(Disclaimer: Let's pretend they're speaking in Thai. Translating everything would be challenging, so please bear with me.)
"I know you love your fans, Yoko, but if you're really not feeling well, I can talk to them and explain why you're unable to meet them, so then we can take you to the doctor or at least help you rest. I'm sure they'll understand." I overheard P'Lookmhee, our CEO, say while I sat getting my makeup done. In the mirror, I saw the worried look on her face.
I sighed. "I understand you're worried, but I can manage for two or three more hours. These fans have come from all over, taken time off, and are probably waiting outside in the heat just to see us. I can't let them down. If I can be there for them, I will be. It's the least I can do."
My manager, P'Chai, who was standing beside our CEO, sighed too and walked toward me. "If that's what you want... but if it gets too hard to handle, please give us a sign. I'll be monitoring you the whole time, okay?"
"Yes, ma'ams," I said jokingly to both of them. P'Lookmhee and P'Chai sighed again, squeezed my shoulder, and left me with my makeup artist, who also had a worried expression.
"You're really burning up," P'Mei said. "But I bet nothing could stop you from meeting your fans, huh?"
I smiled at her reflection in the mirror. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for them," I said softly. "I owe them so much. I get to do what I love now because they supported me. You know, my family didn't approve of me being in this industry. But I understood where they were coming from. There were times when I almost gave up, thinking they were right. It was tough at firstâconstant rejections, the dirty politics behind every role, and the need to know someone just to be considered for a supporting part. I struggled for five years, barely scraping by, until this series came into my life last year. I say it 'found me' because I never even imagined being part of a GL series. But then P'Lookmhee saw me at a mall a year ago, and, well... you know the rest."
P'Mei smiled back. "Yes, I do. I'm glad P'Lookmhee found you. She really hit the jackpot with you. I knew that from the first time she introduced you to us. We were struggling too, you know? I thought I was going to lose my job until you came along. You brought fortune to all of us," she said with a laugh.
I laughed too. "No, everyone contributed. I'm just really grateful to the fans for accepting us and supporting the series."
"By the way," P'Mei said with a teasing grin, "since we're talking about the series, are you still straight, or has P'Freen somehow confused you?"
I laughed. "I mean, I don't know either, because I haven't been in a relationship, so I wouldn't know. But if you're asking if I'm developing feelings for P'Freen, I don't think so. And we both know she has someone already. It's just sad that we have to lie to our fans."
"You're not lying, though," P'Mei said. "You're doing fanservice, but you never claim to be in a relationship with her."
"I know, but it sucks that the fans would be devastated if they found out it's just fanservice. I just hope they'll understand," I said sadly.
"Don't expect everyone to understand, but some will. It's inevitable, so prepare yourself for that. For now, just enjoy and seize the moment while it lasts."
I smiled and left with deep thoughts. Yes, It feels surreal to be recognized everywhere in Thailand and even in parts of Asia and the world where people have watched our series. In just one year, everything seems to have fallen into place. My family is very supportive nowânot because I'm famous, but because they finally understand that this is what I truly want. They've also seen that I've continued pursuing my studies despite my tight schedule, and at 22, I'll be graduating in just two months.
People now recognize my talent, and I've received praise and awards for my acting. That means so much to me. It's important for people to see that I'm not just a pretty faceâI'm someone who takes my craft seriously.
Thinking about it, it was only eight months ago when we released the series. We worked tirelessly for three months, but didn't expect much because GL series weren't popular in Thailand. People mostly supported BL series, so this was a big risk. We hoped people would embrace GL series too.
When P'Lookmhee first showed me the novel and script, I knew I wanted to do it. It didn't even occur to me that my partner would be a girl. I fell in love with the character and didn't care who my co-star wasâuntil I met P'Freen. I was intimidated because she was already a rising star at another agency. But she controversially left, claiming she was harassed by her boss. She's an amazing actress, but the industry painted her as ungrateful, even though she was the victim. Many agencies didn't want her, thinking she'd lost her charm after the scandal. But P'Lookmhee believed in her, and that's how we ended up working together.
P'Freen is not only gorgeous but also incredibly kind. She helped me a lot during our journey together. In our endless meetings, she openly shared that she had a boyfriend who understood her work and didn't mind her being paired with me. P'Lookmhee emphasized that fanservice would be a necessary part of our roles, and P'Freen reassured everyone that it was okay. Our CEO also requested that P'Freen keep her relationship private, at least while we were still a love team, and she agreed. That marked the beginning of our journey.
We poured our efforts into promotions before the series aired, which only heightened people's curiosity. The anticipation was intense, and when the first episode finally premiered, we trended worldwide. It was unbelievable. I vividly remember all of us sitting in P'Lookmhee's living room, nervously waiting for the episode to air on our agency's YouTube channel. Even before it went live, we had already broken into the top 10 worldwide trends. We were overjoyed, thinking that was the peakâuntil the episode actually aired. The response was overwhelming. People were so amazed that we hit number one globally.
The pilot episode was bold, opening with a hot and sexy scene between P'Freen and me. We were all stunned by how beautifully it turned out. That night, we cried tears of joy and celebrated together. Just like that, we shot to stardom, and our fanbase grew exponentially.
Now, we're filming another series because the fans can't get enough so even though I have the flu, I won't let that stop me from meeting our fans. This is our first fan meet since taking a month-long break, and people are so eager to see us again. They'll be thrilled when we surprise them with the announcement of our new series. Despite how I'm feeling, I'm genuinely excited to see everyone.
P'Freen is already getting her makeup done. She greeted me earlier and expressed concern about my condition but reassured me that she'd be by my side every step of the way. I'm truly grateful to have such a thoughtful partner. In fact, P'Freen is so naturally sweet that we never had to fake any fanservice. We just clicked from the start.
She's naturally touchy and affectionate, so P'Lookmhee didn't even need to direct us to act close. We're simply best friends who are incredibly clingy, and the fans mistook our dynamic for a secret relationship. Honestly, it worked in our favor because everything about our connection felt genuineâwe didn't have to pretend.
Smiling at my reflection, I stood up, thanked P'Mei, and walked toward the door to meet our fans.