ㅇ surface ㅇ [ zeenunew ]

epilogue

2017

Nunew wakes up to the sound of ocean waves, singing and dancing nearby, the smell of it for once not making him feel like he’s being drowned. The nightmares have long stopped. He wouldn’t suddenly wake up in the middle of the night, sweating and crying because he’s alone.

There, beside him in the soft bed of their rented villa, lay his boyfriend Zee, arm encircled over his torso in a protective manner that just by that alone he already feels secured.

It’s been months since they have been together and Nunew would still find it unbelievable that Zee loves him. He thinks he’s too plain (despite being a KPop idol) to be loved like this, genuine and unconditionally. When they would argue about simple things, Zee would just chuckle good heartedly and let Nunew get his way. It’s a mystery how the green head can have so much patience in his body that he could handle someone like Nunew Chawarin, but maybe that’s how true love works, it doesn’t wither away with just little circumstances, instead it prospers.

“Hey, lazy ass. Good morning,” Nunew greets, kissing Zee’s forehead as the latter’s head, that’s nestled on his bare chest, moved. Zee peeks at him with one eye, his arm tightening its hold on his waist as he nuzzled his face on the younger’s neck.

“Morning, babe. How are you? How do you feel?” the older boy asks, kissing Nunew’s neck now, soothing the bite Zees left on his milky skin made the night before. It made Nunew blush into crimson, remembering how their first vacation night went after being away from each other from quite some time.

Because of their busy schedules, their time together has become even more limited. More so now that Zee has a stable job at an Architecture firm in Seoul. Their dates have now dwindled down to quick lunch and dinners. And although they are now living together, they still wouldn’t meet often because of Nunew’s overseas schedules. With all of these things happening in their lives, it is no surprise that the two of them are trying to make up for all of the lost time.

“Have I been too rough?” Zee asks, sheepishly smiling at Nunew’s still blushing face.

The younger shakes his head in response, holding his boyfriend tighter from his embrace. “I missed you.”

“Me too,” Zee whispers, looking up at Nunew. “I’m glad your agency gave you a break, I thought it’ll be months until we finally have this time together.”

“I know. I’m sorry we aren’t meeting as often.”

Zee kisses him instantaneously, halting any apologies the younger used to give whenever his career gets the front seat on the list of his priorities. The older boy knew what he has gotten into when he first tried to get closer to the idol, so he understood, supports him even, with what he wants to do.

As much as possible, all the green haired boy wanted Nunew to know is that it’s not bad to reach for your dreams, and if it requires little sacrifices here and there, Zee’s ready to face it, so long as he can be beside Nunew through all of it.

“Stop saying sorry. I love you, that’s what matters to me.”

Nunew gulps the emotion building up in his chest, keeping his waterworks at bay. When it comes to Zee, it always ends up with Nunew feeling overwhelmed. It’s too much that his boyfriend’s taking in his weirdness and quirks in stride, but for Zee to be understanding and supportive of his passion; it’s too much to handle sometimes.

With the morning sunlight licking its way inside their rented room, Nunew kisses Zee fervently, using his lips in answering the other boy’s confession of his feelings in ways Nunew knows best describes what he has in his heart. And for the older boy, that is enough.