"Is Natalie here today to support the movie premiere, Renly? Are you two dating?"
Without any breathing space, the reporters hurled the question directly at him. Clearly, compared to the premiere of an independent film, the scandal between Natalie and Renly was generating far more buzz.
Rodrig felt somewhat lost, unable to process the situation. Natalie and Renly were dating? Why was he completely clueless about this? Was this a good thing or a bad thing? Suddenly, Rodrig's train of thought was interrupted by the commotion in the room, akin to thousands of bees swarming together, buzzing throughout every corner of the venue. The fans' excitement rivaled, if not surpassed, that of the reporters.
It was important to note that while Natalie was a former child star, she was more active in the realm of art films, known for her low-key demeanor. Her past scandals had been rather unremarkable. Yet now, she wasn't just involved in a scandal, she was connected to a handsome and distinguished young actor like Renly. Furthermore, they had chosen to make their appearance on a platform as grand as the Toronto Film Festival.
This was explosively sensational and incredibly ostentatious. Everyone was instantly exhilarated.
Countless gazes converged onto Renly's shoulders, the intense heat almost igniting his shirt. Even Natalie, standing beside him, tilted her head upward, her gaze fixated on the contour of Renly's jawline.
Despite the significant height difference, Natalie was at a complete disadvantage. She had to tilt her chin upwards to catch a glimpse of Renly's gaze. Yet, this didn't seem to affect her in the slightest. Her radiant smile carried a potent impact, revealing a lofty intimidation beneath. She exuded power without uttering a word, enough to make hearts race.
Renly's lips curled into a soft, straight line before gently curving upward on both sides, forming a playful and cunning arch. Bathed in the flashlights, he faced the chaos and pressure of the scene with composure. "Based on the latest information I confirmed just fifteen minutes ago, my current date is with Ryan Gosling."
His cultured yet lightly spirited voice carried a faint warmth, delivering an answer that left everyone astonished. For a moment, the reporters exchanged puzzled looks, and even the onlookers weren't sure how to react. They all had the same question in their minds: What exactly is going on?
Was Renly coming out of the closet? This... would be a leap too far, wouldn't it? From asking about the scandal with Natalie one second to coming out the next? That was clearly impossible. Moreover, Ryan's past relationships were widely known. These two just didn't seem like... a couple. It was all so peculiar. Everyone could tell that Renly was joking, being evasive about the scandal, but the question remained: Why did he choose Ryan? What was going on?
Only Gavin Hunter managed to grasp the situation. He couldn't hold back and even spat out his own saliva, choking on it. "Cough, cough." This sudden disruption made the reporters turn their heads towards Gavin, hoping for an answer. However, Gavin's coughing fit was unstoppable, let alone explaining the details of the situation. So, the reporters turned back to Renly.
Renly seemed quite satisfied with everyone's reactions and chuckled softly. "It seems like you have no other questions except for this one. When you see Natalie and me standing together, you ask if we're dating. When you see Ryan and me standing together, you ask the same question again. Is the level of journalistic skill really this low nowadays?"
Although his words were teasing, the sharpness in his tone was unmistakable. It mercilessly stung the journalists, causing the audience of fans behind them to collectively burst into laughter. To the layperson's eye, what Renly described was really no different from paparazzi antics. Professional journalists detested nothing more than being lumped into the category of sensationalist paparazzi. It was natural that their pride was bruised in this instance.
The same words, if spoken by Natalie, might have been brushed off with a chuckle. But now, it was Renly speaking, a newcomer to the scene. Immediately, a journalist raised their voice and shouted, "Then how do you explain Natalie's attendance at today's premiere? It's a very intimate gesture."
What the reporter hadn't mentioned was that most of the top actors today were preparing for the premiere of "The Town" in the evening.
Directed by Ben Affleck, although his acting prowess was at best Razzie-level, as a director, this was only his second work. Furthermore, his past flashy relationship with Jennifer Lopez had earned him widespread public disdain, leading to their breakup which everyone applauded. However, after his marriage to Jennifer Garner in 2005, Ben turned over a new leaf, with the added support of his "best buddy" Matt Damon persistently backing him up. This had garnered him quite a few actors willing to support his cause.
So, Natalie choosing to forgo the premiere of "The Town" and attend the afternoon screening of "Buried" raised many suspicions.
"I'm not sure why attending another actor's premiere would need an explanation," Renly responded, not directly answering but counter-arguing instead. More importantly, he used the term "actor" than "friend". This subtle linguistic nuance created a significant difference in effect, subtly emphasizing his professional attitude.
Renly shrugged with a light laugh. "It seems like the field of journalism is rapidly evolving. I can hardly keep up anymore." Once again, he playfully implied that only paparazzi would behave so obnoxiously.
Being served two soft counter-questions in a row was quite unexpected. Even though he had previously navigated the red carpet of the premiere of "The Pacific" and the Emmy Awards with wit and humor, most journalists still didn't have a vivid impression of Renly as a new actor. They only remembered him as the dark horse who unexpectedly won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Leading Actor. As for Billboard's news and internet buzz, they only registered as trivialities for film journalists. Until today, the "Buried" premiere seemed to have become Renly's stage, a genuine showcase before the reporters.
"So, will you be attending the "Black Swan" premiere afterwards?" Of course, the journalists wouldn't give up easily, shifting their approach to a more polite and official question. Nevertheless, the essence remained unchanged.
"That will depend on my performance today," Renly's answer took everyone by surprise. "Performance?" What kind of performance? This phrase could be interpreted in many different ways. The journalists immediately became invigorated, their excitement peaking. Then, they saw Renly turn his head, proactively locking eyes with Natalie and smiling. "After getting to know each other in Toronto, the only reason we could become friends was our identities as actors. I hope that the performance of "Buried" later can live up to the title of "actor"."
A simple sentence with hidden layers of meaning: they had just met in Toronto? Then how did the previous rumors surface? Was it a love at first sight scenario? Actor was the sole connection between them? Did it mean a professional acquaintance or were their conversations focused on their work? Why was the topic of "Buried" intertwined with speculation about their rumored relationship? Did Natalie's attendance at the premiere merely indicate professional communication?
Renly was subtly suggesting another possibility in his words: that they were just ordinary friends.
Not "going", not "not going", frustrating. Faced with the journalists' questions, Renly offered an unexpected answer that unveiled a plethora of information. Especially notable was the gentlemanly manner in which Renly responded, devoid of the intimacy between friends. Instead, he fully exhibited a professional stance, constantly referencing their identities as "actors". Coupled with the short verbal exchange earlier, it appeared that things weren't progressing as the journalists had anticipated.
In an instant, all the weight of the stares shifted onto Natalie's shoulders.
Natalie could feel Renly's polite yet distant gaze, subtly creating a distance between their relationship positions. What was important was that Renly didn't directly reveal Benjamin's information, nor did he provide the polite response or sly evasion one would expect. In other words, he didn't give Natalie a chance to find a loophole. He left only one path, the path of "Buried".
No matter what identity Natalie adopted for today's premiere, or what scheme she was concocting, Renly's words had guided the conversation toward the film. If she continued to evade, the journalists would surely detect something amiss. So, the show must go on. If she wanted to maintain the facade, she had to follow the topic. Natalie disliked, even loathed, this feeling of being cornered, this sensation of being compelled to follow orders.
Unfortunately, at this moment, she couldn't reveal her true feelings.
"Ha," Natalie lightly laughed, teasingly responding, "You seem pretty confident. Otherwise, you wouldn't have invited me to the premiere, right?" Natalie could have taken a contrasting stance with Renly, but she needed the journalists to sense sparks between them. Hence, she had to deliver praise. "From what I know, you've faced a lot of challenges and invested countless efforts for "Buried". I believe in your talent and your capabilities. Let's wait and see. I believe the audience will provide a fair judgment. After all, this is the Toronto Film Festival, isn't it?"
Her final sentence was directed at the audience. As expected, at Natalie's call, the spectators began screaming, some even whistling, cheering Renly on.
Renly didn't need to survey the scene to see Natalie's enthusiastic efforts to campaign for "Buried". Her proactive display of friendliness was unmistakably obvious, providing the perfect breeding ground for brewing rumors. It seemed all of Renly's prior endeavors were rendered futile, leading him right back into Natalie's trap.
So, how should Renly respond now?