By: Khristine Dizon
Note: It took me a year to re-write for my family to be safe and a part of me that triggers to do so, only came through this June 2026. Now I am in rush, to complete everything, it seems I have a deadline for these but I’m not getting paid. And when people from here in California, reads this story online; most of them will say that it is best if my youngest sibling wrote this instead of me because she traveled to Japan and know more. Till now, I remember those things that they said, never in my entire life at the age of 46 that I feel they were proud of me. There’s always someone who suits best of what I’ve completed. The reason, why the story was stolen from after those years while kept hidden under my pen name “non practicing writer.”
The days went swiftly by, and weeks became months. Hong Bin and Raffie started to became close friends and continuously communicates because of a project. There was even a time when Raffie stayed in Busan, South Korea for three months to complete a project with him. She met his family along the way, they even taught her how to make side dishes.
Just like the seasons of weather, their mood changes but never how they feel for each other. They call it their little mood swing.
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At the north port, they sat on a bench. It was a discussion about the song if she’s ok to be published. There were some questions that was answered, since the lyricist will be both of them. “It’ll be accepted, given your experience as a writer from a magazine. I asked your manager and there are some poems that musicians would like to buy from you before. She kept it with her in case this happens.” 잡지 작가로서의 경력을 고려하면 받아들여질 겁니다. 매니저에게 물어보니, 예전에 음악가들이 당신에게서 시를 사가고 싶어 했던 적이 몇 번 있었다고 하더군요. 매니저는 이런 일이 생길까 봐 그 시들을 챙겨 두었다고 합니다. I took a deep breath and said ok, I didn’t even expect that the contract is ready and waiting for my signature. He sent me a copy to sign, that also includes, copy write agreement, non-disclosure and royalty rights. We went to Oase for breakfast and it was a buffet. I think we were the fifth guest who arrived that morning. He told me that he’ll get some food for us.
While I read the collaboration agreement, there it was, the public performance, broadcast, mechanical and digital streaming, recording rights, credit, attribution, term and termination this is new; law and dispute resolution. It must be about if use in a commercial. Suddenly, he came back with fruits and sushi plates, a waiter with the other plates and Heon with the other plates. We are seated at their alfresco area. I saw the note from my manager and she replied to my app message to confirm it; that there’ll be no challenges with regards to my schedule and employment with the magazine. I’ll stay as a regular writer for them. Hong Bing asked if I have questions about the contract, when I was about to sign. I asked the same thing. He said “the public performance and broadcast, and others listed in the agreement are the restrictions to protect the lyricist and musician. Down below there’s another agreement that protect separate parties in conclusion of the contract.” Then I finally signed with my digital pencil, when done, a place for thumb print came out. Our first project is due next month. While in the middle of our meal, both of our cellphones beep, we look at each other and read the text. It’s from my manager, a text saying that she sent an email about my extension for a month. Since it is necessary for me to be in Japan for the next few weeks, additional photos of cherry blossoms is needed. Not to compare it from South Korea and Japan. It needs a bit of history too. I took out my tablet and saw that cc’d in the email is Hong Bin. I thought this will be the set up, for my schedule to be well cascaded to both parties.
The lunch went well, and we decided to move around to sight see places one of the busiest place in Busan, South Korea. When I heard the song from CNBlue “Between Us”, then there was this sushi bento box toy that reminds me of Ichiro. I told him that I have a relative who lives in Tokyo, I asked if there’s a time maybe we can swing by to visit him. Since, he was supposed to be here in Busan two days from now. When he said “Yes, we I want to meet him.” “It’ll be easier for you to adjust in Japan then.”
We were supposed to take the plane going to Japan but when Hong Bin heard my conversation with Ichiro and Kazikaya he decided that it is best that we do the Busan, South Korea to Fukuoka, Japan route through Camelia Line. Kazikaya, the older sibling of Ichiro will meet us at the port. Our departure time is 6:30 pm. On that day Hong Bin stayed with me to wait for our onboarding time. I do wonder, why there’s only him. When I’m about to ask, he was laying on the sofa in the living room. He placed our boarding pass on the table. I stayed quiet with laptop for a while, while I wrote a bit about the cherry blossoms in Busan, South Korea. While reading online, a question came to mind. “Does it represents democracy?”
At 6:00 PM were at the port waiting by the dock to onboard. The night was serene, and quiet there were a few stars that I took a photo of.
When we stepped in the ferry, the cabin steward is by the entrance and checked our boarding pass. It’s a royal suite for the two of us, as the cabin steward explained ad guided us where she’ll place our luggage and necessities are. Before I knew it, I headed straight to the balcony to see the night sky with a camera. As I look up, there it was, a crescent moon shines upon us. I remember how it was, the time when I always share what I wrote for the school news paper to everyone in my family to review. It was at past midnight, when I heard them talk that they think it wasn’t I who penned it. From then on, I stopped from letting them read my materials for school. Then on, it was only to my late grandfather. I was startled by the steps of Hong Bin towards me, and he said that I can go for a wash. Afterwards, we took out our tablets and listen to the rhythm that he wrote.
It was a 5 hours trip to Fukuoka, Japan. We saw Kazikaya by the terminal benches, waving at us. We bowed when we were near him as a sign of respect. He was in his plane kimono. I was told that he was in seclusion a month after my late grandfather’s 40th day. We’ll be leaving for Tokyo tomorrow, and Heon was with us too. Hong Bin have relatives in this area as well. He said, that we’ll meet his relatives tomorrow for lunch before we take the bullet train to Osaka. He smiled then said, we’ll be taking pictures of Fukuoka’s sakura’s “autumn-blooming” the Jugatsu-zakura trees. He suggested, to take photos at night. There is the Fukuoka Castle Ruins, the most tourist go to. Hong Bin, set our itinerary till we reach Tokyo, Japan. Heon will visit some relatives in Kitakyushu. We all stayed in Kazikaya’s house, and there were 7 bedrooms. We can sleep till 7:00 AM. I stayed up a bit, Hong Bin sent a text that he’ll be asleep in a few minutes, his room is right next to mine. Kazikaya, checked on me and asked how I’ve been for the past months. Awaken by my clock at 5:30 AM, after I freshen up; went straight to the kitchen. Saw Kazikaya, Hong Bin and Heon making breakfast. They prepared Spicy Cod Roe, sesame mackerel sashimi, sushi plate with aged amberjack, horse mackerel, mackerel, and fresh tuna, yellow tail there’s tamago roll, tamago kake gohan, hakata mental salad, seaweed and Jako salad and Hakata udon. Before we left, I need to see his katana, he moved it to his dining area.
An email from my manager came in, that one of the writers is trying to predict my next write-up will be. “I know that person, he always do that. It seems he can’t get enough.” My manager has been upset with his attitude but can’t really say much for now since he’s under contract with the magazine. Strangely, his contract was supposed to be renewed and yet, there’s no news about it. He stole my material once, when my manager left for New York. He was supposed to be next in line for promotion but after that incident, it halted and never heard announce about it. I saw that Hong Bin was cc’d in the email. I look at him behind me, and he was reading the same email. He just look at me and shook his head about it. I know how my manager is, she wants him to be aware of how my work is.
Our next stop is from Osaka, Japan to Tokyo, Japan and we’ll be taking the bullet train again for 2 hours or so. The lunch with his family was enjoyable, there were two children who loves him dear. He even brought them presents. We left at night time, but he brought the children along to the castles to take some photos of the famous “autumn-blooming trees” before that in the mid afternoon, while the sun at high, we swing by the nearest park where there were tourists and cherry blossoms.
At the train station in Osaka, there stood Ichiro. I ran towards him, it was nice to see him again. Kazikaya is more reserved than him. He’s like a priest, Ichiro always say. As Ichiro and Hong Bin talk while we walk, I noticed how fluent his Japanese is. Well, I don’t understand much. But it does sound perfect when I listen to both. I was surprised that so does Heon. It’s Heon, last stop. He’ll meet us in Tokyo after five days. Hong Bin have a house in Osaka, and late did I know that it’s just across Ichiro’s.
Hong Bin kept looking at me with his strange eyes, but this is the first time I saw it that way. I can’t really explain it, since he’s ‘chinito’. Ichiro moves a lot when he was unmarried, and he settled in Tokyo with his family. After my grandfather passed away, my first entry to Japan was here in Osaka then we took the plane to Tokyo.
Hong Bin suddenly realized that the woman by the window that he saw years back was her. Ichiro is a childhood friend, way back in grade school. The time during the urn ceremony, he was late because of a work engagement.
In Osaka we decided to go to Sumiyoshi Taisha, a shinto shrine that was founded in 211AD by the legendary empress Jingū. The empress reminds me of the book “Shogun”. I need to prepare my camera after we give our respects. While digging through my tote, I suddenly saw a stray cat infant of me, with it’s neck slightly bend from my right. It’s expression was like a question “You look familiar to me.” I bowed at it and say “おはようございます” When I saw them, bowed at someone a 神主 is walking towards us. Immediately I guided the cat to come with me, “We need to say our good morning to him.” After I bowed to the priest, he pick up the cat and pet him. When I look at his face, he was there during my late grand father’s funeral. Hong Bin brought his guitar and played a few strings after our shrine ceremony. He can easily do his finger styles, and whammy bar techniques through his acoustic guitar. While a took some photographs of the building, trees and the Sorihashi Bridge.
The priest can’t come along with us for lunch, but before that. When we finally settled in a traditional restaurant for lunch, we discuss about the songs that we need to complete. It is actually a lot but Hong Bin said, that’s his usual list to complete. We were able to finish, 5 songs, a rendition and just a few more polish of layering. Then my best friend sent a text, that Lee swing by at her place asking where I am at and if there’s still a possibility for us to be able to talk it over. I replied, with a no. She responded with ‘for sure’. My best friend will marry soon to her love where she met in Antipolo, Philippines.
We went to Kuromon Market to try the takoyaki, kushikatsu and okonomiyaki. While reading our latest work group chat, there were some messages that was deleted. Worries came to me, when I saw another email from my boss. The photos I submitted and a short write-up I did for Busan, South Korea was being decipher by that man. But when the photos from Fukuoka, Japan was published, they asked for more images from Japan and write-up. That man, received his end of contract, he’ll only stay with the magazine till tomorrow. There is something about that man, as my manager said. Ever since he work with the magazine he always came up with gossips, truth-less stories they didn’t at first because he thought he was just in the process of adjustment in the Philippines. Some actually thinks he’s a spy from the tabloids. She rest assured us that nothing about my side hustle was known by him. While on the bullet train station, one of the song from FTIsland album plays.
As we complete the other songs, most half are mine, there’s a studio in his house where he do their songs. There were moments the he keep in silent, so I let him be while I get us some tea from the fridge. It’s really cold here right now and I am in layers just to keep myself warm. After a couple of days with him, as he plays his guitar. He reminds me some styles like “ditch the pick”, microtonal bends and slides, harmonic double stops, and volume swells. Then the dream where the man was in the middle of fingerpicking and tonal approaches with his golden guitar strings came to mind.
As we grew closer, there were weeks that Hong Bin was in Manila, Philippines. He tried Jollibee, Gilligan’s, Sky Deck in Intramuros, Max’s and Aristocrat. Then came a very important project that I need to stay with him for more than 6 months. Most of my assignment are foreign countries in Asia, some are re-discovering Malaysia, Aromas of China, and the streets of Thailand. It was so sudden, when we accidentally came across Lee in Beijing, China. That night, I didn’t expect a serious talk with Hong Bin. It never occurred to me that for the past few months that we became close, a strand of likeness was there. The feeling from my end is there, it’s just that I blocked it off because of work. We decided to try and be more honest with each other. It finally became clear to Lee that I’ve been patient with him towards his lies for months. I mentioned about the alumni gathering we had and someone saw them that showed they still do have a thing that they rekindled on. It was a long talk that Hong Bin had to call me up to make sure that we’re able to be on schedule. Lee and I were at the coffee shop of the hotel were we are staying, and one of the band member saw us too. Actually, I was waiting for an email from my manager, the non-dicsclusre agreement for Lee. Since, it is not easy to just have a conversation with anyone during a project completion with the employment engagement I am in. The time came when he had to digitally sign the agreement from my manager, then we walk towards separate direction to end whatever it is that came between us.
It seems there is no strings attached to us both, but there is. We started to talk about the divination that we had separately and put the tale in words as another song. As we complete another set of songs, when it was reviewed, the tale about our divination will be part of an anime soundtrack. We smile at that result. It does fit the song, perfectly. I said it out loud. “Just like us.” Hong Bin said.
– The End –
♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪