(The tv is turned on.)

(The flashing light of many cameras fills your vision. Suddenly, a red font appears, the logo of modelling company Jahad is shown, a few seconds later in golden letters appears the phrase “The Untold Tale”. The camera pans to a small room with no furniture other than a big bouffe.)

“I know today’s been tough,” Evan’s voice ringed from behind the door “but I want you to be on your best behaviour and try to not—”

He is, of course, ignored and a group of girls, none of them older than twenty-five, stormed inside. Evan, who is incredibly short and therefore not the most intimidating figure for a bunch of hungry women, looks at the camera with an apologetic look. The camera zooms on the company’s hidden gems, the Princesses, the key to the company’s success, who devour all food available like hyenas. Then, it turns back to Evan.

He’s terrified and tired.

.

EVAN: I’m going to be honest with you since you also seem to be here despite your will… (smiles awkwardly showing solidary) I honestly don’t know why I’m doing this. This is supposed to be a documentary about the Princesses, not me! (There’s silence but you can feel someone glaring from the defeated look Evan has) Anyway, my name is Evan Edrok and I’m a vital member of this company. I know the good relationship I have with the Princesses might be misleading when it comes to exactly how important and respectable I am but (he pauses) (watches the footage of the Princesses him handing him empty cups, plates and one half-eaten apple) I’m sorry what was I saying?

.

“Um, we need to get your hair done and make-up so if you could,” Evan struggled to say while trying to catch even more garbage “hurry.”

Khun Maria lifts her gaze, looks once at Evan and then at the camera. She proceeds to playfully nudge Ahn. “Evan is right, hurry up otherwise we’ll all have to wear hats to cover this mess.” The girls seemed terrified at the idea and quickly began leaving the room. Evan sighed in relief. He knew there was a reason Maria was his favourite.

Speaking of favourites…

“Evan! We’re out of cookies!” Ha Yuri, despite what common sense told him, was also high in the list.

“Help me clean up and maybe I can resolve the issue.”

“I know you have extras inside your backpack, midget,” Yuri said but still threw away some of the trash. Evan shrugged and gave her his Emergency Cookies For When In Need of a Favor. He turned to the camera.

“Want one?”

.

EVAN: Yuri is a bit rebellious but she’s not bad. And trust me we had some bad apples here (stares in the void and shudders) keep her happy and fed and all is good.

YURI: I think Evan is my favourite person here. Know why? He reluctantly lets me have my way and gives me snacks. Like a fun babysitter who is done with their life. Anyhow, I don’t get why you would want to make a documentary on us. Nothing fun ever happens (she pauses) well, sometimes fun things happen but only when someone outside the agency is involved.

.

(The camera pans to the inside of a different area, probably the main studio, filled with lights, chairs and green background. The girls were all sitting aside from Repellista who was doing some overdramatic whispers and Endorsi who hadn’t shown up all day.)

“I’m telling you it’s true.”

“Sounds too over the top,” Lilial said not bothering to even lift her gaze from her phone’s screen. Her twin, Shilial, nodded much to Repellista’s annoyance.

“I’m telling you, Jahad has signed her for a trial period.”

“No way, he would have Anaak’s [beep] child,” Shilial argued. If one replayed the clip, they would hear the cameraman sigh because ‘there goes our no swears for no reason’ rule.

“He had Endorsi who is not important like us. And she’s not a treat either.” Lilial mumbled. Maschenny lifted her head to see Endorsi standing a few meters away with a much younger girl.

“Well, girls,” Maschenny began and put down her phone. The others followed in her trail. Maschenny was currently the oldest of the Princesses and while that didn’t necessarily make her likeable, it made her respectable. “I’m almost certain this is Endorsi with Anaak’s daughter.”

.

ENDORSI: Anaak was one of the oldest Princesses that gave up modelling after getting pregnant. So although I had met her back when I was still struggling to get any good deals, we never had the chance to work for the same agency! Which is a bummer because I love Anaak. She’s the best. (Endorsi shows pictures of her and Anaak Sr) That’s why when I learned that her daughter would become a Princess, I knew I had to be her mentor. The problem? I don’t think she likes me all that much.

ANAAK JR: (silently stares at the camera) (she doesn’t say anything but anyone can feel her judgy eyes)

ENDORSI: Then again, I don’t think she likes anyone.

.

“There is an emergency!” Repellista yells at no one in particular. Both Maria and Yuri stop dead on their tracks. Even though Repellista never has true emergencies, both girls await the moment something actually important will happen. Maria because she’s a saint and Yuri because she wants a laugh.

“I doubt so!” Evan yells from across the room. He can recognize Repellista’s Emergency Behavior from miles away. Repellista ignores him.

“Rabbit Fairy closed!”

“With a name like that, I’m surprised it didn’t close sooner.” Yuri stated, “And their coffee was awful.”

“That’s an exaggeration.”

“Not really, Marco used to go there as punishment every time he didn’t do well on the company’s financial evaluation.”

“Well yes, that’s because it’s real soul-destroying coffee and not that cheap sugary heart attacks Starbucks sells.” Repellista defended “And now that it’s gone, we no longer have a coffee place near!”

“A real tragedy.” Yuri said, “Tell you what I’ll go find you some coffee if you let me borrow your red dress for the photoshoot.”

“That’s my favourite dress.” Yuri didn’t bat an eye. Repellita’s coffee addiction was her greatest weakness. “It better be good coffee.”

“I’ll try. Maria, want anything?”

“No, thanks.”

“Evan?”

“My mental stability!”

“Yeah, yeah, shut up, quicksilver.” Yuri made a quick turn “Hey, where’s Maschenny?”

.

(The camera shows a door. Noise can be heard from behind it. The cameraman—from the arm’s tone, it seems to be Quant—opens it just enough to fit the camera’s lenses. Inside, Khun Maschenny is pacing, one hand on her phone the other on her temple.)

“—your name, you irredeemable asshole!” she yells at the person in the other line “I will burn you alive and then feed your bones to the strays!”

Despite Maschenny’s voice being incredibly loud, Quant could still be heard swallowing at the threat. People who have worked with Maschenny claim that her temper isn’t the best but for a viewer who has only seen her smile brightly at the cameras, this comes as a surprise. And not a good one.

Suddenly, Maschenny gasps in an overly dramatic way. She takes a breath and stomps her foot down. “This is why mum never [beep] loved you!”

“Nope, nope,” Quant tells himself and quickly leaves.

.

(The camera zooms on a face. Or to be more precise zooms on a pair of golden eyes. The person who they belong to seems uncomfortable and tries to awkwardly cough. Lero-ro, one of the cameramen, has no idea how the camera zoomed in and for some reason he can’t zoom out.)

“I’ve got coffee!” Yuri can be heard from somewhere nearby. After some seconds, Lero-ro fixes the camera. The person with the golden eyes finally has a face and his hands filled with three coffees.

“That’s not just coffee,” Maschenny says a little annoyed at Yuri for holding the boy with both hands like a stray puppy. Repellista runs towards them and grabs a coffee. She takes a sip. It’s too sweet, probably not hers, and before she can manage to say something, the boy hands her a cup. She repeats the process and moans.

“Yeah, this is Bam. He works in the Hand of Arlene, it’s a bistro three blocks from here.”

“And you brought him here because…”

“He seemed bored.”

.

MASCHENNY: Bored? (even more enraged) Bored?

YURI: Maschenny was a little off honestly but I don’t know why. I mean, maybe she doesn’t like Bam but have you seen Bam? He’s like a kitten!

BAM: (looks around) I’m not sure I know what’s happening here.

MARIA: Oh! (seems ecstatic as if a lightbulb has appeared on top of her head) Maschenny is probably upset because Yuri is very, um, touchy, with the new guy and she has the biggest c—wait, this will be broadcasted, yes? (The camera moves up and down as a nod) Oh…um, I have no idea why Maschenny seems annoyed. Maybe she’s on her month. Or y—

(The tv is turned off.)

.

“This was horrible,” Zahard told Lero-ro and Quant as he crossed his arms. He turned towards Hansung who was sipping his coffee quietly. By his side, stood Evankhell with a pained expression. “We can’t show this.”

“Humor is good. It has potentials.” Hansung tried to argue “But it’s certainly not the route we’re aiming for. It’s too chaotic and frankly not much entertaining.”

“Maybe the problem is the focus on everyone. I mean, not much happens in the agency so that being the main focus is dull.” Evankhell said and turned to Jahad “Maybe if we focused on a Princess’ life in general?”

“That would mean documenting the entire family,” Hansung told them. He sighed. “Who would be that self-absorbed?”

Jahad’s eyes lighted up. “I may have an idea.” Both Lero-ro and Quant gulped.

.

(The camera shows Maria and Maschenny sitting next to each other in identically grey chairs in front of a blue background.)

MARIA: So (she moved a stripe of her hair behind her ear) we’re really excited about this.

.

(The camera moves elsewhere, in a similar scenery. Only this time two different people are sitting on the chairs. On the left one is Khun Marco who pops bubblegum. On the right, it’s Khun Kiseia making an ironic peace sign because according to her ‘peace is never an option’.)

.

(The camera moves again. This time there is only one person on a chair—Khun Ran—and next to him an empty seat. That’s because Khun Hachuling, the person meant to be sitting there, is spinning Ran’s chair and laughing.)

.

(The camera shows Maria and Maschenny once more. Maria still smiles on her seat, and so does Maschenny, until the latter let out a groan.)

MASCHENNY: WHO AGREED TO THIS?!

.

(The camera shows a bastard. The best bastard.)

EDUAN: Lets do this, woohoo!