Chapter Text
Nunew stood alone, his wide eyes scanning the busy room. His heart fluttered in his chest, excitement bubbling within him. He could hardly contain himself. It had only been an hour since he'd arrived, and he had already met his idol — Zee.
Rushing into the bathroom, Nunew slipped into a stall and sat on the floor, trying to calm his racing heart. He replayed the moment over and over again in his mind. As soon as he entered the Domundi building, he had walked up the stairs and bumped — literally bumped — into Zee. The Zee he had adored since he was fourteen.
Nunew had every magazine, every poster, every interview. He was a devoted fan. And now, he had spoken to him. His idol had looked at him, had smiled at him.
Chuckling to himself, Nunew splashed cold water on his face at the sink, trying to calm his nerves. He looked up into the mirror and couldn’t suppress the giddy smile that stretched across his face.
Wandering back into the hallway, he followed the signs to a door marked "New Members." Inside, rows of young men were seated. A woman at the front desk looked up and gestured for him to sit. He slid into an empty seat next to a boy who immediately greeted him.
"Hello," the boy said warmly. "I’m Nat."
"Hi, I’m Nunew. Nice to meet you," Nunew replied with a shy smile.
They chatted briefly until the speaker at the front called for their attention.
They learned about Domundi’s history, the company’s goals, and how each new member would be paired with a senior member — their mentor. Nunew's heart raced again. Could he dare to hope that he would be paired with Zee? The thought alone made him dizzy.
After half an hour, the senior members entered the room — Park, Max, Zee, and others — all lined up proudly at the front. They wore matching black slacks and crisp white shirts, but Nunew’s eyes found Zee instantly. His dark hair, his intense gaze... he stood out effortlessly.
The speaker began calling names. As each newbie was paired with a mentor, they would cross the room to meet them.
"Nat will be paired with Max," the speaker announced.
Nat grinned at Nunew before making his way over to Max. Nunew remained seated, his fingers fidgeting anxiously.
Finally, the speaker read out, "Nunew Charwin will be paired with Zee Pruk."
Nunew froze for a moment, his heart hammering in his chest. He quickly composed himself, forcing a calm expression onto his face as he stood and approached Zee.
Zee’s dark, piercing eyes met his, sending an involuntary shiver down Nunew’s spine. Zee smiled and tilted his head toward a quieter corner of the room, signaling for Nunew to follow.
They sat down together, the energy between them buzzing.
"So, we meet again," Zee said with a soft laugh. "And what a coincidence that we’re partners."
Zee chuckled softly and, without warning, scooted his chair closer. So close that Nunew could smell his cologne — a clean, musky scent that made his head swim. Zee smelled wonderful. Nunew wasn't sure what cologne he wore, but it quickly became his favorite.
Zee reached out and gently took Nunew’s hand, his touch warm and steady. Nunew stiffened in surprise but slowly relaxed, their hands fitting together perfectly.
"You and I are going to be great partners," Zee said, tracing slow patterns across Nunew’s knuckles. "We’re going to achieve great things together."
Nunew looked at him, captivated.
"I know we just met," Zee continued, "but I need your trust. Your cooperation."
"My trust?" Nunew echoed, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes," Zee said firmly. "Trust in me. Trust in us. I already spoke to the director. You’ll be my partner in my new series — Cutie Pie."
Nunew’s eyes widened. "You... you told them you wanted me?"
Zee smiled warmly. "As soon as I saw you, I knew. I talked to Aof immediately. I asked for you."
Nunew sat there, stunned, his world tilting on its axis.
"It’s destiny," Zee said softly. "I believe we were meant to meet."
Nunew's heart was soaring.
He was fanboying inside, barely able to contain his emotions. His idol, his dream — Zee — had chosen him.
Nunew pushed his excitement down and smiled up at Zee. "Thank you. I would love to be your partner. I will trust you and cooperate with you. I'll do my absolute best."
Zee’s gaze softened, and for a brief moment, the world around them faded away.
They were face to face.
"You don't have to worry. I will take good care of you," Zee whispered.
"Will you let me take care of you?" Zee asked, stroking Nunew's hair and looking into his eyes.
Nunew was enthralled entirely by Zee's presence so close to him. The scent of Zee surrounded him, and the feeling of Zee stroking his hair made him feel as if he would agree to anything Zee said.
Nunew nodded.
"Answer me," Zee said softly. "I want your words."
"Yes," Nunew replied gently.
Zee grabbed Nunew's chin and tilted it up to meet his gaze. "Say yes. Nunew wants Zee to take care of him."
Breathlessly, Nunew said, "Nunew wants Zee to take care of him," while looking into Zee's eyes.
Zee smiled softly, stroking Nunew's chin with his fingers, trailing them over his smooth cheeks.
"Great, this is the start of something beautiful," Zee said, maintaining eye contact with Nunew.
Zee had a sultry look. "So beautiful, so soft," he said, caressing Nunew's cheeks and lips.
Nunew was beside himself; he couldn't believe this was happening. The way Zee looked at him and caressed his face made it clear that Zee liked him.
Nunew felt incredibly lucky. His idol, Zee, was touching him and saying he wanted to take care of Nunew. He didn’t know how to process it all; it felt surreal.
"Nunew," Zee said softly, "I want us to have a different relationship than we do with anyone else."
"How so, Zee?" Nunew asked.
"Well, for starters, I want you to call me Hia instead of Zee."
Nunew looked at him, puzzled. "Why don't you want me to call you by your name?" he inquired.
"I want to be different from others," Zee explained, tilting Nunew's chin to meet his eyes. "You call me Hia, and I will call you Nhu. Okay?"
Nunew blushed. "Okay, Hia and Nhu."
"You're cute," Zee said with a smile, making Nunew blush even more.
Zee pulled Nunew into a hug, wrapping him tightly in his arms. Nunew rested his head in the crook of Zee's neck, breathing in his scent.
Nunew had never felt so whole and warm. Being in Zee's arms was the best feeling he had ever experienced. He still couldn't believe this was happening, especially on his first day here. He felt incredibly fortunate.
This may be the start of something extraordinary.