Actor in Hollywood

BPM, or Beats Per Minute, as the name suggests, is a unit that measures the total number of beats per minute in a piece of music. In electronic music, BPM is crucial for describing the rhythm of different tracks, but in fact, it's not exclusive to electronic music. Any genre that involves beats, including blues, jazz, and pop, also uses this indicator. However, since BPM is central to electronic music, people often associate the two directly.

To put it simply, you can think of BPM as the heartbeat of a song, allowing you to feel the music's emotion and color.

If a song's BPM is below ninety, the slower heartbeat naturally evokes feelings of melancholy, sadness, gloom, and loneliness.

On the other hand, when a song's BPM exceeds one hundred and twenty, the racing heartbeat brings out excitement, stimulation, and an adrenaline rush.

Of course, nothing is absolute. Using a one hundred and twenty BPM electronic dance track to express the sorrow and bitterness amidst the lively atmosphere can create a different effect. Similarly, a fifty BPM blues track can convey the resilience and surge of emotion in a slow, tender flow, revealing strength within fragility.

This was precisely the case before them.

Typically, folk music features a slower and softer BPM, generally ranging between ninety and one hundred and twenty. However, Anson skillfully controlled the BPM with his guitar, striking and playing at a pace exceeding one hundred and twenty, approaching one hundred and thirty, causing the notes to dance.

A tremor of excitement, akin to the thrill of falling in love.

Quietly and subtly, the air around them began to liven up.

On the surface, the performance appeared simple, plain, even somewhat crude, but it unwittingly drew the audience's attention. Unlike the earlier jazz performance, which went unnoticed by many, now, everyone's eyes and focus gradually shifted toward the stage, first noticing Anson's hands flying over the strings.

Turning the mundane into something extraordinary.

Thud, thud, thud.

The heart beats, pounding in their ears, slowly enchanting them.

Anson's singing added even more charm—spontaneous, free, carefree, and light. Even with their eyes closed, one could hear the smile in his voice.

Like afternoon sunlight gently warming the skin.

"...I can't wait any longer, I'm yours." (Note 1)

"Mmm... mhm hm hm."

Under the shade of trees, on the grass, amidst wildflowers and streams, the humming of an unknown tune in their nostrils made their footsteps feel light and bouncy.

"So open up your mind and see like me, open up your plans and damn you're free."

A smile curled at the corners of their lips.

Everyone could hear the teasing in Anson's voice; they shouldn't hold back, not just discussing happiness but also boldly complaining and venting, showing their most authentic selves.

Because, no matter what, love had already taken hold.

Unconsciously, Kristen turned to look at Jack, the smile on her lips widening as they exchanged a glance, only to find herself lost in the depths of Jack's eyes.

In the background, Anson's humming continued.

"Look into your heart, and you'll find love, love, love."

Kristen froze.

Jack froze too.

The notes danced in the wind.

"Listen to the music, and dance and sing, we're just one big family. And it's our God-forsaken right to be loved, loved, loved..."

Pfft.

Everyone in the café heard Anson's playful curse, "God-forsaken," but no one got angry. The mischievousness in the melody was on full display.

Kristen and Jack were no exception; as their gazes met, they both burst into laughter, a mix of shyness and excitement, with the air around them bubbling with subtle affection.

Their eyes quickly averted, only to sneak a glance again, and once more their gazes met by accident, as Anson's voice echoed in their ears.

"So I won't hesitate, no, no, no."

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"I can't wait any longer, completely certain."

"There's no need to beat around the bush. The night is short, it's destined—I'm yours."

In an instant, their cheeks flushed with a blush, and the misaligned, colliding heartbeats filled their chests with happiness. Kristen and Jack both withdrew their gazes, quietly lifting their heads to glance at Anson. Though there was no contact, their smiles curved upward with the same arc.

Sitting under the spotlight, Anson couldn't clearly see the scene ahead; everything was just a blurry outline. However, he could feel Annie's gaze.

Warm and bright, like the North Star.

A playful smile crept onto Anson's lips, as if he were performing a juggling act with his emotions.

"You, oh, you you you… you you you…"

Freely and cheerfully, strange sounds escaped him, blending folk rhythms with bluesy humming. His voice flowed between the notes, like a tap dancer's feet, gracefully stepping on the melody and soaring with the wind, making every audience member unable to resist the urge to dance along.

Even if they weren't dancing, at least their fingertips—

Tap tap tap, fingers drummed on their knees, legs began bouncing involuntarily.

One, two, three, four, five.

Unbelievably, the entire café's attention was drawn toward him.

"You you you… would you be willing…"

Radiant and flamboyant, free and unrestrained with the rhythm, even the melody faded into the background. Like a high dive into water, the music submerged itself, letting the heart, pulse, and soul absorb Anson's song, melting bit by bit.

Then, a pause, and the voice softened, like a whisper in the ear.

"Come a little closer to me."

Ah!

Every cell in the body screamed. It felt as if they could sense the warmth and breath of Anson's whisper through the microphone, and suddenly, the stars lit up the sky.

Even though they were indoors, even though they were in New York—where the bright, dazzling city lights had already chased away the night, leaving no stars in the sky—right then, in that moment, it felt as if every star in the universe opened its eyes, moonlight flowing at their feet, and the wind harmonized with Anson.

A romance so intoxicating.

"And then I'll whisper in your ear. I've spent countless hours rehearsing in front of the mirror, leaning close to the glass to check the shape of my mouth, but my breath fogged up the mirror, so I drew a funny face and laughed heartily."

"I guess what I want to say is the perfect confession: I want to escape from all the worldly distractions and spend forever with you. That's our goal, to be together, where each of our names becomes the other's anchor."

The words flowed like water, effortlessly.

Again, there was a pause. Anson pressed the strings, stopped tapping the guitar body—there was no melody, no rhythm, nothing, just silence.

Anson lifted his eyes, so bright yet so deep, that even the stars paled in comparison.

Anson gazed at Annie.

Annie gazed at Anson.

For a brief moment, the world quieted down. It seemed as if only the two of them remained, standing in the boundless night, listening to the melody of the moonlight, while the sound of their hearts pounding against their chests became the drumbeat. And then they slowly fell, a free fall so graceful it made one lose all sense of reality.

In that instant, as the saying goes, "The light boat has passed through ten thousand mountains."

He began to hum softly again.

"But I won't hesitate, no I won't. I can't wait any longer, I'm yours."

It was so beautiful it took your breath away.

His long, slender fingers danced once more across the strings, and the graceful melody flowed into the hearts of the audience like a gentle stream, warm yet refreshing.

A happiness beyond words.

And then, the heart burst open, like fireworks.

(Note 1: "I'm Yours" — Jason Mraz)

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