A week later, the production company announced a live fan meeting for the series.
The event hall buzzed with excitement. Hundreds of fans filled the seats, holding banners, lightsticks, and handmade signs with the actors' names.
Backstage, the atmosphere was just as chaotic.
Stylists rushed around adjusting outfits, managers checked schedules, and makeup artists did last-minute touchups.
Est stood near the mirror fixing the cuff of his jacket.
Behind him, William leaned against the wall scrolling through his phone.
Suddenly he laughed.
Est glanced over.
"What?"
William turned the screen toward him.
A trending hashtag filled the page.
#WilliamEstReal
Est nearly choked.
"You're kidding."
"Nope."
William scrolled through dozens of posts.
Fans had compiled clips from interviews, behind-the-scenes videos, and recent filming moments.
Every look.
Every smile.
Every tiny interaction.
"They're analyzing everything," William said.
Est groaned and covered his face.
"This is bad."
William smirked.
"Or impressive."
"People think we're actually dating!"
William shrugged.
"Well…"
Est immediately pointed a finger at him.
"Do not finish that sentence."
William laughed.
"Relax. They're just fans having fun."
Est lowered his voice.
"You say that now, but if our manager sees this—"
As if summoned by the universe, their manager walked into the room.
Both of them instantly stood up straight.
"Five minutes until you go on stage," the manager said.
Then he paused, looking between them suspiciously.
"And remember—be natural."
William nodded.
"Always."
Est forced a calm smile.
"Of course."
The manager left.
Est exhaled dramatically.
"That was close."
William tilted his head.
"You look nervous."
"I am nervous."
"You've done fan meetings before."
"Yes, but now half the internet thinks we're secretly in love."
William smiled.
"Half?"
Est grabbed a pillow from the couch and threw it at him.
🎤 On Stage
The lights dimmed.
Music played.
The host walked onto the stage first.
"Everyone, please welcome the stars of tonight's event!"
The crowd exploded into cheers.
William and Est walked out together.
Fans screamed even louder.
Some people held signs reading "WILLIAMEST FOREVER."
Est tried very hard not to look at them.
They sat on the stage couch beside each other.
The host grinned mischievously.
"So," she said, "fans have been talking a lot about your chemistry lately."
The audience screamed again.
Est laughed awkwardly.
William looked suspiciously calm.
The host continued.
"Let's play a game!"
A staff member brought out a bowl.
"Inside are questions submitted by fans."
Est leaned closer to William.
"This feels dangerous."
William whispered back.
"Just answer honestly."
"That's exactly what I'm afraid of."
The host reached into the bowl.
"First question!"
She read the card.
"Who is more likely to get jealous?"
The crowd screamed immediately.
William slowly turned his head toward Est.
Est stared back.
"Don't you dare," Est whispered.
William smiled sweetly.
Then he pointed directly at himself.
The audience went wild.
Est covered his face.
"You're unbelievable."
The host laughed.
"Oh! So you admit it?"
William shrugged.
"I'm honest."
Est leaned toward the microphone.
"He's dramatic."
William nudged him playfully.
"Am not."
"Yes you are."
"Am not."
The crowd loved it.
Later in the event, the host asked them to stand for a game.
They had to walk across the stage while answering rapid-fire questions.
Without thinking—
Est grabbed William's hand.
Just like he had done a week earlier in the empty studio.
Except this time…
Two thousand fans were watching.
The crowd exploded.
Screams filled the entire hall.
Est froze.
William froze.
They both looked down at their hands.
Still linked together.
"Oh," Est whispered.
William tried not to laugh.
The host shouted dramatically into the microphone.
"DID EVERYONE SEE THAT?"
The fans screamed even louder.
Est quickly let go.
His face was completely red.
"That was an accident!"
William looked at him with an innocent expression.
"Was it?"
Est glared at him.
"You are enjoying this way too much."
William leaned closer and whispered—
"Maybe."
Meanwhile, phones across the audience were already uploading clips online.
Within minutes, the video spread everywhere.
And the hashtag #WilliamEstReal exploded even more.
...
By the time the fan meeting ended, the internet had already exploded.
Backstage, William and Est barely had time to sit down before their phones began vibrating non-stop.
Est opened his notifications.
Then immediately groaned.
"Oh no."
William glanced over.
"What happened?"
Est turned his screen toward him.
The same video clip appeared over and over again.
The moment on stage.
The exact second when Est had grabbed William's hand.
The screaming crowd.
The shocked expression on their faces.
The captions were even worse.
"THEY HELD HANDS FOR REAL."
"THIS WASN'T FAN SERVICE."
"WILLIAMEST IS REAL CONFIRMED."
William tried very hard not to smile.
Est noticed.
"Why are you smiling?!"
"I'm not."
"You absolutely are."
William leaned back in his chair.
"Okay, maybe a little."
Est dropped dramatically onto the couch.
"This is a disaster."
William shrugged.
"Fans are happy."
"That's not the point!"
Est sat up again.
"Our company is going to call us."
Right on cue—
William's phone rang.
Both of them stared at it.
The caller ID read: Manager.
Est pointed.
"Answer it."
"You answer it."
"It's your phone!"
William sighed and picked up.
"Hello?"
Est leaned in close so he could hear.
Their manager's voice came through loud and clear.
"What happened on stage?"
William glanced at Est.
"Which part?"
"The hand holding."
William paused.
Est whispered urgently, "Say it was the game!"
William nodded.
"It was part of the game."
The manager sighed.
"Next time, try to be a little more careful. Fans are already making theories online."
Est mouthed I told you so.
But the manager continued.
"Still… the event went well. Engagement is high."
William blinked.
"So we're not in trouble?"
"No. Just don't start dating for real and create a scandal."
William choked.
Est slapped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing.
The manager continued talking for another minute before finally hanging up.
William slowly lowered the phone.
Both of them sat in silence.
Then Est burst out laughing.
"I can't believe he said that."
William rubbed his face.
"That was stressful."
Est wiped tears from his eyes.
"'Don't start dating for real.'"
William glanced at him.
"Yeah."
The laughter slowly faded.
Suddenly the room felt quieter.
More serious.
William spoke first.
"Are we…?"
Est looked at him.
"What?"
"Dating."
Est froze.
William scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I mean… we never actually said it."
Est thought for a moment.
The past week flashed through his mind.
Late night conversations.
Shared smiles on set.
The way William looked at him when he thought no one was watching.
Then Est sighed softly.
"Well…"
He leaned back against the couch.
"We confessed."
William nodded.
"Yeah."
"We hold hands."
William nodded again.
"Also true."
"And you get jealous during my scenes."
William immediately protested.
"I do not—"
Est raised an eyebrow.
William sighed.
"Okay maybe a little."
Est smiled.
"So what do you think that sounds like?"
William studied his expression.
Then slowly reached over.
This time he took Est's hand.
Not accidentally.
Not for a scene.
Just because he wanted to.
"It sounds like dating," William said.
Est looked down at their hands.
Then back at William.
A small smile appeared.
"Yeah," he admitted.
"I guess it does."
Outside the building, fans were still posting clips and theories.
Inside the quiet dressing room—
William squeezed Est's hand gently.
"So…"
Est looked at him.
"So?"
William grinned.
"First official date?"
Est rolled his eyes.
"We've spent every day together for months."
"Still counts."
Est pretended to think.
Then he stood up and grabbed his jacket.
"Fine."
William blinked.
"Fine?"
Est walked toward the door.
"Well? Aren't you coming?"
William jumped up immediately.
"Of course."
As they left the dressing room together, neither of them noticed the staff member at the end of the hallway.
Who had definitely just seen them holding hands again.
And was already texting someone:
"I think William and Est might actually be dating."