WHILE Astrid was busy with the audition, Reas was also busy in his own way.
He was currently in Lauren's private villa, preparing dinner. Since Lauren had given him access to the villa, they agreed it would be more convenient to et here rather than sowhere else. Of course, this access wasn't just verbal; during his last visit, Lauren had added his biotrics to the villa's security system. Now, all he had to do was show up and let the system recognize him to gain entry.
Lauren had said he'd be back by dinner, so Reas decided to get a head start in the kitchen. He stood at the stove, tossing a mix of vegetables and thin slices of at in a pan, the savory aroma filling the air as the sauce thickened just right. On the next burner, a pot of soup was bubbling gently, its clear broth carrying the light scent of tofu and fresh greens. Nearby, he flipped dumplings in a pan, their edges turning golden and crispy. A bamboo stear sat on the counter, releasing wisps of steam from the soft buns inside. The kitchen felt warm and inviting, and as he worked, he couldn't help but hope Lauren would appreciate the effort when he got ho.
Once Reas finished cooking, he set the table, placing each dish neatly in the center. Just as he was adjusting one of the plates, he heard the front door open. He turned his head quickly toward the entrance and saw Lauren stepping inside, looking relaxed with his jacket draped over one arm. Their eyes t almost imdiately, and for a mont, it felt as if everything else faded away, leaving just the two of them in the quiet stillness.
It had been two weeks since they last t in person. Although they had stayed connected through video calls, seeing each other in real life was an entirely different experience. More importantly, this was their first ti eting after officially confirming their relationship, which made the mont feel even more impactful.
Reas didn't hesitate and rushed forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Lauren. He felt the slight stiffness in Lauren's body at first, as if caught off guard. But after a mont, Lauren's body softened in his embrace, and he slowly brought his arms up, returning the hug.
"I missed you," Reas said without a mont's hesitation.
Lauren, still in his arms, blushed furiously. "I-I missed you too."
Reas pulled back slightly, just enough to cup Lauren's face gently in his hands. His thumbs brushed lightly against Lauren's cheeks as he asked, "Can I kiss you?"
Lauren's face, already flushed, turned an even deeper shade of red. "You—!"
Before he could finish, Reas closed the distance, his lips eting Lauren's in a soft, unspoken answer.
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The first day of auditions ended late in the evening, around 10 PM, which was understandable considering the large number of participants.
Astrid looked around the empty theatre. Only a handful of people remained: Ellis, Director McCann, the casting director Camilla, and Joseph, the director of photography. The staff from IndieFlix Studios had already left. The four of them were gathered around a table, while Joseph worked alone on the stage, thodically taking down the caras he had set up earlier.
Honestly, it had been an exhausting day. Astrid didn't want to sound insensitive, especially since, unlike the people auditioning, all he had to do was sit and watch. Still, sitting through countless auditions back-to-back for an entire day was incredibly tiring. He supposed he should be thankful that each scenario prepared by the director was short and they weren't required to give feedback to every participant. If they had, they might have been stuck here well past midnight. Discover hidden tales at empire
"Was there any performance that stood out to you, Astrid?" Director McCann asked.
At the director's question, a certain man with sharp features ca to Astrid's mind. He had a rugged, almost intimidating presence that perfectly suited the role of a villainous gangster. Astrid had doubted the man's ability to pull off the scenario he had chosen, but to his surprise, the man proved him wrong. And for that, Astrid couldn't have been more pleased.
"Personally, I think Mr. Archer gave an excellent performance," he said. "Oh, and Miss Marlowe as well."
After saying the nas of the two, he continued by ntioning several other individuals who had auditioned that day.
Jimmy hadn't expected Astrid to directly na people. With over 400 people auditioning, it would have been perfectly reasonable if Astrid didn't rember any of their nas. In fact, Jimmy had assud that Astrid would first consult his Terminal to review the profiles of the actors who had auditioned today. That was exactly what Jimmy had planned to do himself, as he had already marked the profiles of those who had delivered the best performances.
"Do you rember everyone's na?" Jimmy asked, his tone faintly skeptical.
Camilla shot her friend a look, as if he had just asked the most ridiculous question. "How could that be possible? It's obviously because these people left such a strong impression on him. Am I right, Mr. Townsend?"
Astrid just smiled and stayed silent. It was better to let them assu than to lie outright. Of course, he didn't rember everyone. He only made an effort to recall the nas of those who stood out, which wasn't difficult for him. With his SSS-level ntal strength, he could easily morize the nas of every single person who auditioned today if he wanted to. But why would he? What would be the point of rembering all those nas? It would be like saving files he wouldn't use again.
"It's getting late," Ellis said gently, glancing at the others. "Why don't we wrap this up for now? You can go over everything in more detail after tomorrow's auditions are finished."
Hearing Ellis's suggestion, Jimmy quickly shifted his attention away from his amazent at Astrid's ability to recall the nas of so of the auditionees. He nodded in agreent and said, "Yeah, let's call it a day and head ho for now."
And that's how the first day of the public audition ended.
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