A softly glowing blue fish tank stood in the center of the mall's atrium. Colorful tropical fish swam leisurely, and small, cute jellyfish drifted in clusters. The entire space reflected a deep blue hue, and the passersby instinctively slowed their steps and lowered their voices, as if they too had entered an underwater world, quietly gliding and wandering.
A serene atmosphere.
After dinner, on their way to pick up groceries and fresh ingredients for breakfast, Lucas noticed Anson's distraction. Following his gaze, Lucas scanned the area.
At first, Lucas thought Anson was focused on the fish tank. When the large tank was first installed, it became a hot topic in the nearby neighborhood — a bold design for the early 21st century.
However, it wasn't the tank that caught Anson's eye.
Anson's gaze was fixed on something behind the tank — the Edwards Cinema.
This theater belonged to Regal Entertainment Group (REG), the second-largest chain in North America after AMC, featuring various theater brands under its umbrella.
A wide array of movie posters was displayed at the entrance, showcasing the latest popular films. Edwards Cinema prided itself on giving equal attention to independent and art films, dedicating a special area to promote award-season contenders.
Among them, this week's premiere, Just Married, held the most prominent spot. This romantic comedy, starring Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy, was the third such release in a month. 20th Century Fox hoped the film would replicate the success of My Boss's Daughter and Maid in Manhattan, and the marketing was in full swing.
However, Catch Me If You Can still held a prime position.
Lucas was a bit surprised. He thought the last place Anson would want to be right now was a movie theater, but he noticed Anson's lingering look.
In an instant, Lucas understood.
"Want to go in and watch a movie?" Lucas asked.
Anson quickly snapped his gaze back to Lucas. "Are you out of your mind? I came here to escape the spotlight, and now you want me to walk right into it?"
Lucas remained calm, expressionless, and unfazed. "But you can't, and shouldn't, let the attention change how you live your everyday life."
Anson froze.
"Listen, it's a tricky problem, and no one has solved it yet. Being under the spotlight, losing control over your regular, everyday life."
"But that's part of your job. You have to accept both the good and the bad. You can't bask in the applause of the spotlight and then shy away from the chaos it brings. That's not how it works."
"So, the most important thing is to stay true to yourself and keep living. Don't let the attention disrupt your plan to return to normal."
"If you want to watch a movie, we'll watch a movie."
Those simple words hit Anson hard.
He thought he had prepared himself mentally. After all, if he hadn't experienced fame firsthand, he'd certainly witnessed it through the craziness of social media in his previous life — fan frenzy, over-the-top headlines. The media painted a wild picture of the world.
But going through it himself was a different story. He suddenly found himself in the same predicament as Frank Abagnale Jr.: nowhere to run.
In the chaos and the crowds, there seemed to be no room to breathe.
Lucas's words opened a window, showing Anson a different possibility:
He didn't need to let the madness and noise control his life. Everyday life didn't always have to be in the spotlight. Now, he needed to learn how to coexist with the noise.
So, did Anson want to watch a movie?
Yes, he did.
To be precise, Anson wanted to sit among a regular audience and watch Catch Me If You Can for himself.
Despite having participated in flash mob events across North America, appearing at various cinemas and showings, Anson had never actually sat down with an audience to watch the movie, maintaining the element of surprise and mystery.
To Anson, one of the charms of movies was:
The shared experience.
Being in a theater, a group of strangers connected through the big screen, sharing two hours of adventure together — laughing, crying, feeling sadness, and happiness — pulling two hours out of their own lives to join a journey with people they've never met.
It's romantic.
This is why film festivals are so captivating. They gather true cinema lovers together. It's all about the films. When the lights go down, everyone steps together into the world of cinema, exploring the depths of time, the vastness of the universe, and the mysteries of life.
In reality, Anson had just finished an unbelievable journey, which made him more eager than ever to enter a theater and experience Frank Abagnale Jr.'s adventure with an audience.
It wasn't about him or Catch Me If You Can, but about the memory of being in a cinema.
For Anson, this would be a new feeling.
He wanted to try it.
But still, there was hesitation in his eyes.
"If I get recognized, things could get out of hand," Anson hesitated, torn.
If he accidentally revealed his identity, it would cause a commotion — a small issue, but people might mistakenly think Anson's appearance was part of another flash mob event, and that misunderstanding would be a hassle to clear up.
No one believes the boy who cried wolf.
Anson was especially frustrated. After all, he hadn't lied; he'd only hidden his whereabouts. He never shouted, "Wolf!" — it was all a misunderstanding.
Lucas noticed the frustration in Anson's expression and a smile appeared in his eyes. "Don't worry, if you get recognized, I'll cover for you. I'll make sure you get out safely."
Then, with a serious tone, Lucas softly hummed, "And I…"
Anson couldn't help but smile.
That tune was unmistakably Whitney Houston's iconic song I Will Always Love You, from the movie The Bodyguard.
In the film, Whitney plays a superstar, and Kevin Costner is her bodyguard.
Anson glanced at Lucas, exasperated. "So you're Whitney Houston, and I'm Kevin Costner?"
Lucas didn't respond to the sarcasm. Calmly, he brought the conversation back. "Besides, it's already 11 p.m. If we go in now, it'll be the midnight showing. There won't be many people, so you should be safe from being recognized."
Anson had to admit, he was tempted.
Without waiting for Anson's response, Lucas headed to the box office to buy tickets.
Anson thought about stopping him but held back in the end.
Maybe this was just right — carefully returning to everyday life, gradually pulling things back on track after being swept up in a whirlwind.