Part 9

On top of everything that happened that day, the first episode of Me and Thee was released. When I came home, I found Santa in the dance room.

"Hey, you're back," he said, looking at me.

He was all sweaty but still looked so beautiful.

"Isn't it too late to dance?" I asked.

"There's no wrong time for dancing," he answered, then asked, "Are you tired?"

"Mhm. It was a long day," I mumbled.

"Come here, Tanaben. Let me give you some of my energy," he said and hugged me tightly.

"Are we gonna shower together?" I asked.

"Yup, let's go," he said and grabbed my hand.

"I saw what you did. You're such a kind person, you made so many fans happy when you went through the first rows to see the ones behind," he said.

"Thank you, Tata," I said and kissed him.

We showered together, put our pajamas on, then Santa made us some sandwiches and we cuddled up on our black leather sofa to watch the first episode of Me and Thee. It was so fun. Pond and Phuwin were really great actors, and they made us laugh so much with their lines and facial expressions.

We were in the series too. And I noticed and felt how Santa tensed up when our fighting scene at the bottom of the stairs appeared. I hugged him tightly and kissed his temple.

"Do you think people will judge us? Do you think there will be bad comments about our fight? About your behavior?" he asked, worried.

"No, Tata. It's just a role. Acting. It's not us, not the real us. Real fans will understand; you know that. They support us and our careers. There will probably be some bad comments, some speculations, some stories they make up just to create drama in our big fandom. But that always happens. It won't affect us, we are stronger than that," I told him.

He nuzzled into my neck. "Thank you, Perth. You always know what to say to me."

We had faced crowds, cameras, cheers, and the chaos of fame all in one day. But the greatest part was always coming home, to him, to my Tata.

Because love isn't what the fans see on events, stages or on screen. Love is this: soft cuddles on a black sofa, whispered fears, and promises kept. And I wouldn't trade it for anything.