….

  [After Two Weeks]

  [Juh, 2010]

  .

  The backstage was alive with movement, a chaotic symphony of voices, footsteps, and the hum of st-minute preparations.

  A crew member, clipboard in hand, approached Keanu, Andrew, and Grace with a quick, effit nod.

  "You are up shortly. Get ready." He said, barely breaking stride as he disappeared into the swirl of activity.

  Keanu tapped his thighs as he stood up, Andrew gave his shirt a quick tug, and Grace straightened her dress.

  There was no time for words.

  Seds ter, the booming voice of the announcer filled the space beyond the curtain.

  "Ladies alemen, it's time to wele uests! Any guesses? Here they are - the main cast of the test box office sensation, [Following]!"

  "Presented by her, the two-time Oscar-winning actor Stephen Hawking. Let's give it up for Keanu Reeves, Andrew Gleeson, and Grace Violet!"

  The audien attendance appuded, breaking through the curtain like a wave.

  Without hesitation, Grace moved first, stepping onto the stage with Keanu and Andrew just a half step behind her.

  The transition from the muted world of backstage to the brilliant lights of the stage was instantaneous, almost disorienting, but none of them faltered.

  They waved briefly, not breaking stride, and slid into the sofa waiting for them. The cheers lingered for a moment before settling into an expet hush.

  "Wow, just look at this lineup!" Jimmy Kimmel, the host, greeted them with a wide griling into his chair across from the three. "Wele to the show!"

  "Thank you." Grace said brightly, while Keanu nodded and Andrew offered a quick wave to the audience.

  Jimmy rested his elbows casually on the desk, his expression lit with curiosity. "So, this movie - what a buzz it's created. Everywhere I go, people are raving about it. Even I 't stop thinking about it. But let's be real for a sed - did any of you see this kind of reception? I mean, it started as a small indie project, right?"

  Andrew let out a shh, shaking his head.

  "Holy, no. I never expected any of it." His tone was unassuming, almost apologetic, like he was still processing how things had unfolded.

  Grace straightened in her seat, her fingers ced together.

  "I wasn't really thinking about how people would react." She admitted. "I just focused on doing my part, helping the team however I could. It was about getting the job done aing it to the audience."

  Keanu, rexed but thoughtful, added. "For me, I was always sure people would enjoy it."

  His fidence slipped past unnoticed, but he seemed to catch himself. "But yeah, it's like you said - it's a small project. So I could never guess the scale of the masses it is resonating with."

  Jimmy leaned in, his eyes gleaming. "I heard the budget was around 500K. Is that true?"

  Keanu nodded, his expression serious. "I know it's hard to believe, but yeah, that's what we worked with."

  Jimmy's face lit up with disbelief. "Five hundred grand? That's ihe produ was top-notch. You would never guess the budget was that low."

  Keanu gave a small, appreciative smile. "All credit goes to our directal Serphsail. He is the real genius behind it."

  Jimmy raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.

  "That's high praise. So, how did each of you end up on this project? Let's start with Grace." His gaze shifted to her, catg her a little off guard.

  Grace blinked, her stoic expression briefly softening as she gathered her thoughts.

  She cleared her throat before answering, her voice steady. "I saw the audition notid decided to give it a shot. But, holy, I have always struggled when it es to the big moments. end to take over, and I thought I pletely messed it up during the audiation of [Following]."

  She paused, before tinuing. "Somehal saw something in that performahough. I still don't know why he e, but he did."

  Jimmy grinned. "That's surprising, especially sidering how fwless you were in the film. Makes you wonder what would have happened if he had passed on you."

  Grace's eyes held a trace of thoughtfulness. "I am grateful he didn't."

  Andrew chimed in, his tone light. "Mine's way simpler. I came across the audition randomly. I didn't expect much. I just went in, performed, and Regal liked what he saw. hing I knew, I art of the team."

  Jimmy turo Keanu, sensing a different kind of story. "What about you, Keanu? Yours sounds like it's not quite as straightforward."

  Keanu chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Not even close. Regal and I met through a …mutual friend. And, on our first meeting, out of nowhere, he asked me to audition for his film - more like he offered me the rht then and there."

  He paused, looking slightly amused. "All he knew was that I have had a couple of disastrous theater experiences. And somehow, that was enough for him. Before he even told me he was sidering me, ag wasn't something I had ever thought about doing seriously. It all felt... pletely random."

  Jimmy leaned back, clearly eained. "So let me get this straight. Grace thought she bombed, Andrew walked in by ce, and you basically stumbled into it through a friend. And here you all are, starring in one of the biggest hits of the year. Sounds like Regal's got a serious gambling habit."

  The trio erupted in ughter while Grace's smile was a bit reserved. She did smile, all of them nodding in agreement, vihis was the perfect example of a gamble.

  Keanu raised an eyebrow. "I don't know about that."

  Jimmy shot him a curious look. "What do you mean?"

  Keanu leaned forward, his tone shifting. "You asked how sure we were about the movie doing well, right? If you ask me… Regal never saw it as a gamble. He was pletely certain it was going to be a hit. Like a madman."

  He smiled, shaking his head again. "Maybe that's what it takes to pull off something like this. Produg, direg, even the camera work. From pre-produ to distribution, he gave everything to this movie. A real madman."

  ??That caught Jimmy off guard.

  His eyes widened. "Wait, the director of the movie, Regal, was also the producer and hahe camera work?"

  Keanu, Andrew, and Grace exged fused looks.

  They didn't know that?

  Andrew spoke up, still a little puzzled by Jimmy's rea. "Yeah, it's true…"

  Jimmy quickly tried to cover his ignorance. "Well, there you have it, folks. It seems the movie [Following] wasn't just a fluke - it was always meant to be a box office hit."

  The word 'fluke' seemed to set Keanu off, his right eye twitg slightly, though he stayed silent, letting the ent slide.

  Jimmy, sensing the rea, quickly moved on. "So, about the sed part, when's it ing?"

  Keanu and Andrew exged an awkward gnce, as if unsure how to break the news.

  Before they could speak, Grace cut in.

  It seems she was also hurt by the host's word when he called their movie a 'fluke' though she didn't show it on her face.

  Her expression remained calm, but there was a slight edge to her words. "There is no sed part."

  Her statement hung in the air, leaving a heavy silence. Jimmy froze, his face a mix of fusion and surprise.

  Keanu and Andrew, however, shared a knowing smile, their reauted but satisfied.

  It was the same silehey had experienced when Regal first dropped the bombshell on them.

  Jimmy blirying to make sense of it. "Sorry, but the end credits - didn't they show the title for part two, [Following Too]?"

  Grace's gaze was steady, but her voice didn't waver. "There is no part two. That was just… a pceholder."

  Jimmy's mind raced, fusion spreading across his face.

  He had seen it happen before - movies announg sequels, only for them to be celed when the first one flopped at the box office.

  But this wasn't a flop.

  [Following] was a hit.

  So why would there be no sed part?

  The more he thought about it, the less se made. Ahere was something in their certainty that made him uneasy.

  It was as if the sed part had never even been a possibility.

  But how could that be?

  Jimmy couldn't figure it out, but the trio before him seemed resolute.

  Andrew broke the silence. "Actually, we didn't uand it either at first. We weren't told about any sed part either. Regal just threw that title in at the st minute before the final reel was distributed."

  Jimmy frowned, his curiosity getting the better of him. "But if there was no sed part, why would Regal add it?"

  Andrew paused for a moment, as though weighing whether to answer.

  Finally, he sighed and spoke up. "We asked Regal the same thing after the sing. He just shrugged and said, 'I don't like low endings. I don't want my audieo leave with a dull feeling.' And that was it. He just added it to hype things up a little."

  Graodded, but there was a hint of disbelief in her eyes. "Please, don't mind Andrew. He is just trying to act like that's what Regal actually said."

  Jimmy was taken aback, still struggling to grasp the situation.

  He cleared his throat, trying to salvage the moment. "Ah, I see. Guess we will just have to wait and see what happens."

  The interview ended soon after, the awkwardness lingering in the air.

  A few more questions were asked, but the atmosphere had shifted.

  Everyone seemed to be silently processing what they had just learned.

  .

  ….

  [To be tinued…]

  ★─────??★??─────★

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