The Greatest Showman #918 - Burst into Tears

The afternoon in the bar felt lonely and sparse. The atmosphere was lazy, with only the bartender and a few performers occupying the space. The crowd was minimal, the energy low.

There were no lights, no applause, no gaze of admiration. On the stage, the performance seemed so solitary, as if singing into the void, with no one to listen. Yet, the thrill of the singing was undeniable, a turbulent swell that demanded attention. The soul and heart were carried by the music, lost in the clarity and purity of the melody.

Matthew Dunlop stood quietly in the corner, watching the familiar but somehow distant figure before him. Renly was singing with all his heart, his voice free from worry or fear. He didn't care who listened, who responded, or who understood. He stood alone, stubborn and persistent, shining with his own light. His pure soul glowed brightly, pulling everyone around him into its orbit.

"I cherish every minute, every second the world gives me. I have seen every mountain and river, overcome every obstacle, and traveled through thorns. Even if my body is shattered, I swear my life will not be in vain!"

Matthew's eyes misted over. He didn't wipe them away, letting the blur wash over him. It was as if the stars themselves had started to fall, and he was powerless to stop them.

Renly had always been this way—running, blooming, flashing, laughing, enjoying. His steps never slowed, and Matthew could never quite catch up. No matter how fast he moved, Renly was always ahead, outpacing him, and Matthew was left in awe, chasing his shadow from afar.

It seemed no one had ever truly understood the radiance of Renly's path. But Renly never cared. He was unfazed by the lack of recognition or applause. He ran forward, chasing his dreams with unrelenting speed, overcoming every hardship with unshakable persistence.

Today, for the first time, Matthew understood.

The Renly who sang alone, who silently struggled, who gritted his teeth and pushed forward despite every obstacle—this Renly was standing on the empty stage, blooming in the brightest way.

He had always known Renly, but now, in this moment, he truly understood. The raw emotion, the sheer power of it, hit him like a thunderclap.

"May every day you spend not be empty. When the sun sets in the west, raise a glass to celebrate. How I wish to witness all your hard work, all your pain. But until the time comes, I will shout:

I give everything,

I have no regrets!"

The melody soared, the voice climbing higher with each note, painting a brilliant arc in the air. At the peak, Renly's voice rang out, and Matthew felt something shift inside him. Warm tears welled in his eyes, and he didn't know how to stop them.

Renly's vision blurred as well. In Heather's short life, she had given everything she had. She had lived with no regrets, but her departure had left him with an ache, a longing to carry her dreams forward. Now, he understood that her regrets had become his own fuel. He would keep moving, honoring her memory.

This time, however, he wasn't walking alone. He was walking with the dreams of two people, and while his shoulders felt heavier, his steps were firmer. The energy was stronger, and his resolve was more determined than ever.

The young bartender, looking on, stood frozen in place, his expression one of disbelief. The lyrics, the melody, the emotions—they were foreign to him, something he couldn't quite grasp. But the power of the performance hit him, and he felt the emotions surge through his chest.

He saw old Frank, tears streaking his weathered face, yet a proud, almost radiant smile lit up his eyes. Frank was not just witnessing a performance; he was witnessing the full force of life, love, and loss.

"I gave everything, I have no regrets." The words echoed in the young bartender's mind, but he couldn't fully process them. He stood there, tears streaming down his face, unable to do anything but follow the raw energy in his heart.

"I cherish every minute and every second the world gives me. I have seen every mountain and river, overcome every obstacle, and traveled through thorns. Even if my body is shattered, I swear my life will not be in vain!"

The song surged with unstoppable emotion. The young bartender's heart swelled, nearly bursting with feeling. Without thinking, he jumped into the air, spinning and dancing like a madman. The melody consumed him. His voice joined Renly's, rising from a murmur to a shout:

"Even if I'm torn to pieces, I swear, I won't waste my life!"

The music, like a rush through the desert, was immense and majestic. It shook him to his core. Renly's voice pierced the air, defiant and unstoppable, urging everyone around him to stand tall, to live fully, to burn with passion and conviction. The force of his singing made them feel as though they could conquer anything.

In that moment, they were all small, insignificant in the face of the vast universe. But through Renly's voice, they felt a spark of greatness within themselves. It wasn't about physical strength; it was the power of the human spirit, shining bright enough to light up the sky.

Matthew, caught up in the overwhelming force of it all, tilted his head up, as if trying to break through the ceiling and see the stars. Old Frank did the same, and even the young bartender raised his eyes, lost in the music and the emotions it evoked.

They were all swept up in the same current, feeling both their own smallness and their incredible potential.

Renly's final, powerful note hit the bar with full force, a declaration that no one could ignore. "Even if my body is shattered, I swear I will not live in vain!" His voice exploded, raw and unfiltered, the energy crackling through the air.

"I…" The high note climbed once more, and the entire bar reverberated with the emotion of it. Renly's voice reached into the very depths of their souls. It wasn't just a performance—it was a message. A call to live, to dream, to strive without regret.

In that moment, tears flowed down the faces of everyone in the room. But it wasn't just sadness—it was awe. It was the beauty of life, of dreams, of struggle, and of triumph.

The music stopped, but the energy didn't fade. The young bartender continued to dance, lost in his own world, absorbed by the passion and belief that had been awakened within him.

Matthew watched in silence, his own eyes welling with tears. He saw the glint of emotion in Renly's eyes as he smiled, humbly, brightly, and softly hummed the final words: "I swear, I will live my life in vain."

The moment hung in the air, its resonance still pulsing, as if the whole universe had paused to witness the beauty of this one simple truth.

Real music, true art, always comes from the soul. And Renly had just shown them all how to truly live.