**Chapter 84: The Cutting Edge of Fashion**

*Click!*

Bruce pressed the shutter, capturing the flowing, vibrant, blossoming vitality. There was no need for a smile or eye contact; from the expression to the body language, one could clearly feel the exuberant and flamboyant energy that made even the Californian sunshine pale in comparison.

Bright.

This was what Bruce had been desperately searching for—not an illusion, but a truly existing unique charm that radiated from within.

*Click! Click, click, click!*

The shutter couldn't stop.

In the lens, Anson was riding a skateboard, racing, flying, soaring, as the scenery on both sides of Melrose Avenue turned into a rushing, turbulent river.

The graffiti, the buildings, the fleeting pedestrians—vivid colors splashed like a palette of paint bursting forth.

—Red light.

A sudden stop, a quick turn.

Then.

Anson's eyes met Bruce's lens—slightly surprised, slightly nervous, but without avoidance, a smile blossomed arrogantly at the corners of his mouth.

*Click.*

Bruce could hear the blood boiling in his veins as he pressed the shutter, capturing the moment. Even the breeze that brushed against him seemed to come alive, lifting the hem of Anson's suit jacket and his sweat-soaked hair, making everything from his fingertips to his strands of hair dance in rhythm, unable to stop.

As he moved and ran, focus, light, and composition seemed irrelevant, blending into his flesh, becoming instinct.

Under Anson's command, the world played a symphony.

Clearly, Anson was unaware of this.

Leaving the studio, breaking free from constraints, everything became natural and simple, as if with a skateboard, he could reach the ends of the earth.

A suit paired with skate shoes.

In the future, this would become a commonplace, normal fashion combination, just like how basketball shoes became a new trend, breaking the seriousness of suits with the casualness of sneakers, bringing a different collision of vibes, and offering a fresh sense of style that breaks stereotypes.

Anson wasn't a professional; he hadn't studied the origins of this trend. But he remembered that in 2006, Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack" made this kind of mix-and-match fashion trend spread worldwide.

In the year 2000, such a combination was as perplexing and shocking as the "alien ET."

Everything seemed abnormal, yet why... did it feel so harmonious?

But.

For Anson, this wasn't enough.

In the eyes of others, what seemed outlandish was merely a basic outfit in his view. As he sped along, racing ahead, any sense of constraint was left behind.

He had an idea—

Since it was unconventional, why not push it even further?

For example, taking off his shoes and skateboarding as if he were surfing.

Of course, in everyday life, for safety reasons, Anson wouldn't actually do this, because the friction provided by skate shoes is crucial; a slight mistake could lead to injury. But since this was a magazine photoshoot, and just for the sake of the look, it shouldn't be a problem as long as he didn't attempt any difficult maneuvers.

If it weren't for the suit being the theme, and still the core of the look, Anson might have even considered shedding the jacket and vest as well.

However, removing his shoes was already a breakthrough.

Without hesitation, Anson stopped on the street, and without consulting Gretel, he simply took off his shoes and socks.

Gretel: ???

Was this one surprise after another?

Before one surprise could fully sink in, another one came crashing in?

But just as she was about to speak out to stop him, Gretel fell silent—

Anson's smile.

Pure. Clear. Cheerful.

Bright.

It was a smile from the heart, not for the photoshoot or because of work, but from being immersed in a childlike joy, as if he had returned to his childhood, enjoying the pure and simple happiness of playing and having fun.

*Click.*

Bruce was already pressing the shutter.

Gretel turned her head sharply, full of questions. This wasn't even part of the planned look; it was just Anson's spur-of-the-moment decision to take off his shoes—why take pictures?

Yet Gretel could see Bruce's focus, the deep immersion and involvement that was different from usual, and she could feel the surge of inspiration without a word being spoken.

Perhaps, only now had they truly found the right track.

*Click, click, click.*

Anson noticed Bruce's actions, but there was none of the awkwardness and tension from the studio earlier. Instead, there was a hint of the character Paul from "Friends"—a vibe somewhere between a man and a boy.

Sometimes, the elegance of a suit.

Sometimes, the youthfulness of skateboarding.

"Bruce, I'm not sure, I'm just trying this out; I can't promise it'll work."

Anson said.

Even so, there was an unmistakable excitement in Anson's eyes, a thrill at the challenge. Once his shoes were off, Anson immediately hopped back on the skateboard.

Whoosh.

The boy sped ahead.

But the fun lasted only three seconds before the sweat on his feet made him slip, and he tumbled off the skateboard. He flailed his arms to regain balance but ultimately failed, rolling to the ground in a clumsy, lazy tumble to soften the impact.

Gasp!

The crowd gasped in surprise.

But before they could even react, Anson was already flipping over, casually sitting on the ground, hands on his knees, flashing a big smile at Bruce and Gretel.

"See, I made a fool of myself. I knew I hadn't skated in too long."

"Haha."

Despite the mishap, he wasn't embarrassed at all; instead, he laughed heartily.

As the skateboard lay forgotten on the ground, Bruce somehow found himself pressing the shutter again.

This time, Anson didn't shy away or feel awkward. Sitting barefoot on the ground, he raised a hand to the camera and flashed a V-sign.

"Ha, even the embarrassing moments should be captured. Bruce, make sure to send me these photos."

Bright.

Finally, Gretel understood what Bruce had been searching for.

A vibrant, full-bodied vitality that seemed to break free from the constraints of the lens, coming alive on the film. These static photos seemed almost magical, like the moving pictures in "Harry Potter."

No constraints, no boundaries.

A kind of freedom.

This version of Anson was impossible to look away from.

*Click, click, click.*

Bruce kept pressing the shutter, knowing full well that he had completed his task—not just completed, but overachieved. He was confident this was a unique, irreplaceable suit-themed photoshoot, far exceeding expectations. Yet, his fingers wouldn't stop; the inspiration kept flowing.

He loved his job.

Anson didn't stand up right away but looked over at Gretel, "The suit's dirty, what now? It's probably sponsored, right? Do I need to buy it?"

The sincere and straightforward question made Gretel laugh. At that moment, she noticed that even though Bruce was still in shutter mode, Anson had completely relaxed, a far cry from his earlier self in the studio.

"No worries. We'll take care of it," Gretel responded with a big smile.

There was no need for discussion; Gretel and Bruce had already reached a tacit understanding—

Clearly, they had made the right decision.

Gretel looked at Anson, "So, how about it? Ready to continue with the second look? Any ideas? Still with the skateboard?"

Anson pushed himself off the ground, "Continuing with the skateboard might be a bit boring. How about it—do you have a basketball? I'm not a pro, but I can definitely strike a pose."

End of Chapter 5.