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Nunew lets out a loud cry, alarming all the customers inside the well-lit cafe painted with hues of pastel blue and pink. The clock is currently pointing at twelve and the cafe is slowly being filled with workers on a lunch break who crave for coffees and desserts.
“Boss! Are you okay?!” one of the staff asks while another one with white porcelain skin turns to face the rest of the customers and bows apologetically, telling them that the alarmed cry was nothing serious and they can carry on with their breakfast.
“I apologise on behalf of the owner, please do continue your meal.”
Some shake their head, clearly amused and used to the random outburst of the adorable cafe owner meanwhile some newcomers furrow their eyebrows in curiosity.
Nunew shoves his phone into his staff’s face, startling the man who goes by the name Gemini. “Gemini, look! Hia is ignoring me again!” he cries again.
Gemini scratches his head awkwardly before muttering softly, “Uh— but boss… doesn’t Director Zee usually ignore you?— I mean like— this is not the first time, right?”
“I know!” Nunew stomps his feet grumpily. “— but that doesn’t mean it hurts less each time!”
Gemini stands there bewilderedly, not knowing what to respond to the distressed pastry chef. Thankfully, his eye meets with the other pretty male who is working at the cashier.
James, the man at the cashier gestures for him to return to his barista station and leave their wailing boss be. “Go,” he mutters silently.
Once he is done taking orders from the line of customers, James turns around to smack his friend on the back.
“Gosh! What’s with you, James? That hurts!” the other male whines and rubs his back. He isn’t kidding, his back does sting from the sudden blow.
“Get back to work, New!”
Nunew crosses his arms and sticks out his tongue at the fuming male. “No! I’m sad— let me wallow in peace!”
“You’re disturbing everyone with your annoying cries and gosh, Nunew— this happens every single day, don’t you get tired of it? You’re scaring our customers away— oh you’re so lucky you’re cute, though…” James says exasperatedly, unintentionally praising him at the same time. “And please— please stop giving free desserts to the CEO— keep this up and your cafe will go bankrupt soon, I swear!”
Nunew frowns at his friend’s words and huffs loudly.
“— and I don’t know why I’m worrying for your cafe instead when you do nothing but act pretty all day…” James continues and massages his temple.
“Hey! I baked all the cakes every day!’ Nunew argues.
James blows on his bangs and raises his eyebrows. “Well, duh? That’s because it’s your job.”
Nunew, growing annoyed at his best friend, puts his phone away into his pink apron and turns around to go into the kitchen.
“You are so Zeephobic huh— bye! I’m not talking to you anymore!” he stomps away, putting extra force into his steps to show his anger.
James shakes his head in disbelief at the childish behaviour and faces the front again, again, bowing his apologetically to the eyes watching.
“Good afternoon, Jelly~” Nunew greets sweetly, placing a box of cupcakes in front of the male. “Is the director here today?”
Nat eyes the box of sweets and he almost drools at the assorted flavours of cupcake lined up nicely inside the transparent box. “Yes, he is. Please go on inside— and thank you for this!” he shakes the box, delighted and if he is a puppy, his tail would surely wag nonstop.
“Sweet!” Nunew nods and walks past the younger excitedly. He knocks on the door twice before going in after hearing a dim “Come in.” from inside.
He enters with light steps and his lips curls up at the sight of the director of the company, his sweet Zee, working so concentratedly on his computer.
“Hia~ I bought you red velvet cupcakes today!” he exclaims loudly and places the big paper bag onto the mahogany table.
Zee, after registering that the voice doesn’t belong to his secretary, finally looks away from the monitor and almost instantly regret not informing his secretary to not let anyone inside his office.
He honestly thought it was Nat making his way inside.
“Why are you here? God— I swear my secretary just let anyone pass that door…” he grumbles.
“Nat is my friend now~ You cannot escape me, Director Zee,” Nunew giggles.
Baking an extra batch for Nat is never an issue, as long as he can get close to the god-like creature sitting in front of him.
Plus, he genuinely likes Nat too, the younger would always answer his calls when he wants to know if the older is in his office or not, unlike Mr Director who wouldn’t even look at his messages, let alone answer his calls.
“I’m on a diet, please just give it to Secretary Nat, Khun Nunew,” Zee murmurs, pointing to the door so that the younger would make his way out as soon as possible.
Besides, he never knew they were close enough for the younger to call him so informally— so he keeps on addressing Nunew with formality, as they should be.
Nunew’s face falls at the blatant rejection and he pouts dejectedly. “B-but I made them especially for you, Hia…”
Zee feels his blood running cold and the killer pout and he averts his eyes away from the smaller.
He feels faint when he hears Nunew making noises— oh my god is he weeping? Zee wonders.
“Please try them— I got up so early this morning to make them…”
Zee sighs heavily, his chest heaving up and down from suppressing his emotion. He faces this nearly every day but why can’t he say no exactly? “...alright.”
Nunew looks up from the floor almost immediately, happy that the taller one gave in easily today.
Other days, it would sometimes take Zee almost an hour for him to give in— and there are even days where he would go home in unshed tears because the latter wouldn’t even look, let alone eat the sweets he brought.
And every time that happens, Nunew would console and tell himself that maybe Zee doesn’t like the dessert— then he would make a mental note to never bring them again.
“Do you like them, Zee? I used less sugar than usual because I know you’re counting your calorie intake— honestly I don’t understand why you do that, you already look like you're specially sculpted by God,” Nunew chatters. “I mean like, have you seen your eyes? They’re so perfect and you are so tall too, I would love to hug you and never let go—”
“Be quiet, Khun Nunew. I’m eating.”
“Ooh! You’re taking a second bite, that’s new! It must be good right— please tell me it’s good~”
Now to the most interesting part; their first meeting.
So how did they meet exactly?
It all began when one of the staff at the cafe had to take an emergency leave for a day and they had ran out of workers to deliver the orders— weekends at the cafe are always busier than usual and Nunew, being the good employer, decided to step out of the kitchen and well, help.
It was all good until he clumsily bumped into a much taller figure and could only look in despair when the male’s white dress shirt slowly turned black from the Americano.
Nunew had, of course, apologised countless times and offered to take the dress shirt to the laundry, knowing that he would have to spend a hefty amount of money judging from the expensive logo embroidered on the corner of the shirt.
“Oh my fairy godmother! I’m so sorry— I’m so sorry, sir. I didn’t see you there. I thought no one was behind me, I’m so sorry again! Your shirt is stained— oh no what to do?!”
“Fuck.”
He heard the other man say and Nunew was about to give the ugliest look to the man because his cafe is not a place that suits profanities! There are kids around too!
“Wh—”
But once he got a good look at the face in front of him, he was left utterly speechless— who is this prince charming and to what business does he have with him to step his foot into his humble cafe?
He was completely and thoroughly smitten by the latter; you can even say that he fell in love at first sight.
And for Zee on the other end, he was super pissed, especially when he was running late to a meeting with the board directors.
After that day, Nunew had taken a liking to the taller male; quickly learning that he is the CEO of the mega-company located right across the street from his cafe.
He will always bring him desserts throughout the day— it doesn’t matter if it’s morning, noon or even close to the end of the working hour, because Nunew will always be there without a hitch with a bright smile and a paper bag filled with desserts in one hand.
“Hia~ I bought strawberry muffins today~ I can call you Hia right, since you’re older than me?”
“Director Zee— ! Do you want to try the rainbow crepe or nutella waffle first~?”
“Good morning, Hia~ It’s a good day for some truffles— ooh, you look sexy in red!”
It has gotten such a regular sight that the employees no longer question what the owner of the cafe from across the street is doing at their company every single day— gossip has already spread too, saying that he’s dating their strict chief executive director.
“Do you think they’re dating?”
“I don’t know, too. Like the cafe owner comes here every single day— wouldn’t that make them super close already?”
“I won’t be surprised if they are in a relationship.”
“The owner of Fairy Bakes— Nunew Chawarin is his name, I think— is so cute though! He’s also friendly and he smiles all the time. Our director is so lucky to have him! I’m so jealous~ I want a boyfriend too.”
“Shush, you. Get back to work— get back to work. They didn’t hire us to gossip!”
“Tch, don’t be so tight, Manager Jane~”
The director for some reason, couldn’t chase him away no matter how the words are already at the tip of his tongue— he just cannot and he has no idea why too.
Maybe because the desserts he brings are all good so there’s no need to refuse free desserts, Zee concludes.
Every other day, Nunew would ask the taller out for lunch but he would always get a grumpy “No.” as an answer— that doesn’t mean Nunew would stop trying though.
Persistent is, after all, his middle name.
And just like any other day, Zee would outright refuse the offer and say that he is busy with work— he doesn’t have time for a lunch break when all these documents are waiting to be checked and signed. Furthermore, his company had just taken this big project involving the government, and Zee for sure has no second to waste.
“Thank you for the offer but I’m really busy right now— so I’m skipping lunch.”
One day, Nunew tries his luck again after delivering a box of vanilla lemon cupcakes with blueberry buttercream and orange zest topping, a recipe he had just tried out for the first time— just in case a miracle would happen and Zee would agree for a lunch date with him.
Even the thought of having lunch with the taller makes him giddy.
“Hia, do you want to get lunch?”
“I’m busy, Khun Nunew. Please see yourself out after this— there’s still many reports I have to approve, I can’t afford to have lunch right now,” Zee answers firmly without looking up from the stack of papers. “I would greatly appreciate it if you could stop bothering me. I don’t like any distractions— it makes me lose concentration.”
The reading glasses on the bridge of his nose clearly indicates that he isn’t up for any discussion, so Nunew quietly makes his way out of the room, carefully closing the door to make sure no sound would distract Zee.
Once he is out of the room, he can finally breathe freely again.
A distraction— Zee called him a distraction.
He exhales heavily and touches his chest— somehow it still hurts here even though he knows that Zee is not angry at him; he was just busy with extra work.
“Jelly, are you alright? Did something happen?” Nat gets up from his seat when he notices the smaller male standing frozen outside the closed door.
Nunew snaps out from his thoughts at the call and looks left and right, registering what just happened. “Huh? What— oh— yeah, I’m fine— I’m alright.”
“Are you sure? Was the director mad at you?” Nat asks worriedly, maybe he shouldn’t have let the male into his employer’s office— he knows that the director is quite busy for the time being since they have another BOD meeting coming right up soon but he thought the taller would appreciate some break, that’s why he let Nunew inside earlier.
“Yeah— I’m okay, Zee didn’t get mad at me or anything— he just told me to leave since he’s quite busy right now.”’
Nat scowls at Nunew’s crestfallen face and stretches his arms around the patisserie to engulf him into a comforting hug when the door on his side opens to reveal a tight-faced Zee.
“Secretary Nat, please come inside. I have something to discuss with you.”
Nat halts his movement, leaving his hand hanging awkwardly mid-air and pulls them down quickly when the director sends him another look.
“Oh— alright, Director Zee,” Nat nods and touches Nunew on his arms, bidding his goodbye.
“Okay, I’ll go first— thank you, Jelly,” Nunew bids without pulling his eyes up from the floor. He could feel the director’s menacing stares directed at him and his palms start feeling clammy.
Nat, on the other hand, is also mildly confused.
Why did the director get out of his seat when he could just press on the intercom to call for him?
Weird.
Nunew kicks the tyre out of anger and yelps before crouching down and holding his foot. He immediately regrets his careless action because his foot throbs painfully, even when it is covered with a shoe.
In his defence, the stupid car is acting up and it won’t start for some reason.
Not only did Zee ‘chase’ him out earlier, but his car, his sweet little yellow Bentley also decided that it won’t cooperate with him today out of all days.
It’s definitely not his day, he sighs.
Everyone at the cafe had gone home because, even if Nunew is practically the owner of the place, he still has his name scheduled to close the shop every other day.
After what happened during the day, Nunew wants nothing more but to go home, have a movie marathon by himself and maybe eat a tub of mint chocolate ice-cream and order three large Hawaiian pizzas to soothe his heartbreak.
Yes, screw those who don’t, because Nunew adores and worships mint-choco ice cream and pineapple on pizza.
But anyways.
“What’s with you, huh? Out of all days, why today? Listen here you shithead, I love you— like you’ve been here with me from the start but I won’t hesitate to scrape you off, you understand?” he points his finger at the vehicle as if scolding.
And to think that he just got it serviced a few weeks ago— the yellow Bentley is really asking for it.
Suddenly, a loud honk is heard from the side, startling the poor boy who is still sending useless threats to his unmoving car. He searches for the source of sound and finds a sleek black sports car on the other side of the road.
A black Porsche Cayenne.
He knows that car— but what does the owner want with him? Especially after that little scenario this afternoon.
Nunew is not one to bear a grudge, but it really hurt him to see the director acting so cold at him.
He turns his body away from looking at the car and acts like he is uninterested when the owner of the car asks him what happened.
“Is there something wrong with your car?” Zee yells from the other side.
Nunew folds his arms on his chest and continues playing deaf— hopefully, the latter would go away soon.
He hears the car slowly driving away and sighs for the umpteenth time for the day.
Finally, the director is gone.
“If you want to keep on acting up— fine! You stay here— I’m going home, hmph!” he scolds the yellow beetle one last time before turning his heels away to walk to the bus station located a few minutes away from the cafe.
Thank god it is not far from where he is.
He really doesn’t like walking under the hot scorching sun.
He has sensitive skin, okay? Don’t judge him.
Nunew almost jumps when a very familiar looking car stops by his side. The owner rolls down the window and Nunew is greeted with Zee in his aviator, now void of the burgundy blazer that he wore earlier with a few buttons of his black dress shirt unbuttoned— a look that clearly indicates that he’s done with work for the day.
“Where are you going?” he hears the baritone voice ask.
“Home,” Nunew answers curtly and continues his halted steps, ignoring the taller man completely.
When he feels that something (or rather someone who is controlling the something) following his behinds, Nunew turns around and widens his eyes at the sight of the car driving at 20 km/h to trail after him.
It wasn’t him the one who acted so cold earlier!
Why is he being all friendly now? He grunts.
Nunew continues the indifference act, the bust stop is just a few steps away from him! He can get home just fine thank you!
But, never in his 24 years of living was he ready for the next question to come.
“Do you want a ride back home?” Zee offers. He notes how Nunew’s cheeks almost immediately turn crimson red at the offer.
Cute. Realising what he just thought, Zee shakes his head softly.
He did not just call another man cute, did he? Crazy… this is so not him.
Nunew’s stomach is basically doing somersaults at the sweet voice offering to take him home. Without waiting, he opens the passenger seat and hops in, buckling the seatbelt without being told to do so.
Oh, how fast his feelings betray him.
The things love do…
“Let’s go, Hia~ I will guide you to my house!”
Zee shakes his head at the sudden change of emotion— the 27 years-old man genuinely thought that the male would ignore him some more.
He pushes the gear down and drives off without a word.
Along the way, he discovers that Nunew is a really chatty one— the smaller male would point out things here and there and would excitedly blabber about his day to him. He honestly has expected the younger to be chatty, but not this chatty.
“Zee, do you know? Today, a customer came and demanded to have bought every single thing on the menu— and we sell almost 20 types of dessert daily! James asked him if it was for a party or something but you know what?! He said that it was all for himself! Crazy, right?”
“That's also possible because we make very nice desserts at Fairy Bakes but… I really hope he didn’t have a bad sugar rush— consuming too much sugar is so not healthy… I am not paying for his hospital bills if anything happens!” Nunew giggles.
You say that… and you send me desserts every single day… Zee internally mumbles.
“Oh— oh! Just now during lunch, a stray cat appeared at the back door of my cafe— and the poor thing looked so scared and hungry! It was so thin too— definitely malnourished, I say… Then, I went to the convenience store down the street and bought him wet food! I didn’t know what it prefers so I just bought every single flavour available,” Nunew giggles, recalling how he almost had a mental breakdown at the store after discovering the ray of different flavours on the shelves.
How is he supposed to know if the car prefers salmon, tuna, seafood, beef or chicken?
“Then the cat chose the salmon one!” Nunew claps as he remembers how happy he felt. The cat ate so well and he was the one who bought the food for it!
Zee’s mouth works faster than his brain, so he finds himself asking before realising. “How did you know it chose the salmon flavoured?”
“I arranged the cans in front of it and it put its paws on the salmon one~ It was so cute, you should’ve seen it too, Zee!”
Zee almost scoffs at the answer but holds himself back— he doesn’t want to offend the patisserie again, especially when he knew he had upset Nunew at the office earlier.
To his defence, it was a very busy day and Nunew distracting him is the last thing he needs.
“I really wanted to adopt the kitty but I am just so busy at work— kitty won’t have any friends at home and will be lonely. I don’t want kitty to be lonely…” he juts his lips out.
Zee doesn’t know what to respond though a small smile still tugs on his lips. He finds the situation oddly adorable and he has no idea why.
Zee drives through the security gate after Nunew greets the guards, only letting them through once they recognised the smaller beside him.
“See you later, Nunew,” the guards bow simultaneously.
Nunew nods and waves to them enthusiastically. “You too, uncles!”
The guards, mostly consisting of middle-aged men, smile fondly at the excited reply. Their employer has always been the friendliest.
Zee doesn’t know why he feels strangely relieved seeing the tight security around Nunew’s housing area— though he should’ve expected it considering that he’s now inside quite an elite neighbourhood.
Who is Nunew exactly? He thought the younger is just some cafe owner— it seems like he might be wrong on this.
“Turn right, Hia— my house is at the end of the road.”
Once in front of the house, Zee is left amazed at the size of it— for someone who lives alone, that house is considerably very big. Even if he himself lives in a high-rise penthouse, nothing could beat the huge garden Nunew has— filled with a variety of different coloured-flowers and a small fountain in the middle of his garden.
The house looks cosy too; painted white like an English style cottage.
“You like flowers?” he questions absentmindedly, only realising that he voiced out his thoughts loudly after Nunew turns to look at him with a surprised face.
Nunew smiles, his eyes turning into crescent— delighted that Zee is now asking about him because it had always been him asking the latter before this.
This is progress!
“Yes~ I like flowers but I suck at gardening— a close uncle of mine comes to tend the flowers daily,” he chirps.
Nunew faces some difficulties trying to unbuckle his seatbelt. He scowls when it won’t budge.
Just when he is about to call for help from the owner of the car, Zee’s face leans closer to him and Nunew literally stops breathing.
He sits there frozen rigid at the close proximity and could only stare at Zee’s face— the latter is so close Nunew swears he can count the number of lashes he has.
“Sorry— this seatbelt’s been having issues for quite a while and I always forgot to repair them because no one really sits here,” Zee mumbles before leaning back onto his seat after unbuckling Nunew from the faulty belt.
Nunew finally lets out his breath once the face— the very, very handsome face that Nunew might or might have not dream of kissing daily— moves away.
Inside, he feels so much joy that he could practically jump to the moon after Zee had yet again revealed another fact about him— no one rides in the car with Zee.
Knowing that makes him so happy; he couldn’t explain it in words.
“Thank you for dropping me home, Hia,” he shyly says, pulling the hems of his sweatshirts playfully from embarrassment.
“You’re welcome.”
Nunew opens the door and leaves the car but before he could close the door, Zee again catches him off guard.
“Goodnight, Nu.”
And then Zee drives off, leaving Nunew gaping on the street.
Zee called him Nu— not just Nunew but Nu! He dropped the formality, there’s no more Khun Nunew! Nunew is so overjoyed, he sprints inside his house screaming like a schoolgirl.
He has to tell James— oh, the other would be so jealous because he had always said that he would never have a chance with the director of the company.
That night, Nunew keeps on tossing around in bed, the immense happiness he’s feeling is keeping him awake and he cannot stop grinning all night.
He falls asleep with a smile, hugging the giant bear he named ‘Baobei’ tight in his hold.
The days after went like usual, Nunew would wail when Zee ignored him and his best friend, James would smack some sense into him and the two would bicker again.
Just a usual day at Fairy Bakes, their customers note.
It has been such a usual occurrence that they don’t feel disturbed by the pretty cafe owner’s random outbursts anymore.
“I’m going to send Zee this meringue cake— there’s no use talking to you!” they hear the cafe owner tell the other male in charge of the counter.
“Whatever!” James retorts back. He is also sure that their regular customers are also tired of him apologising every single time, so James resorts to only nod his head and grins meekly to them.
Once Nunew arrives on the 32nd floor, a floor reserved just for the CEO and his secretary, Nunew finds the front desk void of Nat— that’s weird.
Nat would always be the first one to greet the male once he arrives on the floor.
Nunew scrunches his eyebrows and wonders where the younger male is.
Is he in the restroom? Pantry maybe?
But usually, Nat would put a sign, sticking a paper note onto the table before leaving for a little break.
So, Nunew puts his little paper bag onto the front desk and wanders, craning his neck to look for any sign of the secretary.
Then, something clicks in his head.
Maybe Nat is in the director’s office?
Ah… no wonder he isn’t in his seat.
Giddily, he grabs the porcelain white paper bag engraved with a logo of Fairy Bakes right in the middle and advances towards the room, skipping leisurely while humming a soft tune under his breath.
He is going to meet his Zee, what else is better than that?
However, before he can knock onto the door, he gets the shock of his life when he sees the door open and someone— or rather, a very pretty woman, sitting sideways on Zee’s lap.
...Who…?
Nunew moves to the side before the director would sense his presence and he grips the paper bag tightly, suppressing his sobs and he clenches his shirt; right above where his heart is.
Is that… his…?
Nunew feels his airway contracting, finding it hard for oxygen to enter his lungs.
It hurts.
It hurts so much.
Was love supposed to hurt this much?
He recalls the conversation he had with Zee before this.
“I like you, Zee!” Nunew had bravely said one day after sending a box of blueberry muffins to ZPP Corporation’s director.
“It’s now or never.”
That was what had driven him to confess.
“Look…” Zee pauses, inhaling deeply to collect his thoughts. He had an inkling that Nunew had taken a liking to him after sending him desserts from his cafe for almost a week straight. “...I’m so sorry… I don’t like you that way, Khun Nunew.”
Nunew’s face immediately fell. “...Oh…” he belatedly answers. He plays with the loose string on his shirt and nods a few times. “It’s okay… I understand.”
After that, Nunew was demotivated for a while— but he quickly regathered his spirits and proceeded to try again.
“It’s okay, Zee! I can like you enough for both of us!” he beams.
By hook or crook, he will make sure that Zee will fall for him too— he believes that trying to win a man’s heart is through their stomach, so he uses his advantage as a patisserie to the fullest.
He would go to the man’s office with new desserts every day, or sometimes he’d even drop by with lunch when he knows how busy the latter is. He was happy enough to be close to the man of his dream.
But now, standing with only a wall separating him from Zee, he finally realised— it was stupid of him to keep on trying.
He didn’t bother to find out if the man had anyone special all these while.
That was foolish of him.
No wonder… he doesn’t like me that way.
Zee has someone special waiting for him.
Nunew was the actual third wheeler all this time.
Stepping away with careful steps to not draw any unwanted attention from those two engrossed in their world in the room, he places the paper bag at the front desk and flees from the office.
He needs to get away as fast as possible because his chest feels tight and everything is suffocating him alive— he might even faint in any second.
It is a quiet evening, Zee is done going through the stack of reports earlier and is just resting comfortably, waiting for working hours to be done to clock out as soon as possible.
Zee taps his pen onto the table absentmindedly before he begins to get lost in his thoughts. He’s puzzled on why he hasn’t seen Nunew for the past few days— in fact, it’s been almost a week since Nunew has come to his office.
Maybe the patisserie is busy with work… that’s why he cannot drop by as usual.
That must be it, he convinces himself.
However, no matter how much he convinces himself, it still leaves an unsettling feeling deep down inside him and Zee has no idea why he is feeling this way.
Was it the creamy prawn pasta he had for lunch?
He was extremely engrossed in his work earlier that he asked his secretary to take away lunch for him.
He should ask Nat where he got the pasta, it’s making his stomach feel funny and Zee is not liking it one bit.
He frustratedly runs his fingers through his hair with pursed lips. Why can’t he stop thinking of a certain small male across the street?
Crazy… why am I feeling this way? Ugh!
Work has been hectic enough for him—but now he couldn’t stop thinking of Nunew and another problem has also risen.
A woman he never thought he would meet again came back.
Oh, thinking of it is enough to give him shudders.
His life is perfect indeed.
Nunew grabs the table cloth from Gemini’s hands without much thought, leaving the college student baffled at his employer’s sudden action.
He begins wiping one table to another and Gemini, the one who was supposed to do it, could only scratch his temple awkwardly.
Now, what should he do when he has his task taken away?
Gemini looks back when he feels a tap on his shoulder and comes face to face with James.
“Go and work at the back, I think the flour stock will arrive in a few minutes— can you deal with it?”
Gemini nods. “Yes, I can.”
“Great! Now go— I have to deal with your boss, he’s making me want to rip my hair out with the way he’s acting, I swear to god…” James pulls his long sleeves halfway to his elbows and huffs, eyeing his friend who is clearly not in his right state of mind.
Nunew has been wiping the same table for 5 minutes already. How squeaky clean does he want it to be for god’s sake?
“Nunew, what’s with you? Why are you wiping away the tables— that’s Gemini’s duty, you know right?” James chides. “— and you’ve been wiping the same table for the past five minutes already, what’s with you, really?”
“Huh— huh…?” Nunew looks up and then stares at the cloth in his hand. “Oh… really? I didn’t notice…”
“Of course you won’t! Something is bothering you, right? Let’s sit and talk.”
Before Nunew could rebuke, James snatches the wet cloth away and dumps it on the table before pulling Nunew to sit on one of the bar chairs.
Nunew just silently let his friend pull him down onto the chair and plays with his fingers when he feels his best friend staring at him, waiting for him to speak up.
“What’s up, New? Why are you acting this way?” James starts. “I noticed— of course I do, New… you’ve been acting strange but I just let you be because I thought whatever problem that you’re facing, you’ll get over it soon but now it’s been almost a week and you’re still acting the same way!”
Nunew cowers at the sudden rise of tone.
“…What’s bothering you, Nunew? All you did these past few days is bake and bake! And because of that our flour stock is always gone in a flash! How many times have we restocked the flours this week? I’ve lost count honestly.”
Nunew’s shoulders shrink lower at the information. He wasn’t aware that he’s been using up the flour stocks so quickly and now he feels sorry for causing trouble.
“I-I’m sor-sorry,” he stutters without looking up, not having the strength to look up at his friend. He feels ashamed of himself.
“I don’t mind you baking— you make amazing desserts and the new menus you introduce are gaining attention too, our customers love them, so it’s a good thing but you’ve been staying in the kitchen for too long— where did you have the time to bake all of them? When we come to work, it’s already there displayed— did you stay up all night baking? You never leave when we leave after work too… Please tell me, Nunew,” James holds both of his hand and pleads.
At his friend’s pleading, Nunew breaks down. He finally pulls his head up to look at James and breaks out into a sob, shocking his friend who immediately spoons him into a hug.
“Why are you crying?!” James asks, panicking.
“I-I— I’m hurt, James— God, this hurts s-so m-much, James…” Nunew finally says with difficulties, with hiccups in between each word.
James pulls himself away to inspect the other male’s face. “Huh— why are you hurt? Who hurt you? Who do I need to kill, tell me, Nunew Chawarin!”
If Nunew wasn’t so busy sobbing his hearts out, he would’ve laughed at his friend's words.
“It’s that damn CEO, isn’t it? I’ve told you countless times, Nunew.., I’ve got nothing on him but he’s not for you, New— now that you’re hurt, I should say you deserve so much better now. Tell me, what did he do?”
Nunew gently smacks his friend in the arms, not liking his hostile tone when talking about his favourite person (still). James has always been such a strong character.
“I-it’s not like that, he didn’t hurt me— not intentionally, at least, b-but—”
“But what?!” his friend impatiently interrupts.
“I-I think he h-has someone else… that’s why he never return my feelings— I know he told me he doesn’t feel the same way but I thought he, at least would open up his heart for me but t-that was s-stupid of me… Why am I sad even— when I’m the third-wheeler in his relationship…” Nunew croaks painfully in between his sobs.
James is left stunned by the words. Zee has a lover?
Then why did the man tell him he was single when he visited the cafe back then? He clearly remembers the corporate telling him that he doesn’t have any time for a relationship— that being the reason why James is so adamant on not letting his friend be attached to the director.
He is afraid Nunew would get hurt in the end.
But now, knowing that the CEO perhaps has lied to him and hurt his best friend, he feels angry.
“I’m giving up, James.”
James pulls the other male into his embrace and pats his back, whispering comforting words at the still-sobbing male.
“It’s okay, New— you’re strong you can get through this.”
“For god’s sake, Mook— what the hell are you doing here?” Zee slams the door shut and pulls his neck tie loose.
He just ended a meeting with the accounting department and he doesn’t like what he heard, the company is facing some lost because some incompetent worker cannot do his damn job properly!
The last thing he wants is to enter his office to find the thick-skinned woman sitting on his chair behind the table but that is exactly what he gets.
Thank god, Nat had notified him earlier of the unwanted visitor. He understands when the young man said that he didn’t have a choice but to let her in.
Mook smiles slyly and gets up from his chair, striding towards him seductively in her 10-inch heels. She stands beside him and runs her fingers on his arm.
“P’Zee, why are you angry? Mook is just here to visit you because our grandparents have reserved a table at Hilton for us, lets go together,” she says in a fake high-pitched voice.
Zee pulls his hand away from her and takes a step back, putting distance between them. Her overpowering perfume is starting to give him a headache.
“Leave. I’m not having lunch with you.”
Mook twists a part of her hair playfully and tilts her head to the side. “Oh, Zee~ I’m not sure if Grandma Panich would like that, hm?”
“I don’t care, I’m not listening to them.”
Mook stomps her feet, still sporting that stupid pout and takes out her phone from her little purse. “I will tell my grandparents and they’re going to terminate the contract your company offered, do you want that?”
“I said, I don’t care— I’m not tolerating this anymore.”
Zee is not having any more of this ‘Mook’ is a good granddaughter of the MBM Group and it'll be great if you can be good to her’ bullshit. He’s faced it for a year already, he’s had enough of it.
Does Mook really think that she can have everything she wants with the use of money? She can yap at her grandparents all she wants, Zee has decided he won’t budge anymore.
“Now leave— I don’t want to see your face anymore.”
“I’m not going to!” Mook crosses her arms and stays glued on her spot, not moving an inch although the look Zee is sending her is sending chills down her spine. She is used to everyone following her orders so no matter what, she will have lunch with the handsome man in front of her!
Spoiled brat, Zee thinks.
“Leave or I'll have the security drag you out— you choose,” Zee circles his table and takes a seat before putting both his arms behind his head, closing his eyes to get a short nap.
“I think my employees would have a field day today if they ever see the heiress to one of the leading companies in our country get dragged out— if the media is lucky, some of them might even send footage of you being forced to go by the guards,” he continues with his eyes closed.
“Zee, you will regret this!” she threatens before turning her wheels to walk out of his office. Her pride is hurt. Who does Zee think he is?
When the door to his office is closed with a thud, Zee peeks with one eye and sighs in relief when the nuisance is gone from his space.
He presses the intercom and calls for Nat.
His secretary comes inside with hurried steps. He saw how Mook stormed off earlier and guessed that Zee would not be in a great mood.
“Yes, Director Zee?”
“I’m off for today— cancel all my appointments for this evening and if Mook ever comes here again, don’t let her in and just call the security.”
“Understood, sir.”
Zee nods and waves him off, “Good, you can go now. I would like to rest. Thank you, Secretary Nat.”
Nat leaves without wasting a second. He’s glad that the director seems alright, he honestly thought he would come inside to an enraged Zee.
But just now, instead of looking angry, he just looks tired.
Zee massages his temples and leans into his seat weakly. He is beyond exhausted— it seems like his work is never-ending.
He glances to his side and spots a familiar-looking keychain in a shape of a cupcake hanging in between the stack of pens.
He reaches out for it and puts it onto his palm.
“Hia~ I bought this keychain for you because I want you to be reminded of me whenever you work— it’s really cute right~?”
He could still hear Nunew’s voice ringing in his ears.
He never thought he’d ever say it, but he misses the smaller male. It’s been two weeks since he last met the patisserie. Curiosity got the best of him and he presses the intercom again without thinking much.
“Secretary Nat?”
“Yes, sir? Is there anything I can help with?”
Zee fondles with his words, reluctant to ask. He decides to forgo his ego and give in. He’s just asking as a friend.
“Sir?”
“—Ah yes, I’m still here,” Zee replies. “Can I ask something?”
“Sure, sir. What is it?”
“Can you come inside my office?”
“Alright, sir— I’ll be there in a minute,” Nat gathers his tablet and a small sticky note for if the director wants him to note down something.
He knocks and comes in after getting permission.
“Has… Nunew contacted you in the past few weeks?”
Nat coughs in surprise. His boss is asking about the pastry chef? “Er— I haven’t talked to him for a while, the last time he sent a dessert, he put it on my table— I honestly thought it was for you, but then the note says that it’s for me. So I just took it without much thought— maybe he dropped by the company while I was on lunch break.”
“Nunew dropped by? When?”
“Uh… two weeks ago if I’m not wrong?”
“Did he send it himself?”
“Yes, the guards told me he came alone— but then he didn’t stay for long, it was only for a while.”
“Was it the day Mook first came?” Zee asks and feels his stomach churn uncomfortably. He doesn’t like this feeling.
“Wait let me check my calendar,” Nat opens the tablet and looks up again before nodding. “Yes he did— at that time I remember I was on a late lunch break because of the meeting we had with the representatives of MBM Group all morning.”
At that, Zee feels a wave of headache attacking him.
It couldn’t be that Nunew…?
Zee stands in front of the cafe— excusing himself to the side when a pair of women comes from behind to enter the shop.
The cafe is still bustling with customers when lunch break has ended a few hours ago.
He contemplates whether he should enter the shop or not but before he could get in, a friend of Nunew— James if he remembers correctly— comes out from the door and drags his arms away.
“Wha— hey! Where are we going?”
“Be quiet!”
Zee, puzzled, lets himself get dragged into a boutique two shops away from the cafe.
“Phi! Can I sit here for a while? I have something to talk to this man,” James greets the owner. She is a close senior from high school and coincidentally, she opened her boutique very close to the cafe.
“Oh, wow— who is this fine young man?” Seoul’s eyes twinkle at the stunning visual and she eyes Zee up and down.
“No one— we just have something to talk about and I cannot have a conversation with him at the cafe for some special reason so, can we talk here? I promise we won’t bother you!” James points to the storage room.
Seoul looks at them skeptically before nodding unsurely. “...Sure? I mean, there’s no one right now, just use the seats beside the fitting room.”
“Alright, thanks P’Seoul!”
James pushes Zee down by the shoulders, forcing him to sit on the pink sparkly chair before taking a seat himself beside the man.
“What is this about, Khun James?’
“Okay— I have a lot to talk about with you exactly.”
“...about Nunew?”
“Yes!”
“Where is he, why did you drag me here?”
“He doesn’t want to see your face or else he will start bawling again so I have to bring you here,” James grumps.
“Why?” Zee frowns.
“Nunew— he likes you— heck, he loves you— you know that right?” James asks, keeping his calm. If it’s up to his temper, the man by his side might already have a black eye but violence won’t do anything— and he really doesn’t want to sleep in jail for harassment.
Zee opens his mouth to answer before closing them again, gapping. He cannot find his words.
“You know that, right?” James repeats.
“...yes, I am aware…”
“Then why did you do that?”
Zee knits his eyebrows at the question. What did he do exactly? “I did… what?”
“You gave him hope! When in fact you have someone you already like! I never perceive you as this type of person, Director Zee!” James explodes, flailing his arms in anger. “At least don’t let him keep on sending you stuff— and don’t act so nice to him. Nunew is a freaking fool, I know that you once told him that you don’t feel the same way but that man is foolish enough to keep on trying— because you know what? He feels like he can make you like him!”
James grits his teeth before continuing, “And now he’s so heartbroken that you actually have someone else! What is he exactly to you, Director Zee? Why did you let him keep trying— you know him sending you desserts every single day before this is just a scheme to get closer to you, right?”
“I know bu—”
“And who is this woman that he saw in your office that day? She sat on your lap? Huh— I can’t believe my ears when he first told me. You have a lover but you still let him try to get close to you, I’m so disappointed, Director Zee…”
“Wait— wait don’t interrupt me again. She’s not my girlfriend, hell, I wouldn’t even call her a friend! I’m not dating her! Never!”
At Zee’s offended and defensive tone, James squints his eyes to closely inspect the taller man’s expression. It doesn’t look like he’s lying.
“You’re telling me you’re not dating her? She’s not your girlfriend?”
“Yes!”
“Then why was she on your lap?”
“She’s a spoiled brat who can’t take a ‘no’ for an answer and thinks she can get away with everything— she forced herself on my lap, I swear! I was taking a nap after a meeting with her family’s company and she sneaked into my office!”
James rubs his chin. It does sound convincing and he remembers Zee telling him that he really isn't in any relationship before this.
“—and I pushed her away as soon as I got up!”
“Do you like him— Nunew?”
Zee is tongue-tied at the sudden attack. Does he like the adorable patisserie?
“Do you miss him when he’s not around— those two weeks he didn’t come to your office, did you miss him?”
“I do…”
“Do you smile like an idiot every time you think of him?”
“I—”
“Also, does your stomach feel weird too at times when you think of him? Trust me, that has nothing to do with what you ate for lunch.”
“I— yes. Yes— and yes to everything you said,” Zee finally gives in.
“See.” James shrugs, as if he just solved the hardest question in life. “You like him.”
“I like him…?”
“Yes, you do,” James blows onto his bangs and eyes the man beside him. Zee looks so conflicted that James kind of feels sorry for him.
“I like him…”
“Yes.”
“I like Nunew… god— I like him. I actually like him.”
“You might even love him too…”
James lets Zee dwell in his very late realisation and leans into his seat.
Finally.
His friend deserves to be happy with the man he loves. Honestly, after a lot of thinking after his conversation with Nunew, James came to a realisation that he too cannot come up with a rash conclusion too.
He has to hear from both sides— and that explains why he didn’t go all ballistic when he spotted Zee outside of the cafe earlier.
“Do you want to meet him?”
Zee nods, still in disbelief at the new discovery.
“Let’s go to the cafe then.” James then thanks Seoul for lending them her store and heads back to the cafe.
“You stay outside first and Gemini will call you inside, I have to check on Nunew first to make sure he doesn’t pass out from shock at seeing you here.”
“Alright.”
Zee watches the shorter man’s back disappear into the cafe decorated with soft colours of blue and pink. Even the door is painted in a light shade of pink, fitting in with the rest of the shop as well as the decoration.
Suddenly, a young man with the name tag ‘Gemini’ calls him inside.
“P’Nunew is in the kitchen,” he states without being told to and points to the door leading to the kitchen. James is standing next to it and Zee moves toward him nervously.
“I told him you’re here but he doesn’t want to get out,” James says apologetically. “I almost forced him out but he threatened to lock himself in the restroom if I did… and I know he will if he says so…”
Zee sighs.
Of course, what does he expect? The smaller male has been avoiding him for half a month already.
“I see…”
“I’m sorry, Zee.”
“Can you tell him to text me, I have something really important to tell him.”
James is not dense, of course, he knows perfectly what the tall man in front of him wants to tell his friend.
“I will… and I’m sorry again.”
“No it’s alright— it’s not your fault,” Zee smiles, although it did come out looking quite forced. “Thank you, Khun James.”
Nunew hears the conversation of the two through the slight gap in the door and with wobbly legs that are about to give up from pressure, he leans onto the wall beside him weakly.
“Nunew! Your cookie is gaining so much attention! It went viral after a famous vlogger did a review on it— and look at all these DMs we got on Instagram! They’re all asking if we are going to make it a permanent menu at Fairy Bakes!” James eagerly shows Nunew his phone screen.
“Really?”
“Yes— cause so many of them didn't get to try it yet and it gets sold out almost immediately after we put them on display!”
“...I’m not sure if I will make them a permanent menu though…” Nunew hesitates because he created them on a whim— it was a result of his impromptu baking session at three in the morning and he honestly didn’t expect it to gain the attention of the crowd.
He would bake them whenever he is reminded of a certain tall male, that was why it kept on appearing on their daily menu— because he used all the time he would use before this to meet Zee to take his mind off his previous, well, routine.
“The name of your cookie is though... seriously, New— what is ‘Out of Your Reach’?”
That, also is an impulsive action by him. He was so tired of baking all night that when Gemini asked him what to display it as, he just said ‘out of your reach’ on a whim.
“I’m thankful though, that Fairy Bakes is attracting many new customers because of you— last week has been so hectic, we were always filled with customers!” James excitedly blabbers.
Nunew is glad too, he was so busy that he didn’t have the chance to drown in his feelings.
“Oh— and New, thanks for agreeing to close the shop today— I really have an important meeting to attend!”
Nunew waves his hand and smiles at his friend. “It’s okay, James… it’s not like I have something to do.”
James looks a bit unsure for some reason. He keeps on biting his lower lips as if he wants to say something.
“Nunew… you know I love you, right?” he states suddenly.
Nunew looks at him weirdly and laughs. “Eww— what’s with you?”
“I mean— as a friend, you doofus!” James grabs Nunew’s head and locks it under his arm. Nunew shrieks while trying to frantically push the other male away.
“James, what the hell— let go!”
James rubs the other’s head with his knuckles and smiles satisfactorily when he hears the pained yelps.
“Serves you right for always making me worry about you!”
When James finally free him, Nunew rubs his throbbing head and deadly glares at the other male. “That hurts, you know.”
James grins in triumph, happy that Nunew is actually showing anger. The latter had been acting aloof and so out of his character for the past few weeks.
He doesn’t like the passive person Nunew had turned into after his ‘heartbreak’.
James would never admit it, but he misses bickering with his friend— and he wouldn’t trade him with anything else in the world.
“...I really want you to be happy so I’m gonna apologise in advance.”
“Why are you apologising?” Nunew questions.
“You will know soon— and please don’t kill me,” James puts his hand together in front of his chest and bows his head.
“I— okay…?” Nunew eyes the other weirdly. What is James up to and why doesn’t he feel good about whatever that’s coming up?
James peaks at his watch and jumps, startled at seeing the time. “Oh no, I have to go now, New! I’ll see you tomorrow— and please inform me if you’ll make it to work or not!”
Nunew again, stares at his friend like he has grown another head. “Why won’t I go to work tomorrow?”
“No reason— okay, I have to change now! Bye!”
Nunew dismisses him with a wave and continues to wipe the display rack. He hears the bell chime and James leaving with a bright “See you!”
Nunew replies without looking back and rubs the transparent glass hard, wanting it to be squeaky clean.
Then, he hears the bell chime again and guesses that maybe it is James who came back to retrieve a belonging he accidentally left behind.
His friend can be quite clumsy too— albeit always having a cold look and a stunning visual that made people cautious of befriending him, but Nunew had bravely approach him on the first day of college,
Nonetheless, a lifetime friendship was formed without knowing.
“James, did you leave something behind?” he asks without pulling his head up.
When he hears no answer, he then realises that it might not be the male.
Is it a customer?
“I’m sorry our shop is closed for toda—” he spins around and stops midway, entranced at the familiar figure standing a few feet away from him.
There, stands Zee Pruk in all his glory— adorned in his typical work attire, save for his suit coat.
Nunew just panics and he turns around, shuffling his feet to flee from the shop but could only gap when he saw the key dangling from Zee’s fingers.
Finally realising that James leaving early is all part of a scheme— Zee and James’s scheme— and he is tricked by those two, he averts his eyes left and right, trying to find any form of escape.
Damn it, James!
He locked the back door way earlier, there’s no way he can escape the shop unless he gets through the front door!
“Nunew.”
Oh god he’s calling me, what should I do— what should I do?! Should I pretend to faint? But it will hurt if I hit the floor!
Nunew slowly backs away when he sees the taller stepping closer. He jumps in his spot when his back touches the wall; realising he has nowhere else to back go now. Zee is so close already!
“Uh— Err— Uhh— wh-what are you d-doing h-here, Director Zee?” he stutters. “—back away! Don’t come closer!” he extends both his arms forward, working hard at maintaining the distance between them.
His effort all goes into vain when Zee grabs both his arms and puts his hands into his hold. Nunew feels warmth enveloping his fingers and visibly shudders.
“Why are you avoiding me?”
Struggling to pull his hands away from Zee’s tight grips, he manages to croak out a weak, “I’m n-not avoiding y-you— I’ve just b-been very busy l-lately…”
“Look at me in the eyes when you are talking to me.”
Zee pulls his chin up as soon as he says that, locking their eyes together and Nunew tries to maintain eye contact before failing miserably and pulls his eyes away immediately.
Nunew yelps in surprise when Zee suddenly snakes his arm around his middle, pulling his body super close that he can feel Zee’s hot breath against his face.
“Why are you avoiding me, Nunew?”
Nunew lets out his breath that he doesn’t know that he is holding. “I told you, I was not avoiding you, I was just bus—”
“Don’t lie, Nunew.”
“I’m n-not lying— why d-did you think I w-was avoiding you?” Nunew bravely looks at the taller in the eyes, pulling his chin up proudly to fight against Zee’s minacious stare.
Nunew gathers his strength and pushes the director away, putting distance between them.
He almost smirks winningly when the taller moves a few feet back but it briskly turns into a scowl when Zee steps even closer than before, putting both his hands by the side of his face, caging him in between Zee and the cold wall.
“Why are you acting this way, Nunew…?”
Nunew inhales deeply, mentally calming himself down before breathing out heavily. “I’m acting this way because I’m giving up— I’m finally letting you go!” Nunew bursts out, no longer playing riddles. He is so tired too.
Tears start brimming in his eyes and Nunew blinks rapidly to make it go away.
“I’m going to stop going after you— I’m so sorry for being annoying and forcing you to eat my desserts every day. I know that you don’t like sweets and I was stupid and selfish for always forcing you to taste them— and I still don’t understand why you didn’t kick me out of your office— except for that one time— but you always let me in and it gets me so confused! And I love it when you at least taste my desserts instead of just throwing it away, so thank you for that — but, if you did that out of sympathy and you find me pitiful please stop— tell me to stop… I’m already pitiful enough as I am, and I love you! So, I don’t want the man I love to pity me too— and I just told you that I love you so can you let me go and let me dig my own grave now? I don’t think I can face you after—”
“I love you.”
“— this. I’m too embarrassed to even see your handsome face and yes I know that you love me— wait wh-what?” Nunew stops abruptly. Are his ears playing with him? “Please don’t say things you don’t mean, it’s okay if you don’t like me the same way so—”
“Let me kiss you.”
“Huh— what— yes please? Wait n—”
Upon hearing yes and tuning the rest out, Zee leans in and presses his lips firmly against the smaller male’s.
It is just a soft meeting of their two lips for a while, until...
Zee probes the other’s lips with his tongue, demanding for entrance and he ravishes the mouth as soon as Nunew parts his lips; exploring every nook and cranny of the warm craven.
Nunew is lost in the kiss; he doesn’t notice when he has closed his eyes and begins responding to the kiss just as intensely until Zee bites onto his lower lips playfully.
As if something snaps inside of him, he opens his eyes in shock and is about to shove the other male away when Zee himself voluntarily moves back.
The taller man looks at him with a contented smile.
“Wh-what was that, Zee?” he questions with urgency. Zee shouldn't play with his feelings like this.
“I love you,” Zee states again, firmly and full of confidence.
“You… love… me? Me— a no one like me? Don’t be kidding, Zee. If this is a joke it better stop— it’s not funny at all,” Nunew replies defensively, still not believing his ears.
Or this must be a dream? He thinks.
He looks at his arm before looking at the male’s in front of him and couldn’t help but ogle at the size difference. Even under the dress shirt, Nunew can see the protruding biceps. Damn…
His frail arms are all skin and bones, it would surely hurt if he pinches them— then should he pinch Zee’s instead? Compared to his, Zee’s arm doesn’t look like it would hurt too much.
Before he could reach out to place his fingers onto Zee’s much larger arm, the male grabs his right wrist.
Zee’s palm feels warm against his skin. Nunew wonders if a dream can be this realistic?
Should Nunew slap him instead? To wake himself up from this crazy dream— maybe he should.
Nunew lifts his free hand and swings it with force before his wrist is also caught by the man in front of him.
“Why do you want to slap me?— do you hate me that much?”
Nunew pulls his hands away without hesitation. The Zee in his dream even sounds exactly like the Zee in real life!
“Can you get out of my dream?” Nunew taps his feet impatiently, placing both his arms on his hips.
“Dream? Nunew, this is not a dream— I’m right here.”
“What do you mean it’s not a dream? So you’re saying that you love me?” Nunew raises an eyebrow and bellows sarcastically. “— very funny, indeed.”
“I’m not kidding, I love you, Nunew— and this is not a dream.” Zee says sharply, his tone doesn’t hold any hint of humour and he sounds deadly serious; putting Nunew into silence instantaneously.
Zee steps closer to him and crouches so that his face is the same level of Nunew’s, catching the smaller off guard. “Or do you want me to prove it this way…” Zee leans in closer and closer and Nunew shuts his eyes tight in fear.
He feels a chaste kiss pressed onto his forehead— instead of his lips like he had expected and suddenly his face is cradled into soft and gentle hands.
“I am here, Nunew… I’m real and this is not a dream. I love you— I’m sorry it took me so long to notice but I do love you— I like you so much, Nunew… I’m sorry for hurting you all these time. It was entirely my fault— I was in the biggest denial but now I realised, there’s no one else I want other than you…”
Nunew is again, put in a trance at the sudden confession.
Zee is real and he’s actually here in front of him!
If that’s the case, Nunew would like to ask what he wants to know the most— who was the girl he saw?
“Then… who was she?— the one I saw at the office? She was sitting on your lap…” Nunew mutters under his breath. “Was she your girlfriend…?” he asks softly.
Somehow it still stings, knowing that someone else was there for Zee before him.
Zee pulls him gently to sit on one of the chairs, before he takes a seat opposite the younger and calmly grabs the dainty fingers into his hold.
Zee interlaces their fingers together, and adoringly smiles when Nunew doesn’t pull his hand away. He’s glad…
“She is not my girlfriend— and she will never be,” he replies curtly and straight to the point.
When he finally has Nunew’s full attention on him, he begins telling him everything— from A to Z, not missing any point and he answers all Nunew’s questions as transparently as possible.
“— and that’s what happened. She’s no one to me, New— she’s only the granddaughter to one of our business partners. Believe me… please?”
At the revelation, Nunew is torn in between wanting to jump in happiness or cry at the fact that his love is now reciprocated.
It doesn’t feel real at all.
But then again, he shouldn’t give it too easily, he thinks.
Nunew pulls his hand back from Zee’s hold and turns his body sideways, crossing his arm and looking out the window.
“I don’t love you anymore, though,” he pouts.
The corner of Zee’s lips slightly turns upward at hearing the sulk in Nunew’s tone. Zee right away conceals his smile behind his hand and then scowls.
He gets up from his seat and crouches in front of Nunew’s seat. He takes the smaller male’s hand into his hold and tenderly presses a kiss at the back of his hand.
Nunew’s eyes are as wide as a saucer at the gesture and he internally screams; biting his lips hardly to suppress his scream.
“I’m sorry, Nunew— back then I was so confused, I’ve never fallen in love before so this is the first time I am feeling this way… will you forgive me and love me back?”
Zee sees the tiny smile on Nunew’s face and is more than content that the cafe owner is not acting too hostile to him.
“...stand up, Hia…”
Zee stands up and immediately finds a natural mop of hair in his embrace. Softly, he kisses the head repeatedly while muttering apologies.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart— I love you.”
Nunew’s heart flutters at the sweet name and the apple of his cheeks slowly burns in embarrassment.
He muzzles his head deeper into the taller’s broad chest, deeply inhaling the musky scent from the perfume Zee uses.
“Love me, please?” Zee pleads.
Nunew nods against his chest. “I never stopped… and I was so in pain— I really wanted to see you… I missed you so much...”
Zee listens to Nunew’s confession and continues to stroke his hair lovingly, comforting.
“It hurts me so much to see you with her, you know…”
“I know… and I’m so sorry, forgive me, love?”
Again, Nunew feels like his heart would burst from the nickname.
“I’ll buy you a cake? Or do you want scones with strawberry jam— or macarons?” Zee adds.
Nunew chuckles and hits him playfully on the chest. “Silly… I can bake them myself.”
“At least I made you smile…” Zee sighs gratefully.
Nunew loosens his arm around the taller and holds both of his arms. He keeps mum and just quietly scans the face in front of him.
He cups the taller’s face into his palm and mutters, “I can’t believe you’re actually here…”
Never in his wildest dream did he think they’re ever going to be in this situation.
“I love you,” Zee says again.
“I love you too…” Nunew shyly replies, putting both his hands on his face to hide his burning cheeks. He must’ve resembled a tomato already!
“Can I kiss you?”
“Yes.” Nunew whispers.
And all he remembers is Zee’s face closing the distance between them and him circling his arms around the taller’s neck before he is yet again, lost in bliss.
Zee makes his way to Fairy Bakes as soon as the clock strikes twelve— it is lunch hour and he is afraid the cafe would be full and he wouldn’t get a seat.
Once he arrives in front of the cafe, he is thunderstruck at the long lines outside of the shop. Is there a special occasion today?
He walks closer and finally notices the curvy writing on the small chalkboard.
Cookie ‘Out of Your reach’ is now back in store with a brand new name ‘I’m Yours’. Grab them before they run out of stock >< Please line up at the right side of the cafe and we will assist you soon, thank you ~ xoxo from the Fairy Bakes team!
He hears two college girls standing in line converse— and without any means to eavesdrop, he is about to enter the shop when their topic caught his attention.
“I wonder why the owner changed the name of the cookie?”
“Me too! I guess he got his true love after all— like it doesn’t take a genius to notice that he was longing for someone before this, look at how now it’s called, ‘I’m Yours’!”
“I like the owner, have you ever seen him? He’s kinda cute too!”
“OMG! I would love to see him too but he’s always at the back in the kitchen— a close friend of mine said he’d always bicker with the cute guy at the counter but I think it’s been a while since she’s last seen them fight and oh, she comes here every day, that’s how she knew!”
“Ah.. really? I think…”
Zee turns around and smiles sheepishly, no longer interested in the conversation. He would love to do nothing more but hug Nunew so tightly until the smaller males couldn’t breathe.
Nunew is so precious and Zee is so in love.
Before he could step inside the cafe, the entrance opens with a loud jingle from the bell hanging on top of the door and suddenly Zee finds his arm full of his smiley boyfriend.
“Hia!”
“Hey, sweetheart.”
Nunew snuggles closer to him and whines against his chest. “I miss you~ I’ve been baking since morning— I ever thought the cookies would become so popular. I’m so tired of baking them.”
As soon as he says that, murmurs are heard from their side.
Nunew pulls his head up from the chest and immediately comes face to face with faces.
A lot of them.
Some looks amused whilst some do not care enough to look at the small scene.
How can he forget the customers lining up outside? His eyes were only on his boyfriend that he didn’t see all these other people!
Red immediately blooms onto his cheeks and Nunew yelps shyly before burying his face again into Zee’s chest.
“Oh god, that’s the cute owner of this cafe!”
“Wow! Is that his boyfriend? They look like a perfect match together!”
“He’s so small— I want to squish him!”
The tips of Nunew’s ears are already as red as tomato and Nunew wants nothing more but for the ground to swallow him whole.
And Zee?
Zee only laughs at his lover’s cute antics. With sparkling eyes, he bends down to press a kiss on top of the other’s head.
This is what happiness feels like.
They are currently at Nunew’s house and Zee is staying over for some very personal reasons last night. Nunew likes this, waking up in the morning first thing to Zee’s peaceful face next to him.
After breakfast, Nunew excuses himself to take a shower.
He is sweaty from cooking breakfast earlier and he wants nothing more but a long warm shower to soothe his aching muscles. Once he is done refreshing up, he skips down the stairs and smiles brightly once he spots his boyfriend sitting on the sofa.
“Hia~ That Mook girl, I’ve dealt with her— she won’t bother you anymore so don’t worry~”
Nunew takes a seat beside him and clings onto his boyfriend’s arm.
Zee who is watching the morning news puts down his cup of warm Americano and looks at Nunew with a raised brow.
“You’ve dealt with her?”
“Yes~”
“How?”
“I just told my dad to cut off our business deal with anything related to their company— her attitude is not good and she is mean to me… That’s more than enough reason for my father to listen to me~”
“Your family owns a company too?” Zee asks and takes a sip of his coffee. He didn’t know that.
“Ooh— I forgot to tell you! I’m the youngest son to the Paragons Bank~”
Zee spits out the coffee and stares wide-eyed at the smaller. “Paragons Bank?!”
“Yup!”
“Nunew, baby, your father literally owns half of Thailand— and you just told me now?!” Zee says bewildered.
He cannot believe his ears.
“Hehe, surprise~”
“Please don’t tell me you have bodyguards looking after you from afar and they’ve been reporting to your father everything I did.”
“Maybe.” Nunew grins cheekily.
“Oh god, what have I gotten myself into,” Zee mutters to himself.