Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
“Before you say anything else, I’m really hungry. I want to get some food before I faint on the pavement.” Amy replied.
He smiled “Sure, how about I treat my favorite assistant out to dinner?”
She rolled her eyes “I’m your ONLY assistant.”
“The better reason why you’re so special.” His sweet words were endless.
Amy had to laugh “Where do you want to go, since you’re treating.”
“Sushi?” he suggested. She nodded and then they were off to his car. He drove them to a nicer part of town, where fancy restaurants were lined up on both side of the streets. Amy looked around like a tourist “Never been to this part of Hong Kong?” he read her mind.
She laughed “I probably look like some gawking weirdo.” She sat back in her seat but continued to look outside.
“A ‘cute’ gawking weirdo.” He corrected. She smiled as she looked at him, he glanced over at her before pulling up at the valet. “What?”
Amy decided to keep her comment to herself “Nothing.” She shook her head and got out of the car. When they were seated in the restaurant she had another questioning gaze “What kind of restaurant is this?”
Philip wrinkled his forehead “Sushi place? Is your mind in space?”
She shook her head with a laugh “I know that, silly. I mean why didn’t you get mobbed. You always get mobbed in public.”
He smiled as he leaned in closer to her “Honey, this is the classier part of town, everyone has more money than I will ever have in my whole lifetime as an actor. They don’t care who I am. That’s why I like coming here.”
She nodded understandingly “I see.”
Philip sensed another question coming on “You’ve got so many questions tonight.”
“How did you do that?” she asked in wonder.
“Do what?” he replied innocently.
“Read my mind.” She whispered.
He laughed “I didn’t read your mind, I read your face. You know it’s easier without those awful frames in the way. I can see your pretty eyes.” He tapped on the corner of her eye affectionately.
Amy smiled shyly “Thank you.”
They ordered all types of sushi and a saki bottle for them. She raised her eyes at the expensive drink “It’s a celebration for you.”
“Why?” she asked suspiciously.
“Because you are going to be the biggest name in the Hong Kong entertainment biz after I’m through with you.” He winked secretly and took a gulp of the warm saki.
She sighed softly “Philip…” she began but he silenced her with his finger on her lips.
“Don’t say anything yet. Just hear me out.” She shrugged lightly, not seeing the harm in listening what he had to say. “The first day I met you, I thought to myself, she has this star appearance about her. But there would be some changes before people would look at you differently. The frames should not be there and the hair was too long. I would cut it.” Hearing him say that, she touched her long mane affectionately, she’s had it as long as she could remember. There would be no way she would get use to the short haircut. “When I learned from Johnny that you could sing. I begged him to convince you to sing, but you were so stubborn…”
“Wait.” She put up a hand to pause him “You were in on that trick earlier? You guys embarrassed me!”
He laughed “If that’s an embarrassment, then everyone would want that to happen everyday. You were wonderful! I am so hurt that you kept that angelic voice from me for so long.”
She smiled with her cheeks blushing when she realized he was being sincere “I was that good?” she asked weakly.
He nodded firmly “Beautifully! I knew I had my girl when I asked you to dance and your eyes relaxed my every nerve. Yes, I still get nervous….the big movie star that I am.” He brushed his hair lightly and Amy had to laugh at his gesture “But seriously, you had that vibe about you…that comfortable feeling that I got when we were dancing away…it was indescribable.”
Amy giggled “You speak like you’re in love or something.” She quickly stopped smiling when she realized what she just said “I mean…”
Philip shook his head “It’s okay. Just let comment pass. Your acting was superb, you know that?” she shook her head unable to believe him “How could you come up with those lines in such short notice?”
“Well, that’s the point. I can come up with my own lines. I’m horrible at memorizing stuff. I can’t do it.” She insisted.
He rolled his eyes “There you go exaggerating again.” She smiled and leaned her face on her elbow “You’re just digging for compliments aren’t you?” she widened her eyes and opened her mouth to speak but he put up his hand “No, don’t try to get yourself out of this one. You just want to hear that you are beautiful and talented and you have a voice of an angel. So there, I said it.”
Amy shook her head “I’m speechless. I never thought of myself as talented in any form. For years, I felt trapped at a dead end job that would go no where. And when I stood up to my boss, it was too late to turn around. I found myself standing in front of the station calling for an interview with the big moviestar. But when I passed the first round, I couldn’t even start to imagine the possibility of going through. And then over 4 months later, I’m sitting at a high class Sushi restaurant eating dinner with a well known and one of the most eligible bachelor actors in the industry today. Who would have thought?”
He smiled slowly “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
She nodded and pointed at him “If I fail at this, I will blame you.”
Philip laughed “You won’t fail because I never fail at anything, well except losing the courage to tell the girl that I liked her.” He stopped laughing when Amy’s smile disappeared “Amy, I really have to tell you something.”
Suddenly at the corner of their eyes, they caught someone snapping a picture at them. Philip looked up, his eyes full of emotions were changed to anger when he caught a reporter sneakily hiding his camera. He stood up suddenly and walked over to the guy. “Philip!” Amy called after him, afraid that he would do something he’ll later regret.
“What are you doing?” he snapped at the guy, who was flustered and tried to get away but was blocked by the manager of the restaurant.
“Do you want me to call the police, Mr. Cheung?” the manager asked.
Philip shook his head “I can handle this. Do you want to hand that over?” he put out his hand but the guy refused with his head shaking “You have no right taking our picture.”
“Oh come on, it’s just a picture. Everyone will know you two are a couple soon anyways.” The guy blurted out.
It only made Philip more angry “What the hell did you just say?” he didn’t care what reporters said as long as it was true. He didn’t want any slander against Amy especially now that she’s going to be featured in his cd and music video. The last thing they needed was trashy publicity.
“She’s just a fling, once the media is bored, they’ll leave her alone.” The guy did not know when to shut up.
Philip couldn’t hold it in as he reached his fist behind him and swung at the guy across the jaw. Amy let out a small cry, shocked that he would strike at someone. Philip wrung out his arm in pain, it was stinging from the punch. The guy had stumbled behind falling onto the manger “Philip…” Amy whimpered as she took a hold of his injured hand.
“I’m gonna sue you!!” The guy pointed angrily while holding onto his left jaw.
“Yeah, well good luck!” Philip snickered “When you lose, I’ll pay to get you a new mouth. Didn’t your mom ever teach you not to disgrace a lady who is present?”
The guy gaped at him in shock and anger. The manager pushed the guy towards the door “Get out of my restaurant before I call the police.”
“You wait…” the guy pointed at them “The whole country will know what a jerk Philip Cheung really is. The headlines will ruin your career.” His threats only made Philip angrier as he lunged towards the guy but he was quick to run away.
Amy took a hold of Philip’s arms “Calm down, Philip.” She whispered. When they turned back, the whole restaurant was staring at them.
Philip glared at them angrily “What are you staring at?”
She turned to the crowd that broke out into whispers “Sorry, my boss had too much to drink.” She explained.
”No, I didn’t. I’m sick and tired of having to explain everything to the whole world, I’m only human. Can’t I have a peaceful dinner without some idiot trying to make an extra hundred by sneaking at picture at me?” he wasn’t yelling at Amy but it was directed to everyone who was listening.
The manager felt his anger as he said in a soothing voice “You’re right, Mr. Cheung. You should be able to enjoy a quiet dinner here without paparazzi hanging on your every move. We apologize for letting that guy in. This dinner is on us.”
Philip cooled down as he sighed “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause a commotion. And I wouldn’t hear of a free dinner. I want to pay for the meal…if not for the embarrassment.”
The kind man smiled “I won’t argue with that.”
Philip laughed as he quickly paid and walked out of the restaurant with Amy supporting his hand. The night was getting later and they were near the harbor so he drove them out there. They sat in the car for a while with complete silence. Each having their own conversation with themselves. When the silence was beginning to be deafening, Amy got up and took a walk down the pier. He followed close behind her until she came upon a bench and sat down.
She looked up when he was a yard away looking at her with a grim expression, she muffled a giggle as she turned to the dark ocean “What’s so funny?”
Amy shook her head “You looked pretty vicious when you’re mad.”
“Did I scare you?” he asked, his eyes full of concern.
“Scare me? No, but I couldn’t help but feel it unnecessary to hit the guy earlier. Violence is not the answer.” She said softly.
He took a seat next to her with a smile “In the words of Ghandi or Amy Chan?”
She laughed “Either one.” She turned to him with an earnest look “You could have injured yourself. What if he fought back?”
“Then it would have been one interesting fight.” He commented with a sly grin.
Amy shook her head “I guess I can’t control you.”
She gave a little shiver from the night wind as he wrapped an arm around her. She leaned on his chest instinctively “Do you know why I punched him?”
“Because you wanted to let out your anger?” she replied not looking up.
Philip smiled “Because I was tired of people like him selling pictures and stories to the media where they will slander everything that I have worked for so hard in my 10 years of stardom. It can disappear with one false move and maybe hitting that guy was not the best idea. But I did not want him to pass along the story that you and I lied about our relationship.”
She finally understood what he was thinking. Amy sat up right and turned to him with a smile “Whatever story they write, it’s all fake. Only you and I know the truth, shouldn’t that matter the most? Who cares what they have to say, we know they’re all lies.”
He stroked her hair affectionately “I know, I use to think that. But when you come to a point in your life where you’re just sick of it….it’s hard to rethink that idea.”
“How about I remind you when you feel like you’re forgetting?” she suggested.
Philip nodded “But that means, you have to be by my side everyday for the rest of my life.”
“It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it.” Amy let out a long sigh of exaggeration making Philip laugh. The two returned to the car as he drove her home.