My Turn [𝐙𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐍𝐄𝐖 FF]

ɴɪɴᴇ

"So, here's the deal," Nunew began, trying to keep his tone businesslike. "We just have to convince the public, including your lovely ex, that we're together. And by together, I mean head-over-heels, stupidly in love with each other. We need to make it convincing."

He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. "This means regular posts about each other on social media, appearing together in public, maybe even a few staged 'candid' moments. You can handle that, right?"

Zee hesitated on the other end before replying, "And how exactly is this supposed to help me get Janice back? I don't see how this is going to work."

Hearing Zee mention his ex made something heavy settle in Nunew's chest. He thought to himself, 

Right. He's doing this for that girl. Not like I care.

Zee followed up with, "Won't this just make her less likely to come back if she thinks we're together?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Nunew said, trying to sound confident. "You'll make her jealous until she comes running back to you. She'll see what she's missing and realize she made a mistake. People always want what they can't have."

"I don't like making her jealous," Zee muttered. "It feels wrong."

Nunew rolled his eyes, even though Zee couldn't see him. "Yet she still left you and chose someone else over you. Sometimes, you have to play a little dirty to win."

"That's too much," Zee responded, sounding hurt. "I don't want to hurt her."

"Trust me," Nunew insisted, his voice softening slightly. "A little jealousy goes a long way. It can make or break a relationship—and a person, too. Sometimes, people need a push to realize what they truly want."

"What's in it for you, though?" Zee asked, suspicion creeping into his voice. "Are you sure you're not doing this because you have a crush on me or something?"

"As if. You're so full of yourself, aren't you?" Nunew let out a soft laugh, trying to mask any hint of truth in Zee's suspicion. 

"Says the one who isn't? What's the real reason?" Zee scoffed from the other end of the call. 

Nunew sighed, deciding to be a bit more honest. "It's called damage control. A lot of my exes and nosy people on Twitter say that I have an attitude problem. One thing led to another, and now I'm losing a lot of followers and brand deals. I was planning to buy a Serpenti Viper ring, but I can't afford it now with all these losses."

"Do you really think this would work?" Zee asked, doubt evident in his voice. "Pretending to be in love for the public?"

"Only if you participate fully," Nunew replied. "If we both commit to this, it'll be believable."

Zee's voice softened, sounding resigned. "I will. This is the only choice I have. Let's do this then."

"For your ex?" Nunew asked, rolling his eyes but feeling a pang of something he didn't want to acknowledge.

"And for your Serpenti Viper ring, madam," Zee replied, chuckling.

His tease made Nunew roll his eyes again, but he couldn't help but smile a little. At least Zee was in on the plan. 

It's been an hour since he drop the call with Zee when suddenly a notification pop out from his phone making him smile. 

---

As Zee uploaded the picture of Nunew, and almost immediately, his phone began to buzz incessantly with notifications. He couldn't help but smile at the sheer volume of reactions—likes, comments, and messages from friends and fans alike. Their group chat was especially lively, with his friends bombarding him with questions and comments.

Within minutes, he saw messages from his friends, Mark, Max, Yim, Tutor, Poppy, Jimmy, Tommy, and Net, planning to head over to his condo for an explanation. Zee knew he was in for a grilling session.

Before long, the doorbell rang, and Zee opened the door to see his friends piling into his living room, their faces a mix of curiosity and amusement.

"Alright, Zee, start talking," Mark said, crossing his arms with a grin. "You're in trouble, my friend."

Zee sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't have a choice, okay? It was either this or deal with a lot more drama."

 "So, you're really dating Nunew? I thought it was all just rumors." Jimmy raised an eyebrow.

Zee shook his head. "No, we're not really dating. It's a setup to help me get Janice back and for him to fix his public image."

Tutor smirked, leaning in closer. "What if you two actually fall for each other because of this setup?"

Zee rolled his eyes, trying to hide his discomfort. "That's impossible. It's just an arrangement, nothing more."

Yim chimed in, looking curious. "But what about you? What if you end up catching feelings?"

Zee replied firmly, "That's not going to happen."

"But it's possible, right?" Tommy grinned, nudging Zee playfully.

"No, it's not. I only want Janice." Zee shook his head, his expression serious.

The room fell silent for a moment before Jimmy laughed, breaking the tension. "Well, this is going to be interesting. I can't wait to see how this plays out."

Poppy nodded, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Yeah, just make sure you don't get too deep into this fake relationship."

As his friends continued to tease and offer advice, Zee felt increasingly overwhelmed. Once everyone had settled down, Net suddenly announced he was hungry and suggested they cook something. Zee agreed to let them use his kitchen.

As they began preparing, Zee felt a stare from behind. He turned to find Max giving him a look that clearly indicated they needed to talk. Zee nodded and followed Max back to the living room for a private conversation.

"Bro, sorry for not asking you first," Zee apologized, feeling a bit guilty.

"Look, I don't want to get involve with your agreement," Max replied. 

"I know Nunew will get something out of this too. I know how he operates. But for me, I just need to know—you're doing this for Janice, right?"

Zee nodded, confirming his motive with a simple "Yes."

Max sighed, concern evident in his eyes. "I hope getting your ex back won't come at the expense of Nunew getting hurt. I love my cousin, and I'm just worried about him."

Max gave Zee a small smile before heading back to the kitchen, leaving Zee to reflect on his words.

Max's words struck a chord, and the weight of his decisions began to settle heavily on him. He couldn't shake the feeling of unease, knowing that his actions might impact not only his own life but Nunew's as well.

"Him getting hurt?"

"Probably not? But it's not impossible either."