"Cut!"
Gary hadn't even realized that as soon as the words left his mouth, he immediately regretted them. The shoot hadn't gone wrong, but he had interrupted it.
However, there was no time to dwell on it. His mind was entirely consumed by the scene he had just witnessed, with his heart racing uncontrollably, fluttering for a brief moment.
So.
Gary didn't speak but sat in front of the monitor, quickly replaying the footage.
Unlike before, this time his gaze was fixed entirely on that figure—
Anson.
Anson Wood. He still remembered that name clearly.
On the screen.
Michael's eyes were so focused and immersed, as if the book and the music had been paused. Unintentionally, a touch of tenderness was captured in his gaze. His lips weren't curved into a smile, yet there was a faint hint of one.
Who was he looking at?
The camera didn't catch it, because this moment wasn't in the script, so naturally, the camera angles didn't include this scene.
But following Michael's gaze, Gary looked across the entire school gate, past dozens of students, and still easily found the answer.
—Mia.
Yes, Michael had a crush on Mia.
Eyes don't lie.
His gaze couldn't leave Mia, quietly watching her every move. Sometimes he had to stifle a laugh, sometimes he grew restless, as if his whole world followed Mia's expressions and actions, with time losing all meaning.
Gary had completely missed these details earlier.
Then Gary saw that scene, the one that firmly captured his attention.
Michael's lips curled into a smile, and he even let out a soft laugh that he couldn't suppress. But then he quickly realized that his expression might reveal his secret, so he hurriedly lowered his gaze, smoothed out his smile, and tried to hide his feelings.
This is what a crush looks like.
Cautious, delicate, afraid that even the slightest detail might give away his feelings, ruining the slim chance he had, yet unaware that the emotions he thought he had hidden well were already exposed in the details.
Briefly, after trying to conceal himself in vain, he couldn't resist and unconsciously lifted his gaze again.
Focused and deep.
His sky-blue eyes seemed to hold a sea of stars, making even the morning sunlight pale in comparison. But all that light was shining for one person.
At this moment, in that fleeting instant, Michael was still the same Michael, yet he shone brightly, capturing attention.
Then.
Michael gazed at Mia, completely immersed, his shoulders gradually relaxing, his lips gently curling up. He couldn't help but let himself go, quietly sinking into his own world, slowly falling—
Falling in love.
A single glance, a single movement.
That was all, yet it seemed to reveal an entire world, firmly capturing Gary's attention, with a force so strong and overwhelming.
A crush might be the loneliest thing in the world. Nothing may happen on the outside, but inside your mind, the world has already turned upside down.
**A Secret Crush**
A crush, while often the loneliest thing in the world, might also be the happiest. No response is needed; just quietly watching from afar can bring happiness.
Bittersweet yet sweet, calm yet turbulent.
All of this was reflected in those eyes.
Gary was stunned—
He hadn't noticed it at first, but his gaze and thoughts were involuntarily drawn to it.
And then, he was captivated.
A fleeting moment, yet so brilliantly beautiful.
He replayed it once.
Then again.
And a third time.
Gary tried to confirm whether it was all just his imagination, but with each replay, the subtle expression in those eyes sent shivers down his spine, filling him with excitement.
Suddenly, Gary stood up.
"Anson!"
The name burst out of him—
Amid the bustling crowd of over fifty people, nearly twenty meters away from the monitor and across an entire street, Gary still spotted Anson.
That low-key, reserved, and somewhat introverted Anson.
Even though Gary had personally selected Anson and believed in his appeal, seeing Anson on camera, filling the limited frame with unlimited colors, breathing life into the character and the story, he couldn't help but feel a wave of admiration.
Excitement!
Thoughts surged in his mind, leaving Gary momentarily blank.
Countless eyes turned to Gary, and then to Anson, who was now standing out from the crowd. Curious and speculative gazes washed over him.
"Director?"
Someone nearby called out, finally snapping Gary back to reality.
Gary took a deep breath, centering himself, "Outstanding."
He said.
The set erupted in confusion: What?
Gary repeated himself.
"Your performance just now was outstanding. Wow, I really loved it."
The set: …
Dead silence.
Everyone thought Anson was in trouble. After all, the first take of this scene had been interrupted because of Anson. No one expected this turn of events.
Unbelievable!
In the blink of an eye, the glances that had been gloating a moment ago turned into looks of envy.
Perhaps the only exception was Annie, who gave Anson two enthusiastic thumbs up, her smile radiating warmth.
Gary, however, had no time for that. He took a deep breath and quickly gathered his thoughts:
Inspiration was flowing like a river.
"Anson, hold on a moment."
Gary called out, his voice raised. He quickly gathered the team around him, not bothering to lower his voice, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. He was too excited, too exhilarated, to keep it down.
"Sorry, I made a mistake."
What?
Amidst the stunned looks, Gary continued.
"We need to add some close-ups. The camera should be focused on Anson—I mean, on Michael."
From Anson's gaze, Gary remembered something—
How should they portray Michael's crush on Mia?
Of course, the script had scenes for this, and they had planned some shots. But now Gary realized that wasn't nearly enough.
If they wanted the happy ending for the young couple to truly move the audience, the audience not only needed to sense Michael's deep affection for Mia, but Mia also needed to become aware of it, making their eventual love mutual.
Gary felt a pang of regret—
Choosing Anson had been a deliberate decision because he believed the male lead's charm would be the key to winning over the female audience. Yet, during filming, they had completely overlooked this aspect. What a waste!
But now that he realized it, it wasn't too late.
With his wealth of experience—from television to film, and countless unexpected situations—Gary quickly snapped out of his daze, coming up with a solution.
He was a bit excited.
Gary was confident that these changes wouldn't disrupt the film's structure but would instead enrich the story, smooth out the character arcs, and ultimately elevate the film's quality.
His confidence grew.
In a matter of minutes, Gary had made a few adjustments to the original shooting plan and added two new shots. His thoughts were now crystal clear, and the ideas kept coming.
After a brief meeting, Gary left the monitor and walked across the street, which had been closed off by the crew, striding purposefully toward Anson.
Those determined and vigorous steps—who would guess he was already sixty-six years old?
End of Chapter.