Fate's Unexpected Twist

Film couldn't stop thinking about what she saw. She was sure it was Namtan entering that restaurant, the familiar silhouette of her walk, the way she laughed with the girl beside her. Yet the timing didn't make sense. Just two weeks ago, Namtan had posted a photo with Oaey - there was no mention of New York. It made her heart race, but also filled her with uncertainty.

Sitting across from Kiera in her penthouse, Film ran her hands through her hair in frustration.

"I'm telling you, I saw her. I'm not imagining it."

Kiera raised an eyebrow. "Okay, let's say it was her. What are you going to do about it?"

Film hesitated, biting her lip. "I don't know. She was with someone."

Kiera sighed, pouring herself a glass of water. "You're doing that thing again where you overthink everything. Just because she was with someone doesn't mean she's suddenly unavailable to talk to. You have something with her, Film. You know that."

"And I ruined it," Film muttered, looking down at her hands. "I don't think she wants to hear from me anymore. I'm afraid... What if she's moved on?"

"And what if she hasn't?" Kiera countered. "Look, you've been spiraling ever since you saw that post of hers with Oaey. You're clearly still in love with her. Why are you so afraid of taking a step forward? What do you have to lose at this point?"

Film opened her mouth to argue but closed it again, unable to come up with a response. Kiera leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

"Here's the thing, Film: if you don't try, you'll regret it forever. At least talk to her—clear the air. Whether it leads to something new or not, that's a decision for both of you to make."

Film remained silent, her mind racing. The fear of rejection clashed with the longing she had buried for so long.

Kiera gave her a reassuring smile. "Anyway, are you ready? Let's talk about this again when we get back, okay?"

They were attending a high-profile fashion show that night, with Film as an exclusive guest. Taking a deep breath, she stole one last glance at herself in the mirror, adjusting a few delicate strands of hair. With a resolute nod to Kiera, they stepped out of her penthouse and into the awaiting night.

---

The room buzzed with energy as Film and Kiera made their way through the fashion show. Designers, models, and celebrities mingled under the dazzling lights, creating an atmosphere of luxury and glamor.

Film was distracted, her mind still on Namtan. Kiera noticed her distant expression and nudged her playfully. "Hey, try to focus. We're here for work, remember?"

"Yeah, sorry," Film mumbled, forcing a smile.

As they navigated through the bustling crowd, Film suddenly collided with someone. Instinctively, she reached out to steady the person, and when she looked down, she found herself staring into a pair of wide, astonished eyes.

"Oh my god," the girl gasped, blinking rapidly. "You're Film Rachanun."

Film recognized her immediately—it was the same girl she had seen yesterday with Namtan. The girl looked utterly starstruck, her mouth opening and closing as if she couldn't believe she was standing face to face with her idol.

"Are you okay?" Film asked, offering a polite smile.

The girl nodded quickly, her cheeks flushing. "Yes, yes, I'm fine. Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going. Wow, I can't believe I just bumped into you. By the way, I'm Claire." She let out a nervous laugh.

Film studied her carefully—this was her chance. "Hi Claire, I'm Film. Sorry to ask, but I think I saw you yesterday with someone. Were you with... Namtan?"

Claire blinked in surprise. "Oh, you know Namtan?" Then, almost as an afterthought, she mumbled under her breath, "Of course, she does. She's Faye's friend."

Film's pulse quickened. "Yeah, I know her," she replied, striving to keep her voice steady. She felt a familiar warmth rising to her cheeks at the mention of Faye but brushed it aside. By now, she was certain everyone knew she was Faye's ex. "Is she in New York?"

Claire hesitated, clearly weighing how much to reveal. "Yeah, she's here. She's actually my boss. We're working on expanding our office in New York."

Film's heart pounded in her chest. She hadn't been imagining things after all. "Is she with you tonight?"

"No, she's at our apartment. She wasn't feeling well, so she stayed in," the girl explained. She seemed to relax a bit, then added curiously, "Do you want me to call her?" She raised an eyebrow, noticing how the world-famous celebrity in front of her was blushing at the mere mention of Namtan.

Film swallowed, unsure of how to proceed. She wanted to ask where they lived but sensed the girl's cautiousness. Instead, she offered, "Uh, no... but do you think I could see her? Maybe set up an appointment at the office?"

The girl tilted her head, clearly weighing her options. "Uh, sure. She'll probably be there tomorrow. But, uh, you're Film Rachanun—you don't really need an appointment. You can just drop by anytime; she's usually in the office." She smiled, reaching into her pouch and handing Film a business card with the office address.

"Thank you," Film said sincerely, taking the card with a small, grateful nod.

The girl smiled shyly. "No problem. It's kind of surreal meeting you like this. I'm a huge fan. Faye is actually my boss's boss, and I knew you were her ex..." she trailed off in a whisper, as if unsure whether she should say it, but the words were already out.

Kiera, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward with a warm smile, extending her hand. "Hi, I'm Kiera, Film's manager. Thanks for helping us out."

"You're most welcome. Nice to meet you," the girl said, shaking Kiera's hand. "I should get back to my friends. Enjoy the show."

As she walked away, Film stared down at the business card in her hand, her heart racing with anticipation and uncertainty.

"See?" Kiera said with a smirk. "Fate's giving you a second chance. Don't blow it."

"I don't know if I can do this," Film whispered.

"You can. Tomorrow, you're going to that office, and you're going to talk to her," Kiera said firmly. "No more running, Film."

Film nodded slowly, still uncertain but knowing that she couldn't keep avoiding this forever. Seeing Namtan again had stirred too many emotions, and now, destiny was giving her an opening she couldn't ignore.

---

Film paced back and forth in her apartment, too restless to sleep. She glanced at the clock on the wall—5:30 AM. Only a few more hours until Namtan's office opened, and she could finally see her. Her heart raced just thinking about it. After months of longing and regret, she was finally close enough to reach out.

Before she could indulge in another round of anxious thoughts, her phone buzzed. It was Kiera.

"Morning, superstar," Kiera greeted, her tone unusually serious. "Listen, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we've got an early call for the series today. Technical issues with that last scene—we need to reshoot it."

Film groaned in frustration, running a hand through her hair. "Now? Of all days?"

"I know, I know," Kiera said sympathetically. "I can hear it in your voice—you were planning to go see her, right?"

Film sank into a chair, defeated. "Yeah. I was ready. I didn't want to wait any longer, but now..."

"Look, Film," Kiera said gently, "I get it—you're scared you'll lose your nerve. But it's not like you only have this one chance. Namtan is in New York for work. You'll find a way to see her."

"But what if I chicken out again? What if I overthink everything and convince myself it's better to leave her alone?"

Kiera sighed. "You've been running from this for too long. You already bumped into her colleague, for God's sake. That's the universe throwing you a lifeline! Just... go do the reshoot, get it over with, and when you're done, head straight to her office. No more excuses."

Film hesitated, then finally muttered, "Fine. But if I lose my nerve later, this is on you."

"Deal," Kiera said with a smile in her voice. "Good luck with the reshoot. You'll be fine."

---

Claire burst into the office with her usual boundless energy, practically glowing with excitement. A coffee in one hand and a pastry in the other, she radiated enthusiasm as she breezed through the door.

"Morning, boss!" she chirped cheerfully.

Namtan, already seated at her desk, looked up with a tired but polite smile. Despite feeling under the weather, she had dragged herself into the office early, determined to tackle the growing pile of work demanding her attention. Normally, Claire's infectious energy would lift her spirits, but today, the exhaustion weighed too heavily on her.

Claire plopped down into the chair across from Namtan without waiting for an invitation, her eyes gleaming mischievously. "Guess who I saw last night at the event?" she asked, barely containing her excitement.

Namtan, not particularly interested, raised an eyebrow out of courtesy. "Who?"

My idol! The famous "Film Rachanun," Claire announced, her voice practically buzzing. "And not just a quick sighting—she actually talked to me. Oh, and get this, she asked about you!"

Namtan's fingers froze mid-typing, a sudden rush of heat flooding her chest—not from her fever, but from something far more unsettling. She had known Film was in the same city, but New York was vast, crowded. The chances of running into her seemed slim, almost impossible. And yet, here was Claire, saying Film had asked about her, just like that—so casually, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. But to Namtan, it was anything but normal. Her heart pounded abnormally in her chest.

"She... she asked about me?" Namtan echoed, her voice faltering slightly.

Claire, oblivious to the tension she had stirred, leaned forward with a grin. "Yep! She seemed surprised to see me, but the moment she did, she asked about you. It was kind of intense, honestly. I think she might be planning to drop by today."

Namtan's pulse quickened, and she felt the walls closing in around her. She tried to keep her expression neutral, but the mention of Film sent a tidal wave of emotions crashing over her—fear, longing, regret. Very few people knew about her past with Film. Only Faye, Yoko, and Sonya knew the full story. Claire, despite her good nature and nosy tendencies, had been kept in the dark. Namtan had wanted to protect herself from the questions, from the judgment, from the memories that she had buried so deep.

"She's coming today?" Namtan asked, her voice a careful mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Well, she didn't exactly say that," Claire admitted, twirling a strand of her hair. "But it felt like she wanted to. She seemed... determined. Like she really wanted to see you." She tilted her head, adding curiously, "By the way, I didn't know you two knew each other."

"We didn't," Namtan said too quickly, her tone sharper than intended. Realizing her mistake, she cleared her throat and added more evenly, "I mean, not personally. I knew her because of Faye."

Claire studied her for a moment, clearly unconvinced but too polite to press the issue. "Well, whatever it is, I thought you'd want to know. It's not every day a Hollywood star asks about someone in our office."

"Thanks for telling me," Namtan said quietly, attempting a smile but failing to hide the unease in her voice.

Claire's smile faded slightly as she noticed the tension in Namtan's posture. "Hey... are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Namtan replied, though her voice wavered slightly. "I just... wasn't expecting this."

Claire frowned, her concern deepening. "I don't mean just that. You don't look so great, and you were already feeling sick yesterday. I think you still have a fever."

"I'm fine now," Namtan murmured, brushing it off. "It's just a little lingering fatigue. Nothing serious."

Claire didn't look convinced but decided to drop the subject. "Okay, but if you're not feeling well later, promise me you'll go home early. You won't be much help to anyone if you push yourself too hard."

"I'll be fine, really," Namtan insisted, though inwardly, she felt anything but fine.

"All right," Claire said, standing up and smoothing her skirt. "I'll leave you to your work, but if she does show up, please call me—or at least give me a full report afterward!" She winked playfully before heading out of the office.

Left alone, Namtan exhaled slowly, resting her head in her hands. The idea of seeing Film again stirred a mix of emotions she wasn't ready to face. Hope, fear, longing, and pain all swirled within her. Part of her wished Film would come, that they could talk and maybe find closure—or something else. But another part dreaded the encounter. What if it reopened wounds she had barely managed to close?

She had barely settled in—just three days in New York—and already, everything felt overwhelming. The exhaustion from weeks of non-stop work, coupled with the unexpected emotional turbulence, was finally catching up to her.

Hours dragged on, each tick of the clock tightening the knots in her stomach. Every time the door opened, her heart leapt, only to sink again when it wasn't Film. By late evening, the office had emptied, leaving only Namtan, still waiting, though she knew deep down Film wasn't coming.

Claire had long since left, urging her to go home and rest, but she had stayed, clinging to a faint hope. As she gathered her things and reached the door, she paused, glancing back at the empty room. She had been so sure Film would come.

Why hadn't she?

A part of her felt foolish for waiting. Another part felt hurt—deeply hurt. She had hoped that maybe, just maybe, Film was finally ready to stop running.

But tonight, that hope felt more distant than ever.