Chapter 6: FLASHBACK lll

Faye Malisorn' POV

>> Flashback lll <<

The last episode of season one was set to be released soon, and we had to do a reaction video for the fans.

We knew what was coming up - a love scene between my character and Yoko's.

I remember how we laughed, cringed, and reacted alongside each other.

Marissa and Ize were also taken aback by the realism of the scene, mirroring my own feelings. Both of them looked completely stunned, their mouths agape and eyes wide.

It was a bit uncomfortable and embarrassing to see ourselves in such a vulnerable moment, but at the same time, we were impressed by how well we had captured the emotions on camera.

I was snapped out of my thoughts as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Yoko sitting next to me with a small smile on her face.

The rest of the girls had already moved on to discussing the episode, but she had lingered, clearly wanting to say something to me.

I swallowed nervously, wondering if she wanted to talk about the love scene we had just watched on screen.

Yoko leaned in, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "So, how did that love scene look to you on screen?" she whispered, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

I blushed, feeling my cheeks heat up. "Um, it looked...real," I mumbled, looking away.

"I mean, we did a good job, right?"

Yoko chuckled, her eyes sparkling. "Yeah, we did. Maybe a little too good, if you ask me."

I rolled my eyes, feeling embarrassed by her comment. "Come on, we're actors, we're supposed to make it look real," I protested, unable to keep a straight face.

She laughed, clearly enjoying teasing me.

"True, but that was something else. I mean, I almost believed it myself. Did you feel anything?" she asked, her tone playful but with a hint of seriousness.

I was caught off guard by her question. But I quickly tried to brush it off.

I gave a casual shrug, trying to appear nonchalant. "Nah, it's Acting 101, you know. We just sold the moment," I said, trying to sound indifferent.

But I knew deep down that I had definitely felt something. My heart was racing, and I couldn't deny the flutter of butterflies in my stomach.

It was a confusing mix of emotions, but the undeniable fact was that I had felt something during that moment.

Yoko studied me with her perceptive eyes. She could tell that I was struggling to hide something.

After a moment of silence, I cleared my throat and changed the subject, trying to break the awkward tension.

"Do you want to eat ramyeon at my house?"

As Yoko processed my invitation, a hint of embarrassment flickered across her face. Her cheeks tinged red and she averted her eyes for a moment, as if taken aback by the suddenness of my offer.

Seeing her reaction made me feel confused and a bit curious. I wonder if my invitation had made her uncomfortable in some way.

"What about Marissa and Ize? Are they coming too?" She replied, her cheeks still slightly flushed.

Just as I was about to respond, Marissa and Ize suddenly interrupted us, speaking up as if they had been listening in on our conversation.

"Actually, we can't join you guys," Marissa began, a teasing tone in her voice.

Ize chimed in, "Yeah, we'll let you two have some alone time." Marissa added, "Yeah, have fun with your ramyeon date."

Marissa and Ize's teasing laughter sent a jolt of realization through me and Yoko. We exchanged a glance, both of us sensing that there was more to their words than just harmless teasing.

Something about the way they spoke and their knowing glances made us wonder if they had sensed something between us, something we hadn't even admitted to ourselves yet.

After the conversation with Marissa and Ize, the time slipped by quickly.

Arriving at my house, I ushered Yoko inside and immediately set to work in the kitchen. I wanted to make sure everything was perfect for her, so I carefully prepared the ramyeon, making sure to cook it just the way she liked.

As I worked, I caught glimpses of Yoko sitting at the table, watching me with a small smile on her face, clearly appreciating the effort I was putting in to take care of her.

As Yoko watched me, she suddenly spoke up, breaking the comfortable silence between us.

As we settled down to eat our ramyeon, Yoko suddenly spoke up, her excitement apparent in her voice.

"Hey Faye, do you mind if I do a quick live on TikTok? I think our fans would love to see some cute moments from us hanging out together."

I chuckled at Yoko's request and nodded, giving her a warm smile.

"Sure, why not? I'm sure the fans would love to see us having some fun together."

We started the live stream, and soon the comments from fans started pouring in. I tried to read some of them, but I found myself paying more attention to Yoko than the comments, often grabbing a piece of ramyeon and guiding it to her mouth, feeding her affectionately.

After some time, we finally ended the live, still caught up in the moment.

I looked at Yoko and smiled, feeling a sense of contentment despite the fact that I had been so focused on her during the live that I had almost forgotten about the fans watching us.

Yoko chuckled and looked over at me, her eyes sparkling.

"You were really into taking care of me during the live, weren't you?"

I blushed at her observation, feeling a bit caught off guard. I tried to downplay it, feeling embarrassed.

"Oh, was I? I didn't even realize. I guess I just got carried away with making sure you're comfortable."

"Are you always this attentive and caring to everyone you hang out with, or just me?"

Yoko's question caught me off guard, and I felt a pang of guilt. I knew deep down that I am not usually like this with anyone else, but I tried to brush off the question.

"Uh, I mean, I guess I'm just a caring person, right? I like making sure my friends are taken care of."

I noticed a change in her expression. Her smile faded slightly, and a look of hurt flickered in her eyes. It was subtle, but it was enough to make me realize my words had stung her, though I wasn't sure.

I felt a pang of concern and curiosity, wondering what had caused that reaction.

Seeing her face, I couldn't help but ask, my voice filled with worry. "Yoko, are you okay? You look upset. Did I say something wrong?"

Yoko averted her eyes, her voice soft and tinged with sadness.

"It's nothing, really. I just... I thought maybe, just maybe, I was special to you. That you only act that way with me. But I guess I was wrong."

"No, no, of course you're special to me." I quickly reassured her, my voice sincere.

Yoko looked at me, a hint of frustration and sadness in her eyes. She spoke softly but firmly.

"When will you realize what's right in front of you, Faye?"

Her question left me feeling even more confused.

"You act like you care so much, but then you won't acknowledge what's really going on between us. It's getting tiring, waiting for you to catch on." Her voice was slightly shaky as she spoke, her emotions clearly raw.

"How long are you going to keep ignoring your own feelings and mine?" She asked.

"Yoko,"

Her question echoed in my mind, its implications sending a wave of emotions through me.

I was at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond to her question. A million thoughts swirled in my mind, each one more confusing than the last. Part of me wanted to confess my feelings right then and there, but a nagging fear held me back.

What if I was misinterpreting everything?

"I like you, Faye. More than just a friend. And I want you to know that." Her voice trembled as she spoke the words that seemed to echo in my heart.

I was stunned into silence, unable to believe that the person I had secretly longed for had just confessed their feelings to me.

A wave of relief and hope rose within me, but at the same time, I was overwhelmed by the realization that I had to confess my own feelings in return.

My heart raced as I took a deep breath, preparing to speak but unable to find the right words.

As Yoko observed my stunned silence, her face fell, and a frown tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Before I could even find the words to respond, Yoko spoke up again, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness, but she managed to speak with a fake cheerfulness.

"Yeah, forget what I said. We're just friends, right? That's all that matters. No need to make things weird between us."

Yoko forced a smile, trying to cover up the hurt in her voice. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

Then I realised that Yoko misinterpreted my silence as rejection.

I stood there, my mouth dry and my tongue glued to the roof of my mouth. I desperately wanted to tell her that I reciprocated her feelings, but the words refused to form on my tongue.