Chapter 112

Aria Bennett's eyelashes fluttered as she turned her face away from Damian Cross's suggestive remark.

"Why don't you ask the group what they'd like to drink?" she murmured, deftly changing the subject.

The corner of Damian's lips curved upward. He knew she was dodging the topic but played along. "Sure."

His slender fingers tapped across his phone screen as he sent the question to their production crew's group chat.

The pair walked side by side into the ice cream parlor, greeted by a refreshing blast of air conditioning.

"What would you like?" Aria asked as they approached the counter.

"Lemonade," Damian answered without hesitation.

Aria turned to him in surprise. "You like that too?"

His gaze softened as it rested on her. "Always have."

Truthfully, he'd grown to love the sweet-tart flavor only after learning it was her favorite.

By the time they placed their order, Damian had already received responses from most of the group. For those who hadn't replied, they selected popular drinks by instinct.

The large quantity meant they had to wait, so they settled at a table by the window.

"Oh my god, it's Aria and Damian!" A group of girls behind the counter whispered excitedly, barely containing their squeals.

"They're even more gorgeous in person!"

"Look how perfect they look together—our ship is sailing!"

"Did you see how Damian looks at her? So tender..."

Though they spoke in hushed tones, every word reached Aria and Damian's ears.

A ponytailed girl stealthily raised her phone, snapping several photos of the pair.

Damian noticed from his periphery but didn't stop her. Instead, he subtly leaned closer to Aria.

Catching his move, Aria couldn't help but chuckle softly.

When their order was ready, Damian gathered most of the bags, leaving only the lightest few for Aria.

"I'll take the heavy ones," he said, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

The ponytailed girl quickly captured this moment too before rushing over, cheeks flushed, to ask for autographs. She confessed honestly about taking their pictures.

"That's fine," Aria said warmly as she signed, giving the girl a playful wink. "Send me the good ones."

The girl nearly jumped with excitement. The moment Aria and Damian left, she posted the photos in the fan group chat.

Three images instantly set the fandom ablaze:

The first showed Aria's profile by the window, sunlight gilding her silhouette.

The second captured the pair sharing a smile, Damian's gaze overflowing with affection.

The third was their retreating figures, Damian's hand hovering protectively behind Aria's back.

"I'm deceased! This is too sweet!"

"That look from Damian just ended me!"

"They're totally real! That protective stance—I can't!"

Amid the squealing, one dissenting voice emerged:

"They don't match at all. Aria is clearly better with Nolan Reed."

The chat froze for a second before erupting:

"??? Girl, wake up!"

"That jerk Nolan doesn't deserve our Aria!"

"Childhood friends means nothing after how he hurt her!"

Nolan Reed, reading these responses, nearly threw his phone in frustration.

Just then, a knock sounded at the practice room door.

The trainees cheered when they saw Aria and Damian carrying drinks.

"Thank you, Mr. Cross! Thank you, Ms. Bennett!"

Audrey Lane accepted her grape milk tea with a grateful smile. Nolan stood to the side, watching Aria intently.

Damian casually offered him a juice, which Nolan ignored.

"I want lemonade," Nolan said pointedly to Aria, his tone bordering on petulant.

Aria sighed. "Since when do you like sour things?"

"I do now," he insisted stubbornly.

"None left." She pushed a watermelon juice into his hands. "Take it or leave it."

Nolan's eyes lit up. "You remembered I—"

"Damian chose it," Aria cut him off.

His smile vanished instantly, glaring at the juice as if it had personally offended him.

Damian bit back a laugh. "Shall we visit the next practice room?" he suggested to Aria.

After they left, Nolan slammed the untouched drink onto a table.

Audrey gave him a pitying look and shook her head.

When Aria and Damian approached Serena Blake's practice room, Vivienne Archer's icy voice carried through the door:

"What, you think you're some princess everyone should obey?"

This was followed by Serena's tearful reply: "I was just making a suggestion..."