….

  [Same Time - Regal's ft]

  .

  Tring-!

  The doorbell rang.

  Keanu ope almost immediately.

  Standing outside was Regal, his face looked tired.

  her of them said a word.

  Regal didn't wait for an invitatioepped in, brushing past Keanu, who quietly moved aside and shut the door behind him.

  Shoes off. Coat off.

  Dropping it over the back of a nearby chair.

  "How did it gal asked, his tone calm but edged with curiosity, his eyes fixed on the floor as if the question didn't need diregagement.

  He was referring to the private sing that took pce yesterday - but as Christopher had initially guessed it to be another distribution deal, it turned out to be something else entirely.

  At the st minute, Gwendolyn had called him in for a meeting regardiain rights and iional publiatters reted to [Harry Potter].

  ….and also the fact they want to meet the author personally.

  Anyway, that's for aime - as he pletely wants to focus oing [Following] hit theaters.

  Regal k was a stretch to expect much from a talent agency, but there was no harm in trying.

  "It went fihey seemed to like the movie… No promises yet, but I am positive." Keanu said, leaning against the wall. "What about you?"

  Regal tossed his phoo the table with a soft thud. "It went fine."

  "Well, I guess something is moving smoothly." Keanu chuckled softly.

  Tring-!

  Just then the doorbell rang again.

  Keanu g Regal, who gave a small nod.

  Without a word, the other pushed off the wall and headed to a.

  "Who is it?" Keanu asked as he cracked the door open.

  "Ah... yirlfriend. Ring any bells?"

  A woman's voice came - sarcastid sharp.

  Before Keanu could respond, Seren walked in - Regal's sister and his girlfriend.

  She strode past her still frozen boyfriend, the sharp cck of her heels eg briefly before she kicked them off without care, sending them skidding across the entryway.

  Kea out a defeated sigh, stooping to gather the wayward shoes. He pced them ly by the wall, his movements hinting, as if this weren't the first time Seren had left chaos in her wake.

  By the time he stepped into the hallway leading to more personal space, Seren was already sprawled on the couch, her critical gaze sweeping the room like a disapproving auditor.

  "Lately, my boyfriend has been spending more time with you than with me. So why don't you two might as well start dating each other." Seren muttered, rolling her eyes as she flopped onto the couch.

  "What are you doing here, Seren?" Regal asked, barely gng up from his seat.

  Seren tilted her head slightly. "Huh. You look terrible."

  "I look terrible because I feel terrible." Regal replied ftly, his voice devoid of any energy.

  "Mr. Keanu Reeves!" Seren suddenly called out, her voice louder.

  ?!!Keanu appeared from the hallway, his expression already weary.

  "...W-what now?" He asked, brag himself for impact.

  "You said you are helping Regal out, so I let it slide… but what are you even doing here–!" Seren begaone sharp.

  "Stop." Regal interrupted, standing abruptly. "I am too tired for this. Let's just go get something to eat."

  He didn't wait for a response.

  Instead, he grabbed Seren's hand with one of his and Keanu's with the other, yanking them both toward the door without ceremony.

  Regal's suit jacket hung abandoned on the chair.

  His phone y fotten oable.

  "Wait, hold on! I am still in my shorts! Let me at least ge!" Keanu protested, dragging his feet in a futile attempt to stall.

  "We just eat here. I will cook." Seren chimed in casually,

  Regal didn't stop.

  ?!!Keanu suddenly perked up.

  "Actually, on sed thought, going out sounds great." His voice held an ued enthusiasm that immediately raised suspi.

  Seren squi him, her eyes narrowing. "Keanu... I don't know why, but I don't like that look on your face right now."

  "Hah - what do you mean?" Keanu replied with a forced ugh, scratg the back of his neck.

  Regal ighem both, his grip firm as he marched toward the exit, dragging them along.

  The door shut behind them with a definitive click, leaving behind a half-anized room, and Keanu's dignity, somewhere he ly aligned heels.

  …and Regal's phone was still lying oable.

  ….

  They made their way dowreet, an odd trio that garnered more than a few curious gnces.

  Regal, still in his formal clothes, looked like a mismatched mannequin, his tie hung loose, his shirt was untucked, and he wore flip-flops that didn't even match, one navy and the other bright e.

  Keanu, in knee-length shorts and a wri-shirt, resembled someone who had been forcibly yanked from a nap. His bedhead pleted the look.

  Seren, to her credit, looked someresentable, though her sharply furrowed brow and tight-lipped grimace made it clear she was questioning every life choice that had led her to this moment.

  "By the way, I left my phone and wallet inside." Regal said nontly, as if enting on the weather. "So, the bill's on one of you."

  Keanu's head whipped toward him. "Hey! Yed me out in my shorts! I didn't bring my wallet either!"

  "Hmm." Regal murmured, unbothered.

  "So that leaves…" Keanu trailed off, looking toward Seren.

  "Seren." Regal finished, his tone as casual as ever.

  Seren stopped iracks, turning slowly to face them. Her arms crossed, and the sharp, judgmental gre she gave them could have turoo ash.

  The audacity and the sheer o expect a dy to foot the bill after dragging her into this circus?

  her man flinched.

  Regal stifled a yawn, while Keanu scratched the back of his neck like a guilty teenager.

  Seren, however, wasn't ready to let it go - there was a far more pressing gnawing at her.

  "You two are ag way too in sync." She narrowed her eyes, her suspi growing. "You are not actually dating each other, are you?"

  "....!!" Keanu froze, blinking at her as if she had just accused him of itting a crime.

  She wasn't just annoyed anymore, her seemed genuine.

  Her boyfriend? Dating her brother? The thought was absurd... wasn't it?

  "Sorry, I am not into men. Also, I already told you about Gwen." Regal said ftly, shrugging as though the entire versation bored him.

  "Yeah, same here." Keanu added quickly, too quickly, his voice a little higher than usual.

  Seren's eyes darted between them, her expression unreadable for a moment before she exhaled sharply.

  "Good." She muttered, brushing past them with an air of finality.

  Regal's lips twitched upward in the fai of smirks. "...You are still paying, though."

  Keanu srying to suppress his ughter as Seren whipped around to gre daggers at them.

  Her eyes promised retribution, but she didn't argue. Instead, she stormed ahead, leaving the two men exging amused gnces.

  ….

  Iique Talent Agency HQ.

  Ihe office, tension hung thi the air.

  "Is he still not answering?" Stephen Jr. asked, gng grimly out the window at the bck car parked below.

  His fiapped restlessly against the windowpane. Behind him, Anne was trying to eeone, her phone pressed tightly to her ear.

  Christopher sat at his desk, his expression unreadable as he watched the situation unfold.

  "No. He is still not pig up." Anne said, shaking her head.

  "Shit... shit..." Stephen Jr. muttered under his breath, bag away from the window as though the car could see him.

  "What about Keanu? Do you have his number?" Christopher asked, cutting through Stephen's murmurs with a calm, deliberate tone.

  "We don't." Anne replied. "....but Grace probably has it. I will call her." - without waiting, she began dialing again, her fingers moving swiftly across the s.

  Christopher shifted his gaze to Stephen Jr. "Why did you e here unannounced anyway?"

  Stephen Jr. threw up his hands. "Oh, e on, Chris! You know how the old man is. Do you think he would let me anywhere near a phone? I had no choice!"

  Before Christopher could respond, Anne pulled her phone away from her ear as she reported, her tone now tight. "She is not answeriher. Probably occupied by her csses."

  Christopher exhaled slowly. "This isn't good."

  Stephen Jr. g him, ay written all over his face. "You don't say."

  ".…" Christopher didn't have a respoo that.

  "I am done for." Stephen Jr. groaned, bending his neck. "The old man is sitting out there in that car, waiting. If I tell him Regal isn't pig up his phone - nope. I 't. I won't. I don't even want to think about it."

  "Actually." Aarted, her toinged with curiosity. "Why didn't you invite him into the office?"

  Stephen Jr. groaned, rubbing his temples. "He said he didn't want to e in."

  Ailted her head. "Why is that?"

  "How would I know?" Stephen Jr. snapped. "What's going on in that old man's head?"

  Christopher paused for half a sed, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "I think I know the reason." He grabbed his coat and headed for the door. "Anyway, let's go."

  "Go? Go where?" Stephen Jr. asked, moving his hands animatedly.

  "To tell him that Regal isn't answering." Christopher replied dryly, shooting him a side-eye as he pulled the office door open.

  Stephen Jr.'s face turned pale. "So, you do want us all to die. You go alone. I will stay right here and hahings... spiritually."

  "Get up. You are ing too." Christopher ordered, already stepping out.

  Anne didn't hesitate, following close behind with a small shrug.

  Stephen Jr. groaned loudly, dragging himself off the ground. "This is it. This is how it ends. With me getting chewed out in a parking lot."

  ….

  The hallway stretched ahead as Chistorpher and Aook the lead, with Stephen Jr. trudging behind, his pace slower than usual.

  "This wouldn't have happened if the old man had just let me leave a damn message." He pined. "Thinks the world revolves around his schedule..."

  Soon, they reached the stairwell, and Christopher didn't wait and headed toward the bck car parked just outside.

  The old man, Stephen Sr., hadn't moved an inch.

  As they he rear seat window rolled down slowly, revealing his stone-faced figure inside.

  Stephen Jr. felt his throat tighten. "We... we couldn't reach him."

  Stephen Sr.'s gaze didn't flicker. "Is that so?"

  "Yes. He is not pig up." Stephen Jr. nodded weakly, trying to keep his posure. "But we..uh …are w on it."

  Christopher, standing stiffly beside him, took a step forward. "It's being handled. Just need more time."

  Stephen Sr. didn't say anything immediately, his pierg gaze unblinking. Then, after a pause, he finally spoke. "Get in."

  Stephen Jr. froze. "What-t?"

  "I said we are leaving." His tone lowered, like the decision had already been made.

  …We? - Stephen Jr. opened his mouth again, the wetting stu his throat.

  Still, he stopped himself, unsure of what else to say, as he g his own car that arked a few meters away.

  He should have known something was off - the old man had been watg the same movie clips over and over since yesterday, as if possessed by some obsessive madness.

  And as if ohe window rolled up with quiet finality, shutting down any ce for further discussion.

  The car remained motionless, as if the man inside had already made his judgment, and they were now nothing more than waiting figures outside.

  ….

  .

  [To be tinued…]

  ★─────??★??─────★

  Author Note:

  Visit Patreon to instantly access +5 chapter for free, avaible to Free Members as well.

  For additional tent, please do support me and gain access to +10 more chapters.–> [email protected]/oWriters