The Greatest Showman #1288 – Calm Down

One thousand two hundred and fifty. Calm and relaxed.

Lena stepped back until she reached the door of the waiting room. Her eyes locked on Renly and Paul, who were chatting together. She hesitated repeatedly but finally spoke up. "Lord Renly."

Both Renly and Paul turned, their gazes focused on her with intent and earnestness.

Lena swallowed hard, trying to maintain her composure, and said, "Welcome to the 'Norton Show'." The moment the words left her mouth, she couldn't bring herself to gauge Renly's reaction. She quickly closed the door behind her, shutting out the noise and chaos from the waiting room. She leaned against the wooden door, her back pressed against it, breathing heavily.

Valentina, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing on her lips. She mimicked Lena's tone perfectly, "Your Excellency Renly, welcome to the 'Norton Show.'"

Her playful mocking, paired with a hearty laugh, made Lena blush deeply. "Valentina!" she snapped, and immediately, the two of them began chasing each other down the corridor. The exhaustion from their all-night shift seemed to vanish in an instant.

Lena and Valentina were hardly naïve country girls.

They'd been working on the "Norton Show" for two years, greeting countless big-name actors. They'd met nearly every A-list star in Hollywood, and the allure of celebrity had long since worn off under the weight of demanding work.

But Renly was different.

"Don't tell me, you didn't blush just now," Valentina said, trying to contain her excitement. The two sat down on the stairwell for a brief break, their work temporarily done.

Lena was about to deny it, but Valentina's teasing look made her admit, "Okay. I admit it, his smile is just... captivating."

With a dramatic sigh, Valentina added, "I thought I was over this after high school. I never expected to feel this again. His smile... It's hypnotic. I swear, he's irresistible."

Lena nodded in agreement, her face flushing as she recalled the moment. She felt like a giddy teenager again. "He has this charm that makes your heart race. It's... indescribable."

As the two exchanged a look, their youthful excitement resurfaced. They laughed, remembering how Deborah had shot them a jealous look earlier.

It was like they were in high school again—gathering together to discuss boys, finding a simple smile or a shy gesture enough to brighten their day. It was sweet, innocent, and simple.

The excitement slowly faded, but the conversation never strayed far from Renly.

Lena nudged Valentina playfully. "Can you believe it? He only has two people on his team..."

"Yeah, it's crazy!" Valentina agreed. "No stylist, no makeup artist. Nothing. I've never seen a superstar so low-key."

They both reminisced about the excessive entourages some stars brought with them. "Do you remember when Robert Downey Jr. came for the show last year?" Lena said. "He had a whole team of twelve people!"

"Twelve people!" Valentina exclaimed in unison with Lena, still amazed by the spectacle.

"Hollywood stars usually travel with five to seven people, tops," Lena continued, "But when Vin Diesel came to record, he had ten people on his team. It's ridiculous. And he didn't even need them."

"I heard he inflated the numbers just to show off," Valentina added with a knowing grin.

Lena raised an eyebrow, shocked. "Vin Diesel? Really? What has he done recently, besides 'Fast and Furious'? And even that's mostly Paul and Renly doing the heavy lifting."

Valentina quickly hushed her, "Shh. Quiet. You don't want to get too worked up."

Lena nodded, lowering her voice, "Honestly, I don't get it. Why would someone choose to idolize Fan over Renly? The difference is obvious. And now they're trying to pressure us into giving Renly's spot away. What does he think he is, Tom Hanks?"

"Who knows? It's Hollywood," Valentina replied succinctly, offering a resigned shrug.

Hollywood, where ego and ambition always come first.

Lena shrugged in response. "At least Renly is British," she said, the understatement of the century.

Valentina grinned, her enthusiasm rekindled. "Exactly! British charm!"

Meanwhile, in the waiting room, Renly remained calm and composed as he chatted with Paul. His face held a gentle smile as they discussed the upcoming movie promotion.

"I'm telling you, Renly, you should prepare your own team," Paul said seriously. "At first, I thought it was a hassle, but having your own team saves time and resources. It makes things more efficient, and you avoid the panic and mistakes that come with using the show's team."

In Hollywood, having an entourage can be seen as a way to flaunt one's status. But beyond that, having a dedicated team makes everything run smoother for both the artist and the production.

Renly chuckled and replied, "I know. But there's never been an opportunity."

Paul raised an eyebrow. "You've been on vacation, right?"

"Yeah," Renly said with a sheepish smile, "After 'Edge of Tomorrow' wrapped up, I've had no time for anything else."

Paul laughed, remembering that Renly had mostly been off the radar recently. "I get it," he said. "But still, it's crazy how low-key you are compared to others."

"Well, I'm not really about the spotlight," Renly said, shrugging casually.

Paul went on to talk about the new movie, his eyes lighting up. "Dawn and Jason are incredible. We tried some new techniques. I can't wait for you to see it."

Renly listened intently, enjoying the conversation. Paul was animated, his usual shyness gone as he excitedly shared the behind-the-scenes details.

Meanwhile, Graham Norton pushed open the locker room door, only to find the crew in disarray. But amidst the chaos, Renly sat serenely with his friends, completely at ease, as though the frenetic pace of the show couldn't touch him. His calm demeanor was a stark contrast to the madness of the previous night.

Graham couldn't help but wonder: was Renly just incredibly confident, or did he have the ability to handle any situation with ease? Was he so composed because he had nothing to hide, or was he simply unruffled by the inevitable turbulence of fame?