Actor in Hollywood

Anson felt a slight sting in his nose—

He understood, completely. The pain of chasing a dream only to be forced to give it up because of life's pressures. The sleepless nights filled with regret and restlessness, staring out into the night through a window, searching for traces of the youth that had passed, only to find endless darkness, leaving nothing but bitterness in his mouth as he closed his eyes.

Until now, he had finally won a second chance at life, a second opportunity.

If this was a dream, then please wake him up only when he reached the end. He wanted to indulge one more time, to be foolish one more time, to be stubborn one more time.

But this time, he would face the journey with a smile.

Before him, the brilliance and energy of the crowd felt like blood boiling within his heart. It replaced his tears with a smile that bloomed freely across his face.

Then, Anson turned around, joining the audience in applause for Lily, Connor, and Miles, celebrating their courage and conviction.

Clap, clap, clap.

The applause grew louder, reverberating like a low rumble through the towering steel and concrete of the city, stirring the blood and making it impossible to hold back, releasing the most genuine and simple sound from deep within.

"Encore!"

One voice.

"Encore!"

Another voice.

It started with just one person, and at first, others were surprised. But then they realized it was exactly what they were all thinking.

So, the voices gathered, and in no time, it had swept across the entire crowd.

An encore? They were actually calling for an encore?

Anson was stunned.

For him, this was something entirely new. In his previous life, he had never performed on stage before. He wasn't even sure if his sporadic interest in music had any real potential to develop. Today, he was simply using his advanced understanding of trends to experiment with some bold ideas, centering the performance around the cello.

If it hadn't been for the casual nature of a street performance, Anson might not have stepped up to direct the show.

But now?

Involuntarily, Anson turned to look at the crowd. The once cold and indifferent faces were now filled with happiness and freedom, as if the spell had been broken, and the lifeless souls had been granted new life, allowing them to revel and fully… briefly enjoy a moment of vitality.

"Encore!"

The entire crowd chanted.

Anson's spirits soared alongside them, happiness overflowing within his chest. Then he joined in, waving and cheering with the crowd.

"Encore."

That single word seemed to have a magical power, bringing a smile to his lips and brightening the world. He temporarily set aside his daily life, temporarily put aside the "Spider-Man" audition. In this moment, there was only music, purely enjoying the charm of music, releasing the shackles on his soul—

Embracing freedom.

The chants grew louder and louder, unleashing a tremendous wave of energy.

In the streets of New York, more and more people were drawn to the scene, with the crowd continuing to swell, becoming increasingly congested, increasingly frenzied. It became a rare spectacle, with some even rushing over just to be part of the trend, fearing they might miss out on the biggest event in New York today.

Blair had completely lost herself in the moment, entirely forgetting her original purpose and becoming fully immersed in the performance, pushing open the door to a new world.

So, this was the real Anson?

From the brief glimpse on the TV screen to the heart-pounding reality, breaking free from the screen's constraints, Blair wasn't disappointed or disillusioned. Instead, she found herself deeply captivated by Anson's charm, completely and utterly enchanted.

Standing amid the surging waves of excitement, through her blurred tears, Blair gazed at the band before her, feeling her heart race. As she slowly came to her senses, she began looking for that figure once again.

Wait, where was Anson?

At the Emmy Awards, even amidst a sea of people, Anson had always stood out effortlessly. His presence seemed to naturally capture attention, but now, Blair couldn't find him.

Could he have been swallowed by the crowd?

Blair was startled.

But there was no time to search as Karen suddenly grabbed Blair's arm with a firm tug, letting out a cry. Blair reflexively caught Karen, preventing her from losing her balance and falling, barely managing to keep her footing amidst the surging crowd.

"Blair, we need to leave!" Karen shouted in panic.

Blair hesitated, feeling reluctant, "But Anson..."

Karen, struggling to stay upright in the pressing crowd, explained hurriedly, "Anson has already left."

Blair was taken aback, "What?"

Karen, barely able to stand in the chaotic crowd, continued hastily, "Anson just left." But there was no time for further explanation as she grabbed Blair's hand, and the two began to push their way out of the throng.

Whoosh!

Finally, the two squeezed out of the crowd, exchanging a glance before they even had a chance to talk. It was only then that they noticed each other's disheveled appearance—

Both of their eyes were red and swollen, as if they had been in a fight, with tear stains crisscrossing their faces. It looked as if they were wearing camo makeup.

A giggle escaped.

Blair and Karen burst into laughter, mocking each other's messy state. It took them a moment to realize that they were also being mocked in return, leading them to check their reflections. Seeing their own faces in a compact mirror, they both let out a wail, though there was no time to fix their makeup now.

When Blair looked up at her friend again, she found their disheveled state oddly comforting, like a shared memory. "I thought it was just me, but I see you also..."

Karen spread her hands, "The performance was just so powerful, it was incredible. No one could resist it. Do you think Anson will have a concert soon? I'd be the first in line to buy tickets. Madison Square Garden would be perfect..."

Blair quickly interrupted Karen, "Anson is an actor."

Karen: "??? What?"

Blair explained again, "Anson is an actor. He just won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor."

Karen blinked, and then screamed—

"Ah!"

Normally, this would have startled anyone nearby, but with the roaring waves of excitement behind them, no one paid attention to Karen.

Blair smiled, feeling a mix of satisfaction and pride, as if she had discovered a treasure that her friend had finally recognized. But she didn't forget the important matter at hand. "You said Anson left? When?"

Karen regained her composure, though her heart was still racing. "He quietly left just before the crowd grew too large. I tried to follow him, but I got stuck in the crowd."

Anson had left.

Silently, without saying goodbye to anyone, he had slipped away, leaving not a trace behind. There were no applause, no cheers, no formal recognition—just a quiet departure, leaving the stage to the three band members—

After all, this was their stage, and they needed this moment.

From the beginning, Anson had said that he only needed the time for one song. He wasn't performing for the audience or to attract attention; he just wanted to show Miles, Connor, and Lily:

Hang on a little longer, be a bit braver, and maybe things will change.

However, Anson didn't think he had the right to offer advice, because he didn't know what had happened in their lives. He was just a passerby. So, instead of giving a long, motivational speech, he simply made the most of the little time left, delivering one final performance.

Then, he returned the choice and decision to them.

Anson simply hoped that on the path of chasing dreams, there could be more like-minded individuals willing to hold on just a bit longer, even if it was just one more person.