The London roadshow for Twilight was held in a large theater.
The venue was decorated in a distinct vampire style.
Dark tones dominated, accented with deep red, and a massive movie poster hung behind the stage.
As a family member, Cassius was seated in the front row on the side, allowing him to see the stage clearly without stealing too much limelight.
As soon as he sat down, he felt gazes from all directions.
Basically resentful stares from fans who were triggered last night.
"Keep smiling, Mr. Cass!"
Robert passed by him before going on stage, whispering a tease.
"Remember to be ready to dodge unidentified flying objects, like rotten tomatoes!"
"Thanks for the reminder. I'll consider wearing a helmet."
Cassius was relaxed.
He scanned the audience and, sure enough, saw many fans holding "Edward & Bella Forever" signs giving him the evil eye.
If looks could kill, he would have died a violent death long ago!
Unfortunately, they couldn't!
Cassius flashed a smile.
To the fans, this was a provocation!
A group of fans got even angrier!
Security nearly couldn't hold them back!
The event began.
After the host warmed up the crowd, the leads Kristen, Robert, and actors playing other Cullen family members came on stage one by one.
The screams nearly lifted the roof.
The event proceeded step by step: screening the trailer, creators sharing funny stories from filming.
When it came to the fan Q&A session, the atmosphere turned subtle.
The first girl selected took the microphone.
She skipped the leads on stage entirely, staring intensely at Cassius in the audience.
"I have a question for Kristen's boyfriend, Mr. Cass!"
The entire venue fell silent instantly.
All cameras turned in unison to Cassius.
The host looked awkward and glanced at Kristen.
Kristen held her microphone, her expression calm. "Please ask!"
The girl took a deep breath, her tone carrying obvious provocation.
"Mr. Cass, what contribution do you think you have made to the Twilight series? Why do you deserve to sit in that seat?"
The question was quite rude.
A small commotion rippled through the audience; some fans were agreeing.
Cassius's face remained unruffled.
He even smiled politely at the girl before taking the microphone handed to him by a staff member.
He didn't stand up. Sitting there with a relaxed posture, his voice transmitted clearly through the microphone across the venue.
"My contribution?"
His tone was light.
"Probably verifying for you guys that Bella has pretty good taste in reality?"
The audience was silent for a second.
Then boos erupted.
Even Robert on stage couldn't help looking down to suppress a smile.
Kristen turned her head to look at him, the corners of her mouth slightly turning up.
[Steady Aura +3]
A blue attribute orb dropped from Cassius.
Absorb!
He felt himself becoming even more composed and calm in such situations!
"This seat is a family ticket kindly provided by the production crew."
Cassius waved the ticket in his hand, his tone frank.
"I think supporting my girlfriend's work is a basic obligation for a boyfriend. Can't let her face so many passionate questions alone."
He glanced pointedly at the instigating reporters below the stage.
[Sarcastic Emotion +3]
Another blue attribute orb dropped. Cassius perked up!
Please call me the high-yield little hen from now on!
This response not only defused the sharp question but also carried a bit of self-deprecating humor.
It not only positioned him correctly as a supporter but also subtly showed off their affection.
Some neutral audience members started to feel that this Asian actor didn't seem so annoying.
The next few questions still targeted Cassius, but he handled them with ease.
A reporter asked:
"Mr. Cass, as an actor just starting out, how do you view the gap in career achievement between you and Kristen?"
Cassius replied:
"I admire Kristen's talent and independence very much. She is a goal I strive for. But a relationship isn't a business partnership; it doesn't need to be measured by box office and paycheck. We are advancing on our own paths, just supporting each other!"
The answer was decent, neither humble nor arrogant.
[Dialogue Logic +3]
Another fan asked: "Do you feel pressure because of fan opposition?"
Cassius smiled. "I care more about whether my girlfriend is happy. As for pressure?"
He paused, looking at Kristen on stage who was watching him, his voice softening.
"Seeing her, pressure turns into motivation!"
Kristen's ears turned slightly red.
On stage, she mouthed "I'll deal with you later" to him, but the smile in her eyes couldn't be hidden.
[Kristen Favorability +1, Current Favorability 97]
...
Next stop, Tokyo!
Fans in Tokyo were enthusiastic to the point of near madness.
The decibel level of screams seemed a grade higher than in London. The airport arrival scene was so chaotic that more security was needed.
Cassius continued to play the role of the calm boyfriend, appearing on necessary occasions and handling the media and unfriendly gazes from some fans appropriately.
After a few days, he felt his immunity to flashes and screams had improved significantly.
Then came Sydney, Mexico City...
After a string of cities, Cassius thoroughly experienced the intensity of a global promo tour for a top-tier IP.
Running between airports, hotels, and event venues every day, jet lag was so bad he almost had to rely on sheer willpower to hold on.
During this process, Cassius and Robert's relationship grew more familiar.
They played games together on long flights, complained about terrible airplane food, and shared stories about weird directors and producers they had encountered.
Robert's British repressed nature and self-deprecating humor surprisingly meshed well with Cassius's calm roasting.
[Robert Pattinson Favorability +10, Current Favorability 70]
After a beach photo event in Sydney, watching Kristen surrounded by fans and media in the distance, Robert said to Cassius beside him:
"Seriously, Cass, your mindset is way better than when I first started. Back then, I wanted to hide in the hotel and cry after getting cursed at a few times."
Cassius looked at the blue sea and smiled.
"Maybe because I started at the bottom and had nothing to lose, so I could look past it. Every step up is a gain!"
Robert nodded thoughtfully and patted his shoulder. "Keep it that way."
A blue attribute orb dropped from him.
[Open-minded Aura +3]
And Kristen grew more and more accustomed to and enjoyed Cassius's company.
[Kristen Favorability +2, Current Favorability 99]
Cassius could feel that this tour not only boosted his presence in front of the public but also solidified his relationship with Kristen as they faced external pressure together.
He had a premonition that once favorability reached 100, there would be even more magical changes!
However, all journeys have an end.
After finishing the last promo event in Berlin, Robert's call came to Cassius's room.
"Cass, just got a call from Robert (Rob - agent). He said the 2 Broke Girls crew is rushing you. Fitting and script reading start next week!"
Kristen hung up the phone and said to Cassius, who was packing, with a hint of undetectable disappointment in her tone.
Cassius's phone didn't work abroad; flying too fast left no time to get a SIM card!
So contact had been handled through the work team's assistant.
Cassius paused while folding clothes.
He knew this day would come.
"Rob emailed me too!"
Silence filled the room for a few seconds.
"So you have to go back to Los Angeles first!"
Kristen stated, walking to the window and looking at the gloomy Berlin sky.
She and Robert still had a few European cities to cover for promotion.
Cassius walked up behind her and hugged her. "Boss Han Lee has to go back and open for business!"
Kristen leaned into his embrace without speaking.
After a while, she said muffledly, "Suddenly feel the remaining cities are a bit boring!"
Cassius's heart softened. He rubbed his chin against the top of her head.
"It'll be over soon. When you come back, I'll treat you to cupcakes at the Williamsburg Diner, Max-style."
Kristen laughed at his words, turned around, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"You said it! If not, I'll have Max poison you in the script."
"A woman's heart is the most venomous."
"You just found out?"
The parting wasn't too sentimental.
At Berlin airport, Kristen hugged Cassius decisively and kissed him on the cheek.
"Text when you land!"
Robert also came over to hug him.
"Brother, see you in LA. Next time I find you, I'll be crashing at your place for food."
"Welcome anytime!"