Safe Space

Macarons

It's already Tuesday and their whole family will be arriving in two days for Zee's Graduation on Friday. Nunew has been enjoying his time while he is with his Hia. Zee only has one class in the morning and he is already finished with the revision of his thesis so he get to spend as much time with Nunew in the afternoon.
Today Nunew decided to record a song cover while Zee is at class. He waited for Zee to go to University and took out his laptop , microphone and other music equipment. He set it up and decided which songs to record. He decided that he would try to do two songs today as he hadn't recorded for a while. He started his song cover for Part if your world of The Little Mermaid. He after three tries. He finally got the shot that he is happy with..
The second song that he chose is the one that Zee requested. Easy on Me by Adele. He started singing and finished his first try. He doesnt like the angle of the camera so he moved it and started the second one. He is kind of okay with it as he reviews the video but he feels like something is missing. He tries again. This time he took the time to think about the song. He thought of all the things he went through and what we would probably experience when he goes to UK alone. He started singing it with so much emotion. And when he was finished, he feels amazed. Like he was in a trance and he just managed to let everything out. He then heard somebody clap from the entrance door. He looked and saw Zee smiling at him.
"Told you the song suits you." Zee said to him as he walks towards Nunew. He bent down and gave him a tight hug.
"You know im proud of you right?" Zee whispers to him. Nunew nodded. He doesnt want to talk. He knows that if he starts talking, he would cry. So he just tightened the hug and breathe deeply.
"I love you Nu. I will always be here for you." Nunew was a bit surprised. It's the first time that Zee has told him this. Zee is the type who dont use the word Love easily. He will oftenly show it to you though, its just that its hard for him to actually say it. Nunew didnt say anything for a while.
"I love you too Hia. Thank you" He said very very softly. Zee let go of the hug and patted his head.

"Come lets eat. I bought some take away for us." He said to Nunew while smiling. 

Zee, Nunew, Boun and Prem were hanging around in a small cafe near Zee's unit the next day. They are all finished with their thesis now. It's only Mark who is still not done with revisions so he is still at university. Tomorrow, Zee and Nunew will pick up their whole family at the airport.

"So nunew, have you already picked where you would be staying in UK?" Prem asked him.

"Dont ask me. Ask him" he answered as he pointed at Zee. Zee didnt say anything. He just keeps on browsing at his phone.

"What, Zee insisted on picking your apartment?" Boun asks him.

"Not just an apartment unit. He chose a whole building." Nunew rolled his eyes while smiling.

Prem choked on his drink and Boun rubbed his back. Nunew is just laughing at their reaction. He knows it is too much but he cant do anything about it when Zee is on his overprotective mode.

"A whole building?! Zee. I know you are rich. But isnt this too much?" Boun looked at his friend and laughed. Prem and him are well off too. Boun is the son of a Chinese Thai business man who a telecommunication company. And Prem is the only son of business man who owns massive agricultural farms in Asia. So they do overspend sometimes as well. But never have they imagined that Zee would buy an entire building for Nunew.
Zee looked at Nunew meaningfully and said
"It is for your own safety. You know that. We are just worried about you." Zee told him.
"By We you mean you and Max? Even my mom is not this strict" Nunew is laughing at him.

"You mean Max is like this too?" Prem asks him

"You know P'Max too?" Nunew was surprised.

"Yeah, we were classmates in secondary school." Boun said.

"So why didnt i see you and P'Prem during the graduation?" nunew asks.

"Oh we were there, we were not just close before. We thought Zee and Max were scary before as they never smiled or laugh. Then we saw both of them hugging somebody after graduation and thats the first time we ever saw them smiled. Then we met Zee here and the rest is history" Prem explained.

Nunew was smiling wide after that. Zee looked at him and smiled too.
"That somebody that you saw is him" He said as he pointed at Nunew.

"So you really have this effect on people. You manage to make people soft. Wow. Are you sure you are not an angel?" Boun joked.

"Hey, he is much much worse than us. He just normally treat people he doesnt know like air and ignore them. Thats why i am so surprised he is talking to you!" Zee said to them. Nunew just shrugged and drank his milkshake.

"So you really owned nunew's building?" Prem asked.

"Not me. Him. It's under his name" Zee told them. "He is the one designing the interior too. Im just the one looking at quality of materials used."

"Wait so you are renovating the whole thing? Arent you starting class in september? Will it be ready in time?" Prem asked again

"Well if somebody is not too over protective and bought a whole building in a short time then I would have had a unit already" Nunew answered as he sketches on his ipad
"If somebody isnt too meticulous on his design then the building would have been done already." Zee answered back.
"It's a listed building. We have to preserve the outer and modernize the inner but dont want the character of the building to lose as we renovate the whole thing." Nunew argued with him
"Yes but changing design ideas several times doesnt help too you know" Zee replied to him as he still played with his phone

Prem elbowed Boun.
"They bicker like an old aged couple" said Prem
Zee and Nunew looked up from their devices with and eye brow raised.
"They even react the same." Boun tease the two as they all laugh.

Suddenly a lady approached them and faced Zee.
"Hi can i have your number?" Zee looked at the woman uninterestingly while Nunew just went back to his ipad. Prem and Boun just watched what was about to happen.
"Uhmm. No thanks" He then faced Nu
"Hey Nu want something warm to drink?" He asked to Nunew as he completely ignored the woman. Nunew just nodded without looking at him as he focuses on what he is doing. Zee stood up and went to the counter to order more drinks and a something sweet for Nunew. She then looked at Nunew and then to the other two and walked away.

"Has he always been like this? He just bluntly turn down girls?" Nunew ask as Zee is still at the counter
"He's better now you know. He just walks away before without saying anything. He just completely ignores them before like they are not real." Boun shakes his head at the memory.
"He wouldnt find a partner anytime soon if he continues this." Nunew said with a hint of concern.
"Well he seems like he is unbothered with it or maybe he already found the perfect one." Prem said as he looked at Nunew straight in the eye.
This made Nunew conscious a bit. Something about either what Prem said or the way he looked at him felt like he is being exposed. So he did what he normally do. Just ignore it like he didnt hear anything. He just went back to drawing on his ipad.

"Aw. You really just bought drinks for Nunew and you? Nothing at all for us? What a friend you are" Boun acted like he is hurt

"Wait, we're friends?!" Zee looked at him with a surprised expression. Then after a minute, he laughed.
"Yours and Prem's is to follow. It would be brought to us as i can only handle two cups plus Nunew's macarons." Zee said to him

"Macarons? Did you say you bought me macarons?" Nunew's ears perked up at the mention of his favorite dessert

"Yes. I bought you your favorite. Now put your ipad away and eat." Nunew did as he was told and started to eat his macarons. The three older guys just looked at him. And smiled at how adorable he is looking while he eats.

And as Nunew take another bite. He thought of something.
The macarons are sweet, hard on the inside and soft inside.
Just like somebody he knows.