The Celebrity Intrusion

Claire watched the lovers’ petty quarrel over money with silent amusement.

It was quite a sight to see Wes getting cornered in an argument. He always seemed to have the upper hand in this type of situation, after all. This was the least he deserved for being dishonest towards someone as nice as Mia.

Their exchange carried on for an entire minute until her cousin settled with, “Alright. I’ll go to your apartment and grab some clothes.”

“Y-Yes, please!” His girlfriend nodded, satisfied. “Then, I’ll eat the soup you made and wait here.”

“With me,” she added, much to their surprise. “I'll keep her company until you come back, Wes.”

That’s how Claire wound up lounging in the guest room while Mia ate her soup on the bed.

Wes had tried to talk her out of it, afraid she’d expose his secret. But she insisted, and Mia did not mind. If he hadn’t backed down, he’d be the one outing himself instead of Claire.

“How long have you two been together?” she inquired, straight to the point.

The girl jolted, spoon in hand halting mid-air. “U-Um, less than a m-month…”

“I see.” Her gaze narrowed slightly. “Tell me, Mia. What do you think of Wes?”

By now, it was clear that Mia didn’t know who he was, but she had to figure out just how much. Some women would feign ignorance if it meant attracting a man’s attention, but none of their interactions so far gave her that impression. Even when Claire tried, she would see only a glimmer of innocence in her eyes, not the calculating glint she’d long learned to recognize.

In a sense, it’s also interesting to see how she perceived a ‘Wes’ that’s not an ‘Ashthorne.’

“W-Well, he’s v-very kind and considerate,” she began in flustered stutters while fidgeting. “And he’s cool, b-but he can also be cute sometimes...”

‘Cute…?’

“...His smile is always soft and gentle...”

‘Soft and gentle…?’

“...H-He used to dress up poorly, but he’s gotten better lately!” she beamed, sounding like a teacher praising a student. “He works hard, and he makes me proud.”

Claire couldn’t help but feel like laughing, having not expected any of that. ‘So, to her, he’s a nice man with overdue rent and no sense of fashion...? My, what an irony.’

Also, it was quite curious. Despite the circumstances, it seemed like she knew him more than anyone. There’s no pretense, her feelings evident in both words and actions.

“But what if I tell you this?” Claire muttered in all seriousness. “What if he is actually someone famous, wealthy, influential, and all that stuff you only see in movies?”

This was a test.

While Claire didn’t intend to size Mia up, she had to make a sound judgment for her and Wes’s sakes. Then again, after being single for all nineteen years of his life, he had a partner at last. Once news broke out, both the entertainment and business worlds would be shaken to the core. 

Wes would fare well. In fact, he’d probably enjoy every second of it. Mia was the real concern.

‘Hold on.’ Claire straightened up as it struck her. ‘Is that why he’s hiding it? Is there something about her that’s making him?’

“S-Sorry, I don’t really watch movies,” Mia murmured, “I’m not sure what you mean by that, but… Well, um… That will be hard and scary, I think.”

Her brows raised in surprise. “Oh? Why?”

“Umm… You see, I’m not good with people. I-If Wes turns out to be famous and all that, I’ll end up dragging him down, which is the last thing I want. So, yes, it’ll be hard and scary.”

‘Ahh… Maybe this won’t work, then?'

“E-Even so, I want to be with him,” Mia went on, “He’s the best that has happened to me. No matter how hard and scary it is, I-I’m willing to try…for him. I don't ever want to give him up.”

Claire felt a rush of awe, her breath taken away by Mia’s heartfelt words.

While different in intensity, she shared the same determined look she saw on her cousin earlier. Moreover, though posed as a hypothetical question, she still approached it with sincerity, which was already a positive sign. How she deliberated on it showed her genuine feelings toward her boyfriend, as well as their depths.

‘In that case, I guess I can lend a hand.’ Claire stood up and walked towards Mia, a radiant smile on her face. “I gave you my contact number, right? Let’s meet up again when you're free, but keep it a secret from Wes.”

---

Wes stalked down the apartment, footsteps echoing against the cracked concrete.

He's worried about leaving Mia alone with Claire. It didn't escape his notice earlier that she steered the conversation on purpose, but he's sure he’d gotten the message across. Unless she wished to incur his wrath, she wouldn’t let a single word slip.

Upon reaching Mia’s door, the first thing he did was inspect the lock. It appeared to be fixed now, but as he inserted the key, it creaked open even without being turned. For a moment, he paused all movements and considered calling Seth to check inside again.

‘Someone’s here,’ his instincts told him, and true enough, the door flung all the way to reveal a new face—a tanned, built man with curly black hair and brown eyes wearing a kitchen apron.

“Hey there! ‘Sup?’

Wes stood dumbfounded. ‘Who?’

“I thought Mi-Mi returned. Turns out it's a door-to-door. So, what sort of product is it now, hm?”

“Excuse me?” he scoffed. “First of all, who are you? Why are you here and how did you get in?”

Wes was imagining the worst. Just the idea of another man inside her home made his hands clench into fists and his heart hammer in protest. The way this person addressed her also carried a casual tone that suggested a closeness he dreaded to learn more about.

“Wait a sec,” the stranger blurted out, ignoring his questions. “You look familiar.”

‘Shoot.’ He was in such a hurry to get back to Mia’s side that he forgot his disguise. ‘To be fair, I wasn’t expecting someone to be-’

“Louis? Who’s there?” a voice echoed from inside—the same voice he heard through the phone this noon. “Is it Mia-”

The air itself seemed to still as Wes locked eye contact with Jenny. Silence stretched on for a few seconds until she shattered it with an ear-piercing scream. Chills ran down his spine once he recognized this unmistakable reaction to be that of a fan.

“Kyaaa! Wes Ashthorne?!”

“Huh?! You mean that model?!”

“And actor, Louis! He’s the protagonist in your favorite movie!”

“‘Shadows of the Sun’?! Woah! He’s so handsome in person!”

“I know, right?! Quick, grab my phone! Let’s take a picture-”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you do that,” Wes said, stepping back. “So, why are both of you here?”

Jenny froze, seemingly realizing something. “That voice…”

“We’re waiting for our friend!” Louis replied affably. “She’s supposed to be sick, but she's-”

“YOU!”

In less than a second, Jenny went from starstruck to suspecting, finally piecing the puzzle together. Her round eyes roamed his face, then flicked across his body. After confirming it, she grabbed him and Louis by their arms before unceremoniously yanking them inside.

“Uh, Jen-Jen? What’s wrong?”

“Him! There’s something wrong with him!” Jenny exclaimed while pointing a finger at him. “There’s no way I won’t recognize that voice, not after he kidnapped my friend!”

“Quite the bold accusation there, Ms. Jenny,” Wes remarked with a cold smile. “Should you be saying that when you and this guy clearly trespassed on my girlfriend’s property?”

“Huh?! You’re Mi-Mi’s boyfriend?!”

He glared at Louis. “Stop calling her that.”

“So, she's dating a celebrity?!”

“Celebrity or not, it doesn’t change what I witnessed earlier at school,” Jenny growled, getting more and more furious. “Two suspicious men in suits had taken an unconscious girl with them, and I know it’s Mia since there’s no one else in the infirmary at that time!”

“That was…”

“Don’t deny it! We have pictures and even a video of it!”

“Say what?”

“My classmate already posted it this afternoon and-”

Wes slammed the door shut, and the loud bang ricocheted off the walls, throwing the two off guard. Jenny went silent, watching him with a wary expression. Louis stood by, unable to comprehend the situation unfolding before him.

The air crackled with tension until a thick, smoky smell cut through it.

“THE PANCAKE! IT’S BURNING!”