#“look theyre not as common as you think. but yes. they ran down my street”

[theuntoaster]

About a decade and a half ago now, we had two moose in the park behind an elementary school in suburban Ottawa. So I am only mildly surprised that there was a bear in the Byward Market. (I'm more surprised that I didn't hear about it, even though I don't live in Ottawa anymore)

A BEAR ATE MY BEST HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER.

Rude.

[fadeless]

Today I woke up around 1:30 with really sore calves (from the concerts) contemplating whether to actually leave the apartment today. Around 2 ish I decided I wanted to get pho at my fav restaurant on Bowery. I thought about putting on makeup for fun, but decided my face needed a break from all the concert makeup lol. Then when I left, I doubled back in for my sunglasses because it was actually really nice out, 80+ degrees and really sunny.

I took the A train to Fulton St and transferred onto the J for Bowery, because I didn’t feel like doing the usual A to Canal and walking 15 minutes. Again, my legs were hurting haha. I waited at Fulton for about 10 minutes for the J, it was hot af, and then when I finally arrived on Bowery I turned north instead of south towards the restaurant. Walked a few blocks and turned around thinking like “Dang it Kim you should know this.” Actually looked at the New Museum and thought about going in because I had nothing else going on, but decided that I was way too hungry, would go to the restaurant first, and then I should still have time to check the museum out before it closes.

Walking back south, waiting for the pedestrian light to turn for me to cross Broome St., I saw a guy from behind with long hair bleached blonde, with black roots. I was actually listening to ONE OK ROCK on this whole commute, and naturally I was still thinking about the concerts, so I saw this guy and remember thinking, “huh, his hair looks a lot like Ryota’s.” I glanced around really quickly and noticed that it’s a bunch of artsy looking people in black, there’s a camera, some equipment etc, pretty common in manhattan. THEN I start crossing the street, Ryota turns around, I’m instantly like H OL Y FUCKING S H I T.

Theyre right at the corner, so when I touch the sidewalk on the other side I just kinda freeze, and Ryota notices me staring at him, acknowledges me, smiles, and says “Hi!” I’m just freaking out in my head, and I say “Hello!” back. He waits for me to say something really patiently ( as in like the few seconds where I’m still gathering my imploding thoughts) and I  tell him I went to see their two shows here, and I don’t think he heard me the first time so he asked if I went to their shows, and I said “Yes I went to both of the shows!” I don’t remember his exact words but he smiled and looked excited/surprised and said something along the lines of “Wow! That’s awesome/great!” and then I noticed Michelle, his wife, standing there and asked really awkwardly “Your wife?” and he answered like “yes this is my wife”  and internally I was like smh why am I weird what do I say but then I started spewing out  things like “The shows were amazing thank you so much for coming!” and I told him I saw them here before too in 2015 and he was surprised/excited and I just kept saying thank you (???) and he was really smiley and nice. I asked if he’s having fun in New York and he said “Yes!!” Then he turned and said something in Japanese and I realized he was gesturing to TAKA who THEN WALKS OVER and says YO! Or HEY! (I forget) and I shake his hand like “Hello!” At this point I haven’t noticed anyone at all because I was so shocked in that moment that I was talking to Ryota and then it dawns on me that yes the others must be here too. Then I tell Taka that I went to both of their shows and they were amazing, thank you so much for coming please come back soon (this string of words comes up often lol) and he was surprised/excited and said “That’s awesome! Thank you” Then, again, I tell Taka that in 2015 I saw them here, and I met them and they signed my CD (35xxxv) and he was like “Really? Wow!” and I was just going thank you so much I love your music thank you, asked if he’s having fun in new york, he says “Yeah!” And I asked for a photo and he said “of course!” and we selfied and then WE HUGGED and I said “thank you so much! I hope you have a great day!” And he said “Thanks!” and I kinda just walk over to Toru. Remember, this is still HELLA FUCKING SURREAL so just then as I took a few steps I was like “That’s Toru. I’m just walking over to him.” And he’s tall! And I say Hi! And he says hi! And I (insert telling him I went to his shows thank you etc etc) and he was like Thank you! And honestly sorry if I am uninformed but I wasn’t sure if Ryota, Toru and Tomoya could speak English very well but they answered so fast and looked so engaged in what I was saying I felt so special omg 😭 (but in retrospect it makes complete sense because they hang out with a lot of American bands) but YEAH. And at some point Toru said that they were going to come back soon and I asked “Do you know when?” and he kinda just smiled (sWOON) and I laugh and I asked for a photo and he takes this goofy-ass selfie with me. I thought it was funny behind I accidentally unlocked my phone and was on the music app with NO SCARED playing and was fumbling to do the iphone-swipe-from-the-bottom-camera and he saw it haha. And then I say Thank you! AND WE HUG and hes taller than me so I LEAN UP TO HUG. And then Tomoya is actually standing RIGHT THERE ready to talk to me and says HI TO ME FIRST and im just thinking (“THESE MEN ARE TOO NICE THEY SEE ME HAVING A HEART ATTACK AND KNOW IM A FAN AND GREET ME GOD BLESS OMG”) and I tell him thank you so much for the shows and he smiles! And I try to tell him it’s hard to see him behind his drums from near the stage but he was amazing but I kinda get stuck in my words so he’s like “haha thank you!”  anyways. And he sees me holding my phone and says “Photo?” and im like “Yes!” and we take a selfie! AND HUG And then I say thank you and they have to leave. This whole time I’m vaguely aware the camera men were filming me and then they approach me and the band make their way out. As Taka, Ryota, Toru, and Tomoya were getting in the van they waved goodbye and I waved bye back! And then they were gone. This was all so fast, probably in the span of seven, maybe twn minutes.

Camera people aren’t as exciting but they asked me like,

“What’s it like seeing them in concert, and then just seeing them here on the street?”

“What’s your favorite song?”

“How did you discover them”

and they prompted me for my emotional response to the band and I talked about how their music especially for youth my age really inspires us to keep going and I talked about “We Are” and honestly I was just so frazzled like legit my hand was on my chest and my heart was pumping lol. The camera man thought it was hilarious how I took a different subway trip and turned the wrong way at first and somehow ran into the band I just saw in concert.  And they were so excited for me and happy to talk to me! After filming I asked the manager or supervisor or something what they were doing here, and we were standing outside of what looks like to be a restaurant and he explained to me that there is a studio downstairs and they just had a jam session. And the camera man pulls out his phone and shows me a video of the session and Im just like wow! Thank you. And they talked about how theyre filming a documentary and that I will be able to see it in the fall, and I signed a paper to let them use the footage lol.

And yeah guys! Sorry this is some kind of inarticulate diary post but that was my day today! I planned on going grocery shopping/museum visiting but after meeting them I was so shook I couldn’t really handle more functioning lol. I got pho, despite how my former appetite was just eliminated from how excited I was, and continued to freak out to my friend on my phone the whole time I was eating lol. P sure the waiter thought I was weird for intensely smiling while eating lmao.

Tl;dr, the men of ONE OK ROCK are so down to earth and friendly and adorable and kind and I’m so grateful they accommodated me, a spazzy fan that interrupted whatever they were doing. I HUGGED THEM AND TALKED TO THEM AND GOT PHOTOS (except I missed one with Ryota on accident because I wasn’t thinking coherently yet 😭) .  I cant believe that all my random decisions today, including bumming it in my bed until 2 PM led to this amazing moment. So yeah, this weekend was fantastic!!!

I am still so happy and I plan on nursing this high for at least a week haha.

Disclaimer: highly likely my memory is v imperfect especially when I was this surprised but the gist is all there!