I.L.Y. - A MewGulf AU

Chapter 23: No More Lies

Dawn was breaking through when they eventually decided on a way to deal with the media. Since the picture was already out there and circulated through different platforms, just calling the newspaper and getting it deleted wasn't going to be sufficient. Suing every platform that was spreading it was also impossible, since that could bring out an even more negative response from the press. After talking about it rationally with Mew and their managers, they had all agreed that they shouldn't focus on the newspapers that spread it, but rather on the fan's reactions.

More than the image the press had of them, they both found the impression their fans and their fanclubs had of them more important. So, they decided to focus on that while trying to find a way to 'solve' this problem. In reality, there was no easy way to actually solve it, but at least they could try to soften the blow.

When Mew said that, Gulf wasn't sure whether he meant softening the blow to their fans or towards him. He was so calculative and business like when he said that, it left Gulf feeling like he didn't know what to think of the man anymore. He fully knew that Mew said it was a dumb mistake and he felt bad for it, but Gulf couldn't help but be apprehensive about the whole thing. More than apprehensive, he was scared. Scared that soon Mew would realize that it wasn't a mistake. Maybe Mew had been lying in the first place anyway, there was no way for Gulf to be sure. Not anymore.

He hated that he couldn't trust the man he had given his heart to anymore, but that was the reality he was living in right now. Maybe the switch had been preparing himself for all of this. It might be time for Gulf to take his heart back and keep it safe himself, instead of in the hands of a could-be liar.

He really wished he didn't have to think about Mew like that. However, he wasn't sure of things anymore. He had wished so many times to return to his world, for what exactly? Now he was back to square one, closer and closer to losing Mew. Actually, he might be even lower than one at the moment, after what Mew had done. The man had cheated on him. Gulf still felt angry and sad at the same time, but mostly disappointed. Did Mew really mean it when he said he was sorry? Was it really just a mistake? How he wished those words to be true.

He should stop wishing for stupid stuff. None of his wishes come true anyway.

They decided to let their manager tweet an official reply to the rumor and picture circulating the internet, while they would focus their social media on more happy moments of them. If the media approached them on the street, they would talk around it. They could refer to the official statement that their relationship was very much still going strong and leave it at that. Make some jokes about it or just pretend not to hear it. Although Gulf found his own joke not funny, their managers chucked when the nong idly suggested they could answer that Mew had been practicing for their upcoming movie. Mew looked more guilty than ever at that moment.

That was another matter, the movie. Gulf really hoped this news wasn't going to impact it negatively. From everything he had seen of the script and the scenes already taped, it truly seemed to become a great film. After reading the script that morning, he already loved the way the dialogue was written and how complex the characters and their relationships were. Dee and Wai were completely different than him and Mew, yet Gulf could find himself in both characters. He was sure the fans would have the same feelings, especially since the plot of the movie was so interesting. He truly hoped this whole affair wouldn't influence the PR for the movie badly. Somehow, the movie came as a secondary importance to their fans.

As for their relationship? Seeing how their conversation up until now had been going and the way Mew seemed to be focusing on others matters first, Gulf felt that their relationship came last right now. He hated feeling like that. On the other hand, it made the plan that was slowly forming in his head much clearer.