Chapter 5: FLASHBACK ll

Faye Malisorn's POV

>>Flasback ll<<

As the shooting began and we delved into our roles, I found myself growing closer to Yoko with each scene we filmed together.

We spent long hours on set, pouring our hearts into our performances. During breaks, we would chat and share stories, learning even more about each other.

With every line recited and every emotion acted out, I felt a connection strengthening between us, beyond the bounds of just being costars.

Yoko approached me, her face lighting up with a playful grin. She looked at me with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes and leaned in, feigning a whisper.

"Hey, you excited about our upcoming kissing scene?" She teased.

Her question caught me off guard, my heart fluttering a little bit. I tried to hide my surprise and played it cool, but I can't deny the butterflies swarming in my stomach.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady. I put on a cool facade and jokingly responded.

"Excited? Of course not. It's just another day at the office for me, no big deal."

I tried to sound nonchalant, but my trembling voice betrayed me, giving away my true feelings. The butterflies in my stomach wouldn't let me deny it for long.

My mind was consumed by thoughts of the upcoming scene that will be shot later on.

Our characters were about to share their first kiss, and I couldn't deny the mixture of excitement and anxiety that welled up inside me.

Yoko continued to tease me, her voice holding a hint of sarcasm.

"Oh, come on. Don't deny it. I know you're secretly excited."

I tried to maintain my composure, rolling my eyes playfully, but deep down, my heart was racing. She was getting under my skin, and she knew it. But I can't admit that to her, not yet.

As I wrestled with my emotions, I finally spoke up, my voice filled with a mix of sarcasm and genuine uncertainty.

"Well, maybe you are the one who's excited. It's not every day you get to share a kiss with a beautiful co-star like me."

Yoko's blush and momentary loss for words took me by surprise. I couldn't help but feel a tiny pang of satisfaction at her reaction.

Her usual confident, teasing demeanor seemed to falter for a brief moment, and I secretly relished the fact that I had managed to catch her off guard.

Finally recovering her composure, she let out a soft laugh and countered my comment with a smirk, trying to keep a cool facade, but her cheeks flushed with a subtle hint of embarrassment.

"Oh, please. You think you're so irresistible, don't you? I'm sure you've shared kisses with plenty of beautiful co-stars before."

I feigned a cocky grin, playing along with Yoko's banter. I raised an eyebrow and shrugged nonchalantly.

"I won't deny that I've had my fair share of romantic on-screen moments. But there's something different about this one, and you know it."

Sensing that she was losing the upper hand, She tried to regain her composure, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"Oh, you mean the anticipation of having those lips of yours finally pressed against mine?"

I chuckled at Yoko's sarcastic remark. I leaned closer, a smug smile playing on my lips.

"Oh, really? Because I remember when you cried during our kiss scene at the workshop."

Yoko let out a defeated sigh, realizing there was no winning against my teasing. She rolled her eyes and playfully retorted,

"It was my first time!" She said. "Why are we even discussing the kiss so much anyway? It's just a scene, right?"

I laughed lightly. I shrugged casually, feigning nonchalance as I replied, "You were the one who brought it up in the first place. You started it, not me."

As my thoughts wandered back to the workshop period, the memory of her crying, feeling overwhelmed by the pressure of performing the kiss scene flashed in my mind, and I vividly recalled how difficult that time had been for both of us.

I couldn't shake the nagging thought that perhaps I had done something wrong or, worse, accidentally caused her pain by biting her lip.

As we continued in our playful banter and flirting, P'wan approached us, interrupting our moment.

She reminded us that we have to return to shooting, and the bubble of the moment popped. We both composed ourselves, putting on our professional actors' faces, though the playful atmosphere still lingered between us.

As we lay side by side on the bed, preparing to perform the kiss scene, I felt something washed over me. The memory of our previous kiss, coupled with the weight of expectations and emotions, made my heart race.

I glanced at Yoko, her expression stoic and composed, while my own face betrayed my inner turmoil.

The thought that our lips were about to meet again sent a wave of nerves through my entire body, even as I tried to maintain a cool exterior.

"Lights, camera, action!"

Taking a deep breath, I focused on the scene at hand. My heart hammered in my chest as our faces inched closer, our eyes locked on each other.

I couldn't help but take in the sight of Yoko's head gently resting on my arm, the weight of her presence grounding me.

Her gaze was wide open. I marveled at how beautiful she looked. There was something deep and emotional in her eyes that held my attention completely.

Following the script, we continued to act out the scene, my gaze never leaving hers. The space between our lips growing smaller with each passing second.

As our lips finally met, my heart felt like it could burst. In that moment, I was struck by a powerful realization. This wasn't just an act or a performance anymore.

The connection I was feeling with Yoko was deeper and more intense than anything I had experienced before.

This was more than just a kiss for the scene; it was me, Faye, kissing Yoko with my true self, not as Ar-neung. 

My thoughts raced through my mind. Why was I feeling this way?

I couldn't find a simple answer, but one thing was clear – there was something about Yoko that stirred something deep within me, something deeper than a mere crush or admiration.

As the kiss ended, doubts flooded my mind. Was Yoko feeling the same way, or was it all just an act for her?

I couldn't help but worry that my feelings might not be reciprocated, but I knew I had to keep my emotions in check for the sake of our shared project.

So, despite my inner turmoil, I made the decision to bury my feelings and prioritize our professional partnership as actors.

Finally, the scene came to a close, with the director shouting "Cut!" He turned towards us, a satisfied expression on his face.

"You two were amazing," he praised, his eyes sparkling. "The emotions and chemistry on camera were on point. It really looked real."

At the director's compliment, I felt a wave of shyness wash over me. My cheeks flushed, and I couldn't help but avert my gaze, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and pride.

Glancing at Yoko, I noticed that she too looked a bit embarrassed, her expression betraying a hint of bashfulness.

As the director moved away to consult with the crew, Yoko leaned in closer to me, her voice dropping to a soft whisper.

"The kiss...it felt real for me, too," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

I looked into her eyes, her words took me completely by surprise. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was she confessing that she had felt the same intensity and connection during the kiss that I had?

I tried to keep my cool, my heart pounding loudly in my chest.

"Yeah, it did feel real," I replied steadily, my voice betraying a hint of my inner nerves.

"But we're actors, after all. We're supposed to make it look real, right?" I added, trying to play down the significance of her confession.

I noticed a hint of disappointment flit across Yoko's face, her eyebrows furrowing for a brief moment. Her expression was puzzling, as if my words hadn't been quite what she had expected or wanted to hear.

Yoko's face quickly composed itself, her expression becoming unreadable again. She spoke casually, but I sensed a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she said, with a slight shrug. "We are actors, after all. We're good at making things look real."

Our conversation came to a standstill, an awkward silence enveloping us.

As we continued to work together, I wondered if I had said the wrong thing, if I had missed a signal. But eventually, we went back to acting as if nothing had happened, maintaining a professional facade.

And so, the day continued on, our shooting progressing smoothly. We switched between different scene.

While we were able to deliver strong performances, my mind kept drifting back to that moment when Yoko confessed that she had also felt something during the kiss scene.