The city never really slept.
Even late in the evening, lights glowed across the skyline like scattered stars trapped between glass towers. Traffic hummed below the studio building, and faint voices from fans waiting outside drifted up through the windows.
Inside the studio corridors, however, the chaos of filming had finally quieted.
Crew members were packing equipment, rolling carts down the hallway. The smell of makeup powder and coffee still lingered in the air after a long day of shooting.
William and Est walked side by side toward the dressing rooms, both looking slightly exhausted but relaxed now that the cameras were finally off.
Est stretched his arms above his head, letting out a long breath.
"Today felt like three days in one," he muttered.
William chuckled softly beside him.
"You say that every filming day."
"Yes," Est replied dramatically, "because every filming day feels like that."
They reached the dressing room corridor. The noise of the crew faded behind them, leaving the hallway quiet except for the soft buzz of overhead lights.
Est pulled out his phone.
The screen lit up instantly with notifications.
Hundreds of them.
Mentions.
Fan edits.
Messages.
Hashtags.
He groaned and leaned back against the wall.
"Okay… that's terrifying."
William raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"
Est turned the phone toward him.
On the screen:
#WilliamEstReal – Trending #1
Below it were dozens of short video clips posted by fans outside the studio.
Clips of William catching Est earlier in the day.
Clips of them laughing together during rehearsal.
Clips zooming in on the moment William brushed Est's hair away from his eyes during filming.
William sighed quietly but didn't look upset. "Fans are observant," he said.
"Observant?" Est scoffed. "They're analyzing our body language like detectives."
William leaned casually against the wall beside him.
"Are they wrong?"
Est paused.
"…That's not the point."
William laughed softly.
An hour later, they were seated on a brightly lit stage inside a smaller studio room.
Cameras pointed toward them from three different angles.
Large screens displayed the live chat from fans watching the stream online. Comments flew by faster than anyone could read.
The host—an energetic presenter known for teasing actors—sat across from them with a playful grin.
"Welcome back everyone!" the host said to the camera. "Tonight we have two of the most talked-about stars on television right now!"
The chat exploded.
WILLIAMEST!!!
LOOK AT THEM
THEY'RE SITTING SO CLOSE
Est glanced sideways at William, trying not to laugh.
William sat calmly, though his knee brushed lightly against Est's under the table.
The host started with easy questions.
"How has filming been lately?"
"Any funny moments on set?"
"What scene has been the hardest emotionally?"
They answered comfortably, occasionally joking with each other.
But eventually the host leaned forward slightly with a mischievous smile.
"And now… the question fans keep asking."
The chat exploded again before the host even finished.
The host looked directly at William.
"So, William… fans have noticed you and Est seem to spend a lot of time together. Not just on set."
Est immediately laughed nervously.
"Oh no…"
William simply smiled.
The host continued, enjoying the moment.
"There are videos of you two leaving places together, arriving together, and William… people say you look very protective of Est."
The chat window filled with:
HE DOES
HE'S ALWAYS HOLDING HIM
PROTECT EST!!!
William glanced sideways at Est.
Under the table, his thumb gently brushed the back of Est's hand.
A small, reassuring touch.
Est felt it immediately.
He tried to hide his smile.
"We're just good friends," Est said lightly.
William leaned slightly closer.
"Best friends," he corrected quietly.
The microphones still caught it.
The chat exploded instantly.
BEST FRIENDS??????
THE WAY HE SAID THAT
THIS IS NOT JUST FRIENDSHIP
The host laughed. "Oh wow, the internet just broke."
Est covered his face briefly with his hands. "This is dangerous."
William smirked slightly.
The host wasn't finished.
"Fans also noticed a lot of… close moments recently," they added.
Est tilted his head.
"Close moments?"
The host nodded enthusiastically.
"Like the hair-brushing earlier today."
Est's eyes widened.
"You saw that?"
"Everyone saw that."
The chat flooded again:
REPLAY IT
THE HAIR BRUSH MOMENT!!!
William looked amused.
"That was professional," Est insisted.
"Professional?" the host repeated.
William gently brushed Est's hair back again—exactly the same way as earlier.
"Professional," he agreed calmly.
The audience watching in the studio gasped.
The chat completely exploded.
Est turned bright red.
"You're not helping," he whispered.
William's smile only widened slightly.
....
The moment the livestream ended, the atmosphere shifted.
Staff members applauded lightly as cameras powered down.
The host laughed.
"You two are chaos for the internet."
William stood up and stretched.
"Unintentional chaos."
Est shook his head, still embarrassed.
They slipped out through a quieter hallway to avoid the fans waiting in the main lobby.
Outside the building, the night air felt cool and refreshing after the bright studio lights.
Est leaned against the railing near the side exit and exhaled deeply. "I think the chat exploded three different times."
William stood beside him.
"At least three."
Est glanced at him.
"Does it bother you?"
William shook his head slightly.
"No."
"Really?"
"I only care about one opinion."
Est blinked.
"…Whose?"
William looked directly at him.
"Yours."
The sincerity in his voice made Est's chest tighten slightly.
Est looked down, smiling faintly.
"I just… want some things to stay ours."
William stepped closer and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
"And they will."
He pulled Est gently against his chest.
"I'll protect our private moments."
Est leaned into the warmth of his embrace.
"Promise?"
William kissed the top of his head softly.
"Promise."
....
Later that night, William's apartment balcony overlooked the glowing city skyline.
The wind carried the distant sounds of traffic and nightlife far below.
Est sat in a chair wrapped in a soft blanket, watching the lights.
William leaned against the railing beside him.
The night felt calm.
Peaceful.
Completely different from the chaos of the day.
Est looked up at him.
"You know what's strange?"
"What?"
"The whole world feels loud lately… but this moment feels quiet."
William stepped closer and crouched slightly in front of him.
"That's because this moment is real."
He gently held Est's face between his hands.
The city lights reflected softly in Est's eyes.
"I can't promise the world will stop watching," William said quietly.
"But I can promise something else."
Est whispered, "What?"
"That whenever it gets too loud…"
William leaned closer. "…we'll find somewhere quiet again."
Est smiled softly. "Like the lake?"
"Like the lake."
William leaned in and kissed him slowly.
Not rushed.
Not dramatic.
Just warm, affectionate, and full of quiet emotion.
When they finally pulled apart, Est rested his forehead against William's.
"More nights like this," Est murmured.
William wrapped his arms around him.
"As many as we can steal."