By: Khristine Dizon
It was over a year, and I just need a breather before I do a few short write-up for work. I decided to go to Jagalci Market, when I received a text from Hong Bin to wait for him to decide what to buy. I’ve been craving for Korean soup for the past few day. I saw online my recent work, read through it a bit, and saw that my manager added some of her old photos as part history. It’s one of the anniversary edition for the magazine.
When the man at work, came to know that Raffie stays in Busan, South Korea on a specific month, because of the magazine article. He suddenly appeared in a market place while she was doing groceries. There was agitation from his eyes when she saw him. They sat on a bench to talk, when he suddenly took the anger at her because of the end of contract that happened from the magazine. When he grabbed her bag, Hong Bin suddenly swooshed with a punch on his face. He fell on the asphalt to fight back but Bin’s reflexes moved his fist toward his lower limbs till the one-arm throw that placed him on the floor. Heon was there and pulled up my former colleague up and went to the police for a complaint. Never again did we saw him. I feel so embarrassed after what happened.
It came to a point that we thought we thought that we won’t be able to complete the first project because of his engagements and other works as an artists. Till another set of two projects was received and accepted by him. There is one time when he asked how I was able to finish my assignments, I told him that I do research online, most of the time. There are also, some old write-ups by my manager that she shares to me for a short history because it is inevitable to repeats certain topics in a magazine.
There was even this certain month where gossips surrounds us. The typical commentaries and questions from nationals on why would someone like him be with someone like me. I stayed hidden and unknown, those days I can still go to supermarkets and nearest playground to photograph for my assignments. Till the gossip subsided because he didn’t say anything about it. Heon became part of my family after that incident with my former colleague from the magazine and up to the gossips. It was heartbreaking to read everything online, but what can I do? I am also a researcher, it can’t be help to stumble upon those articles when I do my work. Bin, was always there to share his thoughts, but I kept quiet, as I always do. He suddenly realized all I wanted to say are in the lyrics that we do.
The year when they released a new album, he was in finalization of the ballad and an alternative rock songs. For days he was out to rehearse and record the song. It was the longest weeks I’ve seen the most. He stayed at his place when in Osaka for the final re-touch, when it was just insertions, they call it chord fills or guitar fills. It took them a number of weeks to finalize and each time they scream once done. During those weeks, I stayed in Ichiro’s house and helped with his ramen house that opens at lunch time. I even featured the traditional Omikase with the help his kitchen staff.
While typing a message to my manager, a text from Bin came through. His band will in Osaka for a number of days to practice before the last practice prior to rehearsals. Their show is scheduled in Tokyo for the next couple of months. I said to him that I might need to stay here in Osaka to wait for him. At the back of my mind the incident from months back still lingers and yet, he replied in assurance that he can’t enter Korea, Japan and maybe Philippines too. Going back to my work, it’s about the write up about the oldest shrines. Then a new project came in, and it’ll be for a new South Korean male group.
Most times like this, I listen to Rolling Stones and search about them in between, just to do a bit of search for guitars, there’s inevitability to create similar tunes. I was told by my late grandfather, that the techniques makes the trademark which is the same thing what he told me when he start to do his fillers for the concert. The rhythm and harmony of songs for concerts is different from the album but somehow it stays the same. There are some agreements for certain song to remain as is. When the night came, he showed me the list for the production of the concerts, as well as the dancers. In Manila, the mix culture isn’t obvious unlike in South Korea. He said that it’s the same thing that they had during their first concert in Osaka. They knew each other from the very beginning. He even mentioned that some new trainees that didn’t pass the standard works in the production team.
The day came when we took a plane for Tokyo, it was the first flight out from Osaka. I had to distance from him a bit, but strangely the passage is different from the others. There was no fans screaming at all, I was surprised. We drove straight to their hotel, and he changed his clothes then straight to rehearsal. I was with him the whole time. It was only like a two hours break before it begun. With my camera with me, as they do their rehearsal. I stopped a bit and took photos of them, to capture each moments of music. Captured in a photo the whole band from a far then I focused on Hong Bin instead. He had a separate dressing room, I stayed there for a while till the lights turned off. He nap a bit, but I still have some things to submit. While I do my search and wait for another email from my manager for final touches for the photos, I look at him in his deep slumber positioned by the side. An hour before their show, I woke him up carefully not to startle him. With that, he prepares for the concert. We heard every step their fans took as they enter the arena. It’s time for a show.
The claps of fans lingers till we reached the hotel, an after-concert meet was held with their closest fans and I took photos of them with their biggest smile. He was enjoying himself, they even present their gifts and took some snaps with their phones. I’ve read about this online, how close they are to their fans and how much they love them. They inspire them to write music, inspire him to make it unique and be addictive to listen to. Those type of songs you want to be on-repeat. It never occurred to me to have this chance as a witness for an outstanding relationship between a celebrity and fans.Their final touch made me smile, when their production crew came out with the band’s gifts to them. There was this day, when he was not with his guitar but with his computer, browsing and he told me, that it’s for his closest fans. He even asked if ‘do you think they will like them?” “As long as you are the who choose, they will.” I do envy them most of the time, because ever since I started to work with my manager, the starstruck that they said was gone. I have no idea how it happened, it just happened. The first assignment that I had with her was to cover an interview with her with two of the most famous celebrities in the Philippines that includes the band who started the pinoy sound. As my mind went back to the celebration, a part of me worries of being noticed, I stayed in the shadows.
Two years after…
It became a worry, that I need to stay home more than often, luckily out new music video was aired earlier than schedule. I’m in the kitchen preparing our drink, there’s something wrong. I poured two glasses of warm soy milk. When I approached her to hand over her glass, her water bag broke. She was actively doing her work in the middle of the afternoon, then it became quiet. As I look at her, she’s pale. Still, she was able to stand up and walk. I rushed her to the nearest hospital, where we are schedule to be in this Friday. It is almost time for her delivery. I waited patiently with worry, after knowing that I’ll be a cesarean. When I heard the cry, tears flows and as I wipe it off my cheeks, I look back. Her Japanese cousins Ichiro with his family and Kazikaya was behind me with a smile on their faces. I smiled and I know my dimples showed again.
-The End-
♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪