I have had a good weekend
Saturday I had another date with Boy.
Our plan was to see Mirror Mirror, 'cause apparently Snow White movies are of mutual interest. Or something. Anyway, we got lunch, then checked movie times at the theater, only to discover that the only showings were at 9:00 or 21:00. So..... we got tickets for the 21:00 show and then started meandering around Minami. And then into Tennouji.
Came back up to Namba Parks after we got dinner and saw the movie. It was really cute! Very different from Snow White and the Huntsman.
And then I walked him back to the eki and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek when we said goodbye. He seemed surprised, but happy? and he held my hand as we stood there for a few minutes, just standing and prolly blocking traffic. After he went through the ticket gates he kept looking back and grinning and waving, and I watched him all the way down the stairs until I couldn't see him anymore.
Today I went to Hosogai Kei's birthday event! I was a bit nervous about finding the venue, 'cause really, I've never heard of 海遊館ホール before, but once I got out to Osakako, all I really needed to do was follow the couple hundred girls dressed all pretty and carrying gift bags.
Once again, details are going to be hidden
I knew the event was going to have a question/answer time, a present raffle, and then everyone was going to get a two-shot polaroid photo with Kei-san. We could write our questions on the little survey sheet the staff had put on all of the chairs, and then turn it in to one of the boxes placed around the room. The survey had three parts: A question you wanted answered; Something you wanted him to do before his next birthday; Something you wanted him to say. I couldn't think of anything to write that wasn't "speak in English!" which I thought was kinda boring, so I didn't fill out the survey.
A lot of the questions he was asked had to do with his role in GoKaijer, which I've never seen (though I intend to someday), so I was a bit lost on them. One girl wrote that she wanted him to do a nude shoot for a photobook in the next year, and he just laughed. Another girl said she wanted him to cut his hair, to which he said no. Because apparently his hair is naturally wavy and he thinks it looks weird when it's short and he has to spend a ridiculous amount of time every day straightening it. And then somebody not me asked him to do a lot of talking in English.
Kei: Hey everybody, do you love me?
Me: Yes!
Kei: Oh come on. Everybody, do you love me?
Me and a few scattered other people: Yes!
Kei: Let me hear you!
Me: kyaaa
Kei: Do you really love me?
Me: Of course!
Kei: Thank you!
And then he sat down and was all "I only heard one voice answering me" [pout pout pout] And the MC, laughing, pointed me out and said that the gaikokujin was the only one who'd understood his English. Kei-san couldn't see me, so they put the lights up for him, and he waved and said ありがとう and I waved back.
thing is, there was totally another foreigner there three rows ahead of me, on the same line as me, and she didn't react at all during this. it made me a bit confused
For the two-shot photo, they brought us up to the front one row at a time. If you'd brought a present or a letter, you could give it to him then when you shook his hand and said Hi, Happy Birthday or whatever. But we were told not to take a lot of time because they had to get through like 200~ people. And sure enough, the staff-san were trying very hard to keep things moving and push people along.
When it was my turn, I walked up and he said こんにちは so I replied in Japanese, then said Happy Birthday in English. And then:
Kei: Thank you!
[we pose for photo]
[he shakes my hand]
Kei: Do you speak English?
Me: Yeah, I'm from Seattle.
Kei: [still holding on to my hand] REALLY? WHAT PART?
Me: U-District area.
Kei: [still holding my hand] I grew up in Redmond!
Me: Cool, that's not that far at all!
[he's still holding my hand]
Staff-san: [coming to push me along]
[he finally lets go and I get my photo and return to my seat]
So um, yeah. "Do you speak English?" Was SO not what I was expecting.
After everyone got their photos we took a group photo:
I can find me 'cause I know where I was sitting, but in general you can't really see me.
Once everything finished I hurried catch my train over to Fukushima so I could see Plan-B with Laura, Elle, and Kerstin!
Our tickets were in the back, but Rikiya wasted no time in finding us from the stage. Ryota seemed to be looking at us a lot, too. But I couldn't tell if Makki could see us or not. I certainly couldn't really see him.
They've really matured in their new sound since the last time we saw them! In Kyoto it sounded like they weren't quite sure how to fill the gap left by the keyboard, but now everything is a lot more rounded and full. It was a great show!
And they came out at the end to sell goods, so we all got to shake their hands again! They all said ひさしぶり to us, and Makki said my shirt (my dinosaur polo) was かっこいい. Yay!!!
Our plan was to see Mirror Mirror, 'cause apparently Snow White movies are of mutual interest. Or something. Anyway, we got lunch, then checked movie times at the theater, only to discover that the only showings were at 9:00 or 21:00. So..... we got tickets for the 21:00 show and then started meandering around Minami. And then into Tennouji.
Came back up to Namba Parks after we got dinner and saw the movie. It was really cute! Very different from Snow White and the Huntsman.
And then I walked him back to the eki and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek when we said goodbye. He seemed surprised, but happy? and he held my hand as we stood there for a few minutes, just standing and prolly blocking traffic. After he went through the ticket gates he kept looking back and grinning and waving, and I watched him all the way down the stairs until I couldn't see him anymore.
Today I went to Hosogai Kei's birthday event! I was a bit nervous about finding the venue, 'cause really, I've never heard of 海遊館ホール before, but once I got out to Osakako, all I really needed to do was follow the couple hundred girls dressed all pretty and carrying gift bags.
Once again, details are going to be hidden
I knew the event was going to have a question/answer time, a present raffle, and then everyone was going to get a two-shot polaroid photo with Kei-san. We could write our questions on the little survey sheet the staff had put on all of the chairs, and then turn it in to one of the boxes placed around the room. The survey had three parts: A question you wanted answered; Something you wanted him to do before his next birthday; Something you wanted him to say. I couldn't think of anything to write that wasn't "speak in English!" which I thought was kinda boring, so I didn't fill out the survey.
A lot of the questions he was asked had to do with his role in GoKaijer, which I've never seen (though I intend to someday), so I was a bit lost on them. One girl wrote that she wanted him to do a nude shoot for a photobook in the next year, and he just laughed. Another girl said she wanted him to cut his hair, to which he said no. Because apparently his hair is naturally wavy and he thinks it looks weird when it's short and he has to spend a ridiculous amount of time every day straightening it. And then somebody not me asked him to do a lot of talking in English.
Kei: Hey everybody, do you love me?
Me: Yes!
Kei: Oh come on. Everybody, do you love me?
Me and a few scattered other people: Yes!
Kei: Let me hear you!
Me: kyaaa
Kei: Do you really love me?
Me: Of course!
Kei: Thank you!
And then he sat down and was all "I only heard one voice answering me" [pout pout pout] And the MC, laughing, pointed me out and said that the gaikokujin was the only one who'd understood his English. Kei-san couldn't see me, so they put the lights up for him, and he waved and said ありがとう and I waved back.
thing is, there was totally another foreigner there three rows ahead of me, on the same line as me, and she didn't react at all during this. it made me a bit confused
For the two-shot photo, they brought us up to the front one row at a time. If you'd brought a present or a letter, you could give it to him then when you shook his hand and said Hi, Happy Birthday or whatever. But we were told not to take a lot of time because they had to get through like 200~ people. And sure enough, the staff-san were trying very hard to keep things moving and push people along.
When it was my turn, I walked up and he said こんにちは so I replied in Japanese, then said Happy Birthday in English. And then:
Kei: Thank you!
[we pose for photo]
[he shakes my hand]
Kei: Do you speak English?
Me: Yeah, I'm from Seattle.
Kei: [still holding on to my hand] REALLY? WHAT PART?
Me: U-District area.
Kei: [still holding my hand] I grew up in Redmond!
Me: Cool, that's not that far at all!
[he's still holding my hand]
Staff-san: [coming to push me along]
[he finally lets go and I get my photo and return to my seat]
So um, yeah. "Do you speak English?" Was SO not what I was expecting.
After everyone got their photos we took a group photo:
I can find me 'cause I know where I was sitting, but in general you can't really see me.
Once everything finished I hurried catch my train over to Fukushima so I could see Plan-B with Laura, Elle, and Kerstin!
Our tickets were in the back, but Rikiya wasted no time in finding us from the stage. Ryota seemed to be looking at us a lot, too. But I couldn't tell if Makki could see us or not. I certainly couldn't really see him.
They've really matured in their new sound since the last time we saw them! In Kyoto it sounded like they weren't quite sure how to fill the gap left by the keyboard, but now everything is a lot more rounded and full. It was a great show!
And they came out at the end to sell goods, so we all got to shake their hands again! They all said ひさしぶり to us, and Makki said my shirt (my dinosaur polo) was かっこいい. Yay!!!