The Greatest Showman #1457 - An Zhiruosu
Andy Rogers realized his voice had lost control, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He took a deep breath—then another—his small eyes fixed on the nurse before him. His mouth retained its familiar curve of a smile, yet his words carried an unmistakable trace of thunderous anger.
Renly had left the hospital early? Andy had specifically instructed that Renly should rest for an extra morning and be discharged only after noon. He had even gone so far as to tell the staff to keep him there by any means necessary—even if it meant tying him to the bed. Everything had been under his orders. So what had happened?
It wasn't that Andy wanted to restrain Renly completely. He knew all too well that when it came to acting, Renly was an unstoppable force—once committed, he gave himself entirely, leaving no room for hesitation. But this time, his health had raised alarms that simply couldn't be ignored.
The success or failure of Bumper was inconsequential at the moment, even if it was Renly's first project as a producer. His well-being, however, was paramount. Andy wasn't about to let him push himself past the breaking point for the sake of Boom Drummer.
And yet…
Andy was not one to lose control of his emotions easily. In fact, emotional stability was one of his greatest strengths. But Renly—Renly was the exception. He suspected that Renly was his personal nemesis, because ever since their first meeting, he had never once managed to gain the upper hand.
And now, realizing that Renly had outmaneuvered him yet again, Andy let out a short, incredulous laugh.
Though he was smiling, his expression made the little nurse visibly uneasy. She shifted nervously, struggling to find the right words, because—
Renly had been very clear: Andy Rogers was not his legal guardian. Matthew Dunlop was. And since Matthew had approved Renly's discharge, the hospital had no grounds to refuse. If they tried, Renly had calmly pointed out, he could sue them for unlawful detainment. That was the last thing the hospital wanted.
Besides, who could say no to Renly Hall? Even the head nurse had been flustered in his presence. The other nurses? Helpless. And given that Renly's medical condition showed no abnormalities, the hospital had no choice but to let him go.
All these thoughts swirled in the little nurse's mind, but in the moment, she could only stammer. Fortunately, Roy Lockley, standing nearby, stepped in to ease the tension.
"Andy, this isn't exactly surprising, is it? We both knew how this would play out."
Andy ignored him entirely, as if Roy didn't exist.
Unfazed, Roy continued, "Instead of fuming here, why don't we head to the set and check on him ourselves? Seeing things firsthand will be better than standing around being angry."
Andy turned slowly, his smile widening. "Then perhaps you'd like to explain why you weren't on set yesterday?"
Though his lips curved upward, Andy's voice was dangerously tight. It wasn't anyone's fault this time, yet both he and Roy had been so worried about Renly that they couldn't help but find fault in each other.
This had become their routine—a daily occurrence. Even when Renly was present, they never bothered with pretense or mediation.
"I'm not Renly's assistant," Roy replied evenly. "And you're not his exclusive manager. But you fly to New York every other day—your other clients must be jealous. Maybe they'll start taking it out on Renly."
Andy had, in fact, taken a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to New York the night before—six grueling hours—just to check on Renly.
"That's my job," Andy replied smoothly. "You don't need to worry about it. Just focus on doing yours."
Their bickering continued as they left the hospital, each calling separate cabs but both heading for Juilliard.
Finding Renly wasn't difficult. Upon arrival, they spotted him immediately—he had just finished a scene.
He looked refreshed. His usual lazy smile was back, and the atmosphere on set was relaxed. When he spotted Andy and Roy, he waved cheerfully before resuming his conversation with Damien.
Andy and Roy, meanwhile, stood frozen, their frustration mounting.
This wasn't the first time. They had seen it before—in 50/50, Trascendence, Inside Llewyn Davis, Gravity—Renly's complete immersion into his roles. To outsiders, it looked like dedication; to those who knew him, it bordered on self-destruction. It was like walking a tightrope—one wrong step, and everything could collapse.
This time, though, it seemed worse. Even Nathan and Paul had expressed concerns.
Renly had tackled more difficult roles before, but something felt different now. Maybe it was the aftermath of achieving EGOT status. The pressure to break past his own limits weighed heavily on him, and he wasn't one to stay in a comfort zone.
Andy and Roy had spent the previous night in a state of near panic. And yet, here was Renly, looking as if nothing had happened.
This guy.
Renly strolled over, his smile easy and genuine. "Hey, what are you two doing here? Not a usual sight. There's no emergency, is there?"
Andy clenched his teeth, while Roy raised a fist in mock frustration. "We need to have a serious talk."
Renly's eyes flickered with amusement before scanning the set. "If you're looking for Matthew, he already left for work."
He had planned everything in advance. This morning, upon learning about Andy's agreement with the hospital, he had called Matthew, who had come straight from his law office to handle the paperwork. Then Renly had made his way here.
Roy let out a defeated groan.
Andy exhaled deeply, forcing himself to let go of his frustration. His expression softened. "You do know everyone was worried about you, right? Not just us—Paul, Ryan, Rooney. They stayed up dealing with the media and the crowds, all while worrying about you. We're here because you're our friend. You should take care of yourself."
Renly didn't respond immediately. He simply met Andy's gaze, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. But beneath it, a quiet warmth stirred.
Hollywood was filled with superficiality. Most people accepted it as the price of success—adopting a cynical view that survival required ruthlessness. But every so often, genuine friendships formed, hidden beneath the glitz and deceit. Many ignored or denied their existence, but Renly wasn't one of them.
Like the quote from Se7en: "The world is a fine place and worth fighting for. I agree with the second part."
Renly chose to believe.
Andy and Roy had started as business associates, nothing more. Yet, somewhere along the way, things had changed. That was Renly's fortune.
Andy could see something shift in Renly's gaze. His own tense shoulders eased slightly. "Are you sure you're okay?"
A simple question, laden with meaning.
For once, Renly didn't joke. He nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay."
Roy turned his head away, as if hiding his expression, but his posture gave away his relief.
After a long night of worry, their hearts could finally settle.