Within the spaces

Episode 12

Faye had been busy all day. While the festive season meant no shoots, it also gave her the rare opportunity to catch up on work at her salon. Between managing her fixed clientele and organizing things before the holidays, she barely had time to breathe. Tomorrow, the salon would finally be closed for Christmas, and she planned to meet some friends she hadn't seen in a while.

Faye didn't like sitting idle. She loved her work-it wasn't just her livelihood but also her joy. The hustle gave her purpose and energy, and she'd built her well-being around it. But her dedication also meant she wouldn't do anything she didn't truly enjoy. Life was too short to spend on things that didn't make her happy.

By the time she left the salon, exhaustion had settled in her bones. Still, it was Christmas Eve, and she'd promised her friends she'd join them for dinner. She got ready in a cozy red cardigan, a crisp white shirt, and blue jeans. Picking up Sunny, her fluffy little dog, she drove to her friends' place.

As she glanced in the rearview mirror, she laughed softly to herself. The red cardigan made her look like Santa Claus. "Might as well wear a hat," she murmured, adjusting her hair.

Her friends' home was warm and inviting, filled with laughter and the smell of roasted food. Faye felt a sense of ease as they chatted, glasses of wine in hand. Her friends, who had been together for years, excitedly shared their plans to get married.

Faye was genuinely thrilled for them. She'd always been a romantic, dreaming of a wife, kids, and a home filled with love. She almost had it all figured out once, but life had other plans. Beneath her cheerful exterior, a longing stirred-an ache for someone to greet her when she came home.

She worked hard and prided herself on her independence, but a small part of her yearned for a partner to share the load. Someone who could gently tell her when to pause, when to keep going. She loved her freedom but wouldn't mind giving up a piece of it for someone truly special.

Yet, love felt complicated. She wasn't sure if anyone could truly understand the messy maze of her inner world. The thought of opening her heart again, only to risk expectations, heartbreak, or rejection, made her hesitate. It was easier to keep everything tidy, to bottle up her feelings and live with loneliness rather than risk the pain.

So, she drank her wine and resolved to call a taxi later.

As the evening unfolded, the conversation meandered from one topic to another. Faye updated her friends about her salon, her shoots, and the series she was working on. When she explained the plot and her role, her friends burst into laughter.
"You're playing that character?" one of them said, barely holding back tears of amusement.

"Yes, yes, laugh all you want," Faye said, rolling her eyes but smiling. "But if you think my character is funny, wait until you see Aneung." She chuckled, her thoughts drifting to Yoko. "What's even funnier is how much Yoko is like her character. I swear, she's not acting-she's just being herself!" She recalled some incidents from the set when Yoko was all over the place.

Her friends doubled over with laughter. "So, you've got yourself an entertainer on set, P'Faye?" one of them teased.

"Oh, definitely. She's a total nuisance-but an adorable one," Faye admitted, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

"Adorable? You mean cute?" her friend asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You know what I mean," Faye said, her cheeks warming slightly. "She's just... an adorable nong."

The group laughed again, and Faye joined in, though her thoughts lingered on Yoko. She imagined the younger woman's reaction if she ever overheard this conversation-probably some dramatic, teasing retort that would leave everyone in stitches.

Faye chuckled to herself. Yoko really was something else. And though she didn't say it aloud, there was a warmth in her heart whenever she thought about her. It was then she realized she hadn't heard back from Yoko. She must be asleep, Faye thought with a small smile.

The taxi ride home felt longer than usual, and by the time she stepped inside, the clock read 3 AM. Too drained to make it to her bed, she collapsed onto the sofa, falling asleep almost instantly.