The-Greatest-Showman

"Damien... uh, what's going on outside? It looks like a Juilliard admissions interview. Are we disturbing people's serious work?" Justin Hurwitz walked in with a startled expression. As he recalled the commotion outside, he couldn't help but chuckle. "Those people looked like cats waiting for a mouse. I just walked in, and bam, we all brushed past each other. Did you think I was one of the academy teachers?"

Damien Chazelle's excitement quickly turned to a stiffened expression. He stepped aside from Justin's seat and hurried over to the door facing the street to see what was going on.

The moment they moved forward, the reporters descended like sharks sensing blood, bombarding Damien with questions:

"What happened before?"

"Is Renly okay now?"

"Can Renly be interviewed?"

"Has Renly addressed the negative news?"

"How's the crew's filming going?"

"Is it true Renly is staying in the hospital?"

"Is Renly's health really at risk?"

"How will the government respond to the paparazzi's actions?"

The flood of questions was overwhelming. Damien backed away in embarrassment but noticed something curious. The reporters were all positioned outside the Juilliard building, staying at a distance despite their urgency. No one dared cross the line, which allowed Damien to slip past them with ease.

At first, it wasn't clear, but now, amidst the reporters' subtle shuffling, it became obvious that they were maintaining their distance from the line they had set.

"Reporter?" Justin asked, realizing the situation now.

As a composer, Justin had been in a retreat, focusing on the soundtrack for The Popping Drummer, so he wasn't up to date on the latest news. Now, understanding that the crowd was made up of journalists, his questions remained unanswered, and new ones only grew.

"What's going on? What happened?" Justin pressed, struggling to follow the pace of events.

Damien couldn't explain much. He simply said, "I'm here for Renly." His eyes turned toward the reporters outside. "This time, it's the reporters who are at fault. They've slandered Renly again, and now they're scrambling to clear their names without making things worse."

Damien was speculating.

To the public, there was little distinction between paparazzi and reporters. Both groups, including influential bloggers and self-media outlets, blurred the lines of what's true and what's fabricated. And in a case like this, journalists' worst fear was causing another mess — they could hardly wash their hands of it.

Justin closed his mouth, pondering the situation. "Isn't this typical of Hollywood? Reporters always want something sensational, even if they have to make it up. Soon, you'll see negative headlines all over the place." He wasn't surprised by the situation but had his own concerns. "But will this affect the crew's work?"

Damien fell silent.

He recalled Renly's state earlier and the worry crept in, but he had no experience dealing with such situations. Standing there, Damien froze, unsure how to proceed.

Justin finally suggested, "Maybe you should check with Renly's assistant or agent? They're more accustomed to handling this sort of thing."

Damien snapped back to reality, nodding. He quickly started looking for Nathan.

After the chaos calmed down, filming for The Bursting Drummer resumed. The reporters remained outside, while the crew refocused on their work inside. Nathan had stepped out to deal with the media, but the atmosphere in the studio remained tense. Worried glances exchanged, the crew wondered about Renly's health. Could he truly rest? Would his condition affect the filming? Would he hold up?

The looming question was: would the reporters outside intrude? Could Renly remain focused and keep the filming on track?

And so, when Renly finally appeared on set, the room held its collective breath, watching his every move.

To the crew's relief, Renly seemed unaware of the tension around him. His experience on the West End and Broadway had taught him to maintain sharp focus, which was essential for his craft. As Renly concentrated, the crew began to relax. They trusted that as long as Renly was in front of the camera, everything would be fine. His reputation as an EGOT winner was more than enough to reassure them, but it was also his steadfast collaboration with the team.

Renly noticed the anxious atmosphere and the expectant stares around him. He glanced around, sensing the unease, but didn't have the energy to address it. Instead, he gave a faint smile and looked at Damien. "We can start."

Damien, still flustered, nodded and signaled the crew. Once everyone was ready, the filming resumed.

As always, Renly didn't disappoint. The scene unfolded smoothly. Despite his earlier physical exhaustion and near collapse, Renly worked with focus, completing the day's tasks ahead of schedule.

Even Rooney, observing from the sidelines, couldn't pinpoint the exact change in Renly. There was no dramatic transformation or sudden surge of energy; it was more subtle. It felt like nothing had changed, yet everything had shifted.

Rooney knew that Renly's demeanor had evolved, but it wasn't simply because of her presence or their relationship. Something intangible had changed — an energy, a state of mind, or perhaps an aura. It was hard to describe, but unmistakable.

But whether it was normal or not, one thing was clear: Renly was still Renly. He threw himself completely into his craft, unwavering.

After filming wrapped, Rooney didn't join Renly for dinner or drinks. Their routine remained intact. She left the set, and Renly returned to his apartment.

Renly needed to stay grounded, focused on his work for Blitzkrieg.

Even the reporters outside Juilliard couldn't disrupt his rhythm. When pursued by the paparazzi, Renly didn't stop or respond. Shielded by Nathan and his security team, he walked out of the reporters' reach without a word.

Play it big?

Renly didn't care how the media twisted the story or how public opinion might change. After years of rebuilding himself, he was finally free. His breakthrough was internal, and he didn't want to waste energy on reporters who would never be satisfied.

There were bigger things to focus on.

The reporters, after waiting for six hours, caught nothing more than the back of Renly's head. His gaze was complex, a mix of emotions that no one could quite place. Whether it was anger, sadness, or something else entirely, it didn't matter. Renly had already moved on.

Now, all that mattered was the final climax of The Bursting Drummer — the pivotal "Murder/Father" scene with Andrew.

That's it.