Entertainment: Starting as a Succubus, Taking Hollywood by Storm

Time marched into September.

Both The Bourne Identity and Spider-Man had concluded their theatrical runs, achieving stellar results.

The Bourne Identity: Domestic box office of $342 million, global box office of $491 million. Its overseas performance lagged behind its domestic success.Spider-Man: Domestic box office of $412 million, global box office of $935 million, with both domestic and overseas sales being explosive.

Spider-Man temporarily claimed the title of the highest-grossing film of 2002 (The Lord of the Rings was considered a 2001 film as it was released in December 2001).

However, the "temporary" tag was significant because Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, still in theaters, was expected to surpass it. Additionally, December's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was predicted to make a strong showing.

In fact, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone had already grossed over $400 million domestically and still had a month of theatrical release left.

Meanwhile, another big event loomed in September:

Martin turned sixteen.

In the U.S., sixteen is an important milestone—old enough to apply for a driver's license and, in many respects, be considered an adult by law.

On September 2, Grant and Linda Myers hosted a grand Sweet Sixteen party for their son at the Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.

"Welcome to ABC News' hourly program. We bring you an exclusive story from Hollywood."

"This evening, Grant and Linda Myers will host a coming-of-age party for their son—the American genius—Martin Myers. Hollywood executives, producers, directors, stars, as well as numerous bankers and financiers, have all gathered at the Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills to witness this genius stepping into adulthood."

"Notable political figures such as senior Washington advisor Robert Putnam, White House media liaison Chervanton, and the leaders of both the Democratic and Republican parties have reportedly attended the event as well."

"Additionally, the President of the Motion Picture Association of America, Mike Valenti, has been spotted and will deliver the opening speech at Martin's Sweet Sixteen."

"The official celebration will begin in one hour, and ABC News has secured the exclusive rights to live broadcast this event…"

(ABC reportedly spent $2 million to secure the exclusive broadcast rights, outbidding competitors.)

At the hotel's red carpet entrance, the atmosphere rivaled that of the Oscars.

Male stars like Bruce Willis, Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, and Leonardo DiCaprio mingled and laughed.

Female stars, including Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Jessica Alba, Scarlett Johansson, and Drew Barrymore, dazzled the crowd.

Visionary directors George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, and Peter Jackson were also in attendance.

Even the Harry Potter trio, fresh off their U.S. press tour, were invited.

"Wow, so many celebrities!" exclaimed Rupert Grint, wide-eyed and amazed as they entered the grand garden at the back of the hotel.

Emma Watson gave him a disdainful slap. "Don't embarrass us! We're celebrities too! Why else would Martin invite us?"

Daniel Radcliffe straightened his small suit with a proud grin, trying to embody the demeanor of a celebrity.

Just then, Martin's warm voice came from behind them, "I didn't invite you because you're celebrities—I invited you because you're my friends."

"Martin!"

At the sound of Martin's voice, Emma Watson immediately forgot her companions and lunged toward him.

Startled, Martin instinctively caught her. "Whoa, whoa, take it easy!"

Rupert Grint muttered under his breath, "Sheesh, and she called me embarrassing. This is way worse."

Burying her face in Martin's chest, Emma Watson smiled mischievously. "Harry's advice worked like a charm! Now I have a story to boast about—I got hugged by Martin, hehe!"

During the filming of Harry Potter, Prince Harry frequently dropped by the set, claiming he wanted to ensure the film based on his namesake wasn't botched.

Though his visits were often disruptive to the production, Harry had bonded with the trio, frequently giving them wild advice—like the one Emma had clearly taken to heart.

"Martin smells amazing," Emma thought dreamily, clinging to him longer than necessary, her emotions swirling with newfound affection.

At 12 years old, Emma was just beginning to experience the stirrings of a first crush. Meeting someone like Martin at such a pivotal time in her life could be both a blessing and a curse.

A blessing, because she had formed a close friendship with him—a dream for any young Hollywood actor.

A curse, because Martin's excellence had set her romantic expectations impossibly high for the future.

Meanwhile, Martin was caught off guard by Emma's strong emotions. He hadn't used any magic to influence her feelings, yet her affection was so intense.

But now, he decided not to let it go to waste.

A faint trace of magic seeped from Martin into Emma, subtly deepening her feelings. It wasn't enough to plant a "love seed," but it was the beginning of a gradual transformation.

"Emma, from now on, I'll make sure you never turn into the insufferable person you became in the original timeline," Martin thought to himself.

Emma felt her heart swell with even stronger attachment to Martin. She didn't understand why, but she wanted to stay close to him and trust him completely.

"Martin…" she whispered, almost unconsciously.

"How long do you think she'll hold on?" Rupert Grint grumbled with a pout.

"I don't think she's letting go anytime soon," Daniel Radcliffe replied with a shrug, equally displeased.

"Martin's not just hers. I want a hug too!"

"Well, too late now. Should've been quicker."

"Ugh, this sucks. I should've reacted faster."

It turns out, the saying was true: At 12, girls are dreaming of romance, while boys are still just playing in the dirt!