Author's Note: PLEASE watch out for typos! I may have a lot in this one! THANK YOU.

-.-.-

It was a perfect day – a fair weather. However, at the sudden intrusion of a – as Yuuri knew next to nothing – stranger, the afternoon had to forcefully be continued inside and within the confines of Gwendal's office. Much to the first prince's chagrin. Of course, such only happened due to the undying insistence of Gunter, who had raced to where his beloved king was.

The advisor was only looking out for Yuuri's best interests.

"You." Gwendal, who was safely seated behind his desk, seethed upon the sight of a very familiar boy. Behind him was an ever worried Gunter beside a very confused king. "You're back."

"He surely is!" Cecile joyfully made her way towards the eldest of her sons. Her arms, wrapping around a still aggravated Gwendal, she announced: "There's so much love in this castle, I feel eighty-four again!"

The former queen clapped. And this time, Gwendal was not the only one grinding his teeth. Aside from him, Yuuri noted that underneath Conrad's smile was a very displeased persona. On the other hand, Wolfram, who stood in front of the second prince, fought back the urge to scream as he forced the man he had just met to bow. Yuuri could not help but be sorry for the said man. After all, he knew how it was to have Wolfram physically assault him.

"Apologize." The prince demanded.

Smoothly releasing his head from Wolfram's hold, Alfonse chuckled. "But I already did."

"Properly." Wolfram snapped back, resting his hands on his hips. "Now!"

"It's fine," Yuuri stated, overruling what the third prince ordered of Alfonse. Earning him annoyed glares from the brothers. Conrad's, however, still seemed more disappointed than annoyed. "So, uhm, Alfonse—"

"—Fons."

"Fons," the king corrected himself. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, Wolf's right!" Alfonse's smile then ventured to those who stood in front of him. "I should really apologize once more. I feel as if I disturbed something." He bowed his head, "For that, I'm deeply sorry!"

"There's no need to apologize for whisking Wolfie away!" Cecile squealed, clapping her hands once more from where she was. "Come, have a seat!" She offered gleefully, presenting the empty couch he – along with Wolfram and Conrad – stood behind in.

The former queen's sons frowned simultaneously. Their mother was up to her antics again.

"Mother, please. This isn't really the time!" Wolfram exasperatedly pleaded, hoping his mother would finally stop.

"Nonsense, it's always time for love!" Cecile smiled, pulling both Alfonse and Wolfram to the couch. Wolfram, at that particular act, looked at Conrad with a fearful expression – it was as if he was silently asking for help. Fortunately, it was something Conrad did not fail to miss. And with that, he managed to sit himself beside his younger brother.

"Had I known courting Wolfram would be so easily approved by Lady Cecile, I would have done so years ago!" It was a line that earned Alfonse Wolfram's elbow. To which, he winced.

"Shut it."

Yuuri, who managed to keep his silence as the scene went on, held back a snicker. With Gwendal plastering wrinkles on his face once more and with Conrad, himself, not at all pleased with what was happening; the king knew he had to stay quiet. Nevertheless, he found it amazing that Wolfram could easily be the Wolfram he knew around Alfonse. It was natural.

"Uh, excuse me," the king managed to squeeze his way into the conversation. "What exactly are you here for…again?

Alfonse looked towards the king; the grin he managed to paste on his face all the while had disappeared. At that point, Alfonse finally became serious. Yet not enough to overpower the annoyances that emitted from Gwendal and Conrad; nonetheless, whatever he had come for was obviously an important matter. Yuuri, himself, knew that was certain. However, he did not know whether or not the said matter was good.

"Well, Your Majesty, I just came back from my study in the far eastern regions," Alfonse's words escaped his lips carefully, earning him everyone else's undivided attention. "Lord von Christ, I know you're one of the few people who know about it." He added, lacing his fingers together underneath his chin as Gunter stepped a bit forward upon hearing his name. "The supplementary elements."

"Pardon me?" Gunter eyes widened as his voice resounded excitedly.

-.-.-

Yuuri watched as his godfather bid him a brief farewell before briskly walking off to the direction his mother had dragged Alfonse and Wolfram. Meanwhile, Gwendal chose to stay inside the seclusion of his office to drink as he mumbled a complaint about unwelcomed distractions. Gunter, on the other hand, scurried off with Lady Cecile. However, not without bidding his beloved king a bone-crushing goodbye. And then, he was left alone, silently walking through the halls, on his way back to where Katarina and Murata wished to stay.

The young king could not help but wonder why the still and quiet of the palace was suddenly disrupted.

"That meeting took you long enough." Murata, leaning on one of the pillars, appeared as Yuuri rounded the corner. "Who is he?"

"Aren't you supposed to be with Katarina?"

"I was… but she was getting worried," the sage smiled as he pushed himself up from the pillar. "So I offered to check on her fiancé. Don't worry, Greta's keeping her company." He continued, "So, again, who is Alfonse de Croix?"

Yuuri shrugged upon urging the sage to walk with him. "Well, all I know is he's staying here for a month or so to study elements. Or something like that."

"A month?" Murata pushed his glasses up before shooting his companion a curious look. "Studying elements for a month, are you sure? Or studying Wolfram for a month?"

The king shot his sage a wondering look, "What are you implying Murata?" His tone was a little less than happy as a short pause followed. The sage merely wore a smirk – "I asked Gwendal and Conrad about Fons, though."

"I see you've done your research." Murata chuckled, "What did they say?"

"Well, Gwendal only said he needed wine and Conrad looked like he was more interested in following them around than answering my question. So I let him follow them."

The sage, once more, chuckled – "Ah, the beauty of a brother-complex," he grinned as he held his hands behind him. "What about you?"

"What do you mean?"

Murata sighed, "Lord von Bielefeld may perhaps be a former fiancé," the sage shook his head as he found that should have been impossible for his friend to actually miss what he implied about the prince. "However, have you ever thought of all the times you two had?"

Yuuri stopped in his steps with the perfect view of garden in front of him and the even more welcoming view of Katarina, who looked less distressed, and Greta together. Both were seated while they happily tasted the different slices of pastries his fiancé prepared with the help of the maids. To the king, at that moment, it was a picture of a family. He, then, turned to the sage who was – just as well – looking at the same scene.

"Quit it, Murata." With a smile, the king added: "Besides, I'm happy there's someone meant for Wolfram. He's back." And with that, Yuuri disappeared from Murata's side and ventured to where he greeted his fiancé and his daughter with the smile that he had shot the sage earlier.

In turn, Greta ran up to hug him while Katarina stood from her chair. She waited with a more serene expression, to which could be assumed, came from the fact that they returned without a certain prince in tow. And, perhaps, it had pleased her greatly to see her fiancé without Wolfram von Bielefeld. Not that Yuuri could pay any heed to that matter at that point.

Secretly, while still rooted in the spot where the king had left him, Murata was still dumbfounded. He found his head tilting at what would be the future royal family. It was a sight to see, admittedly. Nonetheless, the sage felt uncomfortable. Yet, he acknowledged the fact that he was so used to have one Wolfram von Bielefeld there with one Yuuri Shibuya. At the thought, Murata looked up as he hoped to see the blue sky above him. However – without meaning to do such – the sage was instead greeted by the view of the balcony from below. The balcony where Alfonse de Croix and Wolfram were, and it seemed as if they had just arrived there as well. Furthermore, they were too caught in an engaging conversation as they barely noticed who were beneath them.

Removing his glasses to wipe off the dust that accumulated on the lenses, Murata could only huff. It saddened him more than he thought. The prince who rightfully had his place beside the king who would become a great leader – the two were walking down separate paths in their small world. Although the sage knew they were likely to cross once more, he had no idea who they would both be in the end.

At that, Murata only prayed the best for his – still – favorite couple.

-.-.-

Wolfram and Alfonse finally reached the balcony peacefully. At last, after escaping the former queen and the advisor as well as finding a way out of Conrad's watchful eyes, the two were grateful to finally have time to spare for each other. Of course, to Wolfram, it was in a manner that would not and should not be considered romantic. To him, that 'time' meant time to finally breathe away from the scrutinizing and assuming eyes.

"I see your brothers still hate me." Alfonse commented, resting his elbows on the marble railing before him. "But, hey, your mother still loves me!"

"The kiss you stole hits home," Wolfram snorted yet a smirk found its way on his princely face. His own back rested on the same railing Alfonse leaned on. "You know."

"Well, who could resist a face like yours," the latter replied with light chuckle. "And on such a romantic night, nonetheless!"

"Still a flirt, I see."

"Well, you're the only one I ever flirt with." Alfonse grinned at Wolfram, "Did you kiss anyone this time around? With the fireflies back and all."

The prince shrugged in response. "I did."

"Here I thought the fireflies were our thing." The prince's companion frowned tauntingly as his eyes rolled in false disappointment. "Who was the lucky one this time?"

"I kissed the king on his cheek as goodbye. Not much of a big deal."

Alfonse whistled in Wolfram's reply before eyeing the prince slyly. "You really are head-over-heels for that guy." He laughed a bit once more, "I can't believe he just let you go like that. I mean, what kind of idiot would let you go?"

Wolfram frowned; however, he was still amused. "The kind who allows you to live in the castle so you don't suffer in a shabby inn," he paused as he looked at his companion. "And the kind who is our king. You should best be thankful that you are granted an opportunity to be in his presence."

"I would rather be thankful for being in your presence."

It was, then, the prince's turn to roll his eyes. Hitting Alfonse's arm with the back of his hand, Wolfram gritted his teeth, "Stop it, moron."

To which Alfonse merely replied as he looked back at the horizon, "I missed you too, Lord Wolfram von Bielefeld."

Quiet – calm quiet reigned over the two as they decided it was the right moment to bask in breeze that blew their way. Not that Alfonse minded; he was honestly happy with where he was – with the one person he was well fond of for six years. Yet, it was a feeling that was not at all reciprocated, Alfonse was well aware of that. Of course, how could he not know that one significant detail, Wolfram did not fight the urge to burn him the night he decided to steal the prince's kiss. Nor did his brothers stop him from almost doing so. Alfonse was sure they were helping Wolfram roast him. Nevertheless, after all the years and all the expeditions he went on, there he was six years later since their last encounter. Alfonse de Croix was standing right beside Wolfram von Bielefeld.

Eyeing the prince from the corner of his eyes, Alfonse calmly breathed: "The offer still stands, you know?"

"I know." Was Wolfram's calm reply as he looked up at the bright blue sky above them. "Let's see in another six years."

"Or now."

"You wish, de Croix."

"Oh, I do, von Bielefeld."

To Be Continued

Author's Note: Yes, I know the chapter's short. HAHAHA. Anyway, thank you so much to BirdsOfFreedom for dedicating an art: goodotglslashicu0e! I'm so... oh, gosh. Loss for words! Read and review, thank you!