From Sunset Plaza to the Chinese Theater was only a distance of four miles, just a fifteen-minute drive.
Standing on Hollywood Boulevard, the Chinese Theater was one of the most famous theaters in the United States. It was funded and built in 1927 by circus owner Sid Grauman, respectfully called "Mr. Hollywood," because of his great fascination with Chinese culture. From the exterior alone, the Chinese Theater brimmed with Chinese flavor: it looked like a giant red Chinese temple, with an enormous oriental dragon coiled at the entrance, two stone lions guarding the gates, and many smaller dragons adorning the bronze roof.
The Chinese Theater had once hosted the Oscars, and the handprints and footprints of Hollywood stars at its entrance had become another attraction on Hollywood Boulevard, second only to the Walk of Fame. In addition, the Chinese Theater was one of Hollywood's most renowned premiere venues, with many films choosing to debut there each year. As the theater could hold twenty-two hundred spectators, only large-scale premieres were selected to be held there.
A Few Good Men had chosen the Chinese Theater for its premiere, so one could imagine the grandeur of the occasion.
When Hugo, Uma, and Joseph arrived on Hollywood Boulevard, they were still three hundred yards from the theater, yet they could already see the surging crowd at the entrance. Though it was impossible to count, today at least more than three hundred fans had gathered—on a scale far beyond any premiere Hugo had attended before.
Hugo had been feeling very nervous, but when he turned his head, he saw Uma's charming face already taut with tension, her nervousness nearly spilling from her eyes. This was not the Uma he knew. The Uma he knew was the bold woman who had kissed him in front of the media, the decisive woman who dared to love and hate and act on impulse. Yet this unease and nervousness, though strange, also felt familiar.
Hugo chuckled softly. "If the two of us walk the red carpet like this, will it look like the zombie apocalypse has arrived?"
Uma burst into laughter at once. His description was simply too comical, and she could not help but picture the scene in her mind. After her laughter, she took a deep breath and said, "I've never attended such a large premiere before—my heart is racing." As she spoke, Uma placed her right hand over her left chest, feeling the powerful yet frantic rhythm of her heartbeat.
The works Uma had acted in could be counted on one hand, and not a single one had achieved noteworthy success. Even Final Analysis, released earlier this year, had sunk without a trace. So it was true that she had never faced such a grand scene before, and her nervousness was inevitable.
Seeing Uma's slightly furrowed brows, Hugo's own nervousness eased considerably. He could not resist tapping the tip of her nose with his right index finger and flashing a wide grin. "At the last premiere you ambushed my lips—I didn't see any sign of nervousness from you then."
Hugo's teasing made Uma laugh again. "That was different. At least you weren't carrying a camera on you." In truth, Uma's nature was brave and straightforward. Faced with all kinds of occasions, she could usually steady herself, and nervousness was but a fleeting moment that soon passed. Only today's event was especially large, requiring more time to settle her nerves.
Now, teased twice in a row by Hugo, Uma too had relaxed. Her eyes lingered on Hugo's face so close at hand, her lips slightly parted as she said, "Or perhaps, if we do it again today, I won't feel nervous anymore."
Her breath, sweet and fragrant, brushed against Hugo's lips. Her eyes lifted with a faint, teasing glance, and then she slowly leaned forward, sensing Hugo's increasingly rapid breathing and the growing warmth of his exhale. Finally, her lips met Hugo's soft lips. Everything unfolded as though in slow motion: the space between them closing bit by bit, their eyelids gradually lowering, until the warmth of that kiss enveloped them both.
It was only a light kiss. They soon parted, opening their eyes slightly to look at each other. The corners of Hugo's lips curved into a beautiful smile. "Well? Are you still nervous now?"
"Not if you're by my side." Uma gave a gentle smile, lifting Hugo's heartbeat with the curve of her lips before letting it fall again. Hugo nodded lightly. "To serve a lady is my honor."
Sitting across from them, Joseph turned his gaze to the window, pretending he had seen nothing. Yet the blushing, heart-pounding atmosphere in the car was undeniably infectious, and Joseph could not help but feel that wherever his eyes landed, it didn't seem right. Luckily, as they spoke, they arrived at their destination.
When the bodyguard opened the car door, Hugo stepped out first. At once, the cheers from the crowd surged in, waves of screaming punctuated by cries of "Hugo" coming one after another. His eyes caught the dazzling red carpet before him, but they were quickly drawn to the sight of over three hundred fans gathered on both sides.
The red carpet stretched from one side of the street, up the stairs, across the stage, and straight to the theater's main entrance. The stage itself was about half a person's height, surrounded by railings less than three feet tall. Both sides were already packed with people, pressing tightly against the barriers, voicing their most excited exclamations at the lively scene unfolding on the stage.
On both sides of the red carpet atop the stage crouched teams of reporters. By a rough estimate, at least thirty journalists were present today, a scale not to be underestimated. At the end of the carpet stood the backdrop of A Few Good Men, where Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, and other actors had already arrived and were giving interviews.
Originally, the fans on either side of the stage had been calling Jack's name. But when the limousine stopped at the curb, more than half of them shifted their attention: the only one yet to arrive was Hugo.
Sure enough, the moment Hugo appeared, the screaming instantly gathered with explosive force, all rushing toward him. These three hundred fans—whether genuine or arranged by Paramount—were on a scale and passion level Hugo had never experienced before. The sharp, thunderous screams hit like a wave of air slamming into him. Caught off guard, before he could react, his ears were ringing with a piercing buzz.
Next came the reporters' flashing lights, swarming from all directions. The flashes blinked like bursts of gunfire before his eyes, leaving him no time to adjust. For an instant, everything went black, and then countless light spots drifted across the darkness. The sudden blindness left Hugo dizzy and lightheaded.
This was the true grandeur of a premiere. The fan groups Hugo had faced before had been far too small in comparison. The assault launched by these more than three hundred fans together brought Hugo an unprecedented shock. The swelling in his chest and the dizziness in his head made him almost unable to believe it was real.
Once, he had dreamed of this very moment, and today it was unfolding right before his eyes. No matter how many fans there truly were, no matter how grand the scene really was, these people were here to cheer for his arrival, to be thrilled by his appearance. This splendid spectacle filled Hugo's chest with excitement, happiness, and delight, to the brim. He felt as if he were in paradise itself, surrounded by flowers and applause, the colorful scene so overwhelming that his brain could no longer think.
"Hugo!" A voice came from behind, prompting Hugo to turn his head. Bit by bit, sensation returned to his body—it was Uma.
The darkness before his eyes gradually gave way to light again, leaving only a few flickering spots at the corners of his vision. The ringing in his ears persisted, but at least the throbbing veins at his temples no longer pounded wildly, and he could begin to hear other sounds once more.
Hugo looked at Uma, equally tense before him, her emerald-green eyes gazing deeply into his. Uma's left hand clung to his right arm, the coldness and trembling of her palm a reminder of her nervousness. Yet this, in turn, calmed Hugo slightly. Today was his home ground—the premiere of the film he starred in. Compared with the small and cautious Scent of a Woman premiere, this was a much larger stage, and he absolutely would not lose his composure!
Hugo gave Uma a broad smile. In his deep eyes she could see faint sparks slowly igniting, lighting up her own tension as well. Her lips curved into a smile in response, following his.
In that moment, though cheers and camera flashes poured down upon them, miraculously, Hugo and Uma could only feel each other's presence. Their rhythms quietly aligned, as if this were a world that belonged to them alone.
Then Hugo looked forward again at the dazzling red carpet. Linking arms with Uma, he stepped forward, while Joseph, standing at the car door, straightened his tie slightly before following behind.
Hugo had arrived! With a commanding, handsome presence, he stunned the entire scene. His casual yet atmospheric attire made everyone hold their breath. Reporters frantically pressed the shutters of their cameras, while fans shouted out their excitement with all their might. And just as people had yet to move their eyes away from the strikingly flamboyant gloves on Hugo's hands, they saw Uma appear.
Uma stood beside Hugo, her outfit today equally sharp and refreshing. Standing together, the two exuded a beauty that seemed like destiny itself. Although both wore casual attire, no one thought it inappropriate. On the contrary, that carefree, unrestrained spirit, under the illumination of the red carpet, burst forth into dazzling brilliance. Standing side by side on the carpet, they exchanged a glance. At that moment, the spark between them suppressed all surrounding camera flashes, cheers, and screams. Their seamless harmony left everyone dumbfounded.
People soon recalled the sensational kiss Uma and Hugo had shared at the Final Analysis premiere earlier this year. And now, with the two appearing together at the A Few Good Men premiere—could the rumors between them… truly be real?
....
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