I was on a reality dating show with the reigning Best Actor of Hollywood. To make sure I didn't ruin his heavily-PR'd "showmance" with the current It Girl, I actively avoided him like the plague. But I underestimated the contrarian nature of modern netizens. After the show aired, the It Girl and the Best Actor were relentlessly mocked for their "artificial, focus-group-tested romance." Meanwhile, the Best Actor and I—the "Anti-Showmance Duo"—accidentally went viral and broke the internet. Viewers: "They dodge eye contact but look at that chemistry! If they aren't real, my entire life is a lie!" 1 I was notoriously known as the most problematic actress in my age group. My reputation was built on aggressively "shipping" myself with male co-stars to leach off their fame. Despite having a face sharp enough to cut glass and a killer, sultry vibe, my agency insisted I play the role of the fragile, innocent girl-next-door. Naturally, the internet despised me. They called me fake, manipulative, and a "green tea bitch." While filming, the male leads’ PR teams would aggressively push for a fake romance. But once the project wrapped, they’d immediately pivot to playing the victim. I took the hate; they took the engagement. Seeing my reputation circle the drain, my agent threw me a lifeline: a live-streamed reality dating show. The strategy? Use my status as the internet’s punching bag to serve as the ultimate background character, thereby highlighting the sincerity and sweetness of the current It Girl, Chloe Vance. But just days before shooting began, news dropped that Silas Vance, an Oscar-winning Best Actor (and absolutely no relation to Chloe), was joining the cast. During my reckless college years, leaning heavily on my status as an upperclassman, I had a brief, embarrassing... incident with the impossibly beautiful, newly-minted star. We were definitely not meant to cross paths again. Thankfully, the producers had already established the show’s tone. Simply put, the entire show was a vehicle to serve the fabricated romance between Silas and Chloe. The rest of us were just props. Which meant I’d have zero interaction with Silas. My only job was to be a good piece of scenery, stay out of the spotlight, and clear the stage for him and Chloe. It was basically a paid vacation. I was thrilled. Getting paid to do absolutely nothing? Sign me up. On the first day of filming, Chloe arrived looking immaculate in a flowing white dress. The moment she stepped out of the car, the live chat exploded. "So THIS is why our Silas lowered himself to do a reality show! The high school sweetheart trope is real!" "Chloe is stunning. Such elegant goddess vibes." I followed closely behind, makeup-free, wearing a faded t-shirt and shorts, and gave a lazy wave to the camera. The chat took a hard left. "Why is SHE here? So unlucky. Trailing right behind Chloe, trying to steal her thunder." "But seriously, what is she wearing?! Nursing home chic?" "Reject female rivalry! Vote April Hayes off the island." Heh. I was far too lazy to compete with them anyway. That would require a pay bump. Until Silas made his entrance, I diligently played the background character, watching the beautiful men and women vie for screen time. The second Silas appeared, I physically maneuvered myself completely out of the frame. I wasn't even a background character anymore; I was off-screen. When it came to avoiding suspicion, I was a seasoned professional. Silas was the biggest name among us. He had kept a low profile for years, focusing strictly on acting, with zero scandals and almost no variety show appearances. Rumor had it that when the dating show producers first approached him, he flat-out refused. No one knew why he suddenly changed his mind. An A-list Best Actor dropping down to a reality show instantly sparked intense online debate. Everyone assumed he came specifically for Chloe. After all, when Chloe debuted, it was revealed that she and Silas had attended the same high school and college. There were even rumors that Chloe was the "one who got away," the unattainable first love Silas had carried a torch for, remaining single to this day just waiting for her to look back. In Hollywood, star power is king. The moment Silas stepped out, the entire cast swarmed him, excitedly introducing themselves. When the camera panned to me, I was zoned out, staring at a bowl of sunflower seeds, trying to figure out if they were real or just props. The live chat was buzzing. "Look at her acting all aloof, ignoring our Silas! Doing anything for attention, she's so pathetic." "Okay, but honestly... I'm kind of getting her vibe? Even without makeup, she looks good. Effortlessly cool." "Girl, are you crazy? You think April the Green Tea is cool? Who knows what toxic schemes she's plotting." Chloe seamlessly claimed the seat next to Silas. They were wearing complementary colors, looking very much like a couple. The chat was flooded with "A match made in heaven" and "Destined lovers." I sat far away, cracking sunflower seeds, quietly observing Silas. It had been years. He was even more handsome now, practically oozing a detached, untouchable aura. He looked cold and distant. None of that soft, puppy-dog cuteness from before. The chat went wild. "The Vance-Thorne ship is sailing! Just one frame together and it's raining pink bubbles. I'm dying!" Chloe casually flipped her hair and covered her mouth with a delicate laugh, sending the chat into a frenzy. "Chloe has so much class. She's the only pure jasmine flower in the industry. How does April, that cheap knockoff, even dare to compare?" 2 Right at that moment, Silas suddenly looked over at me. I was mid-bite, a sunflower seed halfway to my mouth, and didn't have time to look away. Our eyes locked. I immediately shifted my gaze to the nearest guy, a cute indie musician, and shot him a dramatic, exaggerated wink. The light in Silas's eyes instantly darkened. An eagle-eyed viewer immediately commented: "Am I crazy, or did Silas just look... hurt? What did he just see?" "He was definitely looking at April." "Girl, spit it out, knock on wood! Do not let Silas's name be in the same sentence as April the Green Tea!" I wholeheartedly agreed with that hater. I didn't want even a sliver of a connection to Silas. I just wanted to slack off for three months, collect my massive paycheck, and go home. That evening, before the anonymous "heartbeat letters" segment, the producers introduced a mixer. In a bizarre twist, they blindfolded all of us, put us in a confined room, and told us to walk around randomly. Whoever you grabbed was your date for the night. They even gave this ridiculous game a ridiculous name: "Cupid's Blind Man's Bluff." I felt my sanity actively draining. Some netizens were equally unhappy. "This isn't fair! April the Clout Chaser is definitely going to use this to grope the guys." "Exactly! No other man is allowed to touch our Chloe! Chloe belongs to Silas." Without sight, my other senses went into overdrive. In the small room, the sound of breathing overlapped. The accidental brushes of skin made the atmosphere heat up rapidly. I tensed up, frantically trying to parse through the chaos of various perfumes and colognes to identify Silas's distinct body wash. And then, I actively walked in the opposite direction. The live chat was losing its mind. "The producers are messy for this! Too spicy!" "Chloe, go right! Silas is on the right! Ahhh, they almost bumped into each other!" "Wait, is anyone else noticing April's pathing? It's so weird. Holy crap, did she just kick a guy away?!" "Girl, I see it too. April is literally dodging everyone, especially Silas. It's like she has a radar. This is wild." "But what's even crazier is that Silas keeps moving TOWARD April! Everyone else is stumbling around like headless chickens, but those two look like they have X-ray vision!" "She runs, he chases. There is no escape." "Help, the comment above me is sending me!" Ten minutes later, the director blew the whistle. The pairings were set. Everyone else had tried their hardest to bump into someone else to manufacture some romantic tension. I, however, stuck to my strict "Don't Touch Me" policy. One kick here, one dodge there, and I successfully avoided every single guy in the room. Which meant I also avoided Silas. However, when the blindfolds came off... Everyone else was paired up, holding hands. Only Silas and I were left, standing on opposite ends of the room, staring at each other. Chloe's face dropped instantly. She ripped her hand away from the guy next to her. This had... backfired spectacularly. Chloe forced a sugary-sweet smile. "Director, we didn't really understand the rules just now. Can we do a do-over?" I immediately stepped forward to support her. The chat scrolled furiously. "Ha, Green Tea April is definitely going to argue with Chloe. Let's watch her terrible acting." "She got lucky and ended up with Silas. She's probably dying of happiness inside." 3 I sprinted right up to the director. "She's absolutely right! I agree! Do-over! We MUST do it over!" If I had known this would happen, I would have grabbed a random guy earlier! The rapper from this morning wasn't bad, or the older action star... Literally anyone was better than Silas. Chloe probably hadn't expected me to back her up so aggressively. She froze in place. Silas spoke, his tone flat. "It's getting late. A do-over is a waste of time." The director wasn't about to argue with an A-lister like Silas, so that was that. Chloe walked slowly over to Silas, her eyes soft and pleading. "Silas, it's okay. I'll wait for you to get back." The camera zoomed in for a tight close-up on the two of them. Chloe walked away, looking back over her shoulder three times, her eyes red as if she were marching off to war. The live chat erupted. "My heart breaks for Chloe. It's all April's fault. That bitch ruins everything. She's doing this on purpose to mess with our girl." "Speechless. If you don't use your eyes, donate them. I'm just a casual viewer, and it's obvious April didn't do anything." "Sisters, Green Tea April is definitely faking this 'I don't care' attitude. Don't be fooled! She's going to show her true colors soon and throw herself at Silas. Just watch." The date roster was locked in. I shot Silas a look of extreme reluctance and maintained a strict three-foot distance from him at all times. The live chat stalled for a moment before someone quietly commented: "Am I going crazy, or does April look like she's genuinely disgusted by Silas?" "She's not even trying to get close? Is this still Green Tea April? Did she get a personality transplant?" "LMAO, Silas keeps looking back to check if April is still there. What, is he afraid she's going to run away?" "I mean, it really looks like April wants to run." The date was set up on the beach. Dim lighting, candles on the table, rose petals scattered everywhere. It gave me a headache. I took the initiative. "What temperature do you keep your AC at?" Silas: "78." Me: "I like 62. We're not compatible." A long silence. Silas spoke softly, "I can do 62." What... is his deal? I pressed on. "Do you lick the foil lid on your yogurt cups?" Silas: "No." Me: "I do. We're not compatible." Silas: "I..." I waved my hand. "I go to bed at exactly 8 PM every night, and I fall asleep listening to heavy metal. I'm heading back." The chat was an avalanche of text. "QUICK, EVERYONE WATCH APRIL'S FEED! I'M LAUGHING MY HEAD OFF!" "Look how pitiful our Best Actor looks! He's so wounded!" "The vibe between these two is so weird, but I'm kind of... shipping it?" "A ship can be rare, but it shouldn't be cursed! This is a dangerous path. The Vance-Thorne ship is the only true path." 4 I had just gotten back to the communal living room and was about to fire up a mobile game to cool down when Chloe walked in. Seeing me, she feigned shock. "April! You're back so soon? What about your date?" I was leaning lazily against the doorframe, chewing on a piece of toast. "It's dead." A flash of triumph crossed Chloe's eyes. It was fleeting, but I caught it. Given my terrible reputation and my history of aggressive showmances, the male cast members were avoiding me like the plague. Silas was A-list, known for being aloof and unapproachable. Chloe had definitely assumed Silas had kicked me out. She covered her mouth, her big eyes widening innocently, her voice dripping with fake sympathy. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said that. Please don't be mad, April. I apologize on Silas's behalf." Tsk. Her acting was so amateur. It was like watching someone try to fake an asthma attack. I suddenly felt a little bad for her fans. The chat: "Does April know how to talk? If you can't speak nicely, keep your mouth shut. She's just bullying our kind-hearted Chloe. She stole someone else's date, and she has the nerve to be mad?" "Who started the drama on purpose? And where exactly did April look mad?" "Our girl was just checking in on her! How is that starting drama?" "Did she mention you? Stop catching strays!" The chat was a warzone. Silas pushed the door open and walked in. The camera immediately framed Chloe and Silas together, effectively pushing me out of the shot. I couldn't help but give the cameraman a mental thumbs-up. Chloe hurried over, looking at Silas with deep, soulful eyes, taking on the tone of a protective girlfriend. "Silas, you shouldn't have abandoned April like that. She's a girl, she's going to be heartbroken." Silas's gaze landed on me. It was dark, unreadable, like he had a million things to say but couldn't. Right at that moment, a loud, cheerful "Victory!" blared from my phone. I frantically muted it and smiled at the two of them. "Sorry! My bad. Don't mind me. Please, continue." The chat lost it. "April is a legend." "Redefining 'Heartbroken'." "April is carrying the comedy for this entire episode." "What do I do? I suddenly feel like the vibe between Chloe and Silas is super awkward when they're in the same frame. And they're in the same frame A LOT! It feels forced." "Sister above me, they're in the same frame a lot because they like each other! Look at April and Silas—they're always a mile apart. Of course they're never in the same shot." That night, out of the five male cast members, Chloe received four anonymous "heartbeat letters." She had pre-applied waterproof makeup and cried uncontrollably in front of the camera. She said she was so grateful for their affection and deeply moved. But, she claimed, her heart already belonged to a bright moon, and there was no room for anyone else. The chat spammed: "Vance-Thorne is so sweet!" "Chloe is so poetic!" "Don't cry, baby, you deserve the world!" Everyone was guessing which of the four letters was from Silas. The camera cut to me. I shuffled out in my slippers. I had only received one letter, and the producers had hidden it. When I asked why, they explained it was probably sent by mistake and didn't count. Honestly, I understood. The producers needed drama. They were using me as a contrast to Chloe to manufacture conflict and views. Because I received zero letters, ranking dead last, I had to accept a punishment. Not only did I have to move into the worst room, but I also lost the right to choose a male guest for the next activity. Surprisingly, the hate comments died down a bit. A lot of people were actually leaving positive comments, trying to comfort me. Joke's on them, I wasn't sad at all. This wasn't a punishment; it was a reward. Filming is exhausting. God knows how badly I just wanted to pass out in my room. The next day, everyone else picked their dates. Some were being sickeningly sweet, some were baking, some were having deep life chats, and some were stirring up drama. I slept until 9 AM, then sat in the corner farthest from Silas, playing mobile games. It was pure bliss. A little while later, Silas walked over to get water. His tall frame blocked my light. I silently got up and moved to the other side of the room. Soon after, Silas walked over to where I was sitting now to grab a peach. I thought he'd just grab it and leave. Instead, he stood there staring at the peach like it was a museum artifact, not moving an inch. I couldn't take it anymore and stood up again. When I looked up, I accidentally locked eyes with him. His raven-black eyelashes fluttered slightly. His dark pupils were like bottomless pits. His thin lips were pressed together. Just looking at him made me feel a little flushed. After all these years, Silas was still ridiculously gorgeous. I turned to leave, but a flash of panic crossed his eyes, and he almost instinctively stepped in front of me to block my path. I stared at him calmly, showing no emotion, while my brain was a chaotic mess of question marks. What... does he want? Silas looked down, his voice cool but tinged with an undeniable sweetness: "Want a peach?" The chat exploded. "What the hell does 'Want a peach' mean?!" "Why does the usually aloof and arrogant Silas turn into a literal puppy the second he's near April! I don't understand, but I am shook." "Hahahaha, April's face: Back! Back! Back away!" "These two have the least amount of screentime together, and they're avoiding each other the hardest, but they're the ones making my heart flutter! This is insane." I flat-out refused. "No." The moment I said it, I remembered this was a livestream. Silas was an A-lister. Rejecting him like that felt like I wasn't giving him enough face. So I changed my tune. "Give it to me." The corners of Silas's mouth twitched upward. "I'll go wash it for you." Me: "..." Bro, do you remember I'm supposed to be the background character? The chat peaked. "Holy shit, is this the first time Silas has smiled on this show?! And it's directed at April?" "Before April paid attention to him, Silas (Aloof mode): I don't smile. I was born not to smile. After April acknowledged him, Silas: Hehehehehe." I furrowed my brows. When I took the washed peach from Silas, my hand accidentally brushed against his. His skin was cool, but the brief contact felt like a spark of fire. We both pulled our hands back almost simultaneously. Silas slowly curled his long fingers inward. The tips of his fingers were flushed pink. I coughed twice, grabbed the peach, and walked away without looking back. In less than two minutes of screen time, the chat was a blur of text. "Ahhhh! The way he looks at her! I'm dead." "I've already mentally outlined a 100,000-word angst-filled romance. The whole world thinks we have nothing to do with each other, that we even hate each other. But only I know how badly I crave you in the dead of night. My desire, my obsession, my... (the rest can't be broadcast)." "Keep going! Write more for your premium subscribers! Don't leave out any details, movements, expressions, or sounds!" "Damn, they are intoxicating. Just brushing hands makes me want to scream. Is anyone else shipping this? Because if no one else is, I'm going in." 6 "Hey, wake up! Chloe is right there! Stop shipping them blindly and ruining the Vance-Thorne romance. You 'fans' are making the comment section toxic." "Oh, look who thinks they have a superiority complex over shipping. Newsflash: Chloe and Silas have the most screen time, but has he ever actually looked at her?" "Anyone with eyes can see the show only pushes Vance-Thorne. Why are you guys forcing it? Does April even deserve him?" "Are we really force-feeding couples now? The show’s manufactured romance is so fake it gives me a stomachache. I refuse to eat it. I'm a contrarian ostrich, and I love the Anti-Showmance duo! Stay mad! Stay mad!" "Anti-Showmance? LMAO. That perfectly fits April's vibe." After eating Silas's peach, I lost three games in a row. It was definitely because my teammates sucked. It had absolutely nothing to do with me being flustered. Yep. Definitely. Over the next few weeks, Chloe suddenly became overly friendly with me. When I woke up in the morning, she’d greet me: "Our little sleepyhead April is finally awake!" It’s fine. Even if you didn't point it out, the internet already knew I was lazy. While I was gaming, Chloe was doing yoga next door, smiling at the camera: "We girls need to cultivate elegant hobbies. I've been reading a lot of classic literature lately. I'll share some with you guys when I have time." Yeah, I saw it. The Billionaire's Runaway Bride. I wonder if she ever managed to run away. One time, everyone was gathered around discussing Silas's movies. When his film premiered, he sent exclusive merch to a lot of people in the industry. Chloe suddenly asked me, "April, which character's merch did you receive?" Silas and I were notoriously unconnected in the industry; our teams never interacted. I replied flatly, "I didn't get any." Chloe looked pitiful. "I'm so sorry, April. I shouldn't have asked. I wasn't trying to open an old wound." I nodded dismissively. "Okay. I forgive you." Chloe froze. The chat was a wall of "HAHAHAHAHA." "Guys, I can't. I'm going to have a six-pack from laughing so hard." Silas walked past Chloe and stopped beside me, lowering his voice. "I sent you a ton back then, but you rejected all of them. I thought you didn't like them. Which one do you want? I'll have them ship it now." I looked away. "No thanks. I have no space for it." In a corner off-camera, Chloe glared daggers at me and stormed off. I don't know what got into her, but she kept making passive-aggressive remarks and treating me like her imaginary rival, which ended up forcing my screentime way up. I wonder if the producers will give me a bonus for this. Probably feeling that things had been too peaceful, the producers decided to stir the pot again. They announced a "Pajama Beach Party." Everyone was supposed to gather, prepare their own dinner ingredients, and play games designed by the show. The losers would have to draw random cards provided by the producers and complete the punishments listed on them. The contents of the cards were a mystery. The stakes were a mystery. The teaser for the pajama party trended immediately, drawing in a ton of casual viewers. Netizens grabbed their popcorn and waited for the drama. That night, everyone coincidentally chose outfits that perfectly showed off their figures. Men and women gathered together, the waves crashing in the background, voices buzzing, skin flashing everywhere—it was a testosterone-fueled scene. The producers had set up a temporary outdoor kitchen. I was hiding in it, wearing a standard, shapeless blue cotton pajama set, grilling meat. Chat: "Trying to find April on camera is actually difficult. If anyone ever says she's an attention hog again, I will fight them." "I'm slowly getting used to April's bizarre fashion choices. It's giving 'I know I'm pretty, so I do what I want'." "Well, look who it is! That's the woman who falls asleep listening to heavy metal." 7 Just as the meat finished grilling, the rapper kid sidled up to me. "Smells amazing. Can I have some?" I replied politely, "Sure, I can't finish it all by myself." He wasn't wearing a shirt, just a pair of floral swim trunks, with a slightly roguish look in his eyes. In the recent voting rounds for "Heartbeat Guests," he had received the fewest votes, and his screentime had plummeted. He was probably trying to team up with me, a fellow bottom-tier contestant, to create some buzz. Unfortunately for him, he picked the wrong person. I was praying for less screentime. After eating the meat, he leaned in closer, gave me a wink, and forced out a raspy, "vocal fry" voice: "To repay you, let me peel an apple for you, April." Me: "..." Kid, you're trying way too hard. I was just about to decline when Silas navigated through the crowd and walked over. The rapper quickly tried to suck up to him. "Hey, Silas. Looking for Chloe? She's not over here." Silas completely ignored him, carefully sat down next to me, and said flatly, "I want an apple. I'll peel it." The chat went feral. "The Best Actor is being so pouty! I'm laughing so loud!" "Silas looks like a giant dog competing for affection. What do I do? I think I'm shifting from a fan to a protective mom." "Things are getting spicy! The pressure is on April." Why wasn't Silas performing for the cameras properly? What was he doing causing trouble over here? Could he really have held a grudge from high school all the way until now? No way, right? A revered Best Actor couldn't be that petty. I frowned at the rapper. "He doesn't know how. You do it." Silas didn't say a word. He just grabbed an apple and started peeling. The knife glinted. Silas's cold gaze swept over the rapper's bare torso, his hand peeling the apple with aggressive force. The rapper looked dumbfounded. He swallowed hard, looked at me, looked at Silas, dropped his apple, made an excuse, and bolted. The chat exploded with laughter: "In just a few seconds, Silas completely fried that kid's brain." "Silas: It doesn't matter. I will intervene." "TBH, when I first started shipping the Anti-Showmance duo, my expression was exactly the same as that half-naked guy with the cowlick." "Luke: Do I not deserve to have my name mentioned?" Once Luke (the rapper) left, I wanted to leave too. "Hss—" The knife in Silas's hand dropped to the table with a dull thud. I pulled back the leg I had just extended. Silas opened his hand. A bead of blood was blooming on his pale, long finger, like a red rose blooming in the snow. I hesitated for a second, but couldn't resist grabbing a Band-Aid. I was just being a good Samaritan. I didn't feel bad for him at all. Yep, definitely not. Silas obediently held his hand out to me, his brow slightly furrowed, the corners of his eyes tinged red. He looked incredibly pitiful. The chat: "And now, please enjoy the blockbuster film starring Best Actor Silas Thorne: So What If I'm Manipulative? Also known as Look How Desperate I Am." "Silas's inner monologue: April, look at me. I'm hurt. Comfort me. If you wait any longer, the wound will heal itself." "Silas, do you remember that you're the tough guy who broke two ribs during filming and didn't even make a sound?" "I'm poisoned! I can actually see a hint of fondness in April's disgusted actions." After I applied the Band-Aid, the game over there was about to start. They were reading the rules. I got up and walked over. Silas followed silently behind me.
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