Shock, confusion, surprise.

All of Washington Square was completely stunned, their minds frozen—once again.

Typically, a promotional event is just that: a promotional event. After the pleasantries and formalities, the guests leave, and the audience is left to bask in the afterglow. That's usually the extent of it.

After all, it's a commercial event; no need to take it too seriously.

However!

Anson was different—he was fully invested.

Anson chose to stay and enjoy movie night with the audience. Beyond just promoting the event, he shed his celebrity persona and embraced the role of an ordinary moviegoer, genuinely participating in the film screening organized by NYU.

This was truly rare—authentic.

As mentioned before, Hollywood still thrives on mystique, keeping a distance between entertainers and the public, shrouding the entertainment industry in a veil.

But Anson was different. Ever since his interview with The New York Times last year, he's been showing a more authentic side of himself. Now, he's taken it a step further, proving his sincerity through actions.

This changed everything.

Moreover,

Anson didn't just stay to watch Catch Me If You Can, the movie he was promoting. Instead, he went back to the roots of NYU's movie night and joined the audience in watching Superman II.

The media: ????

This move completely threw the media off balance.

If it was for promotion, he should've stayed for Catch Me If You Can and then interacted with the audience afterward.

But if it wasn't for promotion, what was Anson thinking, staying behind? Didn't he notice the fans surrounding Washington Square?

Could it be that Anson actually wanted to watch Superman II?

Absurd!

The media were completely shocked.

If even the media were this shocked, imagine how the ordinary audience felt.

This was how it all unfolded, step by step. From the moment Anson appeared in Washington Square, everything he did shattered expectations and, in an unplanned way, collided with the events on-site, creating a chemical reaction that spiraled into something neither Anson nor DreamWorks could control.

So, what about Anson himself?

Travis recalled, "Whether you believe it or not, the truth is, he was happy—no, thrilled, just like a regular movie fan."

"'Wow, Superman!' I can still remember him clenching his fists and cheering quietly. It was clear he'd been looking forward to this, maybe even more than the flash mob event itself."

"I asked him at the time, 'Shouldn't we be watching Catch Me If You Can?' His reply was, 'If you want to see Catch Me If You Can, you can watch it in the theater. But for an outdoor screening, an old movie just hits differently.'"

"God, in that moment, who wouldn't love Anson?"

The truth was, Anson was genuinely happy and excited. The weariness and fatigue from the promotional tour had completely disappeared, and he radiated a joyous energy.

Promotion, box office numbers, work—all of that was set aside. The only thing that mattered was the movie, as he reconnected with the identity of an ordinary moviegoer.

He moved forward, merging into the crowd—

Ah.

Ahhhh!

Little gasps echoed around him.

Anson smiled. "Haha, your reactions are going to make me sad."

It wasn't screaming; rather, people were stepping back in surprise, making way for him.

With one joke, the crowd burst into laughter.

The next second, someone excitedly extended an invitation.

"Anson, come over here, join us!"

"Here, Anson! Woo!"

Everyone tried to seize the opportunity, but Anson's gaze finally landed in a certain direction.

"Thanks for the invite, but I see my friends. Movie nights should be enjoyed with friends, right?"

As he spoke, he started walking.

Friends?

A sea of question marks appeared as everyone watched him move.

Strangely enough, the dense crowd automatically parted as he walked, forming a path that led him to his destination.

"Hey, Blair, Karen! You're here for the movie too?"

Thud, thud, thud.

Blair could hear her heartbeat pounding in her chest, solid and strong, as if it would burst through any second.

And then, explosion.

Her eardrums were left with a roaring echo.

The world went silent.

Blair forgot to cheer, forgot to scream, forgot to cry, forgot to react. It felt like her soul had left her body, floating among the clouds, looking down at herself, frozen in place, watching Anson. She felt weightless, everything around her bathed in a honey-like glow.

"Blair…"

"Blair."

A voice called her name, pulling her soul back down, and with a jolt, she returned to her body, slowly regaining her senses.

"Can I sit here?"

Anson hadn't sat down yet but smiled as he asked.

Blair nodded dumbly, barely understanding what was happening.

Instinctively, she turned and saw Karen with a completely smitten expression, drool almost slipping out.

Blair quickly elbowed her, snapping her back to reality—otherwise, Karen would regret that drool forever.

Karen finally regained a bit of composure, blurting out without thinking, "Anson, you look so handsome tonight."

A roar of laughter erupted around them, accompanied by soft squeals.

Anson smiled warmly, "Thank you. That's the goal of dressing up."

Pfft.

More laughter.

Karen realized what she'd just said, but it was too late to feel embarrassed. She chuckled along, her spirits soaring.

People always say that distance creates allure, especially with Hollywood stars. Up close, they often don't live up to the on-screen persona, or worse, they're completely different.

But Blair didn't think that about Anson—at least not him.

Being near Anson, she felt his true charm.

A faint scent lingered in the air, a mix of pine, vanilla, and amber, crisp and fresh, like a gentle March breeze wrapping around her, making her lose herself without realizing it.

She drifted off into a daze.

So, was tonight real? Or just a long dream?

Wasn't Anson supposed to be in Boston? She and Karen had pretty much given up hope of figuring out his next move during the flash mob events. Instead of setting themselves up for disappointment again, they came to Washington Square to take a breather.

And then?

They found themselves swept into a whirlwind, like Dorothy entering Oz, encountering surprise after surprise, following a yellow brick road in a fairytale.

But what if she didn't want to go home?

Blair thought she couldn't like Anson any more than she already did, but tonight was so wonderful, it felt unreal. Even though they hadn't parted yet, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness.

"Are you okay?"

A voice brought her back. Blair looked up and, in the next second, met Anson's clear, sky-blue eyes. Her heart stopped.

The world was reduced to a single roaring sound.

God, if this was a dream, could she stay in Oz forever?