morabitolex

[heretherebedork]

Y'all, is it my imagination or did they switch the vibes between the SaifahZon storyline and the TutorFighter storyline? Like, not totally. But there's just this fighting versus more peaceful and slow vibe that's throwing me off but in the best way. I really adore it, honestly, that the peaceful versus the ready to fight sides seem to have switched in a way? Truly fascinating. It's especailly fascianting with YuKyeom because his vibes are so different than Fighter's vibes were and I love it but also just... fascinating, honestly.

[onstoryladders]

Ok I got another for you

Why R U

-💖💕💖

THE CRACK SHOW 🙌🏻 thanks, Hearts Anon! 💞

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most)

Saifah! I LOVE HIM 🥰 he's a sweet cuddly giraffe of a boyfriend and gives very nice hugs. He's also a whole mood when he goes around in a blanket.

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped)

Still Saifah 🤧 I wanna be Zon in this gif:

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week)

I had forgotten about her but SHE! As soon as I saw her on screen I was bewitched, I find her so so so so so pretty that I immediately followed her on Instagram 😌 a great decision.

Also she was hilariously obsessed with Fighter's dick.

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason)

Fighter. Especially first episodes Fighter because he acted like-- I can't even find the right words to describe it gsynrkcish everything he said and did was so absurd. He deserves a little bullying.

Also didn't he do something problematic™ (Tumblrina Mode Activated) in the last episode? I didn't watch the whole series so I'm not sure.

Send me a fandom and I'll tell you...

[shinwoonoh]

thank you @jaehwany for tagging me!!

1. your all time favorite bl and why surprise, surprise! it’s itsay! why? because i cried and i was emo for a WEEK after ep 4. that scene with teh and his mom spoke to my core. in that moment, i was teh and teh was me. 

2. that one bl that scarred you for life y’all, i love why r u but those two porn eps??? LMAOOOO and the image of saifah eating zon’s face???? i largely think it’s because i’m ace and i was just like EWWWWWWWWWWW  

also i wanna fight the doctor in together with me. i’m sure the actor is really nice but when i see him in ads before certain shows, i wanna *POW POW POW*

3. is there any bl that made you feel very single? cherry magic. kurosawa and adachi are the sweetest humans in the world and i think about kurosawa pining for 7 years a lot. 

4. if you could change one thing from a bl, which one would it be? when two and un just hugged at the end of theory of love. also the fact that un didn’t actually like third. i wanted a love triangle!!! (am i menace to society? yes. yes i am) 

5. that one bl you detest (don’t hold back) i don’t detest any bls. i feel like it’s the fandoms that put me off of it more than anything sometimes. it’s hard especially because i’m always the clown in fandom, shipping ghost ships and having dumb hot takes LOL and sometimes, once in a while, i’ll come across someone who is anti-*insert bl show* to a point where i feel like i’d be ostracized for expressing even my ENJOYMENT of a show. 

6. your top five:

in no particular order: to my star. itsay, tharntype, light on me, cherry magic, gsp!!!!!!! (oops that’s 6 but i can’t just give 5!!! it’s criminal!!)

7. that trashy bl that you lowkey like

why r u!! DUDE FIGHTER HARASSING TUTOR AT WORK LMAOOOOOOOOOOOO boy was just trying to make money so he didn’t have to get beat up but that annoying dude is sticking post-it notes on the merchandise. and the atrocious english subs just adds to the flavour, honestly

8. your favorite korean bl (it’s important we know)

TO MY STAR🌟TO MY STAR💫TO MY STAR ⭐️

i think i maybe make up 30% of the views on viki. i put it on as a comfort thing and i think it’s one of the best (short) kbls with characters that are established very well in the time constraint that they had

9. but also your top 3 for kbls

TO MY STAR ⭐️⭐️⭐️ LIGHT ON ME 💡💡💡 and.... TO MY STAR  again ⭐️⭐️⭐️

ok but of course i liked wyel and lol, i really liked nobleman ryu’s wedding! i think i mostly am just in love with han se jin. he’s so pretty <3

10. season 2? which one?

TO MY STAR ⭐️⭐️⭐️TO MY STAR ⭐️⭐️⭐️TO MY STAR ⭐️⭐️⭐️TO MY STAR ⭐️⭐️⭐️TO MY STAR ⭐️⭐️⭐️TO MY STAR ⭐️⭐️⭐️TO MY STAR ⭐️⭐️⭐️SOOOOOON 

i haven’t watched s2 but i know it’ll be GOOD. i believe in my lord and goddess director hwang da seul

11. a bunch of dramas will air soon. which ones are you the most excited for?

did i mention, TO MY STAR????????

oh and semantic error!! do yourself a favour and read the manhwa or watch the animation of the kiss scene

12. tag them!

i’m shy and i won’t tag anyone heh but if you see this and do it, tag me and i’ll read your post!!!!

[geekygirl24]

Day 22: Favourite scene from your #1 Drama

I looked back at my Top 11 list of favourites and chose a scene from each of them :)

11. Sarawat touches the chest (2gether the series)

I think this is the first time we see Sarawat truely vulnerable. After being beaten up though, head leaning on Tine’s shoulder (SQUEE!), he seizes his opportunity to have a quick grab of Tine’s chest. I laughed when i saw this, but it was also a sweet scene :)

10. Tutor taking control (Why R U)

I know i said that i preferred Saifah/Zon in this series... but i love me a bit of role rehearsal, and to see Fighter so willing as Tutor took control, i loved it!

9. Seryou says he likes Yuzuru’s blunt nature

After being dumped so many times for being too blunt and not ‘gentle’ as his handsome face would suggest, i think this is the moment when Yuzuru truely felt like he was falling in love with Seryou. Someone who didn’t care that he spoke his mind. It was sort of a confession on Seryou’s side, and yet, sort of not.

8. Ram/King Greenhouse/Garden scene

“The person who understands me... is you.”

I could watch this over and over again. The way King puts the flower behind Ram’s ear, the way they look at each, how soft Ram’s voice is! It is just perfect!

7. Ae and Pete’s first meeting - Love by Chance

Wish this love could be forever, and now our love will be forver!

Seriously, this is one of the cutest first meetings in BL history and i will stand by that

6. Akira stands up for himself and his sister - Love on the Line

I really felt for Akira throughout the show. Even though it was clear that he was in love with Yuuki, he let his mother’s talk of being ‘normal’ get into his head, prompting him to live a lie for a long time, even getting married to a woman. When he finally questioned her on what was normal anymore, it was such a relief.

5. History2: CTL: Kiss through the net

This was such a cute scene, and whilst it didn’t go according to Yu Hao’s plan, it is still an adorable moment.

4. Ming and Kit get together - 2moons2

I honestly thought this scene was never going to happen, but i’m glad that it did, and despite Kit’s family, it was a really sweet scene. Going back to that Moon/Earth reference, the way Kit leans against Ming’s chest... it was just amazing!

3. Intouch and Korn are at peace - UWMA

Yes, i cried buckets of tears.... yes, i would watch it all again. The moment where Intouch turns to smile at Pharm, to thank him, I honestly had to pause the video because i was crying so hard. But they were happy tears, because the pair deserved to their peace after what they went through.

(A/N: I’m actually crying thinking about it!)

2. Kurosawa’s panic - Cherry Magic

Honestly, I loved every scene in Cherry Magic, but that first scene in the elevator, when it’s revealed that the handsome, charming Kurosawa likes Adachi will always be a favourite. Kurosawa went through a lot of ‘OMG ADACHI!’ mental moments in this show, but this was cute... especially as Adachi had no clue.

1. Kenji just wants to talk about who he loves - Kinou Nani Tabeta

Now, this happens in the very first episode. Shirou is still in the closet in his work life, and doesn’t want anyone to ever find out. So, when he finds out that Kenji has been talking about them to his clients, he is really not happy.... but neither is Kenji.

Everyone else talks about their families, why can’t he?

Now, this is a lot less emotional than the moment in Episode 9 where Kenji breaks down about his past, but I think this one made me think more. I can see both sides of the argument, and can’t help but feel sorry for them both.

[kaiitykuppycake]

Why R U The Series is one of the best BL dramas out there and it's about almost nothing.

and it was a trip. A great one. One we are not soon to forget in our trails on the BL spectrum. I watched this whole show with my good friend and partner in BL crimes @ahhhnorealnamesallowed

THIS IS ALL MY OPINION AND MY THOUGHTS ON THE SHOW. WE JUST FINISHED IT AND I HAVE THOUGHTS FOR DAYS.

*SPOILERS AHEAD* (kinda minor)

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

The Plot: Okay, this is gonna be fast and loose. This show is a slice of life so therefore it has almost no plot (at least nothing over arching and complex) and it only centers around a bunch of kids going to university and most of them falling for each other. Okay, I'm getting ahead of myself. Zon has a sister, Zol who has been writing fanfiction about him and an upperclassman, Saifah, whom she saw him kissing by accident. When asking her to stop writing, he thinks he's cursed himself. This spirals him into a notion that ha's in a BL novel. On top of that, he is tasked with being a musical act with Saifah for the charity concert for the school (faculty?) soccer team. Hilarity and soft romantic stuff ensue as they prepare with Saifah teaching Zon guitar. On the other hand, Tutor is a sweet boy that is nice to everyone (except Fighter in the beginning) and helps anyone who needs it. His family is in heavy debt and he works to earn his own money and pay for school any way he can, especially with tutoring his schoolmates. He is good friends with HwaHwa whom he has known for years. He has caught the eye of his upperclassman Fighter whom he met as a freshman. Fighter is a shy tough boy who needs to get his grades up and has a big crush on Tutor and doesn't know what to do with it. His father has him dating Hwa, whom he doesn't love, but she loves him. The two navigate their feelings and sassy, steamy and emotional things ensue.

The couples: Fighter and Tutor are up there with my favourite BL couples of all time. Up there with the ranks of DeanPharm and WatTine. Their chemistry was so ON POINT and ORGANIC I could have believed Saint and Zee had been grown in the most wholesome garden known to man, it was just THAT believable. Their story starts with some friction and MAJOR sexual tension. Like so much that it's acted on once or twice in a couple of scenes before they even confess their feelings. It's valid of course because Fighter is too unsure of his feelings for Tutor so while they're getting close to being hot and heavy, he tends to blow it off as "teasing" *eye roll* which is its own can of worms, especially with how it fucks with Tutor's emotions in general. All in all, their coupling happens and once it does, you will treasure every moment of it. Every. Steamy. Moment. Honestly, these scenes were so good it was bordering softcore p*rn. I'm not kidding. Did I also mention their duality? Oh yeah. Tutor tops whenever he wants to and he has Fighter wrapped around his finger once they begin their relationship proper. It's one of the best parts seeing Fighter doing his job as a top but then Tutor throwing us a curve ball and rolling Fighter over to do the same. *chef's kiss* Refreshing.

Saifah and Zon started with intrigue and ended with adorable. It felt earned even though they didn't have much drama to wade through, at least not as much as FighterTutor. They have a whole sequence of them going on a "date" to get a guitar pic and stuff to make one into a bracelet for Zon as Saifah teaches him how to play. It felt awkward and out of place with the lack of development their relationship had at this point, but they were leading up to it so it ends up working out. Their confession is full of awkward and ADORABLE wholesome energy. This whole couple's arch is so innocent and wholesome as they become more comfortable. Where FighterTutor can't keep their hands off each other, SaifahZon can't keep their eyes off one another. Do you want soft hand touches and forehead kisses without steamy make-outs? This couple is for you. I found it a perfect contrast in dynamic and romance compared to Fighter Tutor and it was refreshing when we got time to breathe.

the side couples: Honestly, I wish we had more time to develop and see them more. The actors had great chemistry and worked well together, but they didn't get enough time to develop as couples with all the time being dedicated to the two main couples. I think it's fully valid to stick most of the time to the main couples. that's what people come for, but I found it disappointing because I liked all of them. Here are my thoughts on each: Japan and Tanthai were cute. Blue, Champ and Dew could have had WAY more screen time ESPECIALLY with Champ and Blue which had WAYY more implication than Blue and Dew together. Junior, Natee and Zen are all Zon's friends and served as this series' equivalent of 2gether's Fong, Ohm and Phuak mixed together with both Man and Boss in their loud crackhead energy. They have their own dynamic but with my limited experience with series, they are the closest I could compare. They are all adorable and Zen kind of has a thing for Zol but that doesn't get far...Finally Hwahwa and Day are adorable but only seen a couple of times in the series. While Fighter is "dating" Hwahwa, Day is the main person taking care of her on her birthday and when Fighter dumps her. They're cute but I wish we got more of them.

My biggest con with this show is the fact that the side characters are hard to remember. They come in so randomly sometimes that once they cut to a random side couple like Japan and Tanthai, I had to stop and think whom we were in a scene with. It didn't take long to determine but it felt like we should know, but we didn't right away. This only happened with some characters but it could have been rectified with more time. No ones fault, just a nitpick that doesn't take much away from the overall series for me.

Overall, this series was a wonderful thing to have in my life for the few weeks my friend and I were watching it. It was well shot, SO well-acted, and it was generally beautiful inside and out. I HIGHLY recommend if you want to watch something you can just sit and relax to. It certainly brightened up my days.

[lovesamyu]

until i figure out how to reply to people, this is my review for Why R U: (spoilers)

This show was one of the best BL’s i have ever watched, i used to be so obsessed with it and here’s why

The chemistry between fighter and tutor is so natural you don’t even feel like they’re acting and whenever they have intimate moments or spicy scenes you WILL feel like you’re watching something you shouldn’t be seeing, when i first watched it i felt like i was intruding on them.

If you love spicy scenes you will definitely like this show especially fighter and tutor and if you love cute and fluff shows then you will love the side couple (who i’m pretty sure have their own show) Saifah and zon (even though they do get a little bit spicy in the last episode🌚)

Episodes 11 and 12 destroyed me, my friends and family thought i was depressed, i was really going through it y’all, luckily saifah and zon made me feel a lot better, i also want to say that the show will make you laugh especially whenever saifah and zon are on screen

Now there is another couple i think their names in the show are blue and dew?? i’m not totally sure, they don’t have enough screen time for you to actually know what’s going on with them, i think that’s the only flaw in this show, i wanted to know more about them and their story (i think this couple is in another show called Y destiny, i’m currently watching it)

i would totally recommend this if you LOVE enemies/rivals to lovers and if you love when couples tease each other.

[weilongfu]

Rich boys go to a Halloween (costume ofc) party? (You can decide who among the boys to write about since there are so many.)

Set after a story where the rich boys find out Tutor is Pete’s long lost twin. Not PJO verse!

In summary of the costumes you’ll see mentioned characters wearing: 2Moons boys - Straw Hat Crew Yo - Luffy Pha - Roanora Zoro Ming - Chopper Kit - Sanji Forth - Jimbei Beam - Brock

LBC Pete - Bunny Ae - Puppy (just the ears) Tin - Jason Can - Freddy

WHY R U Saifah - Poe Dameron Zon - Finn Fighter - Gladiator Tutor - Gladiator

UWMA Pharm - Swedish Chef Muppet Dean - Cookie Monster Win - Bunsen Team - Beaker

SOTUS Arthit - Heero Yuy Kongpob - Duo Maxwel

------

“Why am I here?” Tutor said loudly before a cough from Yo on his right reminded him to cross his legs, lest his gladiator costume become too revealing. “Better yet, why am I wearing this?”

“Because P’Fight wanted you to wear a couples costume!” Pete said as he flit from one wall to the next, sticking up orange pumpkin cutouts on them, his bunny ear headband bobbling along with him. Ae followed behind to carry the box for Pete, his puppy ear headband being the only part of his costume he consented to wear. “And you refused to just be normal Romans. And he gave you the puppy eyes! And promised to-”

“Not. One. More. Word.” Tutor said as he glared at Pete. “And don’t pretend you can talk to me that way.”

Pete pouted, his bottom lip wobbling and looking far too familiar and yet unfamiliar for Tutor’s tastes. Especially with the whiskers drawn in eyeliner on his cheeks. “Tooorrrrrr!” Ae looked back and forth between the twins, unsure of how to pitch in to Pete’s efforts.

Tutor sighed. “Don’t use that face on me! It’s so weird to see my face pouting like that.” Tutor scrubbed at his face. “I swear it doesn’t look like that when I pout.”

“You’ll get used to it,” Yo said as he wandered past in a perfect replica of Luffy’s normal pirate wear, another box of decorations in his arms. “We’ll bring you up to speed soon enough.” 

“Just put me back where you found me,” Tutor said before tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling where the Wild Doctors, with Pha dressed as Roanora Zoro, Kit as Sanji, and Beam as Brook, had just finished hanging lights from the Panitchayasawad mansion living room ceiling. “I don’t want to be caught up anymore. And do you always throw parties this big?”

“Panitchaysawad family tradition,” Ming said as he walked in with a massive bushel full of brightly colored, full size candy packages. His smile was obvious under his large hat with antlers to mimic Chopper and his arms were also on full display, having chosen to go topless. Forth was not far behind, dressed as Jimbei, with bottles of liquor in his arms. “What ever parties Yo wants, Yo gets.”

“Because I’m not allowed to have a pirate ship,” Yo said as he started to drag in an amp. Zon, dressed as Finn, was not far behind with another. Saifah, dressed as Poe Dameron, stood on the makeshift stage, tuning his guitar. “Really, letting me host crazy parties is more expensive than just buying me the ship. I don’t know how dad is on top of his finances like this.”

Tutor wisely said nothing and simply snatched a pack of Twizzlers off the top of the bushel as Ming laughed and Forth shook his head while setting up the drinks table. Ming placed his bushel as Pharm, dressed as the Swedish Chef, indicated on his curated snack table. Dean dutifully arranged Pharm’s cookies on a platter, as well befitting his costume as Cookie Monster. Somewhere, under the table, Win and Team squabbled over packages of chips, not sounding dissimilar from conversations between Bunsen and Beaker, their costumes.

“Saifah, have you heard from Sarawat yet?” Yo said as he plugged the final amp in. 

Saifah paused to check his phone. “He said he was on his way with Tine not too long ago. They’re staying with Tine’s family in Bangkok for the weekend, so it shouldn’t be long before they get here.”

“Any news on P’Arthit and Kong?” Zon asked as he handed Saifah a bottle of water.

“They’re on their way too,” Ming said, putting away his phone. “Kong sent a picture of their costumes. Gundam Wing theme.”

Yo blinked and took a look at his phone. “How he agreed P’Arthit to wear those shorts, I’ll never understand.”

“We’re here!” Can shouted as he threw his arms up, nearly losing his Freddy Kruger glove. 

“Yaaaaay.” Tin walked in behind Can, the plain white of his Jason hockey mask hiding what was bound to be a blank expression. “Don’t eat all the candy before everyone gets here.”

“But we saw more candy out back!” Tin only tilted his head. “Okay fine, I’ll wait until our other new friends get here. Duen is a riot when he’s sugar high and drunk.”

Tin moved to pinch his nose and stopped when he remembered his mask. “I’ll warn P’Bohn.” A beat. “Or maybe Ram is the one I need to warn.”

“What? Why would you warn Ai Ram?” Can used a single knife nail on his glove to scratch his head. “Isn’t P’King the one who-”

“Oh no...” Yo looked up from his phone. “WHO TOLD P’KHAI ABOUT TONIGHT’S PARTY?!” Yo bolted for the door. “HE’S GETTING IN HERE OVER MY DEAD BODY.”

Tutor looked to Pete who shrugged as Fighter plopped himself down next to Tutor on the couch. “Old grudges die hard. I told P’Khai he shouldn’t have done that to Yo’s One Piece DVDs.” Pete blinked. “Maybe P’Third will be able to persuade Yo to let P’Khai live this one time.” Ae put his arm around Pete’s waist.

“Don’t you think there are enough people here?” Ae asked.

“Oh! There’s also Solo and P’Guitar, I should see if Yo texted them,” Pete said before wandering off while Ae groaned.

“Hey... Why is P’Phubodin yelling at me in the chat?” Forth said as he opened a bottle of beer. “Something about P’Kao being upset he didn’t get an invite? N’Yo, did you-”

“SHIT! DO NOT TELL HIM I FORGOT TO TEXT THEM BOTH.”

[tobeornottotc]

WHY R U- A SHOW THAT DESERVES MORE LOVE/ATTENTION

Why r u is one of the best shows of 2020 so far and it should stop being seen as not it!! Honestly I know people had issues with directing and some scenes that made no sense/.cringy humour but if you forget about that and focus on the two main couples it’s everything a show should have great acting, chemistry and a good ass storyline that needs time and focus to fully understand, a story that’s actually really structured and planned properly, a show that sets up things slowly but once the flashbacks are all revealed you can understand why each of the characters act the way they do, it’s not even toxic and it’s just both soft and also angsty?? I hate that COVID ruined this show and I won’t stop being petty about it! And I can’t stop praising the cast, directors and writers for their efforts with this show, no one was stiff or acted uncomfortable or censored things too much like some other shows (looking at you GMMTV) and everyone was willing to put in 100% to tell the story properly. I’m honestly annoyed when I think people might have pushed it to the side (you’re free to your opinion I’ll just be salty) so yeh I hope we get more shows like why r u, I hope we get actors like the ones in why r u, I hope we get good music like the ones in why r u. I just want why r u back. I can write essays and essays on why Fighter and Tutor are incredible as a couple, or why Saifah and Zon are just the best thing ever in 2020, even when we had their story messily edited and pushed aside, I can write about the lost potentials for the other couples (even the ones that made no sense) and I can write and write about the subtext of internal homophobia and how it affected everyone in this show and their actions especially Fighter tutor who were in love with each other from the beginning but hid it because of this or how Zon’s novel actually is just a big metaphor for internal homophobia/gay panic and how he learns to embrace it when he finds Saifah and wants to continue to be with Saifah because of how he makes him feel. I can write about Tutor and his character development to let himself be vulnerable and hopeful with life because he didn’t believe he was lucky in life because of circumstance and thought he was doomed to keep fighting all his life when really there all along was someone willing to fight his battles for him because he’s so fucking in love with him even willing to prove it to him by fighting his fathers own views that he thought was the correct path to life (Fighter is just urgh... such a great boyfriend and his character arc was just perfection.) I can write about how these two literally cannot leave each other alone, obsessed with their chemistry and the fact that they want to jump each other every 5 seconds because of all the built up longing and pining. And how that’s why the beach episodes were actually key because it was just them giving onto what they were fighting with since the moment they met each other. They realise from that time together that they didn’t know the real person behind the facade of (I hate you) persona and they both know they are in love. This is why Fighter breaks down and confesses his struggles when a tutor breaks up with him because of his father. Man this show is just!! I’m not joking when I say I can write so much about this show. I just want people to notice this show or keep the hype alive the way we’ve done for Tharn type and others. Because if I don’t see another show like this I’ll be sad and petty forever more. That’s it End of rant/discussion

[thehuns-bubble-tea]

So guess who finally wrote the SaiZon essay I promised months ago! @there-is-a-carrot-in-my-ear’s post was the last bit of encouragement I needed so thanks for that lol.

I am going to go episode by episode to talk about all the SaiZon scenes. I am using the official LineTV episodes and some of the translations are a bit weird so I will have to occasionally make assumptions with the dialogue, sorry in advance for that. If I happen to assume wrong or make stretch conclusions forgive me for I only have one brain cell and it’s currently bouncing around my head like a window’s screensaver. I am also going to mention some of the behind the scenes episodes so if you haven’t seen those you might be slightly confused, but I don’t have international links for them so I apologize! Also this ended up being 18 pages long- I AM SORRY.

So let’s start with part one of episode one shall we? The beginning starts off weird as hell, honestly I had forgotten how crack this show was after the last few episodes were so- normal? Anyway we are dropped off in Zon’s dream(???) where he sees Tutor and Fighter being cute, and then an absolute precious Saifah- except it is really weird to start off here. This dream doesn’t seem to belong at the beginning because nothing that sets up this dream has happened yet, which I only realized as I rewatched it. Zon doesn’t know about Tutor and Fighter’s relationship until episode 11 and he doesn’t actually know Saifah yet, so to have Zon have this dream as the literal introduction to the show is a bit of either foreshadowing or referencing the idea that this whole show is a dream/Zol’s novel which I think is quite interesting. I don’t have much else to say about this besides I am incredibly impressed with how well this scene garners interest- it’s like I’m watching for the first time again and I /need/ to understand what is going on. Also the animated Zon freaking out about Saifah getting too close? Mood.

There was no SaiZon part in part two so moving on to part three of episode one! This part starts off with Saifah playing the guitar surrounded by a bunch of girls and Zon walking up from behind, seeing him. As much as I would like to say “love at first sight” this is definitely not that- in fact Zon straight up tells the girls they don’t like each other. Which is fair honestly, these two at the beginning don’t seem to have anything in common. Saifah is an engineering student while Zon is a english(literature???) student so they wouldn’t be able to get close through classes and they don’t seem to share many face value interests (Sai with guitar and soccer, Zon with writing and generally “nerdy” stuff) so it would be easy for them both to write each other off. Definitely not a “I hate him” but more of a “I don’t know him and I don’t want to” kinda situation where unless outside forces brought them together they wouldn’t have even considered entering each other’s lives. So shout out to Tutor and Soda for being mvps! This part also gives us the iconic moment of Zon literally standing on a table to fight Saifah and like??? Hello??? The tension already here is so much- but here’s the thing! Why R U has set up their relationship to be that of “enemies” up to this point, so when you first watch it you’re like “hm Sai is trying to get a rise out of Zon because he thinks it is funny because they hate each other” but what Sai says isn’t necessarily mean. Yes Sai does tease Zon about being bad at everything, but after that he just flutters his eyelashes, calls himself cute, and does that cute little smile up at Zon. There is no real hurt behind his words, if that makes sense? It is very much a teasing jeer at Zon to get a reaction, and the second Zon stands on the table Sai smiles and seems to take pride at the action. He isn’t doing it out of hatred or evil, but more like the joy of seeing Zon riled up. Sai blames his actions on disliking Zon because of reasons they’re currently only alluding to but like- bro get over it? There’s no reason for Sai to act like that if that was his only motive so I call his bluff, he has to already be somewhat interested in Zon. Even if it’s not a crush yet he definitely enjoys Zon’s reactions enough to keep pressing buttons. 

Finally the end of episode one with part four.  Finally! The, also iconic, punch to kiss scene! Sai is smooching the girl Zon is pursuing, it’s upsetting for Zon and Sai is kinda rude about it- then WHAM. Zon, the absolute unit that he is, just fucking decks Saifah. When I tell you I screamed- This is especially important because the thing that finally makes Zon snap is Saifah’s “no one can like you” comment which is so hurtful and man he’s gonna eat his words you can just /feel/ it already. And the punch is completely valid because what Sai did was shitty and honestly Zon had every right to be mad so great moment 10/10. Then we have Sai try to retaliate and first off he misses like a huge dork and then he kinda trips into Zon which leads to them accidentally kissing. Logistically I don’t know how this happened, but who am I to complain? This is of course also Sai’s first experience with a  Zontm reaction and that I think is what causes the shift in Saifah’s head. After that huge exposition piece we have Zon dreaming about Saifah in his bed talking about them being together. All I’m gonna say is- is it gay to dream about your not bro wanting to kiss you? The answer is probably yes.

No SaiZon for parts one or two of episode two, but part three gives us a bit to cover!  First off- the elevator line scene where Saifah literally stares at Zon with the absolute best puppy eyes and lovesick smile is peak cuteness, like?? Hello??? This is the perfect example of what I mean when I say SaiZon were never enemies- like I can’t imagine hating someone and then letting them shoulder bump me with a “hi”. That’s not how enemies act, this is more of a “well we haven’t always gotten along but I’m willing to move on, here let’s try again” type of situation and it’s fucking adorable. Sai seems confident in his own teasing way and Zon is confused as heck, which is so valid. Mind you this is also several months after their accidental kiss so any hot blooded emotions surrounding them has definitely dissipated which means there is now room for them to grow and initiate a friendship, which is what I assume Sai is trying to do. This is also the first time we get “my Zon” and I swear everytime I hear it I astral project into another dimension, so there’s that. Also Sai fulling embracing the fact that these girls ship them is peak bi confidence (I read Saifah as a bi character don’t @ me lmao), that I can only wish to have. Like Sai seems to already genuinely like being around Zon, lightly teasing. I say this because nothing he said was a dig at Zon harshly but more like something I would say about my friends to get them to give me a funny reaction and he gets exactly that. Zon gives him a reaction and then as soon as he’s gone Sai has this very pleased smile on his face. It really feels like Saifah has already decided that he wants to have some sort of relationship with Zon, at this point I wouldn’t call it a crush yet but more like a casual friendship. Then we have Zon daydreaming about Sai asking him to be partners for the music competition thing and again I’m going to ask- is it gay to daydream about your not bro pouting and wanting to be partners? The answer is probably yes. 

Part four of episode two gave us no SaiZon so we move on to part one of episode three! We get a tiny bit of animated Sai talking about flirting with Zon, Zon freaking out you know- the usual. But then we get the stair scene that haunts me. Sai has committed to calling Zon “my Zon” already and I am here for it. His fucking smile after he says it too- boy is enjoying himself. The two fight over whether or not Zon will play with Sai or not and progressively lean into each other’s spaces as they bicker back and forth. Which is valid- Zon doesn’t even know how to play and then to be asked to play with someone he doesn’t really know or get along with, I’d say no too. Anyway Tutor breaks them up drags Sai to class, but not before Sai can say goodbye to “N’Zon” which just really threw me and Zon to be honest. I love that Sai is fully committed to these nicknames and I love how flustered Zon gets because of them- they’re already starting to fall into an ease with each other. Quick note here Saifah tells Tutor that he likes teasing Zon because it makes him happy, which is kinda cute? We see Sai play around with Tor and Day a bit but the way he is with them is vastly different then when he’s with Zon. Again I wouldn’t quite call it a crush yet- but we’re getting there. For now it seems more like an enamoured fascination with this dork of a human. (also real quick side note but I love Soda and would gladly let her step on me--)

Part two of episode three gives us yet another iconic scene- I have dubbed it the gay painc shower scene for obvious reasons. First of all, props to Zon for even grabbing Sai’s towel for him. Like they might not be close, and Sai might tease Zon relentlessly, but Zon is a genuinely good person and I really like that about his character. He doesn’t even hesitate to ask “which one” so he can do that for Sai. But of course Sai has to be a little brat and try to pull Zon into the shower stall with him, causing Zon’s first almost heart attack. Then he crowds Zon up against the wall with the most sensual look and teases him by attempting to remove his towel, giving Zon almost heart attack number two- Sai is seriously a brat and I love it. The funniest part is that this, from my experience at least, is common locker room teasing which Zon clearly wouldn’t know since he’s not in the soccer club-  so having Sai do this to him is clearly a point where Zon’s single working braincell goes into gay panic and just short circuits his system and once again that’s valid. Zon tells Sai no matter what he won’t play with him, man these two eat their own words a lot huh, and Sai tells him it’s really up to him. Also side note here I know Junior did this in hopes of getting Sai to convince Zon to do the talent show thingy but I fully head cannon that Junior realizes there’s /something/ going on between them and forced them into this position, do with that what you will. There is also behind the scene footage of this scene (I can’t find an international link to this specific one rip) but it shows Jimmy and Tommy fake biting each other’s fingers and it’s so cute and weird- anyway all this to say I think this is where we start to see a shift in Saifah’s attitude. He’s the one who mentions being partners, mentions kissing, and Zon being a shy Korean drama lead- he’s a huge romantic so this is where he steps up a bit more. Instead of being just a tease in the way Zon acts it is now a tease about them together, being together, testing waters almost. It’s a huge shift if you really think about it, the only thing that stays constant is Zon’s flustered reactions. 

Part three of episode three once again delivers with panic gay Zon being a fucking dork. This is where we get that ridiculous moment in the bathroom when Zon thinks two dude are doing the do in a stall and presses Saifah into a wall, you know casually. This scene is so weird and just ??? why??? Saifah takes in all in stride though, this kid is seriously getting whipped quick and I relate. Zon just has such chaotic energy that it’s hard not to play along, no matter how mortifyingly embarrassing he is. Also can we talk about how every time Zon leaves an interaction with Saifah, Sai gets the biggest smile? Like that is so precious I can’t handle it, boy is WHIPPED and doesn’t even know it yet!

Part four gives us a little bit of SaiZon.  Zon is distracted by his text conversation (this is not translated so I have no clue what’s being said or who he’s talking to rip) when Saifah comes up behind him. This looks so domestic- like you don’t just do that to someone you barely know, right? Also the fact that Sai can lean over Zon so far when Zon is just sitting is stressful to me. Who gave him the right to be /that/ tall? Anyway Zon goes to stand and Saifah scares him, causing him to trip backwards and have the first of many time where Sai holds Zon up and it’s romantic as heck- They both instantly know where to hold each other, and then gaze at each other’s faces I just ??? I’m short circuiting honestly. This is also the first indication to me that Sai is developing some form of feelings because he keeps looking at Zon’s eyes and lips, and that’s valid. Of course Zon ruins the mood by pushing him away but they both look hurt this time. Sai looks hurt even asking if Zon’s serious about not playing together and it’s the first time we see Sai be any bit vulnerable. He seems to genuinely hurt by the idea and it makes Zon shuffle a bit before leaving. Even when he’s gone Sai looks upset and even comments on how Zon falls easily- which is really cute. This is our first glimpse at the Saifah that seems a bit more like the hopeless romantic we get towards the end of the series, a stark contrast to the overly confident perfect boy persona he uses around the campus. 

No SaiZon in part four of episode three or part one of four so on to part two-  We get the music partner reveal! And to Zon’s credit he doesn’t immediately turn around and leave. Instead he is actually committed to this and Sai, to his credit, doesn’t make him feel weird. They take the fan page photos and they’re both clearly out of their element here, they’re shy and awkward and it’s precious. They’re both coming to this realization that they’re really doing this- being partners and committing to each other basically. They both seem determined but also terrified of what that means. I love it- because this isn’t about them just yet but more of their shared responsibility to Soda now that they both can’t back down. It’s a good foundation because right now they’re on equal footing, neither really has the upper hand. Soda, my queen, to her credit is trying to get them to see that their arguing isn’t going to help anyone here and it’s a fair point. They’re going to be stuck together for two months (why was I under the impression this whole time it was much longer?)  and they both agree to at least attempt. I love how genuinely awkward these scenes are because like I’ve said before they were never enemies but also never friends, they don’t know much about each other yet so it’s weird. What do they talk about, what are their boundaries, they don’t know and I love it. It is the perfect foundation for a fresh start for both of them to learn about each other and build a strong bond. We get a bit of Sai trying to teach Zon guitar strings and it’s a nice moment. They’re both getting comfortable with the other and then Sai plays the love song for Zon- you think Zon’s going to be set off by the moment but instead he teases Sai! He confidently both compliments Saifah and teases, it’s growth! Then Saifah settles to help Zon learn to strum, a moment where they’re very intimately pressed together and have an almost kiss. This is the first time they do the lip bite thing that I noticed they do when they think about kissing the other- and this is the first time that I think they realize their feelings aren’t just basic acquaintances. For Zon he feels something but he is also hung up on the idea that this is all Zol’s book. He is scared because he doesn’t know if these moments, these feelings are real or not. For Saifah I think he is really starting to understand how he feels for Zon, but thinks that Zon doesn’t and will not feel the same. But Sai isn’t the type to push so he just lets it go for now. Then we get the cute montage of them getting closer and teasing in more of a friendly way- again this is just solidifying in our minds and theirs that there is something growing between them. Right now it’s just a natural friendship, but is also hinting at more deep feelings. This is the part that I love the most about SaiZon- this was never a love at first sight relationship, it is one born out of something incredibly natural. They grow into each other and themselves. We start to see Saifah get more comfortable with his dorky side, and Zon gets more confident in himself because of their time together. It’s a breath of fresh air how easily they settle into the other’s presence. And of course we also get the gay pining bed scene and I, for the third time shall ask is it gay to daydream about your new bro laying in bed with you? The answer is probably yes. 

Part three of episode four gives us the iconic guitar pick date (yes I understand I keep saying iconic but with SaiZon what isn’t?). This entire scene is just the cutest thing? They fall into each other so easily and they seem to have tons of fun goofing off. It reminds me of my friends and I going to shopping centers just to window shop and be together. It’s so incredibly natural and shows that they’re becoming so much closer then what they started out as. Nothing is over the top or unrealistic, instead it’s effortless and an absolute joy to witness. There’s even a deleted scene where two girls come up to ask for a photo (which is weird but whatever) and Zon gets so lost in his head about how close Saifah is- it really is a defining moment in my mind that Zon is torn. Torn between believing that his feelings are real and that this is all just being a dream from Zol’s novel. I kinda wish this scene hadn’t been deleted because it takes away from Zon’s internal struggle. When they have their little heart to heart and Zon admits that Sai is actually a good person my soul leaves my body. It is so cute and demonstrates that these two have started to grow past their initial judgements of each other and more into learning the intricacies of the other. Anyway it’s cute and I love them, moving on. 

Now on to part four of episode four. This gives us the scene that fully convinces me that Saifah is just a big softly. Sai walks into the practice room to see a mess and Zon is asleep on the floor. Instead of being a brat and waking him up, Sai quietly goes around and cleans everything up because he is peak soft boy he just won’t admit it. When he does accidentally wake Zon they’re both just absolute cuties- the way Sai’s face falls when Zon said he was just kidding about wanting to wait for him- my boy is WHIPPED. But here’s the thing, and I’ll come back to this point in a bit but, the way Sai never pushes Zon on anything. It’s clear that Sai is really starting to crush on Zon the way he treats him and acts but any time Zon pulls away Sai just lets him. That’s so refreshing, especially in contrast to the way TorFight act in parallel to SaiZon. There is never an expectation for Zon to meet Sai’s desires and Sai takes only what Zon is willing to offer, and I appreciate it so much. Anyway their little collective panic when Sai tries to take Zon to his room is hilarious they’re both on such different pages and they really are just dorks. And then we have the typical in the rain sequence- oh my gosh- I love some good classic tropes and this is one of them. Once again we see Saifah just be an absolute romantic, he doesn’t even hesitate to take off his jacket to cover Zon and himself. I just- that’s peak romance for me my dudes. Both me and Sai are whipped and that’s just facts. Then Zon (somehow??) forgets how to stand on two legs and trips yet again and we have another close contact scene, but this time there noses touch and Zon’s reaction isn’t nearly as visceral as it has been- it’s almost like he likes the attention up until his mind thinks it’s too close to a novel and he gets scared. 

On to episode five’s part one! Zon is finally in Sai’s room and we get the cute hair drying scene that Zon doesn’t appreciate as much as I do- anyway Zon is freaking out and Saifah doesn’t fully understand what he’s babbling on about but still gets his chance to tease. It is once again cute and effortless, I crave more of this (SaiZon special episode I’m looking at you). Sai is getting a bit more confident with his advances but always pulls back the moment Zon freaks, it’s completely them. And then we get them waking up in each other’s arms, the screaming, Zon being an absolute moron. This is why these two are /the/ couple for me. Like no one else could pull this scene off nearly as well as them, it’s great. Also Saifah pulling a 2Moons2 Kit and just yeeting Zon off the bed? Iconic, that’s it that’s the analysis. 

Part two of episode five has a moment that’s not a SaiZon scene but I do feel like it’s important in their relationship- Zol tells (well lies but Zon doesn’t know that-) about changing the story after their promise/wish/curse. This is the point where Zon can finally take what he has been experiencing and feeling in for the first time with a clear head. It’s no longer “possibly” influenced by supernatural forces because of Zol. This is when Zon decides “oh this is real, these feelings are real”, and you can tell that the way Zon acts around Saifah is considerably more calm and open to Saifah’s advantages to a point. Occasionally he still talks about it everything being similar to a fiction but he isn’t held back by it nearly as much. Then we get SaiZon practicing in the music room again and being interrupted by Natee and Junior, they kinda make Zon nervous about the show- until Saifah steps in. He confidently tells Zon he believes in him and that he will be there for him and I just- oh my god?? That’s so soft and I swear Saifah is the biggest soft boy ever who is willing to do anything to lift Zon up and that’s precious. They really are slowly starting to get on the same page. 

Moving on to episode six part two (this is where we start to see less SaiZon due to the pandemic limiting their filming time)! This episode gives us Zon asking Sai on a guitar buying date. And lemme tell you the way these two act? WHIPPED. They both get so shy and tease the other the perfect amount, they really have grown into each other in ways I don’t think any of us expected. The cute little happy dance they do when they agree and hang up? Boyfriends, just like ??? hello??? Mind you they agree to go the Saturday before the show so they have now spent almost the full two months together- I can’t even believe it. They have had this relationship grow for two months and we’ve only been able to see glimpses, just imagine what we don’t get to see! Anyway we see Saifah being peak baby all bundled up sharing headphones with Zon- which is like peak romance for me I won’t even apologize. And then the pure excitement Saifah has when Zon suggests he stays over at Saifah’s- WHIPPED. He even suggests that there might be something between them when Zon questions their closeness, but the moment Zon wants to change the subject Sai follows his lead, like I’ve mentioned before Sai is not one to ever push Zon for more because he respects Zon so much. 

Part three of episode six gives us the rooftop scene! The lingering looks! “The stars are beautiful.”, “It is beautiful-” as Saifah looks at Zon with those soft eyes! THE GAYS ARE PINING. And then them playing together. I am crying??? I can’t even form sentences, I can’t analyze, I just am going to sit here for a moment and think about how this romance is goals. That’s it. 

Part four is full of SaiZon just being huge teases. Saifah confidently pulls Zon into him, asking if Zon is afraid of falling in love with him and I just- the way Zon looks at Sai? He’s already in love, and no I don’t take criticism. That’s it, that’s the analysis. 

Part one of episode seven is the scene that made me want to write this essay- we have Zon and Saifah in the most intimate scene yet for them. It really is just a back and forth between them that is simple and wholly them. And then it shifts- Zon is looking at Saifah so softly, and is easily going along with what Saifah is doing with no hang ups. Saifah is looking up at Zon like he’s hung the stars and it’s the perfect moment. “You’re being so obedient, be like this more often. I like it”, “I like it too”, even the music is just perfect, but right at the last second Zon looks away. “I didn’t mean I like you.” and Saifah clearly looks disappointed, everything leading up to this was pointing in this direction and it didn’t happen. Saifah very clearly has feelings, he isn’t even trying to be subtle anymore, but not once does Saifah push for more. He backs off and settles down into a level that matches Zon’s comfort zone, because he cares about Zon’s comfort more than his own feelings. They have a moment for the comfort to level out once again and then they’re back to their usual selves. They’re back onto an equal field where they’re both just being themselves together- and they have another almost kiss that Sai does try to play off. Zon is still a bit spooked but it is still another testament to Saifah’s respect of Zon’s boundaries. This is where yet another deleted scene happens that I desperately wish they kept- it shows Zon fast asleep grab at Saifah until he’s completely draped over him. Saifah holds him, very similarly to a scene we will get to shortly, and the smile on Sai’s face? This boy is so in love but also so careful with Zon’s limitations, that just being able to hold Zon is enough to put him at ease. And we were ROBBED of it. Why R U editors turn on your location, I just wanna talk-

Part two of episode seven gives us the most cursed scene that, like Zon, I wish I could forget. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it but the second hand embarrassment is excruciating so for the sake of my sanity I’m gonna kinda gloss over it? Zon sees Sai’s boner, it causes Zon’s single brain cell to explode, that’s it- MOVING ON. On the bright side it also gives us SaiZon’s first public performance together. I assume this is to hype up the actual show, I don’t really care, all I care about is how earnest Saifah is with Zon. Zon is terrified of performing and Saifah is there to cheer him on. He is willing to let Zon leave if it means Zon will be more comfortable and he genuinely doesn’t want to push Zon into anything. Zon finally calms down enough to agree to stay and sing- and then Saifah starts rubbing his hands to give some comfort. The dialogue in this scene will forever go down as one of my favorite exchanges ever- “Are you okay with having me beside you?” SAIFAH HONEY. This one sentence holds everything in it. Is it okay that Saifah tried to kiss him? Is it okay that he got turned on? Is it okay that Saifah clearly has some sort of feelings for Zon? AND ZON SAYS YES. I just, I will never recover. It’s a very cute moment that they share, a sort of understanding that they share now that doesn’t really change what they have already, just gives some clarity to their current situation. And then the performance they give? It’s wonderful. What more can I say?

And now we’re getting to the good stuff- episode eight, part one. Sai is able to sneak read a bit of Zon’s writing, Sai trying to make himself look not suspicious is so funny, but the absolute angle Zon lets him get away with it. Then they have a cute back and forth about Sai wanting to sleep over at Zon’s place, it’s precious and shows that since the last time Zon seems a bit more comfortable with the obvious flirting and even does some himself. “Otherwise I’ll kiss you.” Saifah being bold as fuck and Zon not running away? That’s what we call growth! Then when Saifah is actually at Zon’s home and they’re telling his parents about the music show they are in full support, Zon’s mother and Saifah both teasing him about his name’s meaning. It’s light hearted and fun and I appreciate how cool Zon’s parents seem to be with their son’s and Saifah’s relationship (thus far). But them being so okay with his joining the music show compared to how unsupportive about his writing hurts, both me and Zon. When they’re in his room Zon is visibly upset with how his parents have handled his passions and Saifah is doing his best to cheer him up. Giving him some comfort, and this is where he admits to reading a few chapters of Zon’s fiction and Zon looks shattered. He is so afraid it’s bad because no one will support him, encourage him until Saifah tells him he actually liked it. That if he wants to keep writing he can count on Saifah to read it and it’s so touching because Zon finally has someone who believes in him. They have this really longing moment of just staring into each other’s eyes and it’s so soft and just full of pining. EXCEPT once again there’s a deleted scene we were ROBBED of. (Why R U’s editing team is out to hurt me apparently) In the deleted scene there was supposed to be a kiss to end the longing stares, this would be their first real kiss. And as much as I would have /loved/ that I can understand wanting the other scene being /the/ moment, but it doesn’t make me wish this scene hadn’t been cut any less. 

The next three parts of episode eight I’m going to talk about in one piece because it is basically one long scene that’s just cut into parts. (Part 2, Part 3, Part 4) We have finally gotten to /the/ moment they’ve been leading up to this entire show, the music performance. When we start Zon is asleep and Saifah has arrived with food, trying to wake him up and only successful when he manages to kinda kiss Zon. They bicker a bit in their normal way, Zon whines about wanting an egg and Saifah gives his up happily. It's freaking adorable and the quality content I signed up for. Soda puts them in their performance outfits. They have a weird little fashion show that just makes me love Tommy and Jimmy with all my heart, you know the usual. And then the time gets closer to their performance- Zon is, rightfully, nervous and is having a little breakdown in front of Saifah who is trying his absolute best to calm him down. It’s a touching scene because you can tell that Sai doesn’t really know what to do to help but is seriously trying, and then Zon asks for some encouragement. Saifah wrapping his arms around Zon and hugging him is a scene that I will never recover from. Saifah is so confident in Zon’s skills and very clearly wants to perform with Zon that he’s willing to just hold the nervous kid in his arms until he calms down. It’s really touching and romantic and just perfect. It does the trick and they’re able to perform without a hitch. (I would like to say at this point I have been working on this essay for two days and have decided to throw alcohol into the mix so if I start going off the rails- whoops?) The actual concert is super lovely, like Tommy can sing don’t even @ me because I could listen to these two sing and nothing else and I would be completely happy with that, and when they go to do their thank you speeches my heart swells. Hearing Zon heartfully thank Saifah for doing this with him and then to hear Saifah ask every one to cheer for “my zon” one more time, it’s the pinnacle of romance. I don’t even think that they know how it looks to an outside viewer because they’re so lost in their own world. To them this wasn’t about the concert anymore but them proving themselves to each other, something so meaningful to them because without this moment being the huge lead up they would never have been anything more than people who shared mutual friends and “hated” each other. Without this concert neither would have taken steps to bring them closer, to this peak. And that is exactly what the concert is, it’s their peak because it’s the tipping point for their relationship. Any hesitation from either at this point would break it all down. And so when the two of them head backstage and they have this magical moment- this is it. Zon is complaining about the strings hurting his fingers so Sai softly blows on them to soothe the pain, it’s simple, quiet, and breathtaking. “Why are you so nice to me?” It's such a simple question, Zon’s eyes are filled with stars and he might not thinking that he’s going to get a good answer. “Because you already have my heart.” That’s it. Nothing Saifah could have said would top this. It leaves no questions, this is it for Saifah- he is throwing in everything at this moment and Zon just stares at him. He doesn’t flinch at the kiss Saifah leaves on his forehead, instead he puts his hands on Saifah’s cheeks and pulls him closer so he can kiss his nose. It’s not words that either need now because they just understand. They’ve taken the chance and it’s real now. Them just brushing noses in comfort is enough, but then they go all out. They /finally/ have their first /real/ kiss and it’s a culmination of everything they’ve been through and felt up until this point. I’m sure everyone has seen the behind the scenes clip of the pd calling them out for not following the script. Supposedly it wasn’t supposed to be so passionate but more of a quick peck, but this- what they gave us was nothing short of perfection. This kiss is a solidifier for everyone, especially Zon who has struggled internally this whole time about whether this is real or not. This is a confirmation that Zon’s feelings, now I might be reading a bit too into it/self projecting onto Zon, are valid. Zon and Saifah, as far as we know (I haven’t read the novel either btw), are presumably perceived as straight hell they may have thought they were straight up until they developed feelings for each other. Saifah develops his feelings confidently, he isn’t ashamed or shy about them. Like everything else in his life he takes it and makes it his own and that is completely valid. But for Zon it is a struggle the whole way through. He’s scared and he overthinks, over analyzes everything, and shys away from Saifah’s advances until now- a common theme found in many unsure/closeted queer kids. And THAT is also valid. They’re both so completely different and yet they fit together in ways that I don’t even think they knew was possible. The way they play off each other, can read the other, knows what to do or say- it’s the perfect amount of them. 

Episode nine is purely TorFight and part one of episode ten gives us only crumbs of SaiZon, but they are crumbs I would die for. It’s a couple of minutes of a sleepy Zon being cuddled by Saifah. Nothing fancy, nothing overly sexual, just the domestic bliss of these two holding each other. Once again it’s a testament to how made they are for each other. In any other drama (and I say this with affection to all the other bls I have consumed) this wouldn’t fly- this slow progression isn’t the norm for these types of shows and that’s why it’s so damn refreshing. Saifah in all his suave bad boy persona, is truly just a hopeless romantic that wants to hold his boyfriend in his arms for as long as he wants. Zon for all his shy avoidance of anything romantic, just enjoys having Saifah by his side. There is no one party pushing for more, no one party aggressively making moves that are unwanted. It’s just these two content in taking it slow and basking in the warmth of it, 

Again for episode eleven we only get a little bit of SaiZon in part four, but that’s fine. It’s especially fine because it’s like every good sick fic I’ve ever read put into canon. Need I say more? It’s soft and cute, Saifah being a whiny sick baby while Zon takes care of them is peak devastation. I really have nothing to say here except thinking about this scene gives me a hundred and one fic ideas and melts my cold dead heart. Moving on. 

Episode twelve has a bit of SaiZon but outside of them being totally whipped and wearing matching outfits to the beach I don’t have anything to say? Like I could just scream about the fact that they’re cute but if you’ve made it this far I would hope you already know that, so I’m gonna carry on to episode thirteen- hope you don’t mind!

The finale- episode thirteen. Once again I’m going to just talk about it as a whole rather than split it up because this episode also follows like one central moment in time rather than having huge time breaks in between. (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4) Now we can get into the quintessential moments that define why I think SaiZon is one of the most superior relationships in media I’ve ever consumed. We are thirteen episodes in, we know these characters. They have grown into each other in front of us and this episode shows it in such a poetic way. When Sai and Zon get to their room at the hotel Sai is quick to tease Zon about his “duty” (for future reference if I ever hear someone say duty in reference to sex I might just cry) that night and of course in typical Zon fashion he gets a little antsy. But it doesn’t stop there like it would have earlier, instead Zon uses his nerves to turn the tables. He initiates a kiss with Saifah! Leaving both Saifah and I stunned in the process before teasing and dragging him out for their cute little beach date montage. Now mind you I am gay and love the beach so this shit hits hard for me. Like they’re being your typical love sick characters, Saifah stealing a few cheek kisses to Zon’s surprise, they goof off on a boat(?), they have those dumb couples clothes on- it’s really over the top cute like what else can I say. You want proof love exists? Here you go. Anyway they’re cute, it’s lovely, moving on. They have, I can only imagine this as a very strange double date, dinner with TorFight some bickering happens- again your typical drama moment it’s not too special. Until we get back to the bedroom. Now I have seen a lot of queer media in my life and with that comes your natural tropes (I say tropes fondly because I tend to like most tropes), and that’s what I was expecting. But no, I have never seen anything so purely born out of natural instinct and emotion in my life. Saifah sitting at the edge of the bed strumming a nameless song out of nerves, Zon trying to get his attention in the dorkiest way possible. Once again this is so totally and utterly /them/. I can’t picture anyone doing the way they did, selling that natural awkwardness that comes from your first time with someone you love? Fuck man. Saifah is finally all out of the confidence he normally has, instead he’s avoiding Zon and the prospect of the night by playing the guitar. It makes sense too because this is his first time doing this with someone that he loves, and his first time with a guy which is another added layer of nerves. It’s a lot for both of them, but Zon seems to be actually interested now- finally starting to make moves himself because he knows for a fact Sai isn’t going to push in fear of spooking Zon. And then we get the real moment that really changes everything, “You have music in your heart, don’t you want to have Zon in your heart?” This is it- this is the moment they’ve both been waiting for. Zon already has Saifah’s heart, he has for a while I believe, but this question is what tells Sai that Zon is ready too. They want the same thing, each other. Now we get one of the best build ups I have ever experienced. If you're watching just at face value it might seem a bit strange but every action is deliberate. @spookshowenilorac and I have this running theory that Zon doesn’t close his eyes during some kisses because he is afraid that if he does it will all disappear, it’ll be just a dream from Zol’s fiction (and anytime one of us mentions it I tear up). He’s been so afraid for so long and this moment does feel like it’s out of a dream, it’s overwhelming in passion and over thinking. But the moment Zon accepts it as real it progresses. Mind you, as I’m sure you already know, the tongue in these kisses was not scripted. This is purely Tommy and Jimmy giving this scene and these characters everything they had. It just feels right, after everything these two have been through, and to not have that level of intimacy would have left this scene hollow. The passion and dedication Mii2 gave SaiZon is unparalleled. But that’s not it is it? No, they take it even farther. The promises they make each other? “I promise that I will only have you.” “I’ll give in only to you.” The unscripted tears and voice crack? Nothing can or will top that. I’m sorry but that is /love/. This isn’t based on lust or desire or just purely passion, what Saifah and Zon have is so palpable you can almost feel it. I don’t think any words in our universe can explain the raw emotion that just envelopes this scene in particular. And to know half of it was unscripted and Mii2 just felt like this was what was needed, what the characters would have done is so validating? Just knowing that both Tommy and Jimmy see it too, how this scene needed to play out this way in order for Sai and Zon to have their story complete is unprecedented. Again I wish I had the words to describe it better but I just don’t, so I hope you can understand at least the surface level of what I’m trying to get at here. Anyway let’s move on before I combust by the pure emotions in the bed scene to the next bed scene! This is where Zon and Saifah wake up the morning after, and when I say this is yet again peak devastation I am not kidding. They’re so bright and loving with each other in their typical teasing manner. Saifah steals a cheeky kiss from Zon and demands a kiss on his cheek, of course Zon tries to mess around refusing, then kissing, then refusing when Sai asks for more. It’s light hearted and the emotional levity we all needed. Especially with the dazed look Zon has, I think here is when he fully understands and accepts that Saifah and this feeling isn’t a dream. This is real and his to keep. The passion between them hasn’t died down but their relationship isn’t solely based on it being so aggressive either. They excel in these in between moments, the give and take of both a teasing joke and a desire to be together. It’s not as primal as the love TorFight have, but that doesn’t make either any less valid. It’s the fact that they’re such vastly different relationships that makes me admire this show more. The contrast between the two really highlights that no two relationships are the same, just like no two people are the same and that’s a wonderful message. Moving on from that very domestic scene we get the beach kissing scene (yes I’m skipping a tiny bit because I have nothing to say about SaiZon walking in on TorFight besides gay solidarity baby!). First of all I wanna point out that their outfits are peak gay culture, like I can see @travelersmindpalace and I wearing the exact same outfits during our next beach date and it /hurts/. This is also where I point out that I have a weak spot for height differences and holy shit does SaiZon deliver. The way Zon has to kinda tippy toe to kiss Sai or have Saifah lean down a bit- I’m whipped. They also thank each other for coming into their lives and I had to pause for a good few minutes to have a nice little cry over that. Like??? How??? How are they so pure and sweet after everything- I really can’t fathom it. And they do that soft little nose bump thing before they kiss- my gay heart can really only take so much of this without crying over them. They truly are the pinnacle of relationship goals. I don’t know how else to say that? They really just are so encouraging of each other, the boundaries they set up are respected, there’s never a moment of an imbalance of power, they just have a healthy relationship that’s based on trust and understanding. I hope in the in the future we get more shows depicting a relationship like this.

This was a lot and I am sorry for the word dump?? If you made it this far I love you and I beg you to scream about SaiZon with me- and with that I’m done!

[timotey]

17: Why R U?

I would give this drama a rating of 9/10. Why? Because I went into it for Fighter and Tutor and I got what I wanted. And more. If I was a fan of Saifah and Zon or of any of the side couples, I would’ve been disappointed, true - COVID-19 really did a number on this drama in that regard - but since I was not - harsh but true, what can I say 🤷🏻‍♀️ - I was very happy with the end result that focused mainly on my favorite ship, I’m not going to pretend it wasn’t so.

Saint and Zee really made this drama for me. What a revelation their chemistry was. Whoa! 😳 Fighter and Tutor’s teasing, their lovemaking scenes or simply their love scenes when they just gazed into each other’s eyes or held hands or just existed in each other’s presence! They made magic happen. Their scenes were as intimate as they could be, Saint and Zee became Tutor and Fighter, letting me completely forget that this was all make-believe.

Yes, even in their case it was obvious that some scenes were cut, especially in episodes 11 to 13, when it came to the clash with Fighter’s dad. It was obvious that the drama needed to take a huge shortcut there, that some scenes simply weren’t done filming before the finale had to be aired, so the solution to that big issue was disjointed and abrupt and made little sense in the light of the previous eps but, for me personally, that was a small glitch in an otherwise excellent story. Besides, such glitches make the bunnies breed and feed the creative juices!

[whyamistillsingle]

Why R U? Episode 7

Zon and Saifah

Zon and Saifah are still so adorable and my heart can’t take this. Like they just keep flirting with each other all the time, and yet they can’t admit their feelings for each other. Even when Zon was so embarrassed being around Saifah this episode, it seems like he got over it fast and they started flirting again. Like please just kiss already (though they might next episode ahhh).

Hwahwa and Day

I have mixed feeling about Hwahwa, but I am still so happy she found someone who loves her so much. The scene where her and Day were being “discrete” about their relationship in front of tutor made me laugh so much. Like their eyes couldn’t stay off each other for more than one second. Way to be discrete guys.

Tutor and Fighter (these boys are finally starting to get their shit together)

First of all, I’m very happy Tutor’s sister is so supportive of Tutor’s relationship, or whatever it is, with Fighter. I especially loved seeing the conversation between Fighter and Tutor’s sister at the airport. She can clearly tell these two boys like each other a lot, and has even entrusted Fighter to look after Tutor while she’s gone. The fact that Fighter comforted Tutor when his sister got on the plane proves he will do that.

The rooftop scene was so good and this was a conversation that has been needed for a long time. I even liked the way they went about confessing their feelings with the game. I truely believe that if Tutor didn’t look away first, Fighter would’ve kept denying his feelings. Fighter just wanted confirmation that Tutor liked him as well since he has liked Tutor for a long time. Also these boys are so horny I swear.

[heretherebedork]

Guess this Trope:

Third, Team (Y Destiny), Can, Tin, Pi, Mork, Saifah, Zon, Shide, Shuyi, Birdy, Jia Han, Arthit, Fighter, Tann, Bunn, Wayu, Mark.

Hint: 💦 💧

I mean, crying in the rain/shower is the (semi) obvious answer so let’s see if I can come up with any other connection between these boys. Because crying in the shower is stupid. Sorry, Third. It’s... it’s stupid. Don’t cry in the shower. Especially fully clothed. If you’re going to cry artfully, either find rain or go lean on a window or something.

Fully clothed in the shower is just a no-no.

Is there another way to connect all these darling boys? Uh. Maybe not, honestly? But I do love most of them. Oh, darling boys. So many tears. So, so many years.

Wet and crying boys is now my favorite trope name because it sounds so, so dirty.

[whyamistillwatchingtheseshows]

Uh that ep 12 preview better be a fucking joke even though that shit ain’t no joke. Excuse me? This crack show was holding out so well, let’s not tank it now.

No matter how angsty we get or how pissed you want Fighter to be, there better be some calculated bullshit happening. Idk. The fact that Tutor isn’t saying anything about his father keeps making me think about the TharnType “breakup.”

Tutor made up reasons (I don’t want to be like this reason), a dumbass reason to breakup when he knows full well he should be following the advice he gave Zon. He knew what he was about to do and he literally told one of his best friend to follow your fucking heart and if that leads to Saifah well yay!

It’s not about the head. This is about the heart. This is about happiness but it’s not about the father’s happiness. Basically, it’s what Tor’s boss said. In paraphrasing, you (fighter’s dad) go down this road of judgment then you will never see your son happy.

Also you are a snake of a parent if your son gets home and he’s obviously a sobbing mess because something happened. You knowing full well what that something is, but selfishly and sociopath like you say, “well, buck up.”Then it’d probably be incessant chatter about “how’s dating going! Any girls? Any girls you like?”

That is not a life of happiness for your child. What makes a parent happy does not make their child happy, especially when they’ve reached the age to understand what happiness is.

Okay, I’m going to shut up but I might sink my teeth into writing some extra FighterTutor kiss scenes...

[jazminemperez]

This episode seemed so OOC for everyone.

No matter how Fighter felt, I don’t see him forcing himself onto Tutor. King of consent who said “kissing was enough” and refused to break his promise to Tutor in the sauna, is going to force himself onto Tutor? No.

Dew and Blue?? Where was the lead up to them getting together? It just seemed random. (Although, I do think they’re cute.)

Tutor telling Fighter he didn’t love him anymore and then asking him to stay with him the next day. ??? I don’t see Tutor being this heartless and I also don’t think he changed his mind so quickly especially after Fighter did what he did. They didn’t even properly apologize.

Also, what was up with Tutor messaging Fighter telling him to come over just for him to walk down the escalator with the junior he knows sent out the photo? And to be suprised when Fighter was there made no sense.

I don’t know if it’s because they couldn’t finish filming so a lot of scenes were missing, or if they had to scramble to finish the show someway, but everything seemed done so poorly.

But now we can talk about some good things this episode gave us.

1. Zee and Saint’s amazing acting. I truly felt Fighter was heartbroken and it was hard to watch, you genuinely felt bad for the guy.

2. We got some cute SaifahZon moments. Zon geeking out about his weekend with Saifah and imagining it was adorable. (Let’s talk about how pretty Tommy looked here.)

3. Japan and Tainai being the cutest boyfriends. They have the cutest storyline. It’s just such innocent and honest love. Shame we don’t get to see much of it.

The finale is next week and I can’t help but feel it’s going to be rushed and there will be a lot of loose ends. But even so, I’m thankful to the cast and crew who were able to make this show possible.

[blakemetothemoon]

Love in a Laundromat - SaifahZon, M, Ch. 5/7

Summary: Zon's favorite place is a laundromat. That is until a certain tall, handsome stranger steals his washer and seems hellbent on making Zon miserable.

Notes: LONGER CHAPTER THIS TIME!! Thank you all so much for supporting this story! :)

Read below or on ao3! :)

Japan's house—well, mansion more like—is far enough from Zon’s apartment that when Tor offers him a ride, Zon has no problem taking it (And maybe he really likes riding in Fighter’s fancy car.) The mansion is one of those with far too many rooms, a pool in the backyard, and plenty of space for university kids to have fun getting plastered with drinking games and laughs.

It's been a while since Zon’s been to one of Japan’s parties; he didn't have work or classes the next day, so when Japan and Tanthai begged him, he didn't have any reason to say no. Besides, he did have fun most of the time—as long as he didn't have to play truth or dare aka the most anxiety inducing game ever. He would rather do beer pong any day and he's a terrible shot.

“Saifah said to text him when we get there,” Tutor says, interrupting Zon’s memory of the last time he was forced on a dare to do a handstand and immediately stumbled into the pool, taking a table of drinks with him.

“Who?!” Zon shouts, making both Tutor and Fighter jolt. The car jerks, but Fighter quickly corrects and keeps them from crashing.

“Don’t do that!” Fighter snaps, but Zon’s heart is pounding in his ears too hard, so he can barely hear him.

Tutor, however, is far too sly. He easily catches the sudden, excited nerves in Zon’s voice. “Saifah. Your laundry boyfriend.”

A hot blush burns Zon’s cheeks. “He’s not my boyfriend! Not even close! No way! Saifah would never want to—I mean, I would never... that would never happen!”

Tutor scoffs. “Are you hearing yourself, Zon? You sound like Fighter—”

Fighter frowns. “Hey!”

“—and what makes you think Saifah wouldn’t want to be your boyfriend?”

Zon goes to deny it again, but he’s never been great at lying to Tutor. He sighs and sinks back into the leather seats. “C’mon, Tutor. He’s Saifah. Popular, good-looking, perfect Saifah. And I’m the dorky loner.”

There’s a crease of annoyed concern between Tutor’s brows. “Have you been reading the cute guy’s page again?”

"No!"

Tutor shakes his head, exasperated. "Then how many times do I have to tell you to stop doubting yourself, Zon? You’re right, though. He is Saifah. So all hope might not be lost for you.”

Zon starts to ask Tutor if what he’s implying is really what he’s implying, but the car pulls to a stop in front of Japan’s house, and it feels weird to keep the conversation going now.

The party is already in full swing when they walk in. People are everywhere—pressed together in the grand entryway, dancing to music booming in the living room, and in the kitchen getting drinks or snagging snacks. The crowd spills out the back door where the games, the pool and a fire pit are.

Exactly like Tutor said, Saifah is there, but Zon didn't expect to see him so soon, just inside the foray. He's dressed simply in dark jeans that show off his long legs and a tight, black v-neck shirt. Saifah is, of course, surrounded by boys and girls, one of which has her arm intertwined with his...

Something gross twists Zon's stomach at the sight of Saifah looking so cozy with someone else. Which is stupid because it’s not like he has some claim on the taller boy. He knows he's frowning so he goes to turn away to talk to Tutor, but something in the universe makes Saifah glance over right before Zon can drop his eyes. The way Saifah's entire face lights up like a beacon forces a smile out of Zon. He barely keeps it from turning into a full out grin when Saifah gives a rushed goodbye to the entourage and makes his way towards him.

Zon's smile does falter when the eyes following Saifah land on him. Zon suddenly feels too noticed, too much like he doesn't belong, especially when they start whispering to each other—

"Where'd that scowl come from?" Saifah asks once he's in talking distance. "And here I thought you were happy to see me."

The tease sets Zon a little more at ease. He rolls his eyes. "Who would be happy to see you."

A hand smacks Zon across the back of his head. "Why are you acting like you weren't just swooning about him in the car?"

A blush takes over Zon's face as he stares at Tutor with wide eyes. "Tutor!"

“Oh?” Saifah says, slowly raising an eyebrow. “Is that so, my Zon?”

"I'm getting a drink!" Zon snaps. He turns on his heel towards the kitchen, but out of the corner of his eye, he sees Saifah following him.

“You know,” Saifah starts when they reach the kitchen island covered in mixers and ice and every type of alcohol possible. “I’m not used to seeing you without your headphones.” He reaches out and tugs playfully at Zon’s ears.Zon is more caught off guard by the fact that he doesn’t mind Saifah touching him, than Saifah actually touching him. “Didn’t know you had ears.”

Zon grabs Saifah’s wrists and pulls his hands away. He lets the left one drop, but keeps hold of the right. Then, he inspects the large palm and calloused fingers, and makes a teasing, curious noise. “Weird, I don’t see a guitar? Are you sure you’re the handsome and popular guitarist known as Saifah?”

“Are you saying I’m only handsome when I have a guitar?”

“No, you’re always handsome.”

Saifah stares at him with wide eyes, and if Zon didn’t know any better, he would say Saifah is...blushing?

Zon’s own words catch up to him, and then he’s blushing, too. Shit, where the hell did he get so bold? Tutor's words from the car must have done something to his subconscious. Or maybe it was seeing Saifah out of their usual setting, or his stupid v-neck, showing the sliver of chest and definition of collar bones. Or maybe it was the alcohol. Except he hasn’t had anything to drink yet.

He releases Saifah’s hand like it burns and quickly starts to make himself a drink.

“Zon!”

Tanthai’s voice travels over the sea of voices. Zon and Saifah look over to see him making a beeline towards them and Zon knows where this is going. But there are no easy escape routes. Desperate, he grabs Saifah’s hand again and says, “Tell them we’re going to play beer pong!”

Saifah stares at their connected hands. Then his eyebrows furrow. “What?”

“Tantai is going to force me into truth or dare if you don’t!” Zon shakes Saifah’s arm frantically. “Please? Please, please?”

Saifah pretends to think. “Maybe I want to find out if you’ve made out in public before…”

“Saifah!”

Before Zon can finish the scold, Saifah laughs and tightens Zon’s hand in his. He pulls them in the opposite direction of Tanthai to the back entrance towards the games. Zon breathes a sigh of relief when he sees the current game is about to end. They play one game and only win because Saifah is a perfect shot. Zon expects Saifah to leave him once it’s over because his friends-slash-groupies are continually asking for him to be their partner in this game and that. But instead Saifah picks Zon again for beer pong and laughs with Zon and not at him when Zon misses every shot and almost loses it for them.

But after game four, Saifah has to go to the bathroom and, like fucking vultures, Japan and Tanthai sense Zon’s alone. Zon pushes himself through the crowds and rushes inside, veering towards where he knows the stairs to the next floor are. He knows how relentless Japan and Tanthai are, and Zon has no hope unless he can find the best hiding spot possible.

“There he is! Top of the stairs—”

“Leave me alone!” Zon shouts over the banister, then moves faster, turning into a hallway—

And immediately colliding with someone.

"Whoa! Slow down—Zon?"

Safiah still has his hands on Zon's shoulders to steady him. Zon gets lost in Saifah's eyes for a second, but then he hears his name being shouted again, and his flight instinct kicks back in.

The bedroom door directly next to them is open. Zon grabs Saifah by the arm and yanks him into the room with him. He hides them behind the open door, breathing heavily. He presses his palm against Saifah’s lips and aggressively shushes him when he starts to ask what’s going on.

Feet shuffle past outside the room. Zon can hear the guys calling out to each other with shouts of, “Where did he go?” and “Find him! I have a question about Sai...”

(Thank god that Japan’s voice trails off with that last one as he heads back down the stairs.)

Once it seems like Zon is in the clear, he breathes a heavy sigh of relief. "Sorry,” he explains as he turns to Saifah, “the guys always try to rope me into truth or dare, and they know I hate it—"

The words catch in Zon’s throat.

Apparently Zon had never let his hand drop away from Saifah's mouth and his other hand is still buried into his shirt, gripping his hip to keep him in place. Zon quickly tries to put a little space between them, but all he manages to do is press his back against the open door. Saifah grabs the handle to slow it down. The door clicks gently instead of slams. Saifah’s other arm wraps around Zon’s waist to hold him up, and fuck how is Saifah so smooth at everything—

"How much have you had to drink?" Saifah asks, for some reason seeming just as breathless as Zon.

"Um," Zon crinkles his brow, both confused and thinking. "Just the beers from when we played. Not much."

They’re still so close that Zon can see Saifah swallow, can hear clearly how his next breath stutters. Saifah’s fingers on Zon’s hips flex; Zon feels it throughout his entire being.

“So, if you said I can kiss you, I could?”

You want to kiss me? Zon almost asks.

But it's impossible to mistake the hunger in Saifah's eyes as anything else.

Can Saifah kiss him? Does Zon want Saifah to kiss him? 

“Y-yeah,” Zon finds himself saying before he realizes, “Yeah, you can do that—”

Zon honestly would have expected Saifah to be gentler but instead he seems almost desperate, relieved. Both do it for Zon, who returns the kiss with equal fervor. It’s a definite answer—Zon very, very much wants Saifah to kiss him. Has probably wanted it since the first time Saifah stole his washer, and since Saifah's shoulder brushed his as they huddled on that bench, and Saifah assured Zon his writing was good.

Saifah loosens his arm from around Zon’s waist, but only enough to press him into the door. Zon never thought a height difference would matter but Saifah is bent over Zon, practically trapping him between his broad chest and the hardwood. It shouldn’t turn Zon on but it does, coiling a fire in the pit of his stomach. The heat only grows when Saifah’s tongue traces Zon’s bottom lip, asking for access and Zon’s never given into a kiss so fast.

It doesn't take long for Zon’s neck to get sore, though. Saifah seems to have a similar thought because he grabs Zon by the shoulders and steers him backwards. Hands too busy running over Saifah’s back, Zon doesn't register where they're going until the back of his knees hit the mattress. He immediately shuffles up the bed, grasping Saifah by the neck to make sure he comes with him, desperate to keep their lips and tongues moving together.

Shit, Zon’s muddled brain manages to think, Saifah trapping him on the mattress is just as hot as him doing it against the door. Knees on either side of Zon’s hips, most of their bodies aren’t even touching, yet Zon feels like he’s about to overheat at any moment.

Then Saifah’s hands are in Zon’s hair, scratching gently at his scalp. He tugs at the locks, tilting Zon’s head at the same time his lips break away. A whimper leaves Zon without meaning to, but Saifah’s lips are immediately back, this time on Zon’s neck. He gasps and digs his fingers into Saifah’s shoulder blades, unintentionally pulling him fully on top of him, and the parts of them that weren’t touching before are definitely touching now. The unexpected grind of their cocks, hard beneath their jeans, makes Saifah groan, deep and husky, into Zon’s neck. Zon is pretty sure he lets out one, too, but he’s busy focusing on the stars behind his eyelids he sees when Saifah’s hips tentatively grind against his again.

This isn't like Zon at all. He never thought he would be here, in some stranger's bedroom pressed into the mattress by Saifah, of all people. Whose hand is smoothing down his ribs. It hesitates at the hem of Zon's t-shirt, teasing the barely revealed skin, waiting for a sign to stop or move forward. Zon runs his hands down from Saifah’s shoulders to where his shirt meets his jeans. It’s the sign Saifah needs. Together, they slide beneath each other’s shirts to feel the plains of skin undisrupted. Saifah is so warm beneath Zon’s always cold hands and the way Saifah arches into his touch makes Zon moan, makes him want more. More of Saifah’s skin on him, more kisses, more rocking their hips together. He’s ready to explode, the tingling heat in his lower half knotting tighter and tighter, until it feels ready to snap—

Saifah gasps and jerks when Zon suddenly presses against his chest and pushes him away. Zon doesn’t blame him; he went from fine to startled cat in two seconds flat.

“Did I do something wrong?” Saifah asks, expression going full-on hurt puppy.

Guilt stabs Zon in the heart. “N-No, it’s not that! But if we keep going then I’m going to—”

Zon bites off. He can feel his blush come back to life, embarrassed instead of turned on. It paints his cheeks, ears, everything red. He was seriously about to admit that he almost freaking came in his pants at a party, but no way Saifah didn’t understand where that sentence was going.

Silence meets his words. Zon drags his eyes back up to Saifah’s. He expects there to be some semblance of that trademark smirk. But instead Saifah is staring with some weird sort of awe, pupils blown wide. He finally nods, and it seems to take all his control to actually pull himself off Zon.

Unsure of what to do as they drop into a heavy silence, Zon rushes to the mirror on the wall. He looks properly kissed—lips red and swollen, hair a mess, and shirt wrinkled.

Maybe Zon is drunk, he thinks as he fixes his bangs. Making out on a stranger's bed is one thing, but what made himself so bold to move so quickly? He liked slow and careful but something about Saifah—about his lips and fingers and how he uses them to make Zon feel special, not just here but in their...the laundromat, when they’re playing music…

No, Zon isn't drunk. He's just going fuckin' crazy—

Long, calloused fingers run through the hair on the back of his head, smoothing it down. They linger at the top of Zon's neck, sending goosebumps down it. “You missed a spot,” Saifah whispers, smiling at Zon in the mirror. His presence at Zon’s back is adrenaline rushing and calming all at once.

“Thanks,” Zon replies. 

Still holding Zon’s gaze in the reflection, Saifah's hand drifts down every ridge of Zon’s spine to his waist, and at the same time his lips move to the sensitive underside of Zon's jaw, where it meets his ear. He kisses Zon's neck, chaste at first, simply a soft press of lips. Then, with the dragging of teeth that makes Zon gasp. "You drive me crazy, Zon."

How does it always seem like Saifah is reading Zon's thoughts? Zon is the one going crazy. And, fuck, Saifah’s hips are intentionally not pressed against his ass but he can still sense the heat from beneath Saifah's jeans—

"Wh-whatever," Zon stumbles out the words and out of Saifah's hold.

Of course, now Saifah is smirking, more than aware of how he's riling Zon up in so many different ways. 

"Let's go back," Saifah says. His hand goes back to the small of Zon's back, but the touch is more innocent now, guiding him towards the door. It still feels intimate. A different kind of intimate, but the butterflies in Zon's stomach still kick the same way.

Zon expects Saifah to lead him back outside to the games, but instead he leads him outside where they sit by the fire pit and they make each other laugh with stupid jokes.

And, heart fluttering, Zon leans into Saifah's touch like it's home.

[weilongfu]

Don’t need dollar bills (To have fun tonight)

Inspired by Cheap Thrills by SIA WHY R U?, SaifahZon

Summary: Saifah and Zon finally hear about Fighter and Tutor’s ridiculous beach trip. Saifah decides he wants to do something similarly extravagant, but plans fall through. Zon reminds him that he’s just fine with things that don’t cost so much.

------

“It was… It was really romantic,” Tutor says bashfully. His cheeks are pink, but his smile is soft and his eyes are dreamy. A complete 180 to Tutor’s normal attitude about such things. It doesn’t escape Saifah’s attention that Tutor continues to mess with the necklace around his neck, or that Fighter is sporting a brand new earring either. “P’Fight… He really went above and beyond. The hotel, the food, the-”

“Stop, stop, stop,” Zon says as he waves his hands. “We get it. You had a blast at a fancy beach resort. How can the rest of us poor people ever compare.” Tutor swats at Zon who only leans into Saifah. Saifah shields Zon with his arms and Day laughs at them.

“And suddenly you’ve become such a good boyfriend, Ai Sai? I can’t believe it.” Day nudges the pair with his elbow. “It’s almost sickening.”

“Worry about your own life with Hwahwa,” Saifah fires back without letting go of Zon while Zon sticks his tongue out at Tutor. Tutor lunges for him but gets pulled back into his seat by the appearance of Fighter. 

“But seriously, how much did you dish out for all that, P’Fighter?” Zon leans back against Saifah and offers Saifah a sip of his drink. Saifah makes funny faces as he tries to get his mouth around the straw causing Zon to laugh and shake his head. “I’m pretty jealous.”

Saifah finally latches on to the straw and plays close attention to Fighter’s words. “Oh… I really shouldn’t discuss it.”

“That much?!” Zon leans forward and Saifah nearly dribbles soda out of his mouth and all over Zon from the sudden motion. “I knew P’Fighter was rich, but it’s so much you can’t even talk about it in casual conversation?”

“Ai Zon!” Tutor finally smacks Zon and Zon retreats back into Saifah’s arms. “You know it’s rude to ask that anyway.”

“If it’s so rude, you shouldn’t talk about it!”

Tutor lunges for Zon again and Saifah protectively curls over his boyfriend. Fighter works to pull Tutor back into his seat, but it’s half hearted at best. The rest of their lunch devolves into jabs and laughter, but Saifah pulls out his phone and notes down the name of the beach resort Tutor had mentioned. 

------

“I’m actually really glad Tutor got to go on such a fancy trip,” Zon says later that night as he and Saifah lay on his bed while music plays from the tiny speakers on Zon’s computer. “He’s been needing a vacation.”

Saifah stops stroking Zon’s hair. “Are you jealous?”

“Who wouldn’t be jealous? Having someone spend that much money on them?” Zon picks up his head to look at Saifah. “Tutor got to live his fairytale.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to be jealous of something like that, especially after all the stuff with your sister’s novel,” Saifah teases.

“Ughhhh…. Don’t remind me,” Zon groans as he buries his face into Saifah’s shoulder while Saifah smiles. “I still have nightmares over how stupid it all was.”

“So what’s your dream trip then?” Saifah whispers into Zon’s hair. “Where does your fairytale go?”

Zon’s face emerges to peer up at Saifah again. “Do you promise not to laugh?”

“Promise.”

“I still want to go to Disneyland in Hong Kong,” Zon mumbles.

“What?”

“I said I want to go to Disneyland in Hong Kong because it’s where dreams come true,” Zon says louder and faster.

“Where dreams come true?” Saifah’s shoulders start to shake and Zon smacks his chest.

“You promised not to laugh!”

“It’s just so cheesy!” Saifah curls up under the assault Zon launches with his pillows. “How old are you?”

“Asshole!”

Despite the laughter and the accusations, after Zon falls asleep, Saifah stays awake. Careful to keep the glare of his phone away from Zon’s eyes, Saifah looks up the cost of a trip to the place where dreams come true. The price makes his eyebrows rise into his hairline. A rough estimate for a few days stay, airplane tickets, tickets to the park, and food costs totals more than 70,000 baht. Looking into his bank account, Saifah winces. Even if he saves his allowance for several months, he’d be hard pressed to even have a quarter of the amount needed. 

Checking the time, Saifah sends a quick text to Tutor.

Saifah: Since you don’t need them anymore Saifah: Know any part time jobs that are hiring?

Tutor: :)

------

Two weeks later and Saifah frowned at his bank balance. It was true, just working for two weeks, especially part-time, wouldn’t lead to any amazingly massive increases in disposable income. But at the very least, he had expected his bank balance to go up, not down.

Fees for multiple uniforms. The cost of tickets for public transport. The cost of a taxi to run to class when he overslept from working late. The cost of drinking more coffee to stay awake. The cost of tutoring lessons to catch up because he wasn’t studying as much as he normally could. The cost of dates with Zon. Things were suddenly adding up and Saifah was dismayed to see that it had set him further back.

“It’s okay,” Saifah muttered to himself before taking a deep breath. “It’s just a rough starting period. Just keep going.”

The next few weeks trundled along slowly. Saifah saved leftovers and tried to cook at home. Instead of doing two loads of laundry, Saifah often stuffed everything into one. Instead of buying drinks for him and Zon, Saifah often bought just one for them to split. If Zon noticed Saifah was penny pinching, he said nothing about it and simply offered to foot the bill instead. Although he felt guilty, Saifah accepted more often than he rejected. 

But as Saifah got his next set of test scores and an angry call from his parents docking his allowance until he got better test scores, Saifah had no choice but to finally admit defeat. 

It was exhausting to juggle so many jobs and his studies. Saifah knew he wasn’t a poor student, but he was also not Tutor who seemed to have such a natural knack for everything that had to do with books. If he could at least trim time off of studying to work or sleep, Saifah figured he’d manage. Cutting down on time with Zon was an absolute no as well. Thus, Saifah was left without time to keep to his standards and his grades slipped.

Grumbling, Saifah threw his notes and calculations of savings into the garbage and left for his next shift. If everything was going to shit, Saifah was determined to at least bring a nice dinner back for his date tonight with Zon, and to apologize for failing to provide a romantic getaway.

------

“Saifah!” Saifah looks up from restocking shelves to see Zon running into the convenience store, eyes manic, holding crumpled papers in his hands. “Are you really planning this trip? Are we really going to Disneyland Hong Kong?!” Zon grabs Saifah’s apron and Saifah feels his heart break. “I’m so excited!”

“Zon… You really shouldn’t have gone through my garbage like that…” Saifah tries to pull the pages out of Zon’s hands. “Are you becoming your sister?”

“That’s uncalled for,” Zon says with a pout, but he relinquishes the papers anyway. “These were on the floor. You missed the trash can.” Saifah only sighs and looks around to check if his supervisor is watching before rubbing Zon’s head. “So when are we going?”

“Uh…” Saifah sighs and then puts his hands on Zon’s shoulders. “You saw right, it’s really expensive.”

“Yeah, how long have you been saving for? Those were a lot of plans…”

“I don’t think we’re going anytime soon, my Zon.” Zon’s expression falls and Saifah feels his guts twist in shame. “I’m sorry.”

“What’s there to be sorry for?” Zon searches Saifah’s eyes. “I can help save up too. You know I have some money saved.”

“You shouldn’t have to-”

“What do you mean I shouldn’t have to? Aren’t I going too? Shouldn’t I also pay?” Zon frowns and Saifah looks away. “Wait… Were you trying to pay for this all by yourself? Saifah, that’s ridiculous!”

“Isn’t that part of the whole fairytale?” Saifah resumes his shelf stocking and doesn’t see the darkening of Zon’s expression. “You know, I just come in and sweep you off your feet with these tickets and then you jump into my arms and- OW!” Saifah recoils as Zon punches his arm. “What was that for?!”

“You idiot! Is that what this is really about?” Zon huffs and crosses his arms. “Let me guess, you started planning this just because of what I said about P’Fighter and Tutor’s beach getaway, didn’t you?”

“Mmmmaaaaaaaybeeeeeee….” Saifah drags out each syllable, hoping Zon will forget his outrage by the time he finishes.

“Did you ever ask me if I really need you to take me on this kind of trip?”

“But you said you wanted to go!”

“That doesn’t mean I need to go right now! We can always go when we’re older and, I don’t know, have an actual income?”

“You know, this is very touching,” a voice says behind both of them. Saifah and Zon turn to see Saifah’s manager smiling at them with his arms crossed. “And while I’m glad you’re both talking this out, maybe you could wait until after your shift?”

“Yes, Khun,” the two say with awkward smiles. 

Two hours later, Saifah emerges from the back room with his bag and finds Zon waiting for him at the cafe across the street. A half-finished cup of milk tea sits forgotten as Zon types away on his phone. 

Saifah recognizes that look. It’s Zon’s “I just got an idea” look and it never fails to make Saifah’s heart flutter.

Saifah waits until Zon finally looks up from his phone before greeting him. “So, what was the idea you just wrote down?”

“Oh! Well you know how in that chapter a few weeks back, I wrote about the hero finding a device that doesn’t do anything? Well I just got an idea about how it can come back and bite him because…” Zon trails off when he finally catches sight of Saifah’s expression, soft yet attentive. “Hey, are you trying to distract me from how mad I am at you?”

“What? Me? Distract you? By making you ramble?” Saifah feigns offense. “Never.”

“Ai Sai!” Zon swats at Saifah’s arm. “Look, neither of us is rich, right?”

“Unfortunately,” Saifah mutters under his breath.

“So I’m clearly not dating you for your money.” Zon rolls his eyes. “So don’t worry about material things like trips and fancy dates, okay?” Zon takes Saifah’s hands. “I promise, I have loved every single date we’ve been on, even if it doesn’t cost you more than 70,000 baht.” 

“Are you saying that you’re suddenly a cheap date?” Saifah nudges Zon so he knows the intended tone, but Zon’s expression turns thoughtful.

“You know what… You’ve got a point.” Zon suddenly stands up and Saifah leans back in surprise. “Let’s make our date tonight a cheap one.”

“Eh?!”

Zon leads Saifah up and down street stalls and markets. They buy a few skewers and sticky rice for 20 baht. Drinks for another 10 baht. As they wander down the street with just slightly sticky fingers from the skewer glaze, Zon pulls Saifah along into the park and the two admire blooming plants and the different shapes of street lamps and the shadows they cast. They spend another 40 baht on street snacks of all sorts and stop at the convenience store outside of Saifah’s dorm for a tub of ice cream for another 20 baht. Saifah pulls up a drama they’ve been meaning to watch and they dig into the tub of ice cream together while laughing at the dramatics. 

When the episode ends, Zon stands up to stretch before offering a hand to Saifah.

“What are you doing?” Saifah asks while taking Zon’s hand anyway. Zon pulls Saifah up to stand and arranges Saifah’s hands until they’re in position. “Dancing?” Zon only nods and starts to sway. “But the music?”.

“Come on, come on, turn the radio on It's Friday night and I won't be long Gotta do my hair, I put my make up on It's Friday night and I won't be long…”

Saifah’s eyes light up as Zon sings and he sings as well.

“'Til I hit the dance floor Hit the dance floor I got all I need No I ain't got cash I ain't got cash But I got you baby!”

Zon twirls his way out of Saifah’s arms and Saifah laughs before they start to dance separately, but chaotically. Through it all, the singing continues between gasping for air.

“Baby I don't need dollar bills to have fun tonight (I love cheap thrills!) Baby I don't need dollar bills to have fun tonight (I love cheap thrills!)

But I don't need no money As long as I can feel the beat I don't need no money As long as I keep dancing….”

At last, too out of breath, Saifah collapses back onto his bed and Zon follows suit, still humming along but he stops to sing one last verse while tracing Saifah’s cheekbones with his thumbs. 

“I got all I need No I ain't got cash I ain't got cash But I got you baby…” 

Saifah sighs dramatically, but in his chest, a burden lifts anyway. “Okay fine, I get it, I get it. You didn’t have to be so over the top.”

“This was over the top for you?” The two giggle until Zon straddles Saifah’s hips. Saifah’s hands rest on Zon’s thighs easily. “I mean it, you know. I don’t need us to do crazy, fancy, and expensive things. Not all the time. Not every date. And not even when we can afford it.” Saifah’s hands tighten and reflexively, Zon licks his lips. “I just need you. Then it’s always a good time.”

“I feel the same,” Saifah says, reaching up to pull Zon down. Zon goes easily and happily, kissing Saifah’s lips with gentle pecks. “So would you be upset if I said I need to quit a few part-time jobs?”

“I’d be happy if you did. Then my parents would stop being so worried about your grades. They think I’m the bad influence here.”

Saifah sobs dramatically. “I did it for love! Why won’t anyone understand meeeee!”

Zon rolls his eyes and goes back to kissing Saifah, if only to have some quiet and enjoy himself a bit more. 

(Kisses are the cheapest thrill he can get after all.)