Laughter—uproarious laughter filled the air.
For the past two weeks, gossip, recaps, and countless posts about the flash mob event had been swirling around. People thought they understood it all, but only when they were there in person did they realize—it was something entirely different.
Dreamlike, surreal, as if caught between wakefulness and sleep.
For a moment, it was impossible to tell whether everything happening was a dream or reality.
The only thing that was clear was this:
They were completely immersed, feeling every moment with every fiber of their being.
"Can someone please explain to me what's going on?"
The stage wasn't particularly high, yet Anson stood on it like a giant. The noise and crowd before him stretched endlessly, resembling the scene of a music festival.
Honestly, Anson was just as surprised and shocked as anyone else present.
While planning the New York flash mob event, Anson had asked the NYU event organizers, and they said that three hundred people was typically the limit.
But clearly, there were far more than three hundred people here.
Just within his line of sight, there were over a thousand, maybe more—it was impossible to count them all.
Luckily, Edgar had anticipated this and had coordinated with DreamWorks, Universal Pictures, NYU, and the local police precinct in Lower Manhattan to ensure safety measures were in place. Otherwise, the scene would have been even more overwhelming.
Caught between amazement and disbelief, Anson felt a surge of excitement—
Adrenaline pumped through him.
The fatigue from the non-stop promotion over the past few days vanished, replaced by renewed energy.
Up ahead:
"Premiere!"
"Premiere!"
The word echoed throughout the crowd. Anson looked puzzled—what about the premiere?
Standing beside him, the host, Travis Knapp, quickly jumped in, "At last week's premiere, you managed to control the scene this way, making sure the movie played smoothly."
Anson's eyes widened in recognition, making a gesture, "Directing?"
Noticing Anson's small gesture, Travis couldn't help but smile, nodding, "Directing."
Anson suddenly understood. "Wow, I never knew information traveled so fast these days. Looks like I'll need to be more careful with my actions in the future."
Laughter erupted once again.
Even Travis found himself laughing.
As a junior at NYU, Travis had hosted countless events, and his good looks made him quite popular. He was a bit of a celebrity on campus, having hosted outdoor screenings at Washington Square more times than he could count.
So, tonight was just another event for him—just with Anson present. No big deal, in his eyes.
Especially seeing how his fellow club members were all jittery and overexcited, Travis remained his usual calm self, not fazed by the big crowd.
However—
It wasn't the same. It really wasn't the same.
Later, in an interview with The New Yorker, Travis would say:
"The energy at the event was palpable. You could truly feel the crowd—a thousand, maybe two thousand people. The breathing, the gazes, the bodies pressing in from every direction, the excitement and joy transforming into a wave of heat that nearly overwhelmed us.
You think you can stay calm, you think you can handle it, but the reality is, your heart and your breathing betray your real emotions.
But the real pressure came from Anson.
When he stood in front of you, you couldn't help but glance in his direction, even if you weren't aware of it. And when he spoke to you, he would look right into your eyes with such sincerity and focus, like you were the only person that mattered in that moment.
Believe me, it's impossible to stay composed—your adrenaline and dopamine just explode.
But somehow, he also has the ability to calm you down, like everything will be okay."
For instance, right now:
Travis unconsciously wiped his palms, realizing they were covered in sweat. That brief interaction had already made his heart race out of control.
So, that legendary aura really does exist.
Anson seemed to notice Travis's tension, and seeing that Travis couldn't quite keep up with the pace, he turned, exchanged a glance with him, and offered a reassuring smile.
Just that little bit of acknowledgment was enough to ease Travis's nerves.
Seeing Travis still struggling to keep up, Anson wasn't in a rush. He looked back at the audience, "Sorry for interrupting your movie."
No!
A thunderous rejection erupted from the crowd.
Anson shrugged lightly. "Oh, well, that's a shame. I thought you were all eager to see Catch Me If You Can."
No!
Another round of rejection followed, but the audience quickly realized he was joking, and laughter mixed with their shouts.
Anson grinned, "Actually, I meant Superman."
"Personally, I love this movie, even though, technically speaking, it doesn't fit modern storytelling or audience expectations. But I still can't forget the first time I saw it—I couldn't believe someone could actually fly."
"Of course, now we can spot the wires."
More laughter rippled through the crowd.
"But without a doubt, seeing that movie planted a seed of imagination in my mind. It made me realize that filmmaking is about creating dreams, just like when I first saw Jaws."
"I'll admit, I avoided the beach for a long time after that."
Once again, laughter burst out, even from Nicholas.
He knew how skilled Anson was, whether talking to reporters or appearing on shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Anson could always hold his own. Yet, even now, a smile crept onto Nicholas's face.
No wonder Anson didn't need a host for this event.
Originally, it was to keep the event secret—fewer staff meant less chance of leaks.
But Nicholas now had a theory: a host might have actually hindered things. After all, not many people could keep up with Anson's quick thinking.
The young man next to him was proof of that.
Travis realized it too. He felt like a mere decoration, completely unnecessary.
In truth, he didn't want to be in the way of the surprise event. If needed, he was willing to step aside.
But that's where Anson's magic lay—he had a way of drawing everyone into the moment.
Including Travis.
Following Anson's lead, Travis's mind started working again. Before he realized it, he asked, "So, how did you feel when you found out you'd be working with Steven?"
Once you get started, there's always more to ask.
"And when you learned that Steven wanted to take such a serious crime story and turn it into a family-friendly, lighthearted narrative, how did you feel then?"