We did the viral 'kiss your best friend' trend for TikTok clout, but now he's acting totally possessive and demanding we date exclusively. I just wanted views, but he's texting me non-stop asking who I'm with. How do I shut this down without blowing up our whole group?

Clear the air right now: clout isn't a binding romantic contract. What happened here is classic script confusion. You were chasing the algorithm; he was quietly hoping the video was an audition for real life. The kiss opened a door he’d probably been staring at for months, and now he's acting like a jealous boyfriend to stake a claim before the high wears off. But possessiveness after a three-second stunt isn't romance—it’s an overreach. You need to draw the line cleanly, before his delusion settles in. Don't apologize for doing the video, but don't play along either. Hit him with plain text: "The TikTok was just content for fun, not an audition. I value our friendship, but I don't have romantic feelings for you and I need you to back off the couple vibes." If he pouts or makes group hangouts weird, that's on him. Better a slightly awkward group chat than an accidental hostage situation in a relationship you never signed up for.