funbook-pk Chapter 127 Hollywood Beika Town Branch
Chapter 127 Hollywood Beika Town Branch
"Bye-Bye--"
Waving at Rum's satisfied back from afar, Sharon looked up and gave a smug, crooked smile:
"Heh heh, how about that? In English terms, it's a piece of cake."
"A perfect performance."
Kuromon Haruya clapped lightly, his eyes reflecting direct appreciation: "You have easily demonstrated the key points I suggested for dealing with Rum."
The girl's initial shyness and caution, her shrewdness in revealing her usefulness, and her endearing fragility and intimacy—the transitions between these states are all remarkably smooth.
Poor Rum, being manipulated by a little girl, it's truly heartbreaking (laughs).
Gently ruffling Sharon's hair, he took the boy's hands and continued walking towards the building at the end of the block: "If you keep this up, a movie audition will definitely not be a problem."
He had received a message from his subordinates about Rum's arrival in Hollywood long ago, and this encounter was the result of a deliberate arrangement by Kuromon Haruya.
After a day of observation and adjustment, he was basically satisfied with the performance of "Sharon Vynyard".
'In that case, let's put on hold the arrangements to contact other Vermouth candidates for the time being.'
The idea of establishing a winery was initially just his own amusement.
The original owner was a wealthy man who pursued immortality, and the name of his subordinate, Kuroda Ran, was a homophone for "rum." The story also happened to take place in 1950s Japan.
—It would be such a waste not to build a branch of this winery!
...What, you're asking why Masuyama Kenzo wasn't mentioned?
Hei Men never even pronounced his real name properly in his past life. This traitor, you can just find anyone to match him with!
'However, those who can meet the criteria for Vermouth are far more rare, and Gin is even rarer.'
In Hollywood, this lost paradise, there are countless blonde, blue-eyed, and stunningly beautiful actresses, but just as there are plenty of apples, there are also many who are all show and no substance.
Kuromon Haruya had planned to collaborate with several actresses with potential and clean backgrounds, investing funds to create his own "Vermouth," and had even signed a cooperation agreement with one of them. However, the birth of this native Sharon has disrupted the peace.
Her mother was American and her father was Italian. She was born into the Vineyard family, whose surname was related to alcohol, and had a deceased grandmother named Chris Vineyard.
They are simply a perfect candidate sent from heaven.
However, due to her Catholic family background, Sharon is not very accepting of the organization's daily routines such as murder and arson. To prevent her from resisting, Kuromon Haruya has always presented himself as a multinational businessman.
Whether she can live up to the code name "Vermouth" remains to be seen, but there's no need to rush into it. It's not too late to gradually distort her values after they've developed feelings for each other.
A huge neon sign, gleaming with dazzling light, flashed overhead. A number of stylishly dressed film and television industry personnel had already gathered in front of the Winston Building. From a distance, one could see a child star stepping out of a luxury car parked on the side of the road and entering the building under the guidance of his agent.
As her temporary manager, Kuromon Haruya lowered his head and carefully examined her facial micro-expressions: "Sharon, how are you feeling now? Are you nervous?"
She instinctively clenched her fists, but quickly recovered, casually brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I'm not nervous at all. I'm more concerned about whether the role I'm auditioning for suits my taste. I'm really curious about what kind of movie it is!"
It seems to be a horror film similar to Orphan or The Shining, Haruya Kuromon recalled the information revealed by industry insiders.
"I heard that the director of this shoot is keeping the audition details a closely guarded secret in order to select the most suitable actors for the roles, and will only tell you the results on the spot. Don't worry if you're not selected, I'll treat you to Flaming Snow Mountain Cake at a French restaurant tonight!"
Cake! Vermouth swallowed hard, her sapphire-like eyes darting around as a brilliant idea popped into her head.
Kuromon Haruya knew all too well about her lazy nature, and added, "But if you abstain or deliberately fail to be selected, it will be invalid."
"All right--"
...
"what!!!!!"
Before even stepping into the interview room, a blood-curdling scream escaped from under the door, sending chills down one's spine.
Pretending not to notice the sudden pallor of her smile, Kuromon Haruya chuckled and commented:
"It seems like this is a script that tests emotional outbursts. Sharon, if you were to sing in the realm of high pitch, you would be like a nightingale, and your screams would be much more beautiful than hers."
Let's skip this kind of comparison!
Sharon's pupils trembled slightly. He gritted his teeth and slowly pushed open the door under the encouraging gaze of Kurokawa Haruya.
In the dimly lit audition room, the stage, illuminated by a few spotlights, became the sole focus. In the shadows after the lights were turned off, the audience seats were filled with blurry figures—child stars who had already auditioned and their teams, vying for a place in this special film project.
Unable to see the passageway clearly, Sharon followed the boss's lead and focused on examining the details revealed in the previous scene.
On stage, a helpless little girl was slumped on the ground, covering her eyes and crying. She could only barely get off the stage with the help of her agent.
On the white curtain behind her, several streaks of blood, almost dark red, remained, splattered in a spray pattern, suggesting they weren't from recent filming. In the silence, perhaps at the crew's request, no one whispered, which made Sharon feel a growing sense of unease.
"Next... Sharon Vineyard of Hogwarts."
"I'm here."
Noticing Sharon raising his hand in response, the staff member in charge of greeting him at the door immediately stepped forward. Just as they were about to welcome the beautiful young actress, a black glove stopped them in their tracks.
"Just a moment please."
Sharon politely asked the staff for instructions, almost expecting the boss to give her some guidance or hints, but to her surprise, Kuromon Haruya simply squatted down and gave her a warm and gentle hug.
Her words, unadorned and simple, brushed past her ear, enveloping her with a reassuring warmth that dispelled the chill of winter and the cold atmosphere of the scene.
"Keep going. No matter the outcome, you'll always be my pride, and I'll be watching over you from the sidelines."
After giving his instructions, Kuromon Haruya, led by the staff, watched the stunned Sharon leave and waved to her.
The director, sitting at the very front, didn't miss this detail. He gave a disgruntled snort and grumbled to his assistant:
"How was this casting process conducted? They were unprepared, and they even dared to bring in actors they'd never even seen before!"
Looking around warily, the assistant lowered his voice and reminded him, "Director, this is the child actor you promised to consider."
"I made a promise before, but I don't remember having any dealings with any 'Hot Pot I Eat' company?"
"At that time...it was indeed not this company."
A sudden shiver ran through him. The assistant loosened his tie, raised his right hand, and made the sign of the cross before managing to compose himself and continue answering.
"It was a promise you made three years ago to the chairman of the Malfoy Company, whom you met while researching in London."
"Three years ago, in London, Malfoy...?"
Sweep away the fog of memory, and the "good old days" filled with murder, bloodshed, sin, love, and hate resurface.
The director was startled and sat up straight, looking towards the back row—the young man representing that man was sitting directly behind him, silently watching him.
Without a word, the director turned around, pulled his assistant closer, and whispered four letters in his ear: "Fxxk".