On a reality TV show, the host asked us to reveal the most immoral thing we’d ever done. I gave a shy smile. "When I was a kid, my best friend and I stole all of her brother's pants and hid them." The other guests looked intrigued, pressing for the aftermath. The Film Emperor sitting next to me smiled elegantly and chimed in, "And later, she turned around and provoked me, threatening to strip my pants off with her own hands." I froze. My brain completely short-circuited. 1 I owed a favor to a producer, which is how I ended up as a filler guest on this variety show. In the first episode, the icebreaker question was about our "darkest deeds." I fell silent for a moment. Not because I couldn't think of anything, but because I was a menace as a child. The list was too long. After the other guests finished, the camera panned to my face. I didn't have time to hesitate, so I picked the funniest one. "When I was a kid, my best friend and I hid all of her older brother's pants." The memory was so vivid that I couldn't help but chuckle as I recalled it. Mia, the guest sitting next to me, asked with curiosity written all over her face, "Then what happened?" I tried to recall the details, but I was too embarrassed to say the rest. Later, not only did I fail to apologize, but I actually went back to taunt him. To this day, I haven't dared to appear in front of him again. Seeing my hesitation, Mia’s imagination started running wild. "Did you get beat up?" I shook my head. "Did you guys start dating?" I shook my head like a rattle drum. Mia, being the impatient type, stomped her foot. "So what happened? Spit it out!" I scratched my head, about to speak. That’s when the A-list actor next to me, Julian Blackwood, smiled and finished the sentence for me. "Later, she provoked me and threatened to strip my pants off with her own hands." I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. He... is... Julian? Mia’s gaze darted back and forth between me and Julian. You could practically hear her brain frying. After a long pause, she asked hesitantly, "So, the unlucky guy who lost his pants... was you?" Then she looked at me. "And the little delinquent who stole them... was you?" I lowered my head, my eyes uncontrollably drifting toward Julian. I couldn't figure it out. I just wanted to share a funny childhood story. How did I end up sitting next to the victim? 2 It wasn't entirely my fault I didn't recognize Julian. Back then, he was going through a phase. He wore black masks all day and acted like a mysterious, brooding vampire. My best friend, Riley—Julian's sister—used to cry to me daily about how evil her brother was. According to her, he stole her allowance and ate her snacks. Eventually, she invited me over to steal his pants. She called it "teaching him a lesson." I was at an age where I had an overflowing sense of justice. Hearing Riley’s tragic tales, my blood boiled, and I agreed. Our division of labor was clear. I was the lookout in the living room; Riley infiltrated the bedroom to secure the assets. However, there was a snag in the operation. I was helping Riley transport the bundle of pants to her room when we ran smack into Julian. Thinking back to his cold, deadpan expression, I still feel guilty. But remembering how much Riley had "suffered" under his tyranny, I grew a sudden pair of guts and shouted at him, "If you bully Riley again, next time I'll strip your pants off myself!" Years later... We were drinking, and Riley accidentally let the truth slip. The stolen allowance? The stolen snacks? All lies. Just stories she made up during her rebellious phase. On the surface, I remained calm. Internally, I was screaming. The stories were fake, but my threat to Julian was very, very real! From that day on, I avoided Julian Blackwood like the plague. 3 Believing that admitting mistakes makes you a good kid, I immediately turned to Julian. "I'm so sorry. I was young and ignorant. I’ve learned a profound lesson since then. Please forgive me, Mr. Blackwood." How profound was the lesson? Well, since that incident, I only believe about 30% of anything Riley tells me. The live stream comments were going wild. [LMAO, Chloe looks like a school kid getting sent to the principal's office.] [Mr. Blackwood, please forgive our Chloe. She’s just a little bit... empty-headed.] [Don't blame Chloe! Being an idiot isn't a crime!] [I’m crying. I told my bestie my brother bullies me, and she said, "Good job, brother."] [Okay but, I don't think Julian is mad. He’s been smiling the whole time.] Seeing that last comment, I looked up at Julian. Our eyes met. Julian seemed to think of something and let out a low chuckle. I was terrified. Riley’s words echoed in my mind: My brother has evolved. He knows how to play dirty now. I pulled out my phone under the table and texted Riley for help. Riley, currently living her best life overseas, replied instantly: [Be careful! My brother texted me hours ago saying he ran into you. I could feel the murderous intent through the screen!] Connecting this with Julian’s meaningful smile, my hands started shaking as I typed: [What do I do?] [Your brother holds grudges like crazy!] [Save me! How do I apologize so he’ll actually accept it?] Riley went silent. I was anxious as an ant on a hot pan. Just then, the director told us to choose partners for the upcoming tasks. Mia, who lived for drama, leaned over to Julian. "Do you want to partner with Chloe?" Julian’s eyes crinkled with amusement. He didn't hesitate for a second. "Of course." Before I could panic, he added, "I want to see exactly how she plans to strip my pants." Me: "!!!" 4 After the teams were set, Julian naturally sat next to me on the sofa. I fought a long internal battle before whispering, "Can I not be on your team?" Julian raised an eyebrow but didn't speak. According to Riley, this was the precursor to his rage. I lowered my head, speaking fast. "I was young and dumb when I helped Riley hide your pants. I really know I was wrong." "And I swear, I never actually wanted to strip you. Really!" Afraid he wouldn't believe me, I even held up three fingers in a scout's oath. Julian leaned back, relaxed. "You think I picked you because I want revenge for the pants?" Obviously. But I nodded obediently and apologized again. "I really know I messed up." Julian looked at me for a few seconds, then laughed. "Your attitude is surprisingly sincere." I quickly ran through Riley’s teachings but couldn't decipher his emotion. I stole a glance. Okay, he’s smiling. That means his mood should be decent. I relaxed slightly. "So, about the teams..." Julian kept smiling, but his words killed my hope. "We’re sticking together. We’re old acquaintances, after all. Our chemistry should be unmatched." I tried to smile, but the corners of my mouth wouldn't go up. Seeing my expression of utter despair, Julian’s mood improved significantly. Before walking away, he messed up my hair and dropped a line: "Since when did you get so timid?" I fixed my hair, staring at his back, thinking angrily: Riley was right. Julian Blackwood is not a good person!
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