Fragments of Love: A ZaintSee Collection

home is where your heart is, and mine's with you

The lighting of the cafe was dim yet it gave a fresh homey feeling. There weren't many patrons about, just a few people sat in different corners of the room, others coming and going to grab food to go before leaving the quiet atmosphere again. Zee hummed as he scrolled mindlessly through his instagram, replying and liking some of Saint's pictures he missed, before food was served in front of him.

"Thank you krub." Zee politely said, and his words were echoed by his lovely companion.

"Thank you." Mae Nuk brightly said as the waitress left them alone once more. Zee smiled seeing her food compared to his, then a memory made him laugh.

"Mae, does it not seem like dejavu?" Zee asked gesturing to their food. Saint's - his boyfriend - mom looked down before bursting into laughter.

"Oh, you're right! And it seems like we are reliving it all over again huh?" Mae nodded to his car keys. They were picking up Saint from the airport again, the only difference this time is that he was driving his car and not his in law's. "You got your pad thai too."

"And you still got clean eating down to the T. I feel guilty now." Zee chuckled. "I need to cut down and start eating more healthily."

Mae Nuk rolled her eyes, taking a bite of her salad. Zee followed and started eating. Once she finished chewing and swallowed, she pointed at him with her fork. "You spoil Saint too much with food so it's only your fault."

"Mae!" Zee whined, but really was she wrong? "How can I say no to him? Have you seen him when he sulks?"

"Of course! He is my son." She wrinkled her nose. "He's too cute for his own good but I do know how to say no. Unlike someone." She raised a brow, giggling when Zee reddened.

Zee shrugged. "I like seeing him smile and happy. If i have to break my diet, then..."

Zee took another bite. This was one of their favourite cafe slash restaurants that he and Saint often go to. They always take Mae Nuk here too since this was one of those places where it never gets crowded and provided more privacy. As he ate, he didn't notice his boyfriend's mother looking at him fondly, not until he raised his head to find her staring at him.

"Mae? Anything wrong?"

She shook her head, placing her fork down and leaning back in her chair. "Thank you."

Zee too, placed his utensils down and sat up. He tilted his head, confused. "About what? You don't have to thank me Mae."

"For making my son happy." Zee's eyes widened taken aback. She only smiled and continued. "Saint's been through a lot, I've seen it. And you've heard of it. And..." this felt like another dehavu, exactly the same. "I've said this before, at this exact table too." Mae laughed at his expression. "I just...I've thank you before, but now it's different. You're his boyfriend now, his partner, and now you're moving in together. And it's been almost two years, and the feeling I have from you never changed."

Zee watched her smile brightly at him, reaching for his hand. "Mae..."

"Shush..." She shook her head softly, her curls flying." Zee, from the first time Saint talked to me about you, about a 'P'Zee' he met and was working with, I have never seen him smile that wide, nor did he have that twinkle in his eye after being in the dark for so long. I know my son. I know all the fake smiles he gives, when he's faking it to mask the pain. But that day? I knew it was different, I finally saw my son again." Zee squeezed her fingers, feeling his breath hitch in emotion, didn't know how this perspective of Saint could affect him so much. It wasn't just anyone, it was his mom's. The one who raised him, knew him like the back of her hand. "Saint was always this person who hid everything to himself, he never shares his pain and worries, always wanting everyone around him to be happy even when he's already in that state of hardship. He keeps it in until he explodes one day. But then something changed." Mae breathed deeply and she gets this faraway look in her eyes. "It's like one day, he finally opened up to me. Finally told me of all his worries, finally I was able to console him, and know what's going on in his head. I think that time, maybe it was because of you? He admitted to me, that one person has made it easier to talk, told him that he didn't have to keep it to himself – that his loved ones would understand, would support him."