Fragments of You (2)

September 22, 1991. On a peaceful weekend afternoon, moviegoers filed into the theater. It was an era before the internet and personal computers were commonplace. Back then, the primary forms of entertainment people consumed to pass their leisure time were sports and movies.

Dressed in their weekend best, the crowd had gathered today to see the sixth installment of the famous horror franchise A Nightmare on Elm Street: Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare.

"How do you think it'll be?"

"I'm so excited. I absolutely loved the first one."

"...Is it okay to skip two, three, four, and five?"

"Who cares? As long as we get to see people die, girl!"

The girls giggled as they took their seats.

"Did you see that article about Sion Lee's birthday?"

"Huh? No, I missed it. Was there something special?"

"Apparently, he spent it quietly at home. The crew of the movie he's filming right now threw him a small party, and that was it."

"Really? Last year, he threw that massive bash and invited a ton of people. Didn't they say he got drunk and smashed a champagne tower?"

"Maybe turning eighteen made him grow up a bit."

"He's nineteen now, actually."

The theater buzzed with the chatter of the audience waiting for the movie to start. But as the lights dimmed, everyone fell silent in unison, as if on cue.

The pre-show advertisements began, cutting through the sudden, heavy silence. Everyone was instantly captivated by the visual splendor of the silver screen—a sense of visual awe that a cramped, boxy CRT television could never replicate, paired with a grand, room-shaking sound system.

After a fun cartoon ad for Coca-Cola and popcorn, the main trailers for upcoming releases began to play one by one. By then, people were whispering to their companions in hushed tones, saying things like, "Ooh, that looks good."

And then, finally, the last trailer before the feature presentation began.

Accompanied by a deep, resonant voiceover, a man appeared on the screen. It was winter, and he was standing by the door, getting ready for work.

"Kyaaaaaaaaahhhh!" An ear-splitting shriek erupted from somewhere in the theater.

Startled by the sudden, unexpected squeal were the cinephiles—or rather, the nerds—who had come to properly critique and watch the sixth Nightmare film. For these guys, who were busy adjusting their glasses and immersing themselves so as not to miss a single frame, the sudden noise was incredibly jarring.

What's wrong with them? Pushing up their glasses, they looked at the screen, only to be greeted by the face of a man boasting overwhelmingly breathtaking beauty. His deep green eyes held a trace of inexplicable emptiness.

Every woman in the theater felt her heart flutter uncontrollably. I want to hold him and soothe that sadness. I want to understand him. Such desires swirled among them.

How pathetic.Screaming like that over a mere movie star? Snorting inwardly, the nerds focused on the screen to see what kind of "movie" this actually was. Soon, the scene shifted, and what met their eyes was a delicate woman splashing her feet in a lake. With platinum blonde hair and an ethereal, fairy-like beauty that seemed to preserve the pure essence of Northern Europe, she looked like frozen glass—a stunning blend of innocence and cold elegance. Men and women, young and old, were instantly transfixed.

Of course, those most deeply affected were...

"Whoa..." The men let out low, involuntary groans of admiration.

It was a trailer that merely showcased the stunning looks of its two leads. In the 1990s, only one "value" was demanded of the protagonists in this genre of romance film: sheer, overwhelming beauty.

As the voiceover delivered the line, the trailer continued, completely stealing the souls of the nerds who were still trying to analyze the situation.

"Is... Is that 'Computer Graphics'?" Nerd 1 stammered, trying to use sophisticated terminology.

"Heh, so you noticed."

"Ah, yes. They call that 'CG.'"

"Is this the technology of our era?"

"Terminator 2 was incredible not too long ago... but CG in a romance movie? Amazing."

"Yeah, it's fantastic. Truly incredible technology."

In short, they didn't quite understand it, but they knew it was amazing. With eyes sparkling, both the nerds and the teenage girls had one phrase firmly etched into their minds: This Christmas.

After wrapping up this film, Sion felt for the first time that he had truly returned to Hollywood. When he shot Swing in Chicago, his first project after regressing, the promotional schedule had been pushed back until after the release. This was because no one believed the movie would do that well.

Once the movie became a massive hit, public interest poured in as if on cue, but even then, the subsequent promotion didn't follow the typical Hollywood playbook. After all, both the production company and the distributor were "indie." It was a stroke of luck that Sion was already a recognized "Hollywood actor," which allowed him to appear on various broadcasts and events.

In any case, Sion had proven himself through that film. And based on that success, he had connected with the legendary Hollywood actor Jack Nicholson, leading to them being cast in a project that bridged indie sensibility with Hollywood grandeur... Or at least, that was the "real-life" drama presented to the public. Sion spun this narrative with just the right amount of flair.

"This isn't the kind of teen romance I used to do. It's a project with philosophical depth, much like Swing in Chicago. Hollywood hasn't really given me the chance to show that side of myself before, so I've been in a great mood lately. I think this film will prove that I'm not just an actor who gets by on his face. Well, the very fact that I'm in this movie means Jack recognized my acting ability anyway. Right?"

This was a pre-release magazine interview. It was a joint session featuring the leads, Sion and Elena, along with director Kate McCushey. Since it was with Premiere Magazine, which currently held the crown among film publications, the production team had booked it with great care. Yet, regardless of their anxiety, Sion was boldly exuding his ambition along with his signature charm. Clad in a leather jacket, a white T-shirt, and sunglasses, he prompted an awkward laugh from the interviewer.

"Ha, haha. I see. Next, I'd like to ask Elena a question. What does this movie mean to you?"

In contrast to Sion's somewhat rebellious look, Elena was dressed in a neat, crisp white suit. Normally, for these kinds of events, what the two actors would wear and how they would coordinate to create a specific atmosphere was a matter of careful marketing strategy, but Sion had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠completely ignored all of that. He had judged that, this time, his approach would actually work better.

"For me, I see it as an opportunity to showcase a more mature portrayal of love, something I haven't been able to show as an actress before. Working alongside Sion in this film made me feel like I finally found the answers to the questions I'd been grappling with. I truly hope audiences will come to the theaters and enjoy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠our performances."

It was a textbook response, very typical of her. The interview proceeded with questions bouncing back and forth. Then, while the director offered a brief comment about the project, Sion yawned conspicuously.

...Even though he had personally applied a modeling mask pack the night before to reduce puffiness and had slept a full eight hours, he was deliberately putting on a lazy, rebellious act. The photographer, stealing glances at him while snapping photos, thought to himself, What a bastard. He's so damn handsome. I bet he spent all night drinking with girls again.

Recently, articles about Sion's private life often claimed he was "enjoying gardening and living a quiet, solitary life," but perhaps due to his attitude during public appearances, people still believed he hadn't changed at all. In fact, now that he was starting to deliver great performances, they found him even more insufferable.

"Now, a question for Sion. This might be a slightly sensitive topic, but please take it lightly. What kind of feelings did you and Elena share while filming? The public has been calling you two 'the combination of Hollywood's princess and bad boy.'"

Hearing the question, Kate looked at Sion with a slightly worried expression. She knew there was a specific "purpose" behind this interview arranged by the production company. Linda Ackerman, the head of Longday Studios, had ordered them to conduct an interview that would elevate Elena's image while downplaying Sion's, in order to appease Olga Asimov, who had visited the studio not long ago.

Sion, who had no need to elevate his image in the first place, caught onto the intent behind the question. But regardless, he answered with a shrug.

"She was totally into me. At our age, girls always find bad boys a bit more appetizing."

"...Cut, cut!" one of the studio executives watching from behind shouted. He was demanding that this part of the interview be edited out. They were being completely played by Sion. Shrugging, Sion let it go, as if saying, Well, if you say so.

"Why don't you answer instead, El?"

"...Most of what this idiot says is just bluffing and nonsense. Please ignore him."

"Bluffing? I said we'd hold hands and lock lips, and we actually did."

"We... We did, but that was in the movie! So that doesn't count!"

"Y-You two kissed?!"

"Cut! Cuuuut!" The excited interviewer gasped, while the executive screamed even louder. But there was no stopping the two actors once they had caught fire.

The pre-release promotional tour for Fragments of You passed with various ups and downs. Hollywood was thrown into a frenzy by articles highlighting the relationship between Sion Lee and Elena Asimov at various interviews and events. The two continuously projected a subtle romantic tension—almost too blatant to be accidental—and the general public ate it right up.

Such was the headline attached to a photo of Elena narrowing her eyes and looking at Sion with utter disdain as he spouted some ridiculous, nonsensical bluff during an interview.

Yet, if one actually read past the sensationalist title, the article merely contained vague claims like, "They say they were like that while acting..."

Nevertheless, the photo published in Premiere Magazine of Sion and Elena sharing a playful laugh while looking at each other spread like wildfire. Since neither of them had ever shown such a side of themselves before, it garnered massive attention. It was proof of just how deeply intrigued people were by "celebrity romance."

Consequently, journalists across various media outlets hammered away at their pens and keyboards, churning out daily clickbait articles that blurred the line between reality and fiction. As a result, the public ticket giveaway for the Fragments of You preview, co-hosted by several magazines and newspapers, received an unprecedented number of applicants.

Finally, the day arrived for the industry premiere of the highly anticipated film. It was a gathering of the industry's who's who—journalists, critics, photographers, TV crews, studio executives, and investors. Among them was a very special guest whom everyone recognized.

Oh, it's Olga.Holy crap! This is the real deal! It was Olga Asimov, the mother of the film's female lead, Elena. A legendary actress and a Hollywood powerhouse who ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was still actively working.

Normally, people would assume she had come to evaluate her daughter's acting. However, like the seasoned professionals they were, the mother and daughter didn't even acknowledge each other during the red carpet photo call. In fact, Olga had quietly slipped through the back door after entering the venue, wearing sunglasses and a hat to avoid being easily recognized as she took her seat.

Amidst this atmosphere, the event officially kicked off with brief stage greetings. "Thank you all for coming ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠today." "We worked incredibly hard on this project!" After the producer and director each said a few words, the microphone was passed to the male lead, Sion. But with a smirk, Sion immediately handed it over to Elena.

"I gave it my absolute all, with the determination to elevate my acting to a higher level." The audience couldn't help but smile warmly at her sparkling eyes. In this modern era of celebrity-obsessed Hollywood, she was a rare breed—a proper, pure young actress focused solely on her craft. While she wasn't as widely talked about by the general public relative to her talent, her attitude and her pedigree as part of the Asimov family made her highly cherished among Hollywood insiders.

Receiving the microphone back, Sion winked and said, "Me too."

"..."

"..."

"..."

The sound of someone grinding their teeth seemed to echo through the silence.

Is that Olga Asimov...?It has to be her. Word is she's been blocking articles about Sion lately. Caught between warmth and arrogance, the film began in a slightly tense atmosphere. The projector started spinning, and various studio logos flashed across the screen in the darkened theater. Once the familiar sequence concluded, a comforting darkness enveloped the room.

As everyone watched with a mix of anticipation and apprehension, the story began with a man's quiet narration.

Along with the voice, a panoramic sequence of landscapes swept across the screen. An empty theater, an empty lakeside, an empty classroom, an empty house, an empty—

Yawn. Sion Lee—no, Elliot—yawned softly as he stood before the bathroom mirror and began to shave.

Scenes of his morning routine flickered by. Having finished shaving, he walked into the kitchen. Right on cue, the toaster dinged, popping up slices of toasted bread, which he caught on a plate with practiced ease. "Howdy, ho," the man muttered quietly, going about his ordinary morning. The mundane routine contrasted sharply with the melancholy narration, creating a poignant irony.

What was this man's story? While everyone wondered, the screen filled with the quiet, everyday mise-en-scène characteristic of veteran director Kate McCushey. The house was rather large for a single occupant. After finishing his simple meal and tying his tie, Elliot stepped outside, picking up the newspaper from the porch to check the day's forecast. Rain. He went back inside to grab an umbrella. He had no one. No one to prepare his breakfast or tell him to take an umbrella.

I acted in this scene while thinking of home. Unlike his playful demeanor during the stage greetings moments ago, Sion sat with his chin resting on his hand, his expression deeply serious as he watched the film. And the only one observing his profile, now entirely absorbed in the movie, was Elena, sitting right beside him.

Because it's a house too big... for me to live in alone. This was a project he had performed while recalling the now-faded memories of his mother. A work crafted by blending his beloved mother with the various women he had met and parted with throughout his life. And at the end of that long road, the presence that had embraced him was the actress Elena—no, the character in the film... Noah. Fragments of You, the first commercial film Sion had shot since returning to this era, was drawing the audience deep into the screen.