Almost a week. Almost a week of missing her, and it doesn't make sense. How do you miss someone you've never even met? It's crazy. Sad. Painful. And yet, it's real. It's as if she's etched into my heart, occupying a space she was never meant to take.
And the worst part?
The gnawing thought that she might not miss me at all.
Every time I pick up my phone, hopingâprayingâthat there will be a message, a reply, something from her, I'm met with silence. No notifications. No messages. Just the empty screen staring back at me, and each time, the disappointment sinks deeper into my chest.
I tell myself I'm foolish for feeling this way. How can I feel so much for someone who may not even remember me? But logic doesn't ease the ache. The ache that's been here since that night, insistent and immovable, refusing to leave no matter how much I try to distract myself.
The past few days, I've been throwing myself into workâanything to keep my mind occupied, to avoid thinking of her. It works, during the day. But at night, when everything quiets down and I'm alone in my bed, the walls close in. I find myself opening that folder on my phone, the one with her picturesâpictures I've downloaded from the internet.
I stare at them, at her. And every night, I whisper the same prayer.
If she's forgotten me, if this is all in my head, please give me a sign. Let me know so I can move on.
But no sign comes. No news of her. No random mentions in the media. It's as if she's vanished.
Once, I almost called Sofia. Almost. My thumb hovered over her name in my contacts, but I stopped myself. She's too young. I don't want to drag her into this, to make her part of my confusion, my longing, my mess. This is mine to carry.
I've been absent from TikTok for almost a week now. My longest break ever. I've always been consistent, going live every evening. It's my way of staying connected with my fans, of sharing pieces of my life with them. But this week? I couldn't bring myself to do it.
Somewhere deep inside, I convinced myself that if Faye doesn't respond, I won't go live. It's childish, I know. My fans deserve better. They've supported me through everything, and here I am, withholding from them because of my own turmoil.
Today, though, something shifted.
When I woke up, I decidedâit's time. Time to return, time to stop punishing myself and my fans for something out of my control. After finishing an afternoon guesting, P'Chai dropped me off at home. I settled into my usual routineâscrolling through social media, checking updates, half-distracted.
And then I saw it.
A trending hashtag: #FayeCityInNYC.
My heart immediately began to race. My fingers moved on their own, tapping the hashtag, and my screen filled with clips from a fashion show in New York City.
Her fashion show.
Clip after clip showcased the collection. The designs were breathtakingâbold, innovative, exactly what I'd expect from Faye City. I scrolled feverishly, my heart pounding with every swipe, desperate for a glimpse of her.
And then, I saw it.
A short clip, uploaded by someone at the venue. The show was nearing its end. The models had finished their walk, and then, stepping onto the stage for the final bow, there she was.
Faye.
She appeared with her team, Sonya on one side and another womanâbeautiful, elegantâclinging to her arm as they bowed together.
For a moment, jealousy pricked at my heart, sharp and unexpected. But it faded as quickly as it came, replaced by something deeper.
Pride.
There she was, standing tall, confident, and radiant. Her eyes sparkled under the lights, and even through the screen, I could see the hard work, the dedication, the passion that brought her to this moment. This was her success, her triumph. And I was proud. So proud.
It hit me like a wave.
Yes. I miss her. I miss this woman I've never met, this woman I've never touched. And it doesn't matter that we're strangers, because my heart knows her. Somehow, it knows her.
That evening, I did something I hadn't done in a weekâI went live on TikTok.
I sat in my room, the familiar glow of the ring light illuminating my face. My heart beat nervously as I adjusted the camera and hit the button to start. Within seconds, comments began pouring in.
"Yoko! We missed you!"
"Finally, a live!"
"Where have you been? We were worried!"
I smiled softly, greeting them all, trying to hide the nervous energy bubbling beneath the surface.
As the live went on, I answered questions, chatted about our recent guesting's, and teased a few upcoming projects. I felt myself relax, slipping back into the familiar rhythm of interacting with my fans.
Then, amidst the flood of comments, one caught my eye.
"Faye is watching."
My breath hitched.
No, it can't be.
I glanced quickly at the viewers list, and there it was. Her name. FayeMalisorn.
She was here. Watching.
My heart raced. I fumbled with my words, trying to keep my composure as more comments flooded in.
"Faye's watching!"
"Is this real?"
"OMG, Yoko, she's here!"
I bit my lip, feeling a mix of excitement and fear. Did she know how much I missed her? Did she know how many times I thought of her this week?
I glanced at the camera, my voice soft. "I see... some of you are mentioning someone is here."
The comments exploded.
"Say hi to Faye!"
"Talk to her!"
"We're waiting!"
I hesitated, my heart pounding louder than ever. The comments were flying by, urging me to say something. Finally, I took a deep breath, glanced at the camera, and with a playful smirk said,
"So... someone here has the time to watch my live but didn't have the time to reply to my DM?"
The comment section exploded.
"Omg, who's she talking about?"
"Spill the tea, Yoko!"
"Who didn't reply to you?"
I leaned in closer to the camera, my eyes gleaming with mischief. "Who am I talking about?" I echoed the question, letting the anticipation build.
"Hmm..." I tapped my chin thoughtfully, then smiled. "Well... whoever I sent the DM to."
The comments erupted again with laughing emojis and wild guesses.
"It's Faye, isn't it?"
"Yoko, you're savage!"
"She better reply now!"
I chuckled softly, my heart still racing. Did she hear me? Did she know it was her? The teasing was light, but beneath it, the longing remained.
The room went quiet.
Yoko leaned back, still smiling, but her eyes scanned the screen as if searching for somethingâor someone. And then, a comment popped up, standing out among the flood of messages.
"Sometimes people don't reply not because they don't want to... but because they're too dumb to notice they have a message."
As soon as Faye's response hit the screen, the comment section exploded with reactions from fans, turning Yoko's live into a frenzy of excitement:
"WAIT. IS THAT REALLY FAYE?!"
"OMG, they're talking directly to each other!"
"Yoko's blushing!!!"
"Faye, you better explain yourself ð¤."
"This feels like a K-drama unfolding in real-time!"
"Yoko x Faye ship is sailing! ð¢ð"
"Faye's playing it cool, but we see you, girl."
"Yoko's not gonna let her off easy, you can tell!"
"Faye and Yoko LIVE interaction?! This is history!"
Yoko glanced at the flood of comments, her smile growing wider by the second. She rested her chin in her hand and tilted her head, her eyes glued to the screen as if waiting for more from Faye.
"Wow, y'all really don't miss anything, huh?" Yoko chuckled softly. "I think some of you might be more excited than me."
"Lies, Yoko, we see that smile!"
"Yoko's face says it all. She's melting!"
"We're living for this tension."
"This is better than any TV show."
Then another comment from Faye appeared: "Guess I'll have to make it up to you, huh?"
The fans went wild again.
"OMG, Faye, don't tease us like that!"
"Yes, you do, Faye! Make it up to her!"
"Yoko is literally glowing right now."
"How is Yoko staying calm?! I would've fainted."
"This is the content we didn't know we needed."
"Yoko, ask her what 'making it up' means! ð"
Yoko bit her lip, clearly enjoying the moment. "Making it up to me, huh?" she said, her voice soft but laced with playful curiosity. "I think I might hold you to that."
"OMG OMG OMG!!!"
"Faye, don't back out now!"
"Yoko's calling her out! ð"
"This is literally making my whole week!"
"WHEN is this happening?! We need details!"
"Hold me to it, then. I don't make promises I don't intend to keep."
The tension in the air was palpable, even through the screen. Yoko leaned closer to her phone, her heart clearly racing, though she maintained her calm exterior.
"Well," Yoko said, smirking slightly, "I guess we'll have to see how dumb you are next time... or if you'll notice sooner."
The fans went absolutely wild:
"OMG SHE WENT THERE!"
"Yoko for the win! ðð¥"
"Faye, you HAVE to respond now!"
"Someone needs to make this a movie ASAP!"
"Maybe I'll notice next time... if you make it worth noticing."
The comment appeared on the screen, and the room went still for a heartbeat.
Yoko's eyes widened slightly as she read it aloud. "If I make it worth noticing?" she repeated, her voice a mix of surprise and intrigue. Her playful smirk faded for a moment, replaced by something deeperâcuriosity, excitement, maybe even longing.
The comment section exploded once again:
"WHAT DOES SHE MEAN?!?!"
"Faye, you smooth operator!!!"
"Is this flirting?? This is FLIRTING."
"Someone call 911, because this live is on fire!!! ð¥"
"Yoko, you HAVE to answer that!"
Yoko leaned closer to the camera, her smile returning, but this time softer, more thoughtful. "Worth noticing, huh?" she murmured, as if testing the words on her tongue. "Careful, Faye. That sounds like a challenge."
Yoko's eyes flicked to the screen, watching every comment, every expression. Her heart thudded in her chest, louder and louder, as she saw her response:
"I don't back down from challenges. Do you?"
Yoko read the comment, her breath hitching slightly. She bit her lip, a spark of determination flashing in her eyes. The comment section erupted again:
"OH MY GOD THIS IS GETTING SERIOUS."
"I CAN'T BREATHE."
"They're literally flirting in front of us. HELP."
"Who's gonna make the first move?!"
Yoko's gaze flickered toward the camera, her expression now unreadable, a mix of anticipation and something elseâsomething deeper. She leaned back slightly, her fingers tapping against the edge of the table as she contemplated her next move.
"Do I back down from challenges?" Yoko repeated softly, her voice a whisper now, as if speaking directly to Faye, directly to the screen.
Then, after a pause that felt like an eternity, Yoko leaned forward, locking eyes with the camera.
"Let's find out."
The live stream suddenly froze.
The creator paused the live.
The screen went black.
The comment section exploded with confusion and panic:
"NOOOOO WHAT HAPPENED?!"
"DID SHE JUST LEAVE US ON A CLIFFHANGER???"
"YOKO COME BACK!"
"THIS CAN'T BE THE END."
Faye's POV:
Faye stared at her screen, her mind racing. Had Yoko ended the live on purpose? Was it a technical issue? Or... was this her way of answering the challenge?
Her thoughts spiraled in a mix of confusion and anticipation, her fingers trembling slightly. Before she could overthink it any further, her phone buzzed with a new notification.
DM from Yoko:
"Let's finish this conversation in private."
Faye's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes locked on the message, reading it over and over again as if to confirm it was real. She barely had time to react when another notification popped up:
Yoko is live again.
Her thumb hovered over the screen for a second before she tapped back into the live.
The comment section had exploded.
"Why did she leave so suddenly?!"
"Yoko, are you okay?"
"What just happened?! We need answers!"
Faye's breath caught as Yoko reappeared on camera, her face lit up with amusement, eyes sparkling as she scrolled through the sea of comments. She let out a soft laugh, the kind that was infectious and captivating all at once.
"Okay, okay, you guys. Calm down," Yoko said, her voice warm and light, though there was a knowing glint in her eyes. She leaned in slightly, as if sharing a secret with thousands of viewers. "I promise, nothing dramatic happened. I just had... something to take care of."
The comment section exploded again:
"Something? Or someone?"
"Who is she texting???"
"Yoko, you're glowing! Spill it!"
"We saw you smile right before the live cutâwho was it?"
Yoko bit her lip, a playful grin spreading across her face. "You're all way too observant," she teased, her voice carrying that familiar blend of charm and mystery. "But seriously, thank you all for tuning in. I love chatting with you guys, but I really have to go now."
The comments came in rapid-fire:
"Nooo, don't leave us hanging!"
"Yoko, we need more details!"
"Come back tomorrow and tell us EVERYTHING."
She laughed again, this time with a hint of something moreâanticipation, perhaps. "I'll see you all tomorrow... if I have the time." Yoko leaned closer to the camera, her voice dropping to a softer, almost conspiratorial tone. "Please take care of yourselves, and I love you all."
With one last smile and a small wave, the screen went dark.
Faye sat in the silence of her room, the glow of her phone the only light. Her heart raced as she opened the DM from Yoko again, rereading it like it was a lifeline.
"Let's finish this conversation in private."
Faye's fingers hovered over the keyboard, a thousand thoughts rushing through her mind. She typed, paused, then deleted. Typed again. But before she could send her reply. another message from Yoko popped.
Yoko: "You're really slow to reply, huh?"
Faye's breath hitched, and a nervous laugh escaped her. She could almost hear Yoko's teasing voice, that playful tone wrapped in the softness she had come to admire.
Faye leaned back against the headboard, her heart pounding louder than ever. She knew this conversation was only just beginningâbut where it would lead, she wasn't sure.
With a deep breath, she began to type, determined not to leave Yoko waiting this time.