By the time Zack had made it back to his apartment that evening, the reality of what he'd agreed to was beginning to sink in. He paced the floor, half-expecting his phone to buzz at any second with a message from Alicia saying it had all been a mistake, that they didn't need him to fake-date Kieran after all.
But no such message came.
Instead, a well-dressed courier knocked on his door at noon the next day, handing him a sleek, leather-bound folder. Zack stared at it for a solid minute after the courier left, his stomach twisting with a mixture of nerves and disbelief.
The contract.
It was really happening.
Zack dropped onto the couch and flipped open the folder, skimming the dense legal jargon inside. The first few pages were all formalities—name, dates, media obligations, public appearances. And then he found the part he was looking for.
**Compensation.**
He stared at the figure printed on the page, blinking several times to make sure he wasn't imagining things.
That can't be real. They're going to pay me **that much** just to fake-date Kieran for a few weeks?
I mean, I knew celebrities threw money around like it was nothing, but this… this is insane.
Zack exhaled slowly, flipping the page to find more details about the arrangement. The contract outlined the "relationship" in meticulous detail. Photos of them together at specific events, interviews where they'd have to talk about their "romance," and an agreement to keep up the act for a minimum of six weeks.
It was all so cold and calculated, like they were preparing to launch a new product rather than selling a fake relationship. For someone as private as Zack, it was overwhelming.
His phone buzzed, breaking his thoughts. The screen lit up with a text from a number he didn't recognize.
> *Kieran here. Wanna grab lunch? Let's talk this over in person.*
Zack stared at the message, still processing the whirlwind of the past day. He wasn't sure if meeting Kieran in person would make things better or worse, but he had to admit, a part of him was curious.
With a deep breath, Zack typed out a quick reply.
> *Sure. Where?*
An hour later, Zack found himself sitting in the corner of a small, tucked-away café, far from the flashy places he would have imagined a celebrity like Kieran to frequent. The air was thick with the scent of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods, and for a moment, Zack could almost pretend this was a normal day.
Almost.
Kieran walked in, looking effortlessly casual in a hoodie and sunglasses. He smiled when he spotted Zack, sliding into the seat across from him with the ease of someone who had done this a thousand times.
"You look like you've just seen a ghost," Kieran teased, pulling off his sunglasses and setting them on the table.
Zack shook his head, offering a weak smile. "Just… trying to wrap my head around everything, I guess."
Kieran shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, it's a lot. I get it. But once you get used to it, it's not that bad. The media attention dies down after a while."
"Easy for you to say," Zack muttered. "You've been dealing with this stuff for years. I'm just a guy who works in an office. I'm not used to my entire life being picked apart by strangers."
Kieran raised an eyebrow. "That's fair. But you'll get the hang of it. You just have to… play the game."
Zack wasn't sure whether to laugh or cringe at the idea of his life becoming a game, but he bit back his sarcasm and settled for a nod. He didn't want to seem ungrateful, especially since Kieran was paying him to be a part of this madness.
He's too calm about all of this. Like it's no big deal that I'm about to have every move I make watched by millions of people.
And why does he have to be so... relaxed? It's making me feel like I'm the crazy one for freaking out.
As if sensing Zack's unease, Kieran leaned forward, his expression softening. "Listen, if this is too much, you can back out. No one's going to force you to do this."
Zack blinked, caught off guard by the sudden sincerity in Kieran's voice. For the first time since they'd met, Kieran didn't look like the confident, untouchable movie star. He just looked… human.
"I…" Zack hesitated, trying to find the right words. "It's not that I don't want to help. I just… I don't know how to handle all of this. The media, the attention. It's terrifying."
Kieran smiled, a little more softly this time. "I get it. Really, I do. It's overwhelming, especially at first. But that's why I'm here. You won't have to do this alone."
Zack glanced down at his coffee, the steam swirling in the cup. He wasn't sure if Kieran's words were reassuring or just adding to his anxiety. But one thing was clear: Kieran was taking this seriously. He wasn't just brushing it off like some shallow publicity stunt.
And for some reason, that made Zack feel a little better.
Okay. Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought. I mean, Kieran seems like a decent guy. And he's right—I'm not in this alone.
But still… how do I keep up the act without messing it all up?
They fell into a comfortable silence, and for a moment, Zack almost forgot why they were there. It felt like a normal lunch between two people, not a strategy meeting for a fake relationship.
"So," Kieran said, breaking the quiet. "What do you do? I mean, outside of being dragged into celebrity scandals."
Zack laughed lightly, appreciating the effort to make small talk. "I work in marketing. It's… not as glamorous as fake-dating a celebrity."
Kieran grinned. "I don't know, man. Fake dating sounds pretty glamorous to me."
Zack snorted. "You might be the only one who thinks that."
"Maybe." Kieran leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "But hey, if you ever get tired of your job, you've always got a backup career now. Professional fake boyfriend. Bet it pays better."
Zack couldn't help but smile, despite the anxiety gnawing at him. There was something about Kieran's humor that made the whole situation feel a little less terrifying. It was weird—he'd expected Kieran to be arrogant, aloof, maybe even bored by the whole thing. But instead, he seemed genuinely invested in making sure Zack didn't feel too out of place.
It was… unexpected.
Maybe this won't be a total disaster. Kieran's not what I expected. He's actually… kind of nice.
Maybe I can survive this after all.
As their lunch wrapped up, Kieran reached for his wallet, but Zack waved him off. "I got it. Least I can do, considering what you're about to put me through."
Kieran raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Fair enough. But I'll get the next one."
Zack nodded, his smile lingering as they stood to leave. The anxiety hadn't completely faded, but somehow, things didn't feel quite as overwhelming as they had that morning. Maybe it was Kieran's laid-back attitude, or maybe Zack was just getting used to the madness. Either way, he felt like he could breathe a little easier.
For now, at least.