After Hugo finished performing the just-composed "Home," he felt the longing in his heart gradually calm down. This morning's phone call to his father had stirred up his homesickness, and later, after the incident at Joseph's house, although Hugo never showed it, deep down he was still heavy-hearted.
But now, all of those emotions had been poured into this one "Home," so that when Hugo finished singing, he found it hard to contain himself. He lowered his gaze, letting the sadness and yearning in his mind slowly settle.
This "Home" was a song Hugo had just improvised. Originally, he wanted to create a smooth jazz-style love song, but as the melody took shape, it still carried a touch of rhythm and blues.
Originating in the 1940s, rhythm and blues had, after years of evolution, achieved a certain recognition, but it had never truly been embraced by the mainstream. It wasn't until the late 1980s, after the disco era ended, that the fusion of Black soul, funk, pop, and hip-hop formed the true style of rhythm and blues, which then gradually secured a place in the music market. Throughout the 1990s, occasional masterpieces emerged, making R&B an essential part of popular music, and entering the 21st century, it experienced a complete explosion, becoming one of the most important genres in pop.
For Hugo, the influence of R&B could not be ignored. So when he was creating in a jazz style just now, pop and R&B elements seeped into the tail-end phrasing and the connections between notes, giving the entire song an indescribable romantic aura. Even without deliberate sentimentality, it created an astonishing emotional effect.
Compared to the few rock songs he had composed in succession before, the creation of today's "Home" undoubtedly brought Hugo a richer harvest, giving him a deeper understanding of songwriting. However, such opportunities were rare and could not be forced. Today's series of unexpected events had triggered an explosion of inspiration in Hugo's mind, and the final creation had flowed naturally. But if Hugo were to try writing another song right now, he would be too drained to do so. Still, the insight gained from "Home" was enough for him to savor for some time.
Hugo had only just managed to calm his mood when, upon opening his eyes, he saw the shimmer of tears on Charlize's face. Hugo had originally wanted to remind her, "You're playing a homeless person right now—if you cry, it'll be hard to wrap up the scene, not to mention your makeup." But then he noticed that it wasn't just Charlize; even in the brilliant sunset around them, he could see glimmers of tears shining.
Looking up, Hugo saw that the onlookers had grown to more than thirty people, completely encircling him and Charlize. Every face bore a different expression—there was yearning, there was emotion, there were memories, reflections, and sorrow. "Home" meant something different to everyone, but without a doubt, it was the deepest secret in each person's heart. And at this moment, because of Hugo's song, it had awakened their longing for home, and the swell of emotion was inevitable.
A single line, "I want to go home," so earnest and so real, let emotion bloom into the most moving flower.
Every tear shimmered with beautiful light, shaking Hugo's heart. Although the song was performed by him, he still could not imagine the crowd before him being so moved by his voice. The impact of those glistening tears on Hugo was no less powerful than the emotional force of "Home" itself. This was the first time Hugo so firmly believed: music truly had the power to move people's hearts.
And all of this had been caused by him—something Hugo had never dared to imagine before. Even when he sang the theme song for A Few Good Men, Hugo still had little thought of taking the lead singer's role seriously. But today—today, the reactions of the listeners made Hugo believe that he could become an outstanding singer, that he had that ability.
Neil applauded. He could barely control the surging feelings within him, clapping his hands in an unrestrained rhythm, expressing his admiration for the singer in the most direct way possible. Also a street performer himself, Neil had seen many skilled singers in the streets and alleys of Los Angeles, but those who truly earned his heartfelt respect were rare—perhaps due to professional rivalry, perhaps due to the pride and confidence in his own craft.
But today Neil was genuinely in awe of this singer—not because his vocal technique was particularly dazzling. In fact, during the performance of "Home," the singer had avoided flaunting any skill, instead delivering the song's truest emotions in a simple, plain manner. Yet this only highlighted his excellence, because he understood how to interpret music in the right way, rather than blindly pursuing technique—a truth many professional singers had yet to grasp. More importantly, the singer's indescribably charming voice and unbelievably moving delivery had fully revealed the emotions in the melody and lyrics. This was talent—flawless talent—that compelled applause.
Wiping the tears from his cheeks, Neil, his eyes still misty, looked at the bustling scene before him, unable to suppress the surging tide within: he wanted to know this singer!
Once the first applause rang out, the rest of the crowd quickly followed, their clapping echoing warmly. In that moment, it was as if this was a grand stage, with everyone using applause to offer the performer their highest respect. Perhaps the applause of thirty-some people was not earth-shaking, but this scene became the most striking sight on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at sunset.
The streetlights came on, spilling warm light over the homeless Women and the young man—Charlize and Hugo. The elderly lady who had first stepped forward called out, "Worth every penny!" and then laughed heartily, joined by a chorus of laughter from those around.
Soon after, someone else stepped forward and placed five dollars into Hugo's open guitar case. The crowd then began to flock over, expressing their appreciation for Hugo while also throwing Charlize a fierce glare. It had to be said, Hugo and Charlize's performance had been spot-on.
Charlize had successfully built the image of a homeles women trying to extort while deliberately playing mysterious. It's worth noting that pretending to unintentionally reveal true emotion is not easy—too much and it feels fake, too little and it's not enough. Getting the crowd to truly grasp the nuance is no simple feat.
And Hugo's performance was no less remarkable. The image of a fragile yet strong-willed young man easily won the sympathy of the crowd, and later, with "Home," he awakened everyone's longing for home—at the approach of Thanksgiving, no less—stirring the deepest emotions within their hearts.
Looking at the guitar case gradually filling with bills and coins, Hugo didn't bother to count them, but he was certain there was at least four hundred dollars inside, having spotted several twenty-dollar bills. It was even possible the total exceeded five hundred dollars. The overflowing guitar case alone showed the crowd's support for Hugo—support that was difficult to put into words.
Hugo and Charlize exchanged a glance, both wearing satisfied expressions. Then Hugo gave two police officers a look before standing up with his guitar. The onlookers immediately called out, "Go for it, young man, don't give in!" Everyone was showing their support for Hugo in this way, unwilling to see the "injured" homeless women's scheme succeed.
Hugo, however, felt a bit embarrassed by these calls, because everything just now had been a performance—nicely put, it was art; bluntly put, it had deceived everyone's emotions. "Thank you, thank you," Hugo was the first to speak, slightly quieting the crowd. "I truly appreciate your support, which has allowed me to feel a touch of warmth in this city."
In fact, at the beginning, the crowd had remained indifferent, but step by step they had been moved by Hugo and Charlize's interaction, and in the end, were completely won over by that touching "Home." Even so, the fact that they ultimately extended a helping hand showed that warmth still existed in this city.
Hugo paused, then pointed toward Charlize, who was still sitting nearby. As Hugo gestured, Charlize stood up, instantly causing a stir in the crowd—it was clear she had truly attracted a great deal of hostility. Hugo smiled, "I must be honest. Actually, the two of us are young actors learning the craft. I am Hugo Lancaster, and this is my friend Charlize Theron. Everything you just saw was a short play we directed and performed ourselves, to test our ability to act in public. We never expected the result to be so surprising and to receive your support. Thank you for your affirmation."
Hugo's words immediately silenced the surrounding crowd. Everyone stared at him, dumbfounded. Neil, standing at the back of the crowd, was completely confused and began asking those around him what was going on. Meanwhile, Hugo started explaining the whole story, and from time to time, exclamations of "So that's how it was" could be heard from the crowd.
Once the explanation was complete, someone raised their voice to ask, "Then what about the police officers?"
Hugo turned to glance at the two patrol officers and smiled. "We explained the situation to them and asked for a bit of help. Many thanks!" Then Hugo waved to Charlize, who walked over to stand beside him. The two stood shoulder to shoulder and gave small bows in all directions to express both apology and gratitude. "Here, we offer our apologies and also our thanks to everyone."
After that, Hugo pointed to the guitar case beside him. "As for these donations…"
"Keep them," the elderly lady called out, causing the crowd to chuckle. "Just for that song—what's it called?"
"'Home,'" Hugo replied. Such a simple word, yet it carried such profound emotion.
"Hey, aren't you that handsome high school student who acted opposite Al Pacino?" someone in the crowd called out.
Hugo couldn't help but chuckle, "Yes, I'm that handsome high school student." His self-praising remark drew another wave of smiles from the crowd.k
....
Hi For access to additional chapters of
Director in Hollywood (40 chpaters)
Made In Hollywood (60 Chapters)
Pokemon:Bounty Hunter(30 Chapters)
Douluo Dalu: Reincarnated as Yan(40 Chapters)
Hollywood:From Razzie to Legend(40 Chapters)
The Great Ruler (30 Chapters)
Join pateron.com/Translaterappu