

“Y...your highnesses. It’s an honor.” The head of security of the club came down personally to greet Hyun Ae and Changmin, Yoochun, and their security details.

 

When Yunho called the staff at Club SeOUL saying there would be some very important guests that night, they never expected them to be the likes of the Prime Minister’s only son, and the princess and crown prince of Korea. 

 

“You’re late!” An already-drunk Yunho said when Hyun Ae came in to the room.

 

“It’s not even his party and he’s already the life of it.” Jaejoong muttered as Yunho drank more of the expensive liquor laid out on the table.

 

“Jaejoong oppa!” Hyun Ae smiled before she gave Jaejoong a long hug.

 

“You’ve changed so much! Although I better let go of you before Changmin slits my throat.” Jaejoong chuckled.

 

“Nah, he’s too afraid of my dad to do something that’ll get him on the papers.” Hyun Ae joked, kissing Changmin on the cheek.

 

“Which is why I’m even more careful! He’ll go all ninja on me and no one will know I’m gone.” Jaejoong said, jokingly whispering the last part.

 

“It’s really been too long.” Yoochun grinned, giving Jaejoong a hi-five and a grin.

 

-----

 

“You people forget how… strong… my… tolerance is.” Jaejoong said, hesitantly sitting down beside Hyun Ae after several rounds of drinks and dancing.

 

“I think even your tolerance can’t handle everything you drank, oppa.” Hyun Ae smiled. She drank, but she stopped once she got tipsy.

 

“Oh! It’s my favorite princess.”

 

“Your one and only.” Hyun Ae giggled.

 

“Aaaaah, I love you so much. Do you know… how… pissed I was that you…. you and and Changminnie worked out? I wanted you aaaaaaaaall to myself.”

 

Hyun Ae’s eyes widened in shock, but before she could react, Jaejoong fell asleep.