The Greatest Showman

After devouring a burger, Renly felt his entire body unwind.

During the awards ceremony, his emotions had been too tense to notice much else. But once the dopamine rush subsided, his muscles tightened, and his limbs felt cold and stiff. Now, he was finally starting to feel human again. If he had a cup of hot cocoa, it would be perfect. But, well, one shouldn’t be too greedy, right?

Sitting here, lost in thought, Renly suddenly felt a bit at a loss. How was he supposed to get to ‘The Pacific’ celebration party? He hadn’t discussed this with Andy at all, and winning an award tonight had been an unexpected surprise. Andy was probably just as clueless right now. Should he hail a cab to the party venue and figure out payment once he arrives? But wait—wasn’t the party being held in Beverly Hills? What was the exact address again?

Renly decided to return to the Nokia Theatre to find Rami so they could head to the party together. But as he stood up, he saw a massive crowd blocking the side door. The flashlights were dazzling, lighting up the night sky as if it were daytime. In the middle of the crowd, two figures were surrounded, and deafening cries of “Sheldon! Sheldon!” echoed non-stop.

Jim Parsons officially came out during his acceptance speech for the Best Comedy Actor award tonight, publicly confessing his love for his boyfriend of three years, Todd Spiewak. This had caused a sensation at the ceremony, with people rushing to congratulate him. Now that the event was over, it was the reporters’ and fans’ turn to bombard him.

At the centre of the flashing lights were undoubtedly Jim and Todd.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Phew.” Renly exhaled lightly. It seemed his plan to return the way he came was out of the question. He had no intention of diving into that frenzy.

Looking around, Renly remembered passing a convenience store on the neighbouring street when he drove in earlier. That store probably had a public phone, maybe even a computer. He could check the Creative Artists Agency website for Andy’s phone number and call him. If his memory served him correctly, it should be in that direction…

“Hey, you. Yes, you.” Renly had barely taken two steps when someone called out to him. “Your trophy, Renly… Hall? Is this your trophy?”

Renly turned around to see a scavenging homeless man holding out a shiny gold trophy toward him. Feeling awkward, Renly replied, “Yes, that’s my trophy. If you like it, you can keep it.” He raised his hands in mock surrender, showing his generosity.

Unexpectedly, the homeless man looked disdainful. “It’s not solid gold. Won’t fetch much money. What would I do with it? It’s heavy as hell.” Then, he tossed the trophy to Renly… literally tossed it. Renly instinctively caught it with his right hand. “Looks like you did well this year. Keep it up next year,” the man said in the tone of an elder advising a youngster, nodding sagely before sauntering off.

Renly stood there for a moment, and then he burst into laughter. The subtle humour of this moment felt even more delightful than winning the award itself.

He weighed the trophy lightly in his hand, then headed toward the street where the convenience store was. His steps had a spring to them. In the distance, he could already see the “7-Eleven” sign flickering in the neon-lit night. Tall palm trees swayed gently in the breeze, and the wide street exuded a serene charm—a stark contrast to the chaos outside the Nokia Theatre. Scattered passersby strolled leisurely, savouring the beauty of the night and the caress of the cool wind. Outside a small bar, a group of people were animatedly chatting, immersed in the simplicity and ordinariness of life. It was a world apart from the glitz and glamour of the street behind him.

The wind carried a familiar melody, the crisp sound of guitar strings dancing joyfully in the air. A young man with a mess of hair resembling a bird’s nest leaned against the brick wall of a bar. At his feet lay a saxophone and a keyboard, along with other instruments. A guitar case sat open in front of him, holding a few scattered bills that silently told the tale of a quiet, lonely evening. Under the dim light, it was hard to tell if his hair was blond or red, but he didn’t seem to care. His soft, cat-like voice hummed gently:

“And I left the footprints, the mud stained on the carpet,

And it hardened like my heart did when you left town,

But I must admit it, that I would marry you in an instant,

Damn your wife, I’d be your mistress just to have you around.”

Surprise. A delightful surprise. The young man was playing Cleopatra. Renly’s eyes lit up, not just because his own song was being performed but because the free-spirited, street-busking style perfectly captured the bard-like essence he had envisioned when composing the piece. Ṟ𝔞ƝȰʙƐs̈

A smile began tugging at the corners of Renly’s lips and soon blossomed into a wide grin.

He stopped beside the guitar case, tapping his right hand against his left wrist to create a crisp rhythm that blended seamlessly with the young man’s guitar. Under the bar’s neon lights, their improvised beats intertwined, lively and infectious.

The young man glanced up at Renly, seemingly encouraged. A smile crept across his face as well, mirroring Renly’s. “And when I die alone, when I die alone, when I die I’ll be on time,” he sang softly. His gentle, clear voice stretched into the night, carrying a lingering note of yearning, nostalgia, and solace.

The first verse ended. The young man paused his playing, waved at Renly, and called out, “Why not join me?”

“Would you mind?” Renly asked, surprised.

“Of course not! Come on, come on!” the young man replied, laughing heartily.

Renly glanced around, casually placed his trophy in the guitar case, and sat down cross-legged beside him. He set the keyboard on his lap, checked the power, and let the prelude to Cleopatra flow naturally from his fingertips. Looking up at the young man, he asked, “Ready for the second verse?”

The young man snapped his fingers, his face brimming with excitement and anticipation. Together, they began to play.

Cleopatra had originally been composed solely to be played by guitar. Since Renly had never entered the studio to record it, there had been no post-production arrangements, leaving the melody somewhat sparse. But now, with the guitar’s lead and the keyboard providing depth, the song took on a new richness and vitality, brimming with fresh energy.

The young man sang passionately, “While the church discouraged, any lust that burned within me…”

The warm night breeze carried with it the vibrant hum of neon signs, the murmur of red wine’s intoxicating haze, and the poetic beauty of the melody. The bar’s patrons began to notice the music, their curious eyes drifting toward the source. They saw the young man singing with unrestrained fervour, his weathered voice bursting with boundless energy within the rhythm, calming the restless night. People paused at the street corner, lingering to watch—and then, they began to dance.

William Taylor awkwardly raised his hand, trying to pat Hope Bates’s shoulder, but hesitated and pulled back before contact. Stiffly, he offered, “There’ll be another chance. Tonight’s awards ceremony was just too crowded.”

“Exactly. Even if it wasn’t because of Sheldon, it wouldn’t have been easy to find Renly,” Graham Hughes added, doing his best to console her. But Hope still looked a little downhearted.

Earlier, they had been waiting by the side entrance, only for fans of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ to swarm in like a tidal wave. When Jim appeared, the situation spiralled out of control, descending into utter chaos. The three of them were like a tiny boat in a stormy sea, unable to hold their ground. They struggled for a while but were stuck on the periphery, completely unable to get closer.

In the end, the trio had no choice but to give up in frustration.

Hope kicked a small pebble on the ground hard. She had been thinking that since there weren’t many people who liked Renly right now, they’d have a good chance of getting close to him. She wasn’t one of those fanatical star-chasers; she simply wanted to tell Renly that his performance was outstanding, that he was a natural-born actor. She hoped he’d continue to do his best and wanted him to know she’d always support him.

But now, all of it was ruined. Those damned ‘The Big Bang Theory’ fans!

“…And the only gifts from my Lord were a birth and a divorce, but I’ve read this script and the costume fits, so I’ll play my part.”

The wind carried this lyric to her ears, and Hope abruptly looked up, her face lighting up with uncontrollable excitement. She adored Renly, not just because of ‘The Pacific’ but also because of Cleopatra. That one lyric always struck her deeply—its sense of resignation, irony, and mockery left one sighing and sorrowful.

Hope took off running. She knew it wasn’t Renly; it was just a street performer—it wasn’t even Renly’s voice. But it didn’t matter. She just wanted to savour the moment, to thank the street performer for singing that song.

But suddenly, she stopped in her tracks.

Under the neon lights, she saw that radiant smile. He was sitting cross-legged on the ground, utterly unconcerned about his crisp, tailored suit. The bright light in his eyes seemed to reflect the stars of a vast universe. His relaxed brows burst forth with dazzling brilliance, and time, space, light, and wind all froze in place. Then, her heart clenched tightly.

Before she could react, tears welled up in her eyes. Hope’s mouth hung open in disbelief as she stood frozen, paralyzed like a child, her eyes fixated on that carefree, glowing smile as if it could illuminate the entire night sky.

“Hope! Hope!” William and Graham came panting after her. “Are you okay?” they asked worriedly, but their concern trailed off as they followed her gaze. They saw the man playing a lively melody in front of them.

“Huff… huff…” They gasped for air, but apart from their breathing, there was no other sound. Only the enchanting melody echoed around them—

“And when I die alone, when I die alone, when I die I’ll be on time.”

At that moment, the night was impossibly beautiful, like a fairy tale. It shimmered with a wondrous glow, bizarre and dazzling enough to make one lose their way—and also to make them fall utterly in love.

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T/N – This author really knows how to finish his chapters, damn, this one was a good chapter…

T/N – If you like this novel, please give a review or rating on Novel Updates