kairenori
Two high-school best friends. Years of almosts. One chance to make it real.
Kendra and Jaceron have been best friends since high school-close, comfortable and strictly 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤. Ever since they both stepped into the spotlight and rose through the ranks of the entertainment industry, the public has been obsessed with their chemistry, convinced there's more to the story. But Kendra and Jaceron have always laughed off the rumors, staying firmly in the "just friends" lane.
In that moment, Kendra Mercado was stepping into a new era of her career, trading teen roles for emotional, dramatic leads-and releasing her debut album: a raw, vulnerable collection of love songs. During a press interview, when asked if the songs were inspired by anyone in particular, Kendra smiles and says, "𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚."
That one vague answer was all it took. The internet spirals. Fans connect the dots. It has to be Jaceron.
To steer attention away from the truth-that the songs were written about someone she was never supposed to fall for, Kendra's manager suggests a fake relationship with the one person the public already suspects: Jaceron. It's clean, it's believable, and it stops the press from chasing something far more complicated.
So, they lean into it. At fan meetings, Jaceron waits for Kendra backstage with a drink in hand, brushing her hair out of her face like it's second nature. During variety show rehearsals, they sit close, always whispering something that makes her laugh. The media believes it. The fans believe it. And maybe, deep down, part of them wants to believe it too.
Because while everyone believes the love story they're selling, neither of them knows when it stopped being pretend. Or if it ever was. After all, maybe it's always been him. Maybe it's always been her.
What could possibly go wrong when best friends start faking a love that's been real all along?