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The halls of the university buzzed with life as the semester began.
Professor Zee Pruk, the highly respected (and devastatingly handsome) Algebra professor, rushed across campus with a steaming cup of black Americano in hand.
He was late. Not for a lecture, but for a meeting he didn’t particularly care for.
Zee moved fast, his long strides purposeful and his expression serious.
Unfortunately, he was so focused on his watch that he didn’t see the figure coming around the corner.
“Oof—!”
The collision was loud and the cup Zee held wobbled before tipping forward.
A gasp escaped the other man, followed by a soft “Oh no…”
Zee froze in horror.
A large stain spread across the pristine white shirt of the man he had just bumped into.
The younger man looked down at himself with wide, dismayed eyes, then up at Zee. He was delicate, almost ethereal, with soft features and slightly parted lips.
“I’m so sorry,” Zee said immediately, panic evident. “I wasn’t looking. Please—come with me. I’ll fix this!”
Before the stunned man could reply, Zee guided him toward his office.
He opened the door, ushering the stranger in before rummaging through his small closet.
After some digging, Zee produced one of his baggy white working shirts and held it out.
“Here—uh, you can change into this,” Zee said awkwardly.
“Sorry again.”
The young man hesitated before taking the shirt with a small bow of his head. “Thank you, Professor…”
“Zee. Prof. Zee,” he clarified. “Algebra Professor.”
The man looked up, offering a shy smile as he held the oversized shirt. “I’m Nunew. Chinese Language Professor. Today is… my first day.”
Zee blinked. A lecturer? For a moment, he had assumed Nunew was a student, given his youthful appearance and soft demeanor.
“Well… welcome,” Zee replied, offering a smile to ease the awkwardness.
Minutes later, Nunew emerged wearing Zee’s baggy shirt, the sleeves rolled up delicately to fit his frame.
It hung loose on his slim body, but it somehow made him look even more endearing. Zee chuckled softly despite himself.
“I look ridiculous,” Nunew muttered, flushing.
Zee tilted his head, grinning. “I wouldn’t say ridiculous. You pull it off. Baggy is fashiin nowday, you know.”
They snort.
Nunew smiled faintly before murmuring, “Thank you… for helping me.”
They exchanged polite goodbyes, and as Nunew left, Zee found himself lingering in the moment a bit longer than expected.
Days later, Zee begrudgingly attended the collaboration event between the university and a Chinese-based manufacturer.
The only reason he was there was Net, his colleague and best friend.
“Come on, Zee,” Net had begged. “You don’t have a class today! I just need company. Please.”
Reluctantly, Zee tagged along, dressed in his usual laid-back blazer and black trousers.
He mostly hovered at the back of the room, nursing his black coffee and counting the minutes until he could leave.
Then he saw him.
Nunew stood amidst a group of Chinese professors and executives, his voice lilting elegantly in fluent Mandarin.
He was poised and confident, completely at ease as he translated and facilitated discussions.
Zee stared, intrigued. This is the same man who blushed at a coffee stain?
Nunew turned then, catching Zee’s gaze. A spark of recognition flickered in his soft brown eyes before he politely excused himself and approached.
“Prof. Zee,” Nunew greeted, his voice warm. “What a surprise.”
“I didn’t expect to see you here either, Professor Nunew,” Zee replied, impressed.
“You’re quite the translator.”
Nunew laughed softly. “It’s my job, after all.”
Zee looked at him thoughtfully. “I owe you for ruining your shirt the other day. Can I buy you lunch sometime?”
Nunew tilted his head, his cheeks slightly pink. “Lunch? Or are you just looking for an excuse to spill coffee on me again?”
Zee smirked, his interest growing. “I’ll let you decide.”
And so it began.
Unches, coffee dates and long conversations that revealed how different yet compatible they were.
Zee was rich.
RICH rich.
With a sprawling house, a sleek car and an adopted husky named Priknoom.
He loved to exercise, often jogging with Priknoom in the mornings and he enjoyed Western food and fine dining.
Nunew, on the other hand, lived simply and comfortably.
He adored cats, hated exercising (“Walking to class counts,” he would say) and relished local food, everything from spicy som tam to fried banana fritters sold at street stalls.
“You’re missing out on carbs and happiness,” Nunew would tease whenever Zee declined a dish.
“You’re missing out on fitness and longevity,” Zee would counter, though he secretly loved watching Nunew eat with such joy.
Despite their differences, they understood each other deeply.
Zee even sometimes join Nunew eat sweet desserts and Nunew sometimes join Zee running on a threadmill, with the slowest pace.
They never force each other as those gestures coming from their own willingness to learn each other well.
Zee loved Nunew’s gentleness and how he made him feel grounded. Nunew admired Zee’s quiet strength and the way he showed care without ever being overbearing.
Their relationship bloomed naturally, slow and sure.
But it wasn’t until one quiet night in Zee’s home that their feelings reached a new depth.
It started with Zee walking Nunew home after dinner, only for a sudden rainstorm to trap them at Zee’s place. They laughed as Nunew towel-dried his hair, sitting on the couch wrapped in a blanket.
“Thank you for always taking care of me,” Nunew said softly, looking up.
Zee met his gaze, his expression gentle. “You make it easy.”
There was a pause.
A moment of stillness before Zee leaned closer.
Nunew’s breath hitched as Zee’s lips brushed against his softly, testing. Nunew responded, his hands finding Zee’s shirt as he pulled him closer.
The kiss deepened, soft turning into something passionate.
Zee’s touch was deliberate, careful not to overwhelm Nunew as they moved toward the bedroom. Clothes were removed slowly, each touch filled with care and reverence.
“You’re sure?” Zee murmured, his voice a soft rasp against Nunew’s skin.
Nunew nodded, cupping Zee’s face. “I trust you.”
Their bodies moved in harmony, every moment tender yet filled with longing as Zee’s lips traced soft kisses along Nunew’s neck, his shoulders, his chest.
Every inch cherished.
When they reached their peak, Zee held Nunew close, pressing gentle kisses against his sweat-damp forehead as they caught their breaths.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” Zee whispered, brushing back Nunew’s hair.
Nunew smiled sleepily, cuddling into Zee’s chest. “And you are so handsome."
They lay entwined, the room quiet except for the sound of their steady breaths. Zee pressed one last kiss to Nunew’s temple before whispering, “Sleep, love.”
And Nunew did, feeling warm, safe, and loved.
Their relationship remained a secret on campus.
Partly for professionalism, partly because they enjoyed having something so private and precious. But to their friends, their love was obvious.
Zee found himself adopting a stray cat for Nunew who promptly named it July, while Nunew began leaving his favorite desserts in Zee’s fridge.
They balanced each other perfectly. Opposites in habit but equals in heart.
“Do you think we’re too different?” Nunew asked one evening as they shared a quiet dinner.
Zee smiled, reaching across the table to squeeze Nunew’s hand. “Different? Maybe. But we fit. And I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Nunew beamed, his eyes sparkling. “Me neither.”
As the sun set outside, casting a golden glow over the room, Zee realized he’d never been happier. Nunew was his calm in the chaos, his partner in every sense of the word.
And in that moment, he knew: this was love, simple and enduring.
The End 🖤🤍