Chapter 64: The Tuxedo
Matilda and Jake stayed in Genovia for two weeks. Afterward, Mia needed to start college, so the three of them flew back to the States together.
What frustrated Jake the most was that he still hadn't been able to spend time with princess. Every time I tried , Matilda would appear, sometimes killing the mood with just a strategically-timed cough.
Mia, however, wasn't upset at all—she actually seemed amused by Jake's frustration, clearly enjoying his predicament. Jake really wanted to ask her, "Aren't you frustrated too?" Although with Matilda always lurking nearby, he had to restrain himself.
The only thing Jake didn't understand was how the relationship between the two girls had rapidly evolved from initial rivalry to close friendship.
Mia was empathetic—after hearing about Matilda's tragic backstory, she'd completely changed her attitude toward the girl, which Jake could understand.
He just didn't understand Matilda's angle. Wasn't she supposed to be competing with Mia?
Glancing at the two sitting next to him on the plane, whispering and giggling together, he felt like a complete third wheel.
But the outcome was positive—hopefully things would stay this peaceful when Katniss eventually entered the picture.
He'd somehow developed meaningful connections with three different girls, even though one of them was still just a kid. But so what if there were three?
...
A tuxedo—formal eveningwear traditionally worn by men for special occasions.
Its distinctive design features a short front with peaked or shawl lapels, and a long back with twin tails and center vent, originating from the coats worn by European carriage drivers in the 19th century.
Black remains the most classic color.
But what if a tuxedo possessed extraordinary abilities? What if wearing it could transform anyone into a suave secret agent like James Bond—wouldn't you be tempted?
Or better yet, what if it could make you a virtuoso singer or world-class dancer, effortlessly charming in any situation—wouldn't you want that?
What if someone who'd never even held a gun could suddenly handle firearms like a pro, withstand bullet impacts, and fight like a master martial artist? It's basically a gentleman's version of Iron Man's armor—wouldn't you be tempted?
Jake was definitely tempted. That's why he came.
Back in the Princess Diaries world, when Matilda learned that Jake was heading to another movie universe, she desperately wanted to come along. But he'd successfully put her off by promising to bring her on the next mission. The dangers in this particular world were no joke.
In the world of The Tuxedo...
Taxi driver Jimmy Tong stood outside an upscale art gallery, chatting with his buddy while sneaking glances at the beautiful woman inside. She was captivating, with the most radiant smile he'd ever seen.
"Steena, what a beautiful name," he muttered, staring like a lovesick puppy.
"Hello, I'm Jimmy Tong." He stood behind a pillar, secretly watching the gorgeous gallery attendant, imagining himself actually standing in front of her. "I was wondering if I might have the honor of taking you to lunch?" He twitched his nose, his expression filled with romantic longing.
"Oh, Jimmy, you're so adorable! Take me back to your place for some wild fun!" A deliberately high-pitched male voice startled Jimmy out of his fantasy.
Looking at his bearded African-American friend standing in front of him, Jimmy said irritably, "Dude, you're stressing me out again!"
"She's just a sales associate, man."
"That's your opinion!" Jimmy shot back. "To me... she's a goddess. I've been dreaming about her constantly, even before we met."
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" his friend shouted excitedly, startling Jimmy. "That's perfect! Go tell her that!"
Jimmy seemed briefly confident. "Listen," he pointed at his friend for emphasis, then cleared his throat.
"Hello, I'm Jimmy Tong. Every time I see you, I have wet dreams about you," Jimmy rehearsed. "Is that what you mean?"
"Uh...uh..." His friend paused awkwardly for two beats, then pressed Jimmy's shoulder to calm him down. "Just go in there and ask her to lunch. I'll coach you on some better pickup lines later." If Jimmy had actually used that opener, he'd be lucky to only get slapped.
"Come on, stop wasting time, get in there!"
Jimmy was pumped up, his face flushed with nervous excitement. Just as he turned toward the gallery entrance, his friend called out from behind, "And whatever you do, just don't say exactly what's on your mind!" Because nothing could be worse than what's actually on your mind, his friend thought.
Taking a deep breath, Jimmy pushed open the gallery's large glass door. He'd fantasized many times about opening this high-end establishment's entrance in some elegant way, but now it seemed that just pushing it open was the most practical approach.
Soft classical music played throughout the gallery. The walls and columns were pristine white, which helped showcase the artwork. White wasn't as eye-catching as other colors, allowing visitors to focus entirely on the paintings displayed.
Hiding awkwardly behind a column, Jimmy watched Steena earnestly explaining a piece to a customer, his heart racing even faster.
"I can do this, I can do this," he muttered under his breath, but couldn't bring himself to step out from behind the pillar.
Trembling, he took two deep breaths—the arrow was already nocked—and finally stepped out, his hands nervously wringing behind his back.
"Hi," he finally managed to greet the beautiful sales associate, clearly pleased and proud of this small victory.
"Hi there~" Steena responded pleasantly, showing no indication that she'd noticed someone watching her through the window every single day.
"Excuse me, could you give me just one moment?" Steena asked before Jimmy could continue, then walked away without waiting for his response.
As a gallery employee, Steena was expected to greet every visitor with warmth and professionalism.
However, she'd just closed a sale and needed to process the transaction first.
Jimmy, left standing awkwardly to the side, sighed in frustration. Suddenly, he felt a light tap on his shoulder.
Turning around, he saw a sharp-looking Asian-American man wearing a navy blue blazer over a dress shirt with the top two buttons casually undone, revealing an athletic build.
"Excuse me, sir... I don't think you're actually here for the art," the man said with a knowing smile.
"You got that right," Jimmy sighed with relief. He needed someone to talk to and blow off some nervous energy.
The man nodded. "Friend, you remind me a lot of someone I used to know—Jack Eagle."
"Sorry, I don't know any Jack... uh... Eagle..."
"No worries," the man shook his head at Jimmy. "At least seeing you reminded me of my friend, so that makes us friends too. And as a friend, I've got some advice for you..."
Jimmy couldn't help but lean in. "What advice?" This young guy seemed like he had his life together—money, confidence, probably a girlfriend. It couldn't hurt to hear what he had to say.
"Don't waste time hovering around here. Just walk over there," he gestured toward Steena, "and ask that beautiful lady out."
"You really think so?"
"Absolutely," the man nodded firmly. "A man needs to be decisive and take action. Hesitate too long and someone else will swoop in."
"Thanks, I'm going right now!" Jimmy shook hands with the man gratefully.
"Don't forget this," the man produced a red rose seemingly from nowhere and handed it to Jimmy.
"You just carry roses around with you?"
"Actually, if you hadn't already fallen for her, I might've been the one making a move," he raised an eyebrow, but his gaze toward Jimmy held no rivalry or hostility.
"Yeah," Jimmy smiled and nodded. "Thanks for the gentlemanly gesture. My name's Jimmy Tong."
"Good luck out there," the man returned Jimmy's smile. "You can call me Jake Lancelot."
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