Because S&M is Such a Trivial Topic of Conversation (Jaejoong Fanaccount)

I love Yokohama. Yokohama is beautiful. I really want to come here more often. It was so painful to leave, after spending like twelve hours at a マンガキッサ for a mere 2500 yen.

I wish I could have moved in there. It was so comfortable. And those all-you-can-drink hot-and-cold beverages machines... What a steal! (Name of the manga cafe is コミックバスター or Comic Buster. There seem to be quite a few of them out there, in Tokyo as well.)

I didn't dare film or take photos during the concert, except for the last few seconds, as I would have never forgiven myself if I had been kicked out. And I'm glad I didn't, in the end. This was literally one of the best nights of my life and hands-down one of the best concerts. I wasn't expecting any less from Jaejoong, of course, but he seriously swept me off my feet. This time, however, I took notes! Yes, I am that bad. My memory sucks so much that if I hadn't jotted down the songs as he sang them, I would have forgotten them almost instantly.

It's pretty bad. T_T

I liked this venue a lot more than the one for Junsu's concert. Today was Yokohama Stadium instead of Yokohama Arena. It usually hosts sports events, as one can imagine, and it's pretty big, but it's well configured in that you can see the stage pretty well no matter where your seat is. Anyway, it's smack dab in the middle of the city, so I guess everyone within a few kilometers' radius was able to hear the show and see the cool laser show that was taking place within the walls.

Of course, the show couldn't start without some awesome intro video where Jaejoong proceeds to scream out angstily and flash his glorious creamy white skin. Then, he finally appeared on the stage, accompanied by tens of thousands of screeching voices.

9+1#: I'm not 100% sure, but I think this was the first one. I wasn't certain of the title, but I remember it was one of the new songs and one of the more heavy ones. You know, before, Jaejoong always said that he wanted to sing rock music and it's almost ridiculous how much it suits him. As much as he has mastered pop and ballads, rock is in his blood and it seeps through his pores as he moves on stage. I was really impressed by how good he sounded. He really nailed this one.

Butterfly: The stage was so pretty during this one, what with the lights and the pretty butterfly art on the screen. It's one of my favourites off the new album (*DOO DOO DOODOODOOOOOO*), so I thoroughly enjoyed it. As expected of Jaejoong, he managed to hit those high notes with unimaginable power and control, while making it seem like a walk in the park. You wouldn't think such a tiny body could possibly hold such a strong voice.

Rotten Love: This is my favourite track off the new album, so I was thrilled to hear it so early on in the evening. The instrumental segment at the beginning sounded really great live! DAT BASS.

Once this was over, JJ started whining about how cold it was (寒いですね。。。the second sentence most often uttered in Japan, right after 熱いですね。。。and すごいですね。。。) and then decided that he needed to change his clothes – ON STAGE – and yes, this was probably the best decision he made, really. Jaejoong being Jaejoong (A.K.A an alien), he pretended to be shy and hesitate but WHO THE FUCK are you kidding, Kim Jaejoong, we all know "professional stripper" is your second job. And then he was like "...seexxxxyyyy" and I DIDN'T. I JUST COULDN'T. OH MY GOD.

I felt embarrassed for him.

Hahaha.

KISS B: I didn't know that one much. Though I'd heard about the release of the B version of KISS, I never got around to buying it and then I kind of forgot about it. Hahaha. It started out pretty slow, with Jaejoong seductively sitting on a sofa with his shirt open, and then the beat picked up and ロッカーJaejoong surfaced once again.

The MC segment that followed was SO ADORABLE! Jaejoong was being his cute self, wiping his mouth and giggling and then he DROPPED his water bottle and got all flustered and embarrassed about it and the crowd went かわいいーー which embarrassed him further and  *CUE FANGIRL SCREAM* and it just WOULDN'T END and.

OH MY GOD MY HEART.

Now is good: I just love the acoustic beginning to this one. It's very soothing. The live version wasn't much different from the studio, if only for the fact that it was better. I love the chorus, as it showcases the strength and range in Jaejoong's voice quite well, and you just can't help but sing along. Well. Gibberish, of course. Except the "oOoOoOo" part and the few words of English. XD

Don't Walk Away: Wow, the violins sounded wonderful. This song is pretty catchy and at this point, Jaejoong still had plenty of energy to pull it off. Jaejoong started dancing sexily during the rap. The stage was also quite spectacular, with lots of colourful lights and fireworks/confetti/stuff blowing up.

Then there was a fancy little video again, where Jaejoong tried to look all pretty and sophisticated and succeeded so goddamn well sob sob ;A; He spoke Korean and I was too busy staring at his perfect face to read the Japanese subtitles. Well, he basically answered questions related to the WHO/WHEN/WHY (WWW) of his album, talked about love and inspiration, and mentioned Junsu and Yoochun. <3

I Said I'm Sorry: GOD, I LOVE THIS SONG. I think that at this point, he came out on stage wearing something white and looking so preciously fragile and lovable. There was this ethereal creature sitting on his stool singing his heart away and redefining the meaning of art by just being there and existing and. And my heart did a few flips then. Yep. ;A; I can never really get over how much I love this man. He stirs feelings in me that not many people have (besides TVXQ). I just care for him so much. <3<3<3

Saigo no Ame (Koda Kumi cover): I didn't know this song, but I'm sure Koda Kumi would have been damn proud. Jaejoong did a really great job. He never fails to amaze me with the honesty with which he performs and the raw emotion he displays as he sings. Junsu is immensely good at this, too, and he also has a lot of technique, but Jaejoong's voice has this rough edge that just goes straight to my heart.

Shiny Day: He sang this one along with Gummy, who I didn't know. Apparently, she's recently joined the CJes family. She has a really, really solid voice and a good personality. She seems witty and fun, but she was acting a little meek towards Jaejoong during the MC portion, saying that she really liked Jaejoong but  that he had gotten mad at her (?) because of something she said the day before? I might have gotten that wrong: my Japanese is still pretty limited. But I was really glad to discover that I could follow most of the talks. There might be hope! At any rate, this was a really heartfelt performance. Jaejoong interrupted it before the end and just wouldn't finish it; he kept creeping closer to Gummy and acting all flirty, sexy-staring, eyebrow-wiggling ジェジュンっぽい。I was going crazy! They made a really cute pair. Their voices created a beautiful harmony. But then again, Jaejoong was always good at harmonizing.

This was followed by two solos by Gummy, only one of which I got the title: Shinjiteru. Gummy might have gotten herself a new fan! Powerful song.

Gummy also sang Luvholic with Jaejoong (originally by Ha Dong Qn). Somehow, this ended up being the "Somebody to Love" of the night A.K.A The Song-That-Never-Ends-and-That-Involves-a-Lot-of-Jumping-Riding-on-Moving-Platforms-and-Saying-"Hey! Hey! Hey!-a-Lot. Jaejoong-sama wasn't satisfied with our clapping and stopped the song to make us do it properly. What a spoiled boy! Kkkkk ^^ I think we delivered the goods if his reaction is any indication. XD

Brighter followed. More bod-flaunting. I don't remember this one much. But I do remember that body flaunting was involved. That I would never forget. There was a lot going on all over that stage, including a lot of rainbows and flashing lights and stuff that could trigger an epileptic seizure in pretty much anyone. I don't remember if Jaejoong stopped the song again or if this took place right after, but he suddenly needed to hear his name being called out countless times and we were more than happy to oblige. The little bastard had so much fun that he made us scream over and over. Friggin' tease. Ughhhh. And that TONGUE! It poked out the corner of his mouth... Jaejoong is still Jaejoong! :-)

What followed was like a really random crack fanfiction. I still can't believe this guy... He took us backstage to show us his room, which was gorgeously furnished and comfortable-looking, of course. The idiot started humming (I think it was?) Beethoven's Für Elise and it was SO LIKE HIM, I don't even. XD He kept acting so seductive and mysterious – the lighting didn't help – and one girl was like "結婚して！" (Marry me!) And he started showing us the bottles of alcohol, saying that he preferred [not sure what? coffee? milk?] and asking if he was allowed to drink and we were all like "いいよ！" and Jaejoong being Jaejoong just HAD to ask us three times, just to be sure.

And he had to lean back against the couch and sit with his legs spread out and start talking about how the concert's dress code was S&M and he was an "M" (I can hear the fanfiction being written miles away!). He looked so proud. I love how openly Jaejoong talks about sadomachism with his cute fans. (>O<) Then he HAD to ask a bunch of fans what type they were and I COULDN'T ANYMORE. Like a mother with her teenage son (ママきれいですね～). And then bringing up the father. And. Oh dear. XD What a mess... He did this with a bunch of fans. To two girls who were wearing a masquerade mask, he growled to take it off (顔を見せてくれ - SHOW ME YOUR FACE) and then the camera HAD to zoom in on a girl's chest and he was like "あなたは大木ですね" (I won't translate that one ;-)) and I. WAS. DYING. YOU FREAKING MORON I LOVEYOU. Oh! Random costume of the night: someone was wearing an Iron Man mask. I somehow fail to see the connection. XD

KIM JAEJOONG. YOU ARE DIRTY LIKE YOUR  BOTTLE OF WATER. YOU DIRTY DIRTY THING.

Keshou (Nakajima Miyuki cover): Another song that I didn't know, but it was so bittersweet, especially the chorus: バカだね、バカだね、バカだねあたし。。。Beautiful.

Konayuki: NEED. TO. WATCH. ICHI RITTORU NO NAMIDA. ALREADY.

Let the Rhythm Flow: I suck with titles and decided that this one was called "Nothing lasts forever" (that's the first line). LOL. I need to remember them. Anyway, this is a pretty mellow/feel-good track. It was just as good as the CD version. I don't have anything else to add. (^.^)

Ultra Soul (B'z cover): OH MY GOD. I fell in love so much with this one at first listen! Of course I prefer Jaejoong's rendition, but the original song is pretty good still. (^^) But it sounded so dark and the guitar intro was so deliciously performed... eargasm. Jaejoong had good interaction with the fans as they shouted "HEY!" as one at the end of the chorus and I just stared, completely clueless. (.__.) Jaejoong introduced the support band then too: guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, drummer...

Why was everyone so cool and good-looking?!

Oh wait.

This is JAEJOONG we're talking about. XD Of course his hand has to be comprised of ikemen-men.

Just Another Girl: As the concert was approaching its end, I almost got scared that he wouldn't perform this song, but that would have been really strange. When it turned out that it wasn't going to be the first song, I figured it would be the last – the encore – but it wasn't, just one of the last. This one is really great live! The guitar, the drum, the bass, Jaejoong's voice... It makes for such a powerful combination. It's just epic, and you can't help but sing along. I was violently head-banging/singing along as if I thought I was in a music video or something. (You know, those moments?) It was magical. Hahaha. But seriously. It was an emotional performance that I was waiting for and that did NOT disappoint.

MINE: I'm sorry to say that I don't remember SO MUCH about MINE. Since we were nearing the end of the concert, I tried to record a little and managed to get a few seconds at the end before my phone died on me. (That awful bastard!) I remember that the crowd went crazy during the piano breakdown (that's my favourite part of the song, the air-piano scene). It's just an amazing piece. How could it not be absolutely mind-blowing? There was an impressive fireworks show near the end and stuff just wouldn't stop blowing up. I can only imagine how it must have looked to onlookers and passerbys.

I managed to capture a few seconds of it.

Paradise: I won't lie. I was a little surprised that he chose this song to be the last. Then he started singing and those thoughts vanished from my mind. I had really liked Paradise from the album. At first, I wasn't too sure about the beginning, because it sounded very sensual in an awkward kind of way (not that I don't enjoy hearing Jaejoong's raspy gasps BUT). But you know, as the song progresses, it begins to sound almost desperate, a fleeting moment, and you get this feeling that time is passing too quickly, this love, that it's already over. At least that's how I interpreted it. It's really, really beautiful, and it made for a perfect finale. Jaejoong's pleas to "look in my eyes" are unsettling – troubling – in the studio version and the live just made all those feelings come alive even more.

This was the last song, after almost three hours of perfection. I had been so giddy all throughout the show and I laughed and screamed so much. It was the best evening I could have asked for. Not that I didn't already know that, but Jaejoong is a really, really funny guy. At the end, my throat still hurt from the previous screaming we had done before the encore, but after, it continued for quite a few minutes. The fans (I'm proud to say I was one of them) just kept on screaming Jaejoong's name over and over without stopping. I could barely breathe and my voice was almost gone, but still I continued. Not hoping that he would come back out: I knew Jaejoong was done for the night, he had given us more than our money's worth and I wanted him to go back and rest, but I also wanted him to know and feel that he was loved, so I kept on screaming, louder and louder. (Actually, I bonded with the obasan next to me for a while. It was pretty nice. ^^) Even when the staff kindly told us (quite a few times) that the concert was over, and to please go home and be careful on our way back, we didn't stop screaming. After a few attempts on the staff's part, we finally gave in, reluctantly.

But it was pretty epic. XDD

I was a little disappointed that he didn't sing more of the songs from his mini-album. I would have preferred that over the covers. But it wasn't my place to choose! XD I still enjoyed the covers a lot.

There are a few things I'm not too sure about:

1. What the heck does henshuu (sp?) mean? Jaejoong kept repeating that at one point.

2. He mentioned something about a DVD? Was the concert recorded?

I can't wait to see him in concert again!

Until then, my man, my hubby, the love of my life, Dirty-Minded-Rocker-Alien-Jaejoong, take care.

Disney, until the day I die. ♥

So a while back, I went to Tokyo Disneyland. Well. Twice in two months, actually.

So this post shall be about the first but also the second time.

If you're ever looking to have a good time around Shinjuku in a trendy and unusual shop, I would suggest, if I may, checking out the Lock-Up. Naturally, the best time to go would probably be some time around Halloween, considering the prominent theme the bar has going on. The interior, as soon as you step inside, is all eerie darkness, flickering lights, winding corridors and uneven floor with traitorous bumps and holes. Not the most welcoming atmosphere, but it's all part of the game. As you approach the spot where the staff is waiting, a waitress comes bearing a pair of handcuffs, which she insists she must put on you before you go anywhere. Thus you are escorted to your cell (this is not a joke nor a metaphor, it's an actual rathole with bars for a door). Many of the drinks are quite unusual and creepy-looking, like this experiment set that I ordered, where you get a bunch of colourful samples to mix by yourself. The food is also great! We had quite a few services (six or seven, I believe), which included salad, salmon, pasta, korokke, some kind of cheesy eggplant side dish, and more.

So you're enjoying your food and drinks in peace (almost), happily chatting the night away with your friends, when suddenly the lights go out and are replaced with some kind of faint emergency lighting that makes your teeth, nails and drinks glow in the dark. High-pitched screams and gunshots sound out around you and you can hear a woman's voice through the speakers. Though you may not understand some (or everything) of what she says, you kinda get that something has gone terribly wrong. It all sounds like some kind of attack/invasion followed by some sort of emergency evacuation operation. Through the bars of your grimy cell, you can see people running past wearing costumes and freaking the hell out. You have no idea what's going on, but you can't help but be terribly entertained by the display. I don't remember exactly if it was at the very beginning or at the end, but they also played Michael Jackson's Thriller, and the whole thing ended with a guy yelling out above our heads (but judging from the awkwardness of that performance, I'm not sure it was staged; it might have been one of the clients doing that by accident).

Anyway, it was really great. I'd love to go back!

The weather was pretty bad on that day. There was a typhoon incoming/happening at the time, so we got to the hostel (somehow) in the midst of a veritable downpour. As opposed to what we had read in the weather forecast, it did not stop raining in the middle of the night between Friday and Saturday, far from it, nor did it stop – at all – until far into the day. We knew that the day we were going to Disney on was one of the busiest – if not the busiest day of the year –, and it showed, because despite the absolutely shitty weather, there were a lot of people. The Japanese are crazy about Disney. There were scarcely any foreigners on-site... I'd say 99% of them were Japanese, and it wouldn't be far from the truth. And with Halloween just a few days away, a great many of them were wearing costumes, and pretty kick-ass at that. It was a shame to see those beautiful princess dresses (more or less) hidden under raincoats or completely out in the open, but not protected at all.

When I accepted to tag along on the trip, I was merely looking to see other sights and spend time with my ALT friends. I didn't think I would be so excited by the prospect of Disney. And yet I was, terribly so. I went to Disney World in Florida when I was a child, but I was only two then, so I don't really remember. Moreover, I had forgotten what importance the movies and their characters had had for me in the past, and how much they still have today. And so childhood feelings were rekindled on that very day.

We tried quite a few rides. Here they are, in no particular order.

Space Mountain was the first we went on. We had to get fast passes for this one. Fast passes exist for the rides that are most popular. Essentially, you put your ticket inside a machine and it gives you a slip of paper with a time interval on it. You can only have one at a time. It allows you rapid access to that particular ride during the time specified on the paper, and that speed at which they disappear is probably equivalent. It isn't unheard of that at 10'o'clock, only two hours after the themed park's opening, there aren't any left or that they're already at like 6:00 or 7:00 PM. Anyway, we still had to wait for a while, but man was it worth it. It's my absolute favourite ride. I tend to be quite the chicken when it comes to roller coasters, but this one is just fast with sharp turns, and it's in the dark. There aren't any crazy loops that kill your back and make you sick. What's more, all throughout the ride you're surrounded by stars, nebulaes and galaxies. It's extremely pretty. The trajectory is just so chaotic that I couldn't help but screech like a madwoman and laugh to tears. I'd do it over and over and over and over again if the wait wasn't so horribly long.

Star Tours was pretty fun, too. (This is a relatively recent Star Wars attraction.) We got to walk through a few rooms that looked like the interior of a space ship, as well as meet R2D2 and C3PO. At the end, we entered a room where, sporting a pair of 3D glasses, we were asked to take our seats and buckle our seat belts. A movie was shown on a screen and our seats moved according to what was happening before our eyes. It was a rocky road for the most part, and pretty fun.

After that, we did a lot of shopping and tried many kinds of foods sold on-site at a surprisingly decent price. Especially the popcorn, of which there are many flavours, including shoyu, curry and chocolate. I found that considering the size and quality of the foods, they could have gotten away with a higher cost and managed to sell a lot, but they were by no means expensive. Pretty normal, actually. The goods, on the other hand... Well, their price is acceptable, but the diversity and number of them is absolutely overwhelming. Most major rides have a shop attached to them which sells merchandise based on that particular movie or series (ex: Toy Story). Plus, as if THAT wasn't enough, there are quite a few "general" shops which sell Mickey and co. products, which range from boxers to snacks or furniture, AND there are specialised shops such as confectioneries. I go completely bat-shit when I go there. I want to buy EVERYTHING. Because EVERYTHING is BEAUTIFUL and RELEVANT and you just NEED IT.

The parades rendered me into a teary mess, but it turns out that I wasn't the only one, so that made me feel better. I don't know... The feels are just too many to count. Everything is SO perfect there. The atmosphere and the scenery is so beautiful and clean and magical, and all of that just takes you in more. I'm not sure people would buy it as much if the ground was littered with junk (and you'd think it would be), but there is literally not a single piece of it, and if there ever is, it doesn't stay there longer than a few minutes until someone picks it up. I was floored by the cleanliness, continue to be, and appreciate it a lot.

Among the quieter rides, I really liked the Pirates of the Caribbean one. We also tried Monster Inc. and it was fun, but not outstanding, 'least not to me. Basically, you're sitting in a boat and you go down a river. It's not like, thrilling, except for one short drop that might pull a yelp out of you, but it's visually attractive and entertaining. The smell, the sounds... It's kind of like a reenactment of the movies with familiar scenes happening all around you, but also some original ones. There are absolutely no actors, but all the (dolls? robots? whatever they're called) look incredibly real. It's truly magical. Jack Sparrow also makes his appearance at a few places. Like here:

Big Thunder Mountain, we had to wait so long for... Placed in a Western setting, it attracts quite a big number of people and thus, line-ups. The fast passes vanish at lightning-speed. We couldn't get any, but we wanted to get on badly, so we did. It was definitely worth the wait, but I was getting tired at that time when we went to stand in line. Again, it's a pretty cool coaster ride with exciting drops and sharp turns. During that trip, I discovered just how much I like those. What I don't like is extreme heights and loops. The likes of these rides that I mentioned  in this post are exactly to my tastes.

Later in the evening, after the night parade, we tried the Haunted House (Mansion) based on Nightmare Before Christmas. I might place it right after Pirates in the "quiet rides" category. It's quite complete and realistic (as far as haunted houses are concerned). In particular, there was a time where we were riding and we could see a dining room down to the right. There were chandeliers and ghosts flying around casually. I couldn't take a shot because my phone/camera were both dead by then, but it was really spooky! After that, we didn't have that much time left before closing, so we went to Mickey's Philarmagic Orchestra (a 3D compilation of Disney songs and characters) and the Winnie the Pooh ride, which resembled a crack overdose very much.

The following day, we went to Odaiba and a Mexican restaurant called La Salsa, where we pigged ourselves to death and I made multiple false claims that this would be "my last plate". Someone thought it was a necessity to immortalize my hypocrisy.

I went back to Disneyland with one other friend in October, this time just in time for the Christmas decorations. We had a great time! The weather was quite good – clear blue sky and warm for October! – but we did not get to do many rides, because of my inability to plan and because there were just too many people. We told each other that we would take leave and go back again on a work day so that we don't have to wait in line all the time. Nevertheless, it was very beautiful. Here are some pictures of what it looked like:

And here are some of the delicious foods we devoured all throughout the day (I swear these outings are so bad for my diet. DX

Of Angels and Duck (Butts): A XIA Junsu Concert

This is going to suck.

For sure, this is going to suck.

Ahhhhhh, ottoke...

I honestly have no words to express how epic this show was. Even for memorable events such as these, I have the shortest attention span and memory in the history of humanity, so I don't remember important details, such as the order of the songs and the color of Junsu's underwear.

Wait, what?

Anyway, I had to get up super early to catch the 6:36 train to Yokohama. For once in my life, I didn't get lost during my transfers, yay! This was hands-down the shortest train ride in my whole life (it was actually the longest, but it felt like it lasted only one second). I was playing Pokemon Y (meeting tons of people, two days after the game's  release, hehe) and time went by so quickly! I safely got to Yokohama around 10-ish without any major problems, but I was worried about not being able to find the venue, so I headed there right away. Only to find around 11-ish that there was already a queue long enough to go all around Yokohama Arena (and then some!). I later found out after waiting in line for two hours with an extremely heavy backpack weighing down on my shoulders that the queue was only for the merch (!!!), but in the end, I was glad I waited. I bought a light stick, a towel and a fan, and I had no regrets.

Although I knew that officially we could only get inside around 4:30, I didn't dare venture too far, so I just stuck around until the time came. While I was waiting, I wrote a love letter to Junsu in a notebook I got from the Canadian embassy (twice, lol). It was quite heartfelt. :'-) Anyway, I totally fail at life, but I was so happy when I put the books inside the 'Junsu' cardboard box (the staff member couldn't help but smile warmly at me :-D)! I like to think that he read it. I know that the box will have gone directly to him and knowing him, I am confident that he did.

Getting in went much smoother than I had expected. I just joined the line when people started gathering near the door. But since not everyone was doing that, I suspected that only some of us were allowed in, like VIP's and whatnot. In the end, it was alright. After some time, they opened the doors and people started pushing in, but it wasn't all that bad. Many (including me) lingered by the flowers and fan gifts to take pictures, then proceeded towards their respective seating area. In my case, my seat was on the first floor and I was shocked to find that there were no line-ups whatsoever. I just went in as I would have at the movie theatre and asked one of the staff members to help me find my seat, which took a minute or two, and that was it. I did not have to swim through a sea of fangirls.

As  I thought would happen, I don't remember the songs he sang nor the order in which he sang them... T__T He started the concert with Tarantallegra, if my goldfish memory serves me right. That I tried to record despite the countless warnings, but I gave up right after, as I was too afraid that they would act on their threats to kick me out of the venue if they caught me. That ticket had cost WAY TOO MUCH money for everything to be over so easily and quickly. Besides, although my seat wasn't bad, I wouldn't have been able to capture any good material, so it really wasn't worth taking the risk. I wanted to enjoy the show anyway. I'm pretty sure he sang most of the songs from Incredible album. To be honest, although I bought it, I haven't listened to it that much, and since it's a Korean album, the song titles don't mean much to me... He also sang a few songs in Japanese of which I didn't know the name. (There was Minna no Shita and Tsubomi, apparently.)

Here is my shitty video:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151727187550924

For what it's worth, here is the tracklist for the concert in Seoul. If you happened to go and know the actual setlist, please inform me of any mistakes so I can correct this post!

Tarantallegra (see, told ya!): Wow, the intro! I vaguely remember him sitting on a throne, being his princely awesome self. Then he stepped on the stage and the crowd went wild. This song is one of my favourite Junsu songs so I was thrilled to see it being performed at the very beginning. It sure started the concert off on a powerful note. The chorus is so enticing, too. I swear, this man is such an accurate representation of charisma that he makes me want to start a religion or a cult for him, just so I can worship him properly. Although I should probably add that Junsu being Junsu, as soon as he started to talk during the MC segments, charismatic Junsu made way for the silly, cute dork that we all know and love. <3 Just listening to him talk soothed my heart and filled me with warm, fuzzy feelings. He makes me so happy.

(Not sure if that's where it happened, but there was this video where he was chatting Gwith a girl on LINE in Japanese and using stickers and stuff and it was SO FRIGGIN' CUTE and funny XD)

I’m Confessing Now (나 지금 고백한다)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8yCW2-am24

Chocolate Girl: I remember that the choreography for this one was very sexy. Junsu-chan got a lot of action on that stage, hahaha.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjHkBnJvxPg

Rainy Eyes

Foolish Heart: WOW, what an amazing performance! Just when you think Junsu's voice cannot get any more powerful and filled with emotion, he proves you wrong. TVT It's as if there were no limits to his talent. I'm seriously wondering how far he can take it before he stops getting better... it's almost... scary.

No Reason

Uncommitted: I gotta give it to him, Junsu's English has truly come a long way since "Hey! You wanta me? I wanta you!". This song is a pretty solid piece.

Turn It Up: This performance was quite action-packed! I really loved the dances. Pretty badass choreography.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e5C9w977u0

Fantasy

Isn’t This Song Funny / This Song Is Funny (이 노래 웃기지): Wow, that... was... something. I expected it, since it's already so much crack on the album, but it was accompanied by crazy cartoon artwork on the screen which made the whole thing even weirder. Great performance!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RajSCi45a-E

There was a time when he got on a little moving platform thing and went up the stairs through the audience. Not sure if it was at that point or at another. In any case, when that happened, everyone moved away from their seat towards him (myself included). I could get pretty close – close enough to realize that he really was here in person. I'd seen him on the screen, mostly, so it didn't feel as real as when he was just standing a few feet away.

11AM (11시 그 적당함): This is a personal favorite... He sang the first part a cappella, as in the music video, and I SWEAR absolutely NO ONE made a sound. The venue was COMPLETELY silent but for his crystalline voice. I don't. I can't. THE FEELS. The beauty of it all was beyond description.

Love Is Like Snow (사랑은 눈꽃처럼)

I’m In Love (사랑하나봐)

Don’t Go (가지마)

You’re My Girl (내 여자라니까)

Incredible: This was the "official" last song, and wow, I quite enjoyed it! You could feel the electricity in the air and the beat in your chest. I just couldn't help but sing along what parts I knew (the chorus? I'm such a bad fan~). The music video is already very catchy, so the live performance was bound to be something to remember. It actually made me like the song more. You couldn't help but jump and clap to the beat. I just want to say that I love the whole colorful theme he has going on in this one. The clothes were so much win.

Fever and Sorry (미안)

This is a pretty nice recap of the night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8JGYn6n9HM

Here are some fancams:

http://jyj3.net/2013/10/14/fancams-131014-xia-incredible-concert-in-yokohama-day-1/

And pretty HQ pictures:

http://tvxqfrance.wordpress.com/2013/10/20/hq-pics-xia-junsu-incredible-concert-a-yokohama/ 

As one would expect it, the concert was like an enhanced version of the album. Not a single note was missed. He hit every single one of them with perfection. I just want to tell him to stop being so damn perfect, STAHP GODDAMMIT, but at the same time, I am so looking forward to seeing him grow even more in the future, and I know he will without a doubt. If I could, I would go back today. I wouldn't care about the price of the ticket. As Junsu always aims to become better and succeeds, he really makes you want to do your best in every aspect of your life. I feel sorry that this fan account does not even begin to do him justice.

Next time we meet, I will strive to make it better. Junsu, please do your best, too.

So mianhae, my love, and thank you for an incredible night (bad pun intended).

Badum.

Tsss.

WARNING: This post may be a hazard to your health.

This post has been suffering from extreme tardiness for a great number of weeks, which has been found to be caused by extreme drowsiness, severe lack of free time and acute lazinessitis. Please note that an extensive list of additional side effects may affect the quality of this post. As a cure has yet to be discovered, the symptoms may continue to occur for an unknown period of time. Much caution should be exercised while handling this post. Its author cannot be held responsible for a sudden decrease in intellectual performance and any incident that this may result into.

ばかやろう！！！ (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻

In any case, now that you are all aware of the dangers to which you may be exposed should you choose to disregard my warnings, here is an attempt at summarizing the past two months in a more or less coherent way. (^^)

Not too long after the last of my updates, I attended the world-famous Tokyo Games Show with a dear friend and one of his buddies. It's one of those times when I think: "Oh, hey, how about that. It seems like I live in Japan now!" without truly realizing it. I mean, I don't think it will ever sink in. No matter what it is I'm doing, be it the trivial everyday activities like grocery-shopping or going to work, or spending the day at what is possibly one of the most renown gathering of the big names of the gaming industry... It still doesn't seem real. And so I went with the ever-present feeling of floating through a suspended reality (I know you're all thinking what the fuck did she put in her cereal this morning). Since I hadn't known about the convention before accepting the invitation, I didn't have any expectations, which is good. Although I might have expected something more like the anime conventions I'd seen to date, because there wasn't much besides information/merchandise booths and a few presentations. But about the latter, I will say that they were quite interesting (says the girl who barely understood a word). I mean, it was exciting just knowing that I was there and this was actually the guy who had drawn the characters or put together the story of this Square-Enix hit. I thoroughly enjoyed the Final Fantasy Go There! presentation even though I've never played XIII and have not only heard good things about it, because let's face it, it was still Final Fantasy. They also showed some footage from the good old classics and played the heartwarming music that we all know like Prelude, which never fails to bring a tear to my eye. If I can make one complaint, it would be about the goddamned merchandise. Considering the size and reputation of the event, you would think they would have enough... but they ran out so quickly! There was always a lineup at the Square-Enix booth and despite that, many people - like me - had to go back empty-handed or unsatisfied. It was really frustrating that after waiting between 45 to 60 minutes (twice) I could not buy what I wanted. I was told to come back the following day: why the fuck did they not have the goods on hand just in case (I don't know, by some miracle) they ran out of them. (.__.) I was really pissed.

Near the end of September, I checked out an event that was taking place very close to where I live: the Nakanojo biennale. It ran over a few weeks, I think. It's basically a kind of artistic rally where you can observe the works of art of the local artists, which really varies in form and content, going from colorful abstract paintings to a structure made out of scrap metal to a creepy room with a bed surrounded by curtains of cotton wool hanging from the ceiling to... a disco-lights Daruma show. (That was pretty hilarious!) There were around thirty-something "main" attractions where you could get a stamp as a souvenir and if you managed to get a certain amount, you could receive a so-called special prize. My friends and I never managed to make it in one day and we didn't go back after that to complete the course as we were quite busy. But it was a great way to visit the small neighbouring towns and I quite enjoyed it. However, while some works allowed one to get a deeper understanding of the artist and their creative process, there were some that left me completely clueless, and one could say that for that reason, it wasn't worth their time. I wouldn't say that: it gave me a nice excuse to go sight-seeing locally and to hang out with my friends. The area is really beautiful! But it's true that I took more pictures of the scenery than the art XD

Something really good that I wish could have lasted longer: I had the chance to attend an English camp with the students of a high-academic junior high school. We spent two days together, including the bus rides, the meals, the games and other organised events. At the time, I wasn't a pro at teaching (not that I am now XD), so it wasn't easy to be handed a plan and teach it alone or in teams right away, but I learned from it a lot. Besides, the kids were so adorable. I was positively swept off my feet by their friendliness and motivation, as well as English ability. If I am to recontract next year - I still have absolutely no idea how that will go or what I will choose to do -, I will be looking forward to go back to English camp. What a great time I had. :)

As far as teaching is concerned, I have been making progress. I've gotten past the point where standing in front of the class used to terrify me, which I consider to be quite the achievement already. I can now somewhat/somehow "lead" the class, though I still lack a lot of confidence and technique. I can be terribly unclear, where I confuse even myself. I also lack the energy and creativity that seems to gush out of some teachers' every pores and my activities are not fascinating nor unique, But I've put together quite a few lessons and am getting the hang of preparing activities, explaining them and conducting them. Teaching grammar still proves to be a challenge, but I don't think it will ever stop being that way. It's just not easy, neither for you nor for your students, especially if the explaining is done in the target language that the students are struggling to learn. I am far from being comfortable yet in what I do and I still have atrocious lessons from time to time, but the number of decent-to-good lessons is steadily increasing.

My students are precious. While a great number of my girls have been showering me with love and attention ever since I came here, more and more are talking to me outside of class. As for my other two schools, the students have warmed up to me, including many of the boys. Even they now greet me whenever they run into me somewhere. I guess the fact that I have played Pokemon on my 3DS after class did help break the ice with quite a few of them and earn me a few buddies. (^^) Often times, I am faced with some behavior problems and "attitudes", but I will try to work my way into the hearts of those kids however I can. It's really hard to control them in the classroom, however. Well, you gotta do what you gotta do and there's only so many things that are within my power. I should probably stop being so hard on myself, and notice the good things that I do instead of being so fixated on the things that I fail at accomplishing. Well, that's a lifelong goal for me.

My adventures include the discovery of kotatsu and our love affair, a sad attempt at setting up my Internet and wireless router on my own, which has a happy ending, a story of honour and courage where I face my demons and go to a hair salon, only to leave (a few hours later) with non-catastrophic results A.K.A a god-awful haircut, and much more... but that's for another time. I will be writing about the two concerts I attended later, in separate posts, as well as my two times in  Tokyo Disneyland (which is really in Chiba).

それじゃ、またね。