as the EON members gathered in the studio. "Clara's character is central this time, and one of you will play her love interest."
The room exploded immediately.
"I volunteer!" Jace shot his hand into the air before the sentence even ended.
Theo groaned. "You? You can't act romantic to save your life."
"Excuse me, I ooze charm," Jace argued. "Ask literally anyone!"
"Charm isn't the same as acting," Luca countered, rolling his eyes. "It requires subtlety. I'd do it better."
Cassian crossed his arms. "Subtlety? You can't even look someone in the eye without shuffling."
Theo raised his hand next. "I'm the only one who can act like a normal human being. Pick me."
"Pick me!" Jace barked again, dramatically pointing at himself.
The boys were ridiculous—mock arguments, exaggerated poses, and laughter bouncing off the studio walls. Clara stood quietly by the monitor, holding her script with both hands, her smile polite but nervous. Her cheeks were pink with embarrassment as the boys good-naturedly bickered over her like overexcited teenagers.
Only Noah stayed silent, calmly scrolling through something on his phone at the back of the room, completely unbothered by the chaos.
Cassian noticed the way Clara shifted uncomfortably, her eyes darting toward the director, then down at her shoes. That was enough.
"Alright, that's enough, you lunatics," Cassian said, stepping forward with the easy authority of an older brother scolding children. "You're making her uncomfortable."
The others froze mid-sentence.
Jace blinked. "Sorry, Clara. We're just joking."
"Yeah, well, it stopped being funny three arguments ago," Cassian said, turning to the director. "I'll do it. She's new to our dynamic—I'll make sure she feels comfortable."
The director smiled in relief. "Perfect. Cassian, you're in."
Clara looked up, startled, then smiled gratefully. "Thank you," she said softly.
Cassian grinned. "Don't mention it. You handle yourself pretty well even though we're all too chaotic."
Jace leaned toward Theo and whispered, "He's so the male lead type, it's disgusting."
Theo nodded solemnly. "Unfortunately, yes."
The director sighed. "Alright, everyone. Back to work before I replace you all with extras."
The music video series was halfway done, and it had already become a daily trending topic. Each new episode was dissected frame by frame online—every lingering glance between Cassian and Clara turned into edits, slow-motion clips, and fan-made compilations.
The tag #CassClara exploded overnight.
Half the fans adored them; the other half… didn't.
When Clara arrived at the studio one morning, reporters were already waiting by the gates. The production team handled the media well, but Cassian noticed the flicker of unease in her eyes before she covered it with a professional smile.
"Rough morning?" he asked gently, handing her a coffee.
She accepted it with a small nod. "The comments are getting intense again. I didn't expect this much… attention."
Cassian leaned casually against the wall, his tone light. "That's EON fans for you. We're practically a religion."
Clara let out a soft laugh, though it carried a hint of weariness. "You don't sound surprised."
He smiled faintly. "I've had my fair share of passionate fans. They mean well, even when they forget we're real people."
Her gaze softened. "You're good at taking it lightly."
He shrugged. "Maybe because I've learned to separate the noise from what's real."
She looked at him for a moment longer than she should have before glancing away. "And what's real to you, Cassian?"
He chuckled. "Right now? The fact that you look like you could use another coffee."
The moment broke with quiet laughter, but something lingered—something small and unspoken.
The rest of EON noticed, of course.
During one of their scenes, Jace made a heart shape with his hands behind Clara's back. Theo laughed so loudly the director called for a retake. Later, while Cassian tried to memorize his lines, Luca leaned over with a teasing smirk.
"You might want to tone it down a bit."
Cassian didn't look up. "Tone what down?"
Theo grinned. "That you're starring in two love stories—one on camera and one off."
Cassian groaned, flipping a page. "Remind me why I don't request a solo career."
Luca smirked. "Awww but then who would you confide your love story with?"
The faint pink on Cassian's ears betrayed him. Even Noah—who rarely joined their teasing—glanced at him once with a quiet, knowing smile.
Then came the first real test.
A magazine leaked behind-the-scenes photos of Cassian helping Clara adjust her costume. It was harmless, but the captions twisted it into scandal. Within hours, "Cassian is dating Clara Delvine!" was trending across every platform.
The production team scrambled to control the story, while management released a statement emphasizing professionalism. Clara apologized to Cassian more than once, even though none of it had been her fault.
"I'm really sorry," she said one evening as they waited for another setup. "All this noise—it's because of me."
Cassian looked at her, voice soft. "Clara, I've lived with noise my whole career. It's okay. I'm more worried about you. How are you feeling?"
She met his gaze, and for a heartbeat, neither looked away. The crew bustled around them, cables shifting, cameras testing—but that quiet space between them felt heavier than the noise surrounding them.
"I'm okay," she whispered. "I'm okay because it's with you."
The words hung in the air. Her face flushed instantly. "I—I mean—because you're experienced! And calm! And, uh, professional!"
Cassian blinked, momentarily caught off guard, before a slow blush crept up his neck. A soft laugh escaped him, warm and disbelieving.
"Right," he said gently, smiling. "Professional."
Clara groaned, hiding her face in her hands. "Please pretend I didn't say that."
"Not a chance," he murmured, still grinning.
Their chemistry on-screen only deepened.
In one scene, Clara had to run into Cassian's arms under pouring rain—a classic, cinematic moment. The water drenched them both, their eyes met, and time seemed to slow.
When the director called cut, no one moved.
Then Jace's voice broke the silence. "The director said cut, you lovebirds. CUT!"
The entire crew erupted in laughter. Clara hid her flustered smile, and Cassian brushed his soaked hair back, laughing too—but the spark between them didn't fade. Everyone had seen it.
When filming wrapped that night, the set lights dimmed and the crew began to pack up. Clara and Cassian found themselves alone for a brief moment amid the smell of rain and wet concrete.
She wrung out her sleeve and smiled shyly. "Thank you, Cassian. For today. And for… everything else. You've made this whole project so much easier."
He tilted his head with a grin. "You mean surviving Theo's constant commentary?"
She laughed softly. "That too." Her voice softened. "But mostly you. You make all this chaos feel… safe."
His teasing expression melted into something gentler. "You make it worth it."
The distant sound of Jace yelling for a missing prop broke the silence, and they both laughed.
"See you tomorrow?" she asked, turning to leave.
"Wouldn't miss it," he said.
As she walked away, Cassian lingered under the studio lights, watching her go with his hands in his pockets.