Aaron Taylor-Johnson let out a long sigh, reluctantly looking back at the set, his face full of disappointment and frustration. His shoulders slumped heavily.
Logan Lerman noticed this and couldn't understand it. Tilting his head, he carefully examined Aaron before cautiously asking, "Are you unhappy?"
Aaron shrugged slightly, not confirming nor denying.
Logan was puzzled. "But why?"
Aaron looked back at the set with lingering affection. "Today is the first day of filming, the only time all of us are here together. I thought I would have the chance to watch Anson perform up close. God, I've been waiting for this day for so long, but I didn't expect..."
They were kicked out.
Logan pursed his lips. "But Mom said they were filming a fairy fight. We're still too young to watch. We can see it when we get older."
Though Aaron was only two years older at twelve, certain realizations had quietly awakened within him. He knew what "fairy fight" really meant. But looking into Logan's innocent eyes, he couldn't find the words to explain it. After a moment of irritation, Aaron finally mumbled.
"That's not the reason. They need some privacy to perform. Look, it's not just us; the entire crew is outside."
The bedroom had been completely cleared—only the cameraman and a camera were left behind; everyone else had been asked to leave.
The so-called "privacy" wasn't anything scandalous; both actors were thoroughly protected with no risk of exposure, so there was nothing to worry about.
The real reason lay in the nature of the scene. The two actors needed their own space to drop their guard and let the chemistry develop. Otherwise, sweet words spoken under public scrutiny would lack a certain feeling.
Even the two directors had left the room.
In the end, only three people remained.
If the cameraman didn't have to operate the camera, he would have likely left too.
To Aaron, this was undoubtedly disappointing news. But Heath wasn't worried; if he couldn't watch up close, standing behind the monitor with the directors was just as good.
Layer after layer, a sea of people gathered behind Mackie and Eric.
Even a small detail like this made it clear—from "The Elephant" to "The Butterfly Effect," Anson was now just as much a focal point within the crew.
Anson, Rachel—both needed to focus on their performances, free from distractions.
Rachel was anxious. After all, she lacked acting experience, and starting with such an intimate scene was a challenge.
However, things didn't turn out as expected.
Before Rachel even realized it, she was already quietly falling under his spell, wholeheartedly gazing into Anson's eyes, completely immersed.
One word after another slipped out before her brain could even catch up.
"Wow, this is amazing."
"Oh, God..."
Keller raised her hand, gently stroking Evan's head. Evan buried his face in her shoulder, his breath hot against her skin, causing a slight tickling sensation as if a butterfly were flapping its wings. The warmth and intensity made her body tremble slightly.
It was pure pleasure and a shiver.
Keller's fingers ran through Evan's hair, feeling the moisture and warmth with her fingertips.
"Where did you learn that new trick?"
Evan immediately became alert—had he exposed himself? Was he not the Evan of this timeline?
Evan sat up slightly, staring nervously at Keller, his breathing a bit rapid.
"What's wrong?"
"Was it... weird? It wasn't, right?"
Hesitation, uncertainty, self-doubt.
However, this shyness appeared especially endearing in Keller's eyes, and her smile bloomed without reservation. "Yes, if you think multiple orgasms are weird."
She couldn't help but laugh softly as she finished, her fingers playing with Evan's hair, her pupils filled with happiness as she traced the outline of the person before her with her gaze.
Hair, forehead, nose, eyes.
So close, yet she couldn't get enough. Drunk on happiness, her fingers slipped down, lightly brushing Evan's cheek, feeling the warmth, almost burning her fingertips, which she instinctively curled in.
But Evan raised his cheek, rubbing it against her hand, a tender affection binding them together.
Keller lightly bit her lower lip, her eyes tracing Evan's brows, nose, and lips.
Suddenly.
Evan lunged forward, instantly closing the distance between them, forehead to forehead, feeling each other's warmth skin to skin.
Whoosh.
Her heart soared, almost exploding. Before she could react, their fingers intertwined, ten fingers locked together, and happiness burst one bubble after another in her chest.
At that moment, she saw the care and love in his eyes, following her every move, not even blinking.
And then.
She was lost.
This scene made Mackie and Eric, watching from the monitor, hold their breath. Even without directorial experience, without knowing anything about framing, camera angles, or shot composition, they could still feel the overwhelming chemistry radiating from the screen, so intense it felt like the air might ignite.
Wait, what was going on?
Weren't they supposed to be inexperienced? Weren't they unsure themselves? Wasn't this supposed to be a test run? Weren't there supposed to be no guarantees?
But?
The sparks in the air made everyone's mouths dry. Even without any intense movements or much physical contact, the burning emotions were palpable, leaving everyone parched.
Is this really okay?
Mackie and Eric, lacking experience, were entirely absorbed by the monitor, completely drawn in. These two nerds clearly hadn't witnessed such a heart-pounding scene in person before, entirely engrossed, completely forgetting everything else—
Fortunately, the crew still had professionals on hand, who didn't forget the next steps. Before the two actors became too deeply involved, they followed the script and dialed the phone.
Ring ring.
At that moment, the phone on the bedside table rang, breaking the atmosphere.
A jolt!
Keller and Evan were interrupted, and so were Mackie and Eric.
Behind the monitor, Heath noticed the two novice directors' panicked expressions—one crossed his legs to hide his reaction, while the other leaned forward completely, his eyes full of embarrassment—
As if they were the ones acting out the intimate scene on camera.
He wondered if they regretted choosing this scene to start with. It was a challenge for the two actors, but it was also a shock for the crew. The dry mouths on set made that clear enough.
No one was an exception.
However, Heath's attention only lingered briefly before returning to the monitor—
That's where the focus was.
And besides, they didn't feel the commotion outside the bedroom. The flow of the performance remained unbroken, fully immersed in the scene, and the filming continued.
His eyes couldn't leave the screen.