Chapter 18 #2
PrinceGiftizreal @RabbitSpinshppr: What do you bet that Prince gave Gift the watch?
Yaoi_lover @Gunwookiesgrl: Prifters are seriously deranged. Don’t fall for that crap. I swear, they’re the craziest fan group out there, and that’s saying a lot.
PrinceGiftizreal @RabbitSpinshppr: There’s no way that can be a coincidence.
Join us on the Prifter thread, and I’ll show you other stuff we’ve noticed.
Someone posted a photo of them at a restaurant recently.
It’s kind of dark, but it’s them. You can tell by the way Prince is sitting.
And three weeks ago, they both wore a white shirt with a black collar on the SAME DAY!
Another sign to us die-hard Prifters. They’re together.
RabbitSpinshppr: I’m crying! (five crying face emojis)
I remember hearing about how Prince was discovered having a moment with some other actor in a shipped couple when they were on Love Lounge, an SPPT show where SPPT couples spend a week in a house together, playing games and being filmed the whole time.
I’m pretty sure that scandal shut the show down.
I watched a few episodes to get a feel for the boys’ love industry, but I didn’t see the episode.
I did find a clip of it. I never would have noticed what the fans immediately did, though.
The backlash ruined Prince’s career and forced Gift to have to get another partner—Daeng.
The other actor involved in the scandal—I can’t remember his name—was able to lay low for a while and get through relatively unscathed.
I think someone else was fired, too, for spreading rumors.
It was the death of Love Lounge, as bl actors obviously can’t be trusted being filmed live.
Shaking my head at the crazy fans out there, I rub my eyes before looking at the screen again, skipping over the arguing that comes after a Dift fan insists Daeng and Gift are a real couple now. Seeing no more about me and Noi, I leave the website.
Sometimes I worry about the negatives that come with being in the industry; but, on the whole, I think the positives outweigh them.
I don’t want anything bad to affect Noi, though, which is the reason I’ve started checking these sites.
I want to be prepared and have P’Sign handle anything negative as soon as it pops up.
I pull up Rainbow TV’s website. Noi and I already noticed our pictures have been added there with the rest of the actors’. We had a publicity photo shoot recently and they used shots from that.
“Sud,” Noi says.
I look up from my phone. He’s staring at his phone.
“Look at what Rainbow TV just posted on Instagram!”
I quickly go to the company’s Instagram profile where eight pictures of me and Noi have been posted, all from the recent photoshoot.
I’m shocked at how good we look. Both dressed in dark pants and pastel shirts—Noi’s pale pink and mine mint green—with our hair and makeup flawless, we could be models for a magazine.
The poses are all romantic, our arms draped lazily around each other, our bodies pressed together.
The photos have already garnered thousands of comments, and I brace myself in case what they have to say isn’t good, but all I see are people exclaiming what a gorgeous couple we are and how they can’t wait for the series. I look at the pictures again, trying to see us through others’ eyes.
I’m about as polished as I can get, and I have to admit the green shirt against my skin, which is darker than Noi’s, is a nice contrast. Noi is almost unrecognizable.
When I tell him he’s good-looking, I’m not just saying it.
With his patrician features, pale skin, round eyes, long, straight nose, and full mouth, people always notice him; yet, he can’t see it.
But faced with these photographs, I’m beginning to think I’ve never really looked at him objectively until this moment.
It’s no wonder he has so many admirers both at school and now on social media.
I especially like the shot of him smiling, genuinely amused at something I’m whispering in his ear.
There’s one photo where we’re standing, forehead to forehead, fingers of both hands laced together, that makes something leap deep in my chest.
Glancing at Noi, I can see he’s definitely equal parts shocked and embarrassed.
My phone buzzes in my hand with a text notification from my mother.
The photos of you on Instagram are beautiful!
I laugh. “That was fast.”
“What?” Noi asks just as his phone buzzes.
“Since when is she on Instagram?” he asks, looking at his message.
I tap out a text, asking Mae how she saw them, and she quickly replies.
I made an account so I could see what Rainbow TV posts about my boys!
I read it to Noi, and he smiles. Then his phone buzzes.
“Pah is texting me,” he says.
He’s called my parents Mae and Pah practically since the day he moved in with us for good. Since his parents have never been there for him, we all encouraged it. But I don’t think of Noi as a brother. It’s not that we’re less, just not brothers.
Looking up, I study Noi as he taps out a message to Pah.
“Do you feel like my brother?” I ask him when he finishes.
Noi frowns. “What?”
“I mean, Mae and Pah think of you as their son, and Ten considers you a brother. But, somehow, calling you my brother doesn’t feel right to me,” I say. “I don’t mean that in a bad way. There’s no one I’m closer to than you. But the word ‘brother’ doesn’t fit. You know?”
“If I thought of you as a brother, I wouldn’t be doing bl with you.”
Another message comes in on his phone.
“Mae again?” I ask.
Noi shakes his head, and I notice his ears are red. “Pah says that next thing he knows, we’ll be getting married,” Noi says, cheeks going pink. “He’s ridiculous.”
A dozen possible reactions to that statement flit through my mind, most of them dismissive or flippant. What I end up saying surprises me.
“You never know.”
Noi ducks his head, avoiding my gaze. A flood of warmth spreads through me, and I have to look away, too.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to say something snide about P’Wisit, like I wonder what your boyfriend would have to say about that, just to test the waters, but I know if I start doing things like that, I won’t be able to stop, and we’ll fight again. So, I leave the subject alone.
Later, when I’m at home, Pah calls me.
“How is work going?” he asks.
“Okay so far,” I say. Ford is making a lot of noise in the kitchen, so I move to my bedroom to talk, shutting the door behind me.
“Those photos of you and Mee Noi certainly are good. It was kind of odd seeing you like that, though. You and Mee Noi aren’t finding it difficult acting in a romance together?” he asks.
“Not really. I told you before that I’m comfortable with him.”
“I remember. I just want to make sure it’s playing out like you thought it would. Do you think Mee Noi’s okay with it?”
“Why wouldn’t he be?” I ask, frowning.
“You know he’s not as advanced as you are in the relationship department. You’ve had several girlfriends, but he hasn’t had any, or am I wrong?”
“No, he hasn’t. He tried to deny it, but I’m pretty sure our kiss in the audition was his first.”
“I was afraid of as much.”
“What do you mean? He didn’t mind doing it. It went fine, and I told you before that he’s the one who insisted we needed to do it for the audition. And we’ve had to kiss a lot more since then.”
“I’m just afraid he’ll bury his feelings. You know, act like he’s fine all the time when, really, this is a lot.”
“I know, but I think it’s going okay.”
“You know he’s always worshipped you, Sud.”
“I think Noi sees me pretty realistically, actually. He recently told me I act like a three-year-old kid.”
That makes Pah laugh. I go on to tell him about Noi’s method acting and about the day he had the panic attack. I’m not surprised that it worries him, but I can’t keep it from him.
“It’s okay. We made up quickly.”
“You and Mee Noi are exceptionally close. You’ve been there for each other through thick and thin.” Pah pauses. “Mee Noi may not be dating, but he’s bound to be sexually aware now, what if he—“
“Stop right there,” I say. “That is not happening.”
“How do you know, Sud? You aren’t in his head. Mee Noi isn’t like you. He’s much more sensitive. I’m just giving you a gentle reminder to stay aware of his feelings, that’s all. Actors catch feelings for each other all the time due to the way they have to embody their characters.”
“I’m always aware of his feelings,” I say. “And, anyway. I think Mee Noi has a boyfriend.”
Pah is silent a moment before saying, “A boyfriend? Really?”
“Yeah. There’s this guy a year ahead of us who obviously likes him, and I’m pretty sure they’ve gone out a few times.”
“Why don’t you know for sure? Doesn’t Mee Noi talk to you?”
“We’ve always drawn a line about discussing our relationships. At least, Noi’s drawn a line. He’s not comfortable with it. Honestly, I’m not sure I am, either.”
Pah hums to himself. I quickly change the subject to lighter things, and we talk for a while longer before I give an excuse for needing to hang up.