Though the sky still occasionally sprinkled snowflakes, Fifth Avenue was as bustling as ever with pedestrians and vehicles. Christmas Eve might be over, but Christmas Day was just beginning.
"So, what's our next move?" At a small table, Brian gently tapped his plate with a fork, smiling at Catherine, who was happily devouring her meal across from him.
"Let's just wander around the streets," the little girl mumbled through a mouthful of rich dark chocolate cake, completely unconcerned about the cream smeared on her face.
Shopping? Though women are naturally inclined to enjoy shopping, what could someone Catherine's age really do? Brian wondered to himself, but still took out a napkin to wipe her face.
Catherine had a purpose in suggesting they wander around. As expected, when she woke up at Grandpa's house that morning, the gift was a limited edition Barbie doll set. As for the other gifts from her parents, uncles, and aunts, they were various stuffed toys and such. She had been disappointed so many times since childhood that she was now numb to it. However, her godfather's visit brought a small surprise. His gift was a bamboo flute with a classic Chinese design. Though it wasn't exactly what she wanted, it pleased Catherine enough that she suggested spending a day out with her godfather.
Her parents agreed since it was her annual tradition to go out and play on Christmas, only with different people accompanying her. So, Brian drove Catherine around New York City, avoiding the congested streets and ending up ice skating in Central Park.
The little girl had a great time until she overheard someone nearby humming "Big Big World." At first, she didn't think much of it, but as she kept hearing it repeatedly, she found it strange. Paying closer attention, she noticed most of the humming came from young people of various ethnicities, many enthusiastically discussing the singer, speculating about their appearance, and so on. If her familiar people were discussing it, she could ignore it, but hearing strangers talk about it made her think. While the song's charm was undeniable, was the singer's identity that important?
In some ways, Catherine was quite naïve. In her previous life, being an otaku, she had failed to realize that the more mysterious something was, the more curiosity it aroused.
So, after finishing a dessert at a cake shop, she led her godfather straight to a record store in Times Square. Choosing a large one, she scanned the walls for related posters but found none. Catherine thought for a moment and started searching the shelves. Remembering the EP Disney sent her, she had barely looked at it before putting it away. Recalling the cover was nearly impossible.
But this was not a problem for Catherine. Given the songs' popularity, there had to be listening stations. She walked through several aisles and found a listening station where several young people were either standing or sitting with headphones on, listening to music.
After carefully observing, she finally spotted her EP among the albums at the listening station. She recognized it because the cover was so simple: a palm-sized piece of paper stuck to the back with a few lines and two or three geometric shapes forming the letters "CM," and the entire image was in black and white. Catherine couldn't help but chuckle at Disney's minimalistic design. According to Avril's letter, the EP didn't even include an introduction to the singer. It was just the cover and the disc inside!
Knowing the cover, it was easy to find her EP on the shelves, located prominently in the second row near the entrance. Catherine stood on tiptoe to grab a copy, examining it closely. It was indeed simple, lacking any buying appeal. But being placed in such a noticeable spot indicated strong sales, proving Disney's data reliable.
Selling one million copies in the last week of November? Second only to Michael Jackson? The thought made Catherine dizzy. Was she really that amazing?
Suddenly, someone tapped her left shoulder hard, startling Catherine out of her thoughts. She turned around—no one was there. Frowning, she quickly turned to her right and found herself face-to-face with a surprised little girl.
"Wow, you react fast." The girl, about six or seven years old, with golden curly hair, a cute round face, and beautiful features like a doll, left Catherine momentarily speechless.
The girl didn't seem to mind, puffing out her chest and boldly asking, "Are you Annie or Holly?" She leaned closer, admiring, "Your eyes are so pretty, even better than in the movie."
"Um, hold on," Catherine raised her hands, "Who are you?"
"Scarlett Johansson," the girl said confidently, extending her hand. Catherine, still dazed, shook it and heard her ask again, "You haven't answered my question. Are you Annie or Holly?"
"Well…" Catherine scratched her face, not disliking the girl but knowing it would be complicated to explain if she followed her lead.
"Simply put, I'm neither Annie nor Holly. Actually, I played both roles," Catherine said, shaking hands with her. "Catherine Mason, nice to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you too," said the little girl named Scarlett, her face beaming with enthusiasm. "You know, it's my first time meeting a movie actor up close. Is this your first time acting in a movie? How does it feel? I really want to act in movies too, but my dad won't let me. He keeps saying, 'Wait until you're older,' and he's been saying that since I was four, but he still won't allow it."
A barrage of questions hit Catherine, making her head spin. This girl could ask more questions than Lindsay. She quickly raised her hands, "Alright, alright, can you slow down a bit?"
Scarlett obediently stopped, her light green-blue eyes staring unblinkingly at Catherine. Catherine cleared her throat, "Well, Scarlett, movies aren't filmed in sequence like you see in the cinema. It's a very complicated process. If you ever get the chance to act in one, you'll understand that some things can't be described in words."
Seeing the puzzled look on Scarlett's face, Catherine rolled her eyes. "In short, if you really want to act in movies, you can talk to your parents about finding an agent and start by doing commercials." Just like Lindsay did, though that might lead to some complications, Catherine thought, chuckling at the sudden idea.
Scarlett still seemed a bit confused, but when she noticed the EP in Catherine's hand, she immediately switched topics with excitement. "Do you like Miss C's songs too?"
"Huh? Oh, yes, they're not bad," Catherine replied, then glanced at the EP in her hand and shrugged.
"'Not bad'?! Miss C's voice is amazing! Three songs with three different singing styles, each giving a different flavor, and all done perfectly without any confusion. How can you call that just 'not bad'?" Scarlett seemed quite upset with Catherine's lukewarm response.
Catherine couldn't help but laugh, quickly explaining, "Alright, I didn't mean to offend you or Miss C. It's just that I don't listen to music very often..." She paused, an idea forming in her mind. "Actually, I only just found out about her. Could you tell me more about Miss C?"
"I'm surprised. As a movie actor, you should be aware of these things. Miss C's EP has been out since early November, and by now, everyone should know about her. How come you just found out?" Scarlett looked at Catherine with a bewildered expression.
"Please, I just want to know more about Miss C," Catherine replied, feeling a bit exasperated by Scarlett's chattiness.
"No one knows," Scarlett shrugged.
"What do you mean by 'no one knows'?" Catherine raised an eyebrow.
"I mean, no one knows. Hollywood Records released this EP without any promotion. It was almost like it was secretly launched. Hardly anyone knew about it, but by the end of the month, it suddenly became a hit through word-of-mouth. Her three songs have been floating in the top five on the Billboard charts ever since. It's unbelievable," Scarlett's eyes sparkled with excitement as she continued. "Many music critics call her a miracle, saying she not only writes and composes her own songs but also performs them in different styles perfectly. But no one knows who she is. Hollywood Records won't say anything, and the EP doesn't even include an introduction. Some people think there's no Miss C at all and that the three songs were sung by different people. But most believe she's very talented and has a beautiful voice, just too ugly to show her face. That's what an insider supposedly leaked."
Catherine listened with a smile, but her feelings were complicated. All she did was correct a mistake by recording an EP, and it caused such a sensation? Hearing the final speculation made her a bit angry. She didn't think she was ugly in any way.
Clearly, even as an otaku in her previous life, she never understood the intricacies of commercial hype. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been naïve enough to ask Disney to keep the singer and the EP under wraps.
"How do you know so much?" Catherine asked.
"Oh, dear, it's all in the music magazines," Scarlett said, giving her a sideways glance and shaking her hand, as if indicating it was a silly question.
"It's really surprising." Although feeling a bit annoyed, Catherine kept a smile on her face while chatting with the little girl. Fortunately, a voice from behind saved her from the conversation. "I hate to interrupt, but Cathy, we have to go."
Brian appeared behind the two girls, holding two classical music albums and smiling.
"Sorry, but I have to go now. It was nice talking to you," Catherine quickly bid farewell.
"I have to go too. My parents must be waiting for me. It was nice talking to you too," Scarlett replied with a cheerful smile, shaking hands again before leaving the store. Even as she walked out, she turned back to wave.
"You really are my goddaughter, making new friends wherever you go," Brian teased as he went to the counter to pay for the records.
Catherine shrugged, noncommittal. Watching Scarlett leave, she suddenly felt a sense of familiarity. Scarlett... Scarlett Johansson... Scarlett Johansson!!