….

  After the misuanding was cleared up, Regal and Sereuro their seats.

  But this time, there was a new face sitting beside her, like some ued cameo.

  Regal took a slow sip of his coffee, his eyes drifting toward the guy who now seemed to have fortably wedged himself o Seren.

  His lip twitched, a wry grin f. Well, looks like I am not the only one who finds Seren's grumbling... cute.

  A faint chuckle rumbled in his chest as he sized up the stranger, his curiosity piqued.

  Never in his wildest dreams had Regal thought his uptight sister would actually bring a guy as her boyfriend.

  And not just any guy - this one ractically the world's Keanu Reeves.

  …but he is a bit young for 2009. Then again, that's probably to be expected.

  He was also pretty sure this guy hadn't made a name for himself yet, Regal had found no information about him online.

  Is he even into ag here in this world?

  The question wouldn't have crossed his mind if the one making the introdu wasn't Seren.

  Because, as he well knew, Seren hated the eai industry.

  Seren, who would probably punyone who even suggested ag as a 'career choice'.

  So how did he mao vince her?

  Or did he lie to her?

  But that seemed unlikely.

  Seren wasn't oo be easily fooled.

  His mind raced with questions, each more fusing tha.

  Finally, he broke the silence. "So, Seren, are you going to properly introduce him?"

  Before she could ahe man iion stood, a polite smile. "I am Keanu Reeves…. Seren's boyfriend. o meet you."

  Regal raised an eyebrow, unsure whether to ugh or question him further. The way the man introduced himself seemed deliberately clever - clever enough to appeal to Seren, for sure.

  "Regal Seraphsail." He replied, standing to shake his hand. "Her older brother."

  Keanu blinked, clearly fused. "Wait… older? Seren said she is the eldest. Though, holy, I don't get how that works since you two are twins."

  Regal shot Seren a pointed look. She avoided his gaze, already caught in her little fib. He questioeasingly. "Really, Seren? You lied about something that basic?"

  Seren, already flushed with embarrassment, crossed her arms defensively. "Bluh, I never lied!"

  Keanu, sensing the shift in the mood of Seren, diverted the topic. "Anyway, you mentioned being a 'future director' earlier. What's that about?"

  Seren immediately cut ione dismissive. "Don't bother. He has been going on about that since we were kids."

  Regal smirked. "Not anymore."

  He added. "I have secured funding for my first film."

  Teically, it was more like he had mao set up a path to secure the funding, but that was a detail he wasn't eager to share just yet.

  Seren scoffed, not buying it for a sed. "Yeah, sure."

  "Yeah, sure." Regal echoed with mock seriousness, keeping his gaze steady.

  "As if." She added, narrowing her eyes.

  "..." Regal's gaze remaieady, his silence a response in itself.

  The energy between them shifted as Seren's skepticism began to waver. Her arms uncrossed slightly, the defiance melting away.

  "...You are serious?" She asked, her voice quieter, the surprise evident.

  Regal leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows oable, a sly grin tugging at his lips. "Dead serious. Currently looking for actors and crew, hoping to start the produ in two months."

  This was the trajectal had meticulously mapped out for himself.

  He estimated a month to get his book out into the publid another month to sort out his share of the profits.

  That left him with plenty of time to prepare.

  For the first month, Regal po use the EP he had earned from his two web o purchase a script from the system.

  He had been keeping a close wat the bulletin board, patiently waiting for the right opportunity to [Pin].

  After the book's release in two months, the EP he anticipated earning would allow him to upgrade his skills, or perhaps even acquire a new oo support the project's development.

  As for traditional currency, the revenue from book sales was sted to bee his primary iment. Regal was fident in his pn, and every piece of it felt like a step toward his vision.

  Seren blinked, clearly trying to process the news. Her posture fully rexed now, her earlier doubt transf into something softer, menuine.

  "You actually did it..." She muttered.

  Seren tinued, still studying her brother as if trying to recile the image of him as a persistent dreamer with the reality in front of her.

  Finally, she added. "...grats."

  "YeP." Regal said, popping the 'p' with exaggerated smugness. "Turns out, all that 'nonsense' I outing wasn't so nonsensical after all."

  Keanu, who had been quietly their bad-forth, asked, his i piqued. "That's impressive. What's the film about?"

  Regal's grin widened. "I haven't decided yet. But even if I did, you will have to see when it hits theaters."

  Seren rolled her eyes, her usual skepticism resurfag. "Oh, e on, you are not even going to give us a hint?"

  "Nope." Regal replied smoothly.

  Keanu chuckled. "Fair enough. But gratutions, really. That's a huge deal."

  "Thanks." Regal said, his tone menuine now.

  Keanu leaned ba his chair, watg their banter with quiet amusement. Then, with a curious gnce, he asked. "So, does this mean you are scouting talent already?"

  Regal's eyes twihe pyful glint of i surfag in him. He tilted his head, a smirk pulling at the ers of his mouth.

  "Why? You thinking of auditioning?"

  As soon as he spoke, Regal g Seren, waiting to gauge her rea.

  Keanu shrugged with an effortless smile, though the mischievous glint in his eyes didn't go unnoticed. "Who knows? Maybe I have a hidden talent for ag. I did do a few theater performahough…"

  The words hung in the air for a moment.

  …just a few? Hmm, so he wasn't fully into ag yet?

  But just now, when he mentioned auditions, there was a flicker in his eyes - a spark.

  Looks like he might already be sensing his calling. Geniuses really dheir paths instinctively. Regal found himself curious

  "Yeah, no thanks, keep it hidden for now." Seren cut in, narrowing her eyes at Keanu. "No way am I letting my boyfrie involved in your world."

  Hah, she could be a problem here, Regal sighed internally but immediately shrugged it off. Nah, I just have to be a little cautious.

  Regal shifted his focus back to Keanu.

  "Theater performances?" He asked, nudging him to eborate.

  "It all started two years ago, I wa–!" Keanu started, but Seren interrupted with a sharp ent.

  "As a st-minute substitute... aally bombed it." She said, her tone smug.

  Keanu defended himself, sounding a little defe good-natured. "Hey, I got the script five minutes before the show! What do you expect? Besides, it wasn't all bad, that's where we first met."

  He paused, then added. "And for the record, I got a lot better in the py. Not that you would know since you never bothered to show up."

  Regal raised an eyebrow, turning to Seren. "Wait, what were you doing there?"

  To Seren, the theater was nothing short of an 'unholy' pce.

  Sere out a small sigh, her arms crossed in annoyance. "I was hired to do touch-ups on es. Keanu art of the cast."

  Regal noticed the irritation in her voice. Clearly, she hadn't been thrilled about that job.

  He smirked, deg not to tiptoe around the subjeymore. "You know what, Keanu? Why don't you audition for my movie?"

  He had pieced together a few things about Keanu during their versation.

  First, Keanu likely hadn't fully realized his knack for ag yet, or if he had, something was holding him back. But Regal wasn't going to wait forever to find out.

  Still, there was only one way to find out if this guy was just Keanu Reeves in appearance or if he carried the talent too - the audition.

  Seren's eyes narrowed, her gaze dartiween her brother and her boyfriend. "What are you pying at, Regal?"

  Regal's tourned uedly sharp. "Since when did you start meddling in other people's decisions? Let's be clear, the choice is his, not yours. You don't get to pin about it."

  Sere him, her voice ced with irritation. "I pin, and I will. I am saying this again, Keanu doesn't o get tangled up in your world, Regal."

  After a moment, she let out a frustrated huff, her annoyance clear but choosing not tue further.

  Regal studied her, refleg on how unlike her it was to ht objeeone else's decisions.

  Seren wasn't the type to impose her preferences on others.

  He was living proof of that.

  Despite her distaste for the eai industry, she had never criticized his ambitions.

  If anything, she had quietly supported him in her own way.

  His gaze shifted to Keanu, and the flicker of excitement in his eyes was impossible to miss. He might not have said anything ht, but his enthusiasm ractically radiating off him.

  Regal g Seren again, noting how her eyes briefly darted toward Keanu. She had noticed it too.

  Keanu raised a hand slightly, his expression amused but uain. "Hold o's not start a siblie over this. Seren's got a point, though, I am no pro. And, uh, I thought you weren't a big fan of me dating your sister?"

  "Professional and personal matters are separate." Regal replied coolly, still leaving his opinion about their retionship vague.

  He turned slightly toward Seren, his words clearly directed at her. "And anyway, it's not like he is guarao pass just because he is auditioning. You know how I handle my work."

  The implication was clear, he wouldn't cut ers, not even for Seren's boyfriend.

  Seren shal a wary look, her lips pressed into a thin line, but she said nothing.

  Despite her reservations, she knew her brother wasn't the type to promise his standards. If Keanu wao prove himself, he would have to earn it the hard way.

  Judging by the way Keanu remained calm and unbothered, it felt as if this wasn't the first time this kind of versation had pyed out betweewo of them.

  Perhaps the topic of him stepping into something bigger has been recurrily.

  Seren leaned back, a lopsided smile f on her face. "I guess it's just an audition, then. No harm in trying, right?"

  "Yeah... no harm done." Regal agreed, his gaze shifting to Keanu, sizing him up.

  .

  ….

  [To be tinued…]

  ★─────??★??─────★

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