"Yuffie's flying back home soon, so today I'm spending time with her. We'll talk about work later."
"These are the first-week box office summaries for both movies — Director Cohen put them together for you. Take a look, it won't take long." Vin Diesel pulled a few sheets of paper from his pocket and insisted on handing them to Luke.
Luke took them but didn't open them. He simply set them aside.
Smiling, he picked up a few pan-fried dumplings and placed them on Yuffie's plate before stuffing another bite of bacon pancake into his own mouth.
Delicious. Just as the saying goes — it's not what you eat that matters, but who you eat with.
Seeing Luke so relaxed, Vin Diesel couldn't help asking, "You're really not anxious? Not even a little curious?"
"Whether I look or not, the box office numbers are still there — they won't change." Luke calmly picked up two strawberries, handing one to Yuffie and popping the other into his mouth.
"That actually sounds kinda philosophical," Vin Diesel said after a pause.
"Pfft~" Yuffie burst out laughing.
This guy was quoting that Asian meme "You see or not see," clearly teasing the foreigner who didn't get it.
"But seriously, aren't you even a bit curious? There might be a nice surprise in there!" Vin Diesel said as he started eating, still trying to persuade him.
Luke shook his head. "Let's eat first. Gotta stay in a good mood — that's the secret to a good appetite. This might be the last meal I get to share with Yuffie for a while, so I don't want work ruining it."
Vin Diesel was speechless. Damn it, that composure! I wish I could be that chill.
Even though Western culture tends to be more open and expressive, everyone — no matter where they're from — admires that kind of unshakable calm, the "mountain collapsing before you but your face doesn't change" vibe.
That quiet confidence — it's universally cool.
The three of them chatted and laughed while they ate, the mood light and pleasant.
What was supposed to be a simple picnic ended up lasting almost an hour.
For the first time, Vin Diesel felt time crawl by painfully slowly, like a cat scratching at his heart.
Damn it, how long can one meal take?
When they finally finish, I swear I'm making him look at those numbers — that calm face of his is driving me insane!
Vin Diesel couldn't wait to see Luke's reaction to the results — the excitement, the disbelief — anything he could mock later. No one could possibly be that composed.
"♪ Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it ♪"
Get out, get out, get out!
Vin Diesel's phone started ringing. Fitting, given how he felt at the moment.
"It's Director Cohen," he said, answering before handing the phone to Luke.
"Luke! You bastard — your phone's been off all day! You have to come to the celebration party tonight!" Cohen shouted over the line.
"Celebration party?"
"You don't know the box office numbers yet? Didn't Vin Diesel give you the report?"
"He did. I just haven't looked."
"F*ck! Then what the hell are you waiting for? Open it already!"
"I'm eating right now. I got your message about the party. But this is more important at the moment — we'll talk later."
And with that, Luke hung up.
Vin Diesel took the phone back, muttering internally, Keep pretending, man. Let's see how calm you are in five minutes.
Another ten minutes passed before they finally finished eating.
Vin Diesel eagerly picked up the report, grinning as he tried to hand it over.
But just as he did, Luke opened another box — dessert.
Vin Diesel's smile froze.
"You're impossible," Yuffie said with a laugh, playfully tapping Luke's arm.
She took the report from Vin Diesel and handed it to Luke. "Come on, take a look. I'm curious about the box office too."
Even the goddess had spoken — Luke accepted the papers, flipped through them casually, and then set them aside again with no expression.
"How's it look?" Yuffie asked.
"All reactionaries are paper tigers."
"So… you won?"
"Completely crushed them. Not even close."
He calmly opened the dessert box and shared it with the two of them.
That's it?
No grin? No cheer? Not even a smirk?
How am I supposed to tease him now?!
Vin Diesel felt utterly defeated. Damn this unflappable man!
"I'll go wash my hands," Luke said, standing up and walking off.
Vin Diesel watched him go — just in time to see him trip over a step, scuffing his shoe.
"Ha! I knew it! He's not that calm after all! Look at him — can't even walk straight, he's that happy inside!" Vin Diesel burst out laughing.
"When he comes back, I'm totally calling him out on that!"
Yuffie rubbed her temples. This damn drama king… even that detail he had to recreate.
He was clearly referencing a historical anecdote — and poor Vin had no clue.
Yuffie didn't want to see him crushed again, so she explained it briefly.
"That's evil! You Asian people and your hidden meanings — there's always something deeper!" Vin groaned.
"Don't take it personally — he just likes to joke around."
"Some joke! I don't want to be the punchline. He looks so calm — do you really think he's happy about his success?" Vin asked.
"Of course he is!" Yuffie smiled.
And yes, Luke was absolutely thrilled. He was forcing himself to walk straight instead of breaking into a little victory dance.
The box office report Vin Diesel brought was insane.
Way beyond anyone's expectations — even his own most optimistic projection.
The Fast and the Furious had pulled in $50 million in its opening week, with estimates of $200 million domestic and $300 million worldwide.
In his past life, the same movie had earned $140 million domestically and $200 million globally — already a blockbuster that kickstarted the entire franchise.
But this time, thanks to Luke's influence, the results had skyrocketed.
A $200 million domestic total would put it on par with The Mummy Returns that year — around #6 on the annual box office chart.
And with $300 million worldwide, it would rank #11 globally — a hit both at home and abroad.
But even more impressive than the box office was the profit margin.
High-grossing films don't always make the most money — profitability is what really matters.
The Fast and the Furious was a mid-budget film, costing only $30 million to produce. Add $15 million in marketing — reduced to $8 million thanks to joint promotions — and the total cost came to just $38 million.
In Hollywood, theaters typically take 35–50% of the box office, depending on negotiations.
But since Universal both produced and distributed the movie, aside from the theater cut, almost everything else went straight into their pocket.
In the end, The Fast and the Furious would bring Universal $180 million in revenue, with $142 million in pure profit — a massive win.