This Rose Won't Fade

美女與野獸的玫瑰的復古舞曲

我們無從確知 Henry 曾經歷過什麼，也不曉得他何以對《美女與野獸》有著如此不同的想像。在他的故事裡，貝兒終究離開了城堡，卻在臨行以前，使玻璃罩中的玫瑰停止凋謝。詛咒因此被凍結，野獸既沒有恢復王子的面貌，也不必再等待最後一片花瓣落下。貝兒保有離去的自由，而他則獲得了幾乎無限的時間，繼續過著自己的生活。

作者並未對貝兒的選擇提出抗議，也沒有將野獸描寫成一個遭到背叛的人。那封摺好的信、星期天留下的緞帶，以及早已改換招牌的咖啡館，都只是歲月經過以後，仍然留存的尋常事物。或許 Henry 所看見的，是一種不常出現在童話結局裡的愛情：兩個人曾經真誠地相愛，卻仍然可能走向不同的人生。

令人意外的是，Henry 選擇以明亮的八〇年代 Eurodisco 演唱這個帶著哥德式陰影的故事。合成器的旋律與規律的電子節拍，使歌曲聽來甚至有些歡愉；然而，那朵永不凋謝的玫瑰，卻始終提醒著聽者，有些事物雖然得以保存，原來的時光卻終究無法重來。

歌曲中最動人的一段，是野獸想像貝兒有一天重返城堡。他無意追究她離去的理由，也不期待任何鄭重的道歉，只希望她能在身旁坐下，談談這些年究竟過得如何。這個平凡的願望，使一段被魔法與詛咒包圍的愛情，終於顯露出屬於普通人的溫柔。

故事沒有交代貝兒是否歸來。當歌聲結束，明亮的舞曲仍然持續了一會兒，彷彿城堡裡的生活也將如此繼續下去。至於 Henry 為何寫下這首歌，我們或許不必急著尋找答案。至少在他的故事裡，貝兒已經離開，玫瑰仍然盛開，而野獸還有很長的日子可以度過。

The Rose from Beauty and the Beast, Reimagined as an ’80s Retro Dance Track.

We don't know what Henry has been through, or what led him to imagine such a different ending to Beauty and the Beast. In his version, Belle leaves the castle, but not before casting one final spell on the rose beneath the glass. Its petals will never fall, and the curse is frozen in time. The Beast never becomes a prince, but he no longer has to fear the day the last petal falls. Belle is free to leave, and he is left with all the time in the world to figure out what comes next.

There's no accusation in the song, and no suggestion that Belle has betrayed him. Henry gives us a folded letter, a ribbon saved from a Sunday long ago, and an old café that has since changed its name. They're ordinary things, the kind people hold on to without necessarily knowing why. Perhaps what interests him is the possibility that two people can genuinely love each other and still end up living separate lives.

What's surprising is the music. Henry tells this rather gothic story through the bright, infectious sound of 1980s Eurodisco. The synthesizers sparkle, the electronic beat keeps moving, and his smooth, warm vocals make the whole thing sound almost carefree. Yet somewhere beneath all that cheerful energy sits a rose that never fades, a reminder that preserving something isn't quite the same as getting it back.

The most affecting moment comes when the Beast imagines Belle returning someday. He doesn't ask for an explanation or expect some grand apology. He simply wants her to sit beside him and tell him how she's been. It's an unexpectedly ordinary wish for a character whose life has been shaped by magic, curses, and rather extraordinary circumstances.

The song never tells us whether Belle comes back. When the final words fade, the dance beat carries on a little longer, as though life in the castle will continue much as it has.

As for why Henry wrote this song, we can only guess. Perhaps we don't need to know.

Belle is gone, the rose is still blooming, and the Beast has a very long life ahead of him.

[Intro]
A rose in a glass by the window
Your letter folded underneath

[Verse 1]
You left it here beside the doorway
With one last sentence on the page
I kept the ribbon from that Sunday
And watched the seasons turn their age

[Pre-Chorus]
The petals curl, the colors deepen
Still I can’t call our story done

[Chorus]
This rose won’t fade, though years may pass
It keeps your promise under glass
When every summer slips away
This rose remembers what we couldn’t say
This rose won’t fade, it holds its place
A little proof of love and grace
And when the garden loses spring
This rose still keeps the heart of everything

[Verse 2]
The old café has changed its sign now
The table where we used to meet
I hear your laugh in passing somehow
Then turn before our eyes can meet

[Pre-Chorus]
The petals curl, the colors deepen
Still I can’t call our story done

[Chorus]
This rose won’t fade, though years may pass
It keeps your promise under glass
When every summer slips away
This rose remembers what we couldn’t say
This rose won’t fade, it holds its place
A little proof of love and grace
And when the garden loses spring
This rose still keeps the heart of everything

[Instrumental Refrain]

[Bridge]
If you should find your way back here
No grand apology is due
Just lift the glass, come sit beside me
And tell me what became of you

[Final Chorus]
This rose won’t fade, though years may pass
It keeps your promise under glass
When every summer slips away
This rose remembers what we couldn’t say
This rose won’t fade, it holds its place
A little proof of love and grace
And when the garden loses spring
This rose still keeps the heart of everything

[Outro]
This rose won’t fade
Still here, still yours