#and then going to the concert location and queue up a few hours | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

freewheelshippin · 4 years ago

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FIC: “What Do I Call You?”

There was something so honest about how she hyped the crowd, leaned so forward she seemed like she might leap into a crowdwalk, pointing at her ear until the whole crowd bellowed in their own guttoral harmony. And she smiled so much at her crewmates -- Ranmaru realized he was smiling, too, while she played guitar and accompanied the others’ solos, only breaking from her deep sway with the music to look at them with brightness and joy in her eyes.

In those moments, Ranmaru understood something he hadn’t before, but it also made him realize that the hunger in him wasn’t being sated so much as it was deepening.

So! I had some fun writing for the roleswap AU, where I’m the punk rock idol and Ranmaru’s the freelance artist getting some juice from all the love and music.

Not much by ways of content warnings -- lots of eating, a fair amount of alcohol, too, and you know, we utter the word ‘fuck’ a few times.

Ranmaru swore as he dropped the case on his toe. He could tell immediately that this was one of those jammed toes that would hurt for days from the bruising, especially when he still had half of the city to cross before he could get back home. And what was home? His shithole apartment and limping around while he went on his rounds for the local cats?

At least the train was empty enough he could sit alone, even comfortably with all his equipment. He was still cross that the live house didn’t have it themselves. Weren’t they professionals? Stupid. The show had sucked, too, with the band spending more time fucking around then putting on the damn show they were paid for, that their fans came out to see, that Ranmaru had put such care into getting the tech just right to enhance. And that one jackass trying to throw hands with anyone in the crowd. Nobody on staff did a fucking thing to kick him out until Ranmaru dragged him out himself, and now he had a black eye and the stink of shitty beer and stale cigarette smoke hanging on him to show for it.

Thirty minutes ‘til his stop. He could listen to some music to smooth over this shitty...everything. He slipped his headphones on, ready to mute the rest of the world and stop anyone from entering his.

Reiji (12:42 AM) : Iiiiiiiiiit’s dropped!!!!!

What, your balls, Ranmaru thought ruefully to himself, unconsciously clicking his tongue in annoyance. He moved his finger to swipe and mute him for … a week, maybe, from how shitty he was feeling right now, but Reiji was too fast. The link appeared, and Ranmaru hit it, if only to have something concrete to be annoyed with him for.

It was a preview for a new PV. That’s right. It was technically tomorrow already, the day this content was due, but this was still early. Reiji must have found a leak. Lucky he was such an otaku, Ranmaru never had to go hunting for sketchy files or talk with weirdos he knew he wouldn’t be able to level with outside of the crowd. There was a long windup before the music even started playing, the visuals building dramatic lighting and obscuring anything but their silhouettes, but there was the low fuzz of an amp before it all hit at once.

Ranmaru didn’t want to admit that his eyes darted right to that flash of turquoise as the lights came up in the PV, because it would mean that he might’ve smiled at just the sight of her. No, it had to be the sound. That clean, driving guitar, that strong bass, it felt like Deep Purple and Iron Maiden, but pushed to be danceable and idol-friendly with synth and a digital drumkit beat Ranmaru could vaguely recognize parts of.

His toe and face didn’t stop hurting and body didn’t stop aching, but he stopped feeling so mad about it for the minute he watched and listened. There was professional polish there he’d missed seeing at the shitshow that was tonight’s gig, but there was still that rawness there of a good, irreplaceable concert. Something less precise than other idol groups’ practiced, saccharine perfection, but Ranmaru found it more welcoming than any other group he’d seen or worked with.

The camera cut to a focus shot. Her hair was as bright as ever, styled like she were one of those princely girls from anime, just somehow made real, and she turned to look right at him--

Reiji (12:44 AM) : Ranran~~ how are you liking your girlfriend in this one :3c

Ranmaru actually growled a little. He only realized he had been smiling because of how intensely he frowned at that bastard, barging into his texts --

Ranmaru (12:44 AM): shut the fuck up and let me watch it. don’t call her that

Reiji (12:44 AM): Isn’t she doing all the things you like???

Reiji (12:45 AM): So handsome! So rock! So passionate!

Reiji (12:45 AM): Feels tailor made for you ;o

Ranmaru (12:45 AM): I told you to shut the fuck up. go text natsuki if you have to annoy someone

Reiji (12:46 AM): Aww Ranran did the show go bad? :(

Reiji (12:46 AM): But I already did, you know! And I’ve already gotten twice as many sparkly sticker replies than texts you’ve sent me in the past week!!!

(He had to admit he laughed a little at that. Reiji was probably getting another onslaught as he was typing, his own push notifications as clogged as he was making Ranmaru’s.)

Ranmaru (12:47 AM): I’m muting notifs since you won’t learn how to fucking shut up

Reiji (12:47 AM): ohhhh she’s getting ranran’s full attention~! You must really like this preview, huh? I guess it’s true love

Ranmaru (12:48 AM): WILL YOU SHUT UP ALREADY

Reiji (12:48 AM): You’re right, I should, I should be listening for wedding bells!

Ranmaru (12:48 AM): go make out with your gacha girlfriend body pillow and leave me alone

Ranmaru (12:49 AM): hypocrite

He finally muted all his notifications. An hour should be enough to ride it out, he thought as he settled a little into the hard plastic of the seat, restarting the video. The anger from the past couple hours melted away as he watched, uninterrupted, and replayed it with eyes closed as the sound flowed in through his headphones and released the tension in his body bit by bit.

---

The hour ran out when Ranmaru was squatting over an especially runty kitten, eating noisily while the others watched from a couple feet away. Why stray cats could understand him better than anyone else when he said to piss off, he’d never know. He swiped around to turn his notifications back off for the rest of the night before pocketing his phone again.

“...Oi. Slow down.” He pulled the plate of food away from the kitten. It shook with hiccups as it watched carefully, almost fearfully, before it pounced back onto the food, gobbling it down like it was going to be its last meal. Ranmaru sighed but couldn’t blame the little thing. He dumped out the last of the food, gave the rest of the cats one last look as he stood up to walk away, and he heard the frenzied scratch of their claws against the pavement as they swarmed the plates of food.

Maybe it wasn’t so much they understood him as he understood them. To hunger like that, both literally and for something less physical but just as carnal.

He plugged his headphones back in, listening to the leaked preview a few more times on his way back to the apartment.

He liked this group to begin with mostly because of her. She dressed, talked, and acted more like someone from a band than an idol, and something about that felt weirdly familiar and good. The rest of the group were more unique than a lot of other idols -- you’d expect that from a unit made up of a pack of ragtag international recruits, sure, but it was refreshing how they’d made everything about their presence wholly their own.

Hers just made the most sense to him. The brashness, the way she talked about music, the way she performed, it all felt like someone who was chasing and understood the same things he did. She even said her music was about giving people power in an interview Reiji’d dug up for him.

“Beyond language, or the way words reach people,” she’d said in decent but definitely non-native Japanese; she’d grown up some in Okinawa while her family lived on the military base, but mostly shuttled between America and Bangkok before getting recruited by chance here. “I want to give everyone a home that makes them feel strong through my music.”

He wondered, dimly, as he took a hot shower and stared down at his swollen red toe, if he felt drawn to the group because he wanted that for himself, or because it reminded him why he kept picking up jobs that made him as angry as tonight’s did.

He went to bed that night with an ice pack balanced on his swollen eye, the frustration more or less passed as he listened to the classic bands that new song reminded him of.

---

He woke up to his phone buzzing, the hold on push notifications finally expired, and he murmured in bewilderment at just how many there were. Not just from Reiji, but Natsuki, too.

Rather than try and parse whatever the hell happened while he was asleep, Ranmaru just went into the group chat well after he’d gotten himself breakfast.

Ranmaru (9:28 AM): what the hell happened last night that you had to blow up my phone

Natsuki (9:30 AM): Maru-chan-senpai! Ah! You’re alive!!!!

Ranmaru (9:31 AM): I just went to bed is all

(“Why the hell are you calling me ‘senpai’?” Ranmaru had asked him, and Natsuki had looked at him with those big dopey eyes and earnestly said since he’d been a fan longer, he was naturally Natsuki’s senpai, and any protest Ranmaru made never stuck.)

Reiji supplied a link without any fanfare, introduction, or goofy dramatics, which almost startled Ranmaru.

Notice (posted by Ootori Eiichi x/xx/xx):

We are currently seeking an emergency replacement sound/stage technician for performances at the following dates and locations. Inquire immediately. [PAID]

Ranmaru stared at the listing, barely processing the lurch in his stomach that came from just reading it. It was for them. That act. The debut mini-tour for that new single. It’d take rearranging his sound editing queue and massaging some deadlines, but he could feasibly make all of those dates and times.

He thought for a moment of doing that sound check, and seeing for himself the electric energy of that live. Of working with that group whose respect for their audience he personally felt, of watching her prepare, having to talk directly to her as she tuned her guitar....

There was the very real possibility that it’d prove everything he believed about them - about her, really, that ethos he was drawn to - was just smoke and mirrors, too.

Natsuki (9:35 AM): Can you do it, Maru-chan-senpai?

Reiji (9:36 AM): Ranran, you have to do it.

Ranmaru (9:36 AM): this is just a listing, just because I ask doesn’t mean it’ll go through

There was a long pause, where everyone went on and off typing, never actually saying anything, and he frowned.

Ranmaru (9:40 AM): can you all just fucking say what you’re thinking already

Natsuki (9:42 AM): You really love their magic and energy, I just wanted to say I hope you do it and get it because your heart wants it!

Reiji (9:45 AM): Yes, Nacchan, you said it! Ranran, I’ll give you all the free bento you need to keep your tummy full to go do this!

Ranmaru (9:45 AM): don’t fucking do that, reiji, you’ll just piss of your sister. I’ll buy them myself

Ranmaru (9:45 AM): assuming I even do this

Reiji (9:46 AM): I really think you should.

Reiji (9:46 AM): Not because we want the insider scoop. But because when’s the last time you had fun at a live you worked?

Ranmaru could curse Reiji where he stood. Whenever he stopped fucking around and got to his point, it was always a good one.

---

He got the job, somehow, after a little emailing back-and-forth and negotiating the contract. Now he was on a train to Yokohama for the first gig, his case packed full, his backpack stuffed with supplies for a week. Comping travel, hotel, and meals was enough to take the job, even if it paid like ass, but it didn’t. The contract was actually pretty decent. They -- or, well, at least that Ootori guy -- were upfront that he’d be worked hard, the hours were going to be long, and there wasn’t going to be much room for rest or leisure. But the pay was good. Enough that if he had a dryspell of jobs afterwards, he’d be okay for longer than usual.

It was worth it for other reasons, though, he thought to himself, stuffing spare merch he’d gotten in blindbags (and a couple other last-minute buys he didn’t tell the others about) into a bottom corner of his suitcase. None of it was of her, none of it for him. Something felt unprofessional spending this job acting like a fan, but at least there wasn’t any harm grabbing some signatures for friends who never made it to meet-and-greets.

The single was out properly, now, and so was the PV. There was a section of it he especially liked and had gotten into the habit of watching on train rides, where she broke out of the dance routine to put her arms around her teammates, grin a dumb grin, and kick her legs high. It cut to a different shot of the group in different costumes but perfect sync, and when it cut back to that first shot, she stumbled and fell right on her ass, dragging the others down with her. Still grinning stupidly, and singing through it all.

She didn’t take many vocal solos. She only had one line in this song to herself, and she was singing with the whole group for this shot. He read in an interview she wasn’t happy with the tone quality of her voice yet -- it needed to be richer, and she still needed plenty of training before it reached what her teammates and audience deserved.

Ranmaru told himself, as the train was minutes away from the station, that this had to be the last time he watched this video and listened to the song like this. At least for the duration of this job. Every time he watched that shot, as she kept singing and the rest of the group tumbled down with her with the same dumb grin she wore, he knew in his gut the voice she sang in must’ve sounded like the soul of rock. Even if that gesture were directed and performed, there was still something genuine there that reminded him of those moments at concerts that convinced him to walk the path he did.

Maybe he’d get to see it live. Maybe he wouldn’t. But he had to stop imagining it. She - this whole group, rather - was about to become real, and whether or not everything he imagined would turn out to just be something he made up to deal with his shit, he had a job to do.

------------------------------------

He had a chance to leave his clothes and belongings in the hotel before heading to the live house. Ranmaru was unsure why this Ootori guy had picked him. He didn’t have an exactly long resume with idol shows, but then again, this was a group that debuted without any typical idol sound. There wasn’t any gimmick to them (Ranmaru wouldn’t call being made up of foreigners much of a gimmick when it came to the music), and they weren’t afraid of reaching into all sorts of genres he more typically worked with.

Right as he got to the live house, his phone rumbled with back-to-back notifications.

Reiji (5:48 PM): Ranran~!!! Ganbarimachochho from us!

Ranmaru wouldn’t deign the attached selfie with a response right now (he was about to work, after all), but he felt himself suppressing a smile. Reiji was sticking his tongue out and making a victory sign, Natsuki further in the background, half-buried in stuffed animals and doing the same. They were going to be streaming the event for special-tier fanclub members like REIJI, which Ranmaru had always harangued him for. If he was a fan, wasn’t it enough to just cheer their hearts out live, enjoy their music, buy a CD and shirt, and feel the energy they had to give that way?

(He still pored over the behind-the-scenes and advance material Reiji forwarded to him and Natsuki regardless. Sometimes he translated the English from their social media accounts, even. It was satisfying, as stupid as it felt sometimes, to do those little things in between the real shows.)

He’d never been to the live house before, but it had the same vibes as so many others he’d been to. He found the back entrance effortlessly, where a man with glasses almost took him by surprise.

“Kurosaki?” he asked. His gaze felt just as intense as all the other communication they’d had over e-mail.

“Ootori,” he grunted back.

“You’re early,” Eiichi replied, grinning at Ranmaru. Not that it surprised him in the slightest, but it made him look less approachable and instead even more intense. “Good. I like that in a recruit.”

Ranmaru gritted his teeth quietly. This guy was going to be an absolute bastard, he could feel it, but at least he seemed like he knew how to run a show. “Don’t say that like I joined your agency. Tell me where the group’s at with setup, and I’ll get started.”

Eiichi’s eyes glinted from behind his glasses. He looked too satisfied with himself for Ranmaru’s taste. “I liked how you didn’t beat around the bush when you reached out for the job, and it’s good to see you hold to it. They’re rehearsing in the space, but we still have equipment to unload and cues to sync. You read the notes I sent you, I trust.”

“All forty fuckin’ pages of it.” Ranmaru left out that he’d actually found it pretty impressive, appreciating the thoroughness and ambition of the show for a smaller group and venue. “Are we going to stand around shooting the shit or are we going to get started working on them?”

Eiichi laughed at that. Ranmaru wasn’t sure if it pissed him off or made him feel eager to get to work.

“This way,” he said, showing him to a van stuffed full of equipment.

------

Ranmaru went straight to the live house staff to start doing his work. The master controls were kept in a little room that overlooked the stage. His gut flipped when he first saw them all, rehearsing some specific-looking choreography that needed to adjust to a new stage. He wasn’t about to let that interrupt work. This was just like any other job, except he liked the performers a whole lot more, and things progressed like any other job. Until she looked dead at him from the stage, calling out.

“Heeeeey,” she said. “Scuse me, are you the new tech guy?”

“Yeah.” Ranmaru forced the feeling rising in his throat back down (as much as he could with sheer willpower, anyway). “Whaddya want?”

“I just wanted to ask your name! We gotta call you something!”

“Ranmaru,” he answered, hoping dearly that whatever he felt burning on his face was hidden by the dim lighting.

“Cool, OK. Ranmaru-san,” she continued cheerfully. Ranmaru felt his chest tighten as he heard his name on her lips. “Are we queued up enough that we can do this number with music?”

“This is the one for the new single, right,” he called back. He took a look at the levels, gain, and so forth as they were and instinctively nudged the knobs where the countless plays of that new song told him to. He’d imagined the vision of its stage presence for weeks. “I’m gonna test out some different settings for the levels ‘n stuff while you do that.”

She made an expression of surprise as it came on. Delight, even, as she rode out into the following beats. Ranmaru couldn’t help crooking into his own smile, satisfied his know-how just helped that vision become a little bit brighter. She flashed him a thumbs up, then a gesture to pause, still grinning.

“Can we take it from the top? Five, six, seven, eight---”

--------

Ranmaru had never felt this sort of contradiction. She was restringing her acoustic guitar, from steel to nylon strings, as she hummed and practiced segments of songs, and Ranmaru was adjusting amplifiers and other equipment on the stage nearby. His head swam with the thought and excitement they were sharing the same stage, even just as a tech and pre-show performer, but approaching her felt like being both sides of a magnet at once.

But that push and pull gave way, eventually, as the guitar finished being re-strung and tuned, and the humming turned into full-on singing. Ranmaru fought desperately to make sure he wasn’t just confirming what he’d already imagined, to just appreciate her live voice on its own merits and flaws. But he could feel in his chest that that character, that quality he’d responded so much to was there, that even with some lacking technical skill, there was still a rich tone color you could only get with passion and the spirit for rock.

“You doing any solos tonight?” he asked in English.

“Hm?” She looked caught by surprise.

Ranmaru answered, already anticipating the question. “I’m half-American. I speak it fluently enough.”

“Well, shit,” she said with a grin. “That’s convenient for us. I mean, I don’t mind Japanese if it’s easier…”

“‘Sfine. Do what you want. I won’t complain about the practice, though.”

She chuckled. “Man, maybe losing our usual guy from the agency was a stroke of good luck.”

Ranmaru laughed challengingly. “Say that after the show goes well. And you still haven’t answered my question.”

“Oh, uh. Right. Not really? Why do you ask?”

“Why not?”

She took a moment and laughed brightly in reply. Ranmaru could practically hear the insecurity she was covering up.

“‘Cuz we’re an idol group.”

Ranmaru gestured and murmured in vague acknowledgement. “You still have less solo lines than everyone else.”

“Oh, do I,” she replied flatly, going back to her guitar, trimming overhanging strings. “I guess you would know, now that you’ve gotta manage all our sound.”

“I just think it’s stupid you’ve clearly got your own voice but can’t think of sharing it without hiding behind everyone else’s.”

She looked up at him incredulously. “Ranmaru-san, right?”

“...Just call me Ranmaru.”

“Alright, Ranmaru.” She looked at him again. Somehow when she looked at him dead-on this time, nothing went to mush inside of him. “Don’t fucking talk to me like our group voice isn’t the backbone of everything we’re trying to do.”

“Nothing’s wrong with your group voice,” he shot back, getting heated. “It’s good. I can feel the soul behind it all, even when you’re rehearsing.”

“So why are you fucking complaining?” She was still smiling, laying cheer and energy over her growing frustration. “Is there something you wanna say to me about my crew’s voices?”

“They’re fine!” he barked back, frustrated she wasn’t getting his point. “This isn’t about them! You have something your audience is gonna be lit on fire hearing more of, that’s all!”

Some eyes were starting to fall on them, but Ranmaru could barely notice them over the way her chest rose sharply and her expression became inscrutible.

“...how about,” she said, speaking slowly as she deliberately, diplomatically pulled out her words, switching back to Japanese. “You save any notes you have for after the show.”

“......Sure.” His stomach flipped again, more intensely and more painfully than the last few times. He went back to fussing with the amp, and she laid the pliers she’d trimmed her strings with on it before heading backstage until the show started.

---

The show was electric. Ranmaru couldn’t say he was the right audience for most idol groups -- not so much out of distaste as much as incompatibility, he guessed. The way Reiji and Natsuki would lose their minds over their favorites’ cheerful cuteness or the kindness in their voices, Ranmaru wouldn’t. The fanatical, cult-of-personality devotion some other idols could curate with otaku-types, he didn’t connect with, either. What spoke to him was passion, backed by steely sounds and the sweat behind them; the excitement and fervor of rock and a crowd stinking of sweat; how well you could make someone scream themselves hoarse for that one, shining moment without any care for how sore they’d feel the next morning.

Maybe it was the adrenaline from earlier, but when he could look away from the tech, he felt that here, too. There was no drum or bass player onstage, but he could still feel the beat thrum through his chest and rumble through his bones until his breath quickened, like he were jumping and dancing with the crowd. There was joy in their teamwork. In how they shaped their bodies together in song and in voice, and pushing and pulling the spotlight until it was something brighter, something shared and tangible between them and the audience.

His eyes fell on her. What should he call her? She had a stage name in Thai, but she was open that wasn’t her given name or anything friends and family called her. “Aroon” was just something she picked so she could wear her heritage proudly. It meant ‘dawn,’ it sounded cooler, more idol-ish than her Western name, which wasn’t a secret, by any means, but he heard her called by so many versions of it, none felt real.

It only felt so weird because seeing her onstage, he felt far beyond any confirmation bias he could’ve had that the person he’d seen in the PV’s was every bit as real as he’d hoped. He saw someone who didn’t just fit on stage, but relished and grew like a plant in the hot lights burning down on them. There was something so honest about how she hyped the crowd, leaned so forward she seemed like she might leap into a crowdwalk, pointing at her ear until the whole crowd bellowed in their own guttoral harmony. And she smiled so much at her crewmates -- Ranmaru realized he was smiling, too, while she played guitar and accompanied the others’ solos, only breaking from her deep sway with the music to look at them with brightness and joy in her eyes.

In those moments, Ranmaru understood something he hadn’t before, but it also made him realize that the hunger in him wasn’t being sated so much as it was deepening.

They got cheered back on for an encore. And towards the end of that last song, Ranmaru watched as she broke choreography to literally lift the one Natsuki was convinced was a fairy, spinning them around as the practiced moves dissolved into joyful chaos. The whole group ended the song arm in arm, sloppily holding mics for each other as they alternately laughed, belted, fumbled, and shouted thank-yous into the audience.

Ranmaru still felt something tug at him as the mic got held in front of her, she grabbed it, and handed it to someone else. Just sing, damn it, he thought to himself. It didn’t matter if it was perfect, it just mattered that it was hers.

Didn’t she realize she deserved to be adored the same way she wanted the rest of her group to be?

Ranmaru cut everything as they filtered offstage, staggering and softening the mics as they put them back and let them go. He took a deep, sighing breath in and out, almost like he’d been holding it for the entire concert, as his stomach growled.

Maybe he should’ve taken some more of Reiji’s bento, after all, and give Natsuki’s cookies another try.

--------

They closed up quickly. With the group no longer bound by rehearsal, takedown went faster than ever, and there wasn’t any meet-and-greet at today’s venue. Ranmaru dimly considered looking at the merch table, but he had a week to do that and had other things to finish with today’s closeup, anyway.

He could hear the group discussing amongst themselves in English about where to go for a late dinner celebrating a good show.

“I want chicken,” she pleaded. “Is there one of those Taiwanese shops where you can get boba and chicken around here? You know, the kind that comes in a little bag and a toothpick?”

Eiichi approached them, and she started to repeat herself in Japanese before he asked to interrupt her.

“We’re all headed to the izakaya two blocks from here,” he announced to everyone. “I’ve already called ahead to reserve the space. Consider it a reward for a triumph of the first show on tour.”

“But is there chicken,” she repeated in Japanese in mock desperation as she mussed her own hair, fussing it out of the careful styling she’d had it in for hours.

Ranmaru’s phone buzzed from the notifications he missed, shutting them off for the duration of the show. Mostly from Natsuki and Reiji. He scrolled through the groupchat as they reacted live to the stream and tried to compliment Ranmaru on managing sound so well, though he was sure it couldn’t have possibly made much of a difference for the stream.

Ranmaru (11:37 PM): it was a killer show, wasn’t it

Ranmaru (11:37 PM): they’re talking about craving chicken right now. Guess it’s too bad we don’t have a kotobuki bento branch around here.

Ranmaru (11:38 PM): i could go for a kara-age bento

Reiji (11:38 PM): Ranran….!

Natsuki (11:39 PM): Waaaah~! I hope you find some kara-age soon and share it with your shining star!

Ranmaru immediately locked the phone after that. His stomach somersaulted once more time. He stood by what he said to her earlier, but he couldn’t imagine she’d want to talk after the way things had gone. Better to leave the group to that postshow glow, feed himself, and head back to the hotel.

---------

The room was swimming just a little. Ranmaru blearly looked at his phone, trying to ignore the fact that he’d drank beyond his limit like an idiot. He knew he was like this, so why did he keep downing beer after beer? He’d gotten too used to needing as much as he could stomach to tolerate Reiji’s antics (and, he knew dimly, he was just too used to being able to rely on him once he’d hit his limit).

She was seated right across from him, because of course she was, but they didn’t exchange any words or even eye contact. She was entirely focused on the rest of the group and the meal itself, laughing loudly between boisterous stories and jokes and devouring whatever snacks she ordered.

Ranmaru got up. He could make it back to the hotel by himself, probably. Nobody asked as he left, which was how he’d preferred things, right?

If there was such thing as taking a desolate wizz, maybe this is what it felt like, he thought to himself as he dried his hands on his shirt and left the restroom to step outside. Just for a moment. Just to get some air.

Eiichi followed him out.

“Can I help you,” Ranmaru said roughly after Eiichi caught the door behind him.

“Hardly.” He had the same look in his eye as before. “I thought I’d take the opportunity to say well done.”

Ranmaru grunted. “You still have six more shows with me. Compliment me when I’ve nailed all of them.”

“Hm. I’d certainly expect no less. But,” he continued, that grin going places Ranmaru especially didn’t like. “I can’t say that was what I was referring to.”

Ranmaru looked at him suspiciously.

“She’s been a tough nut to crack,” he continued. “I’m glad my instincts were right, Ranmaru Kurosaki, your brusqueness and deep experience with music laid her heart bare enough she recognized some changes she needed to make.”

He didn’t think, and only saw red -- he couldn’t blame the alcohol entirely, but the haziness was enough that his brain needed a moment to catch up to his gut reaction.

Eiichi laughed, unfazed by Ranmaru’s hands on his collar or snarling expression.

“Bastard!” he barked. Eiichi’s eyes glinted behind his glasses.

“I heard your little conversation. Do you not stand by those words?”

“Of course I do,” Ranmaru snapped.

“They reached her,” Eiichi cut in before Ranmaru could think of what to say next. “She’s already asking me about extra vocal training before the next recording sessions.”

“She doesn’t need more training!” He threw Eiichi back, finally letting go. He barely needed any effort to recover, and Ranmaru just glared at him as he kept raising his voice. “And I’m not your for-hire music coach! Is this how you treat all your contractors, you rat bastard of a producer?!”

He just laughed that laugh of his, making Ranmaru even angrier. “Your passion for music and straightforwardness was evident, even in your initial inquiry. It was just excellent luck your technical skills were just as useful for sending this idol group hurtling towards their fullest potential.”

“If you want her to reach it, you’d tell her she doesn’t need any extra lessons. You’d just tell her she’s a great goddamn idol the way she is right now,” Ranmaru spat. “Trusting her voice is just what’ll make her into a better one.”

“I hear some selfish intent in that, Kurosaki.” Eiichi looked like he was burning with excitement. “But that just means I can trust your intentions more than anyone. You speak as someone whose heart’s already been moved. A fan...a loyal follower who desires their success. Perhaps even more than she does.”

“I’m going back to the hotel.” Ranmaru strode past him, feeling himself burn from top to bottom. He gave Eiichi one last look in the eye. “If you need me before the show tomorrow, find someone else.”

-------

The next day and next show went uneventfully. Now that he’d met the group at Yokohama, he was travelling with them in the cars and equipment vans, and he made a point of finding a back seat nobody wanted to share, stretching out, and napping the whole ride. The setup at the next live house was a pain in the ass with their unusual devices and systems, but Ranmaru was quietly grateful to have his hands full. He liked having a good reason for not wanting to talk to (scold) anyone but the live house staff itself. Being irritated they went for weird, cheap models with lower quality helped him double down on the attention needed to make the group shine. They collectively got ramen afterwards. The only words he exchanged all meal were with the one Reiji liked so much, ferrying his ramen order for him when he got frustrated with the shop crowd and left to go wait outside.

(He’d have to find a way to talk with her later about Reiji. Not just for the autograph -- he opened up his phone, ignoring any notifications that weren’t his work email, and messaged him.

Ranmaru (9:42 PM): send me a pic of your Mae shrine

Reiji (9:45 PM): ehh? Ranran, what for?

Ranmaru (9:50 PM): just send it

Dutifully, Reiji did. Ranmaru couldn’t have imagined he really had no idea what he planned to do with it, but if he wasn’t just playing dumb, at least he’d be getting one hell of a surprise.)

It was during the third show that things started to happen a way he could scarcely believe. The show went pretty normally, except for one point where she stumbled badly enough during a complex turn she completely ate shit. But she played it off into something hammy and funny, rolling out of the way of the others, lying like she were posing in a cheesy beefcake calendar while she found the beat again to sing.

Ranmaru still thought she needed to own up to her lack of courage and just sing more, but putting it like she was a coward was a mistake. He thought dimly to what Reiji had said that had convinced him -- “when was the last time you had fun working a stage like this?” And he wondered if he’d ever had fun onstage like he saw. He might’ve tasted the glory and passion of the stage, the delicious energy of the audience, and the power of rock -- he knew he did, he’d looked an easier, blander life in the eye and felt too desolate to walk that path, even with his inescapable debt.

But it could be more fun. That audience could feel more, even more connected, that he could smile through mistakes when the performance came from camaraderie as much as passion and soul. Things could be better when they were shared beyond just the respect of an audience and a performer.

He didn’t realize he was smiling as much as he was until his cheeks were hurting, but that was also because he felt hungrier than he’d ever been.

----

He couldn’t help calculating how many meals he’d be cutting into as the convenience store clerk rang up everything, even though he’d already gotten Eiichi to confirm he was going to expense him the bill and get refunded every cent.

The show closed late. They had a special meet-and-greet he didn’t need to be around to handle, but none of them had had the chance to eat much outside of some spare snacks. He figured something fast and easy before they could collapse in the hotel would fit the bill.

She wasn’t there when he went around knocking on the hotel room doors and delivering the goods. Gone out to relax on the roof, they said, and when they offered to hold her food, he said no, he’d take it right to her.

The sound of the roof door opening looked like it startled her, and he didn’t know what else to do but hold up the bag full of food like a peace offering.

“Eat something,” he said in English, tossing her a banana from the bag. She caught it before eyeing him up and down, then settled back to the outdoor lounge chair she’d been resting on. Ranmaru took a seat in the one across for her, setting the bag on the ground as he pulled the rest of the food out. She looked hesitant, only speaking until he’d laid everything out, even the drinks.

“...That smells good,” she said in Japanese. “What’s that, kara-age?”

“I heard you guys were craving chicken.”

“I mean, I sure was. Thanks.”

“I told you English was fine,” he said, back to Japanese.

“My Japanese is fine,” she said, tearing into the banana first.

“Yeah, but if you’re tired of speaking outside of your native tongue,” Ranmaru started, already feeling himself get heated. “Why wouldn’t you take the chance to just rest?”

She finished her bite of banana before giving him a look. “...If you insist.”

They just sat in silence as she ate for a bit.

“Is there something else you want from me?” she asked. She left half the kara-age and bottled tea.

“...No, not really. I wanted to say sorry for the other day, though.”

“Ah.” She smiled knowingly, though she didn’t look happy about it. “Don’t worry about it. It sure isn’t the first or last time I’m gonna be criticized in this industry. I can handle it.”

Ranmaru murmured in acknowledgement, not sure to what end making himself clear to would earn, but he had to, anyways. He stared down the half-full kara-age container.

“...This is your goddamn food, you know.” He pushed it closer to her. “Eat it.”

“Oh, you’re sure?”

“I didn’t have a meet-and-greet that made me miss dinner. Do you really wanna work a tour on an empty stomach?”

She scooped it up with a knowing ‘hmm’ and a half-smile. After polishing it off, she let out a heavy sigh.

“You are right, though. I’m being a coward, not singing more.”

“You’re not,” Ranmaru grumbled.

“Sure,” she said dismissively. “But I guess I should apologize for getting so defensive. I thought you were just another macho shithead trying to talk the piss out of our group and the voice we have.”

“That’s nothing to apologize for,” Ranmaru said resolutely. “....when I was in a band, I wish I’d had bandmates who’d do that kinda shit for me.”

“Oh, shit, what’d you play?”

“Vocals. Bass. Rock.”

“Aw, c’mon, get more specific than that. Surf rock? Indie boy shoegaze? Folk punk with a little dash of polka?”

Ranmaru gave her an incredulous look. “...Oi. Do I look like a polka guy?”

She grinned widely, looking very satisfied with herself. “I dunno, you never know who’s got a secret accordion! I could see you, maybe you painted half of it, like, red to match that edgelord RPG hero heterochromia thing you got going.”

Ranmaru grumbled, looking away. She laughed. “....I just like rock. If you had to pull my leg I guess I’d tell you hard rock. Maybe a little alt and prog.”

“Ooh!” She exclaimed, barely letting the sip of tea get down her throat. “That’s the good shit! Did you ever record anything?”

Ranmaru hesitated. “...Yeah, but nothing that anyone can listen to anymore.”

She seemed to understand without much more explanation. “...Well. You’re fucking good at the sound engineering side of things. Don’t tell management this -- or well, just don’t quote me on this -- but I like you a hell of a lot more than the guy we were supposed to have from the agency. He doesn’t know shit about how to make music that’s about soul and hype. It’s like, all one level the whole time, you know? Like it’s just sitting at an 8 the whole time, we don’t really get to do stuff like crescendos. Or like, punch someone in the dick by taking it from a three and shoot it to an eleven, you know?”

“Yeah,” Ranmaru said, throwing a hand up. “What’s with that shit? There’s a bunch of stupid clients I had who were like that. Just one kind of loud, the whole album or concert through. What’s the fucking point if you aren’t gonna make people hear something other than just fuckin’ loud?”

“Yeah! You get it!” she whooped, before she held her hand out for a fistbump.

It surprised Ranmaru enough that it took a moment to register. But he smiled a little and pounded it.

------

“Man-eating momma, steam-driven hammer

Sorts the men out from the boys--”

She slid her arm around his waist, and he nearly choked on his beer.

They were at Korean barbecue tonight, their own private room. The last meal, after the last concert, after the last meet-and-greet, after the last frantic merch sales. Ranmaru tried to buy himself a shirt, but instead was presented with a staff hoodie for the tour and a “one of everything” comp for the rest of the merch. They were now safely tucked with other goods he’d gotten signed for Reiji and Natsuki last night while everyone hung out in their big hotel suite. Hotel management made a mistake and upgraded the whole crew to their biggest room with extra cots to fit them all, and they spent the entire post show in a dizzying, joyful, communal haze. Ranmaru even told stories of the embarrassing depths of his groupchat’s devotion to the group and each of their favorites, and everyone took turns recording chaotic, personalized videos for Ranmaru to share later. They fell asleep at a truly stupid hour, and Ranmaru wondered if this is what having sleepovers as a kid felt like.

“Takes no messing, all-in wrestling

Is one of her pride and joys”

Ranmaru recognized the words as she pulled him closer, swaying after slamming her beer to the table. Maybe less the tune, since that was being yelled more than sung.

“She's a classy, flashy lassy

Imitation sapphire shine-- c’mon, dude, you know!” She looked at him expectantly. She was very, very flushed, and at this point, he had to be, too.

“We’re not at a karaoke bar!” he barked.

“Where’s all that ‘you gotta sing more, fuckass’ energy now, huh,” she said, lowering her voice so much to mimic that Ranmaru briefly questioned if this is what he sounded like to her.

“....Fine! If you’re gonna sing it, actually fuckin’ sing it, don’t just yell!”

“Oh yeah,” she said with what passed for a shit-eating grin with her. “Then show me, partyboy. Hey, everyone, meet my new vocal coach! Hold onto your dick, folks, he better fuckin floor you with all the shit he’s been talking --”

Ranmaru looked at her a moment as she kept ranting, first with incredulity, then with a weird surreal awe. What the hell was happening?

Why the hell should he bother questioning it?

“-- Two-faced liar, full of fire

But I know the flame is mine!” He cut off her rant, singing as much as he could like this were a stage.

She -- and a bunch of other staff at the table -- whooped and cheered and laughed, but she and only she joined in with him without a care in the world. “Rocka Rolla woman for a Rocka Rolla man

You can take her if you want her

If you think you can--”

He let the arm that’d been just awkwardly dangling behind her wrap around her shoulder. He felt warmer than he’d ever had, burning all the way to the tips of his ears.

“Rocka Rolla woman for a Rocka Rolla man

You can take her if you want her you can!”

They hung on the last note of the chorus -- she hung on comedically long before dragging them both up to bow while everyone else clapped, laughed, cheered. A server came, yelling that they had an order of grilled beef up. Eiichi, from the other end of the table, gestured that he’d ordered it, but passed it down until it sat in front of Ranmaru.

--------

They had an overnight bus trip to get back home -- or close enough to home, anyways, Ranmaru still had another long train ride waiting afterwards, so he’d planned to sleep the whole bus ride.

But she wound up sitting next to him, and even if he could pretend like that didn’t make his heart thump now by itself, she was chatty.

He didn’t mind the conversation, though. They mostly talked about music, sharing concert stories and albums. He even talked a little about what he wanted to do now in between all the freelance work, and when she wished him luck and couldn’t wait to hear it, he didn’t feel like she was just blowing smoke.

There came a pause while she downed a bottle of tea.

“...I meant it when I said there’s something in your voice the audience oughta hear,” he said, looking at her intently.

She laughed uncomfortably after she swallowed. “Thank you. I’ll…..I guess I just have to go for it, huh.”

“What’s stopping you?”

“I...hm….” She paused in intent thought for a while. “Well, for one, the technical control isn’t there.”

“Yeah, but you’ll improve that by doing it.”

“Yeah, yeah. But there’s more than just that, I guess.”

“Like what.”

“...Well, you know how this industry is. It’s…hard. Finding the balance of what you’re good at, what people want, and what the higher-ups think they want. I don’t think I’m anywhere near figuring that balance out...”

“Forget all that.” Ranmaru looked at her very seriously, shifting in place so he could look her in the eye a little better. “Don’t worry about any of those things.”

She laughed disbelievingly. “Okay, sure, lemme just. Throw out my job description while I’m at it. Dude, the whole point of this job and this work is to make other people happy.”

“I was happy hearing your voice just as it was that first day. You just. Sang the way you wanted to. I liked that. It felt good. Genuine.” He took a moment to recall the words he found at the beginning of the tour. “...You like it when people connect with your group’s voice ‘n adore your groupmates. So let ‘em adore you some.”

“Oh, cuz I’m so adowable,” she joked, laughing as Ranmaru scowled.

“I mean it. I….” he started. “...The audience is going to be better for hearing more of you. Whatever that means.”

She thought about that for a moment. “...I...you know. I don’t think I’ve ever asked myself what that looks like. Or let myself realize it, anyway.”

“You can handle the criticism if it comes. If that’s something you’re scared of.”

“...Maybe it is. Thank you, Ranmaru, I’m going to think about that and kick everybody’s teeth in the next time we record.

“‘Snothing,” he murmured, but he felt like his heart was going to soar out of his chest, and later, as they both nodded off and slumped over each other as the road stretched on, he realized he felt sated in a way he couldn’t remember being. A weird sort, that took away the pang of hunger, but made him feel it more deeply through his whole being.

----

When he arrived ‘home,’ it was lunchtime, and he was too dazed, hungry, and tired to weather one last long walk home without some food in his stomach. It was on the way-- he may as well go to Kotobuki Bento and make Reiji make good on the free bento offer.

(His sister rang him up, and Ranmaru paid up.)

Reiji found him after the meal, and he wound up heading to Reiji’s room. To give him the merch, theoretically, but after Reiji earned enough grouchy monosyllabic replies, he brought something that sounded like an actual question.

“...So, Ranran, while you were away…”

“Just say it,” Ranmaru muttered, eyes too tired to focus. “I’m too fucking tired for you to take the long away around.”

“Nattsun’s friend wants to join our little fanclub!”

“....And.”

Reiji shrank a little, speaking more sheepishly. “The thing is...we mentioned you and....he’s pretty sure you two already know each other and you’d want nothing to do with him.”

Ranmaru hazily tried to recall who that could be. There were too many people whose guts he hated for him to figure it out by himself.

“Who is it,” Ranmaru growled tiredly. “Just fucking say it.”

“Does...Hijirikawa ring a bell?”

It did. Ranmaru fumed in silence for a moment, thinking about the whirlwind of disaster that name was attached to, but also the vague memories of that quiet, serious boy in traditional dress who fretted after him when they were too small to know of things like debts and bankruptcy...

“...Whatever,” Ranmaru muttered. He looked at Reiji’s bed and decided he wasn’t going to tolerate any more of this exhaustion -- he had a reliable neighbor to leave food out for the cats, anyway, what was a couple more hours? “It’s not really much of a fanclub if it’s just the three of us. He can join if he wants. It’ll give you ‘n Natsuki someone who’s better at responding to your crazy nightlong gushing than me.” He tossed the dakimakura on Reiji’s bed, dented in the middle from so much hugging, to him, before he shrugged closer into his staff tour hoodie and slumped into Reiji’s bed.

He could practically see Reiji stammering, even as he turned away and settled into the comfort of eyes closed and a real bed. Clearly, that wasn’t the answer he was expecting, and it wasn’t the one Ranmaru was expecting to give, either.

“-- R...Ranran, you really--”

“Yes! What the fuck wasn’t clear about what I said! Masato can join! Go add him already! Just let me sleep, you noisy bastard!” Ranmaru barked one last time at Reiji.

Ranmaru ignored whatever last jabbering Reiji had for him, already carried off to proper sleep. He wondered what he could possibly dream about that would rival the past week and this satisfying feeling, cradled in his new hoodie.

(I perform semi-professionally -- not as an idol, mind, but I’m still getting up on a stage/camera to entertain people on the reg -- and it was so weird but also really......doki-inspiring, let’s say, to imagine Ranmaru being a fan of my stage bravado :’’’’’D To be honest I’ve been feeling a little discouraged and burnt out by it lately but this really refilled my tanks!!!)

#iron maiden & rocka rolla #hints of #matchamocha #and #peach lemonade #scribblings #roleswap au #selfship #self insert #selfship fic

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moontaeilll · 6 years ago

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ALL ABOUT SM GLOBAL PACKAGE & NEO CITY: SEOUL EXPERIENCE

by twitter user @sugnsook // @yudotaeil

Hello~ so i am not that good at explaining/vlogging or writing stuffs but in this thread? or blogpost or wherever u guys reading this, i will try to describe my experience as much as I can. Also for now, I am dividing this post, FAQ-style according to several topics, and I will put a separate detailed post on my own Neo City: SEOUL experience. I hope this will help for u guys deciding to splurge a bit on concert/global package!

Disclaimer: In the past, I got a few ccs complaining about my fangirl related-expensive expenses, I just want to note earlier here that as the whole prior to the actual concert, I was a part time student & working 30+ hours a week, working every chances I get. It was also my last semester of undergrad studies & I have been wanting to attend NCT’s first ever concert since 2017 and been really saved up since then, so I consider the large expenses is pretty much a treat for myself.

Tl;dr: if you worked hard enough and really wanted to attend your faves event, just go for it, as it was really worth it.

— General

What is included in Global Package?

Concert ticket (depending on days u wanna go), a good quality hotel for your stay, return transportation to & from the concert venue - hotel, preorder access to official merchandises, NCT 127 theme global package-special merchandises, NCT 127 theme snack boxes (after the concert), One themed lunch, a half day tour with tour guide before the concert, special event (varies according to what concert) - for NCT127’s we got a photoshoot session with NCT127’s life-size standee in SM’s infamous practice room itself.

How much does Global Package cost?

All i can say first thing first is….it IS costly. The ones I am paying is $949USD for Superior Single (Course C) as shown below:

The difference between the prices & packages are it depends on which hotel they will locate you & your seating in the concert. They also have Course A, Course B & Course C which depends on the concert days you are attending. Because I am flying out to Seoul just for the purpose of concert so why not just buy the two days ticket? And yeah that is why I chose Course C.

When does the ticketing open?

Usually the global package ticketing will only open at least one month prior to the actual concert, just like the concert announcement itself. Basically right after SM announce the concert, just be prepared as the ticketing will be shortly after it, right before the general ticketing starts. My advice is just, save up save up and save up as it is really well-known super costly.

How competitive the tickets are?

It is less competitive than general ticketing for sure, but pretty competitive in between ifans itself. When I bought mine, I initially planned for just economy ones but the ticket sold out WHEN i clicked “payment”. So, be quick or you might need to wait a bit more. I’m the type to be anxious if I dont have my ticket yet so I really want my ticketing matters to be settled up as soon as possible so-- when I figured out the economy package got sold out I quickly clicked on superior option - impulsively hehs.

During that ticketing, SM allows you to hold your payment up to 2 hours, as for twin package buyers can split payment. So if the tickets sold out, you might be able to get it after 2 hours. NOTE THAT: SM changed the policy from 2 hours to 30 mins now.

Eventually SM will release more packages and you CANNOT change your options once you have buy it. The packages will be available up until a week/or two before the concert, but the type of packages is really depends. I would say, Course C - Economy package sold out pretty quickly because that is what most people aiming for.

*also, keep refreshing the page if you are buying at the exact ticketing open time! The ticketing for mine opened 3 mins before the actual time so yeah….

How is the payment made?

Paypal only. Just be sure you have signed up to smtown travel account, and link you cards or have paypal balance to get your payment completed smoothly. Your package will only be confirmed once you get the payment confirmation so, having a working payment method is important. SM’s cancellation policy is ridiculous so I recommend everyone who is interested to join GP to do a thorough research beforehand.

Can international fans join general ticketing?

Yes, but not really feasible, as Yes24 sites require verification, unless you have connections with korean verifications or buy from 3rd party. The downside of 3rd party is you might get even more expensive ticket collectively compared to what Global Package has offered.

How good the seats are?

It depends on your luck as you will only draw your ticket basically the day before the concert. The more you paid for the package, the better the seats. For standing you might get a better queue number and in korea concerts you strictly go in by queue number. I chose seating, so for luckily one of my seat was right next to extended stage, and another seat was on the other side but center view. Also i luckily got both sides of seating so I can enjoy the concert with both views.

It is possible to trade your ticket between other global package holders tho - bcs i saw people did this at my hotel lol but you cannot ask sm to change your ticket. The concert ticket will be written as “해외팬투어” (intl fans tour), instead of your name.

My seat on the first day

My seat on the second day, center view

My seat on the second day, side view

Is there a customer service page i can rely to?

Yes. If there is one thing i would applaud SMtown travel for, it is for their customer service. I used a lot of their “Q&A” page and they typically will reply you within one business day. If you ask on weekend, they will respond to you as quick as on Monday. So if you have any like literally, ANY question about your package, just send a question to them and they will reply personally as soon as they can. And it is in english.

— Logistics

After you have bought your package, SM will update the logistics & schedule 2 WEEKS before the concert. So don’t worry if they ghosted you out before that 2 weeks lol.

Technically, they will divide the hotels according to the package type (dlx/superior/econ), then they will divide you into bus numbers, according whether you are seating/standing. Also your schedule will depends on the bus number you get. And this is non-exchangeable, as they prepared everything according to the list that they grouped you out.

How is the hotel?

For me, i got located at Ibis Styles Ambassador Hotel in Gangnam. Because I got single package, i got the whole hotel room for myself, lol what a new experience, as for my solo travels i only go for budget hostels 🤣. The hotel location is only 15~20mins subway away from the venue, and it is walking distance from COEX. There are a bunch cafes & convenience store nearby so it is pretty easy to get something. The only thing is SM’s booth opens at 8pm, so because I arrived early, I just roamed around until the booth opens. At SM’s booth, it is where you pick up your preordered merchs, sm’s merchs and most importantly draw your tickets. Also I took the chance when gathering with fellow global package goers to trade anything i needed to exchange while everyone is there.

I dont know where to put this under, but for GP, We were given a greeting card from the boys, bunch of stickers, a letter set (with colour pencil), L-holders, bunch of posters and nct127’s moodlight. For the letter set, you can decorate and write fanletter to the members and hand it to your tour guide at the time they ask you. I bought some masking tape and stickers beforehand to decorate my letter, u can prepare it ahead too and transfer it to the letter they give as the time frame is really short.

Can I go to the concert by my own?

Yes you can~ Be sure to tell your tour guide so that they dont waste time waiting. You also have to tell them whether u want to go back to hotel with them or not, as that is when they will hand you the snack boxes. If you are not certain of travelling alone in Seoul, i recommend to travel by the bus they provide, because the tour guide will bring you right until the concert entrance. For me, I wanted to join fan-events and roam around the venue more, so I decided to go on my own. (Best thing about it was when you’re in a train with fellow NCTzens they just airdrop you a lot of nct related stuffs — including the selfies they airdropped at the venue!).

— Itinerary

How tight the schedules are?

It kinda not as tight as I thought? Except for pretty early schedule on the first day, also Maybe because I got a seating ticket so I dont go to venue after the tours right away (standing fans had to queue right away after the tour)

And for me, this was my schedule —

25th 8pm: pick up merchs, ticket etc from SM booth 26th 10am - gather at hotel lobby 10:30am - depart for lunch (at Bulgogi Brothers), it was NCT127-theme and they play nct’s songs! 11:50am - depart to COEX artium - u get 1 hr to roam around there, I chose to roam around smtown museum 1pm - depart to SM C&C building in cheongdam, for special event Around 2~ish - depart back to hotel

U get free time in between and gather back at 4:30pm to depart to concert venue as concert starts at 6. As concert ends around 8:30pm, they give you about 45mins~ to get back to the bus if you wanna go back with them. 27th Bus departs at around 2 pm if i recall, as concert starts at 4pm. I went out at 10am lols (also tell your tour guide!) and bus departs around 7:30pm after the concert. 28th - check out around 12pm.

Detailed itinerary will be updated in my experience post.

The best thing about the concert period was they give you discount on some SM-related stuffs. For example, they give 30% off (?) for beverages at sm cafe for ticket/GP holders, and also discounted smtown museum admission. There were also new merchs got released that time, and some other promotions going on.

Snack box after the concert!

Merchs I collected from kfans giveaways at the venue

The best part was NCTZens spreading out the fanproject - sing Paradise during Encore; using Airdrop. NEO indeed 😎

The amount of memes & stuffs being airdropped - lol

— Budgeting

General budgeting for my trip:

Flight - around 1.6K MYR return trip with 20kg luggage & meal (AirAsia)

Hotel - i only went during my GP stay period so it was all inclusive (hotel + concert ticket) with that $949 USD

Other expenses (tmoney, food, additional merchs) - about $250 usd is enough for me for 4 days, considering I spent on buying cosmetics & merchs a lot. My own preordered merchs was separate amt too, it depends on what u do/willing to spend around that period.

— For Muslim Fans

Do they provide halal meals?

They dont provide halal meat, but you can request for vegetarian option or seafood. During lunch, I got vegetarian bibimbap set. And for the snack boxes, too bad SM provided ham/bacon in the sandwiches, which I am not confident in removing it so I decided to not eat, just eat the cookies. Also they offer late-night meals after the concert (separate pay), but I didnt opt for that one and only went to eat at nearby places.

Can I pray before the concert?

Yes~ as I mentioned earlier, there are a few hours gap before you depart to concert so you can pray at your hotel beforehand. Or if you dont mind, like I did as I went to venue early on the 2nd day, I went to pray at Olympic Park area itself, there are a lot of benches or u can walk a bit further to isolated places to pray. I just sat down at some bench and pray while sitting down.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

These are what I can think of, and as I said earlier I do have another separate post regarding my own NEO CITY: Seoul experience, and I will update under a thread. If you have any questions feel free to contact me via twitter (@sugnsook/@yudotaeil) or curiouscat.me/6sungjae. Also for neo city fancams/random pics about my trip, it will be updated eventually under the main thread where this entry is posted :) Hope it helps!

#neo city seoul #sm global package #h:blog #concert

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exochile-smtown · 6 years ago

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SMTOWN TIPS

Esp Ya seas extranjera o chilena, santiaguina o de región, sabemos que SMTOWN es un magno evento que esperamos ansiosos poder asistir. Para que tu experiencia sea lo más cómodo posible, te dejamos con algunos tips que puedes seguir para este próximo viernes y sábado~

Eng Whether you are an International fan or Chilean fan, we know that SMTOWN is the biggest event that everyone is waiting to attend. That’s why we want your experience to be as comfortable as possible, so here we give you some tips to consider this next Friday and Saturday~

Español

📢 Recomendamos que el día del concierto lleves dinero en efectivo. Si realizas una compra en una tienda grande puede utilizar billetes grandes de $20.000 o $10.000. Sin embargo, si compras algo en alguna tienda pequeña de barrio o a algún vendedor callejero, te recomendamos pagar con dinero sencillo, ya que esto hace más fácil la transacción cuando estás en la vía pública.

📢 Lugares donde cambiar dinero:

Las mejores casas de cambio se encuentran en el centro de Santiago (referencia metro Universidad de Chile línea 1, calle Agustinas), ya que al haber varias pueden encontrar mejores precios y así comparar.

La comuna de Providencia también posee una gran cantidad de casas de cambio a buenos precios, como referencia pueden recorrer las calles aledañas al metro Pedro de Valdivia de la línea 1.

Los terminales de buses como Pajaritos, Santiago y San Borja ofrecen cambio de dinero a un buen precio.

El aeropuerto es un lugar muy seguro para realizar sus cambios de divisas, sin embargo este puede ser un poco más caro.

📢 Para los días del concierto, te recomendamos llevar calzado cómodo, como zapatillas, ya que al estar de pie haciendo la fila durante el día, el cansancio será grande, a su vez mientras disfrutamos del show, es más cómodo moverse con este tipo de calzado.

📢 El clima de Santiago en el mes de enero se caracteriza por ser caluroso durante el mediodía y la tarde, al igual que es muy seco. El sol es potente, por lo cual pueden llevar ropa fresca, y ocupar bastante protector solar, re-aplicando cada dos horas. No olviden algún sombrero y no exponerse mucho al sol para no insolarse.

📢 Si bien durante el día es bastante caluroso, las noches son muy agradables y a la vez frías. También les recomendamos tener una chaqueta delgada para la noche, ya que hay veces que las temperaturas bajan de manera considerable, y suele correr un viento muy helado.

📢 Hidratarse constantemente. Es necesario que comas bien tus comidas e hidratarte constantemente para evitar algún desmayo. Recuerda que el cansancio y fatiga son tu peor enemigo antes de un concierto!

📢 Al mantenerse bien hidratadas, será muy probable que necesiten ir al baño con frecuencia. El Estadio dispondrá de baños dentro del recinto, fuera de él puede ir al Portal Ñuñoa que esta a unas cuadras del Estadio. También considerar que Zona Vip tiene una gran probabilidad de tener baño químicos en esa zona, ya que en otro tipo de conciertos con zona vip normalmente son los baños que se ocupan, para que lo consideren antes de llegar a su asiento.

📢 Alimentarse bien es una tarea esencial para mantener altos niveles de energía durante el concierto. Si bien, habrán muchas opciones de comida callejera a las afueras del Estadio, a tan solo unos 10 minutos caminando hacia el oriente (por Avenida Grecia) se encontrarán un pequeño mall llamado Portal Ñuñoa. En este pueden encontrar un supermercado JUMBO y un patio de comidas con muchas opciones. También pueden utilizar la aplicación de uber eats o Rappi, las cuales poseen un muy buen sistema de delivery.

📢 Para las personas extrajeras, les dejamos una imagen de los tipos de enchufes que se van a encontrar en Chile, para que puedan ver el adaptador si es necesario para sus cargadores. También les recomendamos traer una batería portátil que tengan en caso de emergencia para el final del día.

📢 No llevar lightsticks de grupos que no se presentarán ese día. Lo ideal es mantener el respeto por la familia SM, y es por ello que solicitamos abstenerse de llevar lightsticks de otro fandom. Así también se ahorran algún problema.

📢 Nuestro staff se encontrará a disposición para guiarlas en lo que necesiten y para ayudarlas en la medida en que podamos. Podrán identificarnos debido a nuestras CREDENCIALES de staff. Si poseen alguna duda durante el día del concierto, pueden escribirnos al inbox de EXO Chile. - https://www.facebook.com/EXOChileOficial/ ¡Gracias por leer! Tenemos muchos otros tips que compartir con ustedes, así que no duden en leer todas las publicaciones de nuestro blog! ~~~~~~~~ ♡ ~~~~~~~~

English

📢 During the concert days, we recommend you to carry cash with you and use $20.000 or $10.000 notes only in big stores. However, if you buy something at a small store or from a street vendor, we suggest for you to pay with change or coins ($1.000, $2.000 or $5.000 chilean pesos). This will make the transaction easier while you are on the street.

📢 Places to exchange money.

The best money exchange houses are in downtown Santiago (reference: Universidad de Chile metro station in line 1 Agustinas street). Since there are many of these houses, you can find better prices due to their competitiveness.

The district of Providencia also has a big number of exchange houses with good prices, as a reference you can walk around the streets surrounding Pedro de Valdivia metro station also in line 1.

Bus terminals like Pajaritos, Santiago and San Borja also offer currency exchange at a good price.

The airport is a good and safe place to exchange your money, they have a lot of different currency that you can change into, but it’s a little more expensive.

📢 For the concert days, we recommend the use of leisure shoes, like sports shoes, because while waiting at the queue you'll be standing during long hours and the tiredness will be intense. At the same time, it'll be easier to move during the show with this kind of shoes.

📢 The weather of Santiago in January is characterized by high temperatures during noon and the afternoon, and it's dry too!. The sun is intense, because of that we recommend to be lightly dressed, and use sufficient sunblock; reapplying every 2 hours. Do not forget a hat and avoid exposing so many hours to the sun.

📢 Even if the day is pretty hot, nights are nice and even cold. We also suggest you to carry a light jacket for the night, because sometimes the temperatures can be low and the nights are windy.

📢 Stay hidrated. It is necessary for you to eat well too, so drink water constantly and have some snacks with you in order to avoid any potential faintings. Remember that fatigue is your worst enemy before the concert!

📢 Because you will be constantly drinking water, you'll likely need to use the bathroom very often. The Stadium will have bathrooms within the venue. If you’re outside you can go to the nearest mall called Portal Ñuñoa, which is located only a few blocks away from the Stadium. Also consider that for VIP section, probably will be chemical restrooms.

📢 Eating well is an essential task in order to maintain high energy levels during the concert. Although, there'll be many options of street food outside of the Stadium, only about 10 minutes walking towards the East (by Avenida Grecia) you'll find a small mall called Portal Ñuñoa. In this place you'll find a JUMBO supermarket and a food court with many options. You can also use the application of uber eats or Rappi, which have a very good delivery system. 📢 For the foreigners, we leave you an image of the types of plugs that will be found in Chile, so you can find the correct adapter for your devices if necessary. We also recommend you to bring a portable battery in case of an emergency or the end of the day.

📢 Please don't bring lightsticks from other groups that will not show up that day. The ideal is to maintain respect for the SM family artists, and that is why we request you to refrain from carrying lightsticks from another fandom. This also saves you some problem. 📢 Our staff will be available to help you in whatever you need and to help anyone as much as we can. You will be able to identify us due to our staff CREDENTIALS. If you have any questions during the day of the concert, you can write to the EXO Chile inbox on our social media.

- https://www.facebook.com/EXOChileOficial/ Thank for reading! We have many more tips to share with you, so don’t hesitate to read more posts in our blog!

[ EXO Chile Staff ]

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eris0330 · 6 years ago

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BTS Concert // Experience // Tips

So i went to the BTS Concert in Amsterdam on 131018. It was a wild ride, and not only because of the fact it was my first time traveling, it was also my first BTS concert. So this is a post for people who will go to their first BTS concert (or any concert?) to be aware of and to settle some things down, or to have some type of expectations.

Disclaimer: I’m not saying this is like this at every concert, this is purely out of my own experience.

NOTE: You can see some of my pre-trip pictures and BTS Concert pictures + videos in my Instagram story highlight and it’s called “BTS // AMS”. (IG: Eris0330) Some epic things happened even after the concert in the airport, and i’m not lying when i’m saying my sunday was a fucking mess.

So enjoy!!

Information during the day of the concert

Ticket: GA

Time of arrival at concert line up: 8:00 (8 am)

Location: Amsterdam

Hotel stay: Holiday inn

Amount of people in group: 7

Merch Sale to begin: 12:00 (12 pm)

Doors opening to venue: 17:00 (5 pm)

Concert start: 20:00 (8 pm)

Concert duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Fashion: Plaid yellow shirt, Black loose crop top, Black ripped jeans, Leg garter, Nike sneakers

Tips for being in line // Experience (This is btw not in a chronological order but a whole mess of things)

For the love of god, bring a lot of water. (Some Army’s were nice to hand out water bottles for us in line, Thank you!!)

Check the weather beforehand. (It was about 24+C and we were right in the sunlight, so please remember to get lots of water and a bit of shade. If you’re sensitive to the sun, please wear sunscreen.)

It’s okay to leave for the toilet, or go for the merch line, as long someone else will be willing to hold your spot. You can even plan it, so you can buy merch for you and your friends, without having all of you to go. (People were nice to let us come back without a problem)

Please buy some food the day prior to the concert, it can be sandwiches, minor snacks or bigger. Just remember to get something to eat. (Some Army’s were nice to share their snacks with us, Thank you!!)

The merch line started at around 8-9 am, but the sale already started earlier than stated. It started at around 9-10 am, even tho it was said to first start at 12 pm. Be quick, if you want merch. Shirts were sold out VERY fast. Already within two hours, the black and white (50€) shirts were sold out. We went 3 people to stand in line for merch, while the rest were holding our spot in the entry line.

There were lockers in the venue, but we ended up putting our stuff in my hotel room. Please look up the venue you’re going to, to check if they have lockers or the rules for a bag. (In Ziggo you were only allowed to have a bag the size of an A4 paper). Because if you get merch, you know where to put it.

Go to the bathroom at least 1-2 hours before entering the venue, if you’re a GA it will be hard to hold a spot inside the venue. So when you get a spot in the venue, you are most likely destined to stay there, that means if you want to keep that spot. A friend and I, was close to not getting back in line (because they were moving inside a barricaded line) but the security let us back in because of my pathetic plea of the fact i would lose my spot because I NEEDED TO PEE AND THE LINE STARTED MOVING. A lot of the times, the line was moving and it were swinging with 1-2 metres, it was rare it moved A LOT. The doors were planned to open at 17:00, so we didn’t expect the line to move any further, but we were wrong. (We thought we timed it alright, because we went to pee and drop off things around 15:00 (3 pm), but the line apparently moved.)

Please change the way you stand in between minutes (30+ minutes), so you won’t be standing on your heel for too long, it can make you feel dizzy. So differ a bit in your standing, to get the pressure around on your feet.

Please throw away your trash if you can, do not leave it on the ground. A lot of trash were near the venue under the bridge where we were standing in line and food, blankets, bottles and cans were left behind. Some people were falling over it! Try to help others, even tho it might not seem like something big.

You will sweat and others will too. It’s no big deal.

It will be VERY hot in the venue. I ended up taking my yellow shirt off to wrap it around my waist instead. Despite my very ripped jeans a loose black top, i was sweating like crazy and the show haven’t even started yet. (Bring a fan, or piece of paper with you, to fan yourself. If you feel dizzy, call for security.) Or don’t wear too much clothes. If i had the chance, i’d change my outfit.

We were only allowed to bring 500 ml water inside the venue and it were definitely not enough. Staff had to bring out small cups of water, for the people who were lucky enough to get a cup. So please, stay hydrated throughout the day!!!!

People are greedy, I am too. I met two kinds of Army’s, the ones who were nice and helped me in the venue, by not standing too close to me and asked me if i was okay. Then there were the ones who didn’t care, and were fighting to get up front by pushing as much as they could, means their bodies were as close as they could to mine, to pass through me but there weren’t enough space so i started to heat up and felt cramped and dizzy. Some does it unintentionally, because it’s in the moment of a concert and they want to see their faves up close. I get that, but please look out for each other. I’m not saying i didn’t do it, because i probably did it too without knowing. whenever there was space to move forward, i did. But i never pushed myself on someone, like someone else did with me. There were times, i constantly had a bag pushing in my stomach and a pair of boobs pressing against my back. Heck people even used my shoulder for their arm rest, to record a whole performance??

Some people passed out and were pulled out of the crowd or walked out of the crowd (that is mainly caused from being too warm and people pushing from behind), plus someone not far behind me. PLEASE call for security or make it aware that there is an emergency through the others around. Take care of each other and take care of yourself. If you feel dizzy, tell someone next to you so they know.

If you have sensitive ears, wear ear plugs. It will take most of the screaming, because Army will scream their lungs out.

If you have long hair, put it in a pony tail. It’s not a must, but it’s a great tip to not overheat. I had my hair in a pony tail, but that wasn’t my plan at first because i look ridiculous with a pony tail, but thank god i did. My hair got pulled a few times, but i bet it wasn’t their intention. A girl in front of me, had her hair out and my hand/fingers constantly pulled strands of her hair. I told her before the concert started that it wasn’t on purpose and she said that she knew. (You were so sweet but you got lost in the crowd!!)

If you go as a group, please make a plan for after the concert. Where you will meet, if you lose each other. Or hold each other’s hands, while walking out.

It’s okay, if your legs feel like you have been running a mile after the concert. (Unless there are other symptoms of being uncomfortable, then tell someone). You have been using your leg muscles, to stand, jump, and tip toed to get a better view for over 2 hours. My legs were VERY wobbly, like spaghetti and i looked like i had been drinking too many beers.

Even though you don’t feel hungry, or thirsty after the concert, please eat some snacks (doesn’t have to be a lot) and drink a whole water bottle at least. My friends and i, were VERY exhausted and tired after the concert. Mainly due to dehydration and not enough food (for me at least). I remember being hungry going in the venue at 17:00, as in it was RUMBLING. When the concert ended, i didn’t feel hungry anymore but i did feel VERY tired and light-headed. I know my body well, i need to get a bit of food if i have been hungrier earlier, cause i might feel more uncomfortable later on, if i don’t fix it.

Get a Soda, to get some sugar. It helped me when i was shaking due to panic and stress. (Going a bit up, i mentioned almost not getting back in line) When i ran back with my friends to the line, and luckily got in. I was SO stressed and in after effect of the panic i went through. Due to my running, while being in fear and stress, my hands started to shake really bad. It usually happens very visibly, if i can’t have control of things.

If you’re going with friends, let them know if you have any problems being in a crowd or other things, that they should be aware of. My friends were amazing to ask if i were okay, and it’s IMPORTANT that you tell them if you’re not okay.

Don’t be afraid to ask people for help, even people you don’t know. They are very nice and have the same interest as you. You all came to hear them, so why wouldn’t they feel a little connected to you?

We came to stand in queue at 8 am, and we still managed to get pretty good spots. About 3-4 metres from the stage, and the view was good through the concert.

People WILL move around during the concert, so if you end up standing behind a tall person, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will stand there through the whole concert. Right at the second the music started, people started pushing and we were moved around, but not a lot, just enough for me to get a better view actually.

If you smoke, move out of the line to stand a bit away from the queue to smoke. Some people are sensitive to the smell, or feel uncomfortable if they continuously get smoke in their face even tho it isn’t your intention. It’s just decent respect for others.

Remember, if you are nice to others, they will most certainly be nice to you as well. I had a good small talk with a few Army’s during in queue for merch or the queue to get in. They helped me with some questions, when i couldn’t see anything or if someone said something i couldn’t understand (mainly because i’m a foreigner)

I guess this is all i had! I don’t know if it helped anyone, but i hope it did with some! Enjoy your concert!

Despite the good and bad things i mentioned, it was definitely an experience i loved very much! It’s something i’ll never forget! The concert is most likely what you make it to, try to think positive and enjoy yourself regardless. I had to tell myself that a lot and it did help.

#bts #bts concert #bts amsterdam #Bts concert experience #bts tips #concert #concert tips #love yourself #love yourself tour #tips #tricks #experience #story time

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richrubies · 7 years ago

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Back Stage I: Surprises (GD x Reader)

Warning: that’s a douche-bag move

Young-bae clapped merrily as soon as you finished the choreography for Bullshit, whilst Jay cheered, relieved that after all the hours and practice that you had put in over the last few weeks, you were finally able to get through the routine without missing a beat – or worse, falling, as you had done throughout the first two weeks of learning.

It had been over 6 weeks since you had last seen Jiyong, especially with him touring, which is why you had come up with such a brilliant plan in the first place. He had been so busy, that he could only spare you a few texts a night here and there. It had been a while since you both had had a proper conversation, but you understood – you knew tour life was hectic, therefore you had decided to buy a ticket to Japan and see him before he left for countries even further than that.

The grand plan that you and Young-bae had conjured was that you would surprise Jiyong by appearing on stage as one of the dancers, and reveal yourself once the set was over and you’re all back stage.

It was fool-proof. Other than the fact that you couldn’t dance to save a life, that is.

You’d recruited the help of almost everyone you both knew, including Seungri who was meant to be performing with Jiyong for the tour and Jiyong’s lead dancer who had sent you videos to keep you updated on changes of the routine as well as cheer up videos for when you felt discouraged.

“Aish, Young-bae-ah, why did you choose such a hard dance for her?’ Jay whined as he grabbed a towel and dabbed at the sweat on his forehead. You joined the two as they settled on the studio floor, handing them both bottles of water.

‘I know, right?’ Young-bae teased lightly, dodging the fresh towelette that you threw at his face and catching it neatly.

‘오빠…’ you whine pathetically. You knew they were teasing, but you had to admit – you did feel sorry for the two men who had helped you to practice.

The two chuckled as they began to stretch their legs to ensure they didn’t cramp whilst Jay-오빠added, ‘You’ve improved a lot. A few more practices and you’ll be ready to go. You won’t stand out too much on stage and all of the stage directors know to expect you so they will keep you out of the camera frame as much as possible.’

You nodded happily – you were just glad that everything was finally coming together and that you would get to see your man after so long. Young-bae continued, ‘There’s just one more thing you need to do before you go. But for that part, I asked Hyorin to help you out instead.’

‘What is it?’ you ask with interest as you relaxed your form from stretching.

‘A full make-over,’ the two say in unison, laughing as you gasp out a ‘RUDE!’

As the days built up and you had perfected the routine, you sent Jiyong a quick message as you packed your product bag. It had been a few days since you’d gotten a reply and you played it down to the fact that he was having to switch networks so often, depending on where he was located.

Humming a tune as you went, you jumped at the sound of your phone ringing and quickly rushed to answer it, only to see that it was Young-bae;

‘Oh?’ You answer with a smile whilst Young-bae tsked at your informal greeting playfully.

‘Ya, have you finished packing? Hyorin and I are about to leave my place. The plane leaves at midnight but there might be traffic.’

‘I’ve finished,’ you answer as you placed the neatly packed bag on top of your suitcase.

‘We’ll be there in fifteen minutes,’ Young-bae informs you happily whilst Hyorin could be heard in the background screeching at Young-bae to hurry up and help her find her phone charger.

Chuckling at the two, you hang up and move your luggage to the front entrance before quickly tidying up the already neat apartment and remaking the large bed that Jiyong had bought you after you’d complained about having a sore back once.

Kissing the huge bear that sat in the corner of the room, you gush happily, ‘Less than 24 hours till I see my man!’

Hyorin was busy rushing around the room, helping you into your outfit – the red suits that the rest of the backup dancers were currently changing into only meters away in the next room. Two stylists were brushing your newly styled hair and obscuring your face with the costume-mask.

‘언니,’ you laugh as Hyorin stood beside you and took selcas, posing cutely beside a fierce-looking you. Trust Jiyong to come up with a theme as red and wild-looking as this.

You had texted Ji-Yong a message this morning, but had otherwise kept your phone off. Now that it was all finally happening, you had begun to feel like you couldn’t contain the secret any longer, and had been tempted several times to reveal it all – you didn’t even know if he could read your messages, seeing as he had switched countries and networks yet again. As far as you were aware, Jiyong had landed in Japan last night and would be performing for the next three nights.

With your now plaited hair and your face half covered in makeup and the other, with the mask, you were barely recognizable, but your eyes gave away your identity. The colour had always been intense, and contrasted against your skin.

‘You look pretty!’ Hyorin compliments as you stand and attempt to make yourself feel more comfortable in the costume, ‘Let’s go to the dancer’s dressing room!’

Following her lead after thanking the stylists profusely, you enter the room and greet everyone warmly – you had met majority of the dancers before, but there were a few new faces that you were yet to meet. Jiyong had a separate changing room, so you could talk freely, using the spare time to run through some of the choreography with the dancers, and thanking them gratefully for helping you with your plan.

By the time it came for you to enter the stage, your stomach had become knotted with nerves. Hyorin and Young-bae had left to sit in the VIP stand long ago – if Ji-Yong’s reaction to seeing them, as well as Seungri today was anything to go by, then your being there would make him even happier, which was the only thing calming your stomach right now.

The concert itself had to be one of his best yet – you could see even from far away behind the scenes that Jiyong had been tired and lonely. His face had brightened ten-fold after seeing his friends.

Before you had time to overthink the performance, the stage managers were moving you towards the side of the stage and the dancers were shooting you rapid instructions as to where to stand and ensuring you that there was no need to worry.

The stadium turned pitch black and the crowd screamed and cheered as you ran onto the stage, following the other dancers into position before the stage lit up brightly and the crowd grew even louder as a focal light came down on Jiyong and Seungri. The two began a banterous dialogue and the band began to play a beat in the background, building up the song.

Seungri snuck you a sneaky wink before hyping himself and the crowd up. As soon as the song began, you fell into beat and forgot all your worries, laughing and smiling with the rest of the team.

As you danced, Jiyong came closer, rapping his way through the dance line. You watched in your peripheral as he joined in on the choreography, with his body following the moves like it was second nature. He began to switch out some of his moves, with his arms outreached to the side of the stage, and his head turned as if he were trying to grab at something.

It was quick, and inconspicuous but you’d seen it.

Hell, it looked like a move straight out of the dance, but you knew after hours of practice that it had no place in the choreography. Stretching your neck to see what it was that caught his attention, your eyes strained, and you shook your head, reminding yourself that you were performing in front of thousands of people – who cares what he was looking at. It was most likely just another move that he had added for aesthetic.

Once the set had finished and the stadium grew dark, you made your exit before Jiyong carried out his ending procession with his dancers. Seungri who had already come off the stage, met you at the beverage table and threw his arms around you happily, ignoring the VJ’s who were filming for the behind-the-scene footage, ‘Yah, you were so great out there. You did well!’ he praises, handing you’re a bottle of water whilst you dabbed at your sweat.

‘Thank you,’ you tell him happily, pinching at his chubby cheek, ‘You did too. What’s with the mullet?

‘I wanted to make sure that I matched with GD!’ Seungri explains.

‘It looks good. You suit it,’ you compliment before turning to watch as some of the staff gave you a quick glance and rushed off in different directions like they were on a mission.

‘Are they usually so busy?’ you ask Seungri, posing quickly for the VJ who had made his rounds again.

‘It depends on whether something has happened or not,’ Seungri shrugs absentmindedly, turning to the camera man who was now followed by one of the film-crew who was asking for a quick interview for the tour DVD.

You could hear Jiyong begin to wrap up the show and took it as your queue to begin making your way to the dressing rooms.

Knowing Jiyong was a private person when it came to your relationship, you had planned to dance on stage, with only need-to-know staff knowing who you really were. During the last set, Young-bae and Hyorin were to set up Jiyong’s private dressing room with balloons and other cute streamers at the last minute so that he was completely surprised when he walked in, and then again when you follow him into the room, away from prying eyes.

The staff began to buzz again, this time with the directors speaking into headsets, ‘The Dragon is exiting on the left wing. Left wing. Someone get over there with beverages!’ a director yelled, flustered whilst other staff questioned, ‘He knows he’s meant to exit on the right-hand side with the rest of the dancers…why is he…?’

Turning to a young girl who had been organizing the foods, you asked gently after taking in her startled expression – definitely the maknae of the crew, ‘Why is everyone panicking? Where is G-Dragon going?’

‘The left wing is where the technicians are, so we don’t set up any liquids or stage quarters on that side just in case someone rips a cord out while walking around. Mr. Kwon knows this…’

‘Will he be going straight to his dressing room?’ you ask hurriedly.

If you wanted the plan to work, you needed to get to the dressing room quickly so that you could surprise him.

‘Most likely…It’s faster to get to the dressing rooms from the left wing because there’s a corridor on that side…why are you asking this…Dancers don’t usually ask so many questions?’ the girl asked sceptically, pushing her glasses up her nose.

‘Just curious!’ you respond before taking off in the direction of the dressing room, hoping you weren’t too late.

As you approached the hallway and neared Jiyong’s room, you could hear muffled yelling, and several of the staff members who you’d seen running in a panic earlier, who stood around the room, all with their walkie talkies out, and whisper-shouting orders to different people - you managed to catch the words security and quick, however, piquing your interest.

‘What game are you playing Jiyong?’

Young-bae?

Stepping forward, you ignored the stares of the staff who were gathered in the area. After a moment or so, they began to trail further away. Still within the vicinity to keep an eye on whatever was going on, but far enough to give you privacy and not be able to hear.

‘Leave it, Bae…Why are you even here? Why did you set up balloons?’

‘Why are you defending her like that?’ Young-bae countered, causing your step to falter, ‘Why is she here Jiyong?’

Your hand reached for the door handle and several of the staff halted, watching in a way that you couldn’t quite cypher.

Pity?

Clearly, these people were some of the few who knew your real identity.

Hyorin’s voice whimpered, ‘Come on, 오빠…We need to go…We have to stop our plan before it’s too late!’

‘You’re a real bastard, Jiyong. I can’t believe this shit.’

‘Bae-ah,’ Jiyong replied, the surprise evident in his tone. It wasn’t like his old friend to get so angry.

‘Save it, G-Dragon.’ Young-bae snapped back. ‘How long has this been going on?’

‘Nothing’s going on, Bae. We recently just reconnected is all…’ Jiyong responded defensively, but the uncertainty was there. It was dismal – so small it was almost undetectable, but after being together for over a year, you knew him well.

You couldn’t move.

The door was there, and your hand was on the handle, but you just couldn’t do it.

You were smart enough to depict the conversation.

Your heart knew something wasn’t right.

But you didn’t want to see it with your own eyes.

That made it far too real for you.

‘Whatever. Get your shit together, Jiyong.’

You were too slow to move your hand away from the knob, so when it was yanked open, you were pulled forward with it, and into the room like a tumbling mess.

‘What the fu–Y/N!” Young-bae exclaimed, pulling you up before you fell face-flat.

Hyorin rushed to you as you refused to look at the same space where Jiyong stood.

Instead you looked at the rest of the room which had only managed to have five of the many balloons, out on display. This was nothing like what you had hoped. Your heart sank.

‘Y/N?’ Jiyong asked, surprise in his tone. Within seconds, Jiyong had spun you around to look at him, and he fell back a step or two in shock at your outfit and make-up, ‘Why are you here?’

He stepped in front of the person who you still hadn’t identified due to the embarrassing entry you were recovering from, and shielded her from your view.

Young-bae scoffed whilst Hyorin tugged on your hand as a sign to go.

You’d lost your voice, which was evident from the way your mouth opened but nothing came out.

Are you cheating on me? You wanted to ask.

Who is she? Why is she here? Why aren’t you happy to see me?

Why, why, why?

You wanted to scream and yet nothing came out. You froze, and by God did it feel like shit.

‘Let’s go, Y/N.’ Young-bae ground out after a moment or so, glaring at Jiyong and whoever it was who stood behind him.

It was at that moment that Seungri came rushing in, panicked and late to the hostile party that was currently being thrown, ‘Yah! Jiyong-형! 형! It’s an emergency! The staff are going crazy right now! Kiko is in the buildi–oh. Oh no...’ Seungri trailed off, standing awkwardly at the door as you all tried to process what the hell was going on.

As soon as her name left Seungri’s mouth, your head snapped up, and Jiyong’s behaviour on stage began to make sense. He was reaching out to someone. Someone he knew well. The same someone who he was currently hiding behind his back whilst she remained silent.

The mention of his “ex who isn’t his ex because he didn’t publicly confirm it, but everyone knows she is his ex” name was all it took, and all of a sudden you had found your voice, ‘Are you kidding me? Do you want to die, Jiyong?’

To continue or not continue? Find out in my next ep of Lazy Me yall xx

UPDATE:

I CONTINUED IT LOL | Part 2: Foolish Enough

Masterlist

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angeltriestoblog · 6 years ago

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Nathan Road and Choi Hung Estate + Tips: Hong Kong 2018, Part 2

Hi, guys! Thanks for sticking around. Today, I’m telling you all about everything that went down during our last day in Hong Kong, and giving out tips as well to anyone who has plans of visiting the city. Since I was very excited for this trip, I took the initiative when it came to planning out the itinerary. I made it my mission to binge watch vlogs and read up on the best places to visit, eat and shop that would satisfy the stomach, heart, wallet and Instagram feed. So according to our agenda for Christmas Eve, we were to have breakfast at the famous Australia Dairy Company, then drop by Choi Hung Estate (yes, this is the actual name of the colorful houses) and Mum’s Not Home (that Instagram-worthy coffee place filled with plants). Then, we’d just look for places around the area where we could scout for clothes and eat dinner. But before setting out to navigate the often puzzling transportation system, we were to roam around the area we were staying in first, eat some street food, go shopping and sightseeing - the usual. The mere minutes we were supposed to spend there stretched into hours until we eventually became so pressed for time we had to change our plans.

Upon looking at Australia Dairy Company’s IG story and seeing the long and winding line of people dying to try their milky scrambled eggs, we had to cross that out of the list, which left me with two other options. I picked Choi Hung Estate on a whim, so my mom and I set out and traveled 11 stations to get there. Several websites had instructed me to take either Exit C4, and true enough, I ended up right in the middle of the complex. I only had to walk to the parking lot behind us and climb a couple of flights of stairs to reach the famed basketball court, which gave a full view of the vibrant buildings towering above it.

Cantonese for “rainbow”, Choi Hung Estate is a residential area established by the Hong Kong government, painted as such to uplift the spirits of their tenants. Its undeniable aesthetic appeal has attracted both tourists and professionals, as it has been featured in marketing campaigns and even a music video of Korean groups (which is honestly how I found out about it) (stan LOONA and stream Love & Live). But most of us aren’t aware that this, along with other public housing projects, has also played an important role in Hong Kong’s history. Due to an unforeseen influx of refugees from China during the time of the second World War, and a fire that displaced over 50,000 of them living in a squatter area, the government took matters into their hands and built permanent estates for them to live in. At present, 30% of the population benefits from this service, while 16% live in apartments purchased with the help of government subsidies.

Okay, enough with the research paper-looking part of this post. Fast forward to later that night, we waited at the bus terminal conveniently located just a few steps away from where we were staying and took an hour long trip to the airport. I enjoyed having my own seat in the corner, listening to music while gazing out the window, admiring the bright lights and bustling people that somewhat encapsulate Hong Kong’s nightlife.

Flights back home are rarely enjoyable to me because it means that I’m going back to reality, but I had bothered checking the videos section of the in-flight entertainment of Cathay Pacific and found several music shows and concert footage with Wanna One in them. I also ate media noche with my family, and arrived back in the Philippines just about five minutes after the clock had struck 12: we literally made it home for Christmas.

This was my second time organizing a trip, the first one being our vacation to South Korea last summer. Back then, I’d get so upset if things didn’t go according to plan, we’d be set back for a couple of hours and adjustments would have to be made due to circumstances beyond our control. Looking back, our Hong Kong trip did not go exactly the way I had planned, but this time around, I didn’t mind as much: in fact, I still had one of the greatest times of my life. Here are some tips that I have to make sure that you make the most out of your stay as well!

First, book a place in a great location. Take us, for example: our hotel was smack dab in the middle of Nathan Road, 3.6 kilometers lined with malls, shops and restaurants for anyone’s eyes to feast on. There were also money changers if ever we needed to convert cash, and a 7/11 that I constantly raided for Haagen Dazs Speculoos ice cream for when we had to buy and reload our Octopus cards. These are crucial to have on hand at all times, by the way, as this serves as any tourist’s means of payment for all public transport, most retail shops, parking meters and vending machines, among many others. Other factors to keep in mind when looking for a place to stay in would be its proximity to modes of public transportation, and the other places on your itinerary.

Second, be extra patient and willing to make compromises! Hong Kong did prove itself to be quite the challenge to go around: the weather was cold, there was a lot of walking involved to get from place to place. People also move really fast, like all inhabitants have a meeting to get to in five minutes, and they rarely apologize if they bump into you in the process. In addition, most of them smoke too - there aren’t any designated smoking areas, much to the dismay of those who are allergic to cigarette smoke like me so the chances of getting the stuff puffed in your face are high. But, I refused to let any of those external factors get in the way and keep me from having a good time.

We also paid a visit just in time for the holidays, which is obviously peak season: it was crowded everywhere we went, queues were long for everything from tourist attractions to bathrooms and waiting times often stretched out for indefinite periods of time. There really isn’t any other way to work around this, except to ditch all your plans and choose to stay at home so if you can’t afford to make that sacrifice, it would be best to accept the things that come with travelling during this time of the year. Drop places that aren’t the most convenient to go to at the moment, and switch them out for more realistic alternatives. If you’re the type who has a lot of specific restaurants on your itinerary, I’d suggest that you don’t be too particular of where you want to eat: there are several great places to eat just littered around the area. The little shops and stalls in the middle of the street, or hidden in alleyways and basements are the ones that locals usually flock to, and thus have the best finds.

Third, be sure to book a WiFi hotspot online as soon as possible! If there’s one screw-up we made during the trip that you could learn from, it’s that we failed to do this, and ended up suffering the consequences. Literally the minute you get your hands on your tickets, head over to Klook and reserve one for your trip. Although all the vloggers I watched advised getting a WiFi hotspot online, their words of advice came a few days too late since when I headed to Klook, there were no more units available for the days of our trip. I didn’t think this would be a problem though and assumed that there would be several available at the airport, just like in Korea. But when we had arrived and scoured all the kiosks, they were all sold out because everyone already reserved online days before. Needless to say, navigating a foreign land either without the help of Google Maps at all, or having to stop at a random place, pray that they have free WiFi and get all the directions needed within the 15 minute time limit allotted for non-paying visitors, was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever had to do.

So, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed my posts just as much as I enjoyed putting them together: I’ve made a pact of sorts with myself to strive to be more creative in taking and editing the photos that accompany my words, so I recently availed of the seven-day free trial of VSCO X. Although I must say it was quite time-consuming, I did have fun experimenting with the 130+ filters available for me to choose from. I plan on writing one more blog post before I go back to school on the 21st, so be sure to keep tabs on that!

Wishing you nothing but love and light,

Angel

#adventures #angeltriestoblog #angel goes to hong kong #nathan road #choi hung estate

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ilytuan · 7 years ago

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39. Don’t cry. (GOT7 in Paris concert experience)

one hundred ways to say ‘i love you’

genre · * . fluff/my concert experience . *

pairing ·*⋆ me ✦ .*· GOT7 .· *

word count *.˚ ·✷ 2,505 .⊹ *.

✧.✵⋆*·˚ i saw got7 live in paris and i haven’t been able to stop crying so here’s my attempt at putting it into words ✺.⋆✫.✦.⊹　　　

I was stood in the queue, rain pouring down onto my bare legs and arms as well as the rain jacket that hovered above my head that did nothing much to shield me from the water, but I was there. I was about to see GOT7 live in concert; my very first group who meant more to me than anyone else. They were about to appear right in front of me and I was going to see them.

I remember the line moving forward so slowly and at other times not at all, almost as if the world was in slow motion and then, all of a sudden, the rain poured down harder and I was trying hard to prevent my ticket from getting wet, rather than protecting myself from possibly getting sick.

Before I knew it, I was distracted by the rain and cold, but the venue was unexpectedly in my line of sight and it seemed so close but still, so far away. In that moment, I felt my heart beating strongly in my chest like it was about to explode and it seemed like it could be heard from everyone around me. I was so excited.

Those who were queuing alongside me held umbrellas and were equipped suitably to the rain, started walking forward and I followed, anxiousness coursing through my body in anticipation and making me forget about everything for a split second. It was finally about to happen in just a few minutes.

I was tense before but as soon as it came into my direct line of sight and we started moving, I felt all the knots in my body let loose. I had thought that we weren’t going to get in on time and that the show would start without us, but I managed to enter just minutes before 8 o’clock. It was really about to happen. Even if it all felt like a dream, it wasn’t.

It was a bad idea to have worn a pair of shorts and a t-shirt on a day like that, but in the moment, I couldn’t bring myself to care less or possibly do anything about it. I passed by the first security guard who brought me to queue behind a smaller line than before and I was passed through the security check in a small shelter, shielding me from the rain for less than a minute and the entrance was then visible.

I next started to run lightly, seeing the open doors of the venue wide open and despite the water that soaked my feet and continued to pour down on me, I ran because nothing else mattered. My sandals slowed me down, but excitement and adrenaline kept me going, ignoring the fact that my feet were aching from having queued for so long and the dread of having to stand for even longer for the duration of the concert, although I came to realise later that nothing really matters during the concert but them and enjoying myself.

Once I was inside my ticket was scanned, and I was permitted entry. I was then directed to where my seat was located, and I was able to sit down. My seat was at the second last row from the back but despite that, I could see the stage so well and all of the fans, some of which were already dutifully holding up their lightsticks.

I sat in awe and shock for a few minutes, registering the song that was being played as ‘A’ and feeling the deep bass almost thumping in my body and causing me to smile stupidly to myself. It was hard to believe that it was happening, despite queuing and seeing the venue early in the morning, collecting a fan made banner and sticker to be part of the ocean. Even though I was sat there with the stage right before my eyes, I almost couldn’t bring myself to believe that it was about to happen. It all still felt so unreal.

All the moments leading up to this were not easy; saving up for months, convincing my parents to let me go, buying tickets on a foreign website, flying miles to a new country with a language and transport system that I found incredibly hard to understand and being unable to eat much of anything that resulted in me being quite weak and exhausted, but it was probably one of the most fulfilling journeys in my short life, especially considering how I am able to write this now and say that I have been the best concert of my life, GOT7’s ‘Eyes On You’ world tour in Paris, France.

When the song stopped playing and the whole venue turned black, I felt my heart drop in my chest. It was like the whole world was finally coming together in this one place, GOT7 and IGOT7s and that everyone was united. Green lights began to emit from every corner of the venue and the whole place seemed to go silent, anticipating what was to come.

A short video played before they all appeared on stage looking as majestic as ever and the whole place went crazy, screams erupting as they performed the first song, one of their most energetic and powerful songs at that. They performed song after song and I could almost feel the energy radiating from those around me as well as the boys, not to mention the heat that was surrounding us and made everything a little more difficult.

The first break they took, in which they introduced themselves and spoke a little French that I didn’t understand, the whole place was like a sauna and cheers were heard from everyone. The boys were happy and smiley, excited to see a new place and perform in a country that they never had before. Everyone was just hyper and excited, and it was really hot.

I was awestruck by their voices and their choreographies because their stage presence is really no joke and to see it in real like makes you speechless, not to mention their appearance because they are beautiful through a screen but absolutely breathtakingly beautiful in real life.

Mark, my first ever bias, looked as if he was glowing and my eyes were squinting to get a closer look at him not through the big screen but, that proved to be futile as I was way too far back. It didn’t change the fact that he was still extremely gorgeous though. But I could see him clearly through the big screen and so I took every chance that I got and ended up literally gaped at him every time he appeared. He was stunning. My eyes practically refused to take in how breath-taking he and the others looked; they were completely ethereal and out of this world.

They carried on with their performances and had a change of outfits after leaving the stage and as a vcr played, which I couldn’t understand. I took that time to air and fan myself out because of how unbelievably hot it was and sit down for a few moments, my legs and feet feeling the ache from standing in the queue to standing on the seat for so long already.

GOT7’s energy is something that kept the whole place going, undoubtedly. Their performances were powerful as well as their voices which were really energetic and dynamic and their raps which were unbelievably strong and impressive, keeping all of us on our toes in anticipation and exhilaration, wanting more and more.

Song after song was performed and I dutifully held my phone with the green light emitting, trying to keep in sync with all of the others. I sang along to every word of every song and swayed as much as I could from my high position on the seat and I remembered a smile being permanently stuck to my face, even after the concert was over and as I was going to sleep.

By the time the unit performances begun, I knew it was almost at an end and it was expected that people would be tired and down in energy but, much to my surprise, everyone was even more energetic than the start and we cheered louder and louder, not wanting an end to come.

When they performed ‘thank you’, everyone held up the fan made banners with the words ‘let’s make history together’ and it was so beautiful, seeing everyone in the room holding these up for the boys to see and they couldn’t have missed it if they wanted to. It warmed my heart seeing everyone come together to show our love and I really appreciate the enormous amounts of effort from the fans in France.

Their ending ments were said after and they were super smiley and energetic, despite having performed for over two hours already. They talked for a long time each and it was translated into French that I couldn’t interpret, but I would come to read some translations later. One thing I do remember was that Mark said he was slightly scared of our stomping and it made us laugh so we stomped again, and it shook both of the big screens. It made him smile and that very smile has been engraved into my mind ever since. It was really really beautiful.

They joked around with us a little and said their farewells as well as their many thanks before they performed their last three songs and at that point, the end was so close, but I wasn’t teary eyed like I had imagined I would be. Although they were about to leave, and we would possibly never meet for a long time, I wasn’t sad about it in that moment, in fact, I wasn’t anything but extremely excited. I was just happy that I was able to see them, and I felt extremely satisfied and content, love powering everything else really.

The last three songs were the most energetic of them all, without a doubt, and confetti was sprayed out twice, decorating the venue in bright colours and glitter as we practically became one. We jumped around together, our cheers even louder than before and the boys messed around on stage, picking up items from fans at the front and interacting with them.

The very last performance was the liveliest, the whole venue jumping with the boys and almost making the ground shake and it was so delightful and thrilling. Everyone basically just went crazy and let loose for the boys and we had the time of our lives, almost as if we were sending our energy to keep them going and as a thanks for giving us a night to cherish.

The boys said short farewells as they left the stage one by one and my mind was in haywire trying to process that fact that I had just seen them in real life. I had been watching them through a screen for almost three years and they had captured my heart for so long and to have been able to see them live right in front of me was surreal.

They made me feel raw and pure happiness in a way that no other artist had, and I am so thankful for the fact that I had the chance to see them and that they came into my life three years ago. They have given me nothing but happiness since the beginning and I am more thankful towards them than anyone. I walked back to my hotel, buzzing on my feet and my ears ringing.

When I woke up the next day and in fact, every day that week, my heart ached, and I longed for them more than ever. The concert and the feels from it literally sticking to me like glue and I had post-concert depression for more or less the whole week. I hadn’t expected it because I was so happy during the concert and I wanted to be nothing but happy and grateful, but I was stuck with the sadness of it being gone and just longed for them or another chance to go back.

This resulted in me shutting out the world for the week; I avoided human interaction and contact and ended up binge watching shows and videos of GOT7 since their debut and reading articles from other IGOT7’s who went to the concert, crying at basically every single one of them.

It was like I was catching up on all four years’ worth of content and I reminisced by reliving all of those moments, feeling and remembering how I felt when they originally came out or how I felt when I first listened to the releases, raw, unfiltered emotions pouring through me. During that week I willed myself not to cry many times, repeating the words that my friend told me long before the concert day, ‘don’t cry’ because I wanted them to be happy memories and not sad. But, it was impossibly hard to do so because they were so incredible, and they brought me so much comfort that I couldn’t help but miss them which resulted in more than just a few tears. My friend knew that more than anyone else, even more than me. She said those words out of comfort because she knew there was no way I wouldn’t cry.

By the end of the week, I was ready for interaction again and I was happy, having relived practically their entire careers’ worth of content. I gave up being sad and missing them and I was just thankful for the fact that I was even able to see them, since it was such a long and expensive journey that not many others have the privilege to have. I was extremely lucky, thanks to my mom.

Even now though, the feelings and happiness from the concert linger and I hope to never forget them in my life, even if I eventually grow out of GOT7. It’s safe to say that this concert is the best I’ve ever been to and probably the best I will ever go to. Seeing the fandom and group come together in that venue, creating a green ocean of support for them as they performed almost felt like a second home in an indescribable way. We were sending our love, support and energy to them and I could really feel it. They could feel it too, through various ways like our projects and through the actions we were doing. We were all so happy and it felt as if a family had gathered together. It was so natural and pure and lovely, and I would give the world to be able to feel it again but for now, I’ll give all of my love and support to GOT7 until the day can come again.

Thanks to them, I had the best and most unforgettable night of my life and I’m full of nothing but love for them. GOT7 💚🐤 IGOT7

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seoulfulcity · 6 years ago

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July 12, 2018: We’re Halfway There

안녕하세요,

I am finally halfway through the summer program, and the words my friend Valentino once said during the first week is starting to become reality: "Once we reach halfway through, it's going to go by fast". Now, I'm dreading the last half of the program knowing that I will be on a plane ride back to Los Angeles in a blink of an eye.

Happy three weeks here in Seoul! It's been an eventful week so this is how it went down. This blog recaps the events from Monday to Thursday only. A lot happened on Friday which necessitated a post on its own. Happy reading!

Even though I'm already halfway through, I still have not taken the time to explore the city and visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites or even done any touristy things like visit Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁) or even the Namsan Tower (N서울타워). I hope that it doesn't become one of my biggest regrets during this trip, but my mindset is that the bond I have with my friends right now is not something I could experience ever again but I can always go back to Seoul as a tourist in the future.

Monday, July 9, 2018: Florence messaged me on Kakao back in July 3 if I wanted to go to Super Junior's Ryeowook's fan meet since he was being discharged from the military on July 10. Being broke as we both were, we decided to just visit the cafés that were supported by Ryeowook fans: Café Ego, Café 333, and Andy's Coffee.

We decided to visit Café 333 and Andy's Coffee since they were both located in Hongdae.

Café 333 was our first stop and the place was decked out in Ryeowook's pictures. The counter had a welcome sign for his discharge, and tables were decorated with pictures of the idol. We ordered mocha and chocolate lattes and received a Ryeowook banner and two photo cards on top of the Ryeowook sleeve that came with our lattes.

Then we headed to Andy's Coffee just down the street from Café 333 where we ordered coffee and strawberryade. The coffee place gave us Ryeowook transparent fans and another cup sleeve with our orders.

After our trip, we walked around Hongdae and found the place where they filmed a scene in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (Yeokdo-yojeong Kim Bokjoo/역도요정 김복주) where Joohyung (Nam Joohyuk) was feeding Kim Bok Joo (Lee Sungkyung) with barbeque from the money he "found" on the floor.

We returned to Anam-dong a few hours after we started our day and I realized I have not eaten either breakfast or lunch yet, so I treated myself to one of my favorite places, once again. Remember that bossam (보쌈) place called Ssago (싸고)? I came back there for the third time since I arrived in Seoul, and even then, I was still learning new things such as Koreans actually referring Sprite here as cider (사이다). Odd.

It rained again that day, but it was not as humid as it usually is - the rain was freezing and I was out in Hongdae in a t-shirt and shorts. So, Florence and I went to Spao and bought myself a nice breathable summer sweater that's appropariate for Seoul's humid weather.

I also found out that Singaporeans call umbrella "brolly" thanks to Joyce. I am learning so many new things from Singaporeans, especially coming from being clueless about the culture just three weeks ago - I did not even know what a Singaporean accent was!

In Korean class, I told my professor that I was going to an event hosted by ISC to watch SBS's "The Show" rehearse and perform, so I will be missing class together with two other students, Andrea and Aubrey. The South Korean series is hosted by CLC's Yeeun, NCT's Jeno, and JBJ's Longguo. I got the line up on Monday which consisted of Apink, fromis_9, UNB, Golden Child, ONF, Kim Dong Han, MYTEEN, Jessi, Yoon Mirae, among others. KCON LA recently announced the lineup for this year's event which includes both fromis_9 and Golden Child, so I'm basically saving myself from spending an extra $100 to go both concert days to see the same groups I'm seeing here in Seoul for free.

Tuesday, July 10, 2018: SBS's "The Show" begins at 6:30 PM KST, so I had the whole day for myself - as expected, I did nothing. We were supposed to meet at the SBS Prism Tower lobby at 5 PM, and it takes about 40 minutes to get from Anam Station (안압역) to Digital Media City (디지털 비디아 시티); so I left at 3:30 to gave myself some extra time just in case I get lost.

There was a long queue outside SBS Prism Tower for ONF and MYTEEN fans. I was told that these fans don't have tickets and are hoping to go in to see their favorite groups perform, while I was in the lobby researching about the groups performing because the only thing I know about everybody was that they were Korean.

Heck, I thought fromis_9 was a boy group.

I was honestly only looking forward to see Jeno and Longguo with my own eyes.

My friends start slowly arriving and one of them went to a coffeeshop nearby that had Longguo on the cup sleeve, which made me more excited for the show to start. Salli and Carolina arrived and I didn't know they were even accepted to go to the show, so I spent the rest of the time until 6:30 with Andrea (Guatemalan), Aubrey (Chinese), Salli (Puerto Rican) and Carolina (Brazilian) teaching each other different Spanish dialects, Brazilian Portuguese, and Chinese words.

We were seated at 6:17 PM and the show started on time until 8 PM. BABA performed first, then TARGET, fromis_9, elris, Kyungri, Golden Child, MYTEEN, Kim Dong Han, Migyu, Jessi, ONF, The East Light, UNB, Gugudan SEMINA, Yoon Mirae, and Apink. Apink ended up winning that night - no surprises there.

Salli, Carolina and I took the subway back to Anam-dong together where Carolina told me about the Hanyang University Cruise Party - a booze cruise with unlimited drinks for an hour and ending the night at one of Gangnam's most revered clubs - Octagon - famous for being very selective with its guests. Octagon rejects most foreigners and men who are not up to standards with its rich beautiful image. Koreans usually get in for free and foreigners pay ₩30,000. The booze cruise was only ₩30,000 if we buy it before July 11 at 10 PM as a group of more than six people. One individual ticket is ₩45,000, and the tickets get cheaper the more people in the group.

Well, we managed to get more than six people within ten minutes and we bought the tickets together thanks to Wendelyn's credit card.

The three of us were starving when we reached Anam-dong, so I introduced both Salli and Carolina to, you've guessed it, bossam (보쌈) in the same place called Ssago (싸고). As you might have known by now, I am becoming obsessed with it.

After dinner, we went ahead to the Baskin Robbins place where I told both of them about the cute worker I saw last week. We checked the place out and no luck - though we ended up getting Pus in Boots cups and milkshakes to end our night.

I could not sleep later that night and I was still awake until 3 AM just in time for Thai, Davy, and Hyunjic-oppa (현직오빠) to get ready and meet up at Chicken Bus to watch the World Cup semi-finals with France competing against Belgium. I was awake already anyway so why not, right? I met with them downstairs. Matt and Sophie joined with us in front of Frontier House before going down the stairs to Chicken Bus. Later in the night, Wendelyn and Florence met with us at the restaurant itself while the game was playing.

Thai, Davy, and Hyunjic-oppa (현직오빠) were betting for Belgium to go into the finals, while Matt and I placed our money on France. Matt and Hyunjic-oppa (현직오빠) made a bet to pay for the winner's entire alcohol consumption for that night. We watched the game Korean-style with chicken and maekju (백주), or chimaek (치백), until the game ended at 5 AM, just in time for daylight to break.

If you've watched the 2018 World Cup finals, then you know that Matt and I won the bet.

Wednesday, July 11, 2018: I slept in until 2 PM that day and had no other plans besides updating my Blackpink blog. I went to the nearby PC bang (PC방) to play around and edit my Tumblr page and my past blogs in the late afternoon. I type my blogs on my phone and the Tumblr app has very limited options on setting up my page and my posts. I did not know the culture around PC방 prior to arriving, so I had to do some research.

1. PC방 are ubiquitous in Seoul - meaning that there is a PC방 in every corner of the street, almost as many as noraebang (노래방) places. Some PC방 are membership only, so you need to sign up and make an account to use the computers. Some, such as the one I go to, would hand you a card with a number on it and you log in using that card number.

2. They're insanely cheap! The PC방 I've seen can go from ₩500-₩1,500 per hour, so sometimes whenever I have nothing to do during the day and all of my friends are in class, I hang out in a PC방 and scroll down Tumblr or watch Are You Human Too? (Neodo Inganini?/너도 인간이니?) in DramaCool since both Viki and DramaFever are not working here in South Korea.

I logged out and caught up with Matt, Florence, Sophie, and Minki-hyung (민기형) at Sulbing Korean Dessert Cafe (설빙) just next to Chicken Bus and Seorae Korean Barbeque. They ordered Green Tea Snowflakes and Mango Snowflakes, while I got the Chocolate Brownie snowflakes.

Sophie asked me what I ordered and after telling them, everybody started laughing. Minki-hyung (민기형) made a guess earlier what I would be getting and he guessed right - I was becoming too predictable.

And when I got my order, I did not realize how humongous the portion was.

I keep forgetting that I am in South Korea and not America - the portion sizes here are way bigger since most of the cafés and restaurants are catered for couples (again - couple culture dominates Seoul).

Going back to our dorms, we bumped into Valentino and Cara where we stood in front of the cheap street food restaurant everybody constantly buzzes about (Goreun Aetsal/고른 앳살) for a good hour.

Thursday, July 12, 2018: It was exam day for me, and it was my first one too. So as the good student that I am, I decided to dedicate my whole morning studying - in Donghae's Haru & One Day Café.

I planned to spend a few hours studying for my Korean exam on basic conversational sentences while sipping on Donghae's drink then head to the nearby Kondae (건대) shopping and food district to eat out.

I ordered a glass of lemon juice, took advantage of Donghae's Wi-Fi, and studied.

For ten minutes.

Then I sat there for the next hour looking at fans come and take pictures with the giant Audrey Hepburn portrait hanging on the wall. I was very distracted that day and decided to just walk around Kondae (건대) and look for something to eat.

I scoured through the whole place under the 96-degree weather and found nothing - I was craving pork or beef that I did not have to cook and was within my ₩10,000 budget, but to no avail. Most of the restaurants I've found served pretty much all chicken or meat you have to cook yourself and other menu items I was not craving.

Kondae (건대), the area surrounding Konkuk University, has plenty of Japanese restaurants, which is very lacking around Anam-dong, the area surrounding Korea University. Sometimes, I just want to take a break from Korean food and stuff myself with something different - Japanese, Mexican, Vietnamese, you name it.

I went back to Anam-dong to try out the cheap street food restaurant by the campus to see what was the hype about. The menu was all in Korean, but luckily I know enough for me to differentiate ramen (라면) from tteokbokki (떡볶이).

The prices were very cheap - regular kimbap (원조김밥) was ₩1,500, tteok-ramyeon (떡라면) was ₩3,000, and Busan fish cakes (Busan eomuk/부산어묵) was ₩2,000. Having spent some time around Myeongdong and Hongdae, I knew these prices were within range. One stick of fish cake in Myeongdong was about the same price, so I expected to be eating a plate of kimbap, a bowl of tteok-ramyeon, and a stick of eomuk.

Bad idea - I really keep forgetting that I'm not in America anymore.

The portion sizes were humongous and the three plates took up the entire space of my whole table.

It looked like I was about to film a mukbang video.

I messaged my friends who were nearby to crash at the place and help me finish my food - Florence, Matt, Lina, and Wendelyn came to rescue.

Florence and I ran out of the restaurant to catch our 4:50 Korean language classes right after the rest arrived.

We took a different route and entered the Media Hall where they had a TV situated at the hallway leading to Woodang Hall - and they were playing the K-Pop flash mob dance we filmed a week prior.

The class was starting in a few seconds and my professor wanted us to be on time for the exam since she was not extending the exam time for us if we come late.

Well, the exam was easy - it was actually a quiz. I was mentally preparing for a midterm-type exam since everybody else was studying for midterms.

I finished it in six minutes and lecture continued per usual.

After class, I invited my friends to go to Dongdaemun with me to walk around and maybe buy some clothes and souvenirs - Joyce, Valentino, Matt, Sophie, Wendelyn, and Cara joined with us and took the subway together to Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station (동대문 역사문화공원). We walked up and past the LED Rose Garden and met up with Thai and Davy, who just came from eating live octopus at Gwangjang Market, then we headed to eat street foods by the Migliori Mall.

We took the bus from Dongdaemun back to Anam and met up with Minki-hyung (민기형) for some makgeolli, rice alcohol famous for its hangover headache, at Tosokjumak Makgeolli House (토속주막 막걸리) just under Monaco Bar. I have never had makgeolli before, but I had an understanding that makgeolli is sipped from a bowl with both hands, but I did not know that it was actually served in kettle pots! The ahjumma (아줌마) serving us placed two kettles next to me and I did not know what it was for - I asked the group if they ordered tea and Minki-hyung (민기형) laughed and told me that it was the makgeolli.

We played drinking games for the rest of the night - such as taking a sip if we say the word "you", rotating our names and responding to the name of the second person to our left, placing everything on the table with two taps, and removing the little man from everything we picked up and called him Hyunjic-oppa (현직오빠).

We left the makgeolli place at almost 2 AM and I bumped into my drunk friends from my Korean class - Darren, Peter, Angela, Cindy, and Sharon. Peter, Cindy, and Angela had too much soju for the night and we walked them back to Frontier House and Anam Global House. We spent a whole hour outside the CU Convenience Store just under the hill from CJ International and Frontier House trying to get Peter off of the streets and back to his dorm.

Darren and I managed to get him to his room and back to our dorms by 4 AM and Darren messaged me that he was treating me with a drink sometime for my help - earlier in the night, he was lightheadedly telling me how high his alcohol tolerance was and I wanted to challenge him since my tolerance is also in the higher side.

So, I'm looking forward to the night when we actually find out whose tolerance is actually higher - hopefully we find out this week.

My week 3 blog ends here, and I will be starting on my Friday blog hopefully today.

It's Monday of week 4 and I am looking forward for this weekend since this Friday is the booze cruise - I invited other people for the event, those I haven't had the time to hang out with or the people I met for a few minutes but want to get to know better.

I am dreading the end of this summer program. I have noticed that I've been taking my time absorbing every moment, looking at the faces of the friends I've made here and the buildings that have been part of my daily walks to school and realizing that I only have two more weeks to go to make the best out of this amazing chapter of my life. I really hope that one day, I will find the time to reunite with each and every one of them and relive these moments together.

It would be very easy to reunite with the Singaporeans since their country is so small and more than half of my friends are Singaporean.

This gives me the biggest incentive to visit Singapore very soon since I expect it to be one big reunion. Until then!

고마워요,

Chris 「크리스」

P.S. I will not miss the 112 steps going up the Frontier stairs and the neverending hills around this campus. Oh, my God! I will not miss it at all.

P.P.S. The couple and PDA culture here is still insane.

#abroad #international summer campus #isc #ku #study #summer #korea university #seoul #korea

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