Crown of Flowers

By Dejiko Mew Mew

"There! It's done!" Yuuri smiled to himself. He took the item in his hands and left the garden. It wasn't too long before he had located his target. "Ah! Wolfram!"

"What is it, Yuuri?" the blonde asked casually, turning around. He jumped back a bit when he met Yuuri's unusually ecstatic face. "Wh—What is it?" he asked again, a bit more rushed.

Yuuri moved his hands from behind his back and revealed in his palms a crown of flowers.

"Tada!" he beamed proudly.

"What... is it?" Wolfram asked one last time, this time an air of confusion in his tone.

"It's a crown!" Yuuri squealed happily. He quickly placed it upon Wolfram's head.

"I can see that, but..." he sighed. "What for?"

"Well, it's been one year since I first came to this land," Yuuri explained, "and therefore, one year since we've met."

Wolfram's face instantly reddened. His usual suave manner was thrown off as he tried to respond and could only stammer incomprehensibly.

"Th—Thanks," he retorted quickly, turning away as if it would conceal his joy.

"Glad you like it," Yuuri nodded. "Well, I'll see ya!"

He ran off then, back inside the castle. Wolfram's fingers slowly touched the delicate flowers atop his head and he felt a bit dizzy, as if all the blushing were draining his energy.

Wolfram stood in his room, examining himself in the mirror. If it were any other crown of flowers, he was sure he'd have looked ridiculous, but he seemed to find that Yuuri's crown suited him well. He may have even cracked a smile over it.

A sudden knock on the door surprised Wolfram and he nearly fell to the ground in shock. He sighed, regained his composure, and opened the door. His eyes shot open and he found himself once again struggling to keep his balance.

"Ah... Wolfram? Are you all right," Konrad asked. The boy slowly nodded, but his eyes remained wide. "Gwendal has asked for your presence in his study."

"Huh...? Oh... yes, of course..." he stammered quietly.

"Is something the matter?" Konrad interrogated. Wolfram shook his head feverishly in disagreement, but then slowly nodded.

"Where... Where did you get that...?" he asked shyly, pointing to the crown of flowers adorning Konrad's head.

"From Heika, of course," Konrad replied earnestly. "Isn't that where yours came from?"

Wolfram stormed down the halls, clenching his fists as tightly as possible. He had never been so humiliated in his whole life.

"Stupid Yuuri...!!" he thought to himself as he tore through the door of his brother's study. His steady breathing could be heard from across the room, and Gwendal calmly raised his head as if to acknowledge Wolfram's presence, or perhaps to disapprove of it.

Wolfram gasped as he noticed a familiar item atop Gwendal's head: the same crown of flowers that was atop his own, the same crown of flowers that Konrad was wearing just before.

"Where did you get that!?" Wolfram shouted now, even though he already knew the answer. It was easier for him to lose his temper when dealing with Gwendal, for some reason. His brother simply glared back at him, as if Wolfram weren't worthy of an answer.

To this, Wolfram marched forward, gritting his teeth, and he slammed his palms upon Gwendal's desk.

"Answer me!!" he ordered. He was now inches from his brother's face.

"I'm only wearing it to be nice..." was all that Gwendal said then.

"That's not what I asked," Wolfram growled. Realizing he wouldn't get Gwendal to admit that Yuuri gave it to him, he decided to give up. He left in a huff.

"Ohhh, to think that he would give such a lovely thing to someone like me!" Günter squeaked, patting the crown above his head. "Heika is truly a kind, wonderful person!"

"He's such a sweet boy," Cheri nodded in agreement. "It may not be worth as much, but this crown sure looks as beautiful as any of my jewelry!"

Wolfram, of course, happened to be approaching at this instant. His steps were halted as he heard their words and saw the crowns ornamenting their heads. He was no longer shocked to see that more people were wearing his special crown, but increasingly infuriated.

"Ah, Wolf!" Cheri shrieked with joy, running towards him and embracing him tightly. "You look so darling in your little crown! Just like a miniature, male me!"

"Shut up," Wolfram grumbled, pushing himself away from her.

"Ohhh, Wolf? Are you in a bad mood again?" she sighed helplessly. "How can I make it better?"

"Just leave me alone!!" he snapped. He ran away before she could object again.

"Stupid, STUPID Yuuri!!" he screamed in his head. He tore the crown from his head and ripped it to pieces and threw it to the ground as he opened the door of his room and slammed it shut behind him.

Yuuri was walking through the halls, humming to himself happily. Today was such a great day, and he was glad that everyone liked the crowns he had made. Making them was a little art that his mother had taught him when he was little. He never thought it was anything special, but he was grateful for it today.

Yuuri stopped in his tracks as he stood before Wolfram's door. What had caught his eye were the remnants of what had once been a flower crown. He slowly knelt down and picked up the pieces, and then he shifted his gaze to Wolfram's room. He carefully approached and placed his ear upon the door. He thought he could hear soft cries coming from inside.

He was hesitant, but he decided he had to do something to help, so he knocked and prayed that Wolfram would answer. The room fell silent, and after a few anguished moments, the door slowly opened, if only a crack. Wolfram peered through and glared at Yuuri; his eyes were slightly red.

"W—Wolfram?" Yuuri choked out quietly, as if afraid to even speak. "Were you... crying?"

"No!" Wolfram roared, preparing to slam the door shut. Before he could, however, Yuuri stuck his arm in the way and cried out in pain as it was mashed between the door and the frame. "Yuuri!"

"Ow..." Yuuri had to mention first. After getting that out of the way, he looked into Wolfram's eyes. "What's wrong? Do you want to talk about it?"

Wolfram would have liked to be difficult then. He would have liked to say no, to confine himself to his misery, and most of all, to not see the one whom he was so upset with in the first place.

However, he slowly opened the door and let Yuuri inside. He didn't apologize for hurting his arm, although he was slightly worried about it and silently felt bad.

"You... You dropped this outside..." Yuuri tried to laugh, handing Wolfram what used to be his crown. "Ahh... Except... You didn't... Did you? Not on accident, anyways..."

Wolfram was not quite willing to respond yet. He didn't know what to say or even what to yell. He only knew that he was hurt and that he wasn't ready to admit that to Yuuri just yet.

"Are you that mad...?" Yuuri asked now, a hint of fear under his breath. He took Wolfram's hands into his own and looked deep into his eyes. "You won't even answer me?" Wolfram shut his eyes and turned away. "You won't even look at me? Wolfram!"

"Shut up!!" Wolfram cried and pulled away from him. He looked back at Yuuri with anger, his wet eyes seeming to hold back tears. "You're so...!!"

"I'm so... what?" Yuuri wondered.

"... Nice," Wolfram sighed with irritation.

"I'm... sorry..." Yuuri apologized lightly, for he wasn't entirely sure that he was expected to apologize.

"I was..." Wolfram started. Too embarrassed to continue, he turned his back to Yuuri.

"Please tell me," Yuuri begged. "Whatever it is I did wrong, I'll never do it again! I mean... I'll do my best... I'll try not to do it again!!"

"I was happy!!" Wolfram shouted, clenching his fists. Yuuri fell silent. "I was happy when you gave it to me... I thought... I thought it was special..."

"Wolfram, I don't understand..." Yuuri admitted. "It was special... wasn't it?"

"It was," Wolfram retorted with a half-laugh, "until I saw that everyone in the kingdom was wearing the same one!"

As expected, Yuuri was unable to answer. Wolfram knew, at this point, that the conversation from here on was up to him.

"I don't... I don't understand..." Yuuri apologized, lowering his head.

"Of course you don't!" Wolfram sighed heavily. "Yuuri, you're so stupid!! It doesn't matter what I say because you're too dense to get it!"

"To... To get what...?" Yuuri questioned.

"Never mind!" Wolfram growled, throwing his hands into the air.

"I'm sorry!" Yuuri swore. "I'm trying! Really, I am!!"

"And you still don't understand?"

Yuuri shook his head. Wolfram rolled his eyes, and leaned towards Yuuri. He placed his right hand upon his cheek and quickly kissed him. Yuuri's eyes shot open with surprise, and as Wolfram's left departed from his own, his mouth remained open. He felt a strange sensation throughout his entire body, which was left paralyzed.

"Now... Can you still say you don't understand...?" Wolfram interrogated.

To Be Continued??