Carry On

Dressed in a pristine white shirt, wielding a simple and unpretentious wooden guitar, enveloped by warm, dim golden light, standing on an unadorned small stage.

With nothing excessive, yet Hazel couldn't tear her gaze away. She stared unblinkingly at that figure basking in the spotlight, as if the world beyond the spotlight had plunged into darkness, engulfing all sound.

Everything was magnified to the utmost, yet also reduced to the utmost. She could clearly see that faint smile at the corners of his lips, those robust and powerful fingers, and even the trajectory of the dancing notes. Unknowingly, her vision blurred.

The lively guitar strings resonated, causing the dust particles to dance gleefully beneath the light. They danced alongside Renly's happiness and joy, as if penetrating through layers of clouds, crossing vast stretches of snow, threading through endless winters. It was like the first ray of sunlight breaking through, earth-shattering, announcing the arrival of spring. In an instant, all things reawakened.

The entire Village Vanguard became brighter.

[

Stay close

It's hard to make it when you're

On your own

If you get lost then I will lead you home

And all you need to know is

I'll be there

When no one is, no one is, yeah darling

I'll be there

]

Hazel sat there, dazed. Those exquisite and beautiful lyrics flowed like a gurgling stream by her ears, but within her heart, they stirred up tempestuous waves. He knew, he knew everything.

He knew she walked alone, groping aimlessly in the darkness. He knew she was so frightened, the endless winter seemed to have no end in sight, and she couldn't find her way forward. He knew she was tired, anxious, and in pain. He even knew that there had been moments when she truly contemplated giving up.

Yet, he stood his ground, never leaving and never will.

[

And I'll tell you

Oh my love, don't you worry

When the world gets cold

I'll hold your heart when it's heavy

And I won't let go, no

'Til my blood runs dry

I will never leave your side

Don't you worry

Oh, I know we'll carry on

]

She wasn't alone. She finally knew, she wasn't alone.

The pinnacle of solitude, the pinnacle of darkness, the pinnacle of confusion—she had even forsaken calling out. In this vast world, she was alone. No one could hear her cries for help, no one could comprehend her pain. Suddenly, at the edge of the horizon, she realized there was someone who had never left.

Bittersweetness and joy, sorrow and happiness, pain and pleasure—all these intertwined and contradictory emotions surged forth. Her chest felt like it was packed with cotton, making it hard to breathe.

[

These days

I feel like I've become my own mistakes

All of my demons keep me wide awake

But then I hear you say

I'll be there

When no one is, no one is, yeah darling

I'll be there

]

Derek suddenly froze. Before he could even realize, his vision had blurred with tears. The surging emotions almost stole his breath away.

The heavy weight on his shoulders almost crushed him. He always worried that he wasn't good enough, feared he might miss out on Hazel's life, and was anxious that his existing happiness could vanish in an instant. But the tighter he clenched his fists, the quicker the grains of sand slipped through his fingertips. The unfathomable void, like a demon, threatened to engulf him.

[

And you tell me

Oh my love, don't you worry

When the world gets cold

I'll hold your heart when it's heavy

And I won't let go, no

'Til my blood runs dry

I will never leave your side

Don't you worry

Oh, I know we'll carry on

]

Derek's gaze fell upon Hazel's frail shoulders, so delicate as if a gust of wind could sweep them away. Her flowing, lustrous hair cascaded slightly untamed down her shoulders. He was always so awkward, unable to tie her hair properly without Ellie's assistance.

He tentatively raised his right hand, attempting to place it on her shoulder, but then recoiled in trepidation. The dam of his tears broke suddenly, and everything rushed forth too violently. Before he could react, the floodwaters surged. Hastily turning away, he awkwardly wiped away the tears from his cheeks, yet they seemed impossible to stop.

Renly's fingers danced rapidly, the melody soaring higher as the strings responded. The mood grew increasingly jubilant, the sound fuller and richer. The lively rhythm raced with abandon under the brilliant peak of sunlight, as if one could witness the path of light, resplendent and magnificent.

[

I believe that life is worth it

Even if it's scarred or frayed

You don't need to be whole or perfect, no one is, no one is

You never know where the tide's gonna take us

You never know when the wave's gonna break

But I'll be there

When no one is, no one is

]

A faint warmth reverberated within his chest, a gentle happiness graced his lips. The bitterness, sorrow, and pain gradually dissipated. The tears still flowed, but they were sweet on the tip of his tongue, as if parting the dense fog, illuminating the entire world; as if breaking through layers of darkness, unveiling a brighter view.

The harsh winter had passed, spring had arrived.

Hazel burst into laughter, tears streaming down her face, looking like a fool. She turned her head and saw her father's distress; tears streaked down his aged cheeks as well. It was the first time she had seen her father cry.

Since she fell ill, her father had never displayed vulnerability in her presence. Even if there was none at all, he always stood silently behind her, bearing everything, carrying the weight of the entire family, moving forward with faltering steps, yet never stopping.

Derek was in complete disarray. He wiped the tears from his cheeks with his hand, but before he could dry them, the tears flowed again. He felt absurd and couldn't help but burst into laughter, covering up his embarrassment.

Then Derek saw Hazel raise her hand to wipe away the tears on his cheek. The soft touch of her small hand, the warmth of it, left Derek momentarily stunned. His gaze met Hazel's translucent eyes, where beneath the mist of tears, he saw a resolute gleam. In an instant, it shattered Derek's last line of defense.

Turning his head away, Derek forcefully pressed his palm against his eyes, preventing the tears from falling. Renly's deep and moving singing rang in his ears, the melody like golden sunlight converging into a stream, flowing gently, illuminating the entire world.

[

Oh my love, don't you worry

When the world gets cold

I'll hold your heart when it's heavy

And I won't let go, no

'Til my blood runs dry

I will never leave your side

Don't you worry

Oh, I know we'll carry on

]

Oh, I know we'll carry on, oh, I know we'll carry on

He took a deep breath, then another, and Derek raised his head again. Hazel still looked at him with a smiling face and tearful eyes. He returned a bright smile, clumsily leaning closer, wanting to give Hazel a hug, but unsure of how to proceed, as though afraid that even a slight pressure might shatter her frail body.

And so, the embrace turned into a shoulder pat. His fan-like palm gently landed on Hazel's shoulder. Light, yet weighty.

Hazel laughed even more joyfully. She wasn't alone, she had never been alone. Then she spread her arms wide and gave her father a hug, a tight one, holding him close. This warm embrace, it had been so long, yet it felt just like the memories.

They would continue to carry on. She wouldn't give up, she knew her father and mother wouldn't either.

Lily sat in her place, continuously wiping her tears with tissues. But the tears wouldn't stop. In the end, she used the palm of her hand to wipe away the tears that slid down her cheeks, and her smile couldn't help but turn upwards, vibrant and unrestrained.

She took a deep look at Hazel and Derek, tightly wrapped around each other. Envy flickered in her eyes.

She and her father were never close. Her parents divorced when she was five, and her father remarried three years later. Later on, her father settled in Switzerland, while she and her mother settled in Los Angeles, barely meeting a few times a year.

Turning her head, Lily looked through misty tears at Renly standing at the center of the stage. His lips curled into a cheerful smile, light and faint, like the golden afternoon sunlight falling on a white shirt. It was so beautiful that it was hard to look away, even the halo of the spotlight became a mere accompaniment.

He was the struggling middle-aged man on the edge of life and death in "Buried". He was the fearless ordinary hero in the screening room. He was also the minstrel on the stage, weaving poetry with music. He carried so much mystery within him, as if he displayed everything openly to everyone, yet seemed impenetrable.

Closing her eyes, she could almost smell the dry sunny scent on Renly, mixed with a faint woody aroma.

After the performance ended, Renly let out a gentle breath.

Regrets from the previous life, persistence in this life, had ultimately transformed into a smile at the corners of his mouth, blossoming freely. He was fortunate. On the journey of life, he was never truly alone. In the previous life, he had his family's company; in this life, he had friends' companionship. Therefore, he wouldn't give up easily, he would keep moving forward.

He would achieve his dreams and savor his life. He believed in that.

With his thoughts gathered, Renly didn't rush to leave the stage. He performed three more songs before finally announcing the end of tonight's performance.

The audience on site were reluctant to leave, and they began to shout requests, from "Charlie Boy" to "Cleopatra", and someone even requested "Your Bones". Unfortunately, Renly only smiled in response, thanked them, and then left the stage with his guitar, causing a chorus of disappointed sighs.

After leaving the stage, Renly walked toward the table where Hazel and the others were. Along the way, he greeted people continuously, handling it with ease, chatting and laughing. It seemed he had attended to everyone, yet his pace never slowed. Soon, he arrived at his destination.

After exchanging a few polite words, Derek and Hazel prepared to say their goodbyes and leave.