The Greatest Showman #1200 - Awaken the Dream

Annie, sitting quietly in front of Renly, had slightly reddened eyes. Her expression was timid, tinged with a hint of grievance. She wanted to approach, but hesitated. This caused Renly to lower his eyelids slightly, the faint light shifting as he rose. A small smile, hidden at the corner of his slightly pursed lips, lingered, but its meaning was unclear.

"Renly." Paul, unsure of what to do, sat next to him and called out instinctively. But the words that followed got stuck in his throat. He didn't know how to comfort Annie, so he settled on patting her lightly on the arm, his voice soft. "Remember, Renly is filming tonight. He's not here as Renly—he's playing Le Verne."

The explanation came out stiff and awkward, and Paul's nervousness was palpable in his tone.

Renly raised his eyes, a faint smile in his gaze, and glanced at Paul before turning to Annie. "Oh? So does this mean my performance was successful? It doesn't look like me at all; it's a leap forward. Anne, are you complimenting me on purpose?"

His tone was light and playful, carrying a touch of amusement.

The atmosphere seemed to relax slightly, the tension pausing for a moment. Paul noticed a smile blossoming on Annie's face. At first hesitant, she fully smiled once she confirmed it was real. Her laughter, a blend of joy and a slight tear in her eyes, made Paul blink in surprise.

Paul looked up to meet Renly's calm, handsome face. It was still Renly, but there was something different—his eyebrows softer, his eyes gentler. The overall feel was more familiar, almost as if everything had become clearer in the moment. But this sense of familiarity was so subtle it seemed almost like an illusion, an unspoken change that left Paul wondering if it was just a trick of the light.

This feeling was strange, hazy, hard to define. Paul opened his mouth, but words eluded him. The thought that escaped him was, "Renly?"

Once the word left his mouth, he immediately realized how silly it was. Of course, it was Renly sitting there—not Ethan Hunt, the character from Mission Impossible. Paul couldn't help but laugh at himself, the sound full of warmth. He noticed the subtle smile in Renly's eyes, a smile that seemed to say, I know you figured it out.

Finally, Paul understood what Annie meant. Renly was sitting there, but he wasn't just Renly. He was Le Verne, and yet, not entirely Le Verne either. The boundary between reality and illusion was beautifully blurred, making it hard to tell what was real.

But now, more than ever, Paul was sure of one thing: Renly was there. The clarity hit him like lightning—sharp, sudden, and bright.

"Wow, how the hell did you do that?" Paul blurted out, staring at Renly in awe. He quickly added, "Wow. Jesus Christ." If Annie weren't there, Paul might have cursed outright.

This wasn't Paul's first time watching Renly perform. He had seen him on set before, in Fast & Furious 5 and Transcendence, and had witnessed the magic of Renly's craft. But tonight was different. Renly's performance wasn't just good; it was authentic, raw, and so deeply moving that it breathed life into the whole story. Even the humble setting of the village bar felt transformed, as if it had come alive in the moment.

Renly shrugged lightly. "Learn. Keep learning."

It was a simple response, but to Paul, it was pure madness.

After a brief period of excitement, Annie sat silently, her eyes fixed on Renly. She seemed to be studying him with newfound clarity, as if seeing him for the first time. A thoughtful expression crossed her face, making Renly chuckle softly. He reached out and gently ruffled her hair. "Why? Still unsure?"

The moment was almost surreal—the line between reality and illusion had never been clearer. In that instant, Renly was completely himself.

For Renly, the performance was almost a surreal experience. The insights gained from Gravity had deepened his understanding of blending method acting with expressionist techniques. Drunk Town Folk Ballad was a continuation of that approach, but Le Verne, too, had many parallels with Renly. The subtle differences between the performances had become more apparent, especially in the details.

Who knew "Renly-Hall" better than Renly himself?

Renly smiled thoughtfully, reflecting on how enriching this experience had been. Perhaps once filming was done, he would have even more to learn.

Annie shook her head as she stared at Renly, still in a daze. She swallowed a tiny gasp, her gaze almost hungry, as if watching something deeply fascinating. Renly's smile widened as he caught the small, unguarded movement. His brow furrowed slightly, and he looked at Paul with a questioning glance.

Paul, not noticing Annie's small gesture, met Renly's gaze, clearly confused. They exchanged puzzled looks, and neither could figure out what was happening. A sense of humor crept in, and both laughed without quite understanding why.

Annie, confused by the adults' laughter, joined in, unable to contain her giggles. The three of them laughed together, not really knowing what was funny.

Eventually, the laughter subsided, and Annie asked in her usual innocent voice, "Renly, was that performance just now... acting?"

Renly paused for a moment, then nodded affirmatively. "Yes."

"So, what exactly is acting?" Annie asked again, genuinely curious.

The question caught Renly off guard. It was a deep one, not something a child would usually ask. He couldn't respond with an academic definition, so he thought for a moment before replying, "Well, do you remember Home Alone? Kevin, the mischievous boy in the movie, is fearless even in the face of danger."

Annie nodded eagerly. Renly continued, "People often think that Macaulay Culkin is just like Kevin in real life, but that's not true. Kevin is a character, and Macaulay created him by observing other kids and imagining what Kevin would be like."

Annie's eyes lit up, and she seemed to understand. "So Macaulay studied mischievous kids, then played Kevin based on what he observed, right?"

Renly smiled, impressed by her insight. "Exactly."

Annie nodded thoughtfully, her face lighting up with a sudden realization. "So when you're in front of the camera, you're Le Verne, not Renly, right?"

Renly raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Yes, but how did you figure that out?"

Annie smiled slyly. "Because last year, when you sang The Beast at the big party, it was different. It wasn't the same as today."

Her words, though simple, made Renly and Paul pause in surprise. It was rare for a child to make such an astute observation.

"People always think kids don't understand much," Renly mused. "But sometimes, they see things clearly when adults miss them."

Annie's next words were unexpected. "I've decided. My dream."

Paul smiled gently, exchanging a glance with Renly. "Really? What's your dream?"

"Actor. I want to be an actor like Renly," Annie said without hesitation.

Renly blinked in surprise. He had expected her to be inspired by the singing, not the acting. But her declaration caught him off guard.

"Oh? Why?" Renly asked, his curiosity piqued.

Annie played with her fingers as she spoke, her voice calm but resolute. "Because I want to be like Renly, bringing different lives to the world, and giving hope to others." She looked up at him, her eyes bright with determination. "You know what? When you perform, everyone watches you, and they don't know you're not Renly. You're someone else."

Annie's smile grew mischievous, as though she held a secret. "But everyone was quiet, even the old man. I think your performance made him remember something, made him feel something deep inside."

She paused, then said with conviction, "It was like they remembered Heather and Alex."