Chapter 10

Faye Malisorn's POV

The day after the tumultuous flight, the photoshoot for our new photobook has arrived, and we're currently in the dressing room getting ready.

It's chaotic, with stylists running around, helping to get us into our outfits and do our makeup. And the staffs members, ensuring everything is set up for the photoshoot.

There's a buzz of chatter in the air, a cacophony of voices discussing different details and schedules. I spot P'wan across the room, looking over some notes with one of the assistants. She glances up and spots me, giving a quick wave and a reassuring smile.

I look at myself in the mirror, and I have to admit, I look pretty decent today. The outfit fits well, hugging my curves just right.

Then P'wan comes over to me, still looking over some notes. Her gaze drifts up, taking in my appearance.

"Looking good today," she comments, a smile playing on her lips.

I give her a small smirk. "Thanks," I reply, adjusting one of the straps on my outfit.

P'wan's gaze drifts away from another part of the room. I can't help but follow her gaze and my eyes landed on Yoko, being attended to by a makeup artist.

My breath catches in my throat as I take in her appearance. She's always stunning, but today, she looks breathtakingly beautiful.

The outfit she's wearing accentuates her slender figure. Her hair is styled perfectly, making her look like some sort of goddess.

I discreetly admire her from a distance, taking in the curve of her body. I'm mesmerized, even though my heart aches at the memory of our fight. Her eyes are fixated on the mirror, watching the makeup artist work.

P'wan clears her throat, bringing my attention back to her. I can feel my cheeks heating up slightly, realizing that I've been staring at Yoko for a bit too long.

"You okay?" P'wan asks.

I clear my throat as well, trying to maintain a nonchalant demeanor.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I reply quickly. "Just admiring the outfits, you know."

She looks back down at her notes, but not before I catch a glimpse of a knowing smirk on her face. It's as if she knows exactly what I'm feeling just by looking at Yoko.

I try to keep a neutral expression, not wanting to give anything away. But it's impossible not to feel a little flustered at how beautiful Yoko looks right now.

P'wan doesn't press further, but I know she knows exactly what's on my mind.

I try to distract myself by looking around the room, but my eyes keep darting back to Yoko.As she turns slightly, her gaze meets mine, and I'm once again taken aback by her beauty.

I look away quickly, trying to act like I wasn't staring. It's becoming harder to deny the effect Yoko has on me, especially when she looks like this.

The sound of my phone ringing snaps me out of my thoughts. I glance down at the screen and see Tanya's name flashing.

"Excuse me," I say to P'wan, and step aside to answer the call.

I smile when I hear Tanya's voice. Her familiar voice on the other end of the line is a welcome distraction from my thoughts about Yoko.

"Hey, Tanya," I respond.

"Hey, how are you?"

"Everything's good. We're just prepping for the photoshoot right now."

"Ah, the photoshoot," Tanya replies, sounding excited. "How is it going so far?"

I glance around the busy dressing room, the staff members rushing about preparing for the set up.

"It's a bit chaotic, as usual. But that's par for the course for these types of shoots." I say, smiling.

"I'm sure you guys will do great." Tanya assures me.

"Oh, by the way," Tanya continues. "I called because we're seeing a surge in bookings at the Amor Boutique, and a lot of customers specifically asked to have you do their hair."

"We're starting to get a bit overwhelmed here. Any idea when you might be able to lend a hand?"

I take a moment to think, mentally calculating my schedule. I've got the photoshoot today and tomorrow, and some other promotional events lined up throughout the week.

"I'm pretty busy this week," I admit. "But maybe I can squeeze in a few appointments then. Saturday afternoon work for you?"

"That would be great," Tanya says, relief evident in her voice. "Thanks, Faye."

As I end the call with Tanya, I turn my attention back to the photoshoot. The staff members are announcing that it's time to start.

As we start the photoshoot, I can feel my nerves starting to kick in. Being so close to Yoko after what happened is both unsettling and thrilling.

The photographer asks us to move into different poses and positions. I follow along, trying to keep my focus on the task at hand, but I can't help stealing glances at Yoko.

The photographer gives us our next instruction, and my heart rate quickens as I realize what it entails. They want us to hold each other, almost intimately.

My gaze locks with Yoko's, and even through the nerves, I think I can see a hint of vulnerability in her eyes. We move into position, with my hands resting tentatively on her waist.

The feeling of her body against mine is both familiar and foreign at the same time. Her scent, the warmth of her skin, it all brings back memories that I've been trying to keep at bay.

The photographer directs us, telling us how to pose and angle our faces. All the while, I'm hyper-aware of Yoko's every movement, her every breath.

The silence between us is broken unexpectedly when I hear Yoko's voice, soft and low.

"You look beautiful," she says, her eyes meeting mine.

I'm caught off guard by the sudden compliment. I hadn't expected her to say something like that, especially not in front of everyone on set. The simple words send a flutter through my chest, and my heart skips a beat.

"Thanks," I murmur, my voice a little shaky. "You're quite beautiful yourself, you know."

I can see her cheeks heating up slightly.

The photographer tells us to change pose, and I reluctantly release my hold on Yoko. As we move into the next position, her words keep replaying in my mind. She's never been one to give compliments lightly, especially not ones as heartfelt as that.

The photoshoot comes to an end, and we're given a brief break while the staff prepares the next set. Everyone is stretching, drinking water, and generally taking a moment to relax.

I take the opportunity to grab a water bottle and take a seat, trying to catch my breath. Working closely with Yoko has me mentally exhausted as well as physically, and I just need a moment to collect myself.

As I'm sitting there, sipping on my water, I spot Yoko across the room, talking to Marissa. They're engaged in deep conversation, and I can't help feeling a pang of jealousy.

P'wan approaches me, a smile on her face. "You two look good together," she says, nodding in Yoko's direction.

I nearly choke on my water at P'wan's words. "What do you mean?" I ask, doing my best to keep my voice casual. "We were just posing for the photos. That's all."

P'wan laughs heartily, her eyes knowing. "Oh, come on," she says, still grinning. "You don't have to hide it from me, you know. I know what's really going on with you two."

I recall that P'wan and the others have been aware of our relationship all this time. It's impossible to hide anything from them, especially P'wan's observant eyes.

"Right," I say, rubbing the back of my neck. "I suppose you know about..." I trail off, gesturing between Yoko and me.

P'wan grins, nodding. "Yeah, we all see it," she says, still amused. "You girls aren't exactly subtle, you know?"

I can feel myself blushing at her words, a mixture of embarrassment and resignation. P'wan continues to chat with me, a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Oh, one more thing," P'wan says, her tone more serious now. "The schedule for the rest of the week got pushed back to next week. There were some changes in the timeline, so we'll start the promotions next week instead."

I perk up at this news, feeling a mix of confusion and relief. "Why the change?" I ask, tilting my head curiously.

P'wan shrugs, still smiling. "Not sure," she says. "The management team made the decision. Probably some logistical thing. But that means you girls have a free week coming up, right?"

A wave of relief washes over me. I have some things I need to handle back at the salon. Now I don't have to worry about fitting it in between shooting schedules.

A thought occurs to me then, and I smile slightly. This free week is a chance for me to make things right with Yoko, to finally talk things out and try to mend our relationship.

The idea energizes me, a new sense of purpose coming to mind.

I look back at her across the room, still engaged in conversation with Marissa. She looks so serious, so focused on whatever Marissa is saying.

We continue with the photoshoot, putting our full energy into the tasks at hand.

Once again, Yoko and I need to pose close together, but this time, the atmosphere is different. We're both a bit more relaxed, having gotten more comfortable with each other.

As the final shoot ends, a buzz of excitement fills the air as everyone starts packing up and preparing to leave.

We still have a few hours to spare, and P'wan suddenly pipes up.

"Hey, why don't we grab a drink? It’s been a long day, and we could use some fun," she suggests, a mischievous grin on her face.

"We never really got to celebrate the success of our tour properly. This is the perfect opportunity!" She continues.

As P'wan suggests getting drinks to celebrate our successful tour, there's a collective murmur of agreement. It's been hectic lately, and a night out seems like exactly what we all need.

"Ooh, I'm in," a staff member says, nodding eagerly. "It's not often we get time off, and after the shoot, a drink sounds perfect."

Some of the staff members are opting not to join us tonight. They have other plans or just want to go home and rest. But there's still a small group expresses interest in joining.

P'wan notices this and turns to me. "How about you, Faye? Are you coming?"

I hesitate for a moment. Part of me wants to decline, but I also know the value of bonding with the team. Plus, a drink to unwind after all this work sounds tempting.

"Sure," I reply.

P'wan turns to Yoko, who's been fairly quiet so far. "What about you, Yoko? You coming out with us?"

As P'wan asks Yoko if she's joining us, I can't help but feel a flutter of anticipation. I hope she says yes, not just because I want her to be there, but because it'll be a chance for us to spend some time together.

I watch as Yoko considers for a moment, her expression torn, and I can sense her hesitation.

To my relief, Yoko nods and gives a small smile. “Alright, count me in,” she says.

Marissa and Ize both chime in, expressing their agreement to join the group for drinks. The plan is coming together, and I can feel the energy shift from the tiring photoshoot to the upcoming night out.