#my little fandom concert... all grown up and getting the nice hall...

[cookinguptales]

I'm really, really happy that I got the exact (accessible) seat that I wanted for Stardew Valley: Symphony of Seasons!

That said, I noticed that they were selling conductor's circle tickets this time, and I really hope that the people who bought those understood what they were getting...

PSA!!! If you bought tickets to the Philly performance and you got tickets for this section, which on the seating chart looks like the first three rows of the orchestra:

This is the conductor's circle! Those seats are on a balcony behind the stage!

Like here's a photo of the view from A View From My Seat:

Some people love these seats and they're often never put on sale and only insiders get them! You are super close and get a great view! But... it's of the back of the orchestra! So I want to make sure you all know that. The view and acoustics will be different!

[darkhymns-fic]

A Little Opera Goes a Long Way

Colette Brunel has finally moved on from her pop-idol group to more freely sing what she wants, while famous YouTube star, Lloyd Irving went from playing covers on video to going on the big stage. It was only a matter of time before they teamed up and made a hit single.

But what happens when stage fright becomes a problem?

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters/Pairing: Lloyd Irving/Colette Brunel, Presea Combatir Rating: G Mirror Link: AO3 Notes: Slightly obsessed with idol colloyd helped by this art by @frayed-symphony! Would love to write more on this universe when I have the time.

-

The crowd outside was getting louder. 

They had been growing within the past few hours, and if she peeked out just enough, she could see the multitude of rave sticks and cell phones that lighted each wave from the fans. Colette was used to it – she had heard it so many times! Except, it was different now. Everything was different.

Colette didn’t typically perform in Palmacosta. The port city was a long way from her usual tour gig with her group, mostly going around Tethe’alla, starting out from Meltokio before going back. But the Governor had been more than pleased to let the concert go underway, a stage already being built before it had even been requested! More truth to the very idea that the new single had been such a hit.

When she had arrived, she had heard the ocean rushing across the shore, the beaches filled with with so many people. How nice would it have been to walk across the sand, but there was already so much to prepare for. Would she even have the energy to want to go in the evening?

Colette stood within a small corner, being as small as she could while other professionals scattered all around to get everything ready. Sound check, mic check, light check, special effects check, making sure there were no sudden dips on the floor for when they would perform, that no stray excitable fan had snuck their way backstage to meet the band. (This always happened with Alice though, so Colette didn’t think it would be much of an issue now?) 

Everyone was working their hardest to get things ready and perfect – and all they asked was that she would do the same.

As Colette messed with her green ruffled sleeves, her heartbeat took over the noise. Soon it was all she could hear, all she could even think about! What if she tripped on stage? (Again!) What if she reached a wrong note in her part of the song?

What if she only ruined things for…

“Colette?”

The backstage was dark, most of the technicians still further off into the sides, busy fiddling with the lights, the special effects that would take place. She saw the dazzling flash of the red lining of Lloyd’s outfit before seeing Lloyd himself. He must have found her the same way in the corner – her green and white ensemble a unique look, reflective gold bouncing off the eyes.

“Hey, are you okay? Sorry, they kept me stuck in the dressing room just to get all this stuff on.”

“Oh! I’m fine, it’s just… the usual pre-stage jitters, hehe.” Colette instantly smiled, winking at Lloyd with all the practiced flair of her idol persona. Although, she wasn’t supposed to be in that role now… She was being herself this time. Just Colette. With Lloyd. And…

“Ah, yeah? I’m kinda getting those too!” Lloyd laughed, and she heard the shakiness within its tone. It made sense for Lloyd. He had only performed a few times in front of an audience, and they were usually much smaller. His black gloved hands reached to pull back at his hair. “The uh, crowd is really loud, isn’t it?”

“Y-yeah! But that’s a good thing!” She knew it was a good thing! So why the sudden beating of her heart. Could she really be this nervous? She kept pulling at her ruffles, they were all uneven! And so wrinkled! But wait, weren’t they supposed to be?

Then she saw Lloyd reach out to her…head? She felt his fingers briefly touch her hair, feeling warm.. “Your hat’s gonna fall off!”

“Huh?” Colette blinked. “Oh, it’s supposed to be tilted like that! And it’s held to my hair with a pin.” She bowed her head slightly for Lloyd to observe. “See?”

“Ohh.” Lloyd nodded. “Sorry, I was wondering how it was staying on!”

“Yeah! I’ve worn it before with my group…and sometimes we have to do dance routines so they make sure it stays on tight!” Colette pressed down on her skirt, still seeing wrinkles and dust and whatever else. Or maybe it had just been the lights… but wait, wasn’t it dark here?

She felt Lloyd’s eyes on her still, so she turned back to him, because her heartbeat was less distracting when she looked at him. Even if it still beat so much, its rhythm so steady. “I guess I’m not used to it,” Lloyd was saying. “This outfit feels really…uh, bright?” And maybe he was right, for the rose pinned on his front lapel was such a loud red, right over his heart. More than once had Colette wanted to reach out and touch it. Whoever had designed his costume had really put thought into all its details.

“It’s because of me. Remiel says I need to keep my image…” She was already on the search for a new one, as her producer was being even more controlling than usual. It had taken so much just to get this show to happen, her producer trying to block each step of the way. “I’m sorry, I really wanted it to be casual instead.”

“Heh, that’s okay though! I like that we kinda match, you know?” And when he grinned, even within the darkness of backstage, the sounds from outside reverberating the very floor they were on, she thought she felt everything stand still. “And…man, I’d wear anything just to perform with you!”

“Really?” she asked, still stunned. Star-struck. Completely and utterly. His outfit couldn’t match to his smile.

“Yeah! I still can’t believe we wrote something together!” His voice carried well through the noise surrounding them. And soon everyone would hear that voice, along with hers. Was it selfish of her to want to keep it for herself?

When in the studio together, working on their song, it had almost felt like he was singing only for her, his fingers moving over the guitar strings with barely a glance to them. To have such a voice and to play an instrument too… Why was he wasting time with her?

“Yeah, I’m so happy we did,” she said, still feeling her nerves jitter all around. “And… everyone will finally get to hear it too!”

At that moment, there was some feedback sounding off from stage, distracting her slightly. But experience told her it was a few stagehands probably setting up speakers, making sure none of the wires would get in the way of their feet. They would still need to wear their mics later, and hopefully she wasn’t already wearing them and talking into it without realizing it was on, like she would do a few times before…

She shook out her hands a bit, while keeping her feet still. Her ruffles still looked so uneven, so wrinkled and frayed and… “Maybe I’m more nervous than I thought,” she finally admitted.

She waited for the moment for when Lloyd would be disappointed with her. Like the other members of her group would be, like her producer, and-

The same gloved hand, but now on her shoulder, forcing her eyes back up. Some of the lights started to flicker backstage, along with a shouted instruction from one of the technicians. They dazzled off Lloyd’s red cape, off the golden filigree that decorated the trim of his jacket.

“Hey…” he said, smiling still. She saw a little tinge of nervousness too, but not with the frustration she was used to seeing from so many people. “I’m still here.”

She nodded. “Yeah…yeah!” She nodded again, then felt she was doing it too much. “Sorry… I’m supposed to be used to this. I should…” Be the one to help you through this instead. How strange was it that the experienced pop singer would need comfort from someone who was still starting out?

“We…still have like 20 minutes before we go on,” Lloyd said, looking back towards the stage that was still out of sight for them, if not out of sound’s reach. “Wanna hang out in my room till then?”

Something about the way he said it got her breath hitched in her throat. But at least with all of her stage experience, she recovered pretty quickly. “Oh, I guess we could! Did you want to rehearse or…?” Sometimes she’d do so with her band, usually on Alice’s insistence which usually just turned into fights with Marta…

“Yeah, come on!” That same gloved hand moved down to grip her own, guiding her from the backstage to the hall. 

Passing a few concerned lookers (Colette hoped no one would think to pull out a camera), Lloyd soon took them to a door. There was a piece of paper on it with his name printed roughly. And also… a drawing?

“Oh! Is that supposed to be you?” Colette asked, recognizing the features, giggling at the exaggerated smile she had long grown to like.

“Agh, why’d he put it here too?” Lloyd blushed furiously as he quickly took it down from the door. “Stupid Zelos… sorry, I know it looks dumb.”

“It’s cute!” Colette announced. “Your friend is a good artist!”

“Is… are you sure about that?” But after crunching up the little poster into a paper ball and tossing it in a nearby garbage can, Lloyd tugged her inside the dressing room. “Anyway, I thought it would be good to get away from all the noise.”

“Thank you, Lloyd,” she said gratefully. 

His dressing room was a bit bare, much of it just some bags that he had taken on the trip, still in the luggage. Hanging on the wall, she could see the red jacket she saw him wear to his own shows, more casual than what he was made to wear right now. It looked so loose and comfortable. How nice it would have been to wear something like it too.

“…Also, I guess I wanna sit for a while first,” Lloyd confessed, sitting in his chair just then. Colette made sure to not mention that the same portrait of his face was also drawn on the back of the chair, though she still couldn’t help a giggle or two.

“So, which song should we practice first? ‘Star Shining’ might be an easy one to start with… Or maybe ‘Almateria’? Sorry, I should have thought it through before!”

“Huh?” Lloyd blinked up at her. “Uh, no I didn’t mean we should rehearse actually!”

“Oh…then what are we doing here?” Colette felt so genuinely curious.

“To relax, dork!” Lloyd said with a smile. Then that same smile turned a bit softer, his eyes flicking to the right side of him. She hadn’t caught sight of the instrument at first. “Well… I mean if you wanted something like that, it doesn’t have to be both of us, you know?”

She was only getting more confused by the minute! Was this Lloyd’s way of saying he didn’t want to perform with her on stage? “But both of our names are on the listing…” She brought her hands up, fingers pressing together nervously. “I mean… if you really wanted though, I can step out…”

“What? I…don’t know what you mean, I just meant I wanted to sing for you!” Lloyd reached over to grab the guitar that had been laying carefully by his seat. His fingers were already brushing across the strings, eliciting a few sounds that echoed around her.

She took that phrase to heart, hands now clasped together, the ruffles along her skirt, her arms, her shoulders, less on the forefront of her mind. “Sing for me?”

Lloyd nodded, adjusting the small pegs on the end. “Whenever I get nervous about stuff, sometimes I just play whatever. Um, guess I got it from my dad. He’d sing to me when I was little. Oh yeah, and he plays a pretty mean harmonica!” He was grinning again, planting both feet on the ground as he better fit the guitar on his lap.

Colette had never met Lloyd’s father, but the image of a younger Lloyd already tickled her. But she made sure not to mention it, because that would certainly be strange, wouldn’t it? “That’s…but you shouldn’t have to do this for me. I’m used to this…”

“Colette,” Lloyd called out to her, and she faced him again. 

His white jacket and the red rose hanging from it, black gloves already moving over the strings so deftly, just as it did in the studio that one day they had taken a chance, leaving all other obligations just to finally sing their song together after so many email exchanges and video calls. “Let me sing for you.”

She stood still. She had heard his voice dozens, hundreds of times. She had heard him through those videos before he’d get famous, hair disheveled, and his unbuttoned jacket hanging off his shoulders. His own album sat on her shelf back at home, the cover art for it so different from anything else she had seen. (So many stars and rainbows! With a nice drawing of a boy and his dog there too…) In all of those times, she liked to imagine he was singing for her.

“Okay,” she finally said, leaning against a counter, her skirt just making a tiny rustling sound as she shifted. “Um, what are you going to sing for me then?”

“Something my dad would sing to me,” Lloyd said. She thought his cheeks had gotten even redder. “So uh, don’t laugh too much. I can’t pronounce all the words right yet.”

“I won’t. I promise.” And she really did promise that. She didn’t want to ruin that smile.

The strum of the guitar, followed by his sound, by Lloyd, had always felt truer to her than anything else.

-

Only a few minutes later, a knock on the door echoed in the room. Luckily, the notes from Lloyd’s guitar had been on their very last. “Uh, come in?” he called out, his voice still within that range from before.

Opening the door, a small lady appeared. Her sharply pink hair was in contrast to the dark-hued clothes that most of the backstage hands wore. She wore a headset, and apparently one of the giant headlights in one hand – the kind that usually weighed a ton. “Five minutes until curtain time.”

“Presea!” Colette called out to her old friend, waving at her. “I didn’t know you were working here too.”

“I heard you would be performing, so I requested to join.” Presea shifted the headlight to better fit her grip. “Do you have your mics ready?”

“Yeah!” Lloyd went to retrieve his from his pocket while Colette did the same, but Presea had gone up to them, reaching to adjust it before silently requesting for both to bend down so she could have a better hold.

“I can stall if you need. But the crowd wants you.” Presea turned away after making sure the mics were pinned correctly to their clothes. Still, Colette caught a small smile from her. “I’m looking forward to hearing you both sing together.”

Presea already left, and soon it was just Lloyd and Colette in the room, their smiles wide and excited. From the concert, from the music still bouncing around in their heads.

“Still jittery?” he asked, taking the strap of the guitar to finally pull across his back.

“Yeah! But it’s the good kind now!” Colette was standing on her toes, swaying with the beat she still remembered. “You always sing so good.”

“Ah, it was just…like a lullaby, basically.” That flush again, and she wanted to believe it was because of her. So maybe, for at least tonight, she could. “But if you liked it, then I’m happy then.”

“I am! But…I’m also happy we can sing our song live now.” She turned to him, Presea already disappearing into the swell of the backstage darkness. Colette stepped out the door, but not too far off without her partner by her side.

“Heh, yeah… I’m still really surprised Goodness and Love was such a hit though!” With that, he followed Colette out of the dressing room, both heading towards the sounds of the crowd.

“Hm, I knew it would be,” she confessed, her heart racing. Jitters. But the good kind of jitters.

“Oh? How’d you know?” And somehow, in the way he asked her, she wondered if he suspected what she was about to say… So maybe it was okay.

“Because it’s you.” That was all she would say, teasingly sticking out her tongue before taking his free hand and rushing out with him on stage. But always making sure she didn’t trip them both.

Lloyd was grinning so wide once they came out under the lights, the glare setting the red dancing on his outfit, the green on hers. The crowd was loud, but there was only one voice she would listen for.

-

.

.

.

Everything was so loud, so fast and so much. This wasn’t just like singing out in front of the yard, or to any of his friends that happened to swing by home for a visit.

Lloyd was completely out of his element. 

Backstage, as he tried not to get in the way of other professionals, Lloyd gripped the handle of his guitar case, wondering if maybe he had just made a huge mistake. He was by himself, his so-called producer chatting with some other people in the field, (or just woman he spotted honestly), and he couldn’t bring Noishe along, even if the dog was on the album…He’d only get frightened by all the noise, and for once, Lloyd couldn’t blame him.

“Ugh, shouldn’t have let Zelos convince me…” he muttered to himself. The guy had clear dollar signs in his eyes when he told him about where he would perform. ‘You’re a big hit now! Don’t waste it!!’  

Lloyd knew he’d do better by just crawling into a hole. Any confidence he had hours ago seemed to have evaporated once reality set in.

It was just when he heard the rest of the lineup and …. He had been stupid to think that would matter. Wouldn’t he just embarrass himself on stage? Then she would see…

“Hi, are you Lloyd?”

He turned at the sound of her voice. Was it pathetic of him to have already recognized it then? He had heard her voice a hundred times, picking it out from the chorus of other voices, of other people…

Colette Brunel stood before him, wearing a green skirt, with frilly ribbons in her hair. She had a microphone in her hand, which seemed to echo with feedback suddenly when she held it a certain way. Once Lloyd flinched from it, she hurriedly turned it off.

“Ah, sorry! I didn’t mean-“

“You’re Colette…” he said, already kicking himself for interrupting her. But his brain was going into overdrive, catching up with every admirable thought he had of her. “From the Angels group!”

“Oh! Yeah, hi! We’re performing too. The other girls are still getting ready to go on, so, I wanted a chance to talk with you!” She sounded quieter as she spoke, eyes cast downward. “I probably should have brought them with me, I’m sorry.”

“N-No, it’s okay…but…you know me?” He still couldn’t quite believe it.

“Yes, of course! I’ve watched your videos! I think they’re so good!” And with the way she spoke to him, he could almost believe it. That she liked his songs. She liked them. “I… I just wanted to let you know that your music is… it’s something I’ve needed to hear.” A pause. “Would you ever want to-“

“Colette! We’re on! Hurry up!”

“Ah! Okay, sorry, Alice!” Colette turned around briefly to wave away someone else. Lloyd recognized them too… but he’d never been a fan of that girl in the group. “Sorry, I need to go. But… I hope you keep writing your music! I, I really like it.”

If Lloyd died at that moment right then and there, even before he ever got a chance to perform, he’d be satisfied. For Colette to come up to him and tell him all this… “I… T-Thanks! I don’t…know what to say…”

Colette smiled, gripping her microphone, her ribbons bouncing with her motion. “Just, I hope to keep hearing you sing.” Another shout from way back, making Colette shudder. “Sorry, but good luck!”

And gone like that, disappearing into the crowd, into the bright lights and sound that made up this terrifying world Lloyd found himself in.

Yet the nerves passed through him, and his cheeks ached from smiling. I’ll sing…but for you then. But before he would go over his song, he’d sneak a glance at Colette’s routine, eyes for her, voice for her, and the crowd encompassing it all.

[natasha-cole]

Focus: Chapter 2

Pairing: Chris x Reader x Rob

Chapters: 2/?

Word Count: 1,599

Warnings: None yet

Series Summary: Reader is a popular fandom photographer, having made a name for herself in large convention circuits. When an old mentor asks for her assistance at an event she’s never attended, she’s happy to agree. Not only does Chris have to guide her through the unfamiliar territory of a Supernatural convention; he may just have to show her exactly how he feels about her when the one man she never expected shows up for the weekend. Reader has grown used to fighting for what she wants, but what’ll happen when she becomes the focus of attention from the two men she admires most?

A/N: Part 2 of my collaboration with @wilde-abandon.

Since this is a collaboration, if you would like to be tagged in this particular series, please let me know. I won’t be automatically tagging my forever list because it’s honestly just a lot and I’d rather start fresh with this one.

Catch Up: Chapter 1

TWO

The moment you entered the room, you were overwhelmed by the sheer volume at which the music was playing. You took a moment to gather yourself before you easily spotted Chris, his back to you as he appeared to be fumbling with his gear that was set out on the table.

Knowing that you couldn’t necessarily get his attention by shouting right now, you moved up behind him and carefully placed a hand on his arm.

Startled, he quickly turned to face you, smiling widely when he saw your face.

He moved to stop his music that was blasting through the room before turning his attention back to you.

“Y/N! You’re here!”

“I told you I was here,” you chuckled.

“No, I know. But, you’re here. Right now.”

“I am,” you smiled.

“I really appreciate you coming to this. With all of these new events that the organizers keep adding, it’ll be good to have someone around who is capable of helping me out when I need it.”

“I don’t know how much help I’ll really be,” you admitted. “I only aspire to be as good as you someday.”

“What are you talking about? You’re amazing. You’ll fit in very nicely here.”

“Well, I did learn from the best,” you said as you gave him a playful nudge.

“I don’t know about that,” he laughed in return. “Anyway, I should probably give you the rundown. It’s day one and everything starts soon. This,” he began, gesturing at the room in which you currently stood, “is the photo op room. This is basically where I am at all times every day.”

You glanced around, familiarizing yourself with the setup. It wasn’t anything that you hadn’t seen before. You figured that if you were expected to spend most of your time in this room shooting photo ops, the weekend was going to be a piece of cake. However, you were still unsure of exactly what your real purpose here was. Chris had only mentioned you coming to help him out.

“So, what will I be doing this weekend exactly?” You asked.

“Like I said, just helping me out when I need it. I always have people helping me during ops, but I figured it would be nice to have someone who really gets photography to help out. You were the first person I thought of, Y/N. You’ve come such a long way from when we first started talking about photography, and you have an impressive resume. Now that I’m doing a photography workshop, I didn’t want just anyone stepping in for me to take over ops. The company also likes the idea of having someone cover the events. I figured, I’d have someone competent to help me out, and it would also give you an opportunity to photograph the convention. I think you’d really enjoy it.”

“Events?” You asked.

“Yeah; panels, karaoke, the concert... “ Chris trailed off.

“Karaoke? A concert? What kind of convention is this?” You chuckled.

“Well, it’s a lot different from what you’re used to to,” he said with a smile. “But, I think you’ll really enjoy it.”

“Okay. And I just get a free pass to photograph around here?”

“Yeah, you’ll have the same access that I do.”

He began to rummage through a bag until he found what he was looking for. He handed the item over to you and you recognized that it was basically a press pass for the weekend.

“You’ll need that to get into all of the events,” he explained. “It basically gives you free range to pretty much everything.”

“Everything?”

“Hey, perks of working with me,” he said as he gave you a wink.

You slipped the pass over your head, knowing that the weekend was already starting and that meant you’d be put to work quickly. It wasn’t usual for you to play second-fiddle to another photographer, especially at a convention; but Chris had easily talked you into basically playing his assistant this weekend. You only wondered what his job really consisted of at these things in which he’d need help to begin with.

Chris glanced at his watch for a moment before turning back to you.

“We have a little time,” he began. “I could show you around real quick before everything starts.”

“Sounds good,” you replied.

You followed Chris out of the photo op room, walking quickly just to keep up with him. He spoke as you walked, occasionally pointing out rooms that had nothing to do with you and introducing you to people that you’d forget the names of too quickly.

“This is the green room,” he explained as he held open a door for you.

You paused briefly, wondering if you had heard him right.

“Green room?” You asked.

“Yeah, our first stop.”

“They let us in the green room? Isn’t that usually reserved for actual famous people?”

Chris gave you a confused look, which was then quickly replaced by a sincere smile.

“Yeah, you’re gonna learn a lot here,” he replied. “Come on.”

You entered the room as he prompted you to and he stepped in as well, letting the door close behind the two of you.

“This is the green room,” he explained. “This is where everyone hangs out in their down time.”

“Even you?”

“Yes, even me.”

You glanced around the space; noting that it was definitely set up so that a group of people could hang out if they wanted to. There were couches and tables and a set up of drinks and snacks against a wall. The only strange thing was that no one was here. For a convention that consisted of what you understood to be quite the lineup of actors from the show, and was scheduled to begin in only a couple of hours; you couldn’t help but wonder where everyone was.

Chris must have read your mind because he interrupted your thoughts so that you could continue on.

“Come on,” he said as he began to walk back toward the door. “I’ll introduce you to everyone who’s here.”

“Where are they?” You asked as you followed him out.

“Most likely the theater,” he answered as the two of you walked back down the hall together.

Almost as soon as he said it, you could hear the faint sound of music playing down the hall. This time, you knew it wasn’t Chris’ playlist blasting.

Again, he opened the door for you, holding it so that you could step inside and take a peek. The large space was filled mostly with chairs, a few people sitting up in the front rows as a full band stood up on stage doing what you assumed was soundcheck. You heard the voice from one of the men on stage giving instructions over the sound system.

Chris nudged you as he stepped next to you, indicating that you should follow him. You did just that as he led you to the front of the room, your legs moving fast as you tried to keep up with his wide gait.

“You weren’t kidding about the concert thing,” you pointed out. “There’s actually a band here?”

“Yeah, they play all weekend. They’re on stage more than anyone else here.”

Just as you got close to the front of the stage, making your way around people and equipment, the band began to play again. You had to pause as soon as you heard the opening to the song they had started. Chris stopped short as well, looking at you in confusion. You studied the men on stage a bit harder, getting the feeling that you definitely recognized the song they were playing.

The man at the microphone with a guitar began to sing, and you smiled to yourself as soon as he started the first line of the song.

“Hey,” you called out to Chris, speaking a bit louder now that the room was filled with music. “Are these guys a cover band? I know this song.”

“This song?” He asked. “I mean, yeah they do covers, but this is a Louden Swain original.”

“Louden Swain?” You asked in shock.

Chris looked at you, trying to figure out why you were so surprised by the band on stage right now. You paid him no mind as you focused on the guys again, trying to piece together why in the world your favorite indie band was playing at a Supernatural convention of all places.

Truthfully, you didn’t recognize the guys at all. But then again, you had the tendency to just stumble upon random bands as you set up playlists to listen to while you edited. You were usually too busy to pay much attention to bands outside of listening to them. You had been listening to this particular band for the last couple of years and now you suddenly felt stupid as you realized this was them.

“You know them?” Chris asked as he broke you from your thoughts.

“Oh, I’m familiar with them,” you replied. “I listen to them all the time.”

“Yet, you didn’t recognize them the moment we walked in here?”

“Forgive me if I just listen to music and don’t let the people behind the music consume my life,” you said. “I’m a busy woman. I don’t really pay attention to who I listen to.”

Chris continued to watch you, amused at the way you were reacting over this realization of who these guys were.

“What are they doing here at a convention?” You asked.

“Seriously?” He laughed in return. “Oh, Y/N, you really do have a lot to learn.”

Tags: 

@arses21434 @laubeck10

[astrotranslations]

'Refreshing-dols' 'Beagle-dols' ASTRO Have Returned

You’ve continuously been holding overseas performance like in America, Canada, Kazakhstan etc. in the time you took a break from domestic promotions. Is there anything memorable? Cha Eunwoo: Before we left for our Kazakhstan performance, it was a country that we’ve never been to until then so I was a little worried if we’d have fans there. But when we reached the airport, a lot of people were already there. "JinJin, Rocky," they were loudly chanting all 6 of our names to the point that we could hear from inside the arrival hall so I was really thankful. It was a nice memory.

I heard that you have a lot of fans in America. Apparently there were people who even recognised you on the streets, MJ: There weren’t many but there were some (laughs). The six of us were on Broadway Boulevard to buy hamburgers together and I could hear people around me going, "ASTRO, ASTRO." Someone even came up to us and asked if we were ASTRO. We were taken aback too. Moonbin: We wrapped up our American performances and were at the airport waiting for our plane so we could leave for Canada and there was a foreigner who was staring obviously at us. We wondered if they recognised us but they came up to us and asked if we were BTS (laughs). I thought that we’ll have to work harder (laughs). Cha Eunwoo: I saw an electronic displace of BTS sunbae-nims on the streets of New York’s Broadway.  It was really cool. I thought that we should work harder when I saw that (laughs). But still, we gained a lot of energy when we performed this time round. Before we left, I thought it’d be a lot of Asians coming down but actually seeing the performance venue, 80-90% of the audience were people of different ethnicities. They sang along to our songs and danced passionately… You could tell they knew a lot about us. I was happy and grateful.

There’re a lot of K-Pop groups so what do you think is the reason people like ASTRO in particular? Yoon Sanha: There’re a lot of people who tell us that the friendship between the members and our teamwork on stage are good. We take self-cameras and upload them on V App and international fans get sad if the intervals between the uploads grow long. I think that people like the members’ natural selves and each of our characters. Moonbin: There’re a lot of 'killing points' in the songs which we’ve released thus far. There are parts which linger in your memory if you listen to them once so I think people find those memorable. I’ve also heard a lot about how others like our bright atmosphere. We’re now slowly growing so we want to show an image that’s a little more developed through this album. You’ll be able to feel a slightly more pop vibe in our music. Rocky: ASTRO’s members have distinct personalities but there’s a synergy which forms when we’re together. If you notice our music preferences, Eunwoo hyung likes ballad, MJ hyung likes trot and Sanha likes acoustic. I like hip-hop. The things we each like and are good at are this different yet we complement each other on stage so I think there’re fans who like that.

All the members are 'talented-idols' who are good at singing and dancing. Wouldn’t that be ASTRO’s strength too? Moonbin: When we promote, there are sometimes moments where we’d have to prepare for stages within a short period of time. The time we had to prepare was really short when we went on 'Immortal Song' and 'Sugarman'. We wondered if we could do well but when we gathered together and prepared zealously, we managed to do a good job in the end. Times like that I can feel how we’ve grown a level higher and makes me proud of ASTRO. Rocky: Our trainee periods were long. We prepared a lot within that time and there’re many things we’ve yet to show. I think there’ll be plenty of moments in the future where we can show a better side of ourselves.

ASTRO’s famous for their solid fandom. Is there a memorable fan? JinJin: When we were in America for our performances, we met a female fan through the 'Make-A-Wish' foundation who applied saying she wanted to meet ASTRO. It’s a foundation which fulfils the wishes of children with terminal illnesses. The young fan came to our practice room before the performance started and burst into tears the moment she saw us. We took pictures together, chatted about various things and we told her, "Get healthy and let’s be sure to meet again." I think about that moment a lot. I really hope she gets better.

Is there a country you’d like to perform at in the future? Rocky: Africa! I think K-Pop groups don’t often go to the Africa region. I hope that ASTRO can pave a new road. I want to go to countries like Egypt. Moonbin: I want to go to the UK. It’ll be nice if ASTRO becomes popular in the birthplace of pop. JinJin: There’re a lot of regions ASTRO have yet to go to. I want to go to those kind of places. I worried a lot the first time we went to Mexico. Like with Kazakhstan, I wondered if we would have fans there but when we actually went, it was to our amazement that there were so many people cheering for us. They usually merrily enjoy themselves so we got pumped too. I want to go through that kind of experience a lot. MJ: I want to go to Dubai. I also want to go to Spain and perform the opening stage for their Bull festival (laughs). We’ve yet to go to China but I’d like to go there soon. Yoon Sanha: It’ll be nice if we go to Australia too. I hope we could go to all the countries we haven’t gone to before.

Are there any goals you’d like to achieve in the future? Please tell us the goals you’d each like to fulfil as ASTRO and as an individual. MJ: It’s my dream to hold a solo concert under ASTRO’s name at our Gocheok Sky Dome, at Japan’s Tokyo Dome, at America’s Super Bowl Stadium, etc.. Personally, I’d like to try trot if the opportunity arises. I’d also like to stand on stage in a musical. Yoon Sanha: ASTRO have yet to win no. 1 on a music broadcast. I also want to hold a concert at the biggest venue in Korea. I hope to be able to enjoy myself together with even more AROHAs. Personally, I like acoustic so I want to one day release a calming album like Roy Kim sunbae-nim’s style. Rocky: Of course as ASTRO I’d like for us to win no. 1 on music broadcasts and stand on big stages. But that isn’t everything. To be honest, I don’t think there’s a specific definition to "an amazing singer". Aren’t singers already no. 1 to their own fans? I don’t want to obsess over that, my real goal is for all our members to get along well like we are now and promote for a long time. Personally, I’d like to challenge myself in different fields. I want to become an all rounded entertainer who’s good at song composition, acting, everything. I believe that an opportunity will come my way if I work hard. I’ll prepare myself well now so that I won’t miss the opportunity when it does come knocking. JinJin: Like Rocky mentioned, I hope for our members to promote together for a long time. I hope we’ll rise together as we experience everything. You’ll grow stronger when you go through difficulties. It’s during times like that when I can feel how our team is growing. It’ll be nice if we can get a no. 1 quickly but more than that, I hope that we could slowly go up the steps and one day become a team who’s capable of playing at big concert venues like BTS sunbae-nims. Personally. I’m studying up on song composition. Rocky and I have our own workspaces. It’s just the start now but I’ll study hard, take part in albums and hopefully produce an album on my own someday. Moonbin: I also want to become a singer who promotes for a long time, an idol of longevity. And I hope that ASTRO will be remembered in the minds of people as "the ones who are cool when they perform". I believe that a singer should be the coolest when he’s on stage. Like the members said, I hope that we can slowly rise as we go through various experiences and when it someday comes the time for us to stand on a big stage, I want us to show everything we’ve got without sparing anything. I also want to try song composition. I have the desire to go on variety programs too. I think I’ll be able to do well in active programs like "Laws of the Jungle" or eating broadcasts. Cha Eunwoo: Personally I’m in the midst of filming a drama. I’ll do my best and do well, I want to show a good side of myself to the people who are cheering me on. As a member of ASTRO, I want to give my all in things that can help the tea,. The six of us are one entity. I’m ASTRO’s Cha Eunwoo.  I want to do my best at that role. I also want to challenge myself at ballads one day. I’ll talk it over with the members and it’ll be nice if we can include it in an ASTRO album (laughs). Moonbin: I’d personally like to become someone with influence. I want to become someone who’s able to protect what he want to. It creates a big influence when singers comment whenever setting heartbreaking or unfathomable happens at home and abroad. I want to someday become someone with that kind of benevolent influence.

Lastly, please say something to your fans. JinJin: Our special album is coming out in late July. We’ll be having a Japanese concert in August and probably be preparing for another album after that. I want to meet with our fans as soon as I can. I’ll regularly show you how we’re doing through SNS, V App, etc.. Yoon Sanha: The hiatus period after wrapping up promotions for our 5th album is long. You’ve waited for us for a long time. I hope that we can enjoy ourselves tougher once the special album is released. I want to create lots of good memories. Rocky: I’m always thankful to AROHAs who put their faith in us and like us. Thank you for waiting for us even though there was a hiatus period. Moving forward, we’ll become an ASTRO who won’t disappoint fans. JinJin: I think of it as ASTRO being on a trip with AROHAs. I hope that fans can lay down their burdensome feelings and enjoy us. I hope that they’ll build on happy and nice memories thanks to us. I’ll put in effort so that I can become that kind of singer. We’ve been reorganising ourselves so now we’ll really work hard. Moonbin: Thank you for waiting for us and looking for us despite the long hiatus. The ups and downs the team ASTRO has experienced will be of help to us in reaching a position we want to be at. I’m just apologetic that fans have to share that pain with us. I’m thankful at the same time. As much as it’s been hard, I’ll work harder so that I can think of ourselves as valuable singers really worth liking. I hope that you’ll continue to stay by our sides. Cha Eunwoo: I’m thankful but apologetic. Its a hundred times better proving through actions than words so I want to repay you with better promotions. It’ll be nice for you to anticipate a little more. MJ: We’re putting in effort so that we can meet with fans as soon as we can. I’m only thankful that you’ve waited for us. The comeback getting pushed back is so that we can show you a perfect and cooler side of ourselves so please look forward to it. We’ll meet you the fastest we can.

Source: https://m.post.naver.com/viewer/postView.nhn?volumeNo=16305088&memberNo=39094895

Translations by @99​pmh Take out with full credits

[ksjknj]

OMG IM SO LATE WITH THIS REPLY SAJFGJSF IVE BEEN SO BUSY BUT AAHHHH ANSWER IS SOOO CLOSE BUT SO FAR AWAY AND TBH ANYTHING THEY DO ILL SUPPORT 100% WETHER ITS INDIVIDUAL OR NOT IM SURE ITS GOING TO BE AMAZING EITHER WAY i think individual songs to close it off is such a nice ending, like them responding back to their original songs from wings and maybe like seeing development in how they grew to “love themselves” especially if this is a universe they’ve created with imagined characters (1)

(that obv have a connection to them as ppl) SHSKHDSKHK IS THIS ME TRYING TO THEORIZE AGAIN?! LEME STOP ITS LITERALLY 2AM SGHJSUEFJEFKH BUT OMG THERE IS. SO. MUCH. STUFF. JUST TODAY I FOUND A COMMERCIAL THEY DID FOR COCONUTS ASDJSFHJHFKSH I HAD NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE BUT I WAS WEAKK BC THE COCONUT TAE WAS HOLDING WAS SOOO BIG LIKE HOWWW LMAOOOO HOBI JIN AND YOONGI WITH THE LITTLE UKELELES THEYRE ALL SO CUTE PLUS NAMJOON WITH PURPLE HAIR UM YES PLS (2)

AND OMG THAT IS SO CUTE YOU DID WATCH THEM GROW OMG SO BEAUTIFUL MY HEART :( I WISH AND AWWW NOOO IM SORRY YOU COULDNT GET TICKETS :(( they sell out soo fast!! BUT YESS LETS HOPE SOMETHING HAPPENS AND THAT CHANGES UGHH I LOWKEY HATE TELLING PPL THIS BUT ive been in the fandom for maybe nine months i think, since v early November last year sfhki and yess im going to the first day of the Newark stop! AND OMG YOU CAN LITERALLY TAG ME AS WHATEVER YOUD LIKE MAYBE “YELLING ANON" LMFAO IDK ANYTHING (3)

you are saying you’re late with your reply but here i am literally three weeks later to reply to you ahjdjsjk i’m so so so sorry i’ve been busy and then tired and even busier so i completely understand you (though i hope you were good busy!!!!) bUT ANSWER IS LITERALLY JUST AROUND THE CORNER NOW n i just realised literally in this fucking moment that i probably won’t be home when it drops lmao i’m gonna be on the road again wow lucky me.. .. && same!! no matter what they decided to do i’m sure it’s fantastic and i can’t wait to hear it

ohhh that’s an interesting theory!! those two aren’t directly connected (i mean okay hyyh universe seems to be connecting everything they’ve done during the past three years) but it’s possible… .. aND I KNOW THE FEELING two am aka the best time to type and think about stuff ahsdjs i literally come up with the craziest (and best) shit at that time of the day

RIGHT OH MAN I REMEMBER THAT ONE it’s not even that old (okay it’s more than one year old but it still feels like yesterday to me i sWEAR) but yesss they were so cute in it!! sometimes i look at old(er) pics of them n can’t believe how much they’ve changed/grown like jimin used to have such a baby face n still does but he’s grown a lot not to mention jeongguk … also them just growing as people and finding their own style in both music and fashion and just .. .beautiful

they sell out really really fast!!! it’s not surprising though especially with the amount of fans growing every second like they’d need much bigger concert halls to fit everyone.. a lot of people got lucky with the latest ticketing though?? which i’m really happy about tbh and i hope i have more luck if they add any dates in europe or come again, whenever that’s gonna be

AND THAT’S SO NICE I’M GLAD YOU’RE ABLE TO SEE THEM gosh i bet it’s gonna be fantastic but still please tell me all about it afterwards i wanna know ahjska i’m gonna ask all my friends to tell me everything …. even if i don’t get to go knowing other people are gonna enjoy brings me joy so i’m really really glad you’re going!!! + i swear it felt like tour was SO FAR away but now .…it’s literally about to start ahjdks

i hope you’ve been doing well!!!💜💜

[daebakinc]

Monsta X Beautiful in NYC Fan Account

To put it lightly, this concert was an emotional roller coaster.

It rained on and off for the 7 hours I was in line, but I met some really awesome people and we spent the whole time talking, laughing, and jamming so the time passed like it never has before. They were late letting us in, but I think that’s because there were just so many people.

I got packed into the pit, which proved to me beyond a doubt I will try to never do that again, but more on that later.

The show started 45 min late due to a “medical emergency,” but the boys all looked fine when they came out and I didn’t see any of them in pain, so I’m not sure what actually happened. I was also afraid they’d cut the setlist like EXO did, but the boys spoiled us and performed the whole thing and, damn, did they hit it out of the park.

Monsta X displayed just how flexible they are as a group at this concert. Not only did they cover perfectly for Hyungwon, bless his heart, but they also showed us a nice mix of their discography with some of their harder, hyped songs alongside some of their ballads. My top songs of the night were White Love, Ex-Girl, All In, and Shine Forever. Watch fan-cams and you will understand. I will say, I never really noticed how masculine Monsta X’s dances are but to say they all looked sexy as hell is an understatement. They really are the beautiful ones, from all the fan service they gave us to talking each other up to the really cute habit they have of randomly mouthing each others’ lines. They are all that perfect combination of cute and sexy. I will say they didn’t speak as much English as I thought they would, but I guess they were nervous about it.

My bias is Shownu and the man did not fail to ruin me. He is even more handsome and cute in real life, a human teddy bear. I really should be used to that but I’m not lol. My problem comes because I’m still not used to having a dancer for a bias. So when he makes sexy faces while dancing instead of the “I need to concentrate on controlling my body so I don’t mess up this choreography” face, it kills me. He really showed off both his dancing and vocal skills. His dancing is that kind that’s so controlled it looks flawless and makes you want to keel over, especially during 24K Magic and All In (that shoulder move!!!). He was also so, so on point with his notes that it made me fall in love with his voice all over again. It’s just so pretty! On the other hand, when he smiled, especially during his intro, your heart stopped from the utter adorableness. They did a VCR where he admitted his favorite nicknames from fans were Shownu-minator (from Terminator/robot Shownu) and Shownu bear. Also, while everyone was changing from their solo stages, the members took turns telling us which one of them was the most romantic, and Wonho spilled that Shownu is always buying his friends presents. Such a sweetheart.

Let me say this first: Wonho, along with Jooheon, is my worst bias wrecker in this group. He really, really tried to make himself the bias last night. Just everything about him. His face is a given, like wow, it is perfect. In the VCR, Hyungwon compared Wonho’s body to Hercules and I happen to think it’s even more perfect. He showed it off during his solo stage where he forwent a shirt in favor of an open jacket and let me tell you, I think the concert hall exploded with sound. Even when he had a shirt, like at the end when he threw off his jacket, it was lovely. However, as much as Wonho is recognized for his beautiful body, I think he should be talked about just as much for his beautiful heart and talent. His voice was incredible and he wrote his solo himself! He said the lyrics are about coming from nothing to something and damn if that didn’t squeeze my heart. His smile too when we sung the lyrics back to him is something I’ll never forget; it was this mix of wonder, delight, and gratitude. He certainly showed us with all the hearts he threw and his teasing (he made us chant his name and looked like a happy little kid when we did it really loud). He and Shownu messed around a lot and it was so adorable, like he made Shownu show off his arms but Minhyuk smacked Shownu for it lol. Finally….  I CAUGHT A PIECE OF CANDY THAT HE THREW AND WILL TREASURE IT FOREVER!!!!

As much as we all regard Minhyuk primarily as Monsta X’s mood-maker, he really is so much more. Of course, he’s known for that role for a reason. He talked so much and did a lot of teasing and joking around both with us and the members. He did things like imitating Jooheon’s rap in his and Kihyun’s solo, immediately claiming he was the most romantic member but then going back and saying it was Jooheon, and saying he fell in love with us after seeing how many of us were dancing and singing along. Speaking of dancing and singing, Minhyuk showed off that he is just as talented in both categories as the others. I honestly sometimes forget he’s a vocalist because he’s just so bubbly and bouncy it makes you focus on him being literal sunshine. But last night he reminded me just why he is a vocalist. There’s just something about his voice, even though he doesn’t belt it out like Kihyun for example, there’s power there and definitely a voice to pay attention to. He looked so happy when he was watching us, like I think if it had been possible, he would’ve come down and hugged every one of us. He was also ever so cute when he would speak English for us and really polite when he did too.

Okay, so even though Admin V’s bias is Kihyun and she said he made her make dying whale noises when she saw him, I didn’t think he would be that bad. I was so wrong. If I had to choose one word for him it would be EXTRA. And yes, the all caps is intentional. However, it’s not the bad extra like he’s trying too hard; he just puts that much of himself into performing with every ounce of passion in his body. Whether that was throwing himself into the choreography with body rolls and thrusts or belting out his power notes, I’m surprised he didn’t run out of energy because he was like that the whole concert. I’ve gotta say watching him perform Mirror was one of the sexiest things of the night, notes and head banging and all. He didn’t stop gifting us when he wasn’t performing either; he gave constant fan service that included flashing his abs, making all kinds of faces, and such big smiles. Even though he gave us so much attention, he also took really good care of his members, like he wiped away Wonho’s sweat for him, beatbox for Jooheon, hyping them all up, and made IM delay a song so he could get something off his face. Also, in the VCR, he tried to tell Jooheon the trick to good selcas is to make your facial expression spaced out but Jooheon just teased the hell out of him lol.

Jooheon is right up there with Wonho for bias wrecker. That did not change after last night. All the things I love about him are 1,000 worse in real life. Not only is he gorgeous, that blond hair!, but his facial structure is just perfect. And his face is just the tip of the iceberg. He did a little bit of aegyo and I’m pretty sure there was a collective squeal. It was worse when he was trying to prove he was the most romantic by singing and then got all flustered about it. So precious. We all know Jooheon is incredibly passionate about music and his performance was a pure embodiment of that. The way he just spit out his rap in Mirror, and every other song honestly, proved his talent and stage charisma beyond a doubt. That said, it was his singing lines in songs like White Love that really killed me. Out of all the members, I think he appreciated us singing the lyrics the most. He had such a huge smile that looked ready to break his face and it was pure joy itself. He held out his mic for us so many times and we did a pretty good job with the lyrics too.

So can anyone tell me when IM grew up? For real, when did the little maknae I knew become a man, ever present boy aside? He looked like such an adult, so handsome and all grown into his face and shoulders. Despite that, he’s still got that same personality I love so much. He was obviously nervous in the beginning, quiet and straight-faced, but by the end he was so into it and was breaking into a smile even while rapping because he was so happy with our response. Yet he still got bashful and shy when the others made him sing to show he was romantic and when they announced they only had a few songs left, he hung his head and made the “T-T” with his hands by his face. I really love that about him: he’s himself and doesn’t try to force himself to be always on. I wanted to hug that cute little thing so bad! Those hugging thoughts did go out the window temporarily during their songs though. He was able to go from smooth romantic during their ballads to charismatic beast during their harder songs. His is another voice I could listen to for hours.

Even though Hyungwon wasn’t there, Monbebes gave him almost as much love as if he were. He got extremely loud screams when he came up on the VCRs and when Wonho asked us to chant for his name, we did not disappoint. He was also super adorable in the VCR because Wonho made him do aegyo and his immediate response to the request was to bang his head on the wall lol.  Let’s hope he recovers well and can come see us next time.

Overall, Monsta X gave us such a passionate concert and were completely open with their unabashed appreciation of how much we loved them. I can’t wait to see them again.

Now, I’m sorry to end this on a slightly negative note, but I feel like this needs to be said:

Monbebes, I have to say, are the second rowdiest fandom I’ve dealt with. I’m sorry, but I have to call us out because so many of us were rude. Even before the concert, people were cutting the line so I ended up beside people who got there hours after I did. The boys had to ask us to move back twice and I got pushed out of the way so many times. I almost cried because I couldn’t see anymore because all the people had their phones held as high as they could so I could barely see any of the members. When the translator was speaking, I could barely hear him because so many people were screaming instead of being reasonably quiet. I get it, you were excited and maybe it’s because a lot of you were younger, but some of you were older and should know better. I was really excited for yesterday too, but this concert was very nearly ruined for me because of other fans. Please, be considerate of other fans so everyone can have a good time and see the group, no matter whose concert you go to.