Teenage Fans

The door of the van swung open, revealing a tall and imposing pedestrian passage in front of Renly. Twelve security guards, all in black suits and sunglasses, stood like statues, each towering and solid, their hands folded behind their backs, their feet spaced apart in a military stance. Their expressions were stern, their heads held high, exuding an air of authority and discipline. Standing in a line on either side, they formed a human wall, creating a clear path that led to the hotel entrance.

Behind this formidable barrier stood a crowd of enthusiastic movie fans, waving their arms, cheering, and shouting with excitement. Yet, they didn't approach the security guards. Instead, they kept their distance, standing just a few steps away, shouting and roaring to express their warmth and admiration for the actor.

As Renly stepped out of the van, the scene erupted into a frenzy. People jumped, screamed, and began hugging, high-fiving, and celebrating. The air was thick with excitement, and their voices reverberated with clear shouts of "Master! Master!" The chanting spread like ripples through the crowd, swelling until the entire street in front of the hotel seemed to vibrate with energy.

Passing the security and the fans, Renly could see people raising posters, some waving them vigorously to catch his attention. At the far end, groups of fans, some dancing, others screaming, were simply immersed in the joy of the moment. They didn't attempt to get closer but were content to revel in the festival atmosphere, their celebration enough to make the bitter cold of Berlin feel warmer.

Amid the sea of excited faces, Renly spotted a poster of Transcendence being waved by someone in the crowd. It was one of the earliest promotional posters, featuring a close-up of Renly's face, eyes deep and calm, imbued with the loneliness and sadness of the character. A gust of wind could almost blow away the sorrow captured in the image. Renly hadn't seen this poster in person yet—he'd only seen it once in an email sent by Andy—and now, here it was, being waved excitedly by fans at the Berlin Film Festival.

It was clear that the fans weren't specifically waiting for Renly; the uncertain filming schedule for Edge of Tomorrow had meant Nathan had prepared three different arrival plans for him, ensuring he would make it to Berlin before midnight for the press conference. In other words, Renly himself didn't even know when he would arrive. Seeing the fans and the Transcendence poster now, though, was a pleasant surprise.

The tension from earlier melted away a bit, and Renly felt an impulse to move closer to the fans holding the posters, but before he could, a security guard stepped forward, gently but firmly guiding him. "Mr. Hall, please," he said, his hand on Renly's back. "Today's crowd has exceeded expectations. For your safety and theirs, we must proceed to the hotel."

Renly nodded, acknowledging the concern. As he walked forward, more security guards surrounded him, forming an impenetrable barrier, isolating him from the chaos. The level of protection made him smile. This felt like the treatment of a top global superstar, not his first visit to Berlin or a major European film festival. The level of attention was overwhelming but amusing at the same time.

Behind the security, Renly noticed Nathan and Roy were a bit lost in the crowd, only Nathan's hair visible above the sea of fans. A brief smile crept onto his face at the sight. This was truly a first for him.

"Master! Aaaah!" A young girl's voice pierced through the noise. Renly turned to see a girl, her face flushed with excitement, hands clenched into fists, stomping her feet as she screamed. She looked like she was about to burst from sheer enthusiasm. Renly smiled warmly at her and waved in return. The girl's response was immediate—tears began to stream down her face, and the volume of the crowd's excitement increased.

In that moment, Renly had the surreal feeling of being in Toronto rather than Berlin.

Suddenly, there was a shout from the crowd, "Be careful!" Renly reflexively turned toward the source of the commotion. Two security guards had grabbed hold of a young boy, no older than thirteen or fourteen, whose face was flushed with youth, cheeks still dotted with acne. He was struggling to break free.

"Renly! Renly!" the boy called out, kicking his legs as he was pulled away by the security.

The crowd around Renly started to thin, the security closing in even more tightly. Renly glanced back at the boy, who was still desperately trying to reach him. He heard the boy shout, "Let me go! I just want to talk to Renly!"

Renly's heart softened. He turned to the security guards and called out, "Wait!" His gesture halted the guards, who looked at him with concern.

"Mr. Hall, are you sure?" the lead guard asked.

Renly chuckled, a self-deprecating smile on his lips. "I'm not Angela Merkel, and I'm certainly not George Clooney. I think I can handle this." The security guard smiled back, and with that, the guards released their hold on the boy, who broke free and rushed toward Renly, a broad smile on his face. The crowd cheered.

"Renly!" The boy panted, his eyes wide in awe. "Jesus Christ, you're taller than I thought!"

Renly laughed and spread his hands. "If I squat down, it'll look like we're in a spy meeting."

The boy, still beaming, nodded eagerly. "You're a great actor! I loved your performance in Buried Alive... and Fighting Cancer!" he gushed. "But Buried Alive was definitely my favorite!"

Renly raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Wait—Furious 5 wasn't on your list?" He paused for a moment, then smiled knowingly. "Those are R-rated movies. How'd you get in?"

The boy blushed, clearly caught, but didn't answer. Renly chuckled softly, nodding in understanding.

"Can I have your autograph?" the boy asked, holding out the crumpled Transcendence poster. "My parents and I came all the way to Berlin just to see your movie!"

Renly took the poster, smiling as he examined it. The boy looked sheepish, embarrassed by its state. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean for it to get this wrinkled," he said.

Renly waved it off. "Don't worry about it." He thought for a moment, then added, "How about I sign this poster for you, but in exchange, I'll give you another gift. What do you think?"

The boy's eyes grew wide, disbelief washing over him. "Really? Oh my God! You're the best actor in the world!"

Renly glanced around, his eyes landing on a simple black baseball cap in his hand. "What do you think of this?" he asked, holding it up.

The boy's expression turned to one of pure amazement. "This is for me?"

Renly nodded with a grin. "Absolutely."