Call It What You Want (BounPrem-Reimagined)

xxvix

"Oh my gosh, hi! I love you and all your work so much, ohmygod." The girl who's currently in front of me gushed, making me chuckle at her adorable little outburst. After signing her book, I pushed it back to her and stood up from my chair, leaning across the table to engulf her in a hug. She's shaking and crying a little while she whimpered out sweet stuff about how she loves all my books and how she's always wanted to meet me and thank me for releasing the new book.

"Thank you for reading my stuff. I love you, too." I said, meaning each and every word while she wiped her face aimlessly, waving a little as she turned around and showed her mom her now signed book. Though I've been through numerous signings, meeting hundreds of people who says to be in love with me and my work, each and every praise that I hear from new people still really warms my heart. Sometimes, I still couldn't believe how people could patronize my stuff and say that it impacted them in some ways and helped them go through some rough times. Nevertheless, I am ever-so grateful with everything that happened and is still happening to me. I couldn't ask for more, to be honest.

It's around five pm now and I've been sitting and signing hundreds of books for nearly three hours. Fluke had set-up a two-hour long book signing but I told him that I want to finish the line of people that had been waiting for lord knows how long.

The book that I was writing is now published and I couldn't be any happier. I've neglected it so many times, I got horrible cases of writer's block and I even thought of not pushing through with finishing it but somehow, we still made it work. Fluke and I devoted so much time in making this book and I could proudly say that this is my favorite so far. Not only is everything genuinely and carefully thought of, the main inspiration also helped me in making this thing possible.

"Here ya go." Prem went to approach me with a water bottle as I picked up my Sharpie and went to say thanks to the staff of the bookstore and the security guards that helped out in keeping the place safe and organized. I told all of them to go straight to the pizza parlor downtown and we'll all celebrate. "You looked really cute there." My fiance said, adding a kiss on my cheek and still making me smile as if it were the very first complement that I got from him.

"Thanks but I was just signing books, babe." I shook my head, going to the back door to meet with Fluke, Prem looking all adorable just walking beside me, fingers threading with mine. I feel bad for dragging Prem in these book signings because he just waits for me to finish the whole thing and right after the event, I'd have to hurry up to fix some stuff with my friend before we could actually leave and possibly head home.

"Yeah but you look extra adorable whenever they make you blush." He teases, pinching my cheek, making me scrunch up my nose. I swatted his hand away but he just giggled.

"Boun! You still good?" My manager asked as soon as we saw him and my brother. He's busily calling a few people here and there, keeping up with my schedule, double checking everything professionally well. I still look up to Fluke for being so good with all the things that he does. Also, I wish I could be as good as him when it comes to multi-tasking.

"Yup. We heading for pizza now?" I asked, actually feeling quite hungry. The signing wore me off. Although enjoyable, I still feel so worn out afterwards.

"Yes please, I'm hungry as fuck." My brother sighed loudly and over-dramatically, making my friend scoff, a roll of his eyes coming afterwards, making Prem and I chuckle.

"You didn't even do anything."

"I watched you look cute all day." My brother argued lamely, again, making Fluke roll his eyes, though a small smile crept in this time. Ohm chuckled, kissing my manager's cheek lovingly. Soon enough, we got in the car with Ohm driving us in the pizza place.

It's been about fourteen months since Prem moved back into our home; fourteen months composed of fragile arguments, small bantering thrown out here and there, and a lot of contentment and bliss exchanged between the two of us. To say that I've felt an overwhelming amount of joy in the past fourteen months would be a great understatement. I was (and still am) beyond joyful and contented with him beside me through different paths of whatever it was that I had to go through.

Also, Prem's been pursuing a degree in Culinary Arts. One day, while we were eating, yet again, another hearty meal prepared by him, I brought up the thought of him studying and maybe pursuing a career in culinary and he was just positive towards the idea, face beaming in sheer excitement and hope. So we went and enrolled him to a culinary school and in a couple of months, he'll be graduating with a degree in culinary arts! As his graduation is nearing, he's busying himself with the preparation of opening his very own food establishment. I couldn't be any more proud and I'm so glad that he's genuinely happy with his current accomplishments.

With each passing day of us living in euphoria under one roof, we decided to let go of our rocky and crazy past and to just really get to know one another. After just a few weeks, the spare room in the house is once again abandoned, with him moving to my room completely. A month after that, I took him out on a date and asked him if he wanted to be my boyfriend. Of course he said yes and I thought I was the luckiest and happiest guy in that fancy little restaurant. A few months after that, we were driving to my parents' place and I introduced Prem to them. The way they were so welcoming towards him was just too priceless. Regardless of the lie that we put up before, they still adored him genuinely, (though ma flicked my forehead, saying that I shouldn't have lied to them like that) already acknowledging him as a new addition to our little family. And just two months ago, asked him to marry me. His answer? A very sure yes.

"Babe," Prem whispered from beside me as I munched down on my third slice of pizza. I hummed, sloppily chewing as he giggled, grabbing a napkin and wiping the disgusting grease off of my chin.

"Ew, I'm gross. Why the hell are you marrying me?" I commented, gulping down a glass of water.

"You're not gross."

"Unpleasant?"

"Nope."

"Disgusting?"

He giggled again, eyes squinting and biting down his lip. "You can call it what you want, babe." He said, looking at me lovingly, voice quiet against the voices of our friends surrounding us, as they socialize and enjoy the little party that we have for all of us. "But more of a dork, to be honest." I only shook my head, suppressing a smile and he sighed contentedly. "I love you, Boun."

"I love you, too."

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THE END. Thanks for being patient w my inconsistent update schedule!!💛