My Turn [𝐙𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐍𝐄𝐖 FF]

ꜰᴏᴜʀᴛᴇᴇɴ

Nunew sat in a cozy corner of the café, sipping his coffee. The past two days had been a whirlwind for him, filled with endorsements and recording sessions for his upcoming new song. Finally, he had some time to relax and unwind. 

As he looked at his phone, he saw multiple messages from Zee, which he had been trying to ignore since their last date. Mixed emotions swirled inside him, and he couldn't shake the fear of getting hurt again. Nunew sighed deeply, the weight of his emotions pressing down on him. He leaned back in his chair, trying to distance himself from the tumultuous thoughts.

Nat noticed Nunew's troubled expression and gave him a concerned look. "Aren't you gonna tell me something?" he asked gently.

Nunew looked at Nat and straightened up, trying to appear nonchalant. 

"About what?" he replied, feigning ignorance.

Nat chuckled at his friend's evasive behavior. "You know you've changed," he said.

Nunew furrowed his brows. "What are you talking about?"

"How's your situation with Zee?" Nat asked, causing Nunew to gulp and smile nervously.

"It's fine, We both agreed to be a couple but only in public." Nunew said, trying to avoid eye contact.

Nat leaned forward, resting his face on his hands. "I see..." he said, scanning Nunew's face intently. 

"I saw some posts about you two being on a date. This is the first time you haven't ranted about a date or complained about how it went. This isn't like the Nunew I know. You usually tell me everything right after your dates, so why not this time?"

Nunew sighed, feeling like he was under a spotlight due to Nat's persistent questions. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to gather his thoughts. 

"Well... He's not really bad. Our so-called fake dating is working," he said as Nat listened, a smile playing on his lips.

"How did the date go?" Nat pressed on.

"It went well. Zee even bought me flowers," he said excitedly.

"Flowers? That's sweet," Nat commented. "Anything else?"

"Zee picked me up from my place," Nunew continued, a hint of awe in his voice. 

"No one has ever done that for me before. It was a first, and it really caught me off guard. I mean, usually, I'm the one who does the picking up. But Zee just showed up, all confident and ready, making me feel like I was really important to him. It was such a small gesture, but it meant a lot. It felt nice to be treated that way for a change."

Nat raised his eyebrows, impressed. "Really? That's a big deal."

"Yeah," Nunew said, his excitement growing. "He's a gentleman and a funny guy. He kept me laughing the entire time."

"Sounds like a great time. I'm happy for you." Nat smiled, seeing his friend's enthusiasm. 

"You know our situation, Nat. I'm terrified of where this might lead, but I feel like I don't have a choice. This whole fake dating thing was my idea from the start," Nunew admitted.

"I thought I could handle it, but now I'm not so sure. The closer I get to Zee, the more scared I am of getting hurt. It's all so confusing."

"Listen, Jelly. It's okay to be scared, but don't let that fear stop you from enjoying the moments you have. Zee seems to care about you, even if it's just part of the act. There are times, pretending can lead to real feelings. Just be honest with yourself and take things one step at a time.  Just go with the flow but don't forget to guard yourself." Nat hold his hand and gave Nunew an encouraging look.

Nunew nodded, appreciating his friend's advice. "Thanks, Nat. I needed that."

"No problem, Nhu. Just remember, I'm always here for you. You can always call me and I'll be there." Nat said, giving Nunew a reassuring smile.

Nunew saw Max approaching them. He quickly stood up, grabbing his drink. Nat looked puzzled and asked.

"Where are you going?"

Max walked over, putting his arm around Nat's shoulder as he stood next to him. 

"Well, your babe is here. I don't want to interrupt and watch a lovey-dovey couple in front of me," Nunew teased, moving close to Nat and giving him a cheek-to-cheek kiss.

Max rolled his eyes and chuckled. 

"Besides, I have somewhere to be, so I'll leave you both to it," Nunew said.

They exchanged goodbyes, and as Nunew walked out of the café, his phone buzzed. He glanced at it and saw that Zee had posted something new.

Rolling his eyes, he dialed Zee's number, curiosity and annoyance mingling in his mind. The call was answered after just one ring.

"Got your attention there," Zee said, his teasing tone evident. Nunew could already imagine Zee's playful smirk, which annoyed him even more.

"Yes, congratulations. What do you want?" Nunew asked curtly, trying to mask his mixture of feelings, making Zee chuckle on the other end.

"It's still early in the morning and you're already angry. You're the one who disappeared for two days," Zee said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

"I was busy," Nunew replied tersely, frustration creeping into his tone.

"Busy going dates with someone else?" Zee's comment made Nunew frown in confusion, his heart skipping a beat.

"What are you talking about?" Nunew asked, genuinely perplexed.

"I saw you at the café with someone while I was driving by," Zee explained, making Nunew glare at his phone, irritation and surprise battling within him.

"Are you stalking me?" Nunew snapped, his mind racing.

Zee chuckled again. "Stop glaring like that, you'll get wrinkles." he teased, adding, "Look to your right.

Nunew turned to his right and saw a car parked in front of the café. The door opened, revealing a handsome Zee stepping out, still holding his phone to his ear. Their eyes met, and Nunew was taken aback, his emotions swirling.

Zee smiled at him, leaning against his car and waving with a grin. Nunew stood there, stunned, his annoyance momentarily forgotten as his heart pounded in his chest.

"What is he doing here?"