Old Man

….

[Same Time - Regal's flat]

.

Tring-!

The doorbell rang.

Keanu opened it almost immediately.

Standing outside was Regal, his face looked tired.

Neither of them said a word.

Regal didn't wait for an invitation. He stepped 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 go?" Regal asked, his tone calm but edged with curiosity, his eyes fixed on the floor as if the question didn't need direct engagement.

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

At the last minute, Gwendolyn had called him in for a meeting regarding certain rights and international publication matters related to [Harry Potter].

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

Anyway, that's for another time - as he completely wants to focus on getting [Following] hit theaters.

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

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

Regal tossed his phone onto 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 glanced at Regal, who gave a small nod.

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

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

"Ah... your girlfriend. Ring any bells?"

A woman's voice came - sarcastic and sharp.

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

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

Keanu let out a defeated sigh, stooping to gather the wayward shoes. He placed them neatly 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 glancing up from his seat.

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

"I look terrible because I feel terrible." Regal replied flatly, 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, bracing himself for impact.

"You said you are helping Regal out, so I let it slide… but what are you even doing here–!" Seren began, her tone 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 lay forgotten on the table.

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

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

Regal didn't stop.

?!!Keanu suddenly perked up.

"Actually, on second thought, going out sounds great." His voice held an unexpected enthusiasm that immediately raised suspicion.

Seren squinted at 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 laugh, scratching the back of his neck.

Regal ignored them 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-organized room, and Keanu's dignity, somewhere near the neatly aligned heels.

…and Regal's phone was still lying on the table.

….

They made their way down the street, an odd trio that garnered more than a few curious glances.

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 orange.

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

Seren, to her credit, looked somewhat presentable, 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 nonchalantly, as if commenting on the weather. "So, the bill's on one of you."

Keanu's head whipped toward him. "Hey! You dragged 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 in her tracks, turning slowly to face them. Her arms crossed, and the sharp, judgmental glare she gave them could have turned stone to ash.

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

Neither 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 concern gnawing at her.

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

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

She wasn't just annoyed anymore, her concern 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 flatly, shrugging as though the entire conversation 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 faintest of smirks. "...You are still paying, though."

Keanu snorted, trying to suppress his laughter as Seren whipped around to glare daggers at them.

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

….

Iconique Talent Agency HQ.

Inside the office, tension hung thick in the air.

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

His fingers tapped restlessly against the windowpane. Behind him, Anne was trying to connect to someone, 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 picking up." Anne said, shaking her head.

"Shit... shit..." Stephen Jr. muttered under his breath, backing 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 screen.

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

Stephen Jr. threw up his hands. "Oh, come 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 answering either. Probably occupied by her classes."

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

Stephen Jr. glanced at him, anxiety written all over his face. "You don't say."

".…" Christopher didn't have a response to 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 picking up his phone - nope. I can't. I won't. I don't even want to think about it."

"Actually." Anne started, her tone tinged with curiosity. "Why didn't you invite him into the office?"

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

Anne tilted 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 second, 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 can go alone. I will stay right here and handle things... spiritually."

"Get up. You are coming 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 Anne took 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 complained. "Thinks the world revolves around his schedule..."

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

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

As they neared, the 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 picking up." Stephen Jr. nodded weakly, trying to keep his composure. "But we..uh …are working 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 piercing 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 words getting stuck in his throat.

Still, he stopped himself, unsure of what else to say, as he glanced at his own car that was parked a few meters away.

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

And as if on cue, the window rolled up with quiet finality, shutting down any chance 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 continued…]

★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★

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