The interview was supposed to be harmless.
A quick promotional appearance for Steel & Silk, two stars on a couch, a few pre-approved questions, a few laughs.
But no one warned the world that Aria Lane and Julian Cross sharing one stage would look like live electricity.
The moment the show went on air, the internet imploded.
She walked out first - calm, composed, dazzling under the lights in a sleek black suit instead of the usual red-carpet gown.
He followed, smiling that disarming movie-star smile that had once broken box-office records.
They shook hands for the camera.
And that's when it happened - the pause.
Two seconds.
A glance.
Something wordless passing between them.
Every camera caught it.
💬 "HELLO?? WHAT WAS THAT EYE CONTACT 😭😭😭"
💬 "The tension is illegal."
💬 "Are they acting or emotionally committing tax fraud???"
The host, oblivious, beamed. "Welcome, Aria! Welcome, Julian! You two nearly broke the internet after that rescue stunt! The chemistry was unbelievable - on and off the set!"
Julian chuckled smoothly. "We didn't plan that part."
Aria smiled, calm. "Most things worth watching aren't planned."
The audience screamed.
💬 "SHE FLIRTED WITH PHILOSOPHY 😭😭😭"
💬 "Most things worth watching aren't planned - WRITE THAT DOWN."
💬 "He blinked in slow motion. We're doomed."
The host tried to keep the conversation light.
"So, Aria, what's it like working with one of the most respected actors in the industry?"
She turned to Julian, eyes glinting. "Intense. He improvises a lot."
Julian blinked, smiling slightly. "I learned from the best."
"You mean me?"
"I mean surviving you."
The crowd howled.
💬 "They're literally flirting through combat dialogue."
💬 "If tension was edible, she'd cook it."
💬 "This is verbal martial arts."
Behind the stage, the show's producer whispered to his assistant, "Keep filming. Don't cut. This is gold."
But in a government surveillance van halfway across the city, someone else was watching the same broadcast - and hearing something different.
Agency Audio Analysis - Channel 3 Transcript:
ARlA LANE: "Most things worth watching aren't planned."
JULlAN CROSS: "I learned from the best."
Decoded Pattern: "OPERATION UNPLANNED - CONFIRMATION RECEIVED."
The analyst stiffened. "Sir… I think they're communicating in code."
His supervisor frowned. "She wouldn't risk it live."
The analyst pointed at the timestamp. "Then explain why their speech rhythm matches old A-01 command protocols."
Back on the show, the host said cheerily, "Fans online are calling you two 'The Glass Tower Duo' after that rescue scene! Any comments on that?"
Julian smirked. "I think it fits. She caught me before I fell."
Aria smiled faintly. "Gravity and men - both predictable."
💬 "NOT HER SAYING THAT 😭😭😭😭😭"
💬 "Gravity and men both predictable - I'm putting that on a shirt."
💬 "Julian just ascended into blushing history."
The host laughed nervously. "You two should do a romantic film together!"
Julian looked at Aria. "Depends on who's holding the harness this time."
Aria's smile turned razor-sharp. "Don't worry. I never drop what's mine."
And that was it.
The moment that detonated the internet.
💬 "'I never drop what's mine' SHE SAID THAT ON LIVE TV 😭😭😭😭😭"
💬 "This is no longer acting. This is war with hormones."
💬 "The host looked like he wanted to call security."
Within hours, the clip was everywhere.
Memes. Fan edits. Slow-motion montages with romantic music.
Someone added dramatic captions:
"She never drops what's hers. Not missions. Not men."
#NeverDrop trended worldwide for three days.
Julian's agent called him, half-panicked.
"You two are trending again! Do I confirm the relationship rumors?"
Julian laughed quietly. "No."
"Then deny them?"
He looked at the paused frame of Aria's smirk.
"No."
"…Then what do I tell the press?"
He smiled faintly. "Tell them she caught me again."
Meanwhile, Aria sat in her dressing room, scrolling through fan edits of herself.
Her phone buzzed. A new encrypted message appeared from an unknown contact:
'Signal Confirmed. You made contact with Cross. Proceed with caution. You're being watched.'
She smirked, deleting the message.
"They're always watching."
Later that night, she texted Julian a single line:
"Next time, don't improvise the code."
He replied almost instantly.
"Next time, don't make it sound like flirting."
Her response came ten seconds later:
"Why not both?"
💬 "Their texts leaked?? I'm dying 😭😭😭"
💬 "They flirt in Morse code now."
💬 "This is espionage-level romance."
But not everyone was laughing.
At the Agency headquarters, the supervisor replayed the clip again, watching Aria's subtle finger movements during her "gravity" line.
A pattern flashed - three taps, a pause, two more.
Old unit signal.
A-01 confirmation code.
He stood. "She's back in contact. She's recruiting."
And somewhere, on the other side of the city, Aria closed her laptop and whispered,
"Let them think it's romance.
It buys me time."