There was a heavy silence in the room as I stared blankly at my phone, my thoughts swirling in chaos.
"What happened?" I heard Namtan ask softly from across the room.
I felt Sofia glance at me before she answered. "She ended the live, Ate," she said gently, her tone tinged sadness.
Sonya, sitting beside her, looked just as confused. "Why?" she asked, frowning.
Sofia shook her head sadly. "I don't know... Maybe she was overwhelmed by the gift," she added quietly.
I clenched my eyes shut at her words. It was exactly what I had fearedâthat I'd gone too far, that my actions had overwhelmed her.
Feeling the weight of their gazes on me, I stood abruptly. "I'm going to bed," I muttered, avoiding their eyes.
No one said a word as I made my way to my room. I closed the door behind me, stripped off my clothes, and stepped into the shower.
The water poured over me, but it did little to wash away the frustration. My mind replayed the events of the evening. I cursed under my breath, my fists clenching against the tiled wall.
Did I mess it up?
Earlier that evening, Sonya and Sofia had arrived at the penthouse while Namtan and I were watching a documentary in the living room. They joined us, and not long after, Sofia casually asked, "Ate, do you want to see Yoko's TikTok live again?"
I was caught off guard. "She's live now?" I asked, turning to Sonya, who was smiling sheepishly.
Sofia nodded. "Yes... and, well, I might've hinted that you might join the live."
My eyes widened. "Why would you do that?" I asked softly, trying to keep my tone calm.
Sofia blushed, looking guilty. "I'm sorry, Ate. I can fix it. I'll let them know you're not joining."
"No," I said quickly. "That's not what I meant. I just... Why would you think I'd want to join?"
She hesitated for a moment before replying, "Because Ate Sy and Ate Nam told me you created a TikTok account."
I barely had time to react when Sonya suddenly stood up. "I'm getting water," she announced hurriedly, retreating to the kitchen.
Namtan followed suit, saying, "I think the popcorn's ready."
Sofia laughed at their hasty exits. "Sorry, Ate," she said sheepishly.
"It's okay," I replied, sighing. "But I still don't know how to use it. You'll have to teach me."
Her eyes lit up, and she eagerly moved closer. "Let me see your account!"
I handed her my phone, and she opened the app, showing me how it worked. "This is Yoko's account," she said, pulling up the profile.
My heart skipped a beat when I saw Yoko's bright smile in her profile picture. She had nearly four million followers.
Sofia tapped the Follow button, and Yoko's posts flooded my screen. I scrolled through them, captivated by her energy and charm.
"If Yoko goes live, your phone will notify you," Sofia explained. "Do you want to turn on notifications?"
"Yes," I replied without hesitation.
Sofia grinned and continued to show me more of Yoko's content. I was mesmerized, unable to take my eyes off her.
"If you see a red blinking circle on her profile, it means she's live," Sofia added. "You just click it, and you'll join the stream."
"Do you want to watch her live now?" she asked politely.
Before I could answer, Sonya and Namtan returned with juice and popcorn.
I glanced at them and then back at Sofia. "Okay," I agreed.
As soon as I entered the live, a smile spread across my face. Everyone was watching me.
"What?" I asked, feeling self-conscious.
They laughed. "Let's all watch!" Namtan suggested, settling in with her popcorn.
"Yeah, let's turn off the TV," Sofia said, grinning.
We all joined the live, and almost immediately, I saw a comment with my name on it: Faye has joined the live.
I ignored it, focusing solely on Yoko as she talked and interacted with viewers.
"If you want to comment, just type here and hit send," Sofia whispered, pointing to the comment box. "I even asked her to pin your comment so she'll see it first."
I nodded, still unsure.
A minute passed. Then Sonya teased, "Are you going to comment today or just stare at her until the live ends?"
I shot her a look. "Mind your own business," I muttered, making them all laugh.
Reluctantly, I typed a simple Hi and counted to ten before hitting send.
My comment appeared, highlighted among the flood of messages. Yoko paused, momentarily surprised, before smiling playfully.
"Hi? Hi to who?" she asked, her eyes scanning the screen.
Panicking, I turned to the others. "What should I say?"
They burst out laughing again. Tears streamed from Namtan's eyes as she giggled. "Sorry, Boss, but that was hilarious. And you asking us what to say? Even better!"
I pouted. "You shouldn't talk."
Sonya wiped her tears. "Faye Malisorn," she said, smirking. "You talk to billionaires, celebrities, and politicians every day. You can talk to Yoko."
I sighed and typed again: To anyone who says hi back.
I barely noticed the comment section flooded with comments
Yoko's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Hi back," she said, teasing.
I grinned, and the girls around me erupted into laughter.
"This is better than any GL series I've ever watched," Sofia quipped.
As we continued watching, I noticed a heart sticker appear on Yoko's face, followed by a virtual bear.
"What's that?" I asked.
"Gifts from fans," Sofia explained. "If you want to support her or get noticed, you can send one too."
Curious, I checked the gift options. My eyes landed on the most expensive oneâthe Universe. Without hesitation, I purchased it.
Sofia's eyes widened. "She's buying the Universe," she whispered to Sonya.
"I knew it," Namtan said, smirking.
I sent the gift. Yoko's expression shifted to shock, and I couldn't look away. The comment section went wild.
I saw Yoko's stunned face as she whispered, almost to herself, "What are you doing? Why... why are you sending me a Universe gift?"
Instead of answering, I sent another. And then another.
Yoko finally looked at the screen, her voice trembling. "Ms. CEO, please stop! These gifts are expensive! Why... why are you sending me this?"
I quickly typed a message: Because you deserve the Universe.
Her eyes glistened with emotion as she reached for her phone... and the screen abruptly went black. Live has ended.
I stepped out of the shower, still replaying her reaction in my mind, when a knock sounded on my door.
Sighing, I opened it. Sonya entered, her face full of concern. "Are you okay?"
I smiled sadly. "I don't think so."
She walked closer and hugged me. "Of course you're not. But you will be."
I pulled away, shaking my head. "I didn't mean to overwhelm her. I just... I wanted to see her smile. I didn't mean for it to be a big deal."
"I know," Sonya said gently. "And I don't think she's mad. Just overwhelmed, like you. Give it time."
"Maybe," I murmured. "I don't think I can face her right now."
"That's okay," Sonya assured me. "Sleep it off. Tomorrow's a new day. Work will distract you, and you'll figure it out when you're ready."
I nodded, thanking her as she left.
I didn't check my phone. I couldn't. Instead, I grabbed a beer from my mini-fridge and stepped onto the balcony, my thoughts consumed by Yoko.
Four beers later, I stumbled to bed, exhaustion finally pulling me under. But even as I closed my eyes, her face lingered in my mind.