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There was something off about Tutor, and Saifah immediately noticed it. He did look a bit more tan than usual, but it wasn’t that which was putting Saifah off: Tutor looked happy.
And Tutor had always looked content with his life, even when he struggled mercilessly to earn enough money every month. Tutor was really not someone who showed his feelings a lot, but Saifah was quite good at reading people, and he had always known that despite all the struggles Tutor faced throughout his adult life, he wasn’t depressed or unhappy either.
But it seemed as if he hadn’t been this happy before, because he was beaming. Everyone around them seemed like the saddest people, and Saifah didn’t doubt that he looked the same too. It was as if, for one of these precious fleeting moments, everything was lined up for Tutor to be the happiest he’d ever been.
“The beach was good, uh?” Saifah asked nonchalantly as he sat beside him, and Tutor just nodded with a smile full of teeth.
“By the way, why did you go right now? You didn’t tell me anything besides the fact that it was really important.”
Tutor finally seemed to descend back from heaven and look a bit more troubled. He looked up at Saifah in a sigh, before smiling shyly.
“I was with someone.”
Saifah just stared at him, confused. Tutor hadn’t told him about anyone in his life, but it also made sense that he hadn’t spent a huge amount of money he didn’t even have to go to the beach by himself. Someone must have paid for him.
“Who?”
Tutor blushed in the slightest way and turned his head, unable to look at him any longer.
“Don’t be too surprised when I tell you.”
He nodded eagerly. Tutor took in a deep breath, before saying: “It’s P’Fighter.”
Saifah probably had an aneurysm, because his brain stopped functioning for a good minute. When he (slightly) recovered, he stared at Tutor with a skeptical face.
“I don’t believe you.”
Tutor looked at him, half-laughing, half-offended. “Are you serious?”
“Tutor, why would you go to the beach with P’Fighter? You hate him! And he was with Hwahwa like two minutes ago!”
Tutor looked embarrassed yet again, but pulled up his phone and pushed him in his direction. On the screen, a picture of Tutor and P’Fighter at the beach… looking like a pair of millionaire boyfriends.
Saifah grabbed the phone, and started scrolling through more beach pictures, and hotel room pictures, and sauna pictures… until he stopped on one that proved everything. In that one, P’Fighter was kissing Tutor’s cheek, and looking even happier than Tutor had been since the morning.
“What the fuck,” he whispered under his breath. “So the novel truly is real.”
Tutor rolled his eyes next to him. “Don’t tell me you believe the same thing as Zon.”
Saifah seemed to get out of his shock and stared at him yet again. “It’s kind of suspicious though… isn’t it?”
Tutor scoffed and took his phone back. “You two really are a match made in heaven.”
Saifah didn’t answer anything for a while, and watched as Tutor scrolled through his pictures himself, a euphoric smile forming on his lips. Here it was again, that happier than thou look.
“Well, uh, congratulations I guess,” Saifah finally concluded, but it fell on deaf ears as Tutor was already gone in his world of romance, beaches and P’Fighter.
Saifah just felt a bit down after that. And he really didn’t want to be, because you always had to be happy for your friends, but… Saifah couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous. Not of Tutor, or Fighter, god no, he really wasn’t into either of them, but of their relationship.
He wished he could be the kind of boyfriend who took Zon on expensive beach trips, the kind of boyfriend who was romantic enough to organize (once again expensive) candle-lit dinners and rent hotel rooms with a Jacuzzi, but he wasn’t. Saifah just didn’t have any romantic inclination.
But what Saifah wished for the most, was making Zon as happy as Tutor and Fighter were together. And, despite all the beautiful moment they’d had, he hadn’t managed to do that.
“Hey.”
Saifah looked up to see P’Fighter standing over Tutor with a love-struck smile, not even remotely paying the littlest attention to him. Tutor had long forgotten about him too.
Saifah suddenly got up, grabbing his bag and announcing vaguely: “I’m going to the bathroom.”
Both men nodded absent-mindlessly, too engaged in their exchange of heart eyes and cheesy smiles.
Saifah stared at his reflection in the bathroom’s mirror, and didn’t like what he saw. What had happened to chill Sai? The guy who was always happy for his friends, who went with the flow in every aspect of his life, who never let his confidence waver?
Was in love Saifah supposed to be such a questioning and bitter person? Was it really what love was about?
Saifah hated envying others and he hated doubting himself, but both things were happening to him for the first time of his life. All of that because of that damn Zon he was in love with.
With a sigh, he splashed water on his face and went out of that bathroom, only to spot Zon coming at full speed in his direction.
It had been a full week since their first kiss (or real, wanted, kiss at least), and things had been good until now. There had been a lot of sleepy cuddles and soft pecks, a lot of laying in bed all day and fooling around. Saifah had been happy. Really happy.
Yet now he couldn’t help but wonder if he could really treat Zon right. If they were really made to be together at all.
“Hey.”
Zon sported one of his secretive smiles he always had since their concert, like there was some secret mission they were both on. Saifah sent him a smile too, though he doubted it was very convincing.
“Hey, how are you?”
“I’m good,” Zon responded, starting walking alongside him. “You’re not, though.”
Saifah stopped walking and stared at him. “Uh?”
Zon rolled his eyes. “You look too serious. And you never look serious, you always put on your chill guy mask even when you feel down.”
Saifah wanted to gasp out loud. Zon had been able to read him that well this entire time? And he hadn’t called him out on it earlier?
“You seem to know me very well,” he replied with a smirk.
Zon nodded eagerly. He looked absolutely adorable then, and Saifah was glad that they had just walked into an empty hallway.
“I do,” Zon replied. “Now tell me what’s going on.”
Saifah gazed at him silently for a while, wondering what he should tell him.
“Ai’Sai, answer me!”
He shook his head then, and started speaking. “So, uh, I have to ask you… are you happy with me?”
Zon looked both surprised and judgmental upon hearing that. But then he noticed Saifah’s serious face and nodded. “Well, yeah. I thought it was clear. We’ve had a good week, you and I.”
He had said that in the cutest voice, with the cutest wide-eyed and pouty mouth look. Saifah got suddenly closer to him, his hands caressing his cheeks briefly before kissing him.
“Tell me I’m dumb,” he pleaded once they detached, lips still oh so close.
“Uh… you’re dumb?” Zon chuckled, clearly confused by the situation.
Saifah pushed him slightly away then, and looked away for a moment. Zon was still standing right in front of him with a slightly scared look on his face.
“Okay, so… do you think we’re a good match?”
Zon hit him in the chest then, barely hard enough to hurt, but hard enough to get his attention.
“You’re really being dumb now. What is this all about?”
Saifah exhaled loudly. “So Tutor is dating P’Fighter, apparently. Did you know?”
Zon’s face indicated that he definitely didn’t. “The novel is truly real!” he immediately exclaimed.
“That’s what I said,” Saifah smirked, before shaking his head and focusing on the task at hand. “And they went to the beach together, and P’Fighter probably paid a fortune and it looked really beautiful and I’m just… realizing that we can’t have that, you and me. I can’t afford to take an airplane to a beach with you in five stars hotels with spas and prepare fancy candle-lit dinners… So I’m asking you, do you think we’re a good match?”
Zon hit him in the chest again then, though it was much harder.
“Ai’Sai!” he shouted. “You’ve become really dumb, have you?”
Saifah stared at him with a pout, feeling ashamed of himself. “I care too much about you, that’s all. So I want to treat you right. I wonder if you deserve better than me.”
Zon grabbed his face then, pulling it down until their lips were touching. Saifah’s hands automatically fell on his shoulders.
“I don’t want dinners on the beach,” Zon finally responded. “I mean, that’d be nice, but it’s not what makes me like you, dumbass. You don’t need to throw money at me for me to be happy with you, because just this week with you has made me the happiest I’ve ever been. All I want his cuddles in bed with you, and I’m satisfied.”
Saifah left another peck on his lips before hugging him tight.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me. I guess I don’t want Tutor and P’Fight to be a better couple than us,” he joked.
“They probably are for the moment,” Zon replied, head buried in his chest.
Saifah detached from him immediately. “What do you mean?”
“Well,” Zon blushed. “You still haven’t asked me to be your boyfriend, so we’re not technically a couple.”
Saifah’s heart started beating hard in his chest. He had planned to ask Zon during a more romantic moment, but he guessed that would do.
“Please be my boyfriend, Zon.”
Zon smiled then, pearly white teeth greeting Saifah’s view. “Hm. Now we’re a couple.”
Saifah wanted to scream, but instead he hugged Zon and carried him up in the air at the same time, making him spin as he laughed.
When he put him back down, Zon laced their hands together.
“Promise me to never have dumb doubts like this again.”
“I promise!” Saifah declared hastily, putting his hand next to his head in an army sign.
“Now...” Zon took on a secretive expression again. “You know, if you really want to go to the beach, I can pay it for you. I’m pretty rich.”
“Ai’Zon!” Saifah replied, ruffling his hair in act of revenge. “Don’t brag to much, I might break up with you!”
Zon looked upset. “You can never break up with me, Ai’Sai!”
Saifah rolled his eyes, and squeezed his hand as they went out of that empty hallway. “I could never,” he assured with a smirk.
“Good boy,” Zon smirked, jumping up to kiss his cheek. “Now, after class, I want ten hours of cuddling in bed with you to compensate for your stupidity.”
Saifah smiled. “Of course, sir!”
And as they walked hand in hand to their first class of the day, Saifah wondered why he had even had doubts in the first place. Screw Tutor and P’Fighter and their dream vacation getaway. Those were overrated anyway. Nothing beat a good ten hours of cuddles in bed.