Chapter 1: The Spotlight Isn’t Big Enough for the Both of Us

Xiao Zhan had been at the top of the industry for years. He had worked hard for it—long nights, countless auditions, a relentless drive to prove himself. His name alone guaranteed sold-out concerts and record-breaking dramas.

And then came Wang Yibo.

Younger, effortlessly cool, and annoyingly talented, Yibo shot to fame like a comet, disrupting the industry Xiao Zhan had carefully carved out for himself. Suddenly, every headline had their names side by side.

“China’s two biggest stars battle for the throne.”

“Who is the real king of the entertainment industry?”

The rivalry wasn’t just manufactured by the media—it was real.

They were constantly thrown together, whether at award shows, variety programs, or even as co-stars in the same high-budget drama. Their dynamic was ice-cold professionalism, tension thick enough to cut with a knife.

"Do you ever not try to one-up me?" Xiao Zhan muttered one evening after a press event, where Yibo had effortlessly stolen the spotlight with his cool, detached charm.

Yibo smirked, adjusting his jacket. "I don’t have to try."

Xiao Zhan scoffed, turning away before his frustration made him say something he’d regret.

They were rivals, competitors, two stars colliding in the same sky.

But fate had other plans.

Chapter 2: Cracks in the Ice

Filming for their new drama had been intense. Long hours, physically demanding scenes, and the undeniable pressure of expectations weighing on them.

Xiao Zhan had been pushing himself harder than usual, determined to outshine Yibo. But exhaustion caught up with him.

One late night, after a grueling action sequence, he collapsed into a chair, rubbing his temples. His vision blurred slightly from fatigue, but he waved off the concern of the staff.

"You okay?"

The voice startled him. He looked up to see Wang Yibo, holding out a bottle of water.

Xiao Zhan hesitated. “Why do you care?”

Yibo rolled his eyes. “You’re no good to me if you pass out.”

Xiao Zhan huffed, but took the water. "How considerate."

Yibo smirked. "Don’t get used to it."

But over the next few weeks, the cracks in their rivalry deepened.

Xiao Zhan started noticing things. How Yibo always stayed behind to rehearse longer than anyone else. How he hated small talk, but would quietly check on Xiao Zhan when he looked exhausted.

How Yibo wasn’t just some arrogant kid trying to steal his throne—he was just as hardworking, just as passionate.

One night, after an emotionally charged scene, they sat side by side on set, watching the crew pack up.

“You’re not as annoying as I thought,” Xiao Zhan admitted, his voice quiet.

Yibo chuckled, gaze fixed on the dimly lit studio. “You’re still as dramatic as I thought.”

Xiao Zhan nudged him, smiling despite himself.

And just like that, something shifted.

It wasn’t rivalry anymore. Not completely.

Chapter 3: Something More

The night of the drama’s final wrap party, they found themselves alone on the rooftop, away from the noise and flashing cameras.

Xiao Zhan leaned against the railing, exhaling. “It’s over.”

Yibo, standing beside him, nodded. “Yeah.”

Silence stretched between them, the city lights twinkling below.

Xiao Zhan glanced at Yibo, hesitating before asking, “Did you ever actually hate me?”

Yibo smirked but didn’t answer right away. After a pause, he murmured, “I never hated you.”

Xiao Zhan felt his heartbeat quicken. “Then why did we—”

Yibo turned to face him fully, expression unreadable. “Because if I didn’t treat you like a rival… I wouldn’t know how to deal with what I actually felt.”

Xiao Zhan’s breath caught.

There it was.

The thing that had been simmering between them for months, years. The reason why their rivalry had always felt so intense, so personal.

Yibo took a step closer. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

Xiao Zhan didn’t.

Instead, he closed the distance between them, fingers curling into the fabric of Yibo’s sleeve.

“You’re not wrong,” he whispered.

And before he could second-guess himself, he leaned in—capturing Yibo’s lips in a kiss that was long overdue.

When they finally pulled away, Yibo smirked. “Took you long enough.”

Xiao Zhan laughed, shaking his head. “Shut up.”

The rivalry was over.

But something so much better had taken its place.