The figure seemed unfamiliar. Harry had to sift through all of his memories to find even a vague outline.
A head of slightly curly, chestnut-brown hair almost reached the shoulders, hanging down messily and lazily. A scruffy beard covered most of the face. If he were wearing a hat and sunglasses, he could easily pass as a wanted criminal from a TV station. At this moment, he looked no different from a homeless person.
Yet, despite the unfamiliarity, there was something oddly familiar about him.
Harry paused for a moment. Was that… Connor?
…Connor… what was his last name again?
Harry wasn't entirely sure about the name, but he remembered that this was the bassist who had performed with Anson on the "Tonight Show." He had left a deep impression with his fretless bass. When people think about a band, they usually focus on the lead singer or guitarist, but Harry knew that the bass was the often-overlooked soul of the music.
So, he remembered him well.
Even though half his face was hidden by a beard, Harry could still vaguely recognize him. If his memory wasn't wrong, his name should be Connor.
But, was this all just a coincidence?
Chris. Connor.
Two people connected to Anson, yet unrelated to each other, appearing in the same frame—was this normal? Or was it just Harry's desperate desire to find Anson, making him link everything together? After all, the two of them hadn't even noticed each other.
Wait, Connor had stopped. Was he waiting for Chris?
Did Connor and Chris know each other? Had they met at a party because of Anson? Or was it…
Knock knock!
A knocking sound on the driver's side window, loud as thunder, abruptly interrupted Harry's thoughts. His heart stopped for a moment as he turned his head sharply and saw a bright, smiling face waving at him—
"Good morning!"
Oh, my God!
Half of Harry's soul nearly jumped out of his body. The scream that had reached his throat was forcibly swallowed, and his body went limp.
He felt like he might have leaked a little.
Harry opened his mouth, thinking he was screaming, but all that came out were helpless "uh, uh, uh" sounds. He collapsed weakly into the seat, staring blankly at the face outside the window.
In front of him was a handsome face, but slightly different from his memory. Short, stubbly whiskers outlined the jaw and facial contours like shadows at four in the afternoon, giving him a slightly scruffy yet wild and unruly look. A black baseball cap was worn backward on his head, with a few rebellious strands of hair poking out, revealing a broad and full forehead.
The same, yet different.
As Harry's gaze quickly swept over him, even he couldn't help but doubt himself. "Is that… Anson?"
After all, this image was so different from the "Princess Diaries" and "Spider-Man"; it brought out a unique charm that was mature and wild in a completely different way.
Maybe it was just those eyes, those clear and deep blue eyes, that were still familiar.
Was this an illusion?
Harry squeezed his eyes shut, trying to take a deep breath and regain his composure, but in the next second, he heard a muffled greeting from outside the car window.
"Hey, Kevin."
Nightmare.
The nightmare had returned!
This time, Harry was 100% sure he wasn't seeing things—
It was indeed Anson outside the car window.
But why was Anson here?
Harry had been desperately searching for Anson, yet now that he had actually found him, he started to regret it. It felt like he had opened Pandora's box.
He knew he should open his eyes, but honestly, he didn't have the courage. Suddenly, the driver's seat felt a little warm.
"Kevin, you can't park here. You might block other cars. It's best to move before the traffic cops show up."
"But, it's really good to see you."
Good to see you?
No way!
Harry cursed under his breath. He waited until he heard no more noise outside the window before cautiously opening his eyes, quickly scanning his surroundings, and then spotting Anson walking towards Chris and Connor—
That figure was unmistakable.
Tall, lean, and well-proportioned, even from the back, he was hard to look away from.
Damn it!
Anson was here all along. They had scoured all of Los Angeles, but never thought to look right under their noses.
But why?
And why had no paparazzi noticed this place? Why had they searched all of Los Angeles but overlooked this area? Why was Anson here?
Questions piled up without answers, only growing more numerous.
Moreover, from Anson's actions just now, he seemed completely at ease, open and straightforward, with no signs of trying to avoid the media. It actually matched the image from that "New York Times" interview, where Anson always presented his true self.
So, was it all just their own wild imagination?
But how could Anson just openly appear like this without anyone hounding him?
No, the questions were about to explode Harry's head.
While he was thinking, Anson turned around, said something to Chris and Connor, and then pointed in Harry's direction.
Um, so…
Should he hide or not?
Harry was at a loss. When dealing with other actors, the paparazzi always hid in the shadows, aiming their cameras to catch them off guard. But when it came to Anson, he always ended up being exposed. How was he supposed to do his job like this?
A moment's hesitation, and Harry had already missed the chance to hide.
In fact, Anson even waved at Harry, signaling to him, causing Chris and Connor to awkwardly nod as well.
It was obvious that Chris and Connor were a bit uneasy—shocked, surprised, taken aback. They were both worried that they had been the ones to expose Anson's whereabouts and bring the paparazzi down on them.
But Anson didn't mind.
Even from a distance, where Harry couldn't hear Anson's words, it was clear from his cheerful expression and relaxed demeanor that he was reassuring Chris and Connor. It was as if he had never intended to hide his whereabouts, and he wasn't surprised at all by the paparazzi's presence.
In fact, Anson turned to Harry and called out loudly, "Kevin, thanks for your hard work!"
This scene felt more like introducing his friends.
Harry: I can't even smile. Seriously. I'm not Kevin, for God's sake, and I'm not working hard at all! What on earth is going on here?
Luckily, Anson didn't linger. He and Chris, along with Connor, turned and walked towards a gray building ahead, chatting and laughing without letting the appearance of paparazzi spoil their mood. They left Harry standing there, bewildered.
It wasn't until that moment that Harry finally recognized the building—it was none other than the City of Sound!
Wait, the City of Sound?
Anson was actually at the City of Sound? The place where countless legendary albums had been recorded?
So, while the whole world had been searching for Anson, he had been hiding out at the City of Sound the entire time!
This was… unbelievable!