The Unbrokenhearteds | Completed ✓

Chapter 22

"Are you sure you guys aren't dating?" Rachel adds, smiling from ear to ear.

What's with everyone's mind? Just because we're spotted together doesn't mean we're having a romantic relationship. Do I have to explain that every time people mistakenly think of us that way?

I give her an aren't-you-going-to-the-set? look, which I think she promptly guesses since she briskly stands up from her seat.

"I almost forgot, Ham, is looking for me!" She says—fast, as if she's suddenly in a hurry—and strides to the other side of the studio.

Kai nudges me. "You're getting better at eye-ing people. I'm such a proud boyfriend."

I grimace. "Stop it, dummy! I am not your girlfriend." I say in a low tone of voice but still stressing the last words.

"Let's date, then." He says before turning his head to my side, staring into my eyes earnestly. "Let's start dating."

What? What? What?

I anxiously laugh. "Are you crazy?" I say, giving her an unbelievable peep. He made it sound so easy—like he's been wanting to say it for a while.

"I like you, Madison." He takes a deep breath. "I kissed you because I like you, not because of the beer foam." He chuckles—probably thinking about that night I was so flustered with his kiss. "I keep on lingering at your side when we were in Paradise Island because there's something in you that mesmerizes me."

Holy mother forking shirt balls. He's serious! He's freaking serious about dating me. I can see it in his eyes and the way he utters every word from his mouth. But are we really going to do this here?

"You're crazy," I whisper. I wasn't expecting this at all. I never dreamed of this in my entire existence. "Is that also the reason why you accepted this project even though you know Max is here?" Gosh. I almost forgot to ask that—the reason why I texted him.

"I couldn't care less about Max. I wanted to see you that's why I'm here." He quickly states.

"Kai! Kai, let's go!" Margot shouts while walking towards us. "They're here. You need to prep already. Rachel said they're shooting the last 3 frames with Max then you're up." She speaks with authority.

Kai gives me a sly smile. "Let's continue this later." He swiftly stands up and walks towards the glam room alongside Margot.

Now, I am left alone—with a jumbled mind. I remember our flustering moments at Paradise Island; the way he whispers into my ear, the way he talks calmly, the way he teases me, the way he smirks and laughs, and the way he meaningfully looks at me—turns out it really has a meaning.

〰️

"Stare in his eyes, Max!" Ham yells behind the camera. Aside from being the director of this project, he's also the director of photography. Such a talented human being he is.

Max moves her face closer to Kai's. This scene is not on the storyboard, but the client asked them to do a shot together after their individual takes.

I'm at the set now, with Rachel and Margot beside me. We're supposed to be done by 2:00 am, but because of our demanding client, we had no choice but to extend. It's already past 3:00 am. I hope they wouldn't ask for more. If not, we're going to pay for everybody's overtime. They better add an additional cost to all the demands they've asked for!

"I wonder what Max feels right now. Isn't it awkward to work with the guy you dumped?" Margot scoffs.

"It looks like Kai's not having a hard time though," I say without looking at her. My eyes are fixed on Kai and Max who are currently under the same spotlight.

"That's because Kai is a professional actor to work with." Margot sighs. "I don't know what life is without him. All this time, I treated him like a little brother."

Wow. She must be so attached to him. I think she's talking about Kai's hiatus after his upcoming projects.

Ham looks back at us, mouthing "Come here!" to Rachel. She strides to his side right away. I hope Ham enjoyed this one even though he clearly had a hard time following Bier's requests.

"Last take! Last take!" Rachel shouts while raising her right hand to get everyone's attention.

Finally, last shot. We've been working since 4:00 am yesterday, nearly 24 hours already. That's the thing about working in this industry, there's no such thing as an 8-hour shift. We work under pressure and have flexible time. During shoots, as long as your job isn't done yet, you won't leave the place no matter what time is it. The same goes for the office, people in production usually go to work in the afternoon.

A few moments later, Ham pats Rachel's back and gazes around the set. "Thank you. Thank you, guys. Pack up!!!"

"Wohoooooo!" Everyone inside the studio shouts in unison while clapping their hands. They're all smiling widely.

Margot and I walk to where Max and Kai are. "Great work, guys. Thank you so much." I sincerely say as I give them a peck on their cheeks—yes, Kai and Max—as a sign of gratitude.

"Thank you, as well, Madison. This is such a great experience." Max says, grinning.

Wow. She sounds so polite today—completely different from what she showed me in the yacht.

"It's my pleasure," I mumble before turning to Ham. "Congratulations, Ham Harper." I jokingly say while shaking his hand.

He laughs. "Thanks, honey. You really did great in pulling off such a stressful project." He kisses me on my head. "I'll go ahead." He adds. He turns to Max, Kai, and Margot to give them a hug. "Thank you. Thank you." He says before marching to the front door. The wifey must be waiting in the house. Rachel follows him.

"Let's go, Kai?" Margot asks. It seems like Margot has a grudge against Max because she basically ignored her the entire time. She didn't even greet her.

"No," Kai shakes his head. "I'm coming with Madison." He confidently says.

"Huh?" I confusedly look at him. He's not supposed to say that loudly? I mean, I don't want us to attract more attention with our actions—our visuals are alluring enough already. Okay. Kidding.

He grabs my wrist and drags me towards... I have no idea. Everyone's gazing at us even though they're busy packing their things—including the people from Bier Pharmaceuticals and GreenOnion Agency!

〰️

"What the hell was that?" I groan when we're both inside his Maserati Ghibli. I'm not surprised. He probably has a glasshouse full of lavish cars.

"What? You're afraid this might affect my career and create another ruckus?" He chuckles. "I don't care. I told Margot ahead of time that she can't stop me from anything I'd like to do throughout my remaining projects."

He clearly reads my mind. "Is that okay?" I mumble, flashing a puppy face.

He grins. "Of course," He pinches my left cheek. "So, stop overthinking and let the universe do its magic, alright?"

Well, I guess this is the start—the start of choosing what makes us happy and not basing on a mere encounter.