Elaine Cole, a girl who had unexpectedly met Gloria Preston at the premiere of The Princess Diaries and encountered Anson for the first time.
Though about to enter college, Elaine still held onto her princess dreams. She knew that, to many people, it seemed like a naive, childish, even foolish hobby. But she disagreed. To believe in fairy tales was to believe in the good, to trust that in a harsh and cold reality, hope and dreams still existed. Not because she was waiting for a prince on a white horse to save her, but because she believed that happiness and perfection were still possible in the real world.
That said, Elaine wasn't much of a movie enthusiast. She had gone to The Princess Diaries premiere simply because it was the first live-action princess movie in years. So, Elaine hadn't watched Spider-Man.
Of course, she knew about the movie—everyone was talking about it.
However, being uninterested meant she stayed uninterested.
Until today.
She had only planned to pick a Christmas movie to rekindle some happiness but ended up seeing Anson again and experiencing the most unforgettable matinee ever.
Though it was an early showing, the theater was more than 70% full. While not comparable to the summer blockbusters, this turnout was impressive for Christmas Day.
Together, the audience went on an adventure, a journey, an emotional rollercoaster, laughing and crying as if they were a group of uncontrolled lunatics.
Elaine loved these moments, warming her heart completely.
As the credits started rolling up, Elaine remained seated, soaking in the waves of emotions. Yet, some audience members couldn't wait. Even before the lights came up, a few were already standing, ready to leave.
Reluctantly, the theater staff turned the lights on early.
Sigh.
Elaine felt a bit disappointed.
She had heard that European theaters often keep the lights off until the credits are over, out of respect for the crew whose names are scrolling on screen. Even though they don't appear on the big screen, watching the credits till the end was a way to honor them.
Unfortunately, people in America were too impatient for that.
With the lights now on, the emotional immersion was abruptly interrupted, and Elaine felt gravity pulling her back into reality.
The only thing to be grateful for was the sense of excitement and joy that still lingered in the scattered conversations. The relaxed, happy expressions on people's faces made it clear—they liked the movie.
With a sigh of relief, Elaine prepared to stand up when suddenly, a figure appeared on the big screen. Calmly, without causing a stir, the person held a microphone and quietly stepped onto the stage.
"Hey, Merry Christmas."
The voice echoed through the speakers, catching everyone's attention. Conversations halted, and heads turned reflexively. People stopped in their tracks, causing a bottleneck at the exit. A few muttered protests could be heard but quickly faded as more turned to see the front.
Then, one by one, everyone froze in shock.
What...what's going on?
Elaine's hands flew to her mouth, her ears roaring as if caught in a free fall, the wind rushing in, leaving her dizzy. Her heart seemed to float outside her chest, suspended in midair. She couldn't process what she was seeing.
It was—
"I happened to be nearby, so I thought I'd stop by to see if you all enjoyed the movie."
"Oh, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Anson Wood. It's great to meet you all here at the theater."
Ah.
Screams erupted, breaking free from all restraints, bursting with energy and disbelief.
Anson—the same Anson they had just seen on the big screen—had broken the fourth wall and appeared in real life. It was like a scene straight out of The Purple Rose of Cairo. Now they understood what that felt like.
Aaaaaah!
Brains short-circuited, turning each person into a screaming machine. The small theater was suddenly hit by a tidal wave of sound.
In no time, security guards rushed in from the sides, surrounding the stage and forming a human barrier between the crowd and Anson.
However, the scene was slightly awkward. No one dared rush forward—everyone was too shocked, too overwhelmed to react. You could see people collapsing to their knees, leaning against the walls, too stunned to move. Others covered their mouths, looking around for confirmation that they weren't dreaming. But no one took a step forward.
Elaine was no different.
Frozen, standing still as if playing a game of "Red Light, Green Light," her eyes and mind were entirely focused on him.
He was dressed in a private school uniform—a blazer, shirt, sweater, cardigan, and tie, complete with a crest on his chest. It wasn't the same as what he had worn at last night's premiere, nor was it the uniform from the movie. It looked more like a traditional Cambridge University uniform, slightly formal yet exuding a scholarly elegance.
One look, and he had everyone's attention.
He was like little Frank, but also like Anson.
Everything was an unexpected surprise.
Elaine hadn't anticipated Anson's appearance, much less such an entrance. Her brain and heart seemed to stop working altogether.
Was this...was this a dream?
So what was she supposed to do?
Before her mind could come up with a plan—
Ah!
A scream escaped her lips, bursting out with energy before she even realized it. Elaine didn't know why, but somehow it felt right, like this was the only way to express all the tangled emotions. The more she screamed, the more real it felt, the louder she shouted, the more immediate it became.
Aaaaaah!
With every shout, her mood lifted. Tears, which had been brimming in her eyes, finally spilled over.
She thought she must seem crazy, but the strangest thing was, she didn't mind.
Not only didn't she mind—she loved it.
Elaine guessed that she might be falling for Anson, just like she still believed in princesses, dreams, and fairy tales.
Her smile bloomed, as she shouted at the top of her lungs, with all her might.
The entire theater was shaking with the sound.
In the theater next door, the tremors were starting to be felt—
Normally, the soundproofing was so good that you couldn't hear anything from the other theater. At first, the audience watching different movies—whether Harry Potter or The Lord of the Rings—didn't think much of it.
After all, in these movies, there were big action scenes, and a bit of rumbling was normal—it felt like 4D.
But as the noise continued to grow, some audience members began to notice something unusual. Their movements became hesitant.
Wait, is this an earthquake?
Hold on, isn't Los Angeles on the Pacific Ring of Fire? This shaking is pretty intense—should they be running out of the theater instead of watching a movie?
Hey!