Hollywood: The Greatest Showman - Chapter 302: Performance Art

Chapter 302: Performance Art

Scarlett turned her head and glanced out the window. The bustling scene of the beach was clearly visible, and the paparazzo was still wandering through the crowd, searching. The bus was parked casually by the roadside, yet it hadn’t caught the paparazzo’s attention at all. Shortly after, the bus shakily started moving, and the paparazzo’s figure gradually disappeared from sight.

A bus. Who would’ve thought Renly would choose a bus?

The U.S. is a nation on wheels, where every person owns, on average, two cars, and driving is the preferred mode of travel. Some even joke that people drive just to take out the trash. Public transportation systems, as a result, are pretty awful, including the railways. Only cities like New York, with over a century of legacy, still rely heavily on subways. As for other cities, even in Los Angeles, public transport is a mess.

Honestly, this was the first time in Scarlett’s memory that she had ever taken a bus. It wasn’t just surprising to the paparazzi, but also to Scarlett herself.

If they had driven off in a car amidst the ongoing event, they surely would’ve drawn attention from the paparazzi. But the bus? No one cared. So, they slipped away right under the paparazzo’s nose.

Scarlett withdrew her gaze and turned to look at Renly, who was sitting upright, his posture impeccable, legs slightly apart, with his right hand resting on a surfboard that leaned on the ground. His poised demeanor revealed a well-bred upbringing—a detail hard to find even among the wealthy in New York’s Upper East Side.

But such graceful manners on a bus? It felt so out of place, it was almost amusing.

Now rid of the paparazzi, Scarlett was in high spirits. The mood had lifted, so she mimicked Renly’s posture, sitting upright and facing forward with perfect composure.

Thus, an absurd scene unfolded on the bus: two people sat in the very back, perfectly still, with refined posture, bathed in golden sunlight streaming through the windows. It was as if a spotlight had fallen upon them, turning them into a silent performance for the other passengers. The sheer contrast in their behavior sparked curiosity, and glances were inevitably drawn toward them.

Though there weren’t many people on the bus—just four other passengers—everyone found themselves sneaking glances at the duo, even if they didn’t recognize Scarlett and Renly. Their first thought was likely, “Is this some kind of performance art?” Even the bus driver couldn’t resist checking the rearview mirror.

Scarlett struggled to keep the corners of her mouth from lifting into a smile. It had been so long, probably not since graduating high school, that she had dared to act so strangely in public, turning any place into a stage and any moment into a performance. That pure joy and happiness seemed to have faded from her memory over time.

“Are you sure this is the right bus?” Scarlett asked with lips barely moving, trying not to laugh.

“No,” Renly answered simply, causing Scarlett to roll her eyes—so, they had just randomly jumped on a bus to an unknown destination?

“Do you mind?” Renly’s voice came again.

Scarlett paused for a moment before answering, “No.”

Why would she mind? In fact, wasn’t this ideal? Heading toward an unknown destination, with even she herself unaware of the direction, escaping the paparazzi’s clutches and the noise of the media. As she gazed at the dreamy landscape outside, with the bus speeding ahead as if it would never stop, she wondered—if they kept going like this, could they reach the end of the world?

Swaying and stopping, the bus meandered along the Oahu Island Ring Road, carrying island locals and many staff from nearby resorts. Each time someone boarded, their first reaction was to notice the two ‘performance artists’ in the back, exchanging puzzled glances and laughing quietly.

“Alright, we’re here.” Renly’s voice broke the silence, startling Scarlett. She looked up to see him standing, and instantly, every passenger turned to watch.

Renly smiled and extended an invitation to Scarlett.

They hadn’t reached the end of the world after all, and the bus had finally come to a stop. The distractions and chaos of reality were unavoidable. Scarlett felt a twinge of disappointment, like Alice leaving Wonderland, as the carefree dream had to come to an end.

Lowering her gaze to conceal her emotions, Scarlett raised her head again to find Renly’s eyes carrying a deeper meaning, which made her smile. She stood and joined him, the two of them bowing to the passengers like actors after a performance.

This small gesture brought applause and cheers from the bus’s passengers, who, in their warm and simple island spirit, were never stingy in showing friendliness. They escorted Renly and Scarlett off the bus with claps, as if they had just watched a real show.

As they disembarked, Scarlett’s gaze fell on the scarf in Renly’s hand—her scarf, actually. The day-to-night temperature difference on Oahu was large, and she’d brought it for warmth. She never expected it to become a prop for their “street” performance. On the bus, someone had tossed them coins, and it had snowballed from there.

Renly jiggled the coins in the scarf, smiling, “Looks like we’ve got dinner covered tonight.”

Scarlett laughed, “Better put that away before the police come after us.”

Street performances in the U.S. require a permit from the city hall; it’s not something anyone can do anywhere.

Renly, however, remained unfazed. “Maybe spending a night in jail wouldn’t be so bad. Imagine the headline: ‘Actors Arrested for Challenging Social Norms, Hollywood Privilege Questioned Again.’ How’s that for a story?”

Scarlett burst into laughter and nodded, “I like that headline. Or how about this: ‘Bonnie and Clyde Push the Boundaries Again, Disrupting Life for Oahu Residents.’ What do you think?”

“Bonnie and Clyde” is considered a turning point in Hollywood cinema, marking the start of the golden age. Its historical significance is undeniable.

“I love it,” Renly nodded approvingly, making Scarlett laugh even more.

After the laughter had subsided, Scarlett looked around. “So, we’re back in Waikiki. Did you know the bus would bring us back here all along?”

After going in circles, they had returned to the bustling Waikiki Beach—the most vibrant part of Oahu, filled with people. They hadn’t reached the edge of the world but were instead back in the embrace of society. Standing in the crowd, Scarlett wasn’t so sure now. Being recognized seemed inevitable, and the paparazzi would surely catch on soon enough.

“This isn’t L.A. or New York. No matter how far you go, you always end up back here.” Renly’s response caught Scarlett off guard, but then she chuckled, realizing she had been a bit paranoid earlier. This time, her mood quickly lightened again. “So, what do we do now?”

Renly held up the surfboard, “Unless you’re actually planning to learn how to surf.”

Scarlett raised an eyebrow, stifling a smile as she asked seriously, “Do you think I’m stupid?”

Renly quickly shook his head and diverted his gaze, walking away with the surfboard.

Scarlett had only been joking, but seeing Renly’s reaction, her eyes widened. “Hey! Beach boy! Don’t walk away! What do you mean by that? Are you saying I am stupid? Well? Aren’t you?”

The two of them quickly disappeared into the crowd, looking like just two ordinary tourists on the island, attracting no special attention.

After returning the surfboard, they stood by the street, watching the steady stream of people passing by. “If we’re staying near the main street, you’d better change your clothes,” Scarlett said seriously, arms crossed.

Renly looked down at his outfit in confusion. “What’s wrong with it?”

He was dressed casually—navy shorts, a white T-shirt, and dark blue boat shoes. There was nothing particularly eye-catching about his outfit. In fact, most people on Oahu were dressed similarly; it couldn’t have been more normal.

Scarlett shook her head. “There’s a huge problem. A serious one.” She looked Renly up and down critically. “Don’t you realize your legs are too long? It looks like you’re nothing but legs. You stick out like a sore thumb.”

Renly was speechless. Clearly, Scarlett was teasing him. No matter how he responded, she would have something to say. So he played along, pretending to be genuinely worried. “What should I do then? Cut them off?”

“That’s actually a good solution. I was seriously considering it. But since things would get messy, I had to abandon that idea.” Scarlett tapped her chin thoughtfully. “We’ll have to go with a second-best option. Come with me.”