The crowd bustled, and all eyes were once again fixed on Anson.
Not just Miles, not just Lily— even Connor couldn't hold back after he spoke.
Connor knew they shouldn't be pressuring Anson. They had neither the right nor the authority.
Anson had only crossed paths with them by chance, with no prior connection, yet had lent a helping hand twice. Once, allowing them to rediscover the joy of live performance, and the second, unbelievably, getting them on the stage of *The Tonight Show*—
Something they never dared to dream of.
Moreover, Anson had his own career to focus on, with his acting work thriving.
They really shouldn't be asking for more.
Yet, understanding that logic didn't stop their gazes from drifting toward Anson. Their hearts pounded uncontrollably.
The atmosphere grew tense and anxious.
And Anson?
In the eye of the storm as the center of attention, he remained completely at ease.
Slowly, he stretched out his legs, switching positions, and crossed them again. "God said, 'Be careful what you wish for.'"
"Dangerous."
His lazy, casual voice carried a raspy charm as his meaningful gaze fell on the three of them, instantly lightening the mood.
Ha!
Witty.
He didn't say yes, but he didn't refuse either. Instead, in classic talk-show fashion, he joked about the situation—
Beware, Anson isn't Jesus Christ.
If they formed a band with Anson, and as his popularity skyrocketed, the band either became dominated by him or Anson broke off to go solo, neither of these outcomes was something anyone wanted to see.
His words subtly mirrored earlier conversations.
A perfect pivot and response.
Even Connor and Lily exchanged a glance, showing some hesitation in their eyes:
Maybe Anson was right? Perhaps they should reconsider their approach?
And what about the studio?
Whoa!
Blair was the first to cheer, pumping her fist as she stood up again.
Screams and cheers erupted, impossible to calm down.
Before heading to Los Angeles, Blair had been filled with anticipation. She had longed to meet Anson up close. Last time, she had been so close on the streets of Manhattan but missed the chance, a regret that had lingered.
Now, that moment was finally here, and her expectations kept growing higher and higher.
She had been so excited that she couldn't sleep, much to the concern of Karen, who tried to ground her in reality. Karen didn't want Blair to be crushed if the real meeting fell far short of her expectations. The disappointment could devastate her.
However.
There was no disappointment.
Not only that, but it far exceeded her expectations.
After a warm-up on the red carpet, Anson had thrived on the talk show, finally finding the perfect platform to display his charm. His chemistry with Jay Leno was electric, showcasing the true depth of his character beneath his exterior, effortlessly winning Blair over.
Although Blair hadn't confirmed it yet, she believed that Karen felt the same—
After all, Karen was now beside Blair, jumping and shouting with raised fists, her enthusiasm so intense that Blair couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed.
The studio erupted into chaos once more.
Even Jay Leno had to work hard to calm the crowd down and steer the show back on track.
"So."
Jay Leno took a deep breath.
"Though we're uncertain about the future of the band, as far as I know, we still have time for one more song."
"Anson, is the band going to perform another song live on the show?"
Is the show really wrapping up?
In truth, Jay Leno didn't want it to end.
The interaction with Anson had been full of unexpected delights—tense, thrilling, and packed with highs. In a sea of interviews promoting summer blockbusters, it had been a refreshing change.
If he could, Jay would have loved to continue talking with Anson.
But he couldn't.
The show had already run over, and significantly so. The director had signaled twice, pacing back and forth like ants on a hot plate.
Though Jay hadn't directly communicated with the director, he sensed the seriousness of the situation.
During the pre-show writer's meeting, both Jay and the writers expressed strong concerns that an interview with independent band members might go off track. So, they'd prepared thoroughly, listing different topics and scenarios for Jay to explore to ensure the show didn't turn into a disaster.
One segment was meant to involve Blair and Karen, the two people who had filmed the viral video, coming onstage to recount that afternoon's events from their perspective, creating a three-sided narrative with Anson and the band. This would offer viewers a comprehensive retelling of that fateful afternoon.
Whether or not it would be captivating was yet to be determined, but it was definitely well-prepared and would help fill the runtime.
In theory, perfect!
But in practice?
There wasn't enough time. Not only did they run out of time to interview Blair and Karen, but Jay hadn't even gotten to ask many of the questions he had for the band members. His mind still brimmed with countless topics he wanted to explore with Anson, but the director kept signaling:
The show was seriously overdue.
If it had been an earlier time slot, without summer blockbusters cramming the schedule; if the guest had been a bigger name, with a stronger audience draw, Jay would have been more than happy to record a full-length episode with Anson, free from the constraints of time, allowing for a deeper conversation.
Unfortunately, there were no *ifs*.
Even Jay Leno had to consider the schedule and ratings. They simply couldn't give an independent band more time, no matter how regrettable it was.
Jay was long past the age of acting on impulse.
So, despite the disappointment, Jay knew he had to wrap up the show. Still, he had a feeling they'd meet again in the future—
More than once.
Maybe not with the band, but certainly with Anson. Jay was 100% confident of that.
Anson responded, "Yes. Since this is such a rare opportunity, and we don't know when the next one will be, we wanted to make the most of it. So, we composed a new song just for the show."
Jay raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Did you write this one last minute again?"
Anson nodded, "Yep. Just finished it in the bathroom before we started filming."
It was an obvious joke, so the comedic timing was perfect—
Ha! Ha ha ha!
Miles, ever the serious one, raised his hand and explained earnestly, "But Anson did write this song specifically for the show. We've been rehearsing it over the past few days."
Jay turned to Miles, "So, this is the first performance?"
Miles nodded, "First time ever."
Jay shrugged slightly and looked at Lily, "Well, if you mess up this time, no one will know, so you can just go for it."
Laughter erupted throughout the studio.
Even Lily couldn't hold back.
Perhaps Jay Leno was the only one who wasn't laughing.
With a straight face, showing no expression, Jay maintained his deadpan comedian persona.
"And now, we'll take a look at the viral New York street performance video that's sparked endless discussion online. Then, we'll return to enjoy a live performance by the band. That's our show for today. Thank you, everyone."