Hugo didn't get a call back from Charlize. The next day, he called again, and once more it was Tyra who answered the phone, saying Charlize had gone out for a meal. But this time, Tyra also passed along a message from Charlize, "She said she's fine, and you don't need to worry about her."
Hugo couldn't really make sense of that message. It sounded like a response to the message he had left, and it seemed to express Charlize's understanding of his abrupt departure, but there was something off about it. Still, Hugo couldn't tell if that sense of strangeness was real or just his own overthinking. However, knowing that Charlize had forgiven him still brought him a sense of relief.
Hugo couldn't deny that he had feelings for Charlize. He believed Charlize must have felt the same way; otherwise, they wouldn't have had so much follow-up development that night. So Hugo didn't want everything to be ruined because of an accident. Of course, how things would develop between them still depended on how things went next. Originally, Hugo had planned to ask Charlize out again, but the call from the "Scent of a Woman" film crew made him shift gears and start preparing for his first-ever shooting.
Although Joseph had only switched careers less than eighteen months ago, with the big tree that was International Creative Management backing him, he had progressed quickly in both networking and job adaptation. Within just two days of the "Scent of a Woman" audition results coming out, Joseph had completed all the signing processes, officially bringing Hugo on board as a member of the "Scent of a Woman" cast. Then, the very next day, the production team had Hugo heading to New York, as filming was about to begin.
This opportunity was one Hugo had fought for with everything he had. It was his best chance to break out of his current difficult situation, and he naturally didn't want to mess it up. What's more, he would be acting opposite Al Pacino—such a once-in-a-lifetime chance doesn't come often. So Hugo had to throw himself fully into the pre-shoot preparations. That didn't just mean costume fittings and photoshoots, but also character interpretation and acting rehearsal. As a result, Hugo had almost no time to rest over the past three days, let alone call Charlize again.
By the time everything was ready, Hugo still hadn't quite come back to his senses, and he and Joseph were already sitting on a flight bound for New York.
Joseph glanced to his right at Hugo, who looked slightly tense. He assumed Hugo was worried about the article in today's Los Angeles Times, so after thinking for a moment, he decided to offer some reassurance. "Don't worry. Once you're with the crew, just focus on doing your job well. What the papers say doesn't determine anything." Keeping his actor in a good mental state was part of a manager's responsibilities.
Hugo's eyes were drifting around unconsciously. Everything inside the airplane cabin felt unfamiliar to him—not because the plane's structure was anything special, but because of the deep blue patterned seat cushions and the flight attendants' uniforms: silk white shirts paired with bright red waistcoats, all oozing with the retro flavor of the 1990s. It was a bit much to take in.
Hearing Joseph's words pulled Hugo's attention back. He used a smile to mask his momentary distraction. "What? Did the paper say something again?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Hugo realized he'd messed up. "Oh, you mean the Los Angeles Times. I only saw the headline this morning, didn't read the full article. Was there something bad?"
Today's Los Angeles Times had Woody Allen's scandal with his adoptive daughter on the front page. On page 23, there was a report about Hugo officially signing with the Scent of a Woman production. The article's title was "The Wrong Choice," clearly expressing disapproval of the crew's final decision. And it wasn't just the Los Angeles Times—most authoritative media outlets held a negative attitude toward Hugo's casting, a sign that the Golden Raspberry aftermath was still haunting his acting career.
Joseph realized Hugo had just been zoning out earlier, not actually nervous. He couldn't help twitching the corner of his mouth. "It's nothing, don't worry about it."
Hugo picked up the Los Angeles Times from his knees it was something he had grabbed casually when boarding and flipped through it while continuing, "The reporter who wrote today's article is the same guy from before, right? Does he have any ties to our company? Why is it that every time there's a report, it's always him?"
"You mean Nicholas? If he had ties to us, he wouldn't be picking on you every chance he gets." Joseph had some knowledge about these reporters and where their stories came from—that was part of his job. If there were particularly damaging negative press, he had to be the one contacting reporters to minimize the impact or even get stories pulled.
This kind of work was typically handled by a publicist, a professional role. But Hugo was still a newcomer and hadn't yet reached the level where he'd be assigned a publicist. So for now, Joseph was taking care of everything himself.
The reporter Hugo mentioned was named Nicholas McCallum, a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times. He had written the follow-up reports after the Golden Raspberry Awards and had also signed off on the report about Hugo's failed audition for A River Runs Through It. It was clear he had no good impression of Hugo—every article of his was dripping with sarcasm. This time was no different. Nicholas clearly didn't believe in Hugo's prospects with Scent of a Woman, and he even voiced concerns about the film as a whole.
"I was starting to think I stole his girlfriend or something. No wonder he keeps going after me," Hugo joked with a slight smile, then turned his eyes to the newspaper in his hand. But after flipping through it for a while, he still couldn't find the article titled "The Wrong Choice," and something just didn't feel right about the paper—it seemed he was just flipping through it aimlessly.
Just as Hugo was pondering this, Joseph beside him coldly said, "You're holding it upside down."
Oops. Hugo froze mid-motion. So that's what it was—no wonder the bolded titles and picture layouts seemed so weird. He chuckled lightly to hide his embarrassment and then casually flipped the paper right-side up. It instantly looked much more normal. This kind of absent-mindedness had always been one of Hugo's quirks. Fortunately, it only showed in minor details—he never slacked off when it came to the big picture, otherwise, it would've been real trouble.
Just as Hugo was reading "The Wrong Choice," the plane was preparing for takeoff. Today was their departure day from Los Angeles to New York, since most of Scent of a Woman would be filmed in New York. Some additional scenes would also be shot in nearby New Jersey and Boston. As the plane began taxiing, Hugo shifted his gaze from the paper to the scenery outside the window.
Watching the City of Angels shrink in the distance, the colors outside faded from bold and vivid to clear and serene, finally settling into a pure shade of blue. It was like a drop of ink falling into clear water—starting dark, then slowly spreading into something breathtakingly beautiful.
From Los Angeles to New York was a trip that spanned the entire United States, lasting over five hours. From the West Coast to the East Coast, one could experience starkly different regional vibes. But it was also a long journey—long enough for people to feel the extreme contrasts between two cities in the same season. Though it was still January and winter blanketed the entire Northern Hemisphere, the West Coast's bright sunshine easily made people forget the chill of the season. This time, however, the East Coast welcomed Hugo with heavy rain, clearly reminding him that though they were in the same country, the West and East Coasts were worlds apart.
When the plane landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport, the view beyond the window was completely blurred by the curtain of rain. All that could be seen was mist. The ground temperature was thirty-five degrees Fahrenheit (two degrees Celsius), which made Hugo start missing Los Angeles's sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit (eighteen degrees Celsius) sunshine even before he got off the plane.
Out of nowhere, a wave of nervousness washed over Hugo. His thoughts were so tangled that he had to force his focus on the streaks of rain outside. The wintry chill mixed with the rain beat down hard on the pavement, splashing droplets all over. In truth, it wasn't the idea of working with Al Pacino that had Hugo's heart racing—it was the upcoming shoot itself.
Cold feet upon arrival—that was probably the best way to describe it. He had always dreamed of standing confidently in front of the camera and acting with dignity. But now that the chance was finally here, anxiety was taking over. He worried he'd mess it up, worried he'd ruin the opportunity, and worried that he'd lower the quality of the masterpiece that was Scent of a Woman…
"You can do it, you can do it, you can do it…" On the taxi ride from the airport, Hugo had no interest in admiring the world's largest city. His eyes were fixed on the rain outside, but they lacked any real focus. He kept repeating those words to himself, like a mantra. He had to believe in his own strength, and in his persistence and dedication. Only then could he find a calm corner within his nerves and properly prepare for the shoot ahead.
"We're here." Joseph's voice broke through Hugo's racing thoughts. Hugo turned to look out the left side of the taxi, and saw a doorman in a long trench coat walking over with an umbrella. He opened the door and raised the umbrella above it. Hugo stepped out, completely enveloped under its canopy. The rain surrounding them shut out the city, and Hugo curled up within this small world formed by the umbrella.
When they reached the hotel entrance, the doorman folded up the umbrella, and the cover above his head disappeared. Looking back, New York's towering skyscrapers came into view. The damp ground underfoot and the gusts of wind coming from all directions made Hugo acutely aware: Scent of a Woman crew, here I come.
....
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