-Love: the most powerful word I have ever known, no matter what the language is. We all yearn to be loved, just to find out that's not the way love works. Love will find you when you least expect it. No matter where you are; how many oceans apart; how many mountains it has to climb... Love will find you, certainly but punctually.-
The words were projected on the screen. A beautiful piece of melodic music was playing in the background, bewitching everyone in that boardroom. A female voice artist simultaneously narrated the same words which added to the music.
-Loving and being loved are two different things. Most of us want to get, yet forget to give. Though, giving will bring the greatest happiness.-
The narration continued.
-I'd give everything I have, everything I've ever acquired, just to be closer. I'd give up everything I've ever known and lived, just to meet you once again.-
Finally, the calligraphic phrase captured the screen...
-Just Met You-
The music came to a halt. With everyone's applause, a middle-aged woman got up, turning the projector off with a remote.
"This is the next project of YuanYu entertainment. A movie based on the comic 'Just met you'. The documents are in front of you."
The ladies and gentlemen who were sitting around the horseshoe conference table now took the files and script book in hand. Just Met You, the script book was titled with the same calligraphic font. Below that was the name of the writer in a different yet beautiful font.
-Rhea-
Most of the people in the room never heard of this writer. She must definitely be a newbie to this industry. Very few who were already familiar with the comic were surprised since a well-known director like Yuan Yu had picked the story of a novice writer into consideration. Still Just Met You was not a bad choice after all.
While the board members were pondering over the script, someone knocked on the door of the board room. A quarter of the crowd turned their heads to see who was it. Yuan Yu had always detested latecomers. As the CEO of Yuan Yu entertainment, she didn't want any delays in her business. Thus, they were curious about what would happen then. Soon, as if to answer their curiosity, the door opened.
A young girl, who looked barely twenty stood by the door. Her eyes quickly assessed the board room. But her spectators couldn't take their eyes off her or blink for a few seconds, mostly because they did not expect someone that young and pretty by the door of the room where adults work.
"May I come in?" her voice penetrated the silence in the room. That brought all the people's attention to the door. The few who were already looking in her direction now appeared even more amused because of her words. That was because she didn't look like a girl from China but spoke Chinese quite very well.
Yuan Yu who was still keenly reading the script lifted her head to see this new girl with exotic large blue eyes. Even her nose looked exotic, pointed and prominent. Her rosebud lips, a perfect heart-shaped chin and long, wavy dark black flocks all together made her look remarkable. Though her facial features were sharp her face undeniably emitted a soft, innocent aura. She possessed a captivating beauty which could be considered scarce.
The girl walking inside the room informed the members that Yuan Yu had agreed to her little request already. Some of them were surprised since it was not common with Yuan Yu. But others seemed to have not noticed it yet.
Now that the girl had already walked inside, they could get a very good view of her. She was fairly tall. She was wearing a beige-coloured knee-length dress with vertical brown stripes all over. Her feet were covered in a pair of white sneakers. What she was carrying appeared to be a black backpack.
Well, she looked like she had nothing to do with the meeting. She looked like a girl attending her lectures.
Once, responded with a nod and smile Yuan Yu had already drowned in the script again. The girl hurriedly walked towards the front and sat next to Yuan Yu's seat. This once again surprised the rest of the room. The woman sitting beside the girl leaned forward and spoke to her in a friendly manner.
"Dear, this seat is allocated for the scriptwriter, Rhea Frank."
"I'm Rhea Frank, the scriptwriter" the girl smiled. There were some commotions of whispers once she introduced herself.
"Is she the writer?"
"Seems so."
"Have you read the comic?"
"I did, it was quite good"
"I've heard the writer is rich, didn't know she is beautiful enough to be in the cast."
"Being a foreigner, she did a great job writing a successful comic in Chinese, It's not easy"
"I think she would have hired translators" the voices communicated.
Rhea quietly pretended to read the script while listening to all the turbulence.
"About the cast," Yuan Yu started talking about the cast and crew. Since the auditions were already finished Yuan Yu started the projector once again and continued with the presentation. Once she finished presenting the cast discussions began. Most of the member's concerns were about one thing which was the male lead of the film. Yuan Yu hadn't announced the lead actor yet. One man voiced the concern soon.
"Who is going to play Aaron? Seems like the decision is still pending," he asked.
"We should go for the best," one man suggested. "Jacob Liu would be the best fit."
"Since it's a Rom-Com, we should hire the most handsome. Kevin Zhao renewed his contract with us, right?" a woman spoke this time.
Yuan Yu's face showed disapproval of those suggestions. Her eyes involuntarily fell on Rhea who was seemingly frowning at these suggestions. "We signed a contract with Miss Rhea Frank yesterday. As you all know, she is the author and illustrator of the comic. So, we've given her the freedom to make a few decisions. Miss Rhea will be the one to choose the lead actor."
Although the faces around the table appeared not that pleased with this announcement Yuan Yu continued. "Have you decided, Rhea?", the question was directed towards the youngest member of the crowd, Rhea.
"Yes, I have," she replied confidently. "As you all suggested, I agree we should go for the best and the most handsome in the industry," she looked at the others. "There is one actor who fits all the requirements. In fact, Aaron was not completely my creation. I had this actor as a model in my mind when I created Aaron's characteristics. I believe no one can pull my character except for him."
Now all of them seemed interested. They eagerly waited for her to spill the name of that actor.
Rhea paused for a bit, looking down. She knew what will happen once she says that name. After a few seconds, she lifted her head, with a strong determination in her eyes, and said the name, "Ryan Jin".
Just as she expected, the expression on the faces in front of her changed from eagerness to nonplus, then nonplus to disappointment. Some of them blankly stared at her, still confused. Some of them discussed within themselves. The director and the female lead who already knew the fact remained calm.
"Ms Rhea. You are a foreigner. You may not know what is happening here.", a man tried to explain things to Rhea.
"I know" Rhea cut in.
"Then there's nothing more to discuss. Having someone who is currently facing a scandal in the crew will ruin the film's box office collection. But here, the male lead himself is going through it. If we produce a film like that, it will be a flop for sure"
Most of the other gentlemen nodded their heads in accordance.
"Ryan is still a star! He still got a strong fan base following", director Yuan Yu backed up Rhea but it didn't work out. All the people in the industry were aware of the fact that Ryan was special to Yuan Yu. They knew that she was his godmother. Yet they didn't know that she would be willing to risk her company for him. That was quite a shock.
The bargain continued and the other party was not ready to agree to her terms. Some of them even raised their voices at Rhea, even at Yuan Yu. At last, Rhea had to let them know her stand.
"If it's not Ryan Jin, I will annul the contract," she stated, stubbornly.
After a very long discussion turned argument, forty per cent of the original budget was withdrawn. Considering the thirty per cent from Madam Yuan Yu, only half of the others agreed. The withdrawn group got out of the meeting room.
The people who left the room were stunned for a second when they reached out the door.
"Mr Jin!" One of them even purred.
Now the attention was brought to the waiting room. There was a man in the waiting room sitting on the sofa crossed-legged, putting one leg on another, wearing a handmade charcoal grey suit. He looked calm and composed contrary to the situation inside the boardroom. His presence made that waiting room majestic in an unknown way.
Of course, he was the hot topic inside the meeting room. He probably had listened to most of their arguments. The ice-cold aura around him declared the fact that he had already heard everything but he didn't bother to look in their direction. They were all aware that he was not as positively popular as he was a year ago. Still, they did not want to get on his bad side. So the group hurriedly left the area with panicking hearts.
Inside the meeting room, with the remaining half, and a few artists who were selected for their roles, the meeting continued. These people didn't seem bothered about those who left.
Yuan Yu was keenly receiving the ideas of others regarding the film together with Rhea. Once the meeting finished, everyone left the room except for Rhea and Yuan Yu. That was when a pair of long legs started walking towards the meeting room.
Rhea and Yuan Yu were still discussing since the aftermath of the meeting was not great. They wanted the film to succeed and were willing to take any risk.
"We need to focus on the budget as of now," Yuan Yu worriedly told Rhea.
"I'll invest that forty per cent " Rhea volunteered. Yes, she was capable of that! She was the only daughter of Mr Richard Frank, a multi-millionaire! The heiress of the Swevyn group of companies, an Alaskan-based business conglomerate!
"If you would, That'll fix everything", Yuan Yu replied.
A beautiful, content smile appeared on Rhea's face as she slightly turned to grab her bag from the chair next to her. This, for the first time that day, exposed her face to the stranger who just entered the board room. Seeing her smile, the stranger's pair of legs paused. They paused for a whole ten seconds before striding towards her.
Rhea who didn't know someone was approaching, slowly got up from the chair, ready to leave.
Suddenly someone from behind abruptly pulled her arm. Due to the forceful pull, Rhea swirled and her forehead got knocked on by something firm. Within a few milliseconds, she comprehended what it was.
It was a man's chest.
A man's chest! Well, a very firm one covered under a three-piece charcoal-coloured suit. Flustered, she looked up, ready to scold this unruly man. But when she saw the face of the stranger, her words froze in her throat.
It was him, Ryan Jin! Her first love, probably the last one too.
His eyes squinted for a moment before scorching her. His lips pursed into a line. Soon those stubborn lips moved. His deep voice rang just above her head as his chest vibrated under her palms.
"It's really you, Rhea!".