Muse

As a new comer in the entertainment industry, Pleng feels the need to take side jobs to adequate her daily necessities. She just released a new single and it just started to do well in the market but not enough to make her financially sufficient yet, because she’s a new singer without any fame; she just happened to work at a hotel restaurant, and by some weird luck, a music producer, Earth, was dining there with his colleagues when she performed there. Her piano playing and soft vocal impressed him a lot that he immediately handed his business card after Sonya finished her performance to recruit her. And that’s the reason Pleng agrees to the offer of becoming a model for photoshoots in a jiffy.

“Before you agree as fast as lightning, it’s a good idea to read the profile of the photographer,” Frank, her friend and manager concurrently passes her a thick file across the table, pages full of photographs ranging from abstract to portraits of famous people. Pleng flips each page slowly and traces all the pictures, feeling so amazed at how high the quality of the pictures are.

“Holy cow, these pictures are no joke, and she’s offering a peasant like me to become a model?” Pleng mutters as she flips to the other page.

“Correction, actually a friend of Earth asked him whether he knew someone capable enough to become a muse of this photographer.”

“And who is this person?”

Frank flips the file to the very end of the page; a silhouette photograph of a woman with high bun, her jawline is as sharp as knife that looks like it can divide pizza into 8 slices at a very precise measure, looks very mysterious indeed. Her name is written boldly under the photograph, Wanwiwa Pippathanakul.

“She’s actually known as the ace among female photographers; she has been in the field for 10 years. She never really shows herself in public, so she remains mysterious till this very day.”

“Wanwiwa…” Pleng murmurs that name. Somehow the name feels familiar — because the said photographer has been in the showbiz for years OR maybe because the name Wanwiwa isn’t that rare— but Pleng has no time to let that name sinks in because she is more occupied with the sudden nervousness she feels, thinking about how it feels like working with a professional photographer like her.  “Do you think I deserve to work with someone eminent like her? I mean I’m undistinguished.” Pleng closes the file and looks up at Frank who is busy with his phone.

“I mean, you can try. Furthermore, it can help hoisting your popularity.” Frank shrugs his shoulders. Pleng is lost in her thought.

“Don’t self-deprecating yourself. You have the potential and I believe in you, as a friend and brother who had seen you grown up.” Frank pats Pleng’s shoulder.

Pleng slowly nods and smile at Frank.

The day of the meeting between Pleng, Frank, Earth, and the mysterious Wanwiwa has been decided, so Pleng decides to wear a pink dress with floral pattern and pair it with a white sneaker to look casual. She doesn’t do anything to her hair so she let it down unraveling with a natural wave. Now that she’s done, she takes the elevator down from her studio apartment to meet Frank who’s sitting in the lobby.

“You look pretty today Pleng, if I haven’t known you since you were a hot mess girl, I’ll definitely having a crush on you,” Frank scoffs and ruffling Pleng’s hair playfully. Pleng gives him a disgusted look and walks past him towards the front door to the car parked at the front.

After what seems like an eternity due to usual traffic in Bangkok, they finally arrive at the office, and immediately riding the elevator to the meeting room. Frank knocks on the door and immediately opens it. Pleng steps inside and there she is, Wanwiwa Pippathanakul, wearing a baseball cap, her slender body draped with washed jeans oversized outer and stripe t-shirt. She raises her head and hold eye contact with Pleng which feels like hours. Pleng subliminally rubbing the back of her neck in response of embarrassment. The latter looks so highly educated and it feels like she’s in a hierarchy where no one can touch her at all. Her rounded glasses with that thin frame compliments her smart casual look. She looks at Pleng as if she’s studying something that Pleng can’t see with her mysterious look. Pleng overwhelmed by the stare trying to distract her chaotic mind, fidgeting with her fingers while fixating her eyes on the floor. Fortunately, Earth quickly inviting Pleng and Frank to sit together at the meeting table. A guy is sitting beside Wanwiwa, he looks as elegant as her.

“Hi, I’m Ek, Wanwiwa’s manager,” the guy reaching out his hand to Pleng with a poised smile. Pleng nervously accepting the hand, his grip feels oddly long to the point both Frank and Wanwiwa stare at it with an unamused look.

“Can we start now?” Wanwiwa asks with a cold tone without breaking the gaze to Pleng and Ek’s hand. When Pleng listens to that voice, peculiarly it sends shiver down to her spine… in a good way. Her low voice sounds authoritative but not condescending. Pleng immediately pulls her hand and sit beside Frank across Wanwiwa.

“So, what concept do you provide for Pleng?” Earth asks Wanwiwa while clasping his fingers under his chin.

“I am thinking of doing portrait, headshot and fashion, but for this project I prefer to do it outside the studio, I need the muse to agree to travel with me,” Wanwiwa glances at Pleng. Pleng can feel her blood rushes at the thought of spending time together with this classy photographer. How can she act normal around the superior Wanwiwa as a rookie in the showbiz.

“Me included,” Ek winks and it makes Wanwiwa throws him a what-the-fuck look.

“Does Pleng have any conflicted schedules?” Earth asks Frank. Frank unlocks his phone and checking the calendar.

“As far as I know, Pleng has 2 more schedules for YouTube interviews but we can negotiate with the producers to film it earlier. Pleng can travel next week I guess.”

“Cool, we can immediately book the tickets. Ek, book it later after this meeting.”

“Sure, will do,” Ek types the reminder to his phone.

“Pleng, are you okay with all of this?” Earth asks Pleng. The whole room immediately fixating their gazes to Pleng who’s currently in the state of no thoughts head empty because she’s too focused at unconsciously admiring Wanwiwa’s side profile. The clear black pupils of Wanwiwa that’s currently staring wakes her from her daydream.

“Well, I can’t say no to this rare opportunity to work with a terrific photographer like Khun Wanwiwa.”

Ek sighs in relief, while Earth nodding his head as if he’s a proud father. Pleng catches Wanwiwa smirks a little while writing something on her notebook.

On the specified date, Pleng and Frank arrives at the airport and walking to the check-in gate, and they realizes that Wanwiwa and Ek have been there standing, waiting for them to come. Wanwiwa is wearing a beanie and an oversized black sweatshirt with Tom and Jerry character printed on it. It looks cute but to Pleng, it looks funny because in some way it just doesn’t match the aloof personality that exudes from Wanwiwa.

“All ready?”  Wanwiwa asks Frank and Pleng simultaneously.

“Yep, you and Pleng have been checked in, so both of you can go to the boarding room first, me and Frank will catch up soon,” Ek gestures with his hand and Frank agreeing by nodding. Damn, now Pleng needs to spend a short time being alone with Wanwiwa. She’s panicking inside thinking about how to behave in front of her. Pleng walks with Wanwiwa towards the boarding room with a prominent awkward gap between them. Both of them dragging their cabin luggages.

“Am I that scary?” Wanwiwa finally breaking the silence after what feels like eternity of gawkiness.

“Eh?” Pleng startled and glances at Wanwiwa but decides to look at the glossy airport ceramics after catching Wanwiwa’s gaze at her.

“Well…. I am awkward with new people…” Pleng timidly continues.

“That’s an acceptable reason,” Wanwiwa stops midway that makes Pleng stutters.

“I’m Wanwiwa, you can call me Wan,” She extends her arm. Pleng looks at Wan’s hand; it looks so pulchritudinous. Slowly she raises her own hand and shakes Wan’s hand.

“I’m Siang Pleng.”

“Oh, you’re living up to your name.”

Wan’s grip on Pleng’s hand feels so soft and tender.

“Ah… yes... Hehe,” Pleng chuckles shyly. She can feel her cheeks blushes, hoping that Wan won’t see it and seems like Wan doesn’t notice at all. She loses the grip from Pleng’s hand and continue walking. Pleng follows slowly beside Wan. Through their walk to the boarding room, Wan asks some casual questions about Pleng’s experiences and life as a singer.

“Seems like being a singer has been your dream since your childhood.”

“Kind of. Like you said, I’m living up to my name.” Pleng shrugs her shoulders and Wan chuckles softly.

“That’s good. I’m hoping of seeing your success as a Thai singer.”  

Pleng finds the encouragement endearing coming from someone solemn like Wan. After running out of questions, they sit in silence at the boarding room, because Wan wears a headphone on her ears and Pleng doesn’t mind at all. At least she can sigh in relief after feeling awkward for several minutes, so she decides to just focus on scrolling her social media. And after some times, they board to the plane. Frank and Ek catches up with them during that time.

“You sit beside me, don’t you?” Wan asks while placing her camera bag and luggage in the overhead locker at the business class cabin.

“I think so—”

A hand taps on Pleng’s hand that is holding onto her baggage and she is flabbergasted when she feels Wan’s weight behind her, helping her placing her own baggage to the overhead locker. She subconsciously looks up to Wan, and Wan replies her gaze with a question look.

“What?”

“N—nothing,” Pleng immediately breaks the eye contact and frantically sits on her seat beside Wan. Wan quietly follows her sitting on her seat beside Pleng.

“Just think of it as an act of kindness and a prove that I’m not that scary so you can be relaxed enough to work with me as my muse.”

Wan continue to listens to whatever she’s hearing from her headphone, leaving Pleng trying to control her heartbeat, because this is the first time she experience such a close physical contact with a stranger, and it’s so strange to feel this way about Wan, a woman she just met for like 2 times, but that’s how she feels.

Meanwhile, Frank and Ek who are sitting behind them smirk to each other while observing Pleng and Wan.