Work Text:
After our last filming of Ploy’s Yearbook series, I drive back to my house to freshen up for our farewell dinner party with all the Snap25 crew and our fellow co-stars that have been working hard since the beginning of the filming at a restaurant that was reserved by our director.
Arriving at the place, many people that I recognise as the staff are already there, chatting and laughing like they have never seen each other for a long time. I quickly greet everyone and scan the place for the one person I've been close with for a while now, and see her sitting at the table located at the corner of the room with Joong, her partner on screen, at her right. I quickly went to her seat, intending to sit next to her. Even though my on-screen partner, Earth, aka my best friend, called for me to sit next to him, I still made my way to her.
Film, who was previously busy talking with Joong and did not even notice my arrival, quickly looked up when she heard my name being called and smiled brightly at me like a delighted cat getting its first toy. She opened her arms widely, asking for a hug, a gesture she always did when she see me I grow fond of and always look forward to when I knew I'd meet her later in the day. Me, being the simp everyone labels me as, is more than happy to wrap my arms tightly around her.
“Is this seat taken?” I asked her after our little greeting.
“No, I saved it for you.” She said with a sweet smile on her face.
Her reply surprised me, as I never thought someone as reserved and shy as Film would want me to sit next to her despite there’s a high chance that I’ll be sitting next to my partner since this series is not about us.
“What makes you think that I'll sit here?” I asked her and sat down.
“You don’t want to?” She replied back with a hint of hesitation in her voice.
“I’m just kidding. Thanks for saving me a seat though, or else I would cry my eyes out because I can’t sit beside you.”
Hearing that she laughed softly, and I can confidently say that I succeeded in diverting her attention from Joong to me completely.
During the entire time, we talk and eat, and I sometimes tease and flirt with her a bit like I normally do. Some of the staff and my co-stars are singing, while others are dancing wildly, creating a lively atmosphere in the room. Some are still eating at their table and chatting, and some are walking from one table to another to clink their glasses of wine to celebrate the success of the series' production.
After we finished eating, the director attracted everyone’s attention in the room by standing up and expressing his gratitude and appreciation for all the crew staff as well as the main actors, including me, Film, and other actors, for their devotion to this series. Of course, me and others have to give our speeches too.
It was now my turn to express my appreciation and thankfulness to everyone. I start off with a joke as usual.
“Goodnight everyone, my name is Tipnaree Weerawatnodom, aka Namtan, aka the national footballer Narubadin Weerawatnodom’s little sister, also the sugar that everyone can’t live without." I raised my right hand with only my thumb and index finger out to rest it just below my chin and made a ‘proud’ face that made everyone laugh, including the girl that stood beside me.
“First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone that has taken care of us this whole journey, and I’m really grateful to be part of this too. Thanks to my partner, Earth, for being considerate and guiding me whenever I’m struggling to act on my character, as well as to my four Ploys, Jimmy, Joong, Toy, and Mond, for their dedication to this series.”
“Also, thanks to Film,” I said while turning to face her with a smile on my face and everyone starts to make a teasing sound, like every time I flirt or stand close to her.
“Thanks for making this more enjoyable and bearable for me. Thanks for always cheering me up when I’m struggling or stressed. I really appreciate that. It makes me feel like my cat loves me back. ” I let out a joke before this got more emotional for me: “Finally, goodbye, Ploy Kit; see you, Ai/Aum and Metawee." I finished my speech with a small hug from my cute kitten, Film.
After the speech session, I dance, drink, and sing happily with everyone at the front of the room. When I was dancing, I felt a pair of eyes on me, so I looked around the room and met Film’s soft gaze, looking at me lovingly. I smile and walk to Joong’s seat, as mine had already been taken by someone while I was having fun.
“What?”, I asked.
“Nothing.” She shrugged like she didn’t just make my heart skip a beat.
I make a confused face and pour myself a glass of water to fill up my energy for my next dancing session, which I’ll drag Film with me. Suddenly I feel a soft lip on my left cheek, and I know who did this. It was short, but I felt like everything around us was in slow motion. I turn to my left, and as expected, I see Film smiling at me softly. I immediately know that Film is in her Ploy Saeb mode, the stubborn and bold mode, because she wouldn’t dare to do that, especially not in this crowded room.
“What was that?” I asked while touching the cheek she kissed me.
“Can’t I kiss you?” She said with a blushed face, and at this moment I know that Ploy Saeb mode is off again.
“Aww! Who said you couldn't? I was just curious. What made you do this when a week ago I made a ‘kiss-me’ face for that challenge and you shy away?” I replied while wiggling my eyebrows.
“I don’t know either,” she said with her cat voice. “I just did it without thinking much."
“Okay though. But can I get another one on this side too?” I tease her by showing her my right-side cheek. She smiles shyly while showing me her beautiful whisker dimples, which I came to love so much.
“My little one” I said and smiled back, giving her the same heart eyes that she’s giving me now and caressing her head.
At that moment, we seemed to get lost in each other’s eyes until we heard an ‘ahem’ sound from someone. We break the staring contest we didn’t know we held and look around to see P’bee and some people in the room looking while giving us a teasing look that made me and especially Film turn red from embarrassment.
“Heyy, what’s that stain on your cheek?” P’bee asked me teasingly.
“A cat scratch” I replied while smiling proudly and lowkey showing off the kiss mark I know is visible.
Hearing my reply, everyone in the room, including P’bee, the captain of our ship, asked jokingly, “Who’s the cat?” “Where’s the cat? I don’t see them anywhere.” “Why are you smiling so wide when a cat just scratches you?”.
These teasing questions left my little one a blushing mess hiding behind me, and I looked at her blushing face adorably, which triggered some more teasing sounds around us once again.
When the dinner party ended, I said bye to everyone and left the restaurant with Film. I have to drive her home today because she came here by taxi and it’s already late, so it’s safer if I take her home even though our house is in a different direction. At first, she refused my ride and said she would go home with Joong as their house is in the same direction, and Joong has offered her a ride too, but after that peck, I can’t just let her go like that, and I also want to stay with her a little longer because I won’t be able to meet her for quite a while due to our busy schedule until we start the filming of Pluto.
Reaching my car, as the gentlewoman I am, I open the door for her and bow playfully like a guard bow to the princess when they open and close the door for royalty. Entering the driver's side, I quickly take my phone out of my bag and open the camera app to take a photo of the ‘cat scratch’ while the ‘cat’ is staring curiously and shyly at what I was doing.
On the way to her house, I try to take the shyness out of her that’s been lingering around her since the ‘accident’ at the party by making small talk and some jokes with her. However, every time she talked by turning her face to me, her shyness came rushing back when she saw the ‘cat scratch’ that I refused to wipe off. I let out a small laugh every time that happened. That night, I drove back to my house with a big smile on my face, even though it’s been a long, tiring day after a long time.