Intertwined Hearts

CHAPTER FIVE: "The Rumor Mill"

As the filming for their new movie progressed, rumors started circulating on the internet that Mile was dating one of his female friends. The news quickly spread like wildfire, causing Mile to receive hate messages and backlash from fans who were disappointed and felt betrayed by the news.

Apo was worried about Mile and reached out to him to see how he was doing. Mile assured Apo that the rumors were unfounded and that he was not in a romantic relationship with his friend. He explained that they were just good friends and that people were reading too much into their closeness.

Despite Mile's reassurances, Apo could sense that something was bothering him. He knew that Mile had a lot of pressure and stress from being in the public eye, and he wanted to be there for him. They talked about the rumors and the impact they were having on Mile's life, but Apo also made sure to remind him that he had his support.

As they talked, Apo couldn't help but feel a sense of jealousy towards Mile's friend. He had feelings for Mile that he couldn't ignore and it pained him to think of him with someone else. However, he didn't want to burden Mile with his own feelings and kept them to himself.

*******

Mile couldn't believe the amount of hate that his friend had received since the rumors started circulating. He felt terrible for putting her in that position, and he knew that he needed to reach out to her to apologize.

He picked up his phone and dialed her number, hoping that she would pick up. After a few rings, she finally answered.

"Hey, Mile," she said, her voice sounding tired and defeated.

"I just wanted to call and apologize for everything that's been happening," Mile said, his voice filled with regret. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

"I know," his friend replied, her voice still strained. "But it's been really tough. I've been getting so much hate, and I feel like I can't even leave my house anymore."

"I'm so sorry," Mile said again. "I'll do whatever it takes to make things right."

There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and Mile began to worry that his friend had hung up on him. But then she spoke again, her voice softer this time.

"I appreciate that, Mile," she said. "But honestly, the best thing you can do for me right now is just be there for me. Talk to me, spend time with me, help me forget about all this stuff for a while."

Mile smiled to himself, relieved that his friend was willing to forgive him. "Of course," he said. "I'll be there for you whenever you need me."

With that, they said their goodbyes, both feeling a little bit better than they had before. Even though the rumors were still out there, at least they had each other to lean on.

Mile couldn't shake off the worry that the rumors about him dating his female friend would somehow affect his relationship with Apo. He had received messages from his fans, some of them accusing him of being a cheater, while others were expressing their disappointment in him. He had also seen comments on social media from people who were convinced that the rumors were true.

Mile knew that he and Apo were not officially together, but he couldn't help the way he felt about him. They had grown close over the past few weeks, and he found himself wanting to spend more and more time with him. The thought of losing him because of these rumors made him feel sick to his stomach.

He decided to call Apo again to talk about it. As soon as he heard Apo's voice on the other end of the line, he blurted out, "I just want to tell you again that those rumors about me and my friend are not true. I'm not dating anyone else, and I don't want to."

Apo was quiet for a moment before responding, "I believe you, Mile. I don't care about those rumors. What matters is how you feel about me."

Mile felt a wave of relief wash over him. "I care about you a lot, Apo," he said softly. "I don't want anything to come between us."

Apo's voice was gentle as he replied, "Nothing will, as long as we're honest with each other."

Mile smiled to himself. He felt lucky to have someone like Apo in his life, someone who understood him and cared for him despite the rumors and the hate. He promised himself that he would do everything in his power to protect their relationship, no matter what.