Andrew: ".." He seemed to suddenly understand what the netizens were getting at.
And at the end of this video, two lines of eye-catching text were added in the center:
【Double standards are the best proof of affection.】
【The Iron Triangle Law: There is always one Steve.】
Andrew: So that's how it is??
Completely bewildered, Andrew felt just like those clueless netizens, starting to search everywhere for analysis videos and piecing together clues to find the truth about the [Open Crush]. The hilarious thing was that most of the answers the netizens found were actually searched for frame by frame with a magnifying glass from the very videos Andrew himself had posted.
The more Andrew looked, the more he felt.. something was wrong!
It seems something is really wrong!!
Andrew really couldn't help himself and called Peter directly.
"The.. latest topics online, have you seen them? They're about Young Master Finn and you." Andrew asked hesitantly.
"I saw it." Peter remained uncharacteristically silent for a long moment before finally answering.
“Peter, you know there's a lot of baseless speculation online, where people might speculate a lot just from seeing a single gesture. It's mainly because Young Master Finn is so famous; everything he does attracts attention, because of the Rat Rise show, you're quite famous now, too. So, all at once, all the focus has been placed on you two.” As Andrew spoke, he himself became inexplicably nervous; he didn't even know what he was saying, his speech was somewhat stumbling. “This will have some impact on you, but fortunately, the hype comes and goes quickly. It should be fine after a while.”
"Pausing for a moment, Andrew ultimately couldn't suppress his curiosity, asked in a hushed, lowered voice:" and
“So.. those speculations, are they true?”
The vast number of netizens still have to piece together information from all over to find something to gossip about, but as one of the Iron Trio, Andrew at least has the right to a single thread of the gossip.
Andrew listened with bated breath, until Peter's clear and firm voice came through the phone after a deep breath—
[It's true.]
I like Finn.
Andrew took a deep breath and clutched his head in his hands; he never would have imagined that his friend had an open crush on his friend!
—So Steve really is me!
—You're truly bold! Being best friends with Harry Osborn on one hand, having a crush on his brother on the other!
After his mind had been in a chaotic whirl for a long time, Andrew finally found his voice and hurriedly asked, "Then Young Master Finn.. does he know?"
—It's not like you two have been in a relationship this whole time! But I didn't know anything about it!! At this rate, I'm not Steve, I'm a clown!
[He didn't know.] Peter's voice was filled with bewilderment; clearly, he had also been caught off guard by this sudden, widespread online discussion. [I wasn't planning on saying it right now anyway.]
The Spider-Man on the other end of the phone was actually almost going crazy.
—Help, he's just having an open crush.
—At this point, how is it even a crush? It's an open crush to the whole world??
"So, does Finn know.. now?" Peter asked cautiously.
Finn and Malton went to the New Energy Base today, I didn't go with them. I don't know if Young Master Finn knows, but he has been very busy lately and generally doesn't pay attention to these things online. Even during the previous drug incident, Young Master Finn didn't pay attention; you could say he didn't care to begin with," Andrew answered candidly. "But you know.. Young Master Finn has many friends; someone will definitely mention this to him, or go to him to verify it.
"I'm quite confused right now," Peter confessed.
"Since you like Young Master Finn, why not just take the opportunity to confess?" Andrew, who was equally confused, was also trying to give Peter some direction. After all, Peter wasn't as self-deprecating and introverted as he was; wasn't being bold and taking action more his style?
And at this moment, the news that Peter had an open crush on Finn had indeed reached Finn's ears.
His phone wouldn't stop vibrating as a flood of messages from his friends poured in, all of them questioning whether he was dating Peter.
“??” Finn stared at the screen full of messages, his mind filled with confusion.
The friends who had originally stood on the same side as Finn, intending to sternly combat the false rumors slandering Young Master Osborn, were also left dumbfounded by the sudden and inexplicable reversal of public opinion online. Netizens swarmed into the social media accounts of these friends of Finn, relentlessly questioning them about the relationship between Peter and Finn.
—You're asking us, but we don't know either! We haven't heard anything about it??
Finn's social circle was also a mess, his friends followed suit, coming straight to Finn to ask. However, Finn's friends also felt it couldn't possibly be a romantic relationship, since with Finn's personality, he wouldn't be so secretive about dating.
A crush? Peter? Likes me?" Even Finn, the person involved, was stunned. "How is that even possible?
[It's gone viral online!] Anthony exploded, [Don't you ever go online to check?]
Aren't we talking about that drug incident?" Finn asked, confused. "How does this involve Peter?
Please, just take a look, the whole internet is exploding!" Anthony said with a weary heart. "Seriously, don't even deny it, I think.. Peter really has feelings for you.
Finn sat at his workstation with a look of bewilderment, as all the messages popping up on his phone were people asking about Peter's crush.
Beside him, Malton silently picked up a tablet, scrolled through to the photo of the Color Powder Relay that had gone viral online, held it up before his eyes.
Isn't this just playing a game?" Finn said in confusion, "We're just good friends.
"Is it possible that your friend actually has an open crush on you?" Malton asked.
"How could that be? He is—" Finn refuted instinctively. He was Spider-Man! He was both a friend and an idol!
System PP couldn't help but interject: 【What about Spider-Man? Can't Spider-Man have an open crush?】
Long before the whole world found out, System PP had already discovered it silently for a long time.
[How could Spider-Man possibly like me? Besides, I don't even have a romance subplot.] Finn's heart was filled with disbelief, [The System Rules strictly state that the System is strictly forbidden from dating the Host.]
[Misery Value detected to be rising, Misery Value +0.5%]
Finn: "??" Where did this Misery Value come from again?
Is there a possibility that—" System PP's electronic voice spoke, "Since you are not a system right now, Peter Parker isn't a Host either, the two of you shouldn't be bound by the System Rules.
I still don't think Peter likes me." After that baseless drug incident where a few simple photos were enough to make the public speculate false truths, Finn naturally thought the current situation was the same. "Peter is just kind to everyone, we are still good friends; it's just that the internet is overinterpreting things.
Young Master Finn, why don't you take a look at this video first?
Seeing that Finn remained silent, Malton played another newly viral video on the tablet.
It was a video edited by some incredibly resourceful netizens who had scoured the internet for countless sweet moments.
In fact, the creator even went to the trouble of adding their own analytical text regarding the deep emotional connection between Peter and Finn.
The video begins with footage from the recent recording and live broadcast of "Rat Rise," which has been a hot topic across the internet.
After Finn fell into the water twice, Peter jumped in without hesitation each time to fish him out. Every time Finn failed a challenge and felt unwilling to accept it, Peter would wrap him in a large towel and listen to him speak with a patient smile.
[Peter wasn't listening to a word Young Master Finn was saying; he simply enjoyed staring at Finn.]
Then there was the video from the day of the sunrise. On that day, netizens happened to capture footage of Finn and Peter on a motorcycle setting off at five in the morning. Although they were both wearing helmets, someone compared the motorcycle gear Finn was wearing that day and concluded it had to be the two of them.
【Going to watch the sunrise with you at five in the morning—isn't this the most passionate confession a boy of eighteen could make?】
In a sunrise vlog Andrew had posted previously, a fleeting glimpse of a silhouette was individually captured and slowed down: it was Peter, fearing that Finn's expensive custom-made trousers would be soaked by the seawater, running with long strides on the soft sand while carrying the young man on his back. The morning light of the sunrise washed over their shoulders, the whistling sea breeze ruffled their hair, making the scene incredibly tender.
[So beautiful, if this isn't love!]
Going further back in time, Andrew released some behind-the-scenes videos after the Halloween Party, most of which were videos of Finn and Peter playing Peanut and Pippin, the two hamsters, practicing dancing together. The energetic Peter had been accompanying Finn to practice his dancing, every time he watched Finn teaching dance moves in front of the large floor-to-ceiling mirror, Peter's gaze remained glued to the young man.
【Peter was staring intently again; he simply couldn't get enough of Young Master Finn.】
Even the behind-the-scenes footage of Andrew's [Revealing How Hamster Partners Become Partners] was dug up. In the footage, Peter proactively approached Finn, his voice filled with obvious anticipation, all just to secure the role of [Peanut] so he could partner with Finn:
Can't I partner up with you?
[If you teach me, I'll learn very quickly.]
I will have plenty of time to dress up as a hamster with you; I am just as excited about this show as you are.
【Does he really want to spend so much time dressing up as a hamster? He just wants to accompany Young Master Finn!}
The video was edited from many different clips; some were live streams and recorded videos from Rat Rise, some were videos posted by Andrew himself, some were posted by Finn's friends and enthusiastic netizens..
These fragmented clips actually seemed to piece together a complete and clear unrequited love story of Peter Parker.
Finn always appeared so vibrant and full of life, busy playing, busy tackling challenges, busy working, busy practicing dance, busy rambling.. while Peter's gaze followed his every move, his eyes filled with the same bright laughter and an unmistakable affection.
Even Finn, as he watched, unconsciously gripped the edge of the tablet, falling into complete silence.
And this video even traced back to the very first video of Finn and Peter appearing in the same frame—
It was a game of Werewolf.
You could already see the signs from that moment on.
Peter's gaze was almost entirely fixed on Finn Osborn for the whole duration, he even couldn't help but laugh from time to time.
[Someone should install an anti-addiction system on Peter; they've only been friends for a short time, so why is he already so fixated?]
He even simplified the entire analysis of the Werewolf game. It was obvious that Peter did it on purpose; even when he clearly saw that Finn was the Werewolf, he was deliberately letting him win time and time again, when Peter became the Werewolf, he also protected Finn and wouldn't let the other Werewolves kill him. Under Peter's deliberate protection, Young Master Finn had an incredibly comfortable Werewolf game.
[To be fair, Peter is immoral; you can't play Werewolf like that. Kyle shouldn't invite the two of them to his next game.]
Finn stared blankly at the video; he knew these were just recorded images seen by people on the outside.
But there were already so many.
At this moment, Finn even thought of even more—
Those moments he took for granted as a friend surged uncontrollably through his mind.
He remembered that after his mental illness episode, Peter held him tightly with red eyes, his voice trembling with anxiety and lingering fear as he said, "But seriously, it was so close, I thought.. I was going to lose you."
He remembered when he was mentally exhausted yet unable to sleep, Peter would gently hold him on the hospital bed, using a soft and reassuring voice to help him sleep, saying, "Close your eyes, Finn, it's time to sleep";
He remembered how, after the press conference, Peter reached out and hugged him, praising him for doing a great job. He had also told him in a firm voice to stand in the center and watch the world, telling him, "You shine because you are yourself."
He remembered Peter, wearing the Spider-Man suit, creating a tunnel of starlight and a camping-style Korean Drama theater for him; he remembered how, whenever he was afraid of getting blood drawn, Peter would reach out and hold his head to move his gaze away; he thought of how Peter always kept candy and snacks in his backpack just for him, fearing that he might accidentally faint due to low blood sugar..
In those memories, it was the friendship of Peter Parker that he accepted so openly.
Thinking back on it now, it somehow feels different.
—What on earth are these?
Finn didn't know either; he only felt as if his heart had been struck heavily by something.
His rhythm was thrown into complete and unprecedented chaos.
The video ended with a special edit, where the creator played all the previous footage in reverse at the fastest possible speed.
A line of text slowly surfaced:
[Peter Parker is approaching Finn Osborn, step by step.]
Finn took a deep breath, his gaze locked firmly onto the screen.
Yes, anyone could clearly see that in the image, Peter was slowly approaching Finn, stepping closer and closer from an initially polite distance.