[Note Read This A Chapter Again. I messed Up the order. Sorry]

  ….

  Keanu leaoward him, whispering. "Does this happen a lot, or should we be ed?"

  Stephen Jr. shook his head. "If you are looking fic with that old man, you're in the wrong pce."

  ….

  Despite his casual demeanal had never imagined he would meet the Stephen Hawking in person.

  Especially not this early in his career.

  Aainly not after rushing out of the house, fetting both his phone and wallet.

  …but more than that - his [Ag Grade: SS -]

  Holy, he hadn't even known there was a grade beyond [A], let alone something like this.

  But the more he thought about it, the more it made sehis was a man who had earned every ounce of his fame.

  "Yo, boss! Think we close up a little early tonight? Oh, and we will need extra chairs." Regal said fidently as he walked in.

  Hearing the familiar voice, Jordan maintained his hunch over the ter with a calcutor and notepad, without even a look up. "What are you still hanging around here for, brat?" He asked.

  "I have got a really important guest with me." Regal decred.

  Jordan snorted, still not looking up. "Important guest? From your list of friends? Sorry, I am not seeing how those two things overp."

  Regal frowned, striding over to the ter and leaning in slightly. "Not funny."

  "Good. I wasn't trying to be." Jordan replied ftly, jotting a quiote on the paper before finally gng up.

  "..." - "..." For some inexplicable reasal and he ended up in a silent staring test.

  Lastly, Regal's mouth twitched. "Seriously, man, just look in the back. Stephen Hawking is here."

  Jordan raised an eyebrow, his expression still unbothered. "If you need something, just spit it out. Don't waste my time with random nonsense. What is it this time? Need a part-time job? Hah, did someone already kick you ou–"

  ?!But as his gaze shifted past Regal's shoulder, the casual indifferen his face shattered.

  Four people had ehe store.

  Two of them were familiar - part al's crew. Jordan had met them during that film the brat shot.

  Yeah, there were a few shorts Regal filmed in his venieore.

  Jordan had been paid handsomely, so he agreed to let him use the pce.

  So, he reized those two.

  But the other two? Strangers—at least, that's what he thought - until one of them, an older man, calmly removed the hat shielding his face.

  ?!Jordan's stomach twisted.

  He khat face.

  The man spoke first, his tone calm and courteous. "I would like to apologize to the owner of this establishment for barging in so suddenly."

  Standing right there in front of Jordan was - Stephen Hawking.

  ….and he ologizing to him?

  The pen in his hand dropped to the ground.

  "What did you do?" He hissed, yanking Regal closer over the ter.

  Regal's expression flickered between smugness and irritation. "Told you he was here."

  Jordan's rea didn't surprise Regal.

  He khe man was a huge fan.

  Stephen Hawking had a long thirty year career in Hollywood before retiring in the early 2000's - exactly a decade ago.

  And it was an undeniable fact that he was at his peak during 1975 to 1990 - an era where he wasn't just an actor, but a superstar.

  …also this was also the period he had amassed his most loyal base of followers.

  Not people like Regal or Keanu, who had only heard of his stardom - recorded clips, saw his films, read about his success.

  Jordan, though - he art of the geion that had witephen Hawking's rise firsthand.

  Jordan released Regal, cleared his throat, forced a polite smile, and turo Stephen Sr. "Uh… o apologize, sir. ers are always wele here."

  "...er, huh…" Stephen Sr. murmured, a hint of surprise fshing across his face.

  Actually, just as Regal, the group around him is just as intriguing as him - though for reasons he couldirely articute.

  For oer many years, he didn't feel like the most important person in the room.

  There was no suffog fttery, no excessive deferereating him like some fragile relic of the past.

  It was… refreshing.

  …And instead of some fancy restaurant, he was io a small venieore the boy was familiar with.

  The whole situation was taking an ued turn.

  Was it the people around him that were remarkable? Or was it simply in his nature to draw the remarkable people to his side?

  "Little Sis." Regal said suddenly. "There's aric cooker in the back. We will need… five o-."

  He paused, gng around to t heads. "No, make it six cups of instant noodles, I don't want this grumpy old man gring at me while I eat."

  It was obvious who the 'grumpy old man' was - Jordan.

  Regal then shot a look that practically screamed 'please' at least a huimes before Seren finally started to move.

  "I will help." Keanu volunteered.

  Regal waved him off. "Nah, Keanu. Head outside to where the car's parked. There is a man out there, ask if he wants anything to eat."

  Meanwhile, to the side, Stephen Sr. took note. So his name is… Keanu.

  For a moment, he questioned himself. How did I miss it?

  But regardless of that, for now, Stephen could see it in Keanu too - the tiny spark, the faint glimmer of something more.

  Though it was faint, barely noticeable uhe overwhelming radiance of the 'sun' he was standing beside. No matter hhtly any ht sho was always overshadowed.

  Still, Stephen wondered how this man's journey would unfold. Would he be swallowed by that brilliance, or would he learn to withstand it?

  Then Regal added. "On sed thought, he will probably turn it down. Just tell him it was his employee who told you to give it to him."

  "Got it. Should I grab whatever looks good?"

  "Yeah, sounds fio me." Regal replied, darting a quice at Hawking from the er of his eye, cheg for any signs of disapproval.

  Satisfied, he cpped his hands together. "Alright, Junior, you are with me. Let's grab the table from ste a up."

  Junior? Stephen Jr. blinked, looking a bit fused by the sudden title.

  It didn't matter whether he liked it or not - Regal had already subsciously decided that was his name now.

  He just liked how it sounded.

  It also gave him a newfound uanding of why a certain someone enjoyed calling him by a simir niame.

  It's just too much fun.

  Meaephen Sr. gave his grandson a small nod of approval, a subtle signal to follow along.

  ….

  Before long, the two were making their way toward the ste area behind the ter.

  "What do you thi–!" Jordan's voice rang out suddenly. He seemed to have only just grasped the reality of the situation.

  But before he could finish, Regal waved him off, speaking quickly. "I will pay."

  Jordan shrugged, his business instincts kig in. "Okay."

  As Regal led the way, Stephen Sr. remaiill, watg the chaotic se with a faint smile, his curiosity piqued - this was far from what he had expected, but for some reason, it felt… not so bad.

  ….

  A few mier, the setup was plete.

  The table was in pce, surrounded by chairs, with snacks, steaming cups of noodles, and drinks ly arranged on top.

  "Sal, the film this brat started, actually mao plete it already and is now ready for the release?" Jordan asked, taking a big sip from his beer gss before pg it ba the table with a dull k.

  "Yep." Regal gave him a smug thumbs-up.

  "But how exactly did you meet Mr. Stephen in all this?" Jordan pressed.

  "I don't knoart either, irely at least." Regal shrugged nontly.

  "What was I expeg…" Seren, his sister, muttered under her breath befroaning dramatically and pnting her fa her hands.

  Jordan, equally unimpressed, shal a deadpan look.

  "I think I fill in the gaps." Keanu chimed in.

  He expihe of events, and it was, more or less, exactly what had happened.

  "Huh, that's a little hard to believe, don't you think?" Jordan said, skeptical.

  Seren nodded in agreement, arms crossed.

  "It is true." Stephen Sr. interjected. "My grandson showed me a clip from the film. I liked it and decided to meet the person behind the story."

  He paused, gng at Regal to check his expression. "...and maybe help out a little, too."

  Regal didn't bother hiding his grin. "That sounds great."

  Jordan snorted. "Testing him is pointless. Regal's the kind of guy who loses all sense of shame once he 'thinks' he is close to someone."

  "Uh, thanks?" Regal replied, a shy, almost fused smile at the baded pliment.

  Throughout the exge, Stephen Jr. remained silent, quietly.

  It was his first time seeing his grandfather this rexed and casual.

  It was… new and even a little disturbing.

  Not that he spent a lot of time with his grandfather.

  Then, Stephen Sr. tural, his gaze steady aral.

  "Why did you want to make films?" He asked out of nowhere.

  Keeping aside Regal's obvious talent, Stephen Sr. was curious to know o thing - ohing that will determine his stah him iure.

  "Why… Huh?" Regal gives it a gehought.

  Even Keanu leaned in slightly, intrigued. Lately, he had found himself w the same thing - why he enjoyed w on movies as much as he did.

  He wao put that feeling into words and maybe even give a right o bel it.

  "Mmm…" Regal muttered, rag his brain. Then, with a snap of his fingers, he grinned and said. "Because I like it."

  Yep - that's the best he could e up with for the reason behind his obsession with movies.

  "Hah…" Seren burst out ughing.

  It was the same reasal said when he was a kid. He really didn't ge much - not as much as he looked like at times.

  Meanwhile, Stephen made his decision - he already did the moment he saw Regal, but now he was a little more determined.

  Knowingly or unknowingly, this event today marked the beginning of one of the biggest debuts a person could get into Hollywood.

  .

  ….

  [To be tinued…]

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