Aston Rossel...

Chiangmai, Thailand...

Filming a Lakorn drama.

“Wait. Wait. Wait.” Aston’s voice came through the phone, barely muffled by the noise of makeup brushes and bustling crew members behind him. He was halfway through getting his face powdered for a beach scene when the news hit. “He confessed?! In the plant shop?! On the phone?! WITH KYLE THERE?!”

Dave’s laugh crackled through the speaker. “Dude, it was wild. Like, rom-com level chaos.”

“Mark,better hope Kyle did not hear our conversation.” He added between bouts of laughter.

“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU.” Aston shouted, nearly knocking the makeup brush out of the artist’s hand. “I’ve been here in Thailand for a month shooting a script written by a seventh grader with a breakup complex, and YOU’VE BEEN LIVING THROUGH A REAL-TIME SLOW-BURN LOVE STORY?!”

“You okay, sir?” the makeup artist asked, looking concerned.

Aston waved her off dramatically. “Just betrayed. Deeply. Emotionally. Irreparably.”

Dave snorted. “I told you. He’s got it bad. He asked me if a cactus pin was too forward. A cactus. PIN.”

“I swear to God, if you don’t send me a picture of this Kyle guy right now, I’m deleting your number. I’m missing the BL of the decade!” Aston wailed.

The makeup artist was now visibly entertained, dabbing gently as Aston continued his one-man monologue.

“Do you understand the gravity of this? Mark Lee is confessing feelings? The same guy who once told me dating apps were ‘a digital meat market of mediocrity’ is now naming succulents and doing soft stares at a plant boy?!”

Dave laughed harder. “Yup. He even gave a cactus humidifier a name—Mr. Steve.”

Aston’s jaw dropped. “I hate you. I hate you so much. Why am I not there filming this?! This is a better plot than the fake love triangle I’m stuck in. Ugh!”

“Relax, drama queen,” Dave said, still chuckling. “I’m making a group chat. Cactus and Tycoon Gossip. You’re getting hourly updates and pics. You're not missing anything, promise.”

Aston’s voice went deadly calm. “If I don’t see Kyle’s face in the next thirty seconds, I'm flying back with a boom mic and setting up a hidden camera in that plant shop.”

“You’ll love him,” Dave said, already typing. “He's Ray's friend. Got dimples that could end wars.”

“Add me. Now.”

Ping.
Cactus and Tycoon Gossip
Dave added: Aston 🌴🎬

Aston's message came instantly:
Aston 🌴🎬: If Mark kisses him and you don’t send me a play-by-play, I’ll haunt your cruise ship.

Dave replied with a selfie of Mr. Steve the cactus humidifier on Mark’s office desk.

Dave 🛳️💬: Welcome to the show.