Hidden Love [WilliamEst]

Chapter 5

The following day, everything seemed to return to its usual routine. Est was busy with his filming schedule, and William was locked into rehearsals with LYKN. However, despite the surface calm, something was lingering in the air—Nut had sensed it.

After that night at the restaurant, Nut couldn’t shake the way William had acted. The possessiveness, the jealousy—it all pointed to something more than just a close friendship between William and Est. Nut had always prided himself on being observant, and now, his suspicions were almost confirmed. There was something deeper between William and Est, and Nut, despite himself, wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

The opportunity to confront William came a few days later, after rehearsals. The other members had already left, and Nut lingered behind, his mind still replaying the events from that dinner.

William was packing up his things when Nut approached, his face serious. “Hey, William, got a minute?”

William glanced up, surprised by Nut’s tone. It wasn’t the usual lighthearted banter he expected from his bandmate. “Yeah, what’s up?”

Nut crossed his arms, hesitating for a moment before speaking. “I wanted to talk to you about something. About phi Est.”

At the mention of Est’s name, William’s entire demeanor shifted. His casual expression hardened slightly, and he straightened up, eyes narrowing. “What about him?”

Nut let out a breath, his face unreadable. “I’ve been thinking... Ever since that night, when you came to the restaurant. You were acting kind of... possessive.”

William clenched his jaw, already knowing where this conversation was heading. He’d seen Nut’s interest in Est long before, and he wasn’t about to let this go any further.

Nut continued, his voice steady but tinged with frustration. “Look, William, I’m not stupid. I can see there’s something going on between you two. You’re not just friends, are you?”

William’s first instinct was to deny it. He and Est had kept their relationship private for a reason, and the last thing he wanted was for anyone—especially Nut—to dig into it. But as he stood there, staring at Nut’s determined face, he realized there was no point in lying. Nut had already figured it out, and pretending otherwise would only make things worse.

William’s gaze didn’t waver as he replied, his voice low and firm. “Yeah, there’s something between us. Phi Est and I are together.”

Nut’s face remained impassive, but his eyes flickered with something—disappointment, maybe even hurt. “I knew it,” he muttered under his breath. “I could tell from the way you acted around him. You’re always so protective of him.”

William crossed his arms, his posture tense. “Yeah, and I have every reason to be.”

Nut’s frustration bubbled to the surface, and he took a step closer, his voice dropping. “I like phi Est, William. I’ve liked him for a while now. And before you say anything, I’m not trying to get in the middle of whatever you two have. But... it’s hard for me to just ignore my feelings.”

William’s fists clenched at his sides. He had known Nut had feelings for Est, but hearing him admit it outright still hit a nerve. Nut was handsome, charming, and had the same easy confidence that could make anyone fall for him. William could understand why Est might not have noticed Nut’s interest, but that didn’t make this any easier to hear.

Taking a deep breath, William forced himself to stay calm. “I get that you have feelings for him, Nut, but phi Est’s with me. And I need you to respect that.”

Nut scoffed lightly, shaking his head. “Respect that? William, you’ve been hiding your relationship with him. No one knows about you two. How can you expect me to just walk away when you’re not even willing to admit you’re with him in public?”

William’s eyes flashed with anger. “We have our reasons for keeping it private. But that doesn’t change the fact that phi Est and I are together. And I’m telling you now, you need to stop whatever feelings you have for him.”

Nut met William’s glare with one of his own, his frustration finally breaking through. “You think I can just flip a switch and stop liking him? It’s not that easy, William.”

William stepped closer, his voice dangerously calm. “I don’t care how hard it is. Phi Est is mine. And I’m not going to let anyone—even you—get in the way of that.”

Nut stared at William, his jaw tightening. He could see the seriousness in William’s eyes, the possessiveness that had been there all along. For a moment, Nut considered pushing back, but then he saw something else in William’s gaze—something deeper than jealousy.

It was love.

William wasn’t just being territorial. He genuinely cared for Est, more than Nut had realized. And as much as it stung to admit it, Nut knew that whatever he felt for Est paled in comparison to what William had with him.

After a long, tense silence, Nut finally exhaled, his shoulders sagging slightly. “Fine. I get it. I’ll back off.”

William’s posture relaxed, though his guard was still up. “Good. Because I’m not going to let anyone hurt phi Est, and that includes you.”

Nut gave a bitter laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was never trying to hurt him, you know. I just... I thought maybe I had a chance. But clearly, I was wrong.”

William didn’t respond, the weight of the conversation settling between them. He knew Nut wasn’t a bad person, but his feelings for Est had become a problem—one that William wasn’t willing to ignore any longer.

“Look,” William said after a pause, his voice softening just a little. “I know it’s not easy, but phi Est is important to me. He’s more than just some casual fling. We’ve been through a lot together, and I’m not going to let anything come between us.”

Nut nodded, his expression resigned. “Yeah, I see that now.”

The tension between them eased slightly, and Nut took a step back, offering William a small, almost sad smile. “I’ll stay out of it, William. I promise. I’m not going to make things harder for you two.”

William nodded, grateful for the concession but still cautious. “Thanks, phi.”

Without another word, Nut turned and walked away, leaving William standing alone in the rehearsal room. As the door closed behind him, William let out a deep breath, feeling a strange mix of relief and unease.

He had confronted Nut and drawn the line, but part of him couldn’t shake the lingering worry that Nut’s feelings might not just disappear overnight. Still, for now, he had done what needed to be done.