| Fan Fiction |
by W99
“I am Fahrenheit’s Wu Chun.”
“And I am Fahrenheit’s Calvin Chen.”
A horde of screaming fans bellow their excitement back at the two good-looking idols. Calvin laughed, sidling closer to Chun to allow room for the emcee that was making her way up on stage. “All this excitement, it’s infectious. This is why I love being on stage. It never gets old, does it?”
Chun shook his head, producing a more reserved smile as he waved at the crowds.
“And now, let us welcome Taiwan’s number 1 girl group, SHE!”
Chun stiffened visibly, before making a supreme effort to relax when Calvin nudged him warningly.
“Hello, I’m Selina!”
“Ella here!”
Kaykay, the host, began the usual warm-ups, asking questions about the movie and their schedule. Calvin rattled everything off from his memory, easily answering anything Kaykay threw at him. After about ten minutes of Qs & As, the backstage workers began lugging props and tables up the stage.
“Now, the time you’ve all been waiting for. A chance to interact with the very dashing Wu Chun, the adorable Sunshine boy, Calvin Chen, and the two beautiful young ladies, Selina and Ella!” Kaykay purposely lowered her voice, initiating a wave of screaming frenzy so loud it covered off her next sentence completely.
“I’m flattered. I didn’t know so many people wanted so badly to talk to me,” Calvin said teasingly.
“You mean they want to talk to me!” Chun elbowed his friend and rolled his eyes at the crowd. “Calvin Chen, ever the vain ass,” the both of them had been well-trained to deal with their fans. They knew what to say to push the atmosphere to an all-time high, and they knew how to act to garner approving whistles and screams.
“We’re going to choose 12 lucky fans to come up on stage and play our ‘Rubber-band game’, dividing them up into four groups. Team Selina, Team Ella, Team Wu Chun and Team Calvin.”
The crowd roared enthusiastically.
“I’m sure all of you know how the game goes? Basically, each person holds a straw between his or her teeth, and tries to pass the rubber-band to each other via the straws. We have a time limit of one minute. At the end of sixty seconds, the group who accumulates the most rubber-bands will win some very fabulous prizes!”
The four pop stars smiled as the fans began jostling and waving their arms, shouting “Pick me! Pick me!”
“Now hold on, just a minute. Before we begin the game, might I ask two volunteers from you four to demonstrate? Just so there would be no misunderstandings later when we start?” Kaykay turned towards them, an expectant smile on her face.
“We’d be happy to help,” Chun returned politely, glancing at Calvin.
Calvin nodded back.
“Awww, but that would be boring! What I was hoping for was a little guy-girl interaction! How about one of the Because of You couples step out instead?”
More screams.
A slightly anxious look drifted across Chun’s features before he covered it up with another impartial smile. However, inside he was raging at the emcee.
Why why WHY do people have to continuously make their lives miserable? He and Calvin were quite capable of demonstrating, but no it would have to be one couple from the movie because ‘it would generate more interest and attention’. The last part of the phrase echoed sarcastically in Chun’s head. HIM had drill that motto into him time and again and again.
It was the silliest, oldest trick in the book and yet, the media was always doing it. Creating rumours, fuelling gossips, writing up scandals. Didn’t anybody else had anything to do at all, other than make the lives of those within the entertainment industry a pure pain in the ass to live in?
Calvin glanced at Chun’s increasingly darkening look, sighing in frustration that circumstances insisted on always pushing his friend and Ella together. He quickly loped over to stand beside Kaykay. “I’d do it! Me and Selina! I’ve been waiting so long to work with her at close range, I couldn’t possibly pass up this opportunity,” he turned to flash his co-star a playful wink.
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Ella shuffled closer to Selina, a panic attack suddenly seizing her when she heard Kaykay announced that they would be picking out one of the pairings from the movie for a demonstration. She chewed on her lower lip agitatedly, praying that she and Chun wouldn’t be selected.
She didn’t know how he would react. Would he refuse outright to work with her? Or would he go along with the whole thing, pretending to the whole world that they had a perfectly cordial relationship when in truth, the both of them knew absolutely that he hated her with every breath he took? She didn’t know which would be more painful.
After a moment’s deliberation, she thought perhaps it might be the latter. It would burn if he turned away from her, but she could live with humiliation. Embarrassment was a welcome emotion, compared to the pain that would stab at her viciously from seeing Chun flash her that gorgeous, slightly lopsided smile he owned when she knew that the smile would never ring true, that his eyes would burn with hatred and disgust.
She felt like she was going to be sick.
“I’d do it! Me and Selina! I’ve been waiting so long to work with her at close range, I couldn’t possibly pass up this opportunity!”
Ella glanced up in surprise when she heard Calvin’s voice echoing around the area. The tallest guy in Fahrenheit had already sidled up to the emcee, smiling at Selina expectantly.
Ella breathed a huge sigh of relief. Of course, Calvin and Selina would be the ones that were chosen. She had forgotten that this was their movie, not hers and Chun’s. It was natural that most of the attention would be paid on to the both of them. She needn’t had worried about being pushed to the front after all.
Just then, she felt Calvin’s concerned gaze settled on her. She looked back at him, puzzled when he seemed to appear reassured. His face settled into his usual playful expression as he mouthed jokingly to her “You owe me, Ella Chen.”
Realization dawned in. Calvin had helped her deflect yet another awkward situation. She felt gratitude rolling up within her. He had helped her earlier in the changing rooms, and he was helping her again.
“Thank you,” she mouthed back, the emotions she couldn’t hide flashing in her eyes.
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Selina jerked in surprise when Calvin took matters in his own hands and walked in front of her, “Does the lady not want to do the demonstration with me?”
She had been so wrapped up in Ella’s distress she hadn’t paid much attention to what was happening on stage. Now, with a startled jolt, she found herself staring back at Calvin’s dark brown eyes.
Mustering up a teasing smile, she playfully tapped at his shoulder, playing the part of the flattered girl beautifully. “Why, I’m honoured Calvin Chen. I wasn’t aware that I’d made such a strong impact in your life.”
Calvin bowed back dramatically, earning a giggle from Selina as the fans gave a collectively wistful sigh.
She allowed Calvin to lead her to the front of the stage, all the while keeping a flirtatious smile firmly plastered on her face.
“Calvin, I seriously can’t thank you enough. For helping El. Again,” she whispered.
“Helping El? What do you mean?” he looked back at her with mock surprise. “I was truly dying to interact with you!” a warm smile slid into view.
She couldn’t help the tiny laugh that escaped from her lips. “You always try to act like a big doofus! But still, thanks all the same.”
Calvin shrugged easily. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Now look pretty and smile for the cameras.”
She rolled her eyes, before complying with his request.
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“Thank you,” Chun said and smiled at the people bustling about behind the stage. “Great job today, thank you very much.”
He and Calvin always made it a point to express their appreciation for the backstage workers, for truly it was them that kept everything operating smoothly. They knew what hard work it was to ensure a program was up and running in tiptop shape, and they never failed to acknowledge this.
Calvin bowed politely, “Yes today was fantastic. Thank you all for making this work.”
A couple of the female workers twittered back at them, flattered that the two famous pop stars had taken the time out to recognize the efforts they had put in to make the meet-and-greet a success.
“Hello, we just wanted to pop by to say thank you all for today!” female voices drifted over. The next second, Selina and Ella appeared from around the corner, pleasant smiles hovering on both their faces.
Calvin groaned silently. All that dancing and dodging he did today, and in the end it had all amounted to nothing. Figures that in the last five minutes before they had to leave, Chun and Ella would run into each other. What rotten luck.
Ella’s words stuttered to a stop as she took in who was standing just three metres away from her. After a small, strained pause, she forged ahead determinedly, pretending that she wasn’t aware of his existence. “Thank…thank you all very very much.”
Selina fixed a forced smile on her face. “Yes, thank you all.”
Beside Calvin, Chun remained quiet and motionless. Calvin shot his friend a wary glance out of the corner of his eyes, noting that there was an utterly blank look on Chun’s face. He looked like he was spacing out.
After another awkward pause, Selina said brightly, “Well I guess we’d better go. We’ve got something else lined up!” her gaze settled on Calvin for just a second before she looked away.
“I’ll see you girls around then,” Calvin spoke up, trying to make the atmosphere feel as normal as possible.
Selina and Ella nodded back at him with mock cheerfulness, but it was obvious that the both of them were dying to get out of there.
“Bye,” Chun’s tone was soft but still audible.
There was a sudden muffled silence as three pair of eyes, including Calvin’s, landed on him in shock. It was the first time he had admitted to Ella’s presence in such a civil manner.
“Bye,” Ella’s voice sounded equally small, a heavy dose of uncertainty laced within it.
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Yay, it's a pretty lengthy chapter because I wanted to include all the characters' different perspectives on the meet-and-greet. Actually also wanted to divide this up to two chapters initially, but in the end I decided to post everything up in one go. =)
Anyway, sorry my replies to all your comments are a little brief. I'm in abit of a rush today teehee.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! =D
HAHAHA wth that was a little random. Anyway, just curious. How old are you all anyway? =p
-W99