As the workshops and shooting progressed, Pon found himself increasingly distracted by Sailub. On set, Sailub was effortlessly sweet and charming, embodying the character he was playing with perfection. Whenever the cameras rolled, Sailub would glance at Pon with soft eyes, his touches gentle, and his voice carrying an affectionate tone that made Pon's heart race. It was all part of the job, Pon kept reminding himself, but it was hard not to get swept up in the illusion.
Pon had never imagined he would find himself attracted to someone he was working with—especially an alpha like Sailub, who was one of the biggest stars in the industry. Sailub's sweetness during their scenes felt intoxicating. There were moments where Pon could almost forget they were acting, moments where it felt too real, and he began to question himself.
The fan meets didn't help either. Sailub knew exactly how to engage with the fans, playing up the chemistry between them in ways that had crowds swooning. Whether it was holding Pon's hand a little longer than necessary, leaning in close for fan photos, or flashing those signature smirks that sent hearts fluttering, Sailub seemed to know how to push all the right buttons. And Pon, despite his best efforts to keep things professional, found himself falling into the act as well, reciprocating the gestures, blushing at the right moments.
But that was the problem—it was all an act.
Off-camera, things were different. Sailub was friendly, sure, but he was also distant in a way that made it clear to Pon that the alpha didn't feel the same connection he did. He would chat with Pon casually, offer the occasional joke or smile, but it never went beyond that. Instead, Sailub seemed far more focused on Nut, always gravitating toward the omega whenever they had breaks. They laughed together, shared inside jokes, and their closeness was palpable.
Pon tried not to let it bother him. He knew that whatever Sailub was showing him on set or during fan meets was purely professional. Sailub was just doing his job, playing the role of a sweet and attentive co-star to create buzz for their series. Pon knew that—and yet, he couldn't stop the flutter in his chest every time Sailub directed that on-screen affection toward him. He hated how easily he was fooled by it, how foolish it made him feel.
"This is just a crush," Pon muttered to himself one evening after shooting had wrapped for the day. He sat in his dressing room, staring at his reflection in the mirror. "It's nothing more than that. Sailub is just doing his job. He doesn't feel anything for me."
He repeated those words to himself like a mantra, hoping that if he said them enough, he would believe them. But the truth was, every time Sailub smiled at him on set, or every time they had to act out a romantic scene, Pon's heart would betray him, skipping a beat, reminding him just how far gone he really was.
Pon sighed, leaning back in his chair. He needed to get a grip. This was just an attraction, a fleeting crush on an alpha who was completely unattainable. Sailub and Nut seemed to have something going on, and it wasn't Pon's place to get in the way of that. Besides, he was just the beta co-star in a series—nothing more. Whatever Sailub was doing on camera was purely for the fans, for the show.
But despite knowing all of this, Pon couldn't stop the warmth that blossomed in his chest every time Sailub looked his way during filming. He couldn't help but hope—just a little—that maybe there was something more to those smiles, even though deep down, he knew better.
As Pon left the dressing room that night, walking past Sailub and Nut, who were laughing together in the hallway, he felt a pang of envy he wished he could ignore. He kept his head down and walked past them quickly, trying to push all thoughts of Sailub out of his mind.
"This is just a crush," Pon whispered again as he stepped outside into the cool night air. "And it'll pass. It has to."
But even as he said the words, he knew it wouldn't be that easy.
