Lan and I arrived at the event. inimbitahan kami na dumalo, it is a gathering organized by the brand we are ambassadors for. The air buzzed with excitement, flashes from cameras lighting up as soon as we stepped onto the red carpet. We were both dressed in formal suits—mine a sleek black formal suit. Lan was on a whole other level. His suit hugged his frame perfectly, the subtle sheen of the fabric catching the light just right. He looked dazzling, as always.
As we walked down in the carpet, it didn’t take long for the reporters to spot us. In seconds, we were swarmed by media, microphones and cameras shoved in our faces as they wanted to get an interview. But, of course the majority of the attention wasn’t on me.
The reporters were much more focused on Lan.
“Lan, over here!” one reporter called out, waving to get his attention. Another one pushed through, shoving a microphone toward him. “Lan, can we get a few words?”
I stepped aside slightly, letting him handle the crowd. He was calm, collected as always, answering questions with his usual grace and poise. They were eating it up—everyone seemed to want a piece of him. The questions kept coming—about the shoot, his future projects, and of course, about the behind-the-scenes video that had just been released.
“Lan, how do you feel about the reactions to the photos from the island shoot?” a reporter asked, her eyes wide with anticipation.
Lan glanced at me for a moment before answering. “I’m grateful for all the positive feedback. The team put in a lot of effort, and it’s nice to see that people appreciate the work.”
“And what about the video? People are saying there’s more to your relationship with Xian. Any comments on that?” another reporter chimed in, causing the rest of the press to lean in closer, hungry for a scoop.
I could feel my heart skip a beat at the question. My mind raced, trying to figure out how Lan would handle this. But he didn’t falter. His expression remained calm
“We have a strong bond,” Lan said smoothly, his voice steady. “It is what makes working together easy and enjoyable. But beyond that, I think what people are seeing is just two people who respect each other and enjoy each other’s company.”
His answer was perfect, of course. Just enough to address the question but vague enough not to give anything away. The reporters pressed on, but Lan kept the focus on the work, skillfully dodging anything too personal.
I, on the other hand stood to the side, watching him handle the media. As much as I wanted to be frustrated by the fact that most of the attention was on him, I couldn’t help but admire how effortlessly he carried himself.
After what felt like an eternity of interviews, we finally made our way inside the venue. The space was elegant, filled with glimmering chandeliers and soft music playing in the background. People mingled, dressed in their finest, but my eyes kept darting back to Lan. He moved through the crowd with ease, greeting people, shaking hands.
I grabbed a drink from a passing waiter, taking a sip.
As the night wore on, we continued to make our rounds, greeting people, exchanging conversation with other ambassadors and brand executives.
Lan and I were standing together, we are talking when someone approached us. At first, I only saw the back of the man—tall, broad shoulders, moving confidently through the crowd. Lan face lit up immediately and before I could even register what was happening, he stepped forward to greet the man, pulling him into a firm embrace.
A pang of jealousy hit me like a wave, sharp and unexpected. I never seen Lan react like that, so open and happy. He embraced the man with a warmth that caught me off guard, like they hadn’t seen each other in years. My chest tightened as I watched them, and suddenly, my mind started racing.
As the man turned around, his face came into view, and just like that, a flood of memories rushed back. I recognized him instantly—it was the same guy from the first event Lan and I attended together. The one who had made Lan smile and laugh so easily. The guy who, for reasons I didn’t fully understand, made me feel invisible whenever he was around.
I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my expression normql, but the jealousy was harder to hide than I thought. My mind replayed that first event, how Lan attitude had shifted whenever this man was around. It was like they had their own world, one that I could not access. I had brushed it off back then, told myself I was overreacting, but now… seeing them together again, it was impossible to ignore.
Lan was beaming, his eyes practically sparkling as he exchanged words with the guy. I could barely hear what they were saying over the sound of the crowd, but it didn’t matter. The connection between them was clear—too clear.
I stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do with myself. I didn’t want to interrupt, but at the same time, I didn’t want to just stand there and watch them reconnect like I didn’t exist.
The man glanced at me, offering a polite nod and I forced a smile in return, though it didn’t quite reach my eyes. I couldn’t help but feel out of place, like I was the third wheel in a moment.
Lan finally turned to me, as if he remember I was still there. “ Xian, This is Theo,” he said, his voice light and cheerful.
Theo extended his hand towards me, his smile friendly but distant. “Nice to meet you,” he said smoothly.
“Yeah, you too,” I replied, shaking his hand, though my mind was elsewhere. I tried to shake off the jealousy that was building inside me, telling myself it was stupid.
Lan and Theo continued talking, their conversation flowing effortlessly and I found myself zoning out. I sipped my drink, trying to focus on anything else, but the green-eyed monster was loud in my head, whispering things I didn’t want to hear.
The rest of the night felt like a blur, my mind stuck in a loop of jealousy na hindi mawala-wala sa isip ko. Lan kept talking with Theo, their conversation flowing so effortlessly na para bang andami pa nilang dapat pag-uusapan.
I tried to keep calm, forcing a polite smile as they laughed and reminisced tas ako dito sa gilid selos na selos na wala namang karapatan!
It wasn’t just the fact that they were talking—it was how natural it was for them. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms, trying to keep my emotions in check.
“I’m gonna get some air,” I said, forcing a smile as I excused myself. I didn’t wait for Lan’s response. I half expected him to follow me, to at least ask if I was okay. But when I glanced back, he was still deep in conversation with Theo, like nothing had changed. My heart sank, and I felt a twinge of frustration mixed with the jealousy.
I stepped outside, the cool evening air hitting my face as I tried to calm down. I found a quiet corner away from the event, leaning against a railing as I took a deep breath. I needed to get a grip. This was stupid. Lan was allowed to talk to others and I shouldn’t be this affected by it. But no matter how much I told myself that, the jealousy wouldn’t go away.
I had never felt this way before—so possessive, so insecure. I wasn’t sure if it was because of Lan, or if it was because Theo reminded me of everything I wasn’t. I tried to relax, taking slow breaths to steady my racing heart, but the frustration stayed with me. I couldn’t understand why Lan didn’t even notice how I felt. How could he not see it? Was I really that easy to ignore?
As the minutes passed and there was still no sign of him following me, my frustration grew. I frowned, my brows furrowing as I looked back at the entrance. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe Lan was just caught up in the moment. But it didn’t change the fact that I felt abandoned, like I wasn’t important enough for him to notice that I needed him.
I pulled out my phone, scrolling aimlessly through social media to distract myself, but my mind kept drifting back to Lan and Theo. I couldn’t stop thinking about how happy Lan looked when he saw Theo, how easily they connected. And the worst part was, I didn’t know if I had the right to feel this way. We weren’t even official—how could I be jealous?
I sighed, shoving my phone back in my pocket. I wanted to go back inside, to pretend like everything was fine, but I wasn’t sure if I could. I didn’t want to face Lan while I was still feeling this jealous and insecure.
