A guitar, a beam of light, a chair, a voice.
Music returned to its purest, simplest, most unadorned form, singing with the soul, communicating with thoughts, narrating with melodies. That power that touched hearts, gave music a unique brilliance.
Gazing at Renly, who sat quietly in the light with a guitar in his arms, Tom couldn't help but notice the casually rolled-up shirt sleeves, the slightly disheveled collarless neckline, and the slightly messy and lazy curls of his short hair. It was the perfect image of a wandering troubadour, yet the desire to collaborate with him surged within Tom's heart. This wasn't just because Renly's successful audition that afternoon had impressed him, but also because of the soul hidden behind this face.
Whether as Mark Antony in the afternoon or Cleopatra in the evening, Renly portrayed a distinctive aura, revealing the unknown sides of these characters. His unique and profound understanding shone brightly. As an actor, Renly exhibited envy-inducing talent.
Mind you, Renly was merely twenty years old this year.
Tom couldn't help but turn his head to his old friend beside him once again. In the dim fibers of light, Steven's expression wasn't very clear, but Tom could vaguely discern his focused, unblinking engagement, immersed in the quiet yet surging atmosphere of the bar scene. Tom believed that if he could feel it, Steven surely wouldn't miss it either.
The firm and sharp sensation of guitar strings beneath his fingertips danced faintly, and Renly lowered his eyelids, silently savoring the fuzzy realm between illusion and reality after the creative process. His thoughts surged and boiled; he loved these moments, simply letting tranquility pervade, communicating through melodies, where the same musical note collided and fermented into different thoughts and reactions in different minds.
Music was like this, and so was performance. These moments free of noise and clamor were always particularly enjoyable, truly allowing the charm of art to flourish to the extreme.
"Ahem." Although Renly immensely enjoyed this moment, he caught sight of Neil's signal out of the corner of his eye and broke the silence. "Although no one is giving any reaction right now, I'll take it as if you all liked the performance just now." One sentence made everyone burst into laughter. The soft laughter still felt somewhat suppressed and muffled, yet it perfectly showcased Renly's infectious musicality. "Now, the true master has arrived on the scene, and I should step back. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Jason Mayes!"
Without warning, Jason walked onto the stage with a guitar in his arms. The audience was a bit confused, unable to shake off the lingering mood of the previous "Cleopatra". But due to Jason's sudden appearance, they quickly regrouped their emotions. After a moment of hesitation, applause rang out, a warm applause that resonated like thunder.
Walking onto the stage, Jason was somewhat dazed by this unexpectedly warm welcome that far exceeded his expectations. Technically, he was late, and the fact that there was no booing from the audience was already fortunate. Yet they responded with such enthusiastic applause. Before Jason could think much, Renly walked over, gesturing an invitation. Jason could only compose himself, pat Renly's shoulder, and then stride to the center of the stage to begin his performance.
Underneath the stage, Steven was no longer in the mood to appreciate Jason's performance. Amidst his mixed emotions, he lowered his gaze, turned his head, and met Tom's inquisitive gaze. Even without words, Steven immediately read the meaning in Tom's eyes: It's still Renly, always Renly.
The words of refusal danced on the tip of his tongue, driven by his pride and subconscious self-esteem to make the same decision. He disliked overturning his own judgments, and he loathed admitting his mistakes. The decision to cast Joseph Mazzelo as Eugene in "The Pacific" had been confirmed shortly after the project was greenlit. He was the first actor to be finalized for the entire production. Yet now, Steven had to personally veto his own decision.
However, Steven was no ordinary person after all.
Though the recent performance was a musical one, unrelated to acting, the uniqueness of music still showcased a different side of Renly: cheerful yet sorrowful, strong yet fragile, vibrant yet weathered, extroverted yet introspective... These contrasting qualities were taken to their extremes, endowing the musical notes with unique charm. Undoubtedly, Renly was captivating, with an air of openness and elegance. It was an extremely youthful charm that sang loudly and withered at the first gust of cold wind.
This reminded Steven of Eugene from "The Pacific".
So young, just twenty years old, he unwaveringly believed in God, believed in his country, believed in goodness. He was like a white dove protected within an ivory tower. When the war broke out, his only dream was to fight for his country, for its honor, for the people's happiness, for world peace. He willingly enlisted, but the frailty of his heart restrained his steps. He watched as his friends around him threw themselves into the war, even the lively faces on the television mocked his cowardice and incompetence.
It wasn't until over a year after the United States joined the war that Eugene's heart was no longer an impediment. Eagerly, he joined the military and charged into the embrace of the Pacific. However, what awaited him were unimaginable storms, the collapse and shattering of faith and conviction. His broken soul couldn't bear even a bit of weight, struggling in the abyss of despair. Living was an ordeal for him, a punishment.
This was the core soul of the series "The Pacific", depicting the impact of war on every soldier. The wounds rooted deep within their souls could never heal, even if they survived, the scars remained. It wasn't only the soldiers, but also their lives after returning home—family, friends, loved ones, and even the entire society, all paid the price for the war.
Eugene embodied this soul, bearing the weight of the entire series. Now, in Renly, Steven saw this contradictory yet pure quality.
During the afternoon audition, Steven could have used this reason to reject Tom. But now, he couldn't. He could continue to reject Tom, standing his ground; however, he couldn't convince himself. Because he knew that Renly was the perfect fit for Eugene.
Taking a deep breath, Steven gave Tom a helpless smile. "You know, this wasn't part of the original plan." Public auditions were meant for selecting actors, except for the role of Eugene. Now, the situation was disrupted.
Though Steven didn't explicitly state it, Tom immediately understood. A genuine smile surfaced on his lips. "You should know, this is the right choice."
Steven didn't respond immediately, but instead looked at Tom with a serious gaze. He noticed the slight redness in Tom's eyes, a hint of embarrassment. This sight prompted a chuckle from Steven, "You look like a teenage girl right now."
"So, you're the forty-five-year-old headmaster?" Tom retorted without mercy, countering directly. Afterward, he straightened up and gestured toward the corners of his own eyes, indicating to Steven, "You better wipe away those tears at the corners of your eyes."
"It's just a bit of moisture!" Steven defended, but Tom paid no attention whatsoever. He left his position with a light step, leaving Steven feeling quite aggrieved. He looked up at Jason, who had started performing the first song on stage, rubbed his eyes forcefully, then stood up and followed in the direction Tom was heading—toward the bar.
In the kitchen, Renly was being questioned by Neil and Stanley. "God, you're a genius, an absolute genius! Honestly, when did you compose this song?" Neil's face was brimming with an excited smile as he chattered away. Though he posed the question, he had no intention of waiting for Renly's reply. "Listen to me, you have to share your creation. It's the digital age now, things aren't that complicated!"
Seeing Renly about to respond, Neil cut in again swiftly, preempting any counterargument. "We'll find a garage, record the song, register the copyright, then sign up for an account on Songcast, upload the song there. They'll handle all the subsequent matters. Soon, you'll be able to offer downloads on platforms like iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon. The space for independent musicians is expanding rapidly now!"
"Indeed," Stanley nodded in agreement. "Renly, it's 2009 now. Everything is so convenient. Just fill out an online application, no need for all those complicated procedures, no need to deal with major music companies. Your music can be shared online."
Finally, the two of them quieted down temporarily. Renly glanced at Neil and then at Stanley. "Are you both done?" Both of them nodded a bit dazedly. Only then did Renly speak again, "Creating music is just my hobby, a way to pass the time. I don't want to complicate things." Neil seemed to want to say something again, but this time Renly raised his hand to stop him. "Besides, no one would want to download my music. Performing occasionally here and entertaining everyone is enough."
"Who said that? I'll be the first to download your music once it's online!" Neil said eagerly, his bright eyes expressing his loyalty.
Stanley quickly raised his right hand. "I'll be the second." He continued, "Renly, believe me, it's not just us. Others will like it too. Even that old fellow Joshua asked me about it earlier."
"Stanley..." Renly only managed to open his mouth briefly before the words were interrupted by the door swinging open. The three turned their heads in unison toward the door and saw Tom's candid and honest face cautiously appear. "Sorry, we didn't barge in intentionally." Following closely, Steven's figure emerged. Neil and Stanley both seemed dumbfounded, their jaws almost dislocated. Even Renly wore a surprised expression. "We've come specifically to find Renly. Is he available now? Can we have a conversation?"
The target... was Renly?