Main Characters in the Story:

*Kim So Hyun as "Athena" Myung-hee Park

*Jake T. Austin as Michael De Soto

Minor Characters in the Story:

*Robert Downey, Jr. as Himself

*Gwyneth Paltrow as Herself

Chapter VII: The Thought Didn't Even Occur To Me.

~o~

.

.

~o~

I thank the city bus driver and get off at my stop. I pat my pocket to make sure I didn't leave anything. Then, as the city bus roars and passes, I walk across the street to the movie theatre where Iron Man 3 awaits me. Jebal, gijeog-eulo Robert Downey, Jr. ga geogieissgehasibsio. gaemag il-iya. {Please, by some miracle, let Robert Downey, Jr. be there. It's opening day.} Jebal ...I bimil sowon-iissneun yuilhan salam-ibnikka? {Please… Am I the only one with this secret wish?} I check the time on my phone. Ten minutes before the movie starts. Perfect. I jog to the entrance of the theatre and reach for the door. Instead of the door, I accidentally grab someone's hand instead. I retract quickly, instantly blushing. "Sorry, I-"

When I look up, the brown-eyed, black-haired Michael kid is smiling at me, seeming to be happy to see me. "Hello, again." He says.

I smile again. This town is too damn small. "Hey. We meet again."

He nods his head. "Yeah, I'm just here to see a movie."

I raise an eyebrow. "Yeah, that's usually what you do at a movie theatre."

He blushes and laughs nervously. "Yeah. Obviously." He pulls the glass door and steps aside. "You first."

"Thanks." I walk past him and into the theatre. The cool air I was anticipating doesn't hit me, which is strange. This theatre is always cold, no matter what. Why not today? But when I look around, I estimate there's about a hundred people in this theatre, maybe more. I look around at a ton of patiently waiting citizens. Waiting for what? I'm not sure. But they all seem to have… pictures, and other merchandises from what I'm assuming to be the Iron Man franchise. "What's going on?"

"Didn't you hear? Robert Downey, Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow are here for the opening day of Iron Man 3."

Geuge eottaeyo? Gijeog-i jonjaehabnida. {Well, how about that? Miracles exist.}

"It's the first time they've been in Stamford, I hear. I assume the news got around fast, considering it was only announced on twitter yesterday." Michael holds up a piece of white paper with a movie ticket printed on it. "I'm just here for the movie. What are you here to see?"

I pull out a folded piece of white paper and unfolded it to show him the movie ticket printed on it. "I'm just here for the movie."

He raises his eyebrows. "Same movie. Huh. I wouldn't have pegged you to be the Marvel movie type."

I scoff softly. "Are you kidding me? It's the freaking best. I would never pass up a Marvel movie premiere."

"I see. What's your favorite one?"

I take a moment to think about it. But then I realize that's useless. I know there's one movie out there that wins hands-down. "The Avengers. To see all of those great superheroes combined to battle one fantastic God of Mischief is absolutely epic."

"I agree. The graphics were amazing, and the fact that they made the Thor-Loki relationship not the center, but the clearest reason for the destruction of the city and attempt to take over Midgard is very creative."

I stare at him in disbelief. He just spoke my language (well, not my native language). Fluently, unbelievably fluently. "Dude," I say, as serious as the moment allows. "Where were you, like, four years ago? I needed someone to seriously talk like that with me."

He laughs. "I was at my old home. If I had known you existed, I would've arrived earlier."

I shake my head and move through the crowd. I study a good number of them, determining which ones are here for the autograph and which ones are here to sell it later. Some faces I recognize from school, some faces recognize me from around town, and the rest are still complete strangers to me. It's as if I'm walking forever until I finally make it to the ticket lady. I try to ignore Michael, who's walking beside me. I was hoping to be alone at this movie.

"Hey!"

I thank the lady as she rips my ticket down the peripherated line and hands me my ticket. She tells me which theatre to go to, but there's really no point in doing so. The words "IRON MAN 3 – 3D" are in a big red letters on the first theatre sign on the right.

"Hello. Athena."

I'm putting my half of the ticket away when I suddenly hear the sound of my name. That voice… it can't be. I know that voice all too well, that very famous voice. I hold my breath, hoping my mind is merely playing tricks on me. Naneun igeos-eul daebihaji moshaessda. Naneun igeos-eul wonhaji anhneunda. jebal chaggaghagehasibsio. {I'm not prepared for this. I don't want this. Please let me be mistaken.} I slowly turn around, speedily preparing myself for who might be calling my attention.

Robert Downey Jr. is walking in my direction, Gwyneth Paltrow following behind him. I look at Michael as if he will give me some sort of explanation.

He looks at me, just as confused as I am. He points at me, then Robert Downey Jr. then back at me. "How do you know Robert Downey, Jr.?"

I nod my head very slowly and subtly. "I don't."

More confusion. "How does he know your name?"

"I haven't had the slightest idea?"

There's a tap on my shoulder, and someone clears their throat for my attention. "I know you're Athena and I also know your other name is Myung-hee. Don't think about trying to deny it."

I slowly turned my head to face… Robert… Downey… Jr. "The thought didn't even occur to me." I shut my mouth, trying to put things together here. I open it to say something else, but I am not sure what words would want to come out of my mouth. I scratch my head with my index finger for a clue. I guess I should start with the obvious question. "I'm sorry. How do you know both of my names?" I ask him.

"Tom." He says so calmly, as if I should know who's talking about (which I most definitely do).

I try my best to keep myself calm, forcing back to the string of questions that want to come pouring out. "Tom. I hope we're thinking about the same Tom here."

"I know we're talking about the same Tom." He shrugs. "Unless you know another Tom Hiddleston."

I close my eyes and let out a quiet, heavy sigh. I wait for Michael to say something on the subject.

"You know Tom Hiddleston too? Man, you've got connections."

I shrug and nod my head nervously. "For a brief time. I helped him out around town. We bumped into each other a few times."

"That's not the story I've heard."

I glare at him, at Robert Downey, freaking Jr., who clearly must be trying to ruin my life here. I then look at Michael as normally as possible. "You can go on to the theatre. I don't want you to be late to the movie. I think I will be out here for a while."

When I look back at Robert, his smiling kindly at Michael, like innocent (ha!) child.

Michael just shrugs. "Alright. I'll meet you there." He stretches his hand out for a handshake. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Downey, sir. By the way, extremely huge fan. You as Iron Man: the best choice ever made."

"Thank you, man. I appreciate that. I promise I won't hold her here for long."

Once Michael is gone, I turn back to Robert. "Okay, how do you know, and why are you trying to ruin my quiet life?"

"I'm sorry for that. I was just messing around. I knew he wouldn't be able to figure it out. Who else is going to expect," he quiets his voice so no one will hear, "Tom Hiddleston's girlfriend who is a teenage girl, still in high school?" He raises his eyebrows at me. "Not to mention, a very cute one. I didn't know Tom was fond of Dolls. Are you sure you're not a real life human doll? Cuz if you are, he sure does know how to pick one."

I roll my eyes and ignore his compliment about me being cute and a doll. "So what did you want to tell me? I'm weird? He's crazy for dating me? We're both out of our minds? He could do better?"

He thinks about that. "None of that, actually. What I wanted to say was much more positive than that. I actually wanted to thank you."

His words surprise me a bit. I stare at him, unsure how to respond. My lack of words makes for a very awkward silence.

"Tom was looking a little depressed after Susannah left." Gwenyth Paltrow jumps in. "He just couldn't find anyone else, and he was falling apart behind the camera. He was on the edge of giving up, and he was going to hide out here in Stamford. Then we hear that he met someone and the things he said about her—well, you. It surprised us all, really. We didn't think he would be describing someone better than Susannah."

"You saved my friend… sort of. I guess that makes you my friend, as well." Robert smiled.

I nod. "Okay. Your welcome, I guess." I didn't have anything else to say, but I can't stop thinking about how much their message meant to me. I couldn't have saved Tom. He seemed together, so okay. I never would have thought he, of all people, was having problems on finding a new girlfriend. So how did I come to be the one for him?

"Yeah, I see this is getting awkward for you. I understand. That's it for now… you want an autograph or something?"

I look down at my shirt. It's an Iron Man 'chibi' shirt written underneath billionaire, of course. Luckily, since it was an iron-on (no pun intended), the shirt is stark-white (pun totally intended) "My shirt, if you please." Nae singyeong-i ttam-eul heulliji anh-eumyeon. {If my nervousness isn't sweating through it.}

"Sure thing." He takes a black Sharpie from Gwyneth and pulls off the cap. "What's your name again? No, I'm kidding, don't answer that." He turns me sideways and scribbles his signature with speed right down the shoulder. It's takes a little longer than it should, I notice, because his name doesn't take long to write. "Alright, there you go." He hands the pen to Gwyneth, who scribbles her name on other shoulder.

As she was writing, I decided to continue this conversation just a little while longer. "You didn't tell me how you found out."

He smiles. "You remember when he called you, and your overly-excited friend got to have a conversation with him?"

I nod my head yes.

"Yeah, well, he forgot I was in the bathroom because my phone call took too long. I came out, saw your face and name on his phone while he was calling you, and I heard the entire thing. I guess you could say he was found in the same situation as you were with your little friend."

"Can you stop referring to us as children? We're teens, not toddlers."

"Yeah, no. Not happening. But I do want give you a name, though." He looks me up and down, deciding on a stupid nickname for me. It takes him a couple of minutes, but he finally has one. "Little Myu-Myu."

"You're not the first person who called me by that name. But again with the little."

"Does it annoy you?"

"Yes."

"That's exactly why I put in there."

"Gwyneth lightly smacks him in the back of his head. "You're being so mean to her. Let's go."

"Alright. It was nice to meet you." He says. He nods his head goodbye and departs.

I take a moment to think about what just happened. Robert Downey, Jr. neun algo issseubnida. Marilyn neun algo issseubnida. Gwyneth Paltrow neun algo issseubnida. {Robert Downey, Jr. knows. Marilyn knows. Gwyneth Paltrow knows.}

Tabeulloideuneun jal algo issseubnida. Robert Downey, Jr. ije jeoleul chingulo saeng-gaghabnida ... {The tabloids sort-of knows. Robert Downey, Jr. now considers me as a friend…} geulsse, aieon maen jasingwaui isangjeog-in cheos mannam-i anibnida. {well, not my ideal first meeting with the Iron Man himself.}

I check the time on my phone. "Two minutes." I turn around and jog to the theatre. I hurry in and look around for Michael. The lights have been dimmed as the trailers for the upcoming movies play on the giant screen in the front.

"Over here!" Someone whispers loudly.

I squint my eyes, and find Michael sitting all the way in the back, waving for my attention. I hurry to the back row and slide into a seat right in the center so I can see the movie perfectly. "I'm sorry if I took too long."

"No worries. What was he talking to you about, anyway?"

I shrug, choosing the right words. "Old friends, old arrangements. Nothing important."

"Ah. Well, you just missed the trailer for Star Trek Into Darkness. It looks pretty epic to me, and Benedict Cumberbatch plays the villain… I hope you know who I'm talking about. Do you watch BBC?"

"Of course. It's better than American television. That's for sure."

"Name your favorite show."

"How about you tell it first. Let me know something about you."

"Fine. We'll say it together." He counts silently to three on his fingers.

Once the three are up, we both whisper our favorite show simultaneously. "Doctor Who." We both say. We both look at each other in shock.

"You have good tastes." He says to me.

"You do too." I reply.

When we look back at the screen, the light is darkening. The trailers come to an end. And the movie finally begins.