Chapter Text
“So, have you ever kept in touch with Saint?”
“What are you talking about, Max?”
“Come on Zee, you must have noticed right? Nong Saint has been on a roll these days, huh. Being a producer, CEO and he’s even starring in a new series! I mean does the guy ever rest?”
Zee stirred the top of his mocha, frowned in thought and then shrugged carelessly appearing nonchalant. “Well, you know what an overachiever he is.”
Zee and Max were sitting in a coffee shop near the Domundi owned building, both wearing caps in an attempt to go unnoticed by fans. The rest of the Domundi were scattered, each doing their own business taking a break from fan meets and shootings. Though Zee tried to not let what the younger said get to him, he still couldn’t help but linger on the very thought.
Saint Sup was a name he didn’t associate with himself for quite a while. He’d even go as far as to say that it was a touchy subject to him. Things between them were never ever resolved properly nor did he even make any effort in doing so. He remembered guiltily keeping mum during the whole ordeal where people kept probing and speculating on what had happened to zeesaint or zaintsee or whatever you called it.
Max peered at his dear friend from the top of his sunglasses, already recognizing the silent contemplation the elder was having. “You know what, Zee, never mind. It was just a passing thought for me.”
“Yeah, well he’s doing good and that’s good for him, right?”
“Yeah, anyway. What was it about your new project that P’Aof was going to make?”
Zee spluttered anxiously before rising up to his feet hastily nearly losing his balance which wasn’t that odd due to his naturally clumsy nature. “Oh shit! I forgot I need to go there!”, he exclaimed whilst putting some money in the table covering his part of the meal while contemplating on how fast can a cab take him toward his designated destination. Max stared unimpressed by Zee’s farewells knowing his forgetful nature by the back of his hand.
“A while back you actually had someone to remind you about these things phi. Then, things got blown out of proportion and neither of you tried to fix it.” Max muttered cynically before he sipped his last drops of macchiato before getting up to leave himself.
Zee’s panted breaths seemed to serve as a reminder of his crucial age rise. He wasn’t getting any younger. Well, neither was the world. He trudges up the stairs before finally arriving at the tall glass building, a record deal industry. It was the new project P’Aof was egging him on.
As he high tailed towards the elevator, he let his ears tuned off the bustle of the occupants on the lobby. Alone with his thoughts, he remembered P’Aof words of encouragement.
“You need to do a solo act for now. People need to see that even without a CP, you’re just as good, Zee.”
“Yeah, sure. But why do I need to sing? Can’t I do something else? Like workout ore model for a bit.”
“No, it’s either this or you need to act in another series. But, we just finished Cutie Pie and in progress for Middleman’s Love so it might be a while before we can launch other one. C’mon, it’s not like you haven’t sing before.”
Rolling his eyes at the memory, Zee heaved a deep sigh dreading the moments. Looking faintly at his phone, he saw the notification from his manager to go to level 23 of the building. Just as the elevator was about to close, like a dramatic movie, a hand reached out to intercept.
And panting just like Zee before, the figured mumbled incoherently about managing to make it before the door shuts. Feeling gracious, Zee push the hold button and just as he was stepping back he’d managed to make eye contact with the other. He exhaled sharply.
Fuck.
Standing before him was none other than Saint Suppapong Udomkaewkanjana.
If possible, the room in the slow moving elevator seemed even smaller in comparison to how it actually was. Zee practically cursed the gods above who seemed to punish him for whatever misdeeds he’d done in this life or the last by not letting anyone else get into the elevator leaving it just the two of them. Pulling himself together, Zee tried to make light talk.
“So how’s the new series? I heard it’s going great.”
“It’s fine.”
Zee was surprised by the curt reply. Now, he finally realized some telltale signs that were alarming. The younger was tense and seemed to radiate some hostility. Zee furrowed his eyebrows, this wasn’t a normal Saint reaction. Almost everyone knew about Saint’s cheery and friendly attitude. The guy was a fucking social butterfly who never seemed to run out of things to say. Clearing his throat, he made another futile attempt.
“Congrats by the way, you know. About the graduation and the SCOY and GAP success? Heard you guys made it big.”
Saint hummed silently, affirming that he indeed heard the elder’s attempt at chit chat before he went to check his phone without so much as a second glance at the other. Zee stayed silent, willing for something to happen in order to distract from the deafening silence that was full of tension, while he knew that they had parted on the least best of terms, he always expected for Saint to just shrug him off or treated him as he does with the other Domundi members (with magnanimous friendliness). He’d never thought in a million years that the younger man would act with coldness towards him of all people.
Stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jeans, Zee actually turned and took a step nearer in an attempt as some sort of leverage towards the other who was more or less the same height. In a softer voice, Zee tried to be as civil as possible trying to get a proper response from his former co-actor.
“Look, I know we haven’t been seeing each other much these days, but I think we haven’t really discussed some things that happened before?”
Saint pursed his lips, eyes still facing front. Without missing a beat, he replied, voice void of any emotions.
“Is that so? Though, Phi. I really don’t think we needed to discuss anything.”
“Are you angry at me about something? Cause maybe, we should clear it off if we want to stay friends”
“Why would you assu-“
“Then, at the very least look at me.”
Zee felt his nostrils flared as his voice raised though not enough to be considered as yelling. Finally, the young producer turned his head. Their eyes met in a heated gaze. Zee felt as if he was struck. He was both baffled and angry though he couldn’t pinpoint the reason. Saint’s clear eyes that had looked at him in unfiltered childish exuberance once upon a time ago were glaring at him with so much anger that was so unlike the young actor.
Saint stared hard in his general direction, not meeting him eye to eye after the one second had passed. Then without replying he turned away and wandered out of the open elevator towards the hallway which he, somehow was quite familiar with, hands reaching out delicately to touch this and that. Zee just watched him in silence, noticing how Saint's hair had grown so much longer since T-Pop stage and also the heavy clothes he wore, despite the heat outside. It was like he was trying to hide something.
"Saint?"
Saint rounded on him in sudden anger and for the second time that day, their eyes locked and held. The air became instantly electric.
"What the hell can I say?! We've barely spoken in a year and now all of a sudden you want to talk about friendship!" Saint's dark eyes flashed dangerously as he glanced away, clearly trying to rein in his emotions, before returning to glare a hole in Zee's head. The Cutie Pie actor could barely meet those burning eyes.
"We're not friends, Zee," Saint continued at last, voice low, controlled. "Maybe we never were - we just worked together sometimes. So if you wanna talk about work, call me. If you don't, back off and leave me alone!"
With those stinging final words, Saint stalked past him and was gone.
Zee stared after Saint for a long moment, stunned by the outburst. Was that what Saint really thought? Did he really believe the connection - friendship, or whatever the hell it was between them - was beyond salvaging? With sudden determination tinged with a hint of desperation, he charged from the elevator in hot pursuit. He couldn't leave it like that.
He caught up with Saint just before he managed to reach a room. He grabbed the singer's arm firmly and swung him round, determined to finish this conversation. It was only quick reflexes that saved him from the fist that followed like a hammer, aimed directly at Zee's face.
"Whoa! Saint! What the hell is your problem?!"
Zee stumbled and almost fell to the ground as he back-pedaled wildly, dropping his hold on Saints's arm as if it burned. The other man didn't attempt to follow through on the punch, or escape, just stood and stared at Zee intensely, fists tightly clenched by his side, complex emotions shifting across his face and in his dark eyes. In that moment, Zee saw Saint’s expression took on an emotion he’d never thought he’d see from the actor. Fear.
"Don't touch me," he warned softly, containing pain in every word.
"Hey, wouldn't dream of it," Zee countered sarcastically as he drew himself up, anger growing at Saint's strange attitude. Okay, so maybe he'd been a bit distant over the past 1 and half years or so, but he didn't deserve this crap. Why was the sudden aggression? What had he done? This was so fucked up, and it was not all Zee's fault.
Zee knew it was unlike either of them to broadcast so much anger especially towards each other but he couldn’t contain his impulse. Max's earlier words about the speedfast progress that Saint had in building his ever growing career rang in his mind. They had both clearly taken an easier way out and decided to move on from each other by gaining steadfast popularity and fame that helped with their careers respectively. So why the sudden hostility from Saint?
Again, Saint's response told Zee he'd spoken his thoughts aloud.
"Look, Zee, I don't want to fight with you. But things are different now - we're different now. Why can't you give it a rest? You're like ......... you're like a terrier, once you get a hold of something, you won't let go!"
He tried to move towards the door, but Zee instantly blocked his way. The muscular man took a determined step even closer to Saint, right into his personal space, anger turning to stubborn resolve and driving him for answers. Saint immediately flinched away, and Zee smiled bitterly before taking another insistent step closer. He was through with keeping his distance from the other man, both literally and figuratively, and to hell with the consequences. He knew what he wanted, and although he knew he'd never get it, he was tired of the subterfuge, dissembling and the games. If nothing else, he'd salvage what he could of this mess he called a friendship. In the background he was dimly aware of another door opening, and another tall figure had turned to stare at them in concern, but his eyes never left Saint, who looked suddenly nervous.
"Because I want what we used to have," he told Saint eventually, voice even. "And I want to know what the hell is going on with you."
"Nothing is going on!" Saint countered unconvincingly. The singer fumbled in his pocket for a moment and drew out his shades, fiddling with them but not yet putting them on. Once again, he refused to meet Zee's eyes. "Dammit Zee, why can't we just concentrate on your work and just leave me alone?"
"Because I'm worried. You worry me." Zee reached out again, needing to touch but wary of the response. Saint glanced up warningly but held stock still as Zee clasped a shoulder and gazed earnestly into his eyes.
"Talk to me, Saint. What is it? Why are you acting this way? What's going on?"
Anguished, angry dark eyes stared back at him, a hint of vulnerability beneath the anger, but Saint resolutely said nothing. The standoff continued for a long moment, until suddenly the harsh sounds of a mobile phone ringtone split the silence between them.
Both of them jumped at the sudden noise, then Saint pulled out his phone and turned away from Zee as he answered. "Yeah?"
Annoyed at the interruption, the actor circled his former partner impatiently, frowning as he noticed the flurry of emotions that crossed Saint's face - irritated then edgy, then anger overlaid by something else Zee couldn't quite identify.
"Look, I don’t care about it anymore!" He shouted into the phone.
The startling words were soon followed by an outraged, "Are you kidding me!" Anger was now clearly the predominant emotion, and Zee was alive with sudden curiosity. Who the hell was on the other end of that phone? And what did they want?
There was a long pause, as the person on the other end of the phone spoke at length, and Zee watched the embarrassed colour rise in Saint's face in astonishment. It took a hell of a lot to embarrass the brash singer. He’d know. He spent an embarrassing amount of time flirting or at least attempted flirting on to have the 6 years younger man flip the tables around as if he was flipping patties.
"Yeah, yeah, okay. I'll be there." All of a sudden rage was replaced by resignation, and Saint slipped his phone in a back pocket and headed straight towards a different exit with a blank look on his face, barely acknowledging Zee's presence.
"Gotta go."
By the time Zee thought to stop him, Saint was already out of the empty hallway, leaving Zee and the newcomer staring after him, perplexed.
Notes:
None of this has any connection to the real person involved in is really just a fiction of my overactive imagination and is in no way related to them. Have fun reading though and I hope you guys can forgive any mistakes or errors. English is not my native language.