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X is a woman living in New York who has been involved in the performing arts for a long time. She has designed sets and costumes for many Broadway productions and has also worked as the lead designer in some films. Her phone rings. It’s Ryan, a friend she’s been discussing Deadpool & Wolverine with and has already started working on with her team. Ryan says he wants to introduce her to the entire cast over dinner before the read-throughs begin. X gladly accepts, and they set a date.
When the time comes, she arrives at a dimly lit fine-dining restaurant not too far from her place. Ryan is inside, chatting with a few team members who arrived early. As X spots Hugh Jackman standing next to Ryan, she thinks to herself, "So, the moment has come." Normally accustomed to working with celebrities and not feeling overly excited, X feels different this time. Hugh, who had portrayed her ideal man in the childhood movie Kate & Leopold, always manages to spark a flutter in her, no matter where she sees him. "Is this really the time to fangirl?" she wonders, pulling herself together before her excitement turns into anxiety.
As she enters, she is welcomed by warm and sincere gazes, accompanied by soft, sweet music. Ryan greets her, saying,
"Ah yes, X, who made the whole script come to life, is here with us today," and they hug.
She shakes hands with the other team members one by one, and when it’s Hugh's turn, instead of offering a handshake, he opens his arms and says, "It’s great to see you because I recently watched one of your amazing plays on Broadway," and embraces her.
"The moment I heard your name from Ryan, I thought: 'Oh my God, I just watched one of her plays for the first time the other day and saw how amazing and meticulous her work is.' What a wonderful coincidence that we're on the same team. And now, here you are, it is fantastic."
His warm smile and words made X blush. Luckily, the lights were dim, giving her the freedom to blush as much as a tomato. This was one of X’s challenging traits. While there was no harm in being unable to control it, it often emerged as an enemy when she needed to hold it back.
In response, X expressed her gratitude, adding, "I’d like to say that I've watched many of your projects, but it was hardly possible for me not to," and chuckled. After a bit more conversation, they all took their seats at the table. Despite some of the cast members not being able to attend, it was still a relatively crowded table.
Hugh was seated directly across from X. They placed their orders, and since Hugh had also performed on Broadway, they started gossiping about Broadway for a while. The conversation flowed naturally, as if they had known each other for a long time, with playful banter and, at times, whispered jokes. Ryan was sitting right next to Hugh and kept joining in, making jokes and poking fun at himself and them about not being a "show person."
Soon, their meals arrived. During dinner, the atmosphere became a bit quieter, but they continued talking about both the set and the food, rounding off the night nicely. As everyone was saying their goodbyes, Hugh looked at X and said, "It was nice to gossip about the industry and escape reality for a bit. Thank you. Looks like we’re going to have a fun set," and hugged her. In Hugh’s arms, X felt small yet safe. Even if it was just for a moment, she found the feeling pleasant.
They parted ways in different directions. Since Ryan’s car was nearby, he and X started walking together. X mentioned what a wonderful night it had been and thanked Ryan for the invitation. Ryan said he was pleased with how well the team got along. As X was saying goodbye to Hugh, one of his words lingered in her mind. Since Ryan was Hugh’s close friend, she thought it wouldn’t hurt to ask him, even indirectly.
“When Hugh was saying goodbye, he mentioned being happy to escape reality for a bit. Is there something going on in his life? He seemed happy all night, but his words made me wonder,” she asked.
Ryan explained that Hugh was going through a divorce and had been isolating himself recently.
“Even as his close friend, he doesn't share much with me, but from what I’ve observed, he’s struggling with his emotions. Hugh is a sensitive man, and I think he’s having a hard time turning a new page and finding someone compatible with him. He seems stuck on the idea of everything developing naturally. When I saw you two smiling together, I thought you were good for each other,” he said, nudging X with his elbow and raising his eyebrows.
X laughed and replied, “Oh, come on, Ryan. So now, besides being a producer, actor, writer, and director, you've also taken up matchmaking. Don’t forget to add that to your resume.”
“What’s wrong with that? You’re both good people and my close friends. I see a bright future for you.” Ryan teased, laughing.
X was taken aback, staring at Ryan with her mouth open. Of course, she secretly liked the idea, but she felt the same way as Hugh—everything had to unfold naturally. It was clear they could be friends, but she absolutely didn’t want to force anything further.
As they reached their cars, Ryan smiled and said, “I hope I didn’t push you too much.”
“No, it’s fine. But when we’re together, I don’t want to hear any hints about this, Ryan,” X replied.
Ryan laughed and, with a playful tone, said, “Sure, sure, I won’t say a thing,” before quickly whispering, “You’re both in trouble.”
They laughed and wished each other a good night. X said, “Please send my regards to Blake, and give the kids a hug from me—I miss them a lot.”
“If your schedule allows, we’d love to invite you for dinner,” Ryan chuckled.
“I always have time for you all. Goodnight,” X said as they parted ways.
As X drove home, she kept replaying the incredible night in her mind. It was comforting to realize that the image she had of Hugh from watching his first movie as a child wasn’t very different from the real person. It was a peculiar kind of comfort. Of course, people don’t truly portray themselves in films, but because he had left such a lasting impression on her, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of happiness. She had worked with many celebrities before and had seen how unpleasant some could be behind the scenes. But Hugh was different—polite, kind, and easy to talk to, with many shared interests. Thinking back to his embrace brought a warm feeling to her heart.
When she finally reached home and lay down in bed, she fell asleep quickly. This was unusual because her erratic sleep schedule, caused by her work, often made it hard for her to drift off. It was a peaceful night after a long while…