Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

That’s it? He just got up and left? 

Luna scrunched her nose and mumbled to herself, this was not what she expected from her Introduction to Documentary Filmmaking class. The course instructor, a gaunt looking man in a gray twill sweater and black hipster square-eyed spectacles hopped off from the raised platform and exited the small auditorium leaving a group of confused students. They were a couple of weeks into class discussing the syllabus and the class project and the instructor simply left them to fend for themselves. He simply murmured that “you will find many things online but if you need me during the process, see me at my office” and then walked out like everything was self-explanatory. 

Identity, Personal, Introspective, these were the words that he wrote on the board. 

Luna tapped the tip of her ballpoint pen on the surface of her notebook. The end of her pen was chewed on, a nasty habit that she developed whenever she was nervous. She stared at the words that she wrote down, something autobiographical. However, in her eighteen years of life, she doesn’t think there’s anything interesting enough to tell so far. In a nutshell, she grew up in a happy household with a single parent who simply allowed her to be whoever she wanted to be. Her mother is currently a painter but she used to be famous, well, that’s one interesting thing about Luna, her mother. There was a decade when everyone knew Bambi Yanin, daughter of a prolific designer, a socialite, talented, and charismatic. Her mother’s face used to be flashed in LED boards downtown, plastered on beauty products, and lit up on every screen on whatever day her dramas aired. Though the Yanin name doesn’t resonate much to many of the younger people nowadays, Luna still gets asked whether she is related to the once famous actor and model. Some of her professors recall her last name and remembered her mother fondly but that’s about it. Also, there is a stark contrast between Luna and her mother’s image. As a celebrity, her mother always dressed feminine, donned in designer outfits, she always beamed at her audience, and was known for her natural skin tone, her warm honey skin. Luna indeed inherited that honey glow but she appeared to be less feminine, sporting an undercut pixie with sky blue highlights. She wore baggy clothes, a loose black hoodie and oversized boyfriend jeans. 

Still confused about how she will tackle her project, Luna packed her things in her backpack and exited the auditorium. She was deep in thought, looking down at the carpeted floor until someone intentionally bumped into her. 

“Why do you look so down?” Annie, her girlfriend, wrapped her arm over Luna’s shoulder. She was dressed in an A-line summer dress with paisley patterns. Her dark cropped cut short hair framed her defined jawline that made her look stern yet soft at the same time. 

If there’s one thing that made university more interesting is that Annie is also in the Faculty of Performing Arts and Film. However, Annie is majoring in acting and directing while Luna is in the film department. They had somehow figured out a way to sync their schedules despite being in different classes in the semester. Luna, true to her name, was more moonlight, contemplative and headstrong and Annie was definitely sunshine, positive and brilliant. They were living their best lives at the moment, being high school sweethearts and now, roommates in a shared apartment off campus. 

“Mr. Thor gave this class project and he just expects us to work independently throughout the semester.” Luna huffed. 

“Well, look on the bright side, you can focus on production and there would be no boring lectures for you!” Annie remarked. 

“If only I already knew what to do. I was looking forward to learning more about storytelling and camera techniques,” Luna released an exasperated sigh. 

“Well, I can help. What is it about, anyway?” Annie offered as they strolled towards the mess hall. 

“An autobiography of sorts, identity, self, heritage, a documentary.” Luna explained curtly. 

“That sounds interesting, why aren’t you excited? We can do a genealogy or investigate how you came to be!” Annie pointed out. “I used to watch a documentary where a celebrity found out that they were related to some serial killer! An autobiography would be interesting but you can include other people’s points of view!” 

Luna pondered about it for a while - Annie was right, this could be a perfect opportunity to learn more about the past, a topic that her mom often evaded or simply gave cryptic answers to. “Do you think mom would help me this time?” Luna thought out loud. 

“She’s been retired for quite a while, maybe she’ll talk more now. It’s a school project, she should support your academic progress.” Annie was very much aware of Luna’s mom’s isolation. 

“She might not appreciate being presented in the public eye once again.” Luna was cautious, her past career had always been a sore topic for mother, she would rather be known as Bambi the painter and not Bambi the actor. 

“What public eye? Chances are there would be less than twenty people during the screening and that includes your panel.” Annie countered. 

“Yeah, you’re right, I should ask her later.” Luna felt that they had arrived at a resolution. At least, she tries to be hopeful for her own sake. “How about you? How was your class?” She held on to Annie’s arm. 

“Oh, right! I almost forgot to tell you! This is what I was excited about before I saw your glum face.” Annie beamed. “Professor Praew had a medical emergency and needed to take a leave, guess who took over my Voice and Movement for Screen class?” 

“Who?” Luna honestly had no clue. 

“Professor Pariyakorn Roongruengsook!” Annie proclaimed with a slight bow. “I’ll be learning from the best!” 

“Oh, she’s the best because you have a low-key crush on her.” Luna jested. 

“I do not have a crush on Professor Prim, I only have eyes for you!” Annie lifted Luna’s jaw with her forefinger. “I just heard from the seniors that she’s very keen into details and is a very good mentor. They speak fondly of her. Plus, she’s an elegant woman, she seems not to age. Also, why don’t you know her personally, didn’t she used to date your mom?” Annie realized. 

“Well, I never met her.” Luna explained. “Plus, mom says that those were only dating rumors, they were really colleagues, maybe good friends?” Luna hesitated. Growing up, she did see some memorabilia from her mother’s past life around their house but these were now all stored in boxes in the attic. Her mother did have a good digital archive of films and this developed Luna’s interest in the craft. She would often fall asleep watching movies in the den adjacent to her mother’s home studio, while the latter poured out her soul on her paintings nearby. This was a typical scene in their home. Now that she’s in college, she must admit that she often gets homesick and thinks about their home in the Nan Province where her mother currently lives alone. 

“You do realize their body of work? Have you ever watched their movies? Have you ever seen videos of them together?” Annie implied. 

“If mom says they’re colleagues, then that’s what they are.” Luna insisted. 

Luna had faint memories about her childhood, growing up with a single parent, Bambi being the only constant in her life until she met Annie in third grade. Luna knew much about her mother’s family; her great grandmother and her grandmother who were both fashion designers, and their vast land in the Nan Province. But her mother never shared much about the past. It wasn’t unusual to have a single parent at this point in time, and Luna never felt inadequate. All she knew is that she grew up in a place of love, belonging, and her mother made sure that she was cared for and supported. So, she never asked questions, not until now. She believed that whatever she is now, is because of the omega who raised her and she realized how little she knew about this omega aside from being her mother. 

“Well, how about we ask Professor Prim? It would be interesting to know her point of view and you might learn more about your mom, some things that she’s not telling. It would be impossible that they were not at least friendly to each other, they were partners for more than a decade; five drama series, three movies, numerous brand endorsements, fanmeets, press tours, reality shows! They have gone through a lot and you’re telling me that you haven’t met this person at least once in your life?” Annie probed. 

Annie was right. How come Luna never encountered Professor Prim? Why did her mother choose to live so far away from the world that she used to thrive in? And now Luna was back into this world and why did she allow it? Was she simply so loving and magnanimous as a mother? How come Luna never met any of the people in her past life? These questions started to tumble in and thanks to Annie, Luna was getting somewhere - a topic, an inquiry, a statement. Perhaps getting to know Professor Prim would open Luna more to her mother’s world; a duality, divided into the past and the present. Since she had just been living with her mother her entire life; her mother is where her story starts, an inquiry of building an image of who she really is. 

“You’re suddenly quiet, the cogs are turning, aren’t they?” Annie teased, she knew her so well. 

“You’re right, I should at least look into this. She does shut off whenever the past is revisited. She’ll hate it but I think there’s so much to tell.” Luna admitted. 

Luna Yanin, 10:00 AM - Prim stared at the piece of neon pink Post-it on her hand. When her secretary told her that a film student wanted to meet with her, she immediately agreed to the schedule. Afterall, she was known to be helpful and understanding among the student body. Plus, it was her goal to offer some mentorship to as many students as she could, as long as she had the energy to do so. After about a decade of life in academia, Prim realized that it may not be financially as rewarding as her job before but it was significantly emotionally and mentally rewarding. She traded the life of red carpets and jetsetting with a life of workshops, manuscripts, and gradesheets but she could not have done it any other way. She was still hired to play the occasional aunt and mom roles on TV and a few indie films here and there but it did not feel demeaning at all. Indeed she needed some form of practice in order to be updated with her teaching methods. Prim has decided to take up the role of a journeyman - the mentor who stands at the wings of the stage or behind the camera simply to lead stars into their own limelight. Prim was content with the lull of her life, a quiet retreat to middle age, not until this morning. 

Luna Yanin, 10:00 AM - Why now, Luna? After all these years? Prim asked herself. She knew that Luna was about university age, she kept tabs as she remained at a distance. Now, Luna was at her door, Bambi Yanin’s daughter. Their paths had crossed again, despite drifting about for so many years, they were pulled back by the tide once more. 

Prim looked at her wrist watch - 9:59 AM, she could see Luna’s shadow behind the frosted glass of her office door. Prim took a slow breath before getting up from her seat - this was inevitable, she told herself. 

Pariyakorn Roongruengsook - Faculty, the nameplate was plastered on the door of the office. Luna waited for a couple of days to make the appointment, she wanted to be ready when she finally talked to Professor Prim. She had gone through some questions with Annie. Annie offered to accompany her, to establish some rapport but Luna insisted that this part of the project, she must do alone. There’s something about meeting someone for the first time and having a clean slate, no expectations, just a plain encounter with a stranger who used to be a constant in her mother’s life - Luna thought. 

“Luna Yanin?” The office door suddenly opened and a middle-aged alpha emerged from the threshold. 

Annie was right, Professor Prim was indeed an elegant woman. Her voice sounded poised, not too feminine but not overbearing either. She looked athletic underneath her ironed navy shirt with rolled up sleeves showing her firm arms. Her long hair flowed elegantly to her shoulders. Her tin rimmed spectacles framed her face perfectly. She embodied confidence and modesty without excessive display. 

Luna was dumbfounded for a moment, something about this alpha seemed strange but familiar. “Professor Roongruengsook,” Luna made the wai gesture as she stood up from the waiting area. 

“My students call me Professor Prim,” Prim bowed back and smiled, her eyes disappearing into crescent lines. Luna noticed this detail but attributed it to her nervousness. “Come in,” she gestured towards her office. 

As Luna walked in, she noted that ample daylight illuminated the room, showing a view of the university grounds from a line of windows opposite the door. The professor’s desk was filled with a stack of manuscripts leaving just enough space for her laptop and an intricate stained glass lamp. Opposite her desk, an oak bookshelf towered, filled with an assortment of books, more manuscripts, a collection of vinyl records and a vintage record player. The eggshell colored walls were also littered with framed movie posters and abstract artworks. 

“Have a seat,” Prim motioned to the leather guest chair next to her desk. “How can I help you?” She finally settled on her swivel chair. 

“Uhm, thank you for accommodating me,” Luna fidgeted in her seat. “I’m Luna Yanin, I’m a film student working on a project, a documentary of sorts.” Luna explained with a hoarse voice. She couldn’t explain her sudden nervousness. 

“Yanin, right? You’re Bambi Yanin’s daughter?” Prim asked casually. 

“Yes, you used to be colleagues with my mom.” Luna replied hesitantly. If it was a sore topic for her mother, she didn't know how it was with the professor. 

Prim took a deep breath, then smiled again, she smiled like the Cheshire Cat. “Your mom and I go way back.” Prim finally stated. “But what does it have to do with your project?” Prim raised an eyebrow. 

“Well, my project is sort of an autobiography and a big factor about my identity is my mom.” Luna defined. 

“Are you telling me that there’s nothing else you can say about yourself but about your mom?” Prim chuckled, she was teasing but Luna suddenly felt awkward. There was something so disarming about being ridiculed by a seemingly wise woman. 

“I’m sorry…” Luna suddenly stood up, this was not going as she was hoping for, perhaps Prim took it as some form of nepotism or living under her mother’s shadow. She should have not made a fool of herself in front of a professor. 

Prim realized the sudden surge of anxiety in Luna. “It’s okay, Luna, please sit down.” Prim motioned. “I didn’t mean to imply anything bad, I was merely teasing, testing.” When Luna sat back down, Prim continued, “Now, tell me, how can I help you?” 

“May I interview you, professor? About my mom? About who she was when you knew her?” Luna blurted out. “I just think…I just know her as a mom and she has raised me alone. She’s a big part of me, my manners, my values, my dreams, she shaped it all. But I feel like she’s used to be someone else to other people. I would like to get to know that part of her, before she became my mom. And you, professor, you were in those significant years, yet, I have never met you until now. How many people knew her before? I practically have no clue but I would like to find out about it now, if you can help me.” Luna looked at Prim with sincerity. 

Prim contemplated her reply. There was a pregnant pause between them, Luna looked hopeful, Prim looked hesitant. 

“Will she find out about this?” Prim inquired. 

“Well, she will, at some point, she will.” Luna was honest. 

“What would you like to know?” Prim finally asked.

Chapter Text

Slivers of light enter through the wooden shutters, orange hues of the sunset reflect on the polished floor. The walls were cladded with paneling, painted black in contrast to the rest of the concrete walls in deep green. Prints of Fauvist and Impressionist paintings hung on the walls. Industrial-looking pendant lights illuminated the bar counter, bouncing reflections on the array of amber, clear, and olive liquor bottles on the shelves. A lone figure sat slumped on one of the barstools, she gazed at the condensation of the glass containing her gin and tonic. The petite female bartender in a black vest and crisp white shirt wipes down the wooden counter. Faint jazz music played in the background as the rest of the bar remained unoccupied; it was still early and the patrons would typically come in after dinner. 

The teak double doors open with a jingle of the small bells installed signalling the entry of a woman dressed in a maroon tailored halterneck jumpsuit, her hair in an up-do. 

“It’s a bit early, don’t you think?” She greeted the woman by the counter. 

Prim turned and greeted her best friend, Min with a weak smile. “Well, this is the classiest bar so far away from campus.” Prim wore a navy cardigan over her white shirt and light brown chinos, her hair was tied in a messy bun. 

“Hmm, it would be awkward to bump into your students in a bar during happy hour.” Min slid to the stool on her left. 

The bartender moved close to get Min’s order. “A negroni, please.” Min motioned at the bartender. “So, what’s the emergency? You sounded frantic on the phone.” Min turned to Prim. 

“Luna is in university now,” Prim muttered curtly. “My university.” 

Min was wide-eyed, “As in Bambi’s Luna? She’s in college already?” 

Before Prim could answer, the bartender brought Min’s drink and disappeared into the backroom right after, giving the duo some privacy. 

“Yes, Luna is a film student now, in my faculty.” Prim replied as she took a sip of her drink. 

“She’s one of your students? That’s such a coincidence,” Min continued to ask. 

“Nope, she’s not in any of my classes but she wants to interview me for a project,” Prim took a gulp of her drink. “About her mother.” Prim winced. 

“Her mother? She’s doing a film on Bambi?” Min was baffled. “Did she say why she asked you?” 

“Apparently, she’s digging into her mother’s past under the limelight and I’m the best candidate to ask because I have been her partner for almost a decade.” Prim explained. 

“That adds up, she’s probably wondering how you drifted apart after being partners for so long.” Min wondered. 

“Well, she’ll find out eventually, if she asks the right questions.” Prim smirked. 

“Hold on! You aren’t planning to play a guessing game with the kid, are you?” Min realized. 

“The truth might be too much for her, she needs to unravel it herself, untangle the loose ends, and build her story. I’ll tell her as much as I can, gradually, eventually.” Prim declared. 

“Does Bambi know about any of this?” Min inquired. 

“She said that she would tell her, it’s her project afterall.” Prim replied. 

“But you do know that this is not just a project, right? I always told you that your past will come knocking, no matter how long, it catches up on you even if you try to outrun it.” Min warned. 

“I haven’t talked to Bambi for so long, gosh, I can’t even imagine what I’ll do if I see her again,” Prim took a deep exhale. 

“You honored her plea, it was the best recourse at that time. But now, time has passed, it should probably heal all wounds, right?” Min acknowledged. 

“Do you think she’s doing well?” Prim’s voice trembled, she hated to admit that she was so curious. After all these years, an image of a younger Bambi remained in her mind, smiling and carefree. She somehow kept track of Bambi, seeing her in art magazines, attending biennales across Europe from time to time. Bambi looked different now, she had wrinkles beneath her eyes, but she still had her whisker dimples. But Prim kept this to herself, she was still gazing at Bambi at a distance like the moon is the Earth’s satellite. 

“Is that a rhetorical question? I know you keep tabs on her, on them.” Min chuckled. 

“Not as much, I didn’t even expect Luna to be in university this fast.” Prim denied. 

“Are you ready for what’s coming?” Min worked out. 

“I’m getting old, Min, I guess this was destined to happen at some point.” Prim downed her drink. 

Orioles danced and chirped around a magnificent weeping fig. The rest of the landscape was surrounded by lush mango and teak trees. A grand Ruean Thai or traditional house was the main feature of the property. The house was elevated, the space underneath was enough for standing height. It was used as a workspace, cluttered with tools for pottery making and wood carving. It featured a high-pitched roof and a wide veranda where five chickens and a turkey were now roaming. The structure was made of massive teak and hardwood, no nails were used, only intricate joinery. It stood quietly against the lush greenery, its large windows sucked in the cool air of the northern region. Next to this palace-like structure was a smaller structure made of concrete. It was an earth-mound house, organic and blending with the environment. The walls were plastered, painted in a subtle ochre. The picture windows and sliding doors exposed much of the interior. Its roof was littered with solar panels, an attempt at energy-efficiency. It was connected to the main house via an arcaded walkway with tiled roofing. Inside, a figure was haunched, dressed in an oversized tattered black t-shirt with holes and paint spatters. Her cut-off jean shorts were equally paint-spattered as well. She walked barefoot around the polished concrete floor. A wide sheet of canvas lay on the floor, it measured around six feet by twelve feet. She was dabbing blended tones of acrylic with her bare hands. Fluorescent yellow battled with navy blue, it was controlled chaos, an explosion of colors. She examined her work, she wanted to feel the yellow, the joy that it resembled. Just like how Vincent van Gogh struggled to imbibe the positivity of the hue. She mixed more white with the yellow, gliding her hands furiously on the surface of the sheet. Soft lo-fi music resonated through the space. Bambi was in her element, humming to herself as she immersed in her art. Her fingers down to her elbows were doused in paint. 

She was so focused until her phone vibrated on the Isamu Noguchi coffee table next to her work. “Shit,” Bambi muttered to herself. She looked at the phone, Luna was calling. She rushed towards the industrial grade stainless steel sink and hurried to rinse off most of the paint from her hands. 

Before the ringing was about to end, Bambi answered the call on time. “Hey, dear.” She pressed the loudspeaker. 

“Hey, mom,” Luna answered with a croaky voice. 

A chubby black Siamese cat lounged on the sectional sofa at the edge of the room. The sunlight from the window turned his dark fur into a deep amber. He was aptly named after the famous and lovable, Moo Deng. He was woken up by the voice from the phone, he recognized that voice. Moo Deng stretched and yawned, he curled up again and purred in place. 

“How’s it going?” Bambi replied in a deep low voice. She used to be shrilly when she was younger. She’s calmer, her voice now in a lower register. 

“Sorry, was I interrupting your work?” Luna hesitated. 

“Nothing is more important than you, dear. Moo Deng and I miss you.” Bambi insisted. 

“Well, I miss you both, too and so, I’ll be coming home for the weekend.” Luna declared. 

Bambi lighted up, she smiled with her whisker dimples. “That’s great news, I’ll ask Khun Ploy to prepare your favorites.” Khun Ploy was the Yanins’ housekeeper and cook even before Bambi was born. Khun Ploy and their groundskeeper, the elderly, Khun Wichai, were Bambi’s only companions in the property now. They had aged together with Bambi, serving generations of Yanins. Ever since Luna left for college, the house felt emptier. Though Bambi loved to dwell in silence and the softness of nature sounds, she did miss the energy of her daughter. 

“Thanks, mom. Also, I’m working on a project. I hope you can help me out.” Luna informed her. 

“What is it about?” Bambi asked as she started to examine her work from afar. 

“Some sort of documentary, an autobiography,” Luna described. 

“That’s interesting, I’ll try my best to recall all your childhood shenanigans,” Bambi sounded amused. 

“Uhm, I’m taking a different approach,” Luna seemed hesitant. “I hope you can tell me stuff about your past job.” Luna continued. 

“My job?” Bambi was caught off guard. “You mean as an actor?” Bambi clarified. 

“Yeah, if it’s okay.” Luna almost whispered. 

Bambi pondered for a while, “Well, if it’s that important to you, of course.” She decided that she did not want to make it hard for her daughter. 

“Thank you!” Luna sounded more cheerful. “Also, Annie’s coming to help me.” 

Bambi knew Annie since she was a small child, she and Luna were inseparable. When they decided to date, their early years together reminded Bambi so much of her past self. Easygoing, protected, committed to someone. She smiled at the thought but it was a thing of the past now. 

“Of course, Annie is always welcome, you shouldn’t even ask.” Bambi affirmed. 

“You’re the best! Anyway, I got to go, I only have a few minutes until next period. Bye, I love you!” Luna remarked. 

“I love you, too. Take care!” Bambi replied and then the call was dropped. 

Bambi took deep breaths, she tried not to panic, not when she was alone. Luna’s inquiry might rattle some skeletons from the closet but this was inevitable. Luna was bound to ask, the truth always lingered but remained unspoken, until now. 

Bambi was unnerved, so she did what she did best in a situation like this. She got deeper into her work. She adjusted her loose ponytail, dipped her palms on paint once again and made furious strokes on the canvas. This was her outlet for her emotions, her elusive escape. 

30 years ago

“You’re shifting to drama?” Nin dropped the stack of papers on the breakfast table. She wore an elegant silk kaftan, the fabric of her clothing trailed as she moved. 

“I’m a naturally gifted artist, I can paint already.” Bambi examined her nails as she sipped her coffee. “Drama on the other hand is a challenge.” She was still in her lace pajamas, a matching camisole and floral printed shorts. 

Bambi had already spent her first year as a painting major but after she was tasked to watch a play from one of her general education courses, she decided to shift to drama. There was something about the glow of the stage lights, the projection of an actor’s voice, and the commanding darkness of the theatre that drew her in. It was so interesting to be someone else, to immerse in their thoughts, their voice, their actions, and Bambi even for a fragment of time craved for this experience. 

“You wasted a year, Bambi.” Nin poured herself some apple juice. 

“It’s not a year wasted, mother. I took art theory, it will be useful.” Bambi reasoned. 

“You should have taken fashion design and marketing at the institute. What will happen to all of this when I’m gone? Your grandmother started as a seamstress and built everything from the ground up,” Nin scolded Bambi. 

“I can hire people to take care of the business,” Bambi argued. “Plus, it’s your dream, not mine. For once, I should do something for myself. I hate it when people decry nepotism and think I’m just an airhead heiress who relies on a trust fund. Can you trust me on this?” Bambi pleaded. 

Nin stared at her daughter for a while, her eyebrow raised. She knew that Bambi was gifted, if only she applied herself more. This time, she was planning, putting some effort, perhaps this will challenge her and help her evolve. “Is this your final decision?” 

“I just want to make a decision for myself,” Bambi responded with pleading eyes. 

“Alright, then you can shift, as long as you commit to this,” Nin gave in. 

“Thanks, mom, you’re the best!” Bambi stood up and embraced her mother in glee. 

Nin smirked at her daughter’s antics but returned her hug anyway. If Bambi has finally set her trail, all she can do is support her. 

26 years ago

“She’s late,” Prim muttered to her manager, Ant, as they sat across from each other in a corporate boardroom. Ant looked fiery, dressed in a halter top with zebra print, distressed jeans and hoop earrings. Ant wasn’t just Prim’s manager, she was a confidant, acted like an older sibling, intense but loyal. Ant reapplied her red lipstick and closed her pocket mirror with a smack. The table that they sat on was massive, a wooden slab that fit sixteen people. The black and white marble floor glittered from the sunlight of the glass curtain windows. The room smelled like coffee, a fresh batch was brewing on a console table. Prim spun in her swivel chair, she wore dark sunglasses indoors. She was managing a hangover, it was her last project’s wrap party last night, she might have overindulged with the cocktails. She took off her leather jacket, leaving behind a white t-shirt tucked under dark jeans. She was exasperated and at the same time exhausted, her talent agent was running late. 

Prim had been working with the same network since she was sixteen. From hosting to modeling to acting, she was managed by the same team. She was a triple threat; a good dancer, a soulful singer, and a superb actor. Early in her career, she dabbled with suspense thrillers and even got stints in sitcoms because she had a sense of humor. She was often cast as someone’s little sister, a best friend, or a daughter. But eventually, she took dramatic roles, bloomed and got starring roles. Brand endorsements came in and her modeling career developed. However, Prim was operating solo and at this point in time, romantic pairings were beocming a thing. Therefore, Prim had an inkling that this meeting was about that, a change in trajectory. 

Suddenly, the door burst open, breaking Prim away from her thoughts and a frantic-looking lady came in, “Look, here’s Khun Ying,” Ant announced. 

“I’m sorry, I’m late, got hold up in the previous meeting,” Ying explained as she joined Prim and Ant. 

“First of all, breathe a bit,” Ant advised. “But then get straight to the point, we don’t have all day.” 

“I just talked to the marketing team,” Ying wheezed. “They said that you should consider being in a romantic pairing and they just have the project for you,” She announced. 

This caught Prim’s attention, her intuition was right. “What is the material all about?” 

“A novel adaptation, romantic, sexy, dramatic, all the elements,” Ying described. 

“This isn’t going to be a koojin situation? Prim has been swamped with too many dating rumors with random omegas in the industry,” Ant was wary. 

“No, nothing like that. Well, it will develop organically if it comes to that. They don’t have anyone in mind yet, they’ll be holding auditions, chemistry tests,” Ying explained. 

“Aren’t I too old for something like this?” Prim questioned. Prim was twenty-six, but she was entering her prime and she actually looked younger than her age. 

“Well, you just played a teenager. Teenagers aren’t played by teenagers anymore. And in your case, there will be mature love scenes, the studio really needs to cast older actors,” Ying noted. 

“Are we talking about someone younger or older than Prim?” Ant probed. 

“Maybe someone younger, Prim will be the more experienced one. Marketing is looking for a fresh face,” Ying answered. 

“Hmm, Bambi might fit the bill,” Ant wiggled her eyebrows at Prim. 

Bambi. 

One of the reasons why Prim let loose last night. Her last project was an ensemble cast; five alphas, five omegas, a coming of age tale among high school friends. Prim and Bambi were cast with different love interests but off-cam, they hit it off. During the first table read, there was a buzz when Prim entered the room. She was one of the more prominent actors among the cast but there was a mixture of newcomers and seasoned ones. Prim noticed that some of the crew were teasing this thin-boned omega. She remembered their encounter at the elevator. She was assigned to sit next to her love interest, an actor about Prim’s age. He was charming but their pairing looked off. He was too tall, too serious, and frankly, quite snobbish. The new girl looked small beside him but Prim could tell that there was someone sassy behind that polite smile. Prim was perhaps staring too long that she caught the omega's attention. She smiled at her, rather she smirked with those slender eyes that held some sort of mischief. Bambi Yanin, she later found out that she was in fact some sort of heiress, fresh out of drama school. And she was very forward, she didn’t deny that she was Prim’s fan. Hence, the teasing from the crew and the urge to get them talking during breaks. 

At lunch, Bambi approached Prim. Prim was still discussing character development with her scene partner when Bambi started to linger in the vicinity. The other actor got the hint and excused himself. Prim was left with a quite cheerful Bambi. 

“I’m a fan,” Bambi admitted, looking straight into Prim’s eyes. 

“I know, they have been saying that all morning,” Prim chuckled. “Some say you shouldn’t meet your idols.” 

Bambi raised an eyebrow. “What does that even mean?” 

“Aren’t you disappointed that I’m just as commonplace as everyone else?” Prim implied. Prim was playful, flirtatious at times but she was always humble. 

“I’m not disappointed at all,” Bambi extended her hand. “Bambi Yanin,” She ironically introduced herself formally. 

“Pariyakorn Roongruengsook, but you know that already,” Prim took the handshake and she couldn’t deny, their first touch felt electric. 

Bambi hands were bony but soft to the touch. She had a firm handshake and Prim felt like she didn’t want to let go. But she eventually withdrew her hand, hoping not to creep Bambi out. 

Ever since that handshake, they were inseparable on set. When slate was called out and their scenes were over, they instantly gravitated towards each other. It started with shared meals; lunches and snacks. Then intentionally looking for each other when they arrived on set. On-cam, they stayed professional, working on suggested chemistry with their on-screen partners. Off-cam, they were huddled in conversation in their lounge chairs as they waited for their scenes. They shared headphones and talked about their eclectic taste in music. Sometimes they flirted with each other and dissolved in soft giggles and reddened cheeks. It was all fun and games, quite a thrill for them both. 

So, it wasn’t surprising to Prim when Ant suggested Bambi. You would be blind not to notice their innate compatibility. Plus, they looked good together, with face cards that looked uniquely different, yet matched each other. 

“So, do we just tell Bambi or do we invite her for an audition?” Prim broke away from her stupor. 

“We will still hold auditions, the casting director should see it for themself. If it works, it works,” Ying replied adamantly. 

“Have you seen them together? It will work out, I tell you,” Ant declared. 

So, Bambi, a possible long-term partnership, Prim thought to herself. It should work, it has to work, she couldn’t imagine anyone else.

Chapter Text

“So, you’re gonna shoot this handheld?” Annie eyed her girlfriend who was fiddling with an old camera. 

They were in their apartment, in Luna’s bedroom, vintage movie posters lined the paneled walls. Despite living together, they both decided to keep their own spaces, being temperamental artists and all. But oftentimes, Annie invaded Luna’s space, sleeping in her bed. She claimed that she felt isolated sleeping alone, knowing that Luna was just in the other room. Annie can be subtly dramatic at times. She would brood or sulk on a bad day but Luna was always there to cheer her up, some iced coffee, reading a book out loud, or staying in for a movie night. Most young couples had the fear of boring each other or being too close that it would end up being suffocating but Annie and Luna understood each other’s quirks every time. They grew up like sisters, the best of friends, and eventually became lovers. Annie knew when to keep her distance, Luna knew when to shut up. 

The afternoon sun seeped through the wide windows. Luna sat at the edge of her iron-framed bed. There were some filming paraphernalia scattered on the bed. “I want it to have this grainy texture, I want it to look a bit amateur; shaky and raw. Just like replaying a memory in your mind, like it’s in soft focus.” Luna answered without looking up. She was in a loose Henley and sleep shorts. 

“Hmm, like a first person POV? Just make sure it wouldn’t look so 1999 Blair Witch or a cop’s body cam.” Annie teased. She wore a pair of oversized drawstring shorts and a vintage-looking tee. 

Luna just smirked at her girlfriend and shook her head. They were packing up for their weekend trip. Luna was unnerved, she had this outline in her mind but she couldn’t tell how much her mother would reveal. 

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Annie suddenly left the room to get something. 

When she re-entered, she carried a small parcel box with an overflowing Manila envelope on top. “I did some digging!” 

“What are you, playing detective?” Luna raised an eyebrow at her girlfriend’s antics. 

“This is research, evidence,” Annie dropped the parcel and envelope next to Luna’s feet. 

Then they were both sat cross-legged on the floor. When Luna opened the envelope it was filled with photographs of her mother and Prim. Photoshoots, public appearances, modeling gigs, and print-outs of social media posts and stories. The parcel contained an assortment of objects, fanmeet giveaways, newspaper clippings, and magazine covers and interviews. Luna knew that Annie had an obsession with true crime documentaries and urban legends, she would often blast podcasts in the kitchen whenever she prepared breakfast on the weekends. But she never realized that she was capable of gathering this much material on her mother. 

“How did you get hold of all of these?” Luna was baffled. 

“When you told me that you were working on the project, I did some sleuthing on the internet. I met this fanclub via reddit, they started eons ago but some of them still talked about PrimBambi. Two of them were kind enough to lend me some of their stuff, one of them even dug up these old magazines and clippings from her dusty attic.” Annie looked so proud of herself. 

“You went to strangers' houses without telling me?” Luna looked worried. 

“Hey, they’re nice ladies, one of them is a paralegal and the other is a crafty middle-aged lady who knits and has three adorable cats. She even reminds me so much of your mom. Their fans aren’t creepers.” Annie stated. 

“And they just gave you these?” Luna wondered. 

“Well, I’m supposed to return it after they entrusted me with it. But these photos, I just printed them out myself, so we can create a physical mind map.” Annie explained enthusiastically. 

“You have thought this through, haven’t you?” Luna was amused. 

“I’m a visual thinker, babe, and a tactile learner.” Annie declared as she got up from the floor with some photos on her hand. 

Annie started to tack photographs on the wall. In the middle, an image of young Bambi and Prim. They were in their early twenties, their career as a couple just debuted. Prim wore a jean jacket, she had her arms wrapped around Bambi’s slim waist. She gazed lovingly at Bambi. Bambi formed a heart with her fingers, she flashed a playful wink, her signature whisker dimple was prominent. Annie attached another printed image, it was of Prim and Bambi during awards season. They were both in elegant black dresses, their poses poised for the red carpet, their makeup was immaculate, they looked so perfectly put together. Then, there was a more casual photo, lifted from Prim’s socials. They looked like they were on vacation, sakura flowers in the background. Prim looked dainty, in a knitted cream vest and a khaki skirt. Bambi wore a turtleneck sweater and slim fit jeans. They looked so young, barefaced, without heavy makeup, carefree. Luna could feel the happiness through the image, her mother’s youth, a smile that reached her eyes. Prim captioned the photo, I’m grateful to have you by my side. Luna smiled at the tenderness of the moment. Annie added photos of other people, she was creating a web, connecting people to both Prim and Bambi. 

“This here is Ant,” Annie pointed at the photo of a strict-looking lady with sharp features. “She was Prim’s manager and eventually she managed both of them. There will be so much oral history from her, she knows their origins, their real connection, and perhaps even the falling out. We need to talk to her but I don’t have a clue where she is right now.” 

“This is Min,” Annie motioned at the smiling figure who looks equally as elegant as Prim. “She’s Prim’s best friend, very private, her socials are locked. But maybe if you go through proper channels, you can contact her professionally, she looks like a woman with a secretary.” 

“Or I could just ask Professor Prim to introduce me.” Luna stated teasingly. 

“Yeah, that works, too,” Annie realized why she never thought of that. “Moving on, of course, Khun Sasha, right?” Annie lifted the photo of a young model. She had wavy long dark hair and interesting features, a mixture that you could not pin down. “You have easy access to her, she’s the only friend of your mother that you know.” 

“She’s married to Gorya, our label’s CEO.” Luna stated matter of factly. Bambi indeed kept her mother’s clothing brand afloat, she kept the family’s shares but other people are running it now and that includes her best friend’s wife. 

“I know that,” Annie pouted. “Anyway, the last person in our list is Professor Prim’s younger sister, Baipor. She owns an indie production company but I guess you can ask the professor about her.” Annie concluded. 

They ended up with an intricate web of people, connected by strings and gumtack. 

“Did I ever tell you that it’s scary how you can get so obsessed with things?” Luna pointed out. 

“Just say thank you, okay?” Annie muttered. 

“Thank you,” Luna gave her a soft peck on the cheek. 

26 years ago

Prim and Bambi played bitter rivals. 

They were shooting in a public school, somewhere outside the city. It was in the heat of summer, school was off and only the cast and crew lingered within the halls lined with classrooms. Prim felt that it was too familiar, the smell of old wood and floor wax, the government issued tablet armchairs, it looked like her old school. They were dressed in school uniforms, white polo shirts with a school’s logo, navy blue jogging pants, and white sneakers.Personal assistants hovered making sure they were comfortable, offering water and fanning them. 

They were filming a confrontation scene in one of the classrooms. Prim played the straight-A student, the class president, overachiever. Bambi was the class rebel, foul-mouthed, and some sort of a bully. Prim adjusted the thick framed glasses that were part of her costume over the bridge of her nose. Bambi was getting into character, her hair was a bit disheveled, smiling smugly. 

The scene was a fight between their characters. Bambi would challenge Prim, laugh at her face, and push her aside. The bickering would continue until Prim slaps Bambi and Bambi pushes her to the floor. Then, Bambi would hover as if to step on her and threaten her. The director carefully choreographed the scene, from the distance of their faces, to the fake slap, and the intensity of the intimidating remark from Bambi. 

However, they made too many takes at this point and they never got the slap right. Either the timing was off, its fakeness was too obvious, or Bambi’s reaction would be too much. They were going to give it another go. 

But before the scene started, Bambi approached Prim. 

“Slap me for real this time, I can take it,” She whispered. 

“What? I’m not supposed to do that,” Prim hissed. 

“No, it’s okay, we need to get this right, just not too hard, okay?” Bambi playfully winked at her and walked off. 

There was an internal struggle within Prim, she knew that she shouldn’t do that, this wasn’t method acting, this was a stunt, it was rehearsed. But she sensed that Bambi was getting tired and with Bambi’s consent, it was perhaps the best recourse. She just needed to control herself in the scene. Deep inside, she wanted to trust Bambi. Despite being new in show business, Bambi went to drama school and she had intensive experience in school productions. She willed herself to trust her. At this moment, they were scene partners and partners worked with certitude. 

As soon as the director yelled action, Bambi advanced toward Prim in a blaze. 

“So, you think you’re so perfect, huh?” Bambi shoved Prim by the shoulder. “I don’t get orders from you! What makes you think you have any authority over me, over any of us?” Bambi delivered her lines accurately. Her defiance was evident, she transformed from the bubbly Bambi to her unruly character. 

“You’re right, I don’t have any authority but I can always let them know.” Prim challenged, she was moving so close to Bambi, their faces were only about an inch apart. She was holding it in, maintaining her headstrong expression. But deep inside, her stomach churned, they were so close she could feel Bambi’s breath over her chin. 

“You’re nothing but an insecure, sycophant, teacher’s pet!” Bambi shoved her once more, making her stumble backwards with a few steps. 

This was the part when Prim needed to retaliate. She was quick to remember that she needed enough momentum to gather some force and slap Bambi directly on the face. 

Bambi maintained her ground, eyes fiery, and all puffed up. Then came the slap, the sound resonated in the room as Prim’s palm met Bambi’s right cheek. The director was alarmed but he kept on rolling when his actors weren’t showing signs of stopping. 

Bambi’s eyes got wide, she held on to her cheek. Prim was worried whether the slap was too hard but she maintained her composure. They needed to get this right, she did not want to do that all over again. 

“You bitch!” Bambi exclaimed before pushing Prim down to the floor. 

Prim has done this so many times, she has rehearsed and calculated her fall. She knew how to fall down without hurting herself. She stumbled backwards once again and was now on her back, her glasses went askew. Bambi now hovered over her, a towering presence. They were nose to nose, Bambi’s anger was palpable. 

“Do that again and I’ll gut you!” She took Prim’s eyeglasses, snapped it in half, threw it away and walked off. 

Prim stayed lying on the floor until the director yelled, cut! 

Prim immediately got up and ran towards Bambi ignoring their director’s comments. 

“Are you alright?” There was a faint blush on Bambi’s cheek, Prim examined it carefully. Then, she saw Bambi change back to herself. She was doe eyed once again and smirking. 

“I told you it would be good, thanks for trusting me,” Bambi smiled and nudged her shoulder roguishly. 

“Oh my gosh, you scared me.” Prim unconsciously pulled Bambi into a hug, whispering an apology. 

She immediately retracted, realizing whether Bambi was open to this kind of physical contact. 

But before Prim could say anything else, their director approached them. “What was that all about? Not that I’m mad because we got the shot but I didn’t expect you to go rogue,” He looked at Prim. “Are you okay?” He turned to Bambi. 

“I’m sorry, Khun Ray, it was my idea. Prim was just playing along.” Bambi admitted. 

The director shook his head, “Next time, let me know, I’m the director here. Let's always go over your scenes before any of you get physically hurt.” 

“Yes, sir!” Bambi made a mock salute. She was known to be playful on set, always energetic, always eager. 

“Sorry again,” Prim added. 

“Now, off you both go, you’re done for the day.” The director dismissed them. 

Bambi and Prim were now skipping back to their tent in glee, work was finally over for the day. They were very tired but the scene went well, thanks to Bambi. Some assistants drifted between them but Bambi dispersed them, claiming that she needed some air. Prim continued to walk beside her, finally realizing that Bambi was equally as hardworking as she is. 

Bambi paused by an empty corridor. The crew disappeared elsewhere to prepare for the next scenes with their other co-stars. Bambi and Prim were suddenly left alone, with just some of the staff passing by to gather equipment. 

“Do we need to put some ice on that?” Prim pointed at Bambi’s cheek. 

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Bambi gave her a lopsided grin. 

“Acting tough, huh? Are you still in character?” Prim joked. 

“Have you ever been slapped before?” Bambi suddenly came back to her soft demeanor.

Prim was caught off guard with the question, “Well, once or twice but it was mostly playful.” 

“Well, it’s my first time,” Bambi confessed. 

“What? And you let me just do that?” Prim felt guilty. 

“The scene called for it, plus, it helped fuel my rage.” Bambi suddenly chuckled. “I trust that you would do it well,” She gave Prim a tender gaze. 

“I don’t know whether I should continue to apologize or feel grateful.” Prim disclosed. 

“We did a good job, that’s it!” Bambi teased. “Plus, I’m not as fragile as you think I am, I don’t break easily.” There was something in the omega’s tone that made Prim’s stomach flutter once again. 

“Well, I feel like this win calls for a celebration. Do you have somewhere to be tonight?” Prim felt courageous. She kept telling herself that she had no other intentions, she just wanted to know this enigmatic omega more. 

“Not that I’m aware of, no,” Bambi grinned. 

“Then call off your car, I’ll drive us. I know this quaint sushi shop, a bit discreet, very quiet,” Prim grinned from ear to ear. 

Soon enough, Prim finds out that Bambi does not usually go out with people easily. She finds out that Bambi only has a couple of friends and that they are very private people. Why Bambi just agreed to go out with her, she’ll learn about later on. But tonight, as they walked towards her car, she felt the urge to hold the omega’s hand. But she didn’t want to scare her away, it was just a spontaneous friendly outing after all.

Chapter Text

Luna stepped out of the driver’s seat of an electric blue Chevrolet Spark. She stretched her neck and back muscles, she insisted on driving them there. She drove for hours while Annie controlled their playlist, fed her snacks, and talked about what they should ask Bambi once they got there.

The sky was clear when they arrived, a light shade of blue and the air was cooler and fresher. Luna took a deep inhale, she missed her home. 

Annie was unloading their bags from the backseat when Bambi emerged from the yard. A red bandana kept her long straight hair in place. She walked down the path in a yellow maxi dress and a pair of torn slippers. She beamed at Annie and Luna, her hands on her hips. It was at this point that Luna realized that her mother was getting older. She noticed the wrinkles on the sides of her eyes when she smiled. Her hair turned into salt and pepper streaks. Her posture was more haunched or maybe it is because of all her painting. But her mother looked frail, thinner, yet she plastered the same smile, sincere and warm. For the longest time, she kept an image of Bambi in her thirties in her mind, blasting music in the kitchen, making pancakes with her when she was still a toddler. It never bothered her that it was just the two of them. Bambi always made sure that she was fed, heard, and attended to. 

“My girls,” Bambi greeted them and opened her arms for a hug. 

Luna almost ran to her mother, she never realized how much she missed her until her second week in university when she got a little homesick. She missed their quiet life at home, school was just about getting to class on time, deadlines, and anxiety during graded recitations. If it weren’t for Annie, she would have broken down a long time ago. 

“Hey, mom,” Luna enveloped Bambi’s frail form in a tight embrace. 

Bambi kissed the top of her head, “My baby, I missed you.” 

“Hey, Khun Bambi,” Annie greeted with their bags in tow. 

“Oh, come here,” Bambi moved to give the young omega a hug. Annie was a fixture in Luna’s life that she treated her like a daughter as well. Then she turned to Luna, “What kind of an alpha are you, letting your omega carry all the bags?” Bambi scolded. 

“I drove all the way here, that’s the least she can do,” Luna protested. “Plus, you always talked about equality, Annie is very capable, she’s built like a tank,” Luna joked, squeezing one of Annie’s biceps. 

Bambi just glared at her, Luna eventually took the other bag from Annie. 

“That’s better, now, how about we get you some breakfast,” Bambi led both of them to the veranda where Ploy had already laid out an assortment of food. 

“It shouldn’t be that hard,” Bambi prompted herself. She was inside her bathroom, staring at her reflection from a Victorian dresser. She hastily opened a small apothecary chest, containing an assortment of medicine and beauty products. She found the small orange container of her pills. She took one and continued to vacantly gaze at her own reflection. 

How will she explain everything to Luna? Will Luna understand? 

27 years ago

Bambi took a deep breath as she stood in front of the studio building. It was a skyscraper, a chunk of glass and metal that glistened under the morning sun. Bambi was always confident; she’s never intimidated of meeting people for the first time, she knew how to adapt to situations. But this was her first day as a newbie in a new company. 

The theatre held so much promise; she was used to a small audience, she was assured of every performance. The feedback was often immediate, a round of applause, the stage door, the curtain call. This time, being on TV was different, you’ll never know unless something airs. The critics, social media, and the fans (if she’ll have them), can be unkind. Bambi wasn’t of celebrity status, yet, a few circles only know her for her last name, this was uncharted territory. The moment she learned that she would be part of an ensemble cast, she saw this opportunity as one foot in front of the door. After a few commercials, being cast in minor roles, this was her big break. 

Bambi clutched her black leather shoulder bag. She took a deep breath and swung the glass door open. Her management team would meet her in one of the offices. It was their first table read. She took confident strides, the soft click clack of her heels echoed in the lobby. She was donned in a blood red off-shoulder blouse, exposing her sculpted clavicles. Her tight jeans hugged her form perfectly. Her brown wavy hair bounced as she walked. The security personnel greeted her, she flashed her I.D. She walked through the metal detector and tapped her badge on the turnstile. When she reached the elevator lobby, there were a few people lining up. A small group was in front of the elevators going down to the basement parking and a couple going to the upper floors. She moved towards the ones going up to the 30th floor. 

That’s when she saw her. Pariyakorn Roongruengsook in the flesh. 

Prim, as she was famously known, was a relatively veteran performer. She started her career as a TV host of a children’s show. She was a child actor, she captured hearts in primetime drama but now, here she was, a young adult, an elegant lady. Bambi heard her voice, it was as clear and as low as the soft ballads that she sang. However, Prim was dressed down, posture slouched in a comfortable black hoodie, loose distressed jeans, and white sneakers. She was talking animatedly to a woman who was probably a few years her senior. Bambi could not help but eavesdrop, they were talking about schedules. This woman was probably Prim’s manager. Prim brushed up her hair a couple of times with her fingers. In her other hand, she carried a sweaty plastic cup of iced coffee. Bambi was mesmerized by the view but she maintained her composure, she was in a professional environment after all, she shouldn’t act like such a fan. 

She was always awed with Prim; she cried on cue, her eyes were expressive, and she disappeared into every role. Plus, Prim was funny, she had good comedic timing in interviews and variety shows. Prim was also very versatile; thrillers, action, but she did her best in drama. She also had a different pair for every project, yet, she managed to develop some chemistry with each of them. Bambi was expecting this encounter, she knew that Prim was part of the cast in the series that she was in. But she never realized that she would still get this starstruck. 

Soon enough, the elevator dinged and Prim and her manager were still oblivious that Bambi was behind them. As soon as the elevator door opened and its passengers hopped off, Prim and her manager entered. Bambi followed behind, careful not to get squished if the elevator door suddenly closes. That would be quite embarrassing after seeing your low-key crush in person for the first time. 

When they were all inside, Prim pressed a button on the elevator panel, the 30th floor. 

Suddenly realizing that they weren’t alone, Prim turned to the stranger beside her casually, “Uhm, which floor?” 

Bambi tried to respond immediately, “The same.” She managed to smile. 

“Oh,” was all Prim was able to say. Somehow, something caused her to pause and stare at Bambi’s face. 

Bambi was alarmed at this gesture. Was there something on her face? There was a glint of panic before Prim’s manager broke the ice. 

“Don’t mind her, she shuts down when she sees a pretty girl,” The other woman joked. 

Prim was still tongue-tied. Bambi turned to acknowledge Prim’s manager. 

“If I’m not mistaken, you’re also part of the cast right?" Prim's manager inquired. 

“Yes, unfortunately, I have a bit of first day jitters." Bambi admitted. 

“Don't worry, new crew, new faces, I get nervous, too, that makes two of us," Prim sounded like she got some of her bravado back. 

"That's comforting," Bambi smiled back. She wasn't a fan of small talk but honestly, she was Prim's fan. So, the interaction was highly welcomed. 

When they reached the 30th floor, the elevator door dinged again and Prim let Bambi exit first as she held on to the door. Ant gave her a knowing look as they got out together. 

“What?” Prim whispered. 

“I saw that,” Ant winked playfully. "Already getting cozy, huh?"

"Whatever," Prim left Ant trailing behind her. 

Present time

“Oh my gosh, this is a treasure trove," Annie and Luna entered the Yanin’s home office. It wasn’t much of an office, actually. It looked like a second den, it was filled with musical instruments; a few acoustic guitars and an old piano. The shelves were filled with books, vinyl records, and old DVDs. The big TV was on the entertainment cabinet and a surround sound system. Some of Bambi’s smaller, older paintings were haphazardly flanked on the walls. Tucked in a dusty corner were old framed movie posters, intentionally hidden from view. 

Luna moved towards that corner, pulling out poster after poster, she laid these down on the floor as she wiped off some dust on her hands to her jeans. Bambi and Prim’s filmography were lined up in front of them. The first one was Prim and Bambi’s first actual project together, with an ensemble cast. They looked so young, wearing school uniforms and smiling innocently with the rest of the cast. Another notable one was their first project as a couple, Bambi and Prim gazing at each other, their profiles glistened under the moonlight. Then there was project after project, nearly a dozen framed posters on the ground. 

“I didn’t know that they worked together for so long,” Luna realized. “I knew she had this extensive work but never so much with the same person.” 

Annie plopped beside her, “I was able to unearth some of their old social media posts. Well, I'm stalking a fan who did some archival work.” Annie showed her phone screen to Luna. 

“Do you think they meant more to each other than meets the eye?” Luna wondered. 

“All the shoots, appearances, traveling for work, it baffles me why they don’t even mention each other anymore. You would expect that they would be the closest friends by now. Are you sure that you never remembered the professor from your childhood?” Annie examined. 

“I don’t think I remember her, unless I got childhood amnesia at some point,” Luna pointed out. 

“Core memories usually start at ages 3 to 4, maybe she was around when you were younger,” Annie supposed. 

“Unless they had a bad falling out but Professor Prim did not show any signs of it,” Luna recalled. 

“Well, there’s only one way to find out, let’s go ask your mom,” Annie beamed. 

26 years ago

Bambi had gone through her lines, she went back and forth, the audition scene unnerved her. They were in one of the studios, the casting directors were having chemistry tests. Prim was already inside, several actors had already shown up for the chemistry reads all morning. Bambi was the last one to come in. She was dressed in a plain black tee and dark jeans, her hair cascaded down to her shoulders. Bambi held on to her script like it was a lifeline, its edges were marked and a bit crumpled. In their last project, she had gotten to know Prim. They were somewhat friends, definitely more than acquaintances and casual colleagues. They had meals together, played around on set, and developed some trust between them. Some of the crew would even claim that they flirted on set but this was just their seniors teasing. 

Bambi’s leg trembled as she sat on one of the sofas in the waiting area. She didn’t want to admit to herself how important this audition was for her. This was a project for a couple pairing; Prim’s work partner for the foreseeable future and to be honest, Bambi wanted it badly. It had to be her. She could not imagine Prim being with anyone else, she did not want to blow up this chance. 

Prim stood in attention when she was finally called in. She bumped into the experienced actor who just exited the room. The actor smirked at her, seemingly self-assured. Bambi just shrugged her off, she would not be shaken, she needed to focus. 

When she entered the room, Prim looked visibly tired. A red couch on a Persian rug was in the middle of the room. Across the couch was a long narrow table, it sat a panel of talent scouts and the casting director. 

Bambi greeted everyone with a bow and as soon as she locked eyes on Prim, Prim lit up. Prim was wearing a white tee and acid-wash jeans. Great, they were almost matching, Bambi thought to herself. 

"Hi, I'm Bambi Yanin, reading for the role of Gee," Bambi made the standard brief introduction.

Without much fanfare, they began with the chemistry read. Bambi sat on the two-seater beside Prim, they warmly smiled at each other, establishing a sense of familiarity and comfort, the casting director noticed this. 

“I waited for you, Gee,” Prim began. “I waited for you for years, I couldn’t understand why you left me. Why did you never say anything before you went away?” 

The scene was heavy; it was a reconciliation between two lovers after being apart for years. 

“I wanted you to be happier,” Bambi turned to Prim. She cupped her chin, Prim looked at her earnestly, her eyes on the brink of tears but ones that would never fall. “What I was becoming, it was bad, I needed to get away.” 

“You had always been unfair,” Prim shoved her lightly. “You never think about what other people feel.” 

Bambi responded to Prim’s actions, instead of retracting, she pulled her closer. Both her hands were on Prim’s shoulders. They did not talk before this, there was no rehearsal. They simply reacted out of instinct, reading their scene partner. 

“I’m really sorry, Jai, I thought what I did was right. You know how much it hurt me, to go against my will, to leave you like that,” Bambi’s expressions were so earnest. Prim gave in to her pleading eyes. “What do I have to do to get you back?” Bambi appealed. 

“Show me how much you need me,” Prim uttered. “Kiss me,” She whispered, never losing Bambi’s gaze. 

They were inches apart now, their faces were so close to each other. Bambi bridged the gap and captured Prim’s lips. Bambi initiated the pace; it was of longing, of finally coming home after a long day. Prim twisted her head to accommodate Bambi. They were playing reunited lovers; it was a mixture of emotions, anger, resentment, comfort, a satisfied craving. Prim realized that Bambi wasn’t afraid. All morning she met with actors who gave her hesitant pecks, sloppy kisses, and even a disgusting smooch that she needed to withdraw at one point. But Bambi was tender and careful at the same time, unhurried and welcomed. Then, Prim felt the tip of Bambi’s tongue on her lower lip, it was a featherlight brush but one that she approved of. To enhance their performance further, she deepened the kiss and soon enough they were entangled. It lasted for a few seconds before Bambi decided to pull away. With their gazes still locked, Bambi was breathing heavily and Prim’s heart was hammering. When they heard the director cut the scene, they both knew that they got it right. 

Right after that successful audition, Prim and Bambi were launched as an on-screen couple. Bright lights flashed on the stage, huge LED screens featured new projects, there was a thundering noise of fans in the arena. Their studio was having its annual event, a launching campaign for all the upcoming projects and actor debuts. 

Prim and Bambi were both crunched down on a platform below the stage. They would be elevated by hydraulic lifts once the emcee announces their debut. They were both in elegant dresses. Prim was in a mermaid silhouette, sleeveless, v-neck, velvet, burgundy dress with a slit. Bambi’s honey complexion was accentuated by a champagne gold, sequined dress, with a v-neck and capped sleeves. They both stooped down nervously, trying hard not to mess up their hairdo. 

“Are you okay?” Bambi anxiously turned to Prim. 

“What if they don’t like us together?” Prim whispered, making sure that she wouldn’t be heard just in case their microphones were on. 

Normally, Prim was the more confident one but Bambi saw the fear in her eyes. 

“They will,” Bambi could have said with more conviction. “But no matter what happens, we will face it together, for better or worse,” She moved closer and extended her hand to Prim. 

That was all Bambi could do at the moment, assure her partner, hold her hand, and everything will be alright. 

“Together,” Prim interlocked their fingers, her grip was firm. 

They locked gazes and suddenly, they were being lifted on stage. They emerged holding hands and were eventually greeted by deafening cheers and applause from their fans. This was the beginning of everything, for better or for worse. 

They exited the studio, they just survived a day of their press tour. The entire day was booked with podcast interviews, a product endorsement shoot, a brief fan meet and finally, a radio interview. Their new series was about to premiere in a few days; this was crunch time. 

Bambi felt like she was about to get sick. She was used to sleepless nights but the exhaustion from this week was unprecedented. They were going down to the basement parking, Prim was discussing something with Ant in hushed voices. Prim’s tiredness was also evident, her eyes were drooping but she managed to soldier on. Bambi was uncharacteristically quiet, she just wanted to plop down to the comforts of her own bed. At this point, they hadn't had dinner yet and it was almost half past ten. They were already being mutually managed by Ant now, their schedules were synchronized better. Oftentimes, they would take the same car and be picked up or dropped off to their respective condos in the city. 

When they reached the black SUV, Ant went directly to the passenger’s seat to give instructions to their driver. Prim opened the door and turned to Bambi, she would always wait on her and let her enter the vehicle first. 

“Hey, kid, are you okay?” Prim noticed Bambi’s posture. 

The nickname, kid, only applied to Prim. When they were hanging out, they decided to watch classic Hollywood films. Kid, came from the line, Here’s looking at you, kid. It was Humphrey Bogart’s improvised line to Ingrid Bergman in the 1942 film, Casablanca. Prim always emphasized that she was 4 years older than Bambi. In return, Bambi ironically calls Prim, baby in private. Contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t a generic term of endearment but ironically highlighting Prim’s confidence as her senior. It came from Patrick Swayze’s iconic line in Dirty Dancing, "Nobody puts Baby in a corner". As actors, being someone else for a long period of time can make you lose yourself sometimes. But when they were Kid and Baby, they were just Bambi and Prim to each other. 

“I hope I’m not getting a fever soon,” Bambi responded weakly. 

“Let me see,” Prim felt Bambi’s forehead and neck. “You’re not burning up but I think you really need to rest.” She motioned for Bambi to get inside the car. 

Prim held on to the top edge of the car’s opening to make sure that Bambi did not accidentally bump her head. 

“Will you be alone at the condo?” Prim asked as soon as they sat in the backseat. 

Bambi just nodded and rested her head on the car window on her side. 

“If you’re not feeling well, you shouldn’t be,” Prim realized. “Why don’t we order some dinner and I’ll accompany you for a while?” Prim offered. 

Bambi knew that Prim was just worried and this wasn’t the first time that they had been alone in each other’s space since they began working together. 

“Wouldn’t I be a nuisance?” Bambi hesitated. 

“Hey, we do this together, right? We’re partners? Plus, I wouldn’t want to face all the music alone,” Prim’s tone was teasing to mask her worry. 

“Some pho or chicken soup would be nice,” Bambi scouted towards Prim, letting her know that she welcomed the offer. She rested her head on Prim’s shoulder and closed her eyes. 

Prim smiled to herself as Bambi got comfortable next to her. She began ordering food through her phone to be sent to Bambi’s condo. 

As the car exited the parking lot, she tapped on Ant’s shoulder. “Hey, drop us both off at Bambi’s, please. She’s not feeling so well.” 

Ant turned at her with suspicion, “Does she need a doctor?” 

“I don’t think so, just tired,” Prim pointed at the already sleeping Bambi snuggled next to her.

“Alright, you two can take care of each other. Just let me know if you need anything,” Ant gave her a knowing look before giving new instructions to the driver. 

Prim relaxed back on her seat, she lifted her arm and wrapped it around Bambi’s shoulder to make sure she’s more comfortable. 

Present time

Bambi was still seated in front of her dresser. Luna and Annie were already in the office, so they decided to look into some memorabilia from Bambi’s career. Bambi pulled out the dresser drawer. Tucked in the furthest corner was a small ornate tortoiseshell box. Bambi carefully opened the box with her dainty fingers. There was an assortment of notes and letters, some she received, some were unsent. 

She opened a small hand torn note, it looked like it was hurriedly ripped off from a notebook, its edges were uneven and coarse. It was simply folded twice. The note revealed thin narrow writing. It read, “Here’s looking at you, kid” and a hand-drawn winky face. 

Bambi immediately held the note to her chest and she began sobbing like she reopened a Pandora’s box of forgotten memories and unspoken emotions.

Chapter Text

Sunlight filtering through the large picture window illuminated Bambi’s studio. Most of her artworks were tucked away, flanked on the wall or covered on the floor. Moo Deng was lounging by the window, quite satisfied with himself after chewing on some indoor plants. He was starting to fall asleep, he purred quietly, trying not to disrupt the shoot. 

Bambi was poised in one of her iconic modern furniture. A Wassily chair, sleek tubular steel, black leather stretched over the frame. Annie was fixing the lapel microphone clipped to Bambi’s collar. Luna kept her elbows tucked against her ribs, she used her core to stabilize the camera that she was holding. Within the viewfinder, Luna was zooming in and out, trying to capture a medium shot of her mother. Bambi wore a plain crew neck black tee tucked under a pair of warm vintage wash slim fit denim pants. Her tidy long hair cascaded down her shoulders. She applied light makeup, her face was clear, her aura was light. Bambi walked around the studio barefoot, she looked very stark. A vintage Omega Constellation watch with rose gold dials and a brown leather strap was the only accessory that she had on. Luna knew this watch, it was dubbed as one of her mother’s most prized possessions. It wasn’t the most expensive one nor the most intricately made but it held some meaning, something that she wore at least once a year. There was really no specific date but Luna would notice that Bambi would just put it on once or twice each year. Bambi seldom wears jewelry now, especially when she’s painting. 

“Hey, mom, are you sure you're okay with this?” Luna stood in front of her mother, handheld camera in her grip. 

“Okay with what?” Bambi fidgeted in her seat. 

“Being interviewed like this?” Luna pointed out. She wore a blue plaid shirt, its sleeves folded up to her elbows. 

“I signed your damn consent forms, haven’t I?” Bambi joked, she released a small laugh. 

Luna and Annie exchanged looks, Annie huddled next to her. 

“Shall we start? You’re losing a lot of daylight.” Bambi reminded her daughter, pointing at the window. 

It was probably daunting for Bambi, Luna thought. Being back on a chair, getting interviewed. How many times did she experience this in her life? Somehow, this was probably part of Bambi’s procedural skills; getting interviewed was like riding a bike. Bambi sat balanced and was ready for action, her demeanor changed, she looked very professional. Luna only saw videos of her mother looking like this, she was used to the more carefree and unguarded Bambi. 

Annie brought a clapper with her and as soon as it snapped, Luna began rolling. 

“State your name for the record…” Luna wanted some structure at the beginning, something standard but will later on develop into something more candid. 

“Bambi Yanin, 48, currently, a painter, previously, I was an actor.” Bambi stated matter of factly, her smile was restrained. 

“How are you feeling today?” Luna asked, eyes glued to the viewfinder as she zoomed into her mother’s face, trying to capture subtle movements, twitches, nuances of facial expressions.

“Frankly?” Bambi made a small laugh. “A bit unnerved since I haven’t done this for so long. At the same time, I'm proud because my daughter is behind the camera.” Bambi stared into the lens, trying to break the fourth wall, trying to get through Luna. 

Luna wanted to chastise her mother for being informal and mischievous but perhaps this was part of her charm. She wanted to make it as raw as possible after all. 

“Can you tell me more about your work as an actor?” Luna zoomed out, centering on her mother’s gaze. In the backdrop, some of Bambi’s artworks were visible, Luna wanted to blur those, she focused on her mother. 

25 years ago

1 INT. ART GALLERY - LATE AFTERNOON

LIN

You haven’t changed one bit. 

PAM

You’ve noticed?

LIN

Why did you come here?

PAM

I wanted to revisit the past and the only way I can do that is with you.

LIN

And now that you’re here?

PAM

I should be getting on to the next train back. 

LIN

Why don’t you? 

PAM nods to LIN as if to a queen. 

LIN

Why don’t I appear in any of your stories? 

PAM

Are you still reading my work?

LIN

Why?

PAM

What kind of stupid ass question is that LIN?

LIN

You write about everything that affects you…did I never affect you?

PAM

What do you think?

LIN

I think life has always been a game to you, that you live life for material to write about but you never truly live, truly feel life for yourself.

PAM

That’s my cue.

PAM adjusted her messenger bag over her shoulder. 

LIN

Can’t have a real conversation. 

PAM

I came here to see you, alright, say hi, why does it have to evolve into some sort of drama? Why can’t things be what they are?

LIN

Because you can’t keep shooting bullet holes through life.

PAM 

Says you.

LIN

Can’t you just talk to me?

PAM

I didn’t come here to talk to you.

LIN

Then I don’t want to ever see your face ever again.

PAM

Until the next time.

LIN

There won’t be a next time.

PAM

There’s always a next time because without it life is boring and dull. Can’t you learn to live in the sh’t and not try to make sense out of the mess? What’s wrong with not having all the answers?

LIN

You never tell me how you truly feel!

PAM

Why is that so Goddamn important?!

LIN

Because I’m sick! I’m sick PAM. I have to go in for surgery and there are a few things I’d like to know in case it’s my turn to check out.

PAM

What do you want to know, LIN?

LIN

Do you love me?

PAM

I’ve loved you since the moment I first looked at you. It’s not a love that has ever left me, but only grown stronger over time and there’s nothing I can do about it but lay in the thick of it.

LIN

You don’t act like you love me.

PAM

I know I don’t.

LIN

Is it so hard for you?

PAM

It is.

LIN

I see…well, I’ve always loved you as much as I hate you. Sometimes I don’t know which way to go. There are days I think of you and I’ll laugh out loud to myself and yet there are other times when I want to punch my fist into your face as if you were standing in front of me.

PAM

Which do you feel now?

LIN

I’m not sure. It’s the uncertain days that are when I’m worse off.

PAM

Wanna punch me in the face?

LIN

No, but I will if you keep probing me.

PAM

I’m sorry.

LIN

Don’t be.

PAM

You don’t even know what I’m apologizing for, do you?

LIN

What are you apologizing for?

PAM

…I don’t want you to be sick…

LIN

…Oh…

THEY kiss.

“Hmm, how do we do it this time?” Prim turned to Bambi. They were both seated on a cream colored couch in one of the meeting rooms at the studio. The initial read was done but they wanted to study together and talk about their character’s motivations. 

Bambi was casually lounging, her elbow resting on the back of the sofa. She rested on the far corner of the couch; she had one leg tucked and another one dangling. Her hair was up in a messy bun, she wore a white racer-back ribbed top and acid-wash jeans. This time, Bambi was wearing her glasses, a pair of rectangular shaped ones in tortoiseshell finish. It was a relatively easy day, no contact lenses needed.  Prim rested her head on the arm of the sofa on the opposite end. She was wearing a baggy graphic black tee and loose denims. 

“What do we do?” Bambi highlighted a line in the soft bound script that she was holding. 

“The kiss, how do you think we should do it?” Prim got up instantly and scouched closer towards Bambi, bringing her own copy of the script to eye-level. 

Bambi looked at her incredulously, Prim was very near, their shoulders touched.  

“I know you’re near sighted,” Prim wiggled her eyebrows as she got closer to Bambi’s face. 

“Not this near,” Bambi playfully pushed her forehead with her forefinger. 

“Hey,” Prim retracted and acted as if she was hurt. 

“A good actor,” Bambi muttered. “But such a baby.” 

“I resent that,” Prim countered. “But seriously, what do you think of this kiss? Is it rage, longing, a moral obligation?” Prim probed. 

Bambi tapped the highlighter on her script. “None of the above,” she thought. 

Prim just raised an eyebrow at her, anticipating an explanation. 

“I think it’s about fear,” Bambi finally decided. 

“Fear? How would you define that?” Prim chewed on the end of her pen. 

“Stop that, that’s gross,” Bambi scolded, taking the pen away from her. When she realized that Prim got some spit on it, she gave it back immediately and wiped her hand on the sleeve of Prim’s shirt. 

“Serves you right,” Prim stuck her tongue out. “Anyway, you were talking about fear?” 

“Lin is sick, she’s afraid of leaving Pam. Pam is scared of losing Lin. Who knows if it’s the last time they'll ever get to kiss each other.” Bambi explained as she focused on the script in front of her. Beside her, Prim was looking at her like she’s the most interesting display in an exhibition. 

“How do you show that?” Prim challenged. 

Bambi realized what Prim was doing, she looked at her in disbelief. “You’re just going to ask me to show you, right? Are we working or are you just reaping the benefits of your job, again?” Bambi animatedly shove Prim by the shoulder with her hand. 

“No way,” Prim chuckled. “I’m not playing, show me.” She sat up straight and widened her eyes at Bambi, challenging her. 

Suddenly, Bambi channeled her character. She looked at Prim with wistful eyes, her gaze never leaving Prim’s lips. She pulled her close, she held Prim’s chin with the tips of her thumb and forefinger. Prim held her breath, she wanted to close her eyes and just feel Bambi’s energy but she carried on, locked on Bambi’s eyes. Then their lips touched, tentative at first, searching for a rhythm. Then as soon as Bambi latched into her, Prim felt what she meant. It was fear - the fear of losing someone, hence, never letting go. 

Present day

“Mom, are you okay?” Luna has crouched in front of her mother. 

Annie was already holding the camera and the clapper. They were done with the shoot for the day, they lost daylight. Sometime between Luna’s last question and Bambi’s answer, Bambi had spaced out. She was still answering questions but she went autopilot, her mind was elsewhere. It was a memory triggered, a script reading that led to something else entirely. 

“I’m fine, love,” Bambi regained her composure, she smiled at Luna. 

“Just tell me if it’s too much for you,” Luna looked forlorn. “We can stop if it bothers you.” 

“No, no, none of that,” Bambi pulled Luna into a hug. “It’s just memories, something I have and perhaps something you’re entitled to.” 

Bambi was becoming cryptic again, Luna furrowed her eyebrows. 

“We’re done for today but let’s continue next time, okay?” Bambi pat Luna lightly on the head. Luna was about a couple of inches taller than Bambi, so she needed to tiptoe to make the gesture. 

“Thanks, mom,” Luna smiled earnestly. 

When Bambi left the studio, Luna and Annie exchanged meaningful glances. 

“Do you think she’ll manage to tell us everything?” Annie whispered as they looked at Bambi’s retreating form. 

“I think there’s a lot about her that I don’t know,” Luna concluded.

Chapter Text

The entire room was engulfed in darkness, only the light from the TV monitor glowed, flickering. A lone figure was slouched on a brown Chesterfield sofa. Long fingers held on a glass of scotch, rotating the ice cubes as they clinked on the surface of the glass. She was still in officewear, a pair of pinstripe slacks; a white shirt with sleeves folded to her elbows. Her eyeglasses clung to the bridge of her nose. Her eyes like thin slits as she purses her lips staring at the screen. 

A guitar melody resonates from the speakers. On screen, the camera was focused on the nimble hands of the guitarist. Only her lips were caught on frame, the rest of her form was obscured. She was dressed in a black halterneck blouse, her fingers with several rings. But as soon as she started singing, the voice was definitely recognizable. Prim closed her eyes and laid her back down on the sofa, she brought the rim of the Old-fashioned glass to the tip of her lips. 

Will there be anyone who understands someone who's still missing, someone who's always last

Who will give me meaning again

Until I met you, I realized that in reality, this me

The guitarist started singing, her voice soft and calm. It was raw and amateur but you can tell that it was heartfelt. 

Is still incomplete, the image in my heart

I'm still waiting for you, you are the missing jigsaw

Please put me back together

My heart is missing you, the important one

Prim smirked at the thought, recalling a memory. She remembered receiving the video in the wee hours of the morning. It was sort of a love letter, not  just written, but sung. 

A work that will be complete

So I wait for you to fill it and make it perfect

Maybe I'm not all that perfect

But inside, my heart is changing because of you

It was a simple demo, something intended for brainstorming but little did she know that it was meant for her. It was written for her. 

In the privacy of her room, Luna and Annie were listening to the same song. The record spun as Annie read the list of songs on the album cover. They were both lying in bed, Luna was staring at the ceiling, both her palms rested on her abdomen. 

The faint sound of the song played in the background. 

Is still incomplete, the image in my heart

I'm still waiting for you, you are the missing jigsaw

“She wrote all of the songs here?” Annie asked in a soft voice, lifting the album closer to her face. 

“Most of it,” Luna responded. “Some of them were produced for her. But this one, this one, she wrote herself.” 

“Do you think she wrote it for her?” Annie turned to her girlfriend. 

Please put me back together

My heart is missing you, the important one

The song continued. 

“I think there’s a demo somewhere,” Luna’s eyes did not leave the ceiling. “It was more raw, like a poem, a love letter if you will.” 

“So, you think they were really in love?” Annie concluded. 

“I really don’t know, maybe?” Luna accepted. “Unless she tells us otherwise.” 

A work that will be complete

So I wait for you to fill it and make it perfect

“Damn, why didn’t your mom just pursue a career in singing? She sounds great, plus, she can play the guitar.” Annie laid back down next to Luna. 

“She can play the piano, too, you know,” Luna rested the back of her head on her arm. “She sang lullabies to me,” Luna reminisced. 

But inside, my heart is changing because of you 

Luna and Annie continued listening to Bambi’s voice. Bambi’s younger self was softer, yet so self-assured. 

“Somehow, she stopped singing, you know. I don’t know if it reminds her so much of her past or something just broke entirely. Most of the time she just paints, sometimes in silence.” Luna revealed and Annie moved to hug her. 

24 years ago

They were on lunch break on set but Bambi was scribbling intensely on a notebook. She was in the zone, she would write aggressively, then pause, erase, then write again. Prim was observing her up close, she sat on the makeshift pantry next to Bambi. Bambi was still in costume, a pair of short sleeve silk pajamas. Her hair tidy, wavy locks trailed down her shoulders. They were about to film a scene in the bedroom, not a love scene but some sort of comedic break from the heavy drama of their current material. Prim chewed her food slowly, a small bowl of chow mien with more vegetables than noodles. She carefully plucked each piece of vegetable with her chopsticks, nibbling slowly as she looked at Bambi. Prim was in an oversized white shirt and pale blue bottoms. Her long straight hair looked like she just woke up, disheveled on the sides. Bambi was eating a bowl of fruit, which was already neglected for a few minutes because she was concentrating on her writing. 

“What are you doing, kid?” Prim asked with an amused smirk. 

“None of your business,” Bambi playfully responded without looking. 

“Let me see…” Prim tried to snatch the notebook away but Bambi held it in place. 

“Hey,” Bambi glared at Prim. “Not fair, you shouldn’t mess with my train of thought.” 

“I’m sorry,” Prim pretended that she was aghast. “I should know better than to distract a genius.” She winked. 

Bambi continued writing swiftly and as soon as she was done, she gave a dirty look at Prim. “There, all done! You should never disrupt genius.” She chastised. 

“What is it about anyway? Are you writing poetry now?” Prim teased. 

“Actually, babe, I’m writing a song!” Bambi declared in a sotto voce. 

“As in an original one?” Prim realized. 

“Of course an original one, what do you think of me?” Bambi pretended that she was offended. “Do you think I’m incapable of such a thing?” 

“No, not at all, I’m privy to your many talents; art, fashion, singing and dancing aside from acting but I didn’t know that you are also a lyricist.” Prim was astonished. 

“Music and lyrics, baby,” Bambi smiled. “But I don’t know if it’s really good. I might just keep this to myself.” She looked crestfallen. 

“And why would you?” Prim challenged. 

“I don’t think I can take the criticism if it’s something this personal.” Bambi admitted, hugging the notebook close to her chest. 

“Make a demo then,” Prim encouraged. 

“You would listen to it?” Bambi looked surprised. 

“I’m no expert, I’m not a music producer but I think I would know an ear worm if I heard one,” Prim urged. 

“You’d do that for me?” Bambi blinked several times. 

“Kid, at this point, I would do anything for you,” Prim smiled as she took another bite of her meal. 

“Okay, maybe I’ll make a demo but promise me that you won’t laugh at me,” Bambi pouted. 

“Why would I laugh at you?” Prim was stunned. “Bambi Yanin, you are one of the most talented people that I know. Yet, somehow, you manage to hide everything that you’re capable of from the rest of the world. I want them to see you as I see you.” Prim reached for Bambi’s hand from across the table. 

“You really do see me,” Bambi smiled back sincerely and held on to Prim’s hand for a little while longer. 

Prim’s phone rang in the middle of the night, their shoot ended late so she was still up brushing her teeth in the bathroom. Her ringtone reverberated in the next room. Prim spat out the toothpaste immediately and went to check on her phone. She was already in her pajamas, a comfortable vintage t-shirt and linen shorts. Her bare feet padded on the tiled floor of her bedroom. She immediately grabbed her phone from the night stand and saw Bambi’s name on the screen. She smiled to herself and clicked on the answer button. She just saw Bambi a few hours ago but her heart managed to leap at the thought of her. 

“Hey, kid,” Prim answered. 

“I did it,” Bambi’s chirpy voice echoed from the receiver. “I finished the song.” 

“You sound inspired,” Prim teased as she plopped down the bed. “I wonder if it’s something or someone. Anyone I know of?” 

“Don’t be dense,” Bambi scolded from the other end of the line. “You’ll know once you hear it.” 

Prim smiled smugly, she just wanted to tease Bambi. She would be so naive if she wouldn't admit that they were becoming more than just friends. First of all, they were co-workers, great scene partners. But behind the camera, they were becoming good friends. They confided with each other, talked about issues at work, and managed to resolve their differences each time they had an argument. But the phone calls late at night, talks during long drives, knowing to read each other even across the stage, and instinctively gravitating towards each other each time they are in the same room would suggest that they were definitely becoming more than friends. Work and personal life were somehow intertwined in dinners alone together, sleepovers, and leisure trips. Prim learned to prioritize Bambi and Bambi learned to trust Prim. 

“Can I hear it then?” Prim asked sheepishly. 

She could hear Bambi hesitate. 

“Okay then,” Bambi finally agreed. Bambi was always confident but perhaps she was out of depth or just plain nervous. “Turn your camera on,” Bambi instructed. 

As soon as Prim transferred to video call, she saw that Bambi was carrying a guitar. She was hunched on her bed, wearing a plain sleeveless shirt on view. Her hair was down and she looked way younger without her makeup. Prim loved this side of Bambi, the raw and unguarded one. She usually doesn’t allow people in the industry to see her unmade, except for Prim. 

“Are you ready?” Bambi looked shaky. 

“Ready when you are,” Prim smiled eagerly. 

Bambi beamed at the screen before strumming the guitar. She had a mahogany Taylor acoustic guitar. Prim later on learned that it was custom-made because both Bambi and her late father were left-handed. Perhaps Bambi got her musical side from her sire. 

Because you came to answer my doubts

Why am I always unlucky, where are the good things 

Bambi began singing and Prim was mesmerized, she could not look away. 

You said it's just an excuse, try looking at the people around 

No one is perfect in every way

And where is it wrong if I admit to being weak sometimes

Bambi’s voice was piercing, she emphasized every line with distinct ache. 

Everyone needs someone to come and say

I'm ready to come and fill every gap

Pick up the last jigsaw piece and put it together

Prim absorbed every word, every melody, the yearning in Bambi’s voice. 

Still incomplete, the image in my heart

I'm still waiting for you, you are the missing jigsaw

Please put me back together

My heart is missing you, the important one

Bambi was staring at Prim directly now, seemingly trying to get the message across. 

A work that will be complete

So I wait for you to fill it and make it perfect

Maybe I'm not all that perfect

But inside, my heart is changing because of you

As soon as Bambi finished, Prim noticed that she was wiping a tear away, trying to conceal it from view. At the same time, Prim was teary-eyed as well, she contained her sniffles. Prim held on to her heart like it was about to explode. Bambi rested her chin on the slope of the guitar as she looked directly at Prim from the screen. 

“So, what do you think?” If Bambi was distressed in anticipation, she hid it well. 

“It’s perfect,” Prim whispered back in a hoarse voice. 

“It’s about you,” Bambi finally admitted. “It’s about us.” 

“I love you, too.” Prim finally said. 

Present day

Bambi entered her work room, it started as her office but it was slowly turning into a work room of sorts with scattered tools, artworks, and musical instruments. An old 1970s teakwood Yamaha upright piano stood at the end of the room. Its surface was already covered in dust with stacks of music sheets beside it. It was an heirloom from Bambi’s father’s side of the family, a piano originally owned by her great grandmother. Her father had an eclectic taste in music; not too selective among jazz, classical, pop, or rock. Bambi has acquired this taste, not too partial to a certain genre, simply listening to words and rhythm. 

In one corner, Bambi found what she was looking for. Hanging on the wall, together with a banjo, and an electric guitar, is Bambi’s old mahogany Taylor acoustic guitar. It was a poignant moment, one that left a bitter taste in her mouth. Bambi plucked the guitar from the wall, carefully dusting its surface. She apologized to the object silently, realizing that it contained memory and lost spirit within her. She sat on the surface of the work table, positioning the guitar on her lap. She tested it, strummed a bit and noted that it was awfully out of tune. She winced at the thought, listening to the string notes, one by one. She realized that she needed to replace the strings but the guitar was somehow working. She played it carefully, trying to recount a familiar melody. 

Bambi started to sing, though hesitant, the words came out all of the sudden. 

Because you came to answer my doubts

Why am I always unlucky, where are the good things 

Her voice trembled; she was shaky but she held on tightly to the guitar. 

You said it's just an excuse, try looking at the people around 

Bambi’s voice was lower now, more restrained than usual. 

No one is perfect in every way

And where is it wrong if I admit to being weak sometimes

She almost whispered the lines. 

Everyone needs someone to come and say

I'm ready to come and fill every gap

Bambi quivered, tears were starting to escape her. She stopped strumming the guitar and held it instead, close to her heart. The polished wooden surface was covered by her tears now. 

Pick up the last jigsaw piece and put it together

She managed to utter before finally crumbling down.

Chapter Text

24 years ago

Prim and Bambi were girlfriends but the world didn’t know, yet. Nobody else knows. 

Prim and Bambi finally crossed the line - they are no longer just co-workers. They have acted on their attraction, their connection, the instinct to shape their lives together. For a moment, they somehow forgot about their jobs, that all eyes were on them. 

They were finally alone at the lunch table, the crew did not mind them as much. There were other scenes to shoot, many things to prepare for. There was a hum of bustle on set but they were in their own bubble, oblivious to their surroundings. 

“We’re supposed to do a live while eating,” Prim smirked. She had changed into a more comfortable tee with a band print. She was down to her baggy jeans and a pair of flip flops. 

“Must we?” Bambi sounded tired. 

“Yeah, we need to show the fans that we received everything,” Prim explained. 

“Are these all the food support fans sent us?” Bambi stared at the array of food. There were savory dishes and tons of desserts. Bambi’s hair was tied to a loose ponytail, she put on a charcoal grey windbreaker over her tank top. Her denim shorts peaked at the edge of her jacket. 

“Apparently, we already have many generous fans,” Prim started to open a container of pickled vegetables. 

“Not to be ungrateful or anything but everything is safe right?” Bambi’s brows were furrowed. 

“Don’t worry, Ant vetted and checked everything,” Prim took a bite of the pickled papaya. “See, perfectly safe.” She mumbled while chewing. 

Bambi slumped on her seat. “I’m sorry, I just wonder sometimes. Based on some of the roles I played, social media hasn’t been too kind. My thoughts just wander, like what if someone hates me and wants to poison me with food.” She huffed. 

“Hey,” Prim’s expression became serious. “How many times have I told you not to take everything to heart? We win some, we lose some. Stop dwelling on the haters.” Prim reached out for Bambi’s hand. 

“You’re right,” Bambi managed a smile. “There’s so much to be thankful for but sometimes I just can’t help it.”

“Kid, you can’t please everybody, I learned that the hard way,” Prim opened more containers of food. “People see you under a microscope. I know it’s not easy just to shake everything off like the great Taylor Swift says. But don’t let everything affect you. Remember, this is still a job, not your entire personality. We play characters, they’ll hate them once or twice but at the end of the day, we go home as ourselves.” Prim pinched Bambi’s cheek lightly, it’s becoming her new habit of showing affection publicly aside from patting Bambi on the head. 

“Yeah, you’re right and thanks for reminding me everyday,” Bambi took a deep breath. 

“Remember your rituals? Remove the makeup, take a bath, cleanse. We show up as someone else everyday. So, don’t let them break you, it’s always about the performance.” Prim reminded Bambi. 

“You make it sound so easy,” Bambi chuckled. “But you know what I fear the most? What will happen if they find out about us?” Bambi lowered her voice further, wary of who might be listening in the busy set. 

“Don’t worry about it for now, we’re not doing anything wrong,” Prim whispered back. 

“Should we tell Ant?” Bambi probed. 

“We’ll cross the line when we get there,” Prim assured Bambi as she took out her phone to begin the live. 

Present day

“Thank you so much for agreeing to this,” Luna was in Prim’s home. She was dressed in denim overalls and a muscle tee. 

Prim’s home office was lined by floor to ceiling shelves. One wall was filled with books and memorabilia. Daylight illuminated the room, on the other end was a glass wall. The walls were painted in forest green with black moldings, trims, and panels. Prim sat comfortably on a tufted leather armchair. Her hair was down, she was dressed casually in a striped Polo sweater and loose linen pants. Prim’s French bulldogs were lounging by her feet. They were named Boo and Babe, Luna later learned. One was light brown while the other was cool grey. Luna was distracted by them for a while but Prim caught her attention. 

“Did your mom agree as well?” Prim did not waver. 

“Surprisingly,” Luna managed to smirk. “She did.” 

“Did she?” Prim looked astounded. 

“Yeah,” Luna smiled. “There was no hesitation at all,” she confirmed. 

“She’s probably doing it for you,” Prim was reminded of how selfless Bambi had become as they aged. Plus, Luna was everything to her, she would do anything for her. 

“I just hope it’s fair to ask her about it. She hasn’t talked much about the past, it’s just surprising that she’s willing to share now,” Luna explained as she fiddled with her camera. “Whatever happened, anyway?” Luna searched Prim for an answer.

“Isn’t it what you’re supposed to find out?” Prim chuckled. 

“You’re both so cryptic,” Luna huffed. 

“You’re the documentarian, ask the right questions and you’ll understand everything,” Prim challenged. 

“Is this supposed to be a teaching moment, Professor?” Luna inquired. 

“Kid, everything is a teaching moment,” The nickname slipped but Prim did not flinch at all. 

“Uhm, so can we start?” Luna asked and Prim became more self aware, she adjusted her posture. 

“Please state your name for the record,” Luna asked the standard question. 

“Pariyakorn Roongruengsook, 52, I was an actor, started at a young age,” Prim shared. 

“How young?” Luna perceived. 

“I was a host for a child-oriented talk show, I just turned 13 then,” Prim noted. 

“Is true what they say about child actors?” Luna was candid.

“What do they say?” Prim asked sarcastically. “That we lose our spark at an awkward age and then end up living tragic lives in our adulthood?” She scoffed. 

“I’m sorry…” Luna realized the effect of her question. 

“No need to apologize, most of the time it’s true. But it was different for me, I was lucky. Things fell into place, of course, I struggled but generally, I survived.” Prim clarified as she sat more comfortably. 

“So, you teach acting now,” Luna outlined.

“I didn’t actually retire, I still take up some roles. So, I still practice but teaching gives me a sense of purpose. I knew what I wanted to do then, I wanted to pay it forward. I wanted to help aspiring actors to thrive, not just survive,” Prim looked directly at the camera while saying this. 

“It’s show business,” Luna remarked. 

Prim smirked, “Yeah, it is, at the end of the day it is a business. There is a demand, so, we supply. People wanted to be entertained, a bit of fantasy to lift them from whatever experience they have in life. The Greeks suggested that art simply imitates life but along the lines of performance art, parasocial interactions developed and it makes things much more complicated.” Prim recalled the moments when some fans had made it hard for them. 

“Well, about that, tell me about Bambi Yanin. You worked with her for a long time, right?” Luna sensed an opening. 

“Bambi was, well, Bambi…” Prim’s thoughts drifted to the past. 

24 years ago

“We have a what?” Bambi whispered to Prim. 

They were about to film a love scene. They were both in robes but Bambi was in a set of scarlet-colored silk lingerie underneath. Prim was in a pair of black Calvin Klein underwear. They both wore nude-colored bandeaus beneath their clothing, for when it is implied that they both get naked after. Later on, Prim would discover Bambi’s tattoos but these were covered with makeup for the shoot. They both reclined on a king sized bed with white fluffy sheets of Egyptian cotton. 

“An intimacy coordinator,” Prim replied. 

“Do we really need it? We can wing it. Most of our kissing scenes in the past were improvised anyway,” Bambi hissed. She had been so used to being intimate with Prim that she’s no longer awkward when it comes to love scenes. 

“That’s the point, we should improvise less. We shouldn’t be Prim and Bambi at the moment, we should be our characters,” Prim hummed to Bambi’s ear.

Bambi just gave her a stern look. 

“Well, our director is just worried about our security and comfort. He wants us to feel safe.” Prim explained proudly. 

“As if…” Bambi implied. 

“Kid, no one knows what we do after hours.” Prim muttered. “Plus, we shouldn’t show them how we really are. Let them choreograph, it’s between the characters, alright?” 

Bambi just nodded and pursed her lips. Soon enough, a stern-looking omega entered with their director. She was dressed in a black turtleneck, a stark contrast with their director who was in a vintage tee and shorts. 

Bambi gave Prim a knowing look, Prim was very amused internally. 

“What happens if you know?” Bambi looked at Prim’s crotch. 

“I think of awful things,” Prim wiggled her eyebrows. 

“You think of awful things when I touch you,” Bambi hissed. 

“You know that it doesn’t work that way, we’re acting, remember?” Prim murmured to Bambi’s ear. 

Bambi just glared at her. 

Eventually, they rehearsed with the director and the intimacy coordinator. They were instructed on how their kiss will start, when to turn, when to deepen the liplock. It felt awkward at first, being prepped for what came naturally. Maybe this was the consequence of dating your co-star, you both needed to be good actors to overcome the absurdity. They were blocked out beat by beat, when to straddle, how to hold, when to remove each article of clothing, how to maintain eye contact. Prim was good at following instructions, but Bambi was highly reactive to each stunt. Bambi would add pecks and light nibbles or linger at certain touches. She badly wanted to make it more realistic and less robotic. She sucked on Prim’s neck and explored with wet kisses. She would linger on some erogenous zones from Prim’s scalp, to her nape, to her ears, abdomen, and finally, her inner thighs. 

Suddenly, their director interjected, “Bambi, everything that you’re doing is fine, it makes the scene look more authentic but Prim, are you okay with the improvisations?” It’s not always that the omega is more aggressive than the alpha in love scenes. 

Prim was suddenly broken from her trance, she simply reacted to Bambi’s touches. “Yeah, I’m fine with it.” She affirmed, looking a little dazed from the implied stimulation.  

On the other hand, Bambi looked aghast. It sounded like she was taking advantage of Prim. But she needed to pretend, nobody knew that they were dating, this was all acting at this point. And as co-workers, they needed to set physical and emotional boundaries. 

“Okay, are you ready then?” The director inquired. They nodded in unison. 

“Do you think I’m even allowed to moan?” Bambi joked but at a volume that only Prim could hear. 

“Just don’t get turned on,” Prim teased. “We can let it all out at home, later.” She winked. 

“That’s not helping at all,” Bambi huffed as she got into position. 

Present day

“Uhm, Professor, can you describe your relationship with my mother?” Luna asked from behind the lens. 

“Are you shooting this hand held?” Prim eventually noticed, she was distracted by a memory. 

“Yeah,” There was some hesitation in Luna’s voice. “I just wanted to make it look like a home video. I would edit it with some of my childhood videos.” She explained. 

Childhood videos - Prim realized how much she missed all those years. She was there when Luna was born, saw her grow for a couple of years but that was it. 

“You have a lot of those?” Prim asked, trying to mask her emotions. 

“Photos, videos, I have a lot, mom loved taking those,” Luna shared. 

“Show me someday?” Prim uttered mindlessly. 

Luna blinked a couple of times, she didn’t know where this conversation was heading. 

“For when you edit everything together,” Prim added, she caught herself. 

“Of course, you can view the finished product, Professor,” Luna replied. 

“Anyway, what were we talking about?” Prim diverted. 

“I asked you about your relationship with my mom,” Luna emphasized. 

Prim fumbled at the word, “relationship”, it had many meanings but she didn’t want to reveal everything right away. They had a story to tell. 

“We weren’t just co-workers, we were confidants, we were friends…” Prim described in a calm voice. 

24 years ago

Their drama series was a hit. There was high demand for them to go on press tours, endorse brands, conduct interviews and meet and greets. Their contracts came with marketing and this meant traveling to many places for fanmeets. 

Prim and Bambi were in their hotel for a show in Hong Kong, they were booked in separate rooms. Still, no one knew that they were involved, not even Ant, their manager. They were in Prim’s room, stuck to the desk with hundreds of posters to sign. Bambi was left-handed, so it was easy to simultaneously sign with Prim because they were seated on opposite ends. 

“How many more?” Bambi asked under her breath. Her hand was already shaking but she tried her best to keep her handwriting legible and neat. Her fans deserved the best, she concentrated on her task but tiredness from the flight was catching up on her. To add to that, they both came from a photoshoot and they needed to blog about everything during their trip; from the airport after they passed security, to the pre-departure area, to their arrival, dinner, and then when they reached the hotel. 

“Just keep going, don’t count, it’ll eventually trim down,” Prim tried to distract her. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful I’m doing this but my hand is killing me,” Bambi conveyed. 

“It’s the price of fame,” Ant quipped as she helped them by moving each poster into another pile after they signed. 

“I’ll buy you ice cream after this,” Prim assuaged. 

“Are we talking about gelato?” Bambi asked without looking up. 

“Yes, the gelato you wanted,” Prim confirmed. 

Ant silently observed them. She felt that there was something going on between the two but she just can’t pinpoint it yet. 

“Aren’t you two going to invite me?” Ant teased. 

“Does your hand hurt, too?” Prim looked at her playfully. 

“Can we order or have room service? I’m not really in the mood to go out anymore,” Bambi thought out loud. 

Prim gave Ant a pleading look. 

“Alright, alright, I’ll see what I can do,” Ant yielded. 

“Thank you,” Bambi singsonged her gratitude. 

“But be good girls and finish that, okay?” Ant reminded as she exited the room. 

“Yes, madam, thank you, again,” Prim called out after her. 

As soon as they were left alone, Prim scooted and kissed Bambi on the cheek. 

“What was that for?” Bambi giggled. 

“I’m finally alone with you,” Prim declared. 

“Babe, did you just do that on purpose?” Bambi realized. 

“Well, I really did want ice cream, too,” Prim admitted.

“You do realize that our rooms are connected, right? That door basically opens.” Bambi motioned at the interconnecting door adjoining their rooms. 

“Now, Ms. Yanin, you should be the one to behave yourself, we’re on a work trip, remember? Be professional,” Prim chuckled. 

“It’s part of the perks,” Bambi grimaced. 

The lights were already out in Prim’s room. The space was enveloped in darkness, the thick drapes shielded them from the glow of the nightscape. Prim and Bambi were intertwined under the covers. Bambi snuck into Prim’s room as soon as she was able. They cuddled and talked, they were too tired to do anything else. 

“It bothers me that I need to wake up early and run to my room before the makeup team knocks,” Bambi was annoyed. 

“I told you we should have slept in your room instead,” Prim hugged her tighter from behind. 

“Should we at least tell Ant soon? I’m getting tired of being hyper aware all the time,” Bambi muttered. 

“Yeah, I think so, we should at least tell her.” Prim agreed. “Or we can just bite the bullet and make everything else easier.” 

“I can just imagine everyone at the studio scrutinizing our every move, planning our real relationship like it’s a product that needs to be marketed. I don’t know if we’ll survive that, do you know anyone who survived it?” Bambi turned to Prim. 

“Well, some couples still remain married but you could only imagine all the press and the scandals that they dealt with.” Prim shared. 

“We can take it, right?” Bambi did not sound so confident. 

“We’re relatively new, people love to speculate. Are we ready for that?” Prim realized. 

“They are already shipping us as we speak. I just hate it that I have to be careful with everything, that I can’t hug you or kiss you whenever, that we always need to be prompted.” Bambi sounded frustrated. 

“How I wish we fell in love in different circumstances,” Prim wanted to be more hopeful. 

“Like we could have met in university or bumped into each other in a coffee shop,” Bambi was building a fantasy. 

“Yeah, like we could live totally different lives,” Prim added. 

“We can do that, you know. In the near future, maybe? We can build a farm house, retreat off the grid, raise chickens,” Bambi imagined. 

“Chickens? What do you even know about chickens?” Prim laughed. 

“It’s hypothetical, Babe, it doesn’t have to be chickens. We could have sheep or a barn cat or an owl,” Bambi joked. 

“That would be lovely, anything with you will be great,” Prim pulled Bambi closer and kissed her on the forehead. 

“Would you want kids?” Bambi blurted out. 

Prim was caught off guard, she did not respond right away. “Yeah, maybe, honestly, I’m not sure,” she admitted. 

“Well, it’s good that you’re honest,” Bambi softly kissed her on the tip of her nose. 

“How about you?” Prim wondered. 

“I’m fine with one and a couple of kittens that would grow up with her,” Bambi beamed.

“How would you know that she’s going to be a her?” Prim teased. 

“I just know it, I could sense it in my gut. But whatever they’ll be, I won’t love them any less,” Bambi mumbled before falling asleep in Prim’s arms. 

Prim stared at Bambi for a while, memorizing every slope, every marking, every detail of her face. She committed everything to memory, she realized how much she wanted to wake up next to this face for the rest of her life. 

Present day

“So, you were close?” Luna probed. 

“Yes, we were,” Prim admitted. 

“What happened?” Luna wondered. 

“Life happened,” Prim reasoned. “Our lives moved in different directions. Our paths diverged and we never seem to reconcile.” 

“What do you mean? Did you have a falling out?” Luna furrowed her brows from behind the camera. 

“I won’t necessarily call it like that,” Prim explained. “It’s more of an amicable decision to move on. We reminded each other so much of the past and Bambi just wanted to retire peacefully.” 

“But I don’t understand. Why did you choose not to be in each other’s life anymore?” Luna was persistent with her questioning. 

“I care so much for your mom that I respect her fully. The circumstances weren’t always so kind to her.” Prim replied hesitantly. Luna was getting somewhere but she didn’t want to give everything away. 

“Have you ever been more than just screen partners?” Luna finally asked. 

Prim was caught dumbfounded, of course, she anticipated this question from Luna. Many of their fans in the past speculated about the truth. There was never a clear answer, the vagueness was always maintained. But maybe years from now, they could finally clear the air. However, Prim was hesitant. Would Bambi appreciate what she was about to say? 

“Did your mom say anything?” Prim was careful. 

Luna shook her head. “Actually, you had both been so cryptic.” 

“I think you should interview us together.” Prim decided. She didn’t want to rob Bambi of the opportunity to tell Luna everything. Plus, she didn’t know if the omega would detest her if she revealed so much right away. “Do you think she’ll agree to that?” Deep inside she just wanted to see Bambi. 

“I can try to convince her,” Luna wasn’t too confident about it.