Chapter 26.

Waking up Ian stretched but his hand felt the presence of someone. In reality, he punched the person beside him who was covered in his sheet entirely. He jumped back a little and then got closer hearing small snores.

Tugging on the sheet, it came off and revealed a blonde who looked messier than ever. Her lipstick was smudged everywhere, and eyeliner and make-up were so out of place. Yet, she looked peaceful in sleep. Regardless of how messy the make-up has become, her facial features were pretty. Long eyelashes, plump lips and a small nose looked perfect on her small face.

Snapping to reality he looked around and realized that he wasn't in his mansion. Instead, it looked like a hotel, which it was. Without trying to make any noise, Ian got off the bed and walked to the bathroom.

A slight headache annoyed him for several minutes under the shower, but the incidents from last night flashed one by one in his brain. The pretty blonde seduced Ian successfully and they ended up here. After Ian revealed who he was, she was more than excited and tried much harder to get laid with him.

It was blurry, yet Ian didn't want to be completely drunk yesterday in case John got it worse. So he didn't get wasted completely, and a small amount of sanity was left with him during the night. Which was why he remembered certain incidents. For example, how he helped John's driver to get him home. It was completely messy and rushed.

Getting out of the shower, he went to the room and saw the blonde sitting on the bed with her legs crossed, yet the sheets covered her naked body.

"Are you going already?" She asked in her silky voice. It was soothing to ears, Ian thought. He turned to look at her.

"I have a place where I should be within minutes." He said and gave her a smile while taking the clothes from the floor in different places where he left them.

"I can't believe I slept with Ian Renner! This is… just wonderful," She said and chuckled.

Ian walked closer to her and kissed her forehead whispering, "Last night was wonderful, too."

"You were drunk, completely," She said and smiled yet her eyes locked on his.

"Haha… I know but I'm sure it was wonderful, get back home safely," He said and started dressing up quickly. Saying goodbye to her, without wasting a second he went to his house to get fresh clothes.

-

[Renner's Studio]

"A lady who says she's an architect is here," Mason's assistant informed him.

"Send her in, please," He said while getting up.

A girl who must be in her late 20s came in with a bag hanging onto her left shoulder. She looked attractive with her long brown hair to her hips and a polite smile.

"Come in," Mason said politely and invited her in.

"Good morning, thank you for having me here,"

"You must be Miss. Madison?" He asked while she took a seat in front of him.

The office that Mason worked in didn't have much room for more than five people. It was a rectangular-shaped room, with small windows for ventilation, a wooden L-shaped office desk, and a few cupboards that took some space off of the office.

"Please call me Madison,"

"Was it easy to find your way here?" He questioned.

"Oh… Yes, GPS helped. Here's my portfolio, check if they're up to your standards," She said confidently.

"I already saw them through the website I contacted. But I wanted to first know if you have any signature style while doing the designs?"

"No, I specifically design according to what the client demands. We can talk through them today, and I can send some originals within two days,"

She said looking at him. She was a professionalist.

"Hmm… Will you be the one who is doing our design?" Mason questioned.

"Yes, I'm a sole proprietor. I do all my designs." She said and smiled. Mason nodded in understanding.

"Okay… So… Can I know what project management services you provide… Other than the design and blueprint?"

"Yes, sir. So, I will manage the project, help you hire a contractor, check their work when the job proceeds, Make design adjustments as the work progresses, review invoices to ensure that payments never get ahead of the work, and uhm… Obtain necessary lien waivers from all contractors so no one can make a claim against your property later."

"Hm… Good. I have made the right choice it seems,"

As soon as the words slipped his lips, she smiled knowing she was able to impress him. Client approval was the bare minimum she could aim for.

"Yes, we won't let you down, and in addition, we do provide three-dimensional drawings."

"Oh, that's great. Hmm… I think you would do the job perfectly. The reviews were so good, too. What about monetary details?"

"Oh, yes. I would take 15% of the total project cost. And it would be after we settle the entire project fee, you know… Getting measurements, the time that we will have to put in, and everything. For that, we'll have to schedule another meeting with the contractor, maybe tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure." Mason nodded while answering.

-

Ian straightaway went to the music studio which he had booked yesterday to work on something that can make him appear more valuable to the public with the release of 'La La Land'. But for the moment, he was kind of nervous about what he was going to do.

Walking in, he asked the short lady at the front desk if the piano and the guitar he asked is available, and after confirming that it is, he went inside.

Sitting in front of the piano, Ian tried to use his eidetic memory and memorize the chords. City of stars was the most impactful song which attracted so much love for the movie, La La Land.

In the film, the song is first sung by the male lead alone as the character of jazz pianist Sebastian as he sings and dances on the Hermosa Beach Pier. Later in the film, it is reprised by Sebastian and Mia during a montage of him getting ready to tour with Keith's band, as well as Mia quitting her job at a coffee shop and renting out a theater for her one-woman play.

"City of Stars" appears about halfway through the film and serves to establish the bond between the film's protagonists. La La Land's narrative hinges on whether its lovestruck Angelenos will choose each other over their respective ambitions. This central question — of whether head-over-heels romance can be reconciled with the individualistic drive needed to succeed in Hollywood — runs through the lyrics of "City of Stars".

Which was why Ian wanted to compose the songs himself, if possible. The movie without the original songs, and the jazz music would be nothing. And since it's an original, he didn't want the theme song and the songs in La La Land to be covered by someone who would not know the depth of the movie as he did.

While trying to put up with the notes he hears and sees through his library, he kept thinking on and on about why this song suited the movie so much.

In fact, "City of Stars" is the most pivotal song in the film. It intertwines the two themes of love and chasing your dreams so perfectly. It's beautiful, eerie, and memorizing. It begins with just four notes on the piano.

Ian felt what's so interesting in the song is that it is just four notes that have likely been used thousands of times in thousands of songs, but never in this way. The arrangement of these notes in "City Of Stars," somehow captures the feeling of La La Land in a way that simply can't be described. You really just have to listen. The four notes adjust slightly for the simple and eloquent lyrics that capture the story with just a few short sentences.

"City of Stars, are you shining just for me, City of stars there's so much that I can't see. Who knows, is this the start of something wonderful and new, or one more dream… that I cannot make true."

Ian hummed the lyrics and tried to composed the song yet he realised with the music and lyrics in "City of Stars," encapsulate the musical that is 'La La Land'.

After trying enough attempts from the piano, he shifted to the guitar. At first, it was hard for him to touch the strings since he hasn't played guitar for almost four years now. But after applying a little bit more pressure and getting the perfect tune for his ear, he started to remember the days he played guitar as a hobby when he went to college.

Smiling at the memory, he once again started playing 'City of stars'. He kept trying for hours and he knew he would be able to compose the song within a week with the help of someone he knew.

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