The Best Actor in the Vase of Meiyu

Chapter 1406: Small Flaw
"Huh...huh..."

Anson hummed quietly and softly, as if he was standing in a deserted place at the end of the world. His light and gentle singing seemed to be shattered at the slightest touch.

He just curled up carefully in a dark corner, trying his best to hide himself, scarred and broken, trying to call for help -

However, no one knew, no one cared, and just left that lonely and fragile soul in the endless darkness, leaving it to fend for itself.

"There is no end here... There is no farewell here..."

"Disappeared completely... into the night..." (Note 1)

In the soft humming, sadness is infused into the notes, and the helplessness and confusion revealed between the few words are scattered in the strong wind, unable to grasp the center of gravity.

Suddenly, Lucas' heart clenched tightly, and the fear was clearer than ever before.

It seemed like he was about to lose Anson.

"Anson..."

Lucas squeezed out a hoarse voice from his throat, called out repeatedly, and knocked gently on the window, trying to attract Anson's attention.

Unfortunately, Anson still didn't respond.

Anson just hummed softly, "Time flies away... Time flies away..."

It's too late, everything is too late. Once missed, it is missed. There is no more time and no more chance. Separation is destined and it will disappear into the darkness.

Do not!
"Anson."

"Anson!"

Lucas called out again and again. He was scared, more scared than ever before. His childhood nightmare came back to his mind again. If he turned around, he would never find Anson again. He stood in the surging crowd coming and going, calling out and looking for him, but there was no sign of Anson. He missed him just like that.

"Anson, wake up! Anson Wood!"

at last.

Anson crawled out of his vacuum shell, raised his head following the sound, and found the face between the iron window bars. It looked familiar yet strange.

Lucas clenched his hands tightly, his body shaking uncontrollably because he was squeezing so hard, and he kept forcing himself to stay calm.

He needs to calm down.

"Anson, look at me, it's me, Luca."

"Tell me, what did you see? Anson, talk to me, I'm here, and I'm always here, no matter what happens, I won't leave, do you hear me? Anson, I'm here, right here with you."

Anson was slightly stunned, staring at Lucas, with a bit of confusion in his eyes——

Why is he here?

Yes, Johnny Cash, and they were getting ready to shoot the final scene of the Johnny Cash biopic, Johnny's first performance at Folsom Prison.

Not only because this is a prison, but also because this is Johnny's first official performance after he was completely isolated from alcohol and drugs. He finally got rid of the darkness, finally got rid of the scars, and finally began to face himself.

Although it's not easy.

He still remembered that because of his brother's accidental death, his father pushed all the responsibilities and guilt onto him, firmly believing that he was a disaster. Not only did his father beat and scold him, but he also despised and despised him from the bottom of his heart. That kind of disdain completely denied the meaning of his existence.

He thought those wounds had healed long ago.

However, it did not.

They were still there, like ghosts, telling him again and again:
You don't deserve it. You don't deserve it.

The applause, the cheers, and the love, all of it.

The stage was just around the corner and the applause was roaring, but he began to be afraid.

Fear of not being worthy.

Fear, nervousness, anxiety, burning in his stomach, he wanted nothing more than to destroy himself. Like himself.

In his previous life, he spent ten years finally getting rid of the shadow left by his father, got a stable job in the crew and carefully embraced his dream; however, when he woke up in the middle of the night, he couldn't help but doubt that he was not worthy of it -

Not worthy of dreams; not worthy of happiness.

He was just an abandoned, forgotten and ignored ant, insignificant. No one cared about his pain, his despair and his loneliness.

“…Anson!”

The shout came again, and Anson was pulled back to the ground.

Looking up suddenly, Anson saw Lucas' face, which was full of anxiety and worry. The sadness and pain between his brows were struggling, but he couldn't make a sound.

"Anson," Lucas took a deep breath, "did you see Jack again?"

Anson was stunned and was about to deny it, but when he looked up, he saw Jack sitting at a table in the meeting room, swaying his steps and smiling at Anson.

Anson's head paused briefly and looked around:

Jack, why are you here? This is a prison, how did Jack get in?
Lucas noticed Anson's pause, the hesitation and surprise in his expression, the deep fear that gripped his heart so tightly that Lucas could hardly breathe.

Following Anson's gaze, the meeting room was empty, but Lucas could feel Jack's presence from Anson's eyes.

This scared him.

But Lucas forced himself to calm down.

"Anson, listen to me, Jack... doesn't exist. Jack is just an illusion."

"Look carefully, and you will find that Jack is just the product of your illusion and contradiction. He is a nightmare, a wound, and a fear."

Ah.

Anson smiled. He was not angry. Instead, he thought Lucas was very cute. "Luca, Jack is real. What nonsense are you talking about?"

Lucas held his breath, clenched his fists again, and barely controlled his trembling body. "Anson, think about it carefully. Every time Jack appears, it is when you are under pressure or hurt. He can appear anywhere and at any time, because he is in your mind."

“We are the real thing.”

"When Jack appears, watch carefully to see what is illusion and what is reality."

"I am real. The moment we played guitar and created music in front of the Angelica Film Center was real. The moment when mom and dad had an argument in the hospital room because they were worried about you was real. The moment when we teased the paparazzi and fought back against Sony Columbia was real. The moment you stood in front of the Wilshire Theater and were surrounded by the audience was real. The moment you and the members of the August 31st band sang at the Staples Center was real."

"They can not only be seen, but also felt, felt with heart and soul, the heat, the cheers, the dreams, the dizziness are all real."

"But not Jack."

Anson was slightly stunned, his eyes fell on Jack again.

So real, so vivid, and flawless.

"Luca, this is not funny..." But this time, the smile on Anson's lips just rose up and then it calmed down again, and a surge of uneasiness surged in his heart.

He still didn't understand how Jack got in.

Obviously, not just anyone can come in here.

So, is this a dream? He is now in a long dream, and it is impossible to distinguish between the real and the fake. How else can it be explained?
Anson wasn't sure.

"Jack, he's right in front of me, why do you keep insisting that he doesn't exist? I don't understand, how can we tell what is an illusion and what is reality?"

Unconsciously, Anson let down his guard and poured out his subconscious thoughts. Then Anson looked at Jack in front of him quietly, falling into a fog.

Note 1: “Wait (M83)”

(End of this chapter)