#1257 - One Thousand Two Hundred and Nineteenth Brain Crash
The warm yet graceful voice resonated softly, and Chris could distinctly see that Renly still maintained a faint smile—polite, composed, and unwavering. Yet, behind those words lay an implicit meaning that sent a chill down his spine. It was as if... as if he were prey being hunted.
Inexplicably, Chris had the eerie sensation that he was the prey.
This was the second time he had felt this way. A shiver ran down his back.
"Renly." Edith's voice cut through the moment, breaking the unsettling eye contact between Renly and Chris. The odd feeling dissipated instantly, leaving Chris to wonder if it had all been a trick of his imagination. "Saba and Keese met on set and are now best friends—very close. So, I thought, maybe you could make a new friend too."
Edith's gaze locked onto Renly, her expression unreadable, but the meaning in her eyes was crystal clear:
Did you notice Chris's right hand? Did you see how he and Sebastian interact? The familiarity? The closeness? The exception? What do you make of it? Do you think it's normal? Are you sure it's not... something else?
Renly's pupils contracted slightly, a flicker of exasperation crossing his face.
To be honest, he couldn't understand the thought process behind this. Wasn't all of this just normal behavior? A casual gesture between men? Why was it being dissected for hidden meanings? So, this was the so-called... BL culture?
Ignoring Edith's unspoken insinuation, Renly turned to Chris and Sebastian. "Of course, you're welcome anytime. Actually, I've always been curious—how are Marvel movies filmed? Is it mostly done in a studio? Green screen work? That must be difficult, right? When I shot Edge of Tomorrow, we used some green screen, but the sets were largely practical, so—"
"Boring!" Edith rolled her eyes dramatically and groaned. "God, Renly, can't you talk about something interesting? I remember when you weren't this dull. What about surfing, rock climbing, hiking? Or any of your adventure stories?"
Renly pressed his lips into a thin line. "Don't you realize I only bring up those topics because a lady is present? I have to stick to safe conversation topics." He then turned his sharp gaze on Edith, arching an eyebrow slightly. "Unless... you'd like to excuse yourself for a bit, give us some space, so we can discuss men's private matters?"
Private matters.
Renly subtly emphasized the words—not overly dramatic, but enough to make his point clear. Edith immediately understood his response: he wasn't denying her insinuations, but instead, he was playing along, teasingly implying that there was something hidden between them.
Damn him.
Edith shot him a glare. "I don't mind at all. In fact, I like it. So, tell me—who's talking first? Chris and Seba? You and Chris? Or all three of you together?"
She had expected Renly to panic, but instead, he flashed a textbook-perfect gentleman's smile. "If you insist on watching, then you're out of luck. Some things," his smile deepened, "are better kept secret."
That devilish smirk sent a shiver down Edith's spine.
Chris and Sebastian, meanwhile, were completely lost, though they could sense the tension between the siblings. Upon closer reflection, Renly and Edith's dynamic was too relaxed, too familiar—so much so that it seemed to go beyond mere friendship. Could it be that they had once been... involved?
The thought crossed Chris's mind, and his smile stiffened ever so slightly. Almost instinctively, he shifted closer to Edith, placing himself behind her as a buffer, and changed the subject in a low voice, trying to ease the tension. "Should we step aside? Didn't you say you wanted to introduce me to your brother? Have you found him yet?"
Noticing Renly and Sebastian's inquisitive gazes, Chris realized his slip and quickly corrected himself.
"Edith's younger brother is an actor too. He's only been in the industry for two or three years, still learning the ropes. Edith thought we might get along and that I could give him some advice. We haven't had the chance to meet yet, though—I heard he's here tonight, but it's been impossible to find him in this crowd."
Renly smiled knowingly but said nothing.
Sebastian chimed in. "Can't you just call him?" Then, realizing his mistake, he smacked his forehead. "Right. Forgot about that."
Phones had been surrendered at the entrance to maintain etiquette and privacy at the Oscars after-party. No one wanted potential scandals caught on camera.
Renly, meanwhile, noticed the gleam of mischief in Edith's eyes. She looked as excited as a teenager about to pull off a prank.
Edith took Chris's arm, her mood brightening as she spoke. "I think we should find my brother first."
Then, in a deliberately slow and exaggerated motion, she extended her palm toward Renly and announced solemnly, "Chris, Seba, allow me to introduce you—this is my brother, Renly Hall."
Silence.
More silence.
Chris and Sebastian stared blankly at each other.
Sebastian froze like a statue, while Chris's pupils trembled violently. His mind went blank. His jaw slackened, dislocating slightly as if frozen mid-gasp. He attempted to speak, but the words stuck in his throat, refusing to come out.
This wasn't just a still frame—both men had, quite literally, stopped functioning.
Renly met their dumbfounded expressions with a polite smile and extended his hand to Chris. "Good evening, Chris. This should be our first meeting. I'm Renly, this lady's brother. If I'm not mistaken, the two of you are dating, correct?"
No response.
Chris and Sebastian remained completely shell-shocked, their mouths still open. Renly turned to Edith with a helpless look. "What did you do? Your boyfriend and his best friend just had a system failure."
Chris tried to form words, but they came out like squeezed toothpaste. "You... I... he..." He let out an awkward chuckle, shaking his head. "Ha... haha... Ha ha ha! Very funny. Really funny. I admit it—you fooled me."
Renly? The Renly Hall? Hollywood's most elite actor? That Renly was Edith's little brother? The inexperienced one who needed advice?
"This is a joke, right? Edith?" Chris turned to her almost pleadingly, but her smug grin shattered his last hope.
Like a deflated balloon, Chris sagged in defeat.
Beside him, Sebastian finally rebooted. "Edith Hall! Renly Hall! Wait—both of you are Halls! Am I right?!"
Chris shot his friend a withering look, but it was pointless—Sebastian was too busy grinning.
Chris exhaled heavily, turning back to Renly. "So, Edith is your sister... which means you two have known each other forever... and that's why you're so natural together..." He trailed off, his expression crumbling before he buried his face in his hands.
Then, laughing at himself, he patted his forehead and looked at Renly seriously. "I'm sorry—really, I am."
Finally, he stepped forward and gave Renly a tight hug, patting his back hard. "Nice to meet you."
As he pulled away, Chris finally registered Renly's still-extended hand. He blinked. "Oh, right! You're British, you don't like hugs—sorry, that was rude—"
Then he froze again.
"Wait. You're British. You're Renly Hall. You're... a hereditary nobleman."
Renly shot Edith a look. Seriously?
Then he turned to Chris. "Yes, I'm that Renly Hall."
Chris's jaw dropped so hard it might have dislocated.
Brain crash complete.