"What do you think, Elise?" Thomas Corsini asked once his guests had left, his eyes closed and voice deep.

Elise didn’t answer right away. She couldn’t.

She turned to the place where Averie Quinn Auclair had been sitting just moments ago.

"He doesn’t act like an actor who has just made it."

The film industry wasn’t the easiest to get into. Men had sprouted white hairs, and ladies had grown crow’s feet before they had the chance to star in a movie.

A career like Averie’s wasn’t the most common, and the skills he showed as The Lady couldn’t be spotted anywhere else in the world.

"It’s like he never even entertained the idea of failure."

How could a man carving out a new path not be afraid of being waylaid?

Just like her father, Elise had also seen the entirety of Lady Ethereal. It had left her in a profound sense of admiration. The Averie Quinn Auclair she saw on the big screen was an artist who could not be described using any known vocabulary.

"He has such a unique air."

She recalled he had a citrusy scent mixed with a dose of caffeine.

"He felt so different from other actors."

She had seen enough of them, from the youngest aspirants to the oldest icons. And they all had something practically oozing from them. Maybe it was a voice, a virtue, or a thought that could be found in any actor.

But Averie didn’t have that. Or to be more precise, he had something else in its place.

"I can’t put my finger on it." A frown had settled across her forehead. "He didn’t even look excited. Are you sure you want to offer a role to such an actor?"

Thomas Corsini opened his eyes. "Yes."

He had made up his mind before the film ended, before he found out that this Auclair fellow also played The Lady.

"He has special eyes, that boy." He couldn’t forget the way they glowed. "It’s like looking at a pit full of lava. It’s—"

The old man smiled.

"It just came to me."

He sat up straight. He had been thinking of a way to describe the actor, but there were too many words that fit him.

"I think I found it."

The languid gaze of that extraordinary presence wasn’t something he would soon forget.

"Thrilling, that’s the word. He is thrilling to the senses."

He remembered the lazy little head swivel the man did when he entered the suite while listening to music.

"Even when he does nothing, he draws attention. It’s like he was born to be the center of attention."

’The confidence he carries himself with...’

"It’s like he lives in a world disparate from our own."

The director wondered what that world must look like, what its values could be, and if it was a healthy place to stay.

"Bring me the draft, would you, darling?"

*** 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

In the elevator, Averie yawned. "Fill the tub when we get back, okay, darling?"

Hyerin sighed. "You talk so sweetly only when you want me to do something, and why can’t you do it anyway?"

"These arms weren’t made for peasant work," he answered, resting his head on Hyerin’s shoulder.

"Wow, you are already this arrogant?"

"I’m a quick learner. Gotta adapt if you want to survive these harsh waters."

She frowned. "What harsh waters?"

"I don’t know, sounded cooler in my head."

"That’s why you shouldn’t listen to music while talking with someone. It’s rude."

The man shook his shoulders and took out one of the earbuds. "Sorry, what was that?"

"I said—"

He reinserted them. "Can’t hear you over the sound of this rad music."

"You shouldn’t—"

"Sorry, what? I can’t hear poor people very well."

His taunting laugh infuriated even the usually tranquil Hyerin.

She pulled out his earphones and inserted them in her ears.

"No, wait!"

Like the sea,

Dance over the ocean,

That’s me.

Toast and goat cheese,

Tomatoes with salted beans,

Breakfast, I eat.

Pretty coral green,

Weather’s mean,

Hammock on deck, let’s sleep.

Relax, chill,

Work on weekdays,

Weekend, no zeal.

Silently, Hyerin removed the earphones.

Her anger had subsided. The long look she gave Averie contained disappointment, sadness, and an utter lack of respect.

But she didn’t ask any questions, leaving the man to experience a rare moment of shame.

"It’s yacht rock," he said as if he were talking with himself.

"Uh-huh."

"It’s still rock."

"Sure..."

"I mean, it’s pretty cool."

"I guess."

"I like it."

"Good for you."

"You wouldn’t understand."

"Yeah."

The awkward silence lasted for just over a minute.

"I also listen to hard rock, you know." He licked his dry lips. "Metal, that’s my jam."

"What’s your favorite song?"

He cleared his throat. "Huh, sorry?"

"What’s your favorite metal song?"

"I mean," — He squeaked a nervous laugh — "there are so many—"

"Name one."

"Jenny, Bring Ma Shotgun."

"I don’t even know what that is, but it’s definitely not metal. So, you don’t listen to metal."

"I like rock, just not the screechy stuff."

She scoffed, imitating her friend’s demeanor. "It’s hard to trust—"

"I saw you staring at Asmodeus Binsfeld’s shirtless picture."

The girl blinked twice. "Sorry?"

"I saw you staring at my shirtless picture."

The tide changed. Beads of sweat formed on the forehead of the girl. "I don’t know what—"

Averie presented a picture captured from behind depicting the very scenario he mentioned.

Hyerin could very clearly see her own little face staring at a frozen frame from BSPH.

"The internet was slow, so the stream was frozen—"

Making a slithering sound, Averie’s mouth drew closer to Hyerin’s ear, his stare venomous like that of a serpent. "See that little button there, what does it indicate?"

"I can’t see. I don’t—"

"Oh, should I ask Min-Ha, then? Let me send it to her."

"Pause! The stream’s paused!"

"Uh-huh." He threw an arm around the girl and drew her closer. "It’s the scene where Mistress Bella was doing some... adult stuff with me, yeah?"

With a face as red as Italian tomatoes, the girl nodded her head.

"Now, now; don’t be ashamed." Again, he made a slithering noise. "There’s nothing wrong with you finding a hot guy hot. I am kinda amazing. I get it."

His voice was low and wispy.

"And if this is fine, I am sure someone listening to yacht rock must also be fine." His eyes turned as large as onions. "Right?"

Intimidated and ashamed, the girl nodded.

"It’s fine, isn’t it, Rin?"

The girl tightly closed her eyes. "Of course, Averie."

That day, it was understood that neither would share this conversation with anyone until the end of their lives.